Etienne (The Shifters of Shotgun Row Book 1)(41)

“So, you don’t want me to join you?”

“I never said that,” I called back, my mate catching up to me before I reached the door.





Etienne



Stubborn-assed woman!

“What the fuck is wrong with you? You’re beating that steering wheel to shit.” Justice and I didn’t speak in the morning on purpose. He said fuck, and I wanted to beat that fuck out of him.

“Tansy wouldn’t let me go to work with her today. It’s killing me. It’s in my nature. I have to protect her. It’s not an option.”

Justice rolled down the window. “Apparently, it is an option. She’s at the bakery and you’re going to chase off nutrias.”

“How do you know she’s at the baker…holy shit! Did you have to crack one off like that? I just ate breakfast.”

Now I knew the reason he rolled down the window.

“Ohh, are we talking eggs and bacon, or are we talking breakfast-breakfast?”

I looked over to see Justice’s eyebrows waggle out of control.

“We are not talking about me and my mate’s breakfast-breakfast in the shower.”

“Shower? Niiiice.”

“Stop. We are not discussing this. Did she text you?” I saw him look down at his phone.

“Yep. Mad as fuck at you. You ain’t gettin’ any tonight, son.”

“We are not talking about this.”

“Why? I thought you were my best friend. I’m hurt.”

He was not hurt. But he was about to hurt. In the balls. With my boot.

“Shut up.”

His voice dropped an octave. “I’m serious, brother. How is it—having a mate?”

Justice was facing the road again. I never took into account how hard this must be for my crew, for me to be the first to find a mate. It must be hard as fuck for them.

“It’s fucking amazing, Just. She’s like a part of me I didn’t realize I was missing. And my gator is nuts for her. He’s calm when she’s around, like she’s a wet blanket on my fire. You’ll find one, too, brother. All of you will.”

He shrugged. “How do you know?”

“I just do. If there’s one for a som-bitch like me, there has to be one for all of you. Let’s face it, I’m the biggest rat bastard of them all.”

He laughed. “Well, that’s true.”

“Asshole.”

“Pussy whipped.” My mouth opened for a comeback, but I thought better of it.

“Damn proud of it, Justice.”

Under his breath, he muttered, “Lucky mother fucker.”

We didn’t talk for the rest of the drive. It was still a little before dawn when we got there, but it didn’t stop Mrs. Brasseaux from sitting on the porch in her floral housecoat with a cup of coffee in one hand and a fifth of whiskey in the other. Girl got started extra early.

“Good morning,” Justice said and waved. I didn’t know he was that nice to other people.

“I heard those little bastards scratchin’ and abitin’ under my house all night. One day, they’re gonna eat through the floor, and I’m gonna fall through and die. If you ever come out here and can’t find me, I’ll be under there.” She pointed behind her at the house that actually looked like it would stand up longer than mine did.

“That’s why we’re here. You, uh, you might want to go inside.”

She cackled and slapped her knee. “Feet pue tan, I’ve seen what you’ve got before. And I’ve seen my husband turn into a wolf many times. You ain’t showing me nothin’ I haven’t seen, cher. Probably half the size of my Trey anyway.”

I looked at Justice. “She just said your junk was smaller than her dead husband’s. She’s probably right.”

“Fuck you. You knew her husband?”

“I didn’t. Must’ve stayed out here, lived off the land. Never seen her in town, either. I just know her from these random calls.”

“Well, go on, then,” the old woman teased taking one sip from her cup and then a big gulp from the bottle.

Justice shrugged, and so did I. We stripped right there at Tansy’s car, leaving our clothes in a pile on the hood.

It had been a while since I shifted, and my gator was ready to come out and play.

The first crack of bone hurt the worst. It was my jaw. I tried to separate myself from the pain and allow the best to take over slowly, but he was too aggressive. He wanted to roam. He wanted to go right back to my house and show off for his mate. But I wasn’t having it.

Arms and legs broke and shortened. My human skin grew rigid and impliable. A film of skin covered my eyes and protected them from the swamp. I was on the ground, making my way to the water with the scent of nutria rats already in my nose.

The bayou muck was cooler than I’d expected for this time of year. There was a stink under the surface that made my gator want to hunt. He liked to eat the stinky rotten things in the water. Wasn’t my first choice, but I wasn’t in charge here.

Nest. Bank. Rats.

Three words, and Justice and I were on the hunt.





Tansy

“Gina, I’m headin’ out.” I slung my purse over my shoulder. “Everything’s prepped for tomorrow. Sure you are fine with me takin’ off last minute like this?”