HOLLY RAN HER FINGERS OVER THE SOFT FUR of the plush tiger in her hands. It was another gift from Ian, and it was on her desk when she got to school this morning. It was also the first contact she’d had from him in a week. He’d given her what was possibly the best kiss of her life and then disappeared.
True, she hadn’t come out and said that she was open to a relationship with him, but hadn’t she gone with him to look at potential gyms? Hadn’t she allowed him to kiss her, then kissed him back with everything in her? And even if she hadn’t done all that, he said he never gave up when he was fighting, and he was fighting for her.
But it sure felt like he gave up. And she’d been flooded with disappointment and hurt ever since. Crazy as it was, since they’d just been starting something, she was hurt by his disappearing act. And there was an annoying little voice inside her, whispering how he must have found her lacking, her kiss was a turnoff, her bad leg was more than he could deal with.
Blowing out a breath, she unclenched her hands from around the tiger and placed it on the desk. She hated that she suddenly doubted herself, that her self-confidence was taking a nosedive, and all over a man she was just coming to know. He’d burrowed deeper into her heart than she’d originally thought, given her reaction to his disappearing act.
Exhaling, she picked up the note that had been tucked under the tiger this morning, reading the words she already had almost memorized.
Holly,
I’m sorry I haven’t stopped by to talk to you. Life has been crazy lately. I won’t get into it right now, but I wanted you to know, I haven’t stopped thinking about you. You’re all I think about, in fact. Or at least it seems that way. And I wanted you to know that.
I’m not sure if you’re a fan of tigers, but really, who isn’t? They’re beautiful, majestic creatures, and I thought of you when I saw this stuffed one. I hope you enjoy it.
And I might have been absent lately, but I’m not giving up. Remember that. I meant it when I said I was going to fight for you.
Ian
Her lips were curved in a smile as she finished the note. It went a long way to soothing her fears and restoring her confidence, and what did that say about her? She’d never needed a man to validate her in any way, and here she was, needing that from Ian.
No, she didn’t need validation. That wasn’t it at all. If she was being truthful with herself, she had to admit that her feelings this past week were because she was coming to care for him. Deeply. And that scared the hell out of her. She’d never wanted to care for a man again, and it took very little effort for Ian to gain her affections.
Grabbing her bag, she placed the note and tiger inside and started packing up the papers she needed to grade tonight. Her mind went to Shelby, and she frowned. The little girl had been distant and moody all week, not interested in lessons or schoolwork. Holly tried everything she could think of to get her to engage, but nothing worked.
It seemed like whatever it was that was going on with Ian was affecting his daughter, as well. She wanted to ask for another meeting, but for the first time ever, she found herself nervous about speaking to a parent. Something else that was unacceptable. If this, whatever it was between her and Ian, was affecting her job, it was another reason to think long and hard about a relationship with him.
Her students meant the world to her, and Shelby was precious to her. She couldn’t let her attraction to Shelby’s father stand in the way of doing her best for Shelby, for giving her the best possible education she could.
Limping her way to her car, Holly found herself wishing she’d brought her cane in today. Her leg was in good shape, but as the day went on, it became worse and worse. Casting a glance at the sky, Holly was pretty sure she knew why. The sky was a stormy gray, looking like the heavens were going to open up at any moment. Her leg always hurt worse when it rained.
Glancing up from where she’d been watching the ground as she walked, she gasped and rocked abruptly to a halt, causing her to grimace as the motion sent pain shooting through her leg. But her car… what the crap. Limping slowly around it, she saw that all four tires had been slashed. But the back window was the worst.
Whore.
In bright red spray paint, the word whore was written across the window. Who would have done such a thing? Suddenly cold, down to her bones, she wrapped her arms around her waist and glanced around the parking lot, looking for anyone else. But it was all but deserted, everyone having gone home a long time ago. She always had the tendency to stay late, but she was regretting it now. Suddenly, everything seemed sinister to her, and she shivered, unnerved.
Unlocking the door, she snatched her cane before locking the car back up. Going as quickly as she dared, she limped back to the classroom and unlocked the door, rushing inside and locking it behind her. She felt a little silly, and it was probably an overreaction, but she’d never had anything like this happen to her before, and it was freaking her out a little.
Walking over to her desk, she sank down in her chair, pulling her phone out. Calling information, she got the info for the sheriff’s office and called, reporting what happened and letting them know she was in her classroom. After she ended the call, she sat for a moment, still feeling unnerved and unsure of what to do next. This would be a good time to have friends in town so she could call one for support, but she had none.
Wait—maybe that wasn’t completely true. Debating with herself for a second, she hesitated, but in the end she was too shaken up to resist. Getting up, she walked to the filing cabinet in the corner, opening a drawer and pulling out a file. Entering the number listed, she took a deep breath and hit the send button, chewing on her thumbnail as she listened to it ringing.
“Ian Gallagher.”
Holly closed her eyes briefly as his deep voice washed over her, feeling instantly and inexplicably comforted. Taking another deep breath, she said, “Ian, it’s Holly.”
“Holly?” he asked, his voice turning from impersonal to warm in an instant. “It’s so good to hear from you. You got the tiger?”
Momentarily distracted, she smiled a little as she said, “Yes, I got it. I love it. Thank you.”
“I’m glad you liked it,” he replied, and she got the impression it was very important to him that she really did like it. “But I get the feeling this is about more than my present. Is this about Shelby? I know she’s been a little moody lately, but it’s just been a hard week for her.”
“No, this isn’t about Shelby, although we probably should talk about that sometime soon,” she said, pausing and chewing on her lip before continuing. “Something happened, and I guess I needed to talk about it. Maybe I shouldn’t have called you, but I wasn’t sure who else to call. The pitfalls of keeping to myself, I suppose.”
“What?” he barked, surprising her with his suddenly alert and demanding tone. “What happened?”
Frowning over his urgency, she replied, “It might not be a big deal, I don’t really know. It could have been random, but it felt targeted. Okay, sorry, I’m rambling. When I went to leave school a little bit ago, I found the tires on my car slashed. And—” pausing when her voice went weak, she swallowed hard. “And on the back window, someone wrote ‘whore’ in red paint.”
“Where are you now, Holly?” His voice was voice hard like she’d never heard it before.
“I went back to my classroom. I can’t leave without a car. I called the sheriff, and they’re sending someone out now to take a look.”
“I’m heading over there now. Lock the door to your room and don’t leave until I get there. I’m not far away, so I’ll be there soon.”
She opened her mouth to protest but closed it when she realized he already hung up. That was a reaction she hadn’t been expecting. She’d just wanted someone to tell, someone to talk to, until the sheriff got here. Clutching her phone, she hobbled back over to her desk, looking around blankly before pulling her tiger back out of the bag.
It seemed like hardly any time had passed when a knock came on the door to the classroom, and she jumped, clutching the tiger tightly. Relaxing when she saw it was Ian, she stood up and limped to the door, surprised that he got here so quickly. He even beat the cops.
As soon as she swung the door open, he pushed inside, shutting it behind him and pulling her into his arms, holding her tightly. Bemused, she automatically wrapped her arms around him in response. Soon, his warmth was flowing into her, relaxing muscles she hadn’t realized were as tense as they were. Tightening her arms, she snuggled deeper into his arms, breathing in his scent.
God, when was the last time she was held like this? Years ago, and she hadn’t realized she’d craved it so badly. Or maybe it felt so good because it was Ian. This hug felt amazing, and right, and like everything she hadn’t known she needed.
He pulled back, keeping his arms wrapped around her waist. “I saw your car. You’re all right?”
“Yeah, I’m fine. Upset, but I’m all right.”
He was opening his mouth to say more when another knock came on the door. They both stiffened and then relaxed at the same time as they realized it was the sheriff’s deputy. They walked out to her car, and Holly answered a few questions while the deputy made his report. Leaving soon after with a promise to patrol the area more frequently, he told her the report would be ready in about a week.
Staring after him in surprise, she finally turned to Ian, noticing he was scanning their surroundings with narrowed eyes. “I don’t know why, but I expected more than that. I guess I should call a tow truck.”
Taking her hands in his, he squeezed as he said, “I want you to come back to Rocky River with me. Stay there for now.”
Eyes widening, she frowned as she searched his silver specked gaze. “What? Why would I do that? I’m shaken up, sure, but this could have been a one-time deal. The deputy didn’t even seem that concerned about it. Said maybe it was high school kids up to no good.”
Blowing out a breath, he looked into her eyes, his face set in grim lines. “I think this is more than that, Holly. I don’t want to get into it right now, not when we’re standing here out in the open, but I promise I’ll tell you more once we’re back at the ranch house. And if it makes you feel better, we won’t be there alone. Shelby’s there, of course, but so are all the fighters. We’ve been circling the wagons so to speak the last week or so.”
Frowning, she was quiet as she took in his words. She wanted to protest, wanted to ask him to tell her what was going on right now, but the look in his eyes stopped her. She’d never seen him look so grim and serious. Whatever was going on was real. At least, it was to him, and if it was enough to shake a tough, unshakeable fighter like him, she wasn’t going to question it. At least, not right now.
“I need to get clothes. I can’t just go with what I have on my back.”
Relief flashed through his eyes and he nodded. “That’s fine. Let’s get your stuff and then we’ll stop by your apartment so you can pack a bag.”
She quickly grabbed her school bag and purse, and then they made the drive to her apartment in silence. Walking inside with her, he peered into every room as she watched with a frown, before moving to stand by the door. Shaking her head, she grabbed a suitcase out of her closet and started packing a few outfits, not knowing how long she’d be staying.
Pausing with a skirt in her hand, she suddenly wondered what in the world she was doing. So her car got vandalized. So what? Stuff like that happened all the time. Maybe not in Eagle Creek, but it did elsewhere. And then here comes Ian, big and strong and so worried, asking her to stay at his house with him, and she agrees, just like that? She hadn’t known him long at all, certainly not long enough to just trot off to his house, no questions asked. What was wrong with her? Maybe she was more broken than she thought before.
“You doing okay in there?” Ian asked, deep voice loud so she could hear him.
“I’m fine. Almost finished.”
“No rush. Well, maybe a little, but take as long as you need.”
His voice washed over her, feeling like a tangible caress against her skin, and as suddenly as she freaked out and started questioning everything, she relaxed. No, she hadn’t known him long, and maybe she shouldn’t trust him so early or easily. But she did, utterly. It was insane and if someone asked her why, she wasn’t sure she’d be able to answer them. But she did, one hundred percent. She knew he’d never hurt her, and she also knew nothing would happen that she didn’t want to happen.
Maybe that was the real problem. She’d decided she wanted to try to ease into this with him, go slowly. But that’s not really what she wanted. She wanted everything with that amazing man out there, and she wanted it now. Taking a deep breath, she tried to calm the rising fear inside her.
Because right or wrong, she was in this now. She wasn’t sure how it would turn out, wasn’t sure if she’d truly be able to put her fears behind her and be there like he needed, like Shelby needed. But she was going to try.
Zipping up her suitcase, she looked up and her eyes fell on a photograph of Kyle. Walking over, she picked it up, gaze caressing his handsome face. For most of her life, he’d been all she ever wanted, all she thought she’d ever want, even after his death. But life went on, and even though she never thought she’d move on from him, she found herself doing just that.
“I love you, Kyle. I’ll always love you,” she whispered, her voice barely audible. “Nothing will ever change that. I need you to know that. But you’ve been gone for three years, and there’s a man in my living room who wants me, who can make me happy. Who already makes me happy. And I want to try. I don’t know if I’ll be able to do it, or do it right, but I want to give this thing between him and I, whatever it is, a shot. This isn’t me forgetting you. I could never, in a million years, forget you. But maybe it’s time to let go of the past and move on. I think you would have wanted me to do that.”
Tears burning her eyes, Holly raised trembling fingers to her lips and placed a kiss on them before pressing them to the photo. Glancing over as the sun broke through the heavy storm clouds and poured into the room, illuminating her body, she smiled, taking a shaky breath as warmth suffused her chest. Maybe it was stupid, but it felt like Kyle just gave her his blessing, telling her it was okay to move on.
Setting the photo down, she tried to get ahold of her emotions, composing herself before she went back in the living room where Ian was waiting on her. When she felt like she was in control of herself again, she sat her suitcase down and grabbed the handle, looking at the door
It was scary. Terrifying, really. But like she told Kyle, maybe it was time. And she couldn’t think of a better person to walk into the future with than the massive fighter waiting patiently for her in the living room, intent on protecting her from whatever life was trying to throw her way.
Inhaling deeply, she took a step forward, leaving her past behind and stepping into the future.
IAN GLANCED OVER AT HOLLY LONG ENOUGH TO make sure she was okay before looking at the road again. She was sitting calmly, hands folded in her lap, staring out her window. A lot had been thrown at her in a short period of time, but she was handling it like a pro.
Fury burned through his veins as he thought of her car. The slashed tires were bad enough, but the word on her back window… his fingers tightened reflexively on the steering wheel. He couldn’t even think it. That anyone could say something like that about sweet, pure Holly was incomprehensible to him.
And he was very much worried that whoever was after him or Kian, was after her, as well. Which made it likely that Kian wasn’t the target. He was. As far as he knew, Holly went to work and back home, not going anywhere else unless it was to shop. And from what he’d seen at the dance, students, parents, and coworkers all seemed to adore her. No, what was done to her car wasn’t about her. It was about him.
He’d hoped that by staying away from her this past week and only watching over her from a distance, this situation wouldn’t touch her. And he’d thought she was safe while she was at school. But clearly that hadn’t helped. Whoever was doing this had already taken note of his interest in her before Ian backed down. Which meant he put himself and his tiger through the agony of staying away from her for nothing.
And it really had been agony. Every moment he spent not with her, not speaking to her, was torture. His animal had begun pleading with him to give in, urging him to seek her out, confident they could protect her. And when Ian remained strong, the cat became listless and despondent inside him, something Ian couldn’t ever remember him being.
Finally breaking down last night when he was in the store and found the stuffed tiger, he quickly scribbled a note to go with it, needing her to know he hadn’t given up on winning her over. He snuck into her classroom early this morning and left them on her desk. Still yearning with every fiber of his being to actually touch her, he’d nevertheless felt a little better over letting her know he was still in this.
And now this. His efforts to stay away from her, to keep the attention off her, had been in vain.
He was still a little in shock that she hadn’t put up a fight about coming home to Rocky River with him. He’d been sure she’d resist, but it took very little to get her to agree. Either she was more shaken up about her car than she let on, or she’d missed him as much as he missed her. He was betting it was a little bit of both.
He hadn’t meant to eavesdrop, but he heard her whispered words when she was packing her bag. Shifters had enhanced hearing, and being a cat, his was even better than most. So even though her words were soft and quiet, he still heard them. And they made his heart leap with joy. It’d been all he could do to not whoop with relief and excitement, or fist pump his way through a happy dance.
Shaking his head slightly, he nearly snorted. If someone had told him a couple months ago that he’d want to dance with happiness, he would have decked them and felt zero remorse. But, unbelievable as it was, he had.
Part of him felt pain and sadness over her losing her husband. Granted, it was a very small part because if she’d still been married, he wouldn’t be with her right now. But he hated the pain she’d endured. She didn’t think it did, but it toughened her up, made her strong as steel, and he couldn’t believe she didn’t see that.
She’d gone through so much in her short life. She was twenty-six, two years younger than he was, but she’d endured so much pain and heartbreak already. Her leg, losing her baby, losing her husband—all by the time she was twenty-three. And the fact that she was still apparently willing to take yet another chance with him—he had no words for how that made him feel. How proud he was of her for being able to take that step, to take that risk. He knew she still wasn’t sure she could successfully do it, but he knew she could.
And he knew she could take care of herself, knew she didn’t want to be coddled, but the urge was strong in him to take care of her, as much as she’d let him.
Turning into the driveway, he cleared his throat, smiling at her as she glanced over at him. “We’re almost there. And before we get there, I want to apologize in advance.”
Brow twitching, she said, “Apologize for what, exactly?”
“We’re a pretty tight-knit group. More family than friends, really. And they like to tease. Love it, actually. I think they’ll probably hold off on teasing you for the first night, but I’m fair game, as usual. Seth is the worst. He was a warped sense of humor, and he says some really off the wall shit sometimes.”
“I think it’s great that you have so many close friends. You’re very lucky.”
“Well, you have it now, too.” She glanced at him in surprise, and he threw her a wink as he smiled. “You’re basically one of us now, Holly. And they’ll treat you like it. Get used to it, because you now have more friends than you’ll know what to do with.”
She was still staring at him in surprise as he pulled up in front of the house and parked. Finally wrenching her eyes from him, she gasped. “This is your home? Oh, Ian, it’s lovely.”
“Thanks. I’m glad you like it,” he replied, pleasure filling him that she didn’t hate his home. Because hopefully, one day not too far from now, this would be her home, as well.
Turning forward, he looked at it with fresh eyes, seeing it as she did. The house was a sprawling two story whitewashed brick with blue shutters, a wide wraparound porch gracing the front with various chairs and rockers scattered down the length, and a porch swing swaying in the breeze. He loved sitting out there, and the porch had become the go-to place for the fighters to gather.
Behind and to the side was the barn they used as a gym, and on the other side was the shed Seth used as his workshop. He lived with Amelia at the Anderson ranch now, and had a new workshop there, but he still had a few things there. There weren’t many decorations or any flowers planted, but there were some big oak trees dotting the yard, one of which had a tire swing dangling, and another that had a half completed tree house nestled in its branches.
They’d done a good bit of work to the house before they moved in, and the end result was one he was pleased with. And he’d never viewed it in terms of a family, besides Shelby of course, but it absolutely was a family home. The fighters might be staying there now, but they’d all found their own homes and moved out.
Cammie and Alex had been the first. Seth designed them a home, and they all pitched in, building it just down the way on Rocky River property. Then Seth met his mate Amelia, who owned the Anderson ranch where they fought on Saturdays, and he moved there. And then the last to go was Jax when he’d moved in with Piper. He’d had the whole attic of the ranch house converted, complete with a bathroom and enough space for all his musical instruments.
The end result was three empty bedrooms, including the guest room, and an empty attic room. The only occupied rooms now were the master, where he slept, and Shelby’s room. Yeah, plenty of room to grow a family in.
Shaking his head, he opened his door to go around and help Holly out. The way things could change in the space of a couple weeks. He hadn’t thought he’d contemplate raising a family here, or anywhere, and yet there he was, doing just that. But Holly made all the difference.
Sitting her on her feet, he kept his hands on her waist and looked into her beautiful eyes. They seemed more green than blue, and he watched as they dipped down to his lips before looking back up. Taking that as an invitation, he was just lowering his head to kiss her when the porch door slapped closed and the sound of running feet hit his ears.
Suppressing a groan of disappointment, he made sure Holly was steady before reaching in and grabbing her cane. He gave it to her just as Shelby reached them, skidding to a stop in front of them.
“Mrs. White, you’re here! I’m so glad you’re here,” Shelby said, excitement dripping from her voice. “Did you come to have dinner with us? Because it’s Dad’s turn to cook,” she said, voice dropping low. “So if I were you, I’d sneak into the pantry and have a snack first. That way you don’t have to eat much of dinner. That’s what I do.”
“Hey,” he said indignantly, smiling to himself when Holly giggled. “My cooking isn’t that bad.”
“It really is,” Shelby told him seriously. “I love you, Dad, but you’re a horrible cook. It’s either burned or you can’t even tell what it’s supposed to be.”
Shaking his head, Ian let that slide, opening the back door to get Holly’s luggage out. When he turned around, Shelby’s eyes were huge in her face as she looked between the suitcase, him, and Holly.
“She’s not just here for dinner, is she? Is someone trying to hurt her, too? Not. Gonna. Happen. I’ll shift and tear—”
“Shelby.” Ian shook his head at her. He understood she was upset, and it actually warmed his heart to hear her say she’d willingly shift for Holly. But Holly didn’t know what they were yet, and his daughter just almost spilled the secret.
Shelby hung her head while Holly looked between the two of them, a puzzled frown on her face. “Shift? Shift how?”
Shaking her head, Shelby said, “It’s not important. Come on, I’ll show you inside. You can sleep in my room. Me and Cammie are going to have a slumber party tonight, anyway.”
Still looking confused, Holly glanced back at him as Shelby took her hand, tugging her toward the house. Forcing a smile, he gestured her on, following behind with her suitcase. Things were going well with Holly, better than he’d thought they would after she told him she wasn’t sure she could take the risk. But now the one taking the risk was going to be him, because he had to tell her what he was. What he and Shelby were.
Holly was resilient and strong as fuck. She’d had to overcome so much in her lifetime already, had to accept her life would never be what she’d always thought it would be. How did he ask her to accept this, as well? It was a lot to ask of anyone, but he thought she could handle it. If anyone could, it was Holly. He just hated to add any more stress to her shoulders.
But he wasn’t going to tell her the truth of what he was until after they figured out who was going after them, and put an end to it. It was going to be hard enough to tell her what was going on, why he wanted her to stay here, that her car was vandalized because of him. He wasn’t going to add anything else to that. One thing at a time.
Walking into the living room, he paused as he noticed all the fighters gathered in the living room, staring at him.
“I’m assuming that was Holly that Shelby just dragged upstairs with her?” Seth asked, eyebrow cocked.
“It was,” he acknowledged.
“She’s beautiful,” Amelia said softly.
“She really is, isn’t she,” he replied with a soft smile.
“So what happened?” Jax asked. “Something must have, for you to show up with her and her suitcase. Especially since you were trying to stay away from her while this shitstorm is going on.”
Exhaling, Ian walked over to the couch and sank down. “When she went to leave work, she found her car vandalized. Her tires were slashed, and someone painted whore on her back window in bright red letters. She called me, and I went right over, waiting with her until the sheriff’s deputy left, and then I asked her to come back here.”
“And you think this has something to do with whoever’s going after you or Kian?” Cammie asked.
He nodded. “I do. Holly keeps to herself. She doesn’t even really have friends. She goes to work and comes home. She thought maybe it was kids, but I don’t think it was. The timing is too suspect, and the whole thing too specific. Slashed tires could be random, but the word on her back window? That wasn’t.”
“This is all so fucked up,” Piper muttered, a frown on her face.
“It is. But it tells us one thing. This person is most likely after me, not Kian. They set their sights on Holly, which doesn’t sound like something they’d do if Kian was their target.” Pausing, he glanced over at Kian. “I’d still like you to stay here, though. This shows they’re willing to go after those close to me, so you’re still not out of the woods.”
Kian nodded, and they were all silent for a moment.
“We have to figure out who this is,” Alex murmured.
Seth said, “It’s probably—”
“Zane,” they all finished as one, everyone sharing a laugh.
Kian frowned, but it was more thoughtful than upset. “I believe it is only prudent to count him as a suspect right now. As much as I wish I could argue against it, it makes sense.”
“And then there’s those new shifters who showed up the other week,” Amelia said.
“I guess anything’s possible, but I don’t think so. They were truthful about why they were there, and I didn’t get a bad vibe from any of them. Nothing like I’d get if they were here to kill one of us,” Ian replied.
“Maybe one of Ivan’s crew, wanting revenge or something?” Cammie asked doubtfully.
“Why come after me? I’d think they’d go after you and Alex before they went after any of us.”
“What about Farrah?” Everyone looked at Piper and she shrugged. “That word on Holly’s window suggests a woman. I mean, how many men would think to do that?”
Ian frowned. “Farrah doesn’t want me. She never really did. I was just a diversion that had the misfortune of getting her pregnant. Nothing more. Besides, Farrah’s rank was demoted because of Shelby. Tigers with lowered ranks aren’t allowed to leave War Cat territory or they’ll be banished. Farrah is far too selfish and accustomed to life there to risk that.”
“So where does that leave us? I can’t think of anyone else who’d want to kill you, or any of us, for that matter,” Seth said in frustration.
Ian’s tiger growled in equal parts frustration. “We keep an eye out for Zane, and on the new shifters, just in case. And we stay vigilant. Always be aware of your surroundings. And keep your mates close. I don’t want us losing anyone. No loss is acceptable.”
They all nodded in agreement, and Ian sat still as everyone drifted way, outside or to different parts of the house. Frustration and rage welled up inside him as his tiger paced in his chest, and he took a deep breath, trying to calm himself. He hated this with every fiber of his being, but he couldn’t let it overwhelm him, or he’d be useless if push came to shove. He needed to be on his game, ready at a moment’s notice to protect his family. All of them, he thought, Holly’s beautiful face flashing in his mind.
Glancing down as his phone rang, he smiled as he saw the name on the screen. “Hey, Chase. How’ve you been?”
“I’ve been good,” Chase MacKeltar, one of his best friends, replied. “But I’ve heard through the grapevine things haven’t been so great over at Rocky River.”
Squeezing his eyes shut, Ian shook his head. “Who told you?”
“You know stuff like that. Word travels like wildfire. Why didn’t you tell me yourself?”
“I didn’t want to bother you with something like this. You’re starting a life with your mate now. How’s Hannah, by the way?”
“She’s great, which you know, because you just saw her the other day when you dropped Shelby off before the fights. And what makes you think you’d be bothering me by giving me a heads up that someone is trying to kill you? What bothers me is you not telling me so I can help.”
“And that right there is part of why I didn’t tell you,” Ian replied. “You would have rushed over here and put yourself in danger, when you don’t need to be. There’s nothing you can do, Chase. We don’t have any idea who’s behind it, and associating with me will only put you on their radar, like it did Holly.”
“Holly?” Chase asked, voice perking up and sounding more alert. “Who’s Holly?”
“She’s my mate,” he replied softly, unable to help the smile stretching his lips.
A low whistle sounded over the phone. “You went and found yourself a mate? I never thought I’d see the day. Where’d you meet her? How is Shelby taking it?”
“She’s Shelby’s teacher, and Shelby loves her. She couldn’t be happier.” Pausing, Ian debated saying more, but this was Chase, who knew all about the disaster Farrah had been. “I couldn’t be happier, either. She’s nothing like Farrah. She couldn’t be more opposite. Beautiful, sweet, kind… the kindness just kind of shines out of her.”
“You sound dangerously close to gushing, my friend,” Chase said, his voice amused.
Clearing his throat, Ian replied, “Yeah, well. Just stating the truth.”
“I think it’s great, Ian. You deserve a true mate, deserve some happiness. Bring her with you on the next fight night when you drop Shelby off. I’d like to meet her, and I know Hannah would, too.”
“Will do. I’d like for y’all to meet her, too.”
“Listen, are you sure you don’t need some extra eyes and ears? Me, Ty, and Garret have your back, Ian. You know that.”
“No, between me and the fighters, we have this covered.” Pausing as an idea occurred to him, he thought it over, but couldn’t find any harm in it. “Actually, if you could ask Garret to come to the next fight, that could be a big help. There are some new fighters in town. I’m not getting a bad vibe from them, but it wouldn’t hurt for Garret to use his gift on them. We could at least officially mark them off the suspect list, if nothing else.”
“You got it. He’ll be there. Are you sure there’s nothing else I can do?”
“I’m sure. You focus on your mate and your family. But watch your backs. Without knowing this person’s motives, we don’t know who they could target next.”
They said their goodbyes, and Ian sat for a moment in silence, fingering his phone. He was a lucky bastard to have the kinds of friends he did, but the last thing he wanted to do was put any of them in danger. Garret’s shifter gift was hearing thoughts, though, and that could be immensely helpful.
“So I definitely think it’s time to talk now. What in the world is going on, Ian?”
Head whipping to the side, he saw Holly standing by the wall, leaning against it like she’d been there the whole time. Shit, how much had she heard? Searching her eyes, he knew however much it was, it had been enough, and he wasn’t going to be able to put this conversation off any longer.
Waving her forward, he said, “Come on in and have a seat.”