“Not since he left you alone outhere.”
“Liam,” Tamara whined. “You’remissing—”
Amanda elbowed past the redhead. “What the hell justhappened?”
I wasn’t sure if she was asking me orLiam.
His gaze raked over my face. “The Pines insultedNess.”
“What’d they say?” Amandaasked.
Goose bumps popped up on my flesh, and I rubbed my arms. Amanda tipped her head to the side as though trying to see inside my brain. She was a girl; she probably guessed what boys could say that would set a girloff.
I started sidestepping around Liam, but he caught my wrist. Tamara’s eyes zeroed in on her date’sfingers.
“Where are you going?” heasked.
“I’m going to look for Everest so he can take mehome.”
Matt and the others stalked back toward us, all of them a full head taller than everyone else. Their faces flashed with bloodlust and satisfied smiles. For a fraction of a second, I thought they might’ve killed Justin and the other two shifters, but then I chased that thought away. They were werewolves, notmonsters.
“They won’t be bothering you anymore, Ness,” Matt said as Amanda skipped into his arms. He reeled her in tight and kissed her so hard I had to look away, but not before seeing the blood coating hisknuckles.
Lucas’s white t-shirt had a sprinkling of blood too.Shit.
I bit down on my lip, gnawed on it. “You guys didn’t need to do…whatever the hell you did tothem.”
“I told you: we protect our own.” Liam’s voice was soft even though his gripwasn’t.
“I don’t need yourprotection.”
He dipped his mouth toward my ear and said, his voice husky, “Well, you’ll get it, whether you want it or not. That’s the way the Boulder Packoperates.”
My heart pounded unevenly. “I need to findEverest.”
I didn’t want Liam to be nice. Nice people were harder tohate.
I shook his hand off. “I want to gohome.”
“I was leaving. I’ll driveyou.”
“No. Please. You have adate.”
“I need to be on top of my gametomorrow.”
Tamara, whom I’d all but forgotten, huffed. “Fine, let me say bye to thegirls.”
I would have rather snaked a clogged toilet than be stuck in a car with Liam and his girlfriend. Where the hell wasEverest?
“Stay here, Tammy. Have fun,” Liamsaid.
She batted her eyelashes at him. “I want to have fun withyou.”
That was a picture I didn’t need in my head. I texted Everest, praying he would see my message and rescueme.
“Not tonight.” Liam pried her hands off. “I’ll see you tomorrow. Lucas will get youhome.”
“I don’t want Lucas to take me home,” shewhined.
