Bodyguard (Shifters Unbound #2.5) by Jennifer Ashley Read Free Book Online

pissed me off too. If
they try to burn down the store, I can put out the fire faster if
I'm there."
    "Goddess, woman, I thought she-bears were
stubborn."
    Elizabeth fixed him with a steely stare. "You
ain't seen nothing yet."
    Ronan wanted to laugh. Not only was she
stubborn but crazy and brave. He knew right then that if he didn't
lock her into Rebecca's bedroom, she'd light out for that store as
soon as his back was turned. Even if Ronan did lock her in,
Elizabeth would find a way out. She was that kind of girl.
    "All right." Ronan forced his voice to come
down from the frenzied arguing. "We'll do it your way. Partly.
Mabel stays here, and you go open your store. I come with you, and
we have a couple trackers lurking around outside to keep an eye on
things."
    Elizabeth's anger didn't diminish. "Shifters
lurking around my parking area all day will worry the other shop
owners. What if they call the police?"
    "No one will see the trackers. They're pretty
good at stealth, when they want to be. And Shifters are at your
store all the time. You're one of the few who lets us in."
    "They come in to shop . Not lurk.
There's a difference."
    "Why don't you ban Shifters? It's your
choice."
    Elizabeth stopped, annoyed at the change in
conversational direction. She obviously didn't like her arguments
interrupted. "Because I think laws banning Shifters are stupid. Why
shouldn't you be allowed to wear lame T-shirts like everyone
else?"
    Ronan chuckled. "I'm keeping the Red-Hot
Lover one. My point is, because you've been a friend to Shifters,
Shifters are happy to look out for you when you need it. I'm
putting you under my protection. I already have. All of Shiftertown
knows that if anyone wants to mess with you, they mess with me
first."
    "All of Shiftertown?" Elizabeth regarded him
skeptically. "Already knows this? We didn't get here until late
last night."
    "Liam put the word out."
    "At three in the morning?"
    Ronan shrugged. "I told you, Felines are
nocturnal. By this morning, everyone knew. There's not a Shifter
within a hundred miles who'd want to go one-on-one with me, so
they'll help you but leave you alone. The Morrisseys outrank me,
but that's about it. And they like you too."
    "They don't know me."
    "You'd be surprised what they know. You are
safe here, and so is Mabel. Now, if you're done arguing, let's go
open your store."
    Ronan started to walk away. He'd learned that
the best way to finish an altercation with females was simply to
leave. They'd stand there and shout things at your back, but better
that than having the argument go on and on and on .
    "There's one big problem with you going with
me," came her voice behind him.
    Ronan turned. "What's that?"
    Elizabeth had calmed down a little, but her
eyes were still alight with determination. "The judge sentenced you
to house arrest. You're not supposed to leave Shiftertown at all,
except to go to your job."
    "Why don't you let me worry about that? Now,
are we going?"
    "You're not. I get why you want to post the
trackers outside my store to keep an eye out. That makes sense. But
what happens when a cop comes by and sees you in there with me?
Then I get arrested too, for aiding and abetting. I can't
run my store if I'm in jail."
    "I said, let me worry about that."
    "Forget it. Stay here and take care of Mabel,
and your Spike guy with his tatts can watch out for the gang."
    Ronan came back to her. "Here's the deal,
Lizzie-girl. I go with you, or you don't go."
    "Stop calling me Lizzie-girl." She jabbed her
finger at his chest. "It's my store, my life, my sister, and we'll
do this my-- Hey! What are you doing?"
    Ronan had his giant hands on her soft waist,
and he lifted her off her feet. She squirmed and glared, but he
lifted her higher, higher, until she was over his head. He often
picked up Olaf like this, and Elizabeth was not much bigger than
the cub.
    "Ronan, you put me down!"
    "Nothing doing, sweet thing. Not until you
realize that I'm your bodyguard now, and that's all there