Wilde About Her (Wilde Pack Series)(25)

"Well, let me know if you need anything else," she muttered and turned.  Denim was anxious to get away from him. She had heard his thoughts! Did  he know? She hoped not. It would be very bad. Was Diesel also a  shapeshifter? Goodness, she swallowed. And if he is, was she going to  start hearing everything any of them was thinking? She sure hoped not.

Denim turned her back and hastily cleared the table beside his and started toward the front.

Denim, can I have some more napkins?

She swirled around. "Sure I'll … " her voice trailed off as she realized his lips hadn't moved, instead she had read his thoughts.

There was a smirk on Diesel's face that was so wicked Denim bumped into a chair as she turned and hurried back to the counter.

"What's wrong?" Quinn asked when she reached the counter. Denim sucked  in a breath trying to calm down her racing pulse. He knows! How was it  possible he knew? She had to talk to Jax and let him know. Maybe he  would know what it all meant.

"Nothing I'm fine. Just feeling a little light-headed." Her eyes  traveled to the back. Diesel had reared back on the chair, and was  staring at her. The look was sinister and chilling, causing the hairs on  Denim's body to rise. She stood shakily by the counter, her legs  threatening to collapse.

"Order up!" The bell rang and she practically jumped out of her shoes.

"Denim, you look like you've seen a ghost."

Her eyes snapped to Quinn, who looked deeply concerned. She swiped a  hand across her brow and realized she was sweating. "I'm not feeling too  good. I think it's just been one long day." She grabbed the tray and  carried the order over to her customer and made sure they didn't need  anything else. She, then, reached inside her apron and removed a stack  of napkins and had to take a deep breath before she moved back across  the diner and over to Diesel.

"I thought maybe you weren't coming back." His eyes gleamed. Predator.

She stepped back. It took a great deal of effort to steady her voice. "What made you think that?"

His green eyes darkened and slashed her face. "Because I asked you to  sit down and you refused. Now I insist." I know you can hear my  thoughts. Do you have any idea what I could do to you?

Denim swallowed as everything in her stilled. She had a pretty good idea  by now, Diesel was trouble. "I told you I'm working." She tried to turn  away, but he reached out and caught her arm, jerking her to a halt.

"Don't make me ask you again," he growled. "Sit. We need to talk."

Shock slashed through Denim as she swirled around. "Don't touch me," she  hissed and tried to yank her arm free, but his fingers bit into her  arm.

Diesel sent her something that resembled a smirk. They were in dangerous territory now and she knew it.

"Now is that any way to treat a paying customer?" he teased and then finally he released her.

A shadow rose in Denim's peripheral vision and then everything paused.  Customer conversations stilled, forks froze inches from their lips. A  little kid had spilled his milk and the liquid never reached the ground.  Her eyes moved toward the door and there was Jax. Eyes hard and  focused, then he was running across the diner so fast he was almost a  blur. He moved quickly between them, blocking her path, as he grabbed  Diesel by the neck, and lifted him up out of his seat.         

     



 

"Touch her again and I swear I'll break that hand." His voice was tight with rage. There was a clear warning in his tone.

And then, as if someone had clicked Resume on the stopwatch, voices were  heard, and sounds rang across the room. The glass of milk hit the floor  and the chair Diesel had been seated in sailed across the floor and  landed with a crash, silencing the room again. Denim's jaw dropped when  she realized Jax had Diesel pinned against the wall, his feet dangling  several feet off the ground.





18



Jax had just pulled his Harley in front of the diner when a sharp ache  ripped at his gut, indicating Denim was in trouble. He'd had a similar  intense feeling the night Troy had led her out into the forest.

Quickly, he lowered the kickstand, left his helmet on the handle, and,  without hesitation, bolted into the diner, moving a lot faster than he  should have allowed in public. As soon as he spotted Diesel smiling up  at Denim, his blood surged with rage. Even now as he glared up at Diesel  with a hand clamped around his neck, it took everything for him not to  crush his windpipe.

Denim moved beside him and reached out an unsteady hand. "Jax, put him down."

Claws were threatening to grow. Incisions were sharp inside his mouth.  He felt the need to rake and claw at the shifter who'd had the balls to  put his hands on his mate.

"Jax, please," she pleaded.

Jax tore his eyes from Diesel and saw the fear in Denim's eyes, as well  as several customers. Others had moved to the front of the diner, afraid  of what might happen, and staying because they were too nosy to leave.  Silence had blanketed the scene.

Jax took several deep breaths to control his rage before he finally settled the young shifter back on his feet.

A grin was painted on Diesel's face. "My bad, I just wanted to see what was so special about this one. Now I know. Nice ass."

"Why you-"

Denim lunged, but Jax pulled her back just as she swung a fist in the air.

"Babe, no. Let me handle this!" he ordered, as he moved her behind him.

Diesel roared with laughter, and Jax almost regretted not allowing Denim  to hit him. Only this wasn't her fight and Diesel was cunning and  vindictive. He didn't want to give him any reasons to go after her. And  if Diesel did, Jax would make sure the red wolf was twelve feet under  the ground.

Jax stepped forward, his wolf was close-so close-he could feel fur  growing along his back, but Denim planted herself between them.

"Not in here," she warned.

She was right. They were airing their business in front of the town. Not  a good move. Diesel was baiting him. His jaw twitched and his teeth  clenched together, hard, but Jax managed to calm his wolf.

"Everyone, I'm sorry for the commotion! Please go back to eating," Denim  said apologetically, as she glanced uneasily around the diner. Jax  hoped like hell Pappy wasn't in.

With her arms crossed, Denim's gaze flicked to Diesel, not at all  appearing intimidated by his narrowing green eyes or that he loomed  above her as she said, "I'm going to have to ask you to leave." She  gritted her teeth, not bothering with being nice.

While brushing off his shoulders as if Jax had pinned him with dirty  paws instead of hands, Diesel replied, "The customer service here  sucks."

Jax's skin itched. "You heard the lady."

"Please leave before I call the police," Denim added softly.

Her threat only caused Diesel to chuckle and for Jax to anger.

"Sure, no problem. The food here isn't that good anyway." Diesel tossed a  few coins onto the table. "Keep the change." And while whistling, he  headed toward the door.

Jax started after him, but Denim grabbed his arm. "Jax don't."

Her eyes were filled with worry. He slid a comforting hand along her  arm. "Babe, let me handle this while you wrap up your shift," he urged.

"But I-"

"I got it," he said again, this time firmly. A command.

She wet her lips nervously, then nodded her head and moved toward the  counter. Damn. He wanted to pull her into his arms and hold her, but Jax  thrust the need away. He had to stay focused and see what Diesel was up  to.

Without taking his eyes off the Were he had once considered a close  friend, Jax followed Diesel out of the diner and into the parking lot.  He spotted the charcoal gray Audi parked at the far end.

"What was that all about?" he said, but Diesel kept on walking fast  across the lot. "Hey, I'm talking to you! What the hell do you want?"

Diesel waited until he reached his vehicle before he stopped and turned  around. Hand embedded deep inside his pockets. His eyes came to Jax and  immediately moved over his face and body. "I already told you. I needed  to see her for myself, and I have to say she smells fucking amazing.  Shame on you for hiding her. Something that delicious, you should share  with your friends."         

     



 

"We're no longer friends and regardless, we both know, I don't share."  Possessiveness clutched at Jax's chest at the thought of Diesel or any  other Were putting his paws on Denim. "I'm not going to warn you again  to stay the hell away from her." The wolf inside was pressing on him,  begging to escape.

"Relax. I'm not interested in your human unless you give me a reason," Diesel bellowed.

Jax's eyebrows shot up. "And what reason would that be?"

"As if you don't already know," he replied and gave a laugh that lacked  humor. "The only thing you need to be worried about is making things  right with the packs. Quit all this foolishness and marry my sister."

"Not happening."