Shadow Mate - Jen L. Grey Page 0,65

back with you so you don't do anything else idiotic tonight."

"You're not riding with me." Liam's eyes didn't seem quite as dark. "She is."

My heart rate increased. I hadn't expected this.

"Liam." Micah's deep voice held a warning.

"You heard him." Evan waved back to his car. "He has to come to grips with this on his own." Evan met Liam's gaze. "Don't do anything stupid. We'll be there, waiting for you."

"You don't have to go with him." Kai held out his hand toward me. "You do have a choice. Remember he's already made his."

It happened so fast. One second, Liam was holding me, and in the next he appeared in front of Kai, rearing back and punching him in the nose again.

This time, Kai crumbled to the ground.

"Liam, stop." Bree smacked at her brother, and even Max appeared, trying to help pull him away from Kai.

Pure rage shone in his eyes.

"Aren't you going to do something?" I turned to the three heirs. I couldn't believe that they were standing there and letting this all go down.

"He forgot his place." Simon shrugged his shoulders. "Kai will never take anything of ours."

"But I'm not his, and you guys have made it clear I never would be." None of this made any sense.

"Even if we don't want you, we own you." Micah closed the distance and glared into my eyes. "It doesn't matter that Liam will eventually reject you. You'll always be his. You'll never find happiness. We'll make sure of it."

"So you'd planned this. Messing with me, toying with my emotions. You never planned on letting me have a life outside of what you dictate." Even if I behaved or however they had put it originally, it didn't matter. It was just more of their head games.

"Of course." Simon yanked my arm, pulling me against him.

"Let her go." Liam's attention was back on me. "Now."

"She's got to learn..."

"I said now." Liam came over and pushed Simon in the chest. "Don't touch her."

"Okay, damn." Simon let me go, and his brow furrowed.

"You need to get him to take you back to school." Evan appeared at my side and whispered in my ear. "He's unhinged. We've pushed him too far."

"Pushed him?" That didn't sound good.

"Just go. He'll leave with you." Evan's gray eyes darkened. "We all underestimated the bond."

"I asked him to earlier, and he ignored me." Liam continued to stay fixated on Kai.

"Only because Kai butted in." Evan stared into my eyes as if he was searching for something or challenging me.

I wasn't sure which one it was, but I refused to avert my eyes. I was tired of playing by their rules. "Fine, but when he doesn't listen to me, it's your fault."

"Okay." His words were so low I almost thought I imagined them.

"Liam, let's go home." I chose those words carefully. If the bond did its work, then maybe using the word home would comfort him.

His body stayed tense, but his shoulders lowered ever so slightly.

It was all the encouragement I needed. I glanced at Kai and mouthed 'I'm sorry.' This was not how I wanted nor expected this night to end.

"Mia..." My brother's eyes widened. "The car is right there."

He didn't want me to leave with Liam. I couldn't blame him. If I wasn't so damned thrilled about my effect on him, I'd be in the same boat. "Please, I want to leave."

"You're leaving with me." There was a darkness to his voice. He expected to be listened to, demanded it.

"I know." I took a deep breath, trying to figure out if I dared to touch him. I had to go with my gut. I reached over and touched his clenched fists. "Let's go."

"That's not..." Micah started, but Evan was the one who growled.

"Shut up." Evan's eyes glowed almost white. "You're making it worse."

"This is bullshit." Simon shook his head with his jaw tight.

"Come on." The longer we stayed the situation would only become more dangerous. This drama needed to end and now. I needed to somehow appeal to his wolf. "I'm kinda getting cold."

"Fine." He took a few steps back, retreating. "Don't follow us." He turned his back on the heirs and intertwined his fingers with mine. "Let's get you warm."

His actions melted my heart a little. He was being caring toward me for the very first time.

"Mia..." My brother took a tentative step toward me and stopped.

"Let me talk to my brother for a second, okay?" I hated to ask permission, but I couldn't leave here without at least