by Elle Thorne
Eyes on him caught Bain’s attention. He looked up. Marti, Dominic’s mother was watching in the doorway, a smile on her face.
“You look so much like your brother, but yet, you’re so very different,” she remarked.
Bain knew Vey had lost it, the disorder taking control. He’d raped Marti, a human, then left her pregnant with Dominic. Then he’d come to the valley and wreaked havoc, trying to commit shiftercide.
It had put the locals in a bad place and they’d had to kill Vey.
Bain mourned his brother, but he wore no rose-colored glasses when it came to his brother’s issues. Hell, he couldn’t afford to wear those glasses. He was still paying his brother’s debt. It was the reason he had to leave Bear Canyon Valley prematurely. He had a commitment.
“Are you sure you can’t stay longer?” Marti asked.
“Come on, Uncle Bain.” Dominic tugged at his sleeve. “Stay. Stay!”
“Wish I could. I have a meeting.” With a butcher of shifters.
Not if I have my way.
Definitely not if he had his way. Bain intended to be victorious. A few more matches and he’d have won out his brother’s debt. And his father would never be the wiser. So far, Bain had been able to keep his brother’s secret after the sharks began to circle the Kozlov family, seeking their pound of flesh. Bain had kept them from his father, not wanting his father’s health to take another blow because of Vey’s past.
Cantankerous old bastard of a polar bear shifter that his father was, he was still his father. And it was Bain’s job to protect his father. And Dominic. The circling sharks would threaten both of them if Bain didn’t comply.
And comply he did. He paid his brother’s blood debt in flesh. And blood.
Regularly.
Chapter Eight
Sunday.
Time for the Romanoff weekly family dinner, though Carina had been here a few days ago, following Miriam’s demand that she come to dinner.
Carina walked up the steps leading to the Romanoff home and rang the doorbell. She heard Cadence's voice and then Isaac's deep laughter. Sure enough, the door opened, revealing her sister and her mate, and next to them, Miriam and Mikhail. Behind them, Jonah and Fiona, and Fiona’s cousin Alannah huddled close, talking in quiet tones. They looked up when Carina walked in and waved.
While hugging her sister Cade, Carina looked at Miriam and Mikhail with a question in her eyes. Did they have an answer?
Mikhail gave her a soft shake of the head.
Crestfallen, Carina turned away so none would see the tears springing to her eyes.
Miriam took her hand, pulled her toward the cheese and cracker platter. “He's making progress. Take heart. He just doesn't want to give you false hopes.”
“Thank you,” Carina whispered and slipped into the great room.
She let the small talk float around her, but couldn't concentrate on it.
Sleepless and aimless.
A surge of sensations coursed through her body. Energy made her nerve endings tingle.
Bain Kozlov was here.
Carina knew this, even though she was sleep-deprived and had been since she found out about her daughter three days ago. Carina knew Bain was in the Romanoff home as sure as she knew her name. Her panther let Carina know the moment he'd entered the building. Her snarling, not the kind of snarling that yielded a warning, but more like the type that heralded emotions. And then his scent hit her again before she'd even seen him. The scent infiltrated her senses, pulling at her desires.
Bain was her mate, her fated mate. But she was not ready to deal with that right now. A week ago, she’d considered it. That was before she knew she had a daughter. She had to find her. She needed her daughter. A few days ago, Carina would've been ready to acknowledge and deal with her feelings for Bain, but that was before she saw the documents.
He walked into the room as if he owned it. Shoulders broader than any of the other men, arms so thick, you'd have thought he was a lumberjack. Carina caught herself holding her breath, and this wasn't the first time.
“Evening,” Bain said to everybody, but his eyes were focused on her. The intensity of his ice chip eyes. The focus in his gaze penetrated deeply into her soul. It was as if she could keep no secret from him, and yet she did. She had secrets from everybody it would seem—everybody but the Romanoffs.
Something was different about him. Carina studied Bain. She couldn't put her finger on it, but something was very, very different.
His face. It wasn't injured!
There had never been a time when she hadn't seen him with some sort of bruise on his face or scrapings on his knuckles. He'd always said he got them from playing rugby or hockey on the weekends. There was something about the look in his eyes that made her doubt, but since no one else would call him out on it, she figured it was none of her business. And now more than ever, she understood the need for privacy.
* * *
The meal was a quick affair, and Carina couldn’t have told anyone what she ate or what the dinner conversation was about. She was in her own world, her mind distracted by thoughts of her daughter and the investigation Mikhail said he was doing on the matter.
She’d drifted out to the balcony and was overlooking the quiet street behind the Romanoff home. The rest of the family was inside enjoying dessert. She'd had to come outside to decompress. It was no easy task to keep this a secret from her sister. Cadence gave her curious looks all night. It was clear Cadence could tell something was up.
Carina deliberated telling her sister. Back and forth the debate raged in her mind over confiding her secret to Cade.
Would Cadence judge her for getting pregnant? Would she criticize her for carrying the baby full-term? Would she chastise her for not remembering that day, for not insisting on a funeral?
God, I was only seventeen.
True, she should forgive herself.
“Maybe one day if I can be sure she is okay.”
“I never took you to be one for self-flagellation.”
Carina whirled around. Her hand flew over her mouth. She hadn’t realized she’d not simply thought her words, but also spoke them. Her cheeks flamed with the heat of embarrassment as she ran through the words to figure out if she’d given anything away. “You snuck up on me.”
“Sorry.” Bain shoved his hands in his pockets.
“I didn't realize I was speaking out loud.” Wow. She really was tired. Now she was talking out loud. And she wasn't even noticing when she was being snuck up on. Carina reprimanded her panther for not warning her that someone was approaching. Her panther snarled back, reminding Carina that she did not consider Bain someone she had to warn against.
“You seem to have a lot on your mind.”
“You seem to be missing something,” she responded.
Bain frowned. “What did I miss?”
“It's not that you missed something. It's that you are missing something. Your bruises.”
“I was out of town. No rugby in Bear Canyon Valley.” He rolled his shoulders, and probably didn't realize that he was showcasing how broad they were.
“I call bull on that.” Carina crossed her arms over her chest. “I don't believe the rugby thing. There's more to the story you're not saying.”
Bain laughed. He laughed so loud, it seemed like it was coming from deep within his chest. Maybe even what would be called a belly laugh.
It was contagious, bringing a smile to Carina's lips. “What's so funny?”
“You have one sister who lost a leg to a landmine, another who was a cat burglar, and you want to speak of my bruises and say there’s more to the story?” More laughter.
She snapped her head in his direction. “How do you know Cade was a cat burglar?”
“Honorary family member. Miriam made me one. Or did you forget?”
As if I could forget anything that involves this man.
Plus…” he pointed to his ears, “…that whole extraordinary shifter hearing. Not to mention, we h
aven’t heard what story you may be harboring. Considering your sisters, I’d imagine it’s a good one.”
“No story here. I’m fairly normal and boring. I didn’t put my life on the line in Africa, and I never broke into people’s mansions to steal money for charity.”
“See, the thing is, that’s what your family considers the norm.”
She saw his point. And knowing what she knew, she couldn’t argue. She had her own secrets. Secret even from her sisters. Sisters she didn’t grow up with. Laken went to one set of grandparents. Carina to another. Cadence went to Uncle Ramon, their father’s brother.
She shrugged, trying to keep that innocent look on her face.
Chapter Nine
New Year's Eve. That was when he fell in love with her. He even knew the moment. It was that precise second the clock flipped to the new year, and they all stood on the balcony at the Romanoffs watching the fireworks in New York City.
Carina's eyes had reflected all the different hues cast off the dark and sparkling sky. Her olive skin glowed, her lips slightly parted as she enjoyed the wonder of the display.
She caught his eye, and they'd held gazes, at the same time she put his and his bear's heart on lockdown.
Bain had thought over the upcoming weeks to talk to her, but he'd been dealing with his father's illness and insistence that Bain was disowned. Then he'd found out about the blood debt.
And everything had changed except for his feelings.
It was hard as hell for Bain to have her here, near him. So close, and yet unable to touch her, unable to take things to the next level. Would she want that? Seeing her week after week and not making her his, this was hard as hell.
But he had to wrap up this blood debt before he thought of bringing anyone into his life. The Italians Vey had mixed with meant business. They’d already threatened Bain’s father and they’d even found out about Dominic—somehow.
They told Bain they knew he had a nephew in Bear Canyon Valley. And that was before he’d visited. When they’d dared to mention Dominic’s name, Bain had seen red. And he’d capitulated. He’d fulfil Vey’s obligation. He’d take his spot until the debt was complete. Then he’d walk away.
After that, he’d see if Carina would have him. He thought she’d had a reaction to him. His supersensitive shifter senses had picked up her scent, noted the pheromones her panther was giving off.
But was it only her panther? Or was Carina reacting to him? She was a difficult one to read. His phone vibrated in his pocket. The alarm that he had to get to the arena.
At least he’d had a few moments with her.
Chapter Ten
After saying her goodbyes, and hugging the Romanoffs with promises from Miriam and Mikhail to contact her if they had any word, Carina decided she would walk home instead of taking a cab. It wasn't that far and she needed to clear her head.
She’d barely gone two blocks before she noticed a familiar form in front of her. She knew that silhouette.
Bain.
He didn't normally go home this way. She'd noticed he usually walked the other direction. Hey, wait a minute. Didn't she see his car parked on the street as she was leaving the Romanoffs?
I'm sure I did. I'm positive.
Then why was he walking? And in this direction?
Maybe she was seeing things because she was tired. Or maybe it was because she was upset about not knowing what happened to her daughter. Whatever it was, Carina decided she would follow him.
Two blocks later, Bain turned off and headed toward a set of abandoned warehouses.
If I weren't a panther shifter, I'd be worried.
A block further and she noticed a line of cars parked along the street.
And then she noticed those cars were there because the parking lot halfway down the block was full.
Bain was out of sight, but she knew he had to have gone in the warehouse where a line of people waited to get in.
What else could Carina do, other than get in line to find out what they were doing.
The line extended halfway down the block. Carina eavesdropped on conversations while waiting to get in, hoping the others would divulge what was going on.
“My money's on the Russian,” said a tall brunette in front of her.
The guy next to her said, “You're crazy. There's no way he’s going to win.”
“Have you seen him! He's a mountain!” she countered.
“I give him two rounds. He's not a trained fighter.” The guy had a smug expression on his face.
Fighter? Rounds? Carina's mind was going through a myriad of possibilities. Only one answer stuck.
She heard of these things. Heard that there were underground fights. That people would bet on them. Was Bain going to watch a fight?
She peeked at the line still looking for him. There he was! Only he wasn't in line. He was going through a side door.
Was that the VIP entrance?
Carina surveyed the long line before her with dismay. She would never be up to finding Bain in the warehouse if she didn't get in now. But that would mean letting him know she followed him.
Can't do that.
And so she waited, and twenty minutes later, she was at the front door in front of the bouncer.
And my God, was he huge.
The bouncer looked her up and down. “Tickets.”
Shit. Now what? “I lost my ticket.” She tried to give him her saddest look, hoping for some pity. “And my boyfriend's fighting tonight.”
“Oh yeah? I know the fighters. Which one?”
Double shit. Now what? She looked at him, kept looking without saying a word. Started to fumble in her purse, hoping to deflect that question. “I know it's here.”
“Uh huh.” He definitely didn't believe her.
She was so screwed.
“His name?”
“I'll go look in the car.” Carina took off, practically at a trot, not having another word to say to him. She did not need Bain busting her.
She made her way to the back of the warehouse, looking for a window to peek into. No luck. The damned place was milling with people. People everywhere.
Carina kept walking past that warehouse, and past the next one. An idea was forming in her head.
A very good idea.
As soon as she turned the corner, she called on her panther to shift. With an agony that was unprecedented, because Carina did not shift often, and the more rarely one shifted, the more painful the process was each and every time. Like a muscle that needed stretching.
Creaking and bones crunching and the stretching of sinew heralded the widening of her skull in the thickening of her bones as she dropped to all fours, luxurious fur appearing to cover her body. In her full panther form, she leapt onto the roof of a railroad box, the kind trains carry cargo in. From there, she leapt to the warehouse roof, landing softly, on her paws.
She traversed the rooftops until she came to the warehouse Bain had entered.
Carina padded about the roof, going from skylight to skylight to determine which would have the best view of the happenings within. Finally, the third one yielded a view of the ring.
She shifted into her human form as the silhouette of a panther was more likely to attract attention that a human body. She also said a silent prayer because if she had to shift again she would be in trouble. There would be no way she could shift that quickly. She would need plenty of time for her panther to recuperate before morphing again.
Chapter Eleven
Bain couldn't get his mind on the fight. It was as if he was on autopilot. All he could think about was Carina and the tormented look in her eyes. Something was up with her. He didn't want to pry, though, he did in his own subtle way. But she brushed him off, joking about her family. He even tried to ask Mikhail after Carina had left.
Mikhail just shrugged.
So Bain had left, and decided to walk to the warehouse to clear his head. Lotta good that did him. His emotions were just as muddled as they were when he
left the Romanoffs’.
He took a back way, hoping not to run into anyone he knew or be spotted going to the warehouse. The last thing he needed was questions.
He'd walked the New York streets not paying attention to anyone, not noticing anything. He'd slipped in the side door and went to change. He pulled his necessaries from the locker and stripped down.
“You ready, champ?”
Bain turned to face his uncle. His mother's half-brother was closer to Bain's age with just a year and a half separating them.
“Braden.” Bain realized he said his name almost as a sigh of relief. “Glad you could make it.”
“I haven't missed one since I found out.” Braden frowned. “Though, I still wish you'd let me settle this for you.”
“This is not your debt. This is Vey's debt. This debt belongs to my father’s side of the family. Not my mother's.”
“Family is family, Bain.”
Bain shook his head. He was not going to rehash this argument. They'd been down this road before. Just because Braden could hire someone to take the fighting off Bain's plate, to pay the debt, that didn't make it right. Vey had put them here, Bain would take them out of this mess. Even if it killed him.
“No. Not exactly. Not in every case.”
“You're as hardheaded as your father is.”
“Still, appreciate your support.” Bain put his hands on his shoulders and brought them close, his forehead touching his as he looked at his polar bear shifter uncle's eyes. He saw the concern there and was glad this man would be in his corner. Glad his uncle had always been there.
In his bag, he heard his phone vibrate. Either it was a text or a call, but neither was something he could take the time to deal with right now. He had three fights tonight, not back to back, but close enough. This night would be brutal, more than any other night he’d fought thus far.
