Pete's Persuasion (2019 Reissue)

by Lavinia Lewis

  Jake ran a hand through his hair. “I don’t know. Shit, let me think.”

  “We’re going to have to take our chances outside,” Tony said. “If we stay here, we’re dead for sure.”

  Jake nodded his agreement. “Do you know if Pete has a gun?”

  “No, and we haven’t got time to look.”

  “Come on, let’s try and get out the back way. We might be able to climb over the fence in the yard and get away from her.”

  Tony was doubtful, but he followed Jake into the kitchen. They’d made it halfway to the back door when he heard the glass shatter in the window in the front room.

  “Jesus, Jake, hurry!” Tony said, pushing his friend to move faster.

  “Wait, we need some sort of weapon,” Jake said. “Get a knife.”

  Tony grabbed the two largest knives from the block on the counter and handed one to Jake. They’d just made it to the door when Evelyn’s face appeared in the window. When Tony jumped back she began laughing hysterically.

  “You didn’t think it was going to be that easy, did you?” she shouted. “I told Gregory he was going to pay for killing my mate.”

  “That didn’t have anything to do with us!” Jake tried to reason.

  But it was pointless.

  She only laughed harder.

  “They’re all to blame! And they’re all going to get what’s coming to them! And what better way than to kill their mates, just as they killed mine.”

  “The front way,” Tony said, dragging Jake away from the door. They ran back out into the hall but stopped short. The front door was covered in flames that had spread to the surrounding walls. The heat was intense and smoke filled the small space, making Tony’s eyes sting and catching in his throat.

  He began to cough.

  “Fuck!” he choked out.

  “We’ll have to go past her,” Jake said. “Kill her if we have to.”

  Tony swallowed down his despair and nodded. “Okay.”

  They didn’t have any other choice.

  They went back into the kitchen at the same time Evelyn came crashing through the back door. Tony didn’t stop to think. He charged at her, the knife raised high in front of him. But just as he brought it down to strike, she grabbed his arm and twisted it.

  Tony cried out.

  He heard the sickening noise of bone snapping even over the sound of his scream and the noise of the fire.

  The knife fell out of his hand.

  Tony tried to defend himself, but it was difficult to fight her off with his arm in such agony. The white-hot pain that seared through him was so bad he was afraid he was going to pass out from it. Jake was trying to fight her off, too, but she was strong and a back-hander that caught Jake in the face sent him flying across the room.

  Tony bent down as if to pick up the knife and charged at her stomach with his head. It caught her off guard and she fell backward, surprised by the unexpected move. He grabbed the knife with his good arm at the same time that Evelyn righted herself and came for him again.

  He struck out and this time caught her across the chest, slicing deep.

  Blood pooled instantly from the cut.

  Evelyn screamed and fell to the floor, her body writhing.

  “Jake, come on!” Tony called.

  Jake had got to his feet and made his way over.

  Evelyn was still on the floor, clutching her chest. The room was becoming unbearably hot. The heat was searing against Tony’s back. The fire had made it through the hallway to the kitchen door and the heat was intense, the smoke thick, clogging up his vision and bringing on another coughing fit.

  “We need to get out of here!” Jake pulled on Tony’s arm.

  Tony tried to step around Evelyn’s body, but she reached out and grabbed his leg before he got away and yanked him back, causing him to stumble. Jake had already made it through the door. Tony kicked out at Evelyn, trying to get her to release his foot, but she held on too tightly. With a roar, she reached out and grabbed his broken arm and he cried out, falling to his knees beside her.

  The fire had made its way into the kitchen.

  The top of Tony’s head burned and when he looked up, he realized that flames were licking their way across the ceiling towards them. He tore his gaze away quickly, but not before his eyes burned from the intense heat. When he heard the crash of wooden beams, collapsing out in the hall, he realized they didn’t have long before the entire house came down around them.

  Tony screamed out his frustration.

  He would not die in there, not like that.

  The thought of never seeing Pete again sent a rush of panic through his body. When he thought about how Pete would feel when he found out his mate had died in his home, it would destroy him.

  Tony’s anger rose to the surface then.

  He would not do that to Pete. He closed his hands around Evelyn’s throat even though his right arm was practically useless. Pain tore through the broken limb and a wave of nausea threatened his nerve, but he held on as best he could.

  Jake had come back into the burning kitchen and was trying to drag him to the door. Evelyn fought Tony off, her shifted hands clawing at his arms and chest.

  Each cut felt like a razor blade slicing through his skin.

  When a beam near the door fell from the ceiling, Tony had no choice but to let go of Evelyn and let Jake pull him back. She tried to roll out of the way but didn’t make it in time and the burning wood struck her legs, trapping one of them underneath.

  Jake helped pull Tony to his feet and dragged him out of the kitchen. They stumbled out into the yard and Tony fell to his knees, coughing and spluttering for all he was worth. His throat was raw and incredibly painful, scorched by the thick, acrid smoke. He tried to pull in a lungful of clean air, but it didn’t ease the burn and the pain in his chest was intense.

  His lungs had to have been burnt.

  “We can’t rest yet.” Jake’s voice sounded hoarse and scratchy and Tony had no doubt that his friend would be feeling the burn in his throat and chest every bit as much as Tony was.

  “We have to get away from the house.”

  Tony nodded and got to his feet, every muscle in his body protesting. He followed Jake down the path that led to the front of the house. He cradled his injured arm, but every movement, no matter how slight, felt like a knife stabbing into his flesh. He looked down at himself and realized his chest was covered in blood—his t-shirt torn to shreds, scraps of it sticking to the angry wounds beneath.

  Somehow he managed to make it around to the front of the property, but by the time they got to the sidewalk and far enough away from the burning house, Tony’s legs wouldn’t carry him a single step further and he collapsed to the ground in a heap.

  He was dimly aware of Jake falling down beside him.

  He didn’t know how he would be able to get back up, couldn’t even tell how long he spent lying on the floor, the seconds and minutes seemed to drag on endlessly as he watched the house burn. There was nothing to focus on but the fire and the pain that tore through every inch of his body. The pain that ripped through his arm paled in comparison to what he felt in his throat and chest.

  It hurt too much to breathe.

  What if he stopped?

  He wondered absently how Pete would feel if he were to die. How bad would he take it? Would he grieve? How long would it take him to find another mate?

  He heard shouting and screaming, but the sounds were distant and he couldn’t raise his head to see who was calling out his name. His ears were ringing so loudly he couldn’t be certain if he’d heard anything at all.

  His eyes burned, along with every other part of his body.

  He’d just keep them closed for a moment…

  As his body started to shut down, his last thought was that maybe if he allowed his mind to succumb to the darkness that was waiting for him, the pain would finally stop.

  Chapter Seventeen

  “Tony!” Pete screamed as he exited the truc
k and ran down the street passed his burning house to get to his mate.

  He didn’t care about the house—didn’t even pay it a second thought.

  Tony was the only thing that mattered.

  Kelan kept pace at his side and called out to Jake, but neither man responded. They were lying side by side on the ground.

  As Pete neared, he saw the blood that covered Tony’s chest. His arm was twisted at an unusual angle, too. It had to be broken.

  Tony’s eyes were closed.

  A sob tore from Pete’s throat and angry tears pooled behind his eyes.

  Please let him be okay.

  As soon as he reached his mate, Pete came down hard on his knees and checked his wrist for a pulse.

  He was alive.

  Relief rushed through him, but then he took a good look at Tony and sucked in a sharp breath. His chest was covered with deep gashes that were still oozing blood, but his head…

  Pete couldn’t prevent the tears that poured down from his eyes or the sob that tore from his throat. Patches of Tony’s hair were missing and there were burn blisters on his scalp.

  Even his eyelashes looked singed.

  “Tony, I’m here with you,” he sobbed, looking for an uninjured area where he could touch his mate to reassure him. “You’re going to be okay.”

  Tony made a low moaning sound but didn’t speak or open his eyes. There was only one thing that would help his mate to heal. He slid his hand around the back of Tony’s neck and lifted him gently into a sitting position.

  “Tony, you have to wake up for me, okay? I need you to drink something.”

  Tony’s eyes flickered as if he was trying desperately to get them open, but it required too much effort.

  “Open your mouth for me,” Pete ordered.

  Pete’s command must have got through to Tony because he slowly parted his lips and his eyes flickered again, trying to open.

  “That’s it,” Pete said. “That’s good.” His incisors lengthened and he bit into his wrist until blood started pooling over the cut then he held it over Tony’s mouth, watching as it trickled between his lips.

  Kelan was talking softly to Jake, but he didn’t turn his head to look at them.

  He couldn’t take his eyes off his mate.

  This was his own damn fault. He should never have left Tony alone. How could he have been so stupid and careless? If Tony got through this, Pete vowed to himself that he would spend every day making it up to his mate.

  “I need you to swallow for me, Tony,” Pete cajoled. “Please, babe, it will help you feel better.”

  He saw the small bob in Tony’s throat, but all too soon the wound on Pete’s wrist closed up so he sank his teeth into it again, ignoring the sharp bite of pain then returned it to Tony’s mouth. When the second dose of blood poured between his lips and his throat bobbed again, Tony’s eyes opened and he started to cough.

  “Shh,” Pete soothed, rubbing soothing circles on his back. “You’re okay, babe. You’re going to be fine. Just fine.”

  He wasn’t sure if he was trying to reassure Tony or himself.

  Probably both.

  When Tony stopped spluttering, his red-rimmed eyes met Pete’s.

  He tried to lift his arm, but he cried out, his eyes squeezing tightly shut against the pain.

  “Try not to move,” Pete instructed. “Your arm is broken. We need to get you to the hospital. My blood will help heal you, but you need to be seen by a doctor. We don’t want it to set in the wrong position.”

  When Tony opened his eyes again there was fear in their depths.

  “Evelyn…” he croaked.

  Pete had been so focused on helping his mate, he hadn’t spared the woman a second thought. He twisted around to look at the still-burning house then his gaze rested on Kelan and Jake.

  Kelan shook his head.

  “She was trapped inside,” he said. “She couldn’t have got out.”

  Pete couldn’t bring himself to care about her demise.

  So many people had died at her hands, friends of his… Hell, his mate had nearly died not once but twice. It was no more than she deserved for the lives she’d taken and the utter destruction she’d caused.

  Sirens sounded in the distance and Pete breathed a sigh of relief. Tony’s eyes had closed again, but when he checked his pulse it was stronger than before. He was going to be okay, but Pete couldn’t help the worry that settled over him, pressing against his chest.

  What if Tony changed his mind about wanting a life with him because of what had happened? He wouldn’t blame his mate, but he didn’t know how he’d cope if Tony decided to cut ties. He knew without question he could never be with anyone else.

  Not now that he’d claimed Tony.

  There would never be anyone else for him.

  The paramedics arrived minutes after the fire crew and police. EMTs loaded Tony onto a gurney and into the back of the ambulance. A couple of the firefighters and one of the paramedics were wolves.

  Kelan pulled them aside and spoke to them quietly, but Pete stayed at his mate’s side. When Kelan was through, he and Pete climbed into Kelan’s truck and followed them to the hospital.

  They didn’t talk on the drive over, but there wasn’t anything to say. Pete could feel the worry and anger that Kelan projected as if it was a physical thing. It mirrored his feelings perfectly. But at least Kelan knew that Jake would never leave him.

  Pete didn’t have that luxury.

  Chapter Eighteen

  Pete poked his head through the door to Tristan’s hospital room and smiled when the kid looked up and met his gaze. Tristan’s injuries were bad—burns covered his face, chest, and arms, and his leg was in a cast. It was difficult for Pete to keep the smile fixed on his face as he slipped into the room.

  “Care for a visitor?” he asked.

  Tristan nodded then croaked out a reply. “Hi, Pete. What are you doing here?”

  “What? I can’t pay my favorite customer a visit when he’s in the hospital?”

  “Favorite ex-customer,” Tristan replied. “I quit drinking, remember? Take a seat.”

  Pete walked around the bed and sat in the high-backed chair next to the window before he replied.

  “How could I forget? Profits plummeted when you stopped coming to the dancehall.”

  Tristan chuckled, but the effort seemed to cause him pain.

  He winced, lifted his hand to his chest and closed his eyes.

  “Asshole.”

  “Hey, don’t let Nate hear you cussing or he’ll whoop your ass.”

  The smile on Tristan’s face got wider at the mention of Nate’s name.

  “He’s worried about me—even though he doesn’t like to show it. And Jared hasn’t stopped fussing since they brought me in. He’s going to be hell to live with when I get out of here.”

  “They love you.”

  “I know.”

  “Where are they? I thought I’d have a fight on my hands to be allowed some time in here.”

  “I sent them away. Made them go get something to eat and a few hours’ rest. They hardly slept the night before the fire and they’ve been here with me ever since.”

  Pete snorted. “I bet that conversation went well.”

  The look on Tristan’s face became positively wicked.

  “It wasn’t too difficult. I threatened to call the doctor and have them physically removed if they didn’t listen to me.”

  Pete cocked an eyebrow. “Now that I would have loved to have seen.”

  “It wasn’t pretty, but I can be persuasive when I need to be.”

  Pete schooled his features. “How are you doing, Tristan?”

  “I’m okay,” he replied quietly. “My throat and chest both hurt from the smoke and the burns are sore, but they’re healing.”

  Pete shook his head. “I mean, how are you doing?”

  The easy smile fell from Tristan’s lips and he lowered his gaze, his teeth worrying his bottom lip.

  He let out
a long sigh before he spoke.

  “It scared me. I was trapped inside the house and I panicked. I thought I was going to die in there.”

  “Nate and Jared would never have let that happen. Either one of them would die to protect you.”

  “I know. And I love them for it.” Tristan’s shoulders slumped. “Every time I close my eyes I keep going over what happened. I keep remembering the smoke and the fire. It was everywhere and it was so hot.

  “And then the ceiling collapsed and I got trapped and when Nate and Jared got me free and dragged me outside, all I could think about was that all our stuff was gone. Everything destroyed.

  “All of Mom’s and Dad’s things that we’d kept. Our photos of them. They’re all gone.”

  Tristan seemed to choke on the last sentence and tears slid down his cheeks in rapid succession. Pete leaned forward and put his hand over Tristan’s.

  “I know it’s hard to lose all those things,” he said gently, thinking of his own possessions that had been turned to ash. “But they are just that—things. You’ll never forget your mom and pop. The memories of them will always be with you.”

  “But what if I do forget them?” Tristan whispered.

  “You won’t. Besides, Jared would never let you.”

  “Yeah.” Tristan sniffed and took a calming breath. “Jared told me you found your mate.”

  The smile on Pete’s lips at the mention of his mate came quickly, but then he thought about what had happened to Tony and it slipped. Pete hadn’t been able to spend any time with him since they’d brought him in three hours ago. Tony had been in surgery for a couple of hours while the doctors reset his arm and X-rayed his chest to see what damage had been done to his lungs.

  The doctor that was treating him was a wolf and Pete had explained that he’d given his mate blood, but the doctor still had to be seen to be doing everything by the correct hospital procedure.

  Pete hadn’t wanted to tell Tristan what had happened to Tony, but the kid must have noticed the look on his face.

  He frowned.

  “What is it?” he asked. “Did something happen? Was it Evelyn? Oh God, what has she done now?”

  Tristan was beginning to hyperventilate so Pete had to ease his mind.