Heart of a Fighter (Rocky River Fighters 1)

“Oh, I definitely agree to that,” Zane said, a smirk on his face.

“I wouldn’t be so quick to look so confident,” Alex said with a satisfied smile. “She’ll wipe the floor with you.”

“I agree to these terms,” Kian said with a nod. “Just ask her to try not to eat him. I don’t want to lose one of my tigers. Zane, give them the money you were paid for the information. It’s only fitting Cammie gets to keep it.”

“You have to be kidding me,” he said in disbelief. Seeing that Kian was serious, he reached into a bag by the bed and pulled out a wad of cash, flinging it on the bed, eyes filled with hate as he glared at Alex and Ian.

“Thank you,” Ian told Kian quietly as he scooped up the cash. “And thanks for looking after Shelby. I assure you, she’s perfectly safe and happy here with me.”

“I believe you. But I’d still like to hang around for a bit, maybe spend some time with her, if that’s all right. I’ve missed her since she’s been gone.”

Ian studied Kian closely for a few moments before finally nodding. “I’m okay with that. You seem different from other tigers, but I’m going to warn you anyway. If you make her feel inferior in any way, make her feel like she’s anything less than beautiful, I will declaw you, one by one.”

Zane started to protest, surging forward, but Alex was there in a heartbeat, hand around his throat, dragon close to the surface. “Go ahead. Give me another reason to kill you.”

Ignoring what was going on between Alex and Zane, Kian inclined his head to Ian. “I accept those terms. It will never come to that. I love Shelby, too.”

“Come on, Alex. Let’s get back to Rocky River,” Ian said, hearing the truth in Kian’s voice.

Reluctantly letting Zane go, he smiled in satisfaction as he heard Zane gasping for breath. He followed Ian outside, brow furrowing. “Kian seems genuine, but Zane… I get the feeling he’s not here for good reasons, like Kian.”

“I agree,” Ian said grimly. “We all need to be on our guard when it comes to him. I have a feeling he’s not done with us.”

“You said part of your gift was sensing what shifters animals are. Why didn’t you sense they were tigers?”

Shaking his head, Ian exhaled as he whistled for Seth, the preset signal for him to meet them at the truck. “I have to be around them for a bit before I know. I was only around the tigers in passing for a brief moment at the fight. It wasn’t long enough.”

Pursing his lips in thought, Alex nodded. “Sucks there’s a time line on it.”

“You’re telling me,” he replied wearily. They met Jax at the truck, Seth jogging toward them. “Come on. Let’s go home.”

Chapter Sixteen

Heart heavy, Alex packed the little he owned in a duffle bag. He wanted to do it last night, after the uncomfortable plane ride to Cheyenne and the car ride to Rocky River, but he was exhausted when they finally got back. He had a quick shower, and then collapsed on the bed, pretty much asleep before his head hit the pillow. He spent the night dreaming about Cammie’s dragon. She was beautiful, with shiny dark blue scales glimmering with iridescent light orange, and gorgeously curved horns. Her spikes, starting at the base of her neck and ending at the tip of her tail, were sharp and evenly spaced out. He was so proud when he saw her dragon. That was his mate up there, lethally beautiful, a badass as she fought ferociously with Ivan.

He hadn’t felt very rested when he woke up this morning, but there had been the little matter of tracking down the tiger shifters. Kian, much as he didn’t want to admit it, seemed like a genuinely good guy. Surprising, from what he’d heard tiger shifters were like. He’d thought Ian was the exception, but apparently Kian was, as well. Doubly surprising, since he was basically royalty in the shifter world.

Now here he was, back at Rocky River, preparing to leave. He wasn’t going far, only into Eagle Creek. Even if Cammie never forgave him, he still wanted to stay close, watch over her. He had a feeling he would be her shadow for the rest of his life. She wouldn’t be safe unless she mated another shifter. Pain seared his insides at the thought, his dragon revolting. But though it would crush his soul if she mated someone else, he would find a way to deal if it meant she was safe.

A soft knock sounded on the door, but before he could call out, it opened. Cammie took a few small steps inside, alarm crossing her beautiful features when she saw him packing his bag.

“You’re leaving?” she asked, frowning.

Taking heart from the frown and the alarm briefly on her face, he straightened up and turned to her. “I thought it was best. I know you don’t want me here, and I don’t want to make you uncomfortable in your own home.”

“So you’ll leave, just like that. Without even trying to explain.”

“I tried when you saw my eyes. You didn’t want to hear it then, and you avoided the hell out of me last night. Do you blame me for not immediately trying again?”

“I can sure as hell blame you for just giving up. Am I not worth fighting for?” she asked, crossing her arms over her chest.

“Absolutely you are. I wasn’t done, or giving up, Cammie. I was leaving the house, not Eagle Creek. But I didn’t think you were ready to talk yet.”

“Oh,” she replied with a nod, looking down to stare at her bare feet before she glanced up and met his eyes again. “I’m ready to talk now. I think you owe me some sort of explanation.”

“I definitely do. Have a seat,” he said with a wave toward the chair by his bed. He moved his duffel off the bed and sat down, looking at his clasped hands, trying to figure out where to start. He guessed at the very beginning.

“So talk,” she said softly as she pulled her legs onto the chair and curled up.