Page 80 of Brandon’s Mate

She’d come all this way, telling herself she was going to protect Brandon and be there for him. And tonight he was going to be in the worst danger so far—maybe the danger she’d foreseen in her dream—and she wasn’t there.

She tried to tell herself once again that the danger was at the bar, not Raines’ compound, but deep down inside she knew the truth.

She’d chickened out.

She was afraid of the monster inside her, and because of that she’d let her mate go into danger alone. She was letting down not just Brandon, but her entire family. The people who’d taught her what courage and loyalty meant.

Her place was with Brandon and the boys.

She was just pushing back the chair when she saw the line start moving on the office bug, showing it was recording.

Kitty switched the speaker over. It was Caleb.

“…think I wouldn’t figure out you were a traitor, you lying slut?” There was the sound of fist on flesh, and then Callie’s voice.

“I’m not. It wasn’t me!”

Kitty heard another hit. “Nobody else has access to this room. And nobody else has been sneaking off like you have. So who’s on the other end of this transmission, huh? Fierro? Are you his side piece, now that his little wolf whore is knocked up?”

Kitty was so enraged by him beating on Callie that for a minute it didn’t register what Caleb had said.

He’d called Brandon “Fierro.” He knew Brandon’s real identity.

And if he knew it, then there was a good chance Austin Raines knew it too—knew that Brandon was the son of the man who killed his father.

This whole thing could be a trap. She had to get to him.

Then she heard Caleb say, “I’m going to kill you, bitch!” After that, there was nothing but static.

For a moment Kitty stood frozen. All her instincts were telling her to go to Brandon. But Callie had risked everything to help them. Kitty couldn’t just abandon her.

She couldn’t text Brandon or Colt—if Raines’ security team saw their phones she could be the one giving them away. She texted Remy instead.

Caleb knows Brandon’s real ID. Raines might too. Callie in danger—I’m going to the bar.

Then she stuck her phone in her pocket and ran for the Catalina.

Chapter 34

Kitty hid the car a little ways from the Crows’ Nest and came up on foot.

The lot was almost empty. What the hell? Less than twenty minutes ago the bar was full of crows. Now there was just a shiny truck and a beat-up old car, parked in a corner.

She detoured past the vehicles, making sure no one was hiding inside. They were empty. Caleb’s truck and Callie’s car, by the scents. One of them must have a fuel leak—she could smell gasoline.

She darted across the lot, the handgun she’d taken from Caleb at her side. She could hear the buzz of the neon lights in the windows, but nothing else. Where was everyone?

She peeked in the window. There had been a fight—she could see broken furniture and broken glass. There was one body on the floor—not Callie. All she could see were jeans and booted feet, but definitely male. No other people, and no sounds.

Even so, Kitty didn’t head for the front door. Too easy for this to be a trap. Instead, she circled the building until she found a window she could pry open.

Turned out to be the men’s restroom. Kitty hoisted herself up, pushed out the screen and slithered inside, ending up standing on one of the sinks.

Damn, it was skanky in here. How the hell did these yahoos manage to shoot a gun straight if they couldn’t even aim their dick at a urinal and hit the bulls-eye?

Her skin itched. Everything felt wrong. She should be with Brandon, backing him up, not here.

She was reaching for the door when she realized the gasoline smell was stronger in here. Slowly, she turned the knob and opened the door. The smell was overwhelming.