The Lion and the Lamb (17 page)

Throwing the car into park he rushed to the front of the club. The fact there were none of Slade’s goons waiting, and that the club doors swung open, told Leo that
they expected him and shit was about to get real.

It only took a moment for his vision to grow accustomed to the dim lighting, but when he did everything inside of him lit with rage and power. Tatum ran from the back of the club, her dark hair a wavy mass trailing behind her. The scent of her fear and tears, and the sight of the bruise in the shape of a pretty fucking large hand on her throat, had the shift overtaking him without any warning. Good thing
, too, since Slade charged after her, his change already taking shape as his enemy dropped onto all fours.

The lion he had become was lean muscle and glowing green eyes. Slade roared out, and was too distracted by his running prey that he didn’t see Leo shift into his animal and charge forward. He slammed into the side of Slade, taking the other lion across the room and into the wall. Plaster rained down around them. Leo was focused on Slade, but he also heard Tatum cry out at their fight, smelled her increased tears, and wanted nothing more than to roar at her to run as fast as she could.

He could take on Slade, not an issue and something he should have done years ago, but he did not want his mate seeing the blood he would be taking from the bastard.

He didn’t have time to get her away, not when claws were tearing into his flesh and canines were puncturing his neck. Leo needed to put all his focus on Slade, but he couldn’t, not when his mate was far too close to the violence.

Wrapping his front legs around Slade’s middle, he rolled until Slade was beneath him in a submissive position. Baring his teeth, Leo roared out and used all his strength to keep Slade down. The front doors opened, blinding him momentarily from the descending sunlight. Since Slade was beneath him and not affected by the light he used that to his advantage and reared up, clamping his jaws on Leo’s throat and sending Leo onto his back.

****

Tatum froze, her ass planted on the cold, hard ground. All she could do was stare at the scene in front of her—Leo and Slade in their lion forms and fighting for supremacy. They were ruthless as they attacked each other. Claws swiping at flesh and tearing it open, and teeth bared and snapping. They were fierce looking creatures, and even with the blur of massive bodies and the flash of fur, Tatum didn’t lose sight of Leo. He was larger in height and muscle mass than Slade, but where Leo dominated him in overall size, Slade appeared quicker.

All she had wanted to do was escape whatever disgusting and sick plan Slade had for her, but that had all changed when she saw Leo shift in front of her and attack Slade. Frantically looking around for something that could be used as a weapon, Tatum’s gaze landed on the bottles of liquor lining the shelf behind the bar. It was only a few feet away and seemed like it would do more damage
than the only other option, a wooden chair flipped on one of the numerous tables.

A shocked cry left her when she heard the front doors open and saw Slade throw Leo onto his back. He had his big jaw locked tight around Leo’s throat, and even from the distance Tatum could see the spray of blood.

She covered her mouth with her hands and looked around frantically. Sitting here and possibly watching the destruction of the man she loved was not an option.

Tatum swallowed and winced at the tenderness of her throat. Pushing her discomfort away, she scrambled up and rushed toward the bar. She reached out, her fingers skimming one of the bottles. So close, but just barely out of reach. On her toes, she reached with everything she had and would have cried out in relief when her fingers wrapped around the neck, but her excitement was short-lived when someone grabbed a chunk of her hair and pulled her back forcibly. Bottle still in her hand, Tatum fell on her ass and reached back to clutch at the hand in her hair.

What is it with my hair tonight?

Her grip on the liquor loosened and rolled toward the wall—which meant away from her. Peaches’
s face landed right in front of hers, the other woman’s sneer meant only for Tatum,

“You stupid fucking bitch.” Peaches pulled hard on Tatum’s hair
, and she cried out in pain. No doubt the little tart had pulled a good chunk out. Before she could brace herself Peaches’s palm cracked across her cheek, sending Tatum’s head whipping in the opposite direction. The taste of blood filled her mouth, and flashes of light danced behind her now closed lids.

“If not for you and the little fucking affair you have with Leo, Slade would have no interest in you.” Peaches yanked Tatum’s head back and growled
. “I am his girl, the one that has been by his side this whole time. Why either of them wants your fat ass is beyond me.” Spit flew out of her mouth and sprayed across Tatum’s cheek and neck. “But then your skanky ass had to come around and fuck everything up.”

Peaches started dragging her back
, and it was then Tatum realized she was sick of this shit. She would not be a victim any longer.

Digging her heels in the ground she twisted in Peaches’
s grip, taking the other woman by surprise. That was the opening Tatum needed. Ripping her head out of her grasp Tatum brought her own arm back and brought her fist to the side of Peaches’ face. Satisfaction filled her when Peaches screamed in pain and rage.

“You fucking whore.” She jumped toward Tatum, her fake acrylic claws outstretched for Tatum’s face.

Grabbing Peaches’s head, Tatum wrestled with the female until they landed hard on the ground. First Peaches had the upper hand, but then Tatum was able to roll her onto her back. Fingers curled into Peaches’s hair, Tatum turned her head and spit a mouthful of spit and blood out.

“You are going to wish you never worked at the Lion, bitch.” Peaches’
s hot pink wig sat askew on her head, and Tatum could see the mussed strands of her blonde hair peeking out.

“Why are you doing this?” The throb in Tatum’s head intensified as she spoke. Peaches sneered at her again and struggled to break free. “Bet you’re wishing you weren’t such a skinny thing now, weren’t you?” Tatum really didn’t have time for this shit, but she couldn’t help Leo with this bitch attacking her. The sound of Leo and Slade behind her was loud
, and her heart thundered. She had to get to him, had to stop it before things got any worse.

“Why not?” Those two words were spoken with so much hatred that Tatum knew
she couldn’t work through this with Peaches. The woman had some fucked up sight on what was going down. Whatever Slade promised her was obviously worth more than the lives of others around her.

Tatum’s inner thoughts cost her as Peaches threw her off and reached behind her back. Tatum wasn’t a fool. The flash of a gun pierced her vision right before she dived for Peaches. “No.” Tatum tackled the woman, but not before the sound of the gun going off splintered through the room. Searing pain lanced her side, but she couldn’t let the pain take control. Wrestling with Peaches for the gun proved harder than she thought with the burning agony in her side. The second shot rang out
and everything seemed to stop.

The two women looked at each other. Peaches’
s eyes were as wide as Tatum’s, and that was when she finally let the pain and darkness take her away.

****

The scent of Tatum’s blood and her cry of pain had the animal inside of Leo pushing his human side away. From the time he had entered the club and shifted he had still been in control. Not any longer. He tore out of Slade’s grasp, his flesh tearing as the other lion’s teeth were wrenched from his body. It was because of him that she got hurt. It was because of his irrational thinking, and his need to take Slade out, that his mate lay just feet from him bleeding.

A mighty roar left him, his animal scenting Tatum injured. It was like taking the backseat in a race, watching everything that happened head-on, but not able to do a damn thing about it. Claws swiped out, blood sprayed the walls, and flesh tore open. His pain and wounds had nothing on the carnage his lion
inflicted.

Grunts, cried, and roars filled his ears, and he couldn’t tell if they came from Slade, or a mixture of his animal taking control. After what only seemed like seconds Slade’s mangled body lay at Leo’s feet. Taking huge, gulping breaths, he turned to where he scented Tatum. Her body lay crumbled on the ground, the pool of dark blood forming around her. Peaches lay just a few inches away, the hole in her belly gaping.

He rushed toward her, his muzzle nudging at Tatum’s lifeless body. He could hear the sound of her heart beating—faint but there. The front doors opened again, and he crouched in front of his mate, the low, primal sound coming from deep within him. His emotions were a jumbled mess inside of him. All he could think about was protecting Tatum, his mate, his female. Hunched low, he braced to take down whoever came close to Tatum.

Tryck, Whren, and Rocker stood in the entrance, their eyes taking in the scene. Blood filled the air, and
he knew the humans that worked for him smelled it, too.

“Fuck.” Tryck took a step forward, a low whistle coming from him. “Shit just got real.” He threw his hands up when Leo took a slow, deliberate step toward him. “Get control of yourself, boss.” He looked over Leo’s shoulder, his eyes widening fractionally before he looked back at him. “Boss, we need to get your girl looked at or she’ll bleed out, yeah?”

And just like that Leo pushed his animal down and shifted back to his human form. He had been too wild, too primal to realize that Tatum would die right in front of him if he didn’t get her help. Blood covered his body as he knelt down in front of her. Some of it came from the various wounds on his body, but the majority was hers. Lifting her into his arms, he cradled her frail body and strode forward. It didn’t matter that he was naked. He didn’t give a fuck about anything aside from making sure his girl lived.

“Get Doc to the club.” He said over his shoulder. Doc, a smarter than fuck man
who knew about Leo, was someone he could trust with the life of his mate. He didn’t need to tell his men to get the mess cleaned up. They knew the drill, knew that if this shit got out there would be trouble from both sides.

Once he got Tatum well and better, he would make sure that she knew exactly how much he loved her. He would protect her, not like the shitty job he had done of late. She meant everything to him, and not just because biology told him she was meant to be his. He loved everything about her. The way she went toe-to-toe with him
without backing down showed the kind of strength that she had within. He couldn’t have picked a better mate.

She would survive. He said it over and over again, not accepting anything less.

She. Was. His.

He took her hand in his, hating that it
felt so cold and limp.

“Come on, baby. Don’t you fucking give up, not now.”

Searing pain the likes of which she had never experienced coursed through her, like a strong current intent on taking her down. When she peeled her eyes open the bright light had her snapping them shut. A low groan left her, and someone grabbed her hand and gave it a tight squeeze.

Low, deep murmurs came from her right, but they were jumbled. Turning her head in that direction she opened her eyes again and blinked, trying to get everything in focus. The large, dark shape in front of her was blurry. Tatum inhaled and smelled a rich and spicy scent
, and she let out a sob.

Everything came rushing back to her. Her fear that Leo would die at Slade’s hand came back like a fresh wound reopening, but as she felt him stroke the top of her hand and whisper things against her temple, she let that
soul-crushing fear leave her.

Leo was okay
, alive, and right beside her. Everything would be okay.

With that thought she let herself drift off again.

The next time she woke the pain felt more tolerable. Her vision cleared substantially, and as she pushed herself up and looked around, Tatum realized she was in Leo’s underground apartment. Her throat felt raw, and even breathing had her placing a hand on her neck, as if the act would somehow help her. A ticking clock broke up the silence.

As she shifted
on the massive bed, a cry of pain left her. Clutching her side, she looked down, lifted up her shirt, and saw a white bandage wrapped around her middle. Red started to form on the gauze, and she gritted her teeth from the pain.

She had been shot. That realization had her remember the struggle with Peaches over the gun. The sound of that second shot had her pulse accelerating. Had Peaches been shot
, or did the bullet go elsewhere? Was Peaches okay? Although the woman had tried to kill her, Tatum didn’t even want to think if she had inadvertently killed someone.

Heavy, quick footsteps pounded down the stairs
, and her eyes flew to the door that led up to Leo’s office. It opened, and the man she loved filled the space. He breathed hard, his eyes frantic as he stared at her. She tried to move and go to him, but a cry left her as her side protested to that idea.

Leo
strode toward her before she even recovered. Wrapping his arms around her, he gently brought her head to his chest. His hands stroked over her back, and his whole body shook. At that moment, as her tears soaked his shirt, she realized her big, strong man cried as well. The words he whispered were fast and jumbled in her hair, but it didn’t matter. They were both alive.