Slade (The Protectors #6)(6)

Jill stepped around Slade, heading toward the man who she figured was her sister’s unfortunate fiancé. “Silver don’t do shit to half-breeds so you best drop it and run, *.” She jerked her arm out of Slade’s grasp when he tried to stop her. “Who do you think you are, aiming a shotgun toward my dad?”

That seemed to take some of the authority out of the dumbass, but he didn’t lower the gun. “Chuck, get out of the way,” he ordered her father, nodding his head to the side as if that would make it right.

Jill walked right up to the barrel of the shotgun pointing at her chest and stopped. “Pull the trigger,” she dared him, her head tilted in defiant anger.

Before anyone knew what was happening, the shotgun was knocked away from Jill’s chest and the badass was on the ground with Slade’s boot holding him down by the throat. “You have a death wish?” Slade roared the question at Jill as the man tried to remove Slade’s foot from his throat. Slade unloaded the shotgun, the shells hitting the idiot as they fell toward the ground. Slade’s furious gaze never once strayed from Jill. “If you ever do anything like that again, I will lock you in a room.”

“Is that a threat?” Jill, who was still fired up, stupidly pushed Slade.

“It’s a promise that I will prove as soon as I take care of this son of a bitch.” Slade leaned over her, keeping his foot in place with no problem, even with the man using everything he had to remove it from his neck. “Keep pushing me, Jillian, but I swear if you ever pull anything like that again, you will regret it.”

Jill opened her mouth, but Slade leaned in even closer as if daring her to say anything more. With his face so close to hers as well as being in control of the * on the ground, her brain went to mush so she closed her mouth. His authority over her was a total turn on. The knowledge surprised her speechless, which was shocking—she always had something smartass to say.

“Smart choice,” Slade growled before finally leaning away from her space. He handed the shotgun to Chuck, who had walked up and was looking down at his future son-in-law.

“Can he breathe?” Chuck asked, looking up at Slade.

“He’s fine,” Slade replied, pressing down a little harder. “Just learning a hard lesson.”

“Daddy!” Janie cried out. “Make him stop.”

“Shut up, Janie!” Jill snapped, giving her sister a hard glare.

“I’m going to let you up, but if you make one wrong move, you are going to end up worse than this,” Slade warned, but didn’t move his foot. “Do you understand?”

“She’s a half-breed.” The man wheezed, his bulging, watery eyes looked from Slade to Jill. “It’s our duty to protect our family against them. There’s a standing order to have them turned over.”

Jill snorted and crossed her arms. “This is my family, not yours.” Her eyes roamed to the porch where her mom stood, shielding Seth behind her. Her eyes wandered to her dad whose face was lined with worry and stress. It hit her hard. She was causing this. She may not have been holding the gun, but in the end, her being there caused this to happen. Touching Slade’s arm, she tugged. “Let him up.”

Slowly, Slade lifted his foot, but stood over the man who had to roll away before standing.

“Janie, go call the police,” he ordered, brushing himself off, but kept his eyes on Slade. “Tell them we have a half-breed here who needs to be taken in.”

Watching her sister, Jill was surprised Janie hesitated. “But, she’s leaving. Isn’t that right, Jill?” Janie’s voice shook in confusion and fear.

“Yeah, Janie,” Jill nodded, knowing that was her only option at this point. If she stayed, it would only cause more stress for her dad and that was something she couldn’t live with. “I’m leaving.”

“What’s your name?” Slade demanded of the man, his eyes as hard as his voice.

“What does my name have to do with anything?” the man stuttered. “She’s the nasty half-breed. I’m just a good citizen doing my duty.”

Slade took a threatening step toward the man. “You have threatened not one, but two VC Warriors, and that, my good citizen, is against the law.” He pulled out his phone. “Now, while I’m calling my superior, I suggest you apologize to Ms. Nichols.”

“But…” The man’s tone changed quickly.

“Now!” Slade’s shout was a deadly demand that even made Jill jump.

“I’m, ah, sorry. I didn’t know. I just thought she was a nas—” At Slade’s growl, Janie’s fiancé looked ready to faint. He was a large man with light blond hair and ruddy cheeks against pale skin. He looked tough, but next to Slade, he looked like a scared teenager who needed a change of underwear.

“Jill?” Her father grasped her arm. “Is it true?”

Glancing from Slade, she turned to her dad. “Yeah, it is,” she replied, then lifted her head proudly. “I’m in training now, but yes, I will be a VC Warrior.”

“How can a half-breed be a VC Warrior?” Janie’s fiancé’s voice was filled with disdain.

“She is my daughter and her name is Jill, not half-breed,” her father shouted, then went deathly pale, staggering sideways.