“Oh stuff it,” said Naomi in a thick voice still clogged with tears. “You didn’t seem to mind when the doctor was digging that bullet out.”

Turning back so she could see them both, Francine muttered, “Bitch.”

“Skank.” They both burst into giggles accompanied with watery eyes that they both surreptitiously wiped, Francine by rubbing her face against the pillow case.

“You’re both fucked,” he said, a ghost of a smile teasing his lips at their obviously long running joke.

“I sure was last night.” Francine winked and licked her lips. “I don’t know if the cow here was, although I bet once she’s on her back, there’s no getting her back up.”

Instead of taking offence, Naomi laughed. “Javier likened me to a turtle, which believe me, he’s paid for. His poor tongue is probably still sore from apologizing. But speaking of giant bovines, I’m going to send Ethan to fetch us a cow. The doctor said you needed to eat lots of red meat.”

An inelegant snort came out of Francine. “Ha, nice try, pregnant one. You’ve just got a hankering for a big hunk of steak.”

“Don’t forget the baked potato and Caesar salad,” Naomi added, rubbing her tummy with a smile.

“No wonder you’re the size of a house.”

“I am so getting a new best friend,” Naomi grumbled.

“Good luck with that. No one else would put up with your snarky attitude.”

“Love you, Francine,” Naomi said in a wobbly voice as she stood up before slipping out the door.

“Love you too,” Francine whispered, her voice tight.

Alejandro moved and took Naomi’s vacated seat. He clasped Francine’s just released hand. “Yours is a strange but beautiful friendship,” he said, stroking his thumb over the pale skin of her hand.

“If you mean fucked up, then yeah. But it works for us. Thanks for getting me help.”

He couldn’t look her in eye, so guilty did he feel. “Don’t thank me. It’s my fault you got hurt in the first place.”

“How do you figure that? The shot could have just as easily hit you.”

“And the shooter probably meant to, given it’s someone from my past who followed me here. I led them straight to you and now you’re injured as a result.”

“But you didn’t know they’d do that.”

“Doesn’t matter. I’m still at fault.”

“Damned fucking straight you are,” Mitchell retorted from the doorway, bare-chested with a bandage wrapped around his shoulder and his arm in a sling. “Because you couldn’t keep your dick in your pants, some fucking hunter is out there shooting at me and my family.”

“You forgot me,” Francine interjected.

Mitchell turned blazing eyes her way. “You are family, Francine. Sister or not, mate or not, no matter what you are, that won’t ever fucking change. But him.” Mitchell turned his attention back. “You’ve been nothing but trouble, sauntering into town like you own it. Seducing innocent girls-”

“One girl and the only one from here on in,” Alejandro interjected.

“You seduced Francine! And now because of you, she’s been shot. If I weren’t wearing this fucking bandage-”

“And if you weren’t terrified your mom would kill you,” Francine interrupted with a snicker that earned her a glare.

“I should beat your furry ass right back to where it belongs,” Mitchell snarled, stalking toward him.

“No need to exert yourself.” Alejandro stood. “I need to leave anyway and take care of the situation. You’re right. It is my fault, and I will fix it.”

“No,” Francine whispered. “Please don’t go. I need you with me. Who will take care of me?” It sliced him like a knife to see her looking fearful, his beautiful brat who usually faced the world with a smile and a snappy comeback.

“You’re in good hands here, and besides, do you really think Naomi’s going to let you go anywhere?”

“But I don’t want Naomi to hug me and tell me it’s going to be all right.”

His heart wrenched and if his honor didn’t dictate he make her safe, he would have caved to her plea. As it was, he bent down and brushed his lips across hers. “I need to do this, baby. I need to make you safe. You won’t be alone though. I have a feeling Mitchell won’t leave your side. And isn’t that what you’ve wanted all along?”

“But-”

“Shhh.” He kissed her again, then stood to walk away. As he went to pass Mitchell, he grasped his good arm, and tugged him into the hall.

“Going to kiss me good-bye too, cat?” Naomi’s brother mocked.

“You wish, dog. I just wanted to ask you to take care of her while I’m gone. I don’t know how long it’s going to take to hunt the bastard down, but I’m not going to be back until I know she’s safe.”

“Is this your way of bowing out and avoiding any scenes? How classy and predictable.”

A snarl rose to Alejandro’s lips and he shoved his forearm across Mitchell’s throat, ramming him up against the wall. He kept his words low so Francine wouldn’t hear him. “Listen here, and listen well. I care for Francine. Actually, that’s an understatement. I am in love with her, and I want to claim her. Do you hear me, claim her as in forever. So don’t think I’m not coming back, dog, because I am, and when I do, I will mark her. But because I love her, I’m asking you to watch over her while I’m gone. She needs someone to hold her and tell her it’s going to be okay and despite the fact you’re an idiot, she’d probably really like it if that person was you.”

“You don’t need to tell me what she needs. I have no intention of leaving her side, possibly ever again. So what are you going to do about that, cat? Still going to come back now knowing you’re going to have competition? Or are you going to use this as your out so you can keep fucking your way across the country?”

Alejandro released him and stepped back, shaking his head with a light smile. “If you meant to scare me, try again. A threesome doesn’t frighten me. Can you say the same though? I can’t think of more fun than taking turns making love to her receptive body. The better question is, can you handle it? You’d better come up with an answer before I get back.” Alejandro turned to leave, but he couldn’t resist one parting shot. “Oh, and if you do decide to seduce her, she likes it when you bite down on her earlobe as you take her. Makes her go freakn’ wild.”

He chuckled as Mitchell’s face turned red from embarrassment and desire. Hopefully, his hunt for the human who dared cross him wouldn’t take long because Alejandro looked forward to the fireworks to come, both in and out of the bedroom.


* * * *

Returning to the bedroom, Mitchell seethed at the cat’s words, but his anger receded in the face of Francine looking so small and helpless in the big bed. Of course, he should have known her tongue was in fine fighting shape.

“Are you guys done pissing on Naomi’s walls? Or would you like to each grab one of my legs and pull me apart like a wishbone and see who gets the bigger piece?”

“You must be feeling better. You’re trying to rip a strip off me,” he remarked in a dry tone as he sat on the edge of the bed beside her. “Move over, you bed hog.”

“No. I’m the injured one here.”

“Excuse me? Do you think I’m wearing this bandage because it’s fashionable?”

She peered over at him, her eyes lingering more on his nude torso than his bandage, which made him puff up his chest. “Wuss. My bandage is bigger than yours,” she sassed, but she inched over a bit.

He slid down on the bed until he lay beside Francine, his head on the edge of the same pillow. Her eyes didn’t meet his for long, focusing instead again on the white strips binding him. Then, as if unable to resist, her gaze strayed to the rest of his bare chest, heating him without a single touch. Mitchell grew hard under her regard, and cursed his loose track pants, which made that point all too evident. He tried to cover it with his hand but that just drew her attention to it.

“Nice wood. Hope you don’t usually whack off with your left hand,” she said with a snicker.

“You have a filthy mouth, Francine.”

“All the better to do wicked things with. Hey, weren’t you supposed to be tied to a bed somewhere to make sure you didn’t get out and reopen your own gunshot wound?”

He shrugged. “They tried, but when I heard you got hurt, I kind of broke the bed to come see you.” Which hurt like a fucking bitch, but he lost his freakn’ mind when he heard about Francine’s injury.

“Ah, isn’t that the sweetest thing, but stop trying to distract me. What did you and Alejandro discuss?”

“He’s leaving and told me to take care of you.” He didn’t bother lying.

“What? He wasn’t serious, was he? He could get hurt.”

Again, his shoulders lifted in dismissal while at the same time, irritation filled him that she seemed to care so much about the cat’s wellbeing. But obviously not enough to let him mark her last night. Which meant he still had a chance. “Who cares? It’s his fault we both got shot so it’s only right he fix it.”

“What is it with you guys and the macho bullshit about taking responsibility? Just because some psycho fixated on Jag doesn’t mean it’s his fault. Did he say how long he’ll be gone?”

“He didn’t. But, honestly, do you really think he’s coming back?”

She bit her lip and didn’t reply, but he saw the tears in her eyes. A twinge of guilt made him sigh and say, “I’m sure it will only be a day or so. Long enough to catch the human and stop him from hurting anyone else. But, you won’t be alone. I’m not leaving your side.”

“Gee, lucky me,” she grumbled.

“What happened to we’re meant to be together forever?” He said it in a teasing tone, but a part of him held his breath waiting for her reply, hoping he’d not completely fucked things up. Tied to a bed, with only his thoughts for company-his lonely state probably caused by him yelling at everyone to get out-left a man with way too much time to think. Hours to sift through his emotions and visualize one person over and over, and not just naked in his bed, but in his life, as a friend and lover.