Four Hard SWATs Read Free Page A

home.” Niko made it a statement, using his best don’t-fuck-with-me voice.
    Unfortunately, Tawni only looked at him, her expression cool. Niko knew then he was in for a fight. “Thanks, but I’ve got my own ride. He should be here in a minute.”
    Every member of the team went completely still, their entire attention focused on Tawni . Niko had to stick out an arm to physically stop Grayson from snagging her arm, no doubt to simply scoop her up and cart her off.
    “You certainly have the right to do that, Tawni , but as your team, we have things to discuss. Best get them out of the way tonight.” Mainly because, looking at her so hurt and vulnerable, none of them was apt to be too hard on her tonight.
    She rolled her eyes. Actually rolled her eyes at him. “I’m not going to willingly invite all of you to my house so you can berate me all night. I’m going home. I’m resting. Monday, when I get to work, I’ll listen to all you want to give me, but on my own time, I don’t have to and I don’t intend to.”
    Without a word, she walked out of the hospital. Niko started to follow her, but Tawni ducked into a little sports car with tinted windows. Which meant he didn’t get a look at the bastard she took off with.
    Swearing under his breath, Niko waved the boys off when they would have called the license plate in to dispatch to track the bastard down. Tomorrow would come soon enough.
    “Let it go. For now.”
    *****
    Sebastian knew this was a bad idea. All the pent-up aggression and sexual tension in a BDSM bar never made for good company. It wasn’t like any of them really wanted to be here in the first place.
    This was all Gray’s fault. He’d suggested they should blow off some steam, considering how high-strung they all were. That was all well and good, but Wyatt had no desire to be here in the first place. He wanted to follow Tawni , see who she was with, and beat the bastard to a bloody pulp.
    “Christ,” Sebastian swore as he took a drink of his beer. “Anyone want to tell me why the fuck we’re here? Cause I’m not feeling it.”
    No one answered.
    The bar was in a city two hours away, one they frequented when they needed to unwind, to calm themselves and dispel the pent-up aggression. Unfortunately, Sebastian just wasn’t up for it tonight. From the looks of things, no one was. The four of them made an impressive sight for the many subs mingling around. Of the many who had approached, none of the others looked interested enough to give them more than a brief inspection before dismissing her completely. As it was, they sat around a table, each nursing a beer, staring at each other.
    “According to Grayson, the resident genius,” Wyatt drawled, “we’re here to get rid of some of the sexual tension we’ve all been feeling after the raid.” He turned to Gray. “How’s that working for you there, Gray?”
    “Shut the fuck up, Earp, afore I throw you a beatin ’.”
    “So, we going to discuss what this is really about?” Sebastian wasn’t letting it go. The team’s mental health and stability depended on them admitting exactly what was going on with Tawni . Because he sure as hell had feelings for the woman. He had the feeling more than one of them did. From the sorry state of everyone at the table, all of them did.
    “No.” Niko’s denial was spoken, face in his beer, with the most miserable expression Sebastian had ever seen on his long-time friend.
    Grayson nodded. “Well, that’s a good thing, because it’s none of your goddamned business, Bastian.”
    Sebastian raised an eyebrow. “Hit a nerve?”
    Grayson didn’t answer, only gave him a steely look. Then his attention seemed to shift from Sebastian to a point just over Sebastian’s shoulder. Sensing something important, they all looked to the stage. In the middle, a spotlight beating down on her, was a slender woman tied to a St. Andrew’s cross.
    The first thing Sebastian noticed was how perfectly formed her arms were.