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“Seems all the animosity is pointed at me and my brothers. I can dig it. I know when I’m not wanted. Y’all might wanna be more cordial when guests arrive. Some might take it personally when you don’t. Some might come back and, you know…”
Kane pointed his shotgun at Lobo.
“Are you threatening us?” he asked.
“Officer, calm down,” Lobo said. “I make no threats. I’m only trying to remind you about manners. That’s all.”
With that, Lobo snapped his fingers and his friends backed off. He passed Faith a flirtatious wave and then turned and followed his buddies as they made their exit.
Rafe took hold of Kalina’s fingers in one hand and gave her a squeeze, not fully grasping her hand, but letting her know he was still by her side. That meant a lot. Most guys would have tucked tail and run after witnessing something so insane. Not this one. Kalina looked at him and smiled. He grinned and said, “I have abilities too. Did you see that?”
He pointed at the broken ticket booth he’d gotten kicked through.
“I can fly,” he added.
She laughed and shook her head. He was a dork, but she liked him…a lot.
Thane and Kane followed the gangbangers to make sure they were actually leaving. Faith brushed herself off, wincing as she picked a small shard of glass out of her arm, and then joined the others to help Kalina recount what had happened. Faith did most of the talking, so Kalina dropped back and pulled Rafe along with her.
Music continued to blare from the DJ booth. The party had only slowed down during all the violence. It definitely hadn’t stopped. There, in a dark shadowy spot at the side of the nightclub, Kalina took hold of both Rafe’s hands. She looked into his eyes and sucked in a deep breath.
“I’m sorry,” she told him. “I’m sorry you got wrapped up in that.”
“Me?” he said. “I was as much a part of it as you were. And I’m sorry I got my ass kicked back there. That guy had a fucking kick on him. Holy hell.”
His laughter was contagious. She couldn’t believe this guy was laughing about getting a boot to the sternum and bragging about the length he’d been kicked. He was charming, like a young kid excitedly telling his friends how far he’d made it when he hit the ramp with his skateboard. He was refreshing. Fun, maybe that’s the word she was looking for. He was fun. He didn’t seem to let anything bother him. He only wanted to have a good time in life and that was new. Everyone else seemed to have an agenda. It was always about making more money or getting more things or being more powerful. Even on the island, with as laid back as everyone was, tension had been high with so much pressure to patrol the water. With Rafe, she felt none of that. There simply was no difficulty.
“I’m a shark,” Kalina told him.
Silence as he nodded.
“I’m a shark shifter,” she added. “I turn into a tiger shark whenever my body touches the
ocean.”
“Interesting,” he said.
More silence.
“Okay then,” she said. “I guess that’s my cue to go catch up with my friends.”
If she’d said those words to any other human guy, they would have walked away, wishing her a happy life. Nobody wanted to get wrapped up in the lifestyle she led. Most humans stayed in the shallow water, fearful of what lurked in the trenches. Kalina needed someone willing to go deep. Was this the guy? That feeling she’d had earlier came back to her as he grinned down at her. Her stomach cramped and her pussy ached. This was more than regular attraction. This was divine. This was inhuman. This was supernatural, paranormal, and every other word that meant that it was being thrust upon her, forced upon her by a being higher than herself. Her mind liked him. Her heart wanted him. Her body needed him.
Rafe replied by reaching for her face and cupping it in both his hands. She closed her eyes and enjoyed the feel of his soft fingertips touching the sides of her head. It was too soon for a kiss, sooner than usual anyway, yet she decided if he went for it, she’d be okay with that.
“Look at me,” he said.
She allowed her heavy, dreamy eyes to open and her eyelashes to flutter a few times as she set her vision on his handsome face. His eyes were hers, his lips were hers, his face, his hair, his body…they were all hers. It was only a look, nothing more, but she felt all that in his stare. He liked her. This boy wanted her. He wanted to be hers.
“I like peanut butter and banana sandwiches,” he added.
She was silent. She wasn’t sure what to do with that information.
“You have your quirks, I have mine,” he said.
Then she got it. He didn’t care that she was a shark. He was telling her that her differences were fine with him. She smiled at him and closed her eyes again. She’d never felt more wanted in all her life. She didn’t even know this guy, but they were connected.
“This so wasn’t the wild night I was expecting when I told Faith to take me out to have some fun,” she said.
