Page 100 of Love Bites Hard

He let out a choked laugh. It was almost a cry.

My heart ached for the guy.

“That’s an understatement,” he finally said, working through the last two ties. “I didn’t know. I would’ve told Porter. I would’ve made sure they couldn’t hurt you. We’ve had problems in our relationship since the beginning, but I would’ve told you if I’d known. I would never let this happen if I could stop it. I?—”

“I know.” I stood up and set a hand on Evan’s arm. Sirens were big on touch, but wolves even more. He would need support. I didn’t know him well enough to be that for him, but in the moment, I’d help the only way I could.

He closed his eyes, letting out a shaky breath. “I should’ve realized.”

“No one expects the person they love to do what she did. It’s not your fault,” I said firmly, stepping toward him and wrapping my arms around him. Porter would probably be a little annoyed, but I knew he would understand in this situation.

Sure enough, before Evan had time to hug me back, Porter was in the room and squashing me between him and Evan with a hug of his own.

“Your mate’s going to smell like me,” Evan choked out.

“She already reeks of wolfsbane, vomit, blood, and Corbin. Your scent’s basically perfume at this point,” Porter grumbled back.

I couldn’t suppress a teary laugh.

After a few minutes, Evan finally pulled away. “You should get going. The guys are ready to search this place for evidence of other plans and anyone else who might be involved. I’d like to stay and help.”

Porter wrapped an arm around my waist, his grip tight in a way that told me he definitely wasn’t feeling as calm as he seemed. “That’s fine. We’ll take Kim back. I’m assuming you don’t want to be involved.”

Evan shook his head. “She poisoned your mate and threatened to have her killed out of jealousy. No one should forgive that.”

We were in agreement there, even if the warring emotions on his face were much less certain than the ones I felt.

“Let me know when you want an update,” Porter said, and Evan nodded. “I won’t end her until you decide whether you want a final conversation.”

“Thank you.”

“Of course.”

Porter gave Evan another quick hug, his arm remaining around my waist as he pulled my back to his chest and led me out of the building. It was pitch-black outside, clearly the middle of the night, but there were lights around the house. Porter’s truck was waiting in front of us, and the familiarity of it made my chest ache.

There were a half dozen other vehicles there already, with wolves Porter trusted swarming around them. There were so many that even if one or two had been working with Kim, they wouldn’t be able to do anything to hurt us.

He ignored the passenger side altogether, carrying me to the driver’s and lifting me into the truck. I was in good enough shape that I could’ve climbed in myself, but I knew he needed to be in control.

As soon as the door shut behind him, he’d set me on his lap, my chest against his. His arms went around my back, his hands slipping beneath my shirt so his palms were on my bare skin. Pressing his nose to my hair, he inhaled deeply, and his chest rumbled angrily.

“Are we driving her back?” I asked him quietly, after a few minutes had gone by. He didn’t seem to be calming down, not that I blamed him.

“No. If we were alone with her, I would rip her spine out and feed it down her fucking throat.”

His viciousness didn’t surprise me. His calmness back in the building had, however.

“They’re probably working with more people,” I said softly.

“I know. We’ll get their names out of her. Everyone will be on their best behavior until then, and I have enough people with her that no one will be able to help her.”

I nodded against him.

He let out a slow breath. “I was so fucking terrified.”

“I know. Me too. But I’m okay.”

“I can smell your blood on your skin, baby.”

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