Never Too Late (Fever's Edge #7) - Lynn Hagen Page 0,38
there by himself. His mate plowed into Rico, knocking the rifle from his grip. Shane stood there terrified as the two exchanged blows, punches that would have crippled Shane by now if he’d been the one fighting Rico or Alejandro.
They flew toward the dresser, knocking everything to the floor. Shane glanced at the rifle and then rushed to it, picking it up. He hadn’t the first clue how to use it, but at least Rico couldn’t get his hands on it.
While the two tore the room apart, Shane ran toward the door to shout for help, but the fight bowled his way, and Shane was knocked off his feet.
Rico had his claws out and swiped at Alejandro but missed. Shane was so close that Rico had stuck him instead.
Shane cried out as he grabbed his arm, the same arm he’d been shot in. Blood began to pour from the gashes. He had to stop the bleeding.
He rolled away from the fight and pushed to his feet, still managing to keep a tight hold on the rifle. He needed to add pressure to his arm, because damn, the blood just kept flowing.
Shane yanked his own shirt over his head and wrapped it around his arm, hoping that did the trick until he could get medical help.
When he looked up, Shane’s jaw dropped. Rico had Alejandro pinned to the floor, his hands curled around Alejandro’s throat.
“Always the favorite,” Rico snarled. “Nothing I did was ever good enough for you or our parents. They saw me as a failure, but I’m not, and I’m going to prove that when I taste the iron in your blood.”
Shane didn’t think. He didn’t have time to process what he was about to do, because if he did, he probably wouldn’t have done it.
Just like in the flower shop, Shane simply jumped into action. Since he had no clue how to use a rifle, and was terrified he’d shoot Alejandro, Shane used the butt of the weapon and slammed it across the back of Rico’s head.
That didn’t knock the guy out like Shane had hoped. It always worked in the movies, yet Rico was not only still conscious but coming after Shane.
Shane yelped as he spun and ran around the bed, trying to get away from Rico. Crap, crap, crap. Shane couldn’t let the wolf shifter get his hands on him. The guy would more than likely snap Shane’s freaking neck.
He thought about the others just down the hall, but the music was playing and the party was still going on, so they probably couldn’t hear the ruckus.
“Alejandro!” Shane dove across the bed, his shoulder exploding in pain as he tried to get away. Rico grabbed his ankle and pulled him back to the other side.
“You’re a pain in my fucking ass,” Rico spat. “I’m gonna kill you before I end my brother.”
It happened so fast, yet it felt as if Shane was watching something in slow motion. Alejandro came up behind Rico and yanked him away, throwing him across the room.
Where had Alejandro gotten those guns? Just seconds ago he’d been lying on the floor, gasping for breath. Now there were two wicked-looking guns in his hands.
Shane scrambled from the bed and ducked down but could still see what was going on.
Rico got up and charged forward, and that was when Alejandro unloaded on the guy. His squeezed his right hand and shot Rico. Then he squeezed his left hand. Then his right. Then his left. He kept doing that, firing quickly.
But Rico didn’t die. He dropped to his knees and glared at Alejandro. When he spoke, blood dribbled from his mouth. “Do you know what it was like growing up in your shadow? You made my life hell.”
“No.” Alejandro shook his head, and Shane’s heart broke at the sadness and regret in his mate’s eyes. “You made your own life hell. You didn’t have to be so hateful and petty. Mom and Dad loved you with all their hearts, Rico, but you were too blinded by jealousy to see that.”
Alejandro crossed the room, and Shane stopped himself from shouting that his mate shouldn’t go anywhere near Rico. Even though he was now crippled by his wounds, Rico was still a dangerous man.
“And I loved you,” Alejandro said. “I still do, even though you tried to kill me, tried to kill my mate.” Alejandro cupped the back of Rico’s head. “But I forgive you.”
Shane cried out when Alejandro pressed the barrel of his gun against Rico’s head and fired. Rico slumped, but Alejandro pulled his brother to him and held him.
Shane didn’t know what to do. Alejandro knelt there, tears in his eyes, as Rico took his last breath.
* * * *
Ben had heard the shots. He raced to Alejandro’s room, but by then, the fight had ended. He went out to the woods, found a big enough clearing, and dug a hole.
This would become their private cemetery. The mood was somber, everyone coming out as Alejandro carried his brother to the clearing and laid him to rest.
Ben had hated everything about Rico long before the massacre, long before he’d shown up in town, but he had done this for Alejandro, to help the wolf shifter gain closure.
No one said a word, and one by one, they left so Alejandro could have time alone.
“I feel so bad for Alejandro,” Trey said as they walked toward the house. “It had to be hard to kill his own brother. I wouldn’t wish that on anyone.”
Neither would Ben.
But now his pack was safe from one more threat. Ben just hoped the peace lasted a while before someone else intruded on their lives.
* * * *
It had been weeks since Rico’s death. Alejandro was finally feeling himself again after mourning his brother’s death. He hadn’t thought killing Rico would hurt so badly or be such a devastating loss.
But Alejandro chose to think of Rico in their youth, before his heart had become twisted, back when Rico had been a joy to be around.
Now Alejandro’s entire family had been wiped out. And although that saddened him, he had his pack, and his mate, to help heal his mind and soul.
“We have to hurry up,” Shane said as he dressed. “I told Elijah I would help at the flower shop today, and you’re dragging ass.”
Alejandro stood in the bathroom doorway, his shoulder pressed into the jamb, his arms and ankles crossed as he watched Shane run around the room.
It had been a hard journey to get where they were now, but it had been well worth it. He couldn’t believe how much he loved his mate and how much Shane had changed his life.
There wasn’t anything in the world Alejandro wouldn’t do for his little human. “Calm down. It’s not like you’ll be fired if you’re late.”
Shane stopped in his tracks and gave Alejandro the stink eye. “No, but it looks bad, and I like working there. Elijah is fun to be around, and I can’t believe how much drama comes into the shop. Yesterday a catfight broke out when two women started arguing over an arrangement. I didn’t know being a florist could be so brutal. Sheriff Greeley showed up and had to arrest them.”
Alejandro loved how well Shane was fitting in. His mate had a job—which he didn’t need but insisted on—and hung out with the others mates, going shopping, having dinner in town, or simply sunbathing in the backyard.
Shane glowed with happiness, and that only made Alejandro love him even more.
He pushed away from the doorframe and crossed the room. “Well, since you’re already going to be late, let’s make it worth your while.”
“Oh no.” Shane backed away. “The last time you said that I ended up not even going in. Elijah has a big order to fill, someone’s wedding, and I’m not going to leave him hanging.”
Alejandro crossed his heart. “I promise it’ll be a quickie.”
Shane snorted. “It’s never a quickie with you.”
Damn. His mate always knew how to stroke Alejandro’s ego. He chuckled when Shane raced toward the bedroom door.
Alejandro let out a low growl. “You know the chase turns me on.”
“Everything turns you on,” Shane said over his shoulder, but Alejandro caught him and pulled his mate off his feet.
“No, mi amor. Everything you do turns me on.” He kissed the side of Shane’s neck, and his mate melted in his arms.
Alejandro would never tire of that reaction. He truly loved everything about Shane and was glad he’d taken the man prisoner. Otherwise he would have missed out on the best thing to ever happen to him.
“Ten minutes,” Shane said as if he were put out.
Alejandro gave him mate a wicked smile, knowing damn well ten minutes would never be enough to show Shane just what the guy meant to him.
THE END

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