They emerged into the loud bar, half full of Shifters. A tall Shifter covered in tatts spied them and stepped in front of Jace.
“Liam wants to see you,” he said with his characteristic brevity, then turned around and walked away.
“That’s Spike,” Deni said. “Man of few words.”
“I’ve met him.” Jace took Deni’s hand and led her through the crowd, making his way to the black-haired Irishman leaning on the bar. He wasn’t tending it—Shifters weren’t allowed to serve alcohol. A human barman did that.
Liam Morrissey turned as they approached, as though sensing them come, which he probably had. He wouldn’t have been able to hear them over the jukebox, or smell them over the odors of smoke, alcohol, sweaty humans, and Shifters who’d also just returned from the fight club. But Liam had the uncanny knack of knowing where everyone was at all times. Liam was tall, like his brother, Sean, and had the same intense blue eyes. Those eyes took in Jace, then Deni, then Liam leaned forward and pulled Jace into a Shifter welcoming embrace.
Jace dropped his backpack on a barstool and let Liam enfold him. Because the two had met before and liked each other, the hug was more cordial and less wary than many alpha male exchanges. No veiled hint that each would rip out the other’s throat if they had half a chance. Just friendship and camaraderie, arms tightening on each other’s backs.
Liam released Jace, turned to Deni, and pulled her into his arms as well. This hug was more reassuring, the Shiftertown leader trying to calm one of his own. “Well done,” Liam said quietly into her ear, and Deni warmed with pleasure.
Liam released Deni and found Jace right next to him. Right next to him, as in slap up against him. Jace’s eyes had tightened, and he pinned Liam with a warning stare.
Liam reached past Jace for a half-filled bottle of beer he’d left on the bar and held it without drinking. “Spike and Ronan told me what happened out there with the cops.” He gave Deni a grin. “I see you two already celebrated.”
As she had under Sean’s scrutiny, Deni flushed, but Jace looked unworried. “Have you heard anything from Dylan?” Jace asked him.
Liam lost his smile. “They took Dad downtown. My mate is with him, and so is Sean. They told me not to come.” He nodded, as though he agreed. “Kim knows what she’s doing.”
Liam’s mate was a defense lawyer who now specialized in defending Shifters. Liam was right that she was plenty competent, and Dylan and Sean were good at keeping human attention away from Shifters. Deni saw the tightness in Liam, however, sensed his need to race to the police station and use any means necessary to extract his father.
“Did the police talk to you?” Jace asked him.
“Aye, they did. Came rushing in here, demanding to know about this fight club they’d heard about. Of course, I knew nothing, did I?” Liam, as leader, had decided to look the other way about the fight club, which went against Shifter laws as well as human. Though the fight clubs had rules, they were dangerous, but Liam had acknowledged long ago that he couldn’t prevent them. “A detective and half a dozen uniforms came in here the same time the arena was being raided, or I would have warned my dad and Sean.” Deni saw the outrage in his eyes that he’d been blindsided.
“Well, they found it somehow,” Jace said. “You have a leak. Just to reassure you—it isn’t me.”
“Didn’t think it was, lad.”
If Liam had thought Jace was the one who’d betrayed the whereabouts of the fight club, Jace wouldn’t be standing here speaking calmly to Liam. He’d have been stopped at the door, and Liam would now be disemboweling him in the parking lot.
“Do we lie low?” Jace asked.
Liam answered with one quick shake of his head but no words. Not all Shifters were privy to the work Liam and his family were doing on the Collars. Need to know only. Most Shifters were trustworthy, but as tonight had proved, leaks happened.
Liam looked at Deni again and started to smile. “A memorial service. Good thinking, lass.” He chuckled.
“It was the first logical thing I could think of,” Deni said. “I’m sorry I used your family’s grief as a distraction.”
Liam shook his head, his eyes bright with mirth. “Kenny would have laughed his balls off. He always loved a good joke, did Kenny.”
Liam was grinning, but Deni saw the moisture in his eyes, his sorrow for his dead brother never far away.
“Then we’ll meet as appointed,” Jace broke in. “Unless you wave me off.”
“Aye, get some rest.” Liam’s amusement returned as he turned to Deni again. “Rest, mind. Looks like you need it.” He gave her a quiet nod. “Like I said, well done, lass.”
“Leader’s pet,” Jace whispered in Deni’s ear as he guided her through the crowded bar, his hand on the small of her back. His laugh did warm things to her. “Let’s get you home.”
* * *
Walking Deni home was delayed when Broderick came into the bar, followed by Shifters looking enough like him to be his brothers. Jace felt Deni’s rage and worry increase, her body vibrating under his hand.
“We don’t like outsiders,” one of Broderick’s brothers said, stepping in front of Jace. “Don’t like them coming in and taking our women.”
Deni was around Jace before he saw her move. “Suck on it,” Deni said. “I thought I was too crazy for you all, anyway.”
Broderick showed his teeth in a smile. “She’s got good reflexes, for a nutcase.”
Jace pulled Deni back behind him and moved to Broderick, the clear leader of this bunch. “Keep your shit to yourself and your brothers quiet,” he said, “or I’ll wipe the floor with your ass. Again.”
Broderick glanced around Jace to Deni, and his eyes widened as he realized what other Shifters had been all night—that Jace and Deni had gotten to know each other in the dark out at the fight club. Broderick lifted his hands. “Hey, if you’re that frenzied by her, you take her. You’ll be doing us all a favor. Hope you can keep her under control.”
Jace had Broderick by the throat before Broderick could blink. Jace surprised even himself with the move, and his speed. “What did I just tell you?”
Jace was aware of Shifters turning, watching, stilling. The music pumped on, a loud country song, but the Shifters stopped dancing, talking, and drinking to watch.
Broderick’s brother was right about one thing—Jace was an outsider. He was a dominant and sanctioned by Dylan and Liam, but that wouldn’t matter if the entire Shifter community didn’t want him. A pack, en masse, could kill an alpha and not care.