Thinking about what she had planned for the drive back to his apartment had him so distracted he barely noticed when she suddenly stopped in her tracks. He heard her growl at the same time he sensed someone materializing from the shadows. He spun around, instinctively pushing her behind him.
A tall, blond guy dressed in a T-shirt and jeans was coming toward them. He wasn’t carrying a weapon that Xander could see, but the fact that Khaki was practically exuding anger from every pore was more than enough reason for him to be concerned.
The guy stopped a few feet away, lip curling in a sneer as he looked at Khaki. “I thought it was bad enough that you were banging the SWAT commander to get the job. But now I find out you’re screwing your squad leader too. Your friends back in Lakefront would be so proud.”
That was all it took for Xander to realize who this guy was—Jeremy the jackass ex. Fury boiled in his gut. No way in hell was he going to let this asshole get away with saying that shit about Khaki. He was going to rip off the guy’s head and shove it up his ass. Jeremy would be singing a completely different tune then.
Xander took a step toward Jeremy, but Khaki grabbed his shoulder. He felt the sting as her claws bit through the material of his T-shirt and sunk into the muscles underneath. She’d lost control and shifted again.
“That’s right, bitch,” Jeremy sneered. “You’d better control your pet caveman, unless you want to see him bleeding on the pavement.”
Khaki snorted. “You seriously think I’m holding him back to protect him? Please. The last time you tried to get physical with anyone, it was with me, and I put you down like the loser you are in front of half the Lakefront PD.”
Jeremy clenched his jaw, pissed off at the reminder. Khaki had hit a sensitive spot, for sure. Xander would have to remember to ask about it later.
“You bitch,” her ex spat. “I’ll—”
Jeremy must have thought demonstrating was better than any threat he could come up with because he lunged for Khaki.
Xander met him halfway, catching the fist Jeremy swung at him in one hand and crushing down on it as his other hand shot forward and wrapped around the man’s throat, stopping his forward momentum. Xander lifted Jeremy up until his feet were off the ground—and held him there.
Jeremy tried to kick him in the knees, thighs, nuts, and anywhere else his booted feet could reach as he attempted to break the stranglehold Xander had on him. Xander squeezed a little tighter. Jeremy had said things about Khaki that made Xander madder than hell. Snapping Jeremy’s neck would have been almost too good for him.
Xander felt Khaki’s hand on his shoulder. She didn’t dig her claws in this time.
“Put him down, Xander,” she said softly.
He glanced over his shoulder at her. He could barely see the tips of her fangs, but they were out. Her eyes were still their usual beautiful brown, but he could tell she was on the edge of completely losing it. Even so, she was also aware enough to know killing Jeremy wasn’t a good idea. Xander didn’t really want to let Jeremy go just yet, but the guy’s eyes were bulging and his face was turning blue. In another minute, he’d lose consciousness.
With a growl, Xander tossed Jeremy backward, watching in satisfaction as he slid across the parking lot a few feet. Khaki ran her hand down his shoulder to hold on to his arm. He wasn’t sure whether it was because she wanted to hold him back or needed to steady herself so she wouldn’t shift even more.
“Go back to Lakefront, Jeremy,” she said. “We’re over, and have been for a long time. I’ve moved on. You need to do the same.”
Xander tensed as Jeremy crawled back to his feet. If the man came at Khaki again, Xander would end him and worry about the consequences later.
But Jeremy just spit on the ground in front of them, then wiped his mouth with the back of his hand. In the dark, Xander could see blood mixed with saliva. The stupid son of a bitch must have bitten his own tongue in the scuffle.
“You’re not worth the effort. You never were,” Jeremy said. “You can screw every member of your fucking SWAT team for all I care.”
Giving them one more glare, Jeremy turned and stormed off without looking back. Xander didn’t relax until the man got in his car and squealed out of the parking lot. Only then did he turn to Khaki. Her eyes might not have been glowing before, but they were bright green now. Her fangs and claws were completely extended too.
Shit.
“Jeremy must have seen us at my place and followed us here,” she said.
“Well, he’s gone now.” Xander wrapped his arm around her. “Come on, let’s go back to my place. We need to get you calmed down or you’re going to be sleeping with those fangs and claws tonight.”
Khaki didn’t resist as he led her to his truck and helped her in. But he couldn’t miss the way she kept looking behind them as they drove back to his apartment, as if she expected Jeremy to follow them and pick another fight. If her ex was stupid enough to do that, he deserved what he got.
* * *
Khaki’s eyes were back to normal by the time they got to his apartment. Her claws and fangs were still partially extended though. The fact that she still couldn’t control those aspects of her shift, on top of the run-in with Jeremy, seemed to infuriate her even more, which only made it harder to shift back.
Xander took her hand and led her into the living room. “Come sit on the floor with me.”
“I don’t need a lesson on how to shift,” she protested, but sat down opposite him anyway. “I need to shift back.”
“I know. Which is why we’re going to do the same relaxation technique I taught you in reverse.”
