Chapter 2

You could have heard a pin drop was so cliché, but it was the first thing that hit Sherra’s mind seconds after Kane’s furious announcement. She stood face to face with him, watching the muscle tick in his jaw, the flames that blazed in his eyes, and listened to the complete silence of the room. There were six others there besides them. Shocked, silent, watching her complete humiliation in stunned surprise. Breathing harshly, she faced the man who had ripped her heart from her chest so many years ago, the man she had sworn to kill, only to learn her brother had nearly done the deed for her. She pulled her strength around her quickly, pride and pain and the determination that had helped her survive the years. Her head raised until she could stare back at him regally, making certain her expression was one of arrogant unconcern.

“Evidently, I didn’t feel it was any of your business, Kane,” she said shortly, pushing the words past her lips as she watched his anger grow. “Had I felt you needed to know any part of it, I would have informed you myself.” She glanced meaningfully at Merinus before her gaze returned to Kane. “It would appear I didn’t think you were on a need-to-know basis.”

She was very well aware of who had most likely spilled the secrets she had fought to keep. Merinus loved her family more than anyone, with the exception of Callan and their unborn child.

Kane’s lips curled back from his teeth in a silent snarl that would have done a Feline breed proud. “Guess again, kitten,” he snapped. “I don’t give a damn what you think I should or should not know. I gave you a chance to come to me, a year’s worth of chances, and you hid instead. Now you can face the consequences.”

Her laughter was mocking and brief. “Face the consequences? Sorry, Kane, I’ve made that trip already. It was a lousy one. I won’t pay again. Now if you’ll excuse me, I have better things to do. Callan can let me know what you decide about Farside Construction. I really don’t give a damn how you handle it.”

“Walk away from me and you’ll regret it.” His low warning had her halting the turn that would have allowed her to do just that.

She glanced over at him, seeing the determined cast of his hard expression, the raging fury in his dark blue eyes. She allowed her lips to lift in a bitter smile, let her gaze rake him coldly. “Regret it, Kane? I only wish I had done so the first time. I would have been so much better off.”

She let her gaze encompass her family then. Those she had been raised with, the two who had come into it through their matings with her brothers. She saw their disbelief, their sympathy and shock.

“Goodnight, guys. My portion of the entertainment for the night is over. Maybe I can do better tomorrow.”

Anger burned in her, warming her cheeks, trembling through her body as she let them look their fill.

“Do you think it will be that easy, Sherra?” Kane’s voice was rough, the fight for control throbbing in his voice. “Do you think for one damned minute I’ll let you get away with this?”

“I really don’t think you have a choice.” She stalked from the room, head held high. She really didn’t give a damn what he thought she could or couldn’t do. She had endured eight years of physical hell, of emotional pain, of fighting to make sense of why her body was betraying her, why she needed so desperately yet her flesh rebelled at any other man’s touch.

Learning the reason why hadn’t helped her emotional strength. To know it was a mating rather than a hunger, a bond that, so far, remained unbroken hadn’t helped. Callan was already furious that she had told him about the physical problems she had experienced, that she had dared to attempt sterilization to ease the pain. His disappointment in her had shamed her more than she expected. As she left the kitchen, she heard her brother’s voice arguing with Kane, Merinus pleading. The others, of course, were commenting. She didn’t care. They hadn’t lived the past eight years in her skin. Hadn’t hungered with no idea of why, needed and ached for a touch that was never there.

She grabbed the banister of the stairs and began to race up the steps. The need for escape throbbed in her veins, pounded in her heart.

“Sherra.” His voice stopped her at the landing.

She stopped, nostrils flaring as she breathed in roughly, her teeth clenching as she fought to keep from screaming out. Turning slowly, she looked down at Kane. Her body trembled in hunger. Her mouth watered with it as her tongue throbbed, the glands at the side aching to release the hated hormone. It was bad enough it was making her crazy, but she knew damned good and well what would happen if Kane ingested it.

The chemical reaction hadn’t been as strong in Callan and Taber as it had been with their mates. If it held to pattern, it would be worse than super Viagra when it hit Kane’s system. The thought of that had her pussy weeping in sobbing need. Like another entity with a mind all its own, it seemed to howl silently in protest of her refusal to allow it ease.

Kane was too damned handsome, tall and strong, the perfect male with tight, wellconditioned muscles. He was lean and humming with sexuality. His dark hair was cut short, his lashes shadowing his cheeks as he watched her. She didn’t answer him, merely stared back at him coldly as his lips quirked with knowing hunger.

“I’ll be up later. Don’t make me come looking for you.”

Her jaw nearly hit the floor as he turned his back on her and re-entered the kitchen. Don’t make him come looking for her? She thought incredulously. The son of a bitch, she was going to kill him.

Narrowing her eyes she moved quickly to her room. She changed swiftly into formfitting black pants and a snug sports shirt. She clipped her utility belt and holster around her hips, strapped the dagger to her thigh before tucking her hair under the black baseball cap and snuck from the house. Let him come looking for her. He might get a hell of a lot more than he bargained for.

* * * * *

“Aren’t you afraid of pushing her too far?” Taber asked politely several minutes after the rest of the family had left the kitchen and returned to their respective rooms. For once, he wasn’t with his new mate and wife, Roni. Rather, he watched Kane with those eerie green eyes of his, just a hint of censure showing in their depths.

“Aren’t you afraid Roni’s going to find out about your decision to keep her family away from her?” Kane came back at him, his voice equally polite. “I don’t tell you how to handle your mate, Taber. Don’t try to tell me how to handle mine.”

Taber’s lips lifted in a snarl, showing the dangerous canines at the side of his mouth. Kane smirked mockingly.

“It looks sexier when Sherra does it. Don’t bother trying to intimidate me, cat boy. I only go easy on you because you’re prick enough to take offense and I don’t really want to take the time to scuffle with you.”

Kane moved lazily from the chair, picking up his coffee cup as he headed for the full pot and, hopefully, the patience to deal with Taber. Of all the Breed males, Taber had to be the most temperamental. And Kane figured it was just his luck that this one decided to try to step in and berate him for his behavior with Sherra.

“Scuffle with me?” Taber growled. “You make it sound like a wrestling session. I could take your throat out, Tyler.”

“You could try.” Kane poured his coffee and fought back the weariness dragging at his mind.

He had been awake, it seemed, for months. The arousal was growing nightly, leaving him sleep-deprived and patience-worn.

When Taber said nothing else, Kane turned back, lifted a brow in question and waited. The Breed males could be unpredictable on the best of days; though they did an admirable job of not resorting to violence, he was aware the potential was there. Taber shifted, staring off for a second, his shaggy black hair falling over his face before he swiped it back carelessly and turned back to face Kane.

“I was there when she realized you weren’t coming back. I was there when she lost that kid and when she nearly died,” Taber snapped. “You weren’t. I’m sick of seeing her hurt because of you, Kane. Lay off of her.”

“Go back to your mate and play kitty tricks,” Kane retorted, growing angrier as the other man watched him. “Do you think I can’t imagine the hell she went through, you purring bag of mismatched genetics? Do you think there’s a chance in hell I’m going to let her continue to torture the hell out of both of us because of her damned stubborn pride? Get a clue, Reynolds. Not any longer.”

Taber’s body shifted dangerously, his eyes glittering with jade-colored fury as a growl rumbled in his chest.

“You’re a smart-mouthed bastard, Tyler. Count yourself lucky you’re Callan’s brother-in-law and Sherra’s mate, or I’d kill you for that.”

Kane snorted. “Don’t let that stop you from trying. I’m sure Merinus would forgive you pretty quickly.” He set the cup on the small island counter, gearing for battle. He’d just as soon kick this arrogant panther’s ass than look at him right now.

“Let up on her, Kane,” Taber ordered again. “You don’t have to stay on her ass so much.”

“I have yet to get on her ass.” Kane smiled tightly. “And when I do, you won’t be invited to watch. Unlike your other brother, I’m not exactly into an audience nor do I need any help.”

Tanner’s sexual practices were getting out of hand, but no more so than Kane’s libido was. If he didn’t get Sherra into a bed fast, he was going to go certifiably insane.

“This isn’t about Tanner,” Taber reminded him furiously. “It’s about Sherra. And I’m warning you…”

“Don’t make that fucking mistake.” Kane’s voice lowered dangerously. “Don’t even attempt to warn me of shit, Taber, because that’s where we’ll fight. She’s my woman, my mate, my business. Stick to your own and stay the hell out of mine.”

“You’re killing her.” The growl was becoming deeper, harsher. “I won’t let you continue this, Kane.”

“I dare you to stop me,” Kane sneered. “I’ll kick your cat ass all over this kitchen, Taber, if you even try.”

“All right, children, break it the hell up.” Roni stood in the doorway, her hands propped on her curvaceous hips, her blue eyes snapping with anger as she glanced at her mate. “What the hell is wrong with you two? This is not the time for this.”

“Roni, this doesn’t concern you,” Taber warned softly as Kane shook his head, his hand raising until he could pinch the bridge of his nose irritably.

“Lord save me,” he muttered. “Is the moon phase in the wrong fucking place or something? Some kind of weird Feline male PMS?” he asked Taber confrontationally.

“Man, mating has not chilled your ass out any.”

He was pushing the other man and Kane knew it. He knew it and refused to back down from it. He was sick of the growling, the snarling and the resentful looks he was given, more often than not, from the other man.

“Taber!” Roni was nearly screaming as she grabbed her mate’s arm a second before he jumped for Kane.

Kane let a slow, cold smile shape his lips.

“Let him go, Roni. I’ll deliver his pelt later.”

“Damn you, Kane, shut the hell up,” Roni yelled as Callan, Merc, Tanner and several others rushed through the other side of the kitchen, coming to a surprised stop at the scene that awaited them.

“What the hell is going on here?” Callan asked softly, his voice rumbling, his amber gaze less than pleased.

“Hey, Garfield, your brother here figures he can order me back from my mate since he’s a happy little purr boy with his own. Perhaps you should advise him otherwise.”

Kane leaned his hip against the island counter, though he watched the furious panther carefully. “I simply let him know he could kiss my damned ass to hell and back because it’s not going to fucking happen.” He directed his less than polite comments to the growling panther in question.

Roni had placed her body in front of her mate’s, a death grip on his arms now.

“Callan, do something.” She turned to the Pride leader at her mate’s low order to release him immediately.

Kane watched his brother-in-law from the corner of his eye, saw the strain in the other man’s face, the indecision. Tanner shook his head and mumbled something beneath his breath that had Callan glancing at him sharply.

“Kane, let it go,” he finally said meaningfully. “Just walk away, man. For all of us.”

There was weary resignation in Callan’s voice, a sense of sadness that had Kane’s own instincts kicking into overdrive.

“Why?” Kane asked him softly. “I won’t let her go, Callan, anymore than you’ll ever let Merinus go…”

“Callan didn’t destroy Merinus,” Taber fumed with primal fury. “I won’t watch you rip her apart again, Kane. Get the hell out of here and off the compound until this eases for her. Now, before they have to carry you out.”

Kane bared his own teeth now. “You better hold him tight, Roni,” he told her softly.

“Because I just may have to teach your little kitty some manners.”

Kane couldn’t understand his own sense of rage any more than he understood Taber’s, but it was impossible to miss the murder in the man’s eyes when he set his wife aside and rushed him.

Pivoting, Kane moved immediately to meet him when the others jumped between them. Tanner and Merc grabbed Taber, restraining him as Roni’s voice raised in alarm and Callan stepped in front of Kane.

“Enough.” There was no anger in Callan’s voice, no resentment. He watched Kane compassionately instead. “Bloodshed won’t fix this, Kane. Fighting won’t fix it.”

“She’s mine,” Kane snapped.

“And for this reason, I’ve stood aside, just as Tanner and Dawn have stood aside as we’ve watched Sherra suffer since you’ve come here,” he just quietly. “For Taber, the battle is harder. You see, it was Taber who found her lying in her own blood as she miscarried. It was Taber who heard her tears, what may have been her dying words had he not acted as quickly as he did. It was Taber, Kane, that she begged to allow her to die because she could not face life without you or your child. And it was Taber who swore vengeance for her. You can’t erase eight years of pain, fury and hatred merely because it was a misunderstanding.”

Kane stared at him in shock before his eyes swung to the piercing, furious gaze Taber had leveled on him. His hands clenched and unclenched, his jaw bunching with his own agony.

“I love her,” he said, his voice tight, his chest aching with this new information given him. “I always loved her, and your threats won’t change that. Neither will your hatred. Just as it won’t change the fact that I’m not leaving and I’m not letting up. Every damned one of you might as well get used to that.”

He stomped from the room, his own anger, his pain, overwhelming. His need to watch Sherra, to just know she did indeed still live driving him, pushing him…

Destroying him…