The Baby Shift- Utah

by Becca Fanning

  The Baby Shift: Utah

  Shifter Babies Of America 18

  Becca Fanning

  Copyright © 2019 by Becca Fanning

  All rights reserved.

  No part of this book may be reproduced in any form or by any electronic or mechanical means, including information storage and retrieval systems, without written permission from the author, except for the use of brief quotations in a book review.

  Created with Vellum

  Contents

  Prologue

  1. Decker

  2. Decker

  3. Penny

  4. Penny

  5. Penny

  6. Penny

  7. Penny

  Epilogue

  Also by Becca Fanning

  Prologue

  At the start of her twenty-fifth year living on this cruddy planet, Penny had had very low expectations. Long, exhausting shifts at the restaurant. Early, baggy-eyed mornings getting her three-year-old daughter ready to go to the sitter’s. More letters in the mail reminding her that she sucked at paying rent and bills on time, not to mention the fat wad of student debt lurking underneath the rest of her overdue expenses.

  These were all things Penny had expected. Predicted, even.

  But she never could have predicted that, in the span of twenty-four hours, she would be drugged, nearly kidnapped, and dragged into a manhunt by the scummiest soul on Earth.

  There were two men to blame for this sudden and chaotic turn of events in her life. One was Lucius Manning, her douchebag of an ex. He was the man who’d wined her, dined her, and then left her pregnant and in debt like a vulture leaves a carcass behind after it’s been picked clean of flesh. There weren’t enough foul words in Penny’s vocabulary to do Lucius justice.

  The other man was… Well, he was Decker Allan. Penny didn’t really know any other way to describe him, other than fiercely hot and hell-shatteringly badass. Yes, it had all started with Decker, the day he walked through the doors of Penny’s life and changed it forever.

  Decker

  Decker Allan knocked on the door of the hotel room. He glanced around the hallway while he waited, taking in the peeling wallpaper and light fixtures full of dead insects. He’d seen nicer hideouts. He’d seen nastier ones, too.

  After a minute, he pounded on the door again. Nothing but silence. Decker sighed and backed up a few steps. Then he lifted his leg and kicked the door in with a single powerful blow. Wood splintered, and the door banged against the opposite wall.

  Decker poked his head in. The room was a small square furnished with rickety furniture and hideous abstract wall art.

  At first glance, the room seemed empty. Any other bounty hunter would have begun searching the room, but Decker stood in the doorway and let his nose and ears do the searching. The sour scent of alcohol and old fast food floated from the closet. Decker rolled his eyes. The guy could have gone for the window. People were getting dumber by the day, it seemed.

  He crossed the room and opened the closet door. A couple of coats hung inside. He shoved them aside to reveal a short, sausage-like man cowering in the corner. He trembled, blood-shot eyes wide as he stared up at Decker. “Please,” he whimpered. “I can pay you. I have money!”

  Decker grinned. “Oh, I know you do.” He grabbed the man by the shirt and hauled him out, throwing him onto the ground at the foot of the bed. “But it doesn’t belong to you, now, does it?”

  The man made a terrifying sound, and the predator inside Decker surged up. Instinct screamed at him to make the kill. Now was the perfect moment.

  But Decker wrestled the urge down just like he always did. His job wasn’t to kill. It was to hunt his target and bring them back to his client. In some cases, that was as good as killing the target, but Decker didn’t get paid to care.

  The man was staring into Decker’s eyes, probably noting their color. “You… You’re him aren’t you? The Red Ledger.”

  Decker smirked. “I see my reputation has—”

  Decker’s phone rang. Frowning, he pulled it out of his pocket and answered it. “I’m almost done here.”

  A bland voice answered him. “We have another task for you.”

  Annoyance made Decker’s lip curl, showing his fang-like canines. The man on the ground cringed. “I’m in the middle of something. I don’t like being interrupted.”

  “Millard is small fry now,” the voice on the phone said, referring to the man before Decker.

  “Twenty grand in bounty isn’t small fry to me,” Decker growled.

  “Hundred grand,” the voice said.

  Decker blinked. “What?”

  “The bounty on the new job is a hundred grand. Going once.”

  Intrigued but wary, Decker said, “This new guy must be slippery. What’s his name?”

  “Lucius Manning.”

  The name didn’t ring any bells. “You need him alive?”

  “Pristine condition,” the voice answered. “Mr. Loretti has some questions for him. You will need to fly to northern Utah. Mr. Loretti has ordered his private jet to be prepared.”

  Decker’s eyebrows shot up. Loretti wanted this guy badly, whoever he was. It wasn’t every day that the boss of a major Chicago gang commissioned his jet to a bounty hunter like Decker.

  “Well?” the voice prompted.

  Decker’s lips curled into a smile. “I’m in.” He glanced at Millard, still huddled on the stained carpet. “And the current assignment?”

  The voice paused as if receiving instructions from an unheard source. “Just make sure he stays put. A couple of our boys are on the way to pick him up.”

  “Right. I’ll start packing.” Decker snapped the phone shut and turned to Millard. “I’m afraid that’s all the time we have today. Sorry, you won’t get the full Red Ledger experience.”

  A glimmer of hope appeared in Millard’s eyes. “You’re not gonna take me back?”

  Decker grinned like the animal he was. “No, Millard. Today, you get a special treat instead.” He loosened his mental grip on the savage thing inside him that had been fighting to break out this whole time. He relished the pain as his bones warped and the change took hold of him. He fell onto his hands and knees as his tattooed skin was replaced by spotted yellow fur, and his hands transformed into clawed paws. He kicked off his clothes and let out a low, hungry growl.

  My job isn’t to kill, he thought to himself as he prowled toward the terrified Millard. But that doesn’t mean I can’t have a bit of fun every once in a while.

  The jaguar pounced, and Millard screamed.

  Penny

  Three days later…

  * * *

  The plate of food flipped through the air toward the ground before Penny could reach for it. It shattered on the tile in front of her, splattering her shoes with green bean juice and mashed potatoes.

  “I am so, so sorry.” The woman who’d dropped the plate was middle-aged and stood between two bawling children. She’d probably tripped on one of them while they’d been moving from a table to a booth. The urge to be extremely annoyed almost overwhelmed Penny, but she swallowed it down. She knew what it was like to have offspring, though her daughter Caroline was far better behaved than this woman’s kids.

  Penny gave the woman an understanding smile. “Don’t worry about it, ma’am. I’ll take care of it and get you a new order of steak.”

  “I am so sorry,” the woman repeated. Her voice was hoarse, and bags hung under her eyes. She looked almost as tired as Penny felt.

  Penny had been working the floor since eleven o’clock this morning, and it was almost six in the evening. Another hour and she would be done with her shift. “It’s no problem,” she told the woman, who looked relieved and went to sit down with
her kids. Penny went in search of a broom and trash can.

  Grabbing a broom and bucket from the corner of the kitchen, she returned to the floor. The diners hardly noticed her as she stooped to clean up the mess.

  Someone touched her shoulder, making her look up. A young waiter named Anthony stood beside her. “I’ll take care of that,” he said. “Kourtney has a customer for you.”

  “Oh, thanks, Anthony.” Penny stood up. “Is it the Fergusons? They haven’t been in all week.”

  Anthony shook his head. “Not a regular. I’ve never seen this guy before.” He wiggled his eyebrows at her. “I think you might want him to become a regular though.” He gave her the thumbs up as she made for the hostess stand. With a co-worker like Anthony, she hardly needed a squad of girlfriends, she thought. But why would a customer who’d never been here before, ask for her? Maybe he thought she was someone else. Or maybe—

  Penny rounded the divider that separated the foyer from the dining area and laid eyes on the new customer. Heat piled into her face as she took him in. Tall. Broad, sloping shoulders. Thick black hair. Face that looked like it had been carved from bronze. He stood like there was nothing anyone could do to surprise him like he could handle anything that came his way. His bright brown eyes were half-lidded, like a cat’s after it’s had a big meal. There was a powerful aura about him that made her heart pound.

  Kourtney, the hostess, had been chatting with this newcomer. She glanced at Penny as she walked up, a smile on her face, a glint of possessiveness in her eyes. “And here’s your waitress, Mr. Allan. It’s been lovely talking with you. Please let me know if there is anything I can do to make your visit more comfortable.”

  The man smiled at Kourtney. “Thank you,” he said, his voice as deep and sexy as Penny had expected it to be. “I’ll be sure to.” He turned to Penny then. His coppery eyes were so bright. In this light, they looked almost golden. Were they golden? Penny had to force herself not to lean in to look closer.

  She gave a too-big smile. “Hi,” she squeaked. “I’m Penny. I’ll be your waitress today. Table or booth?” Her voice sounded like the woman on the phone who told you that the person you were trying to reach was unavailable.

  The man didn’t seem perturbed. Still smiling, he said, “A booth sounds perfect.”

  Ignoring Kourtney’s glaring smile, Penny led the man onto the floor and seated him at a booth in a quieter corner of the restaurant. She laid the menu in front of him, hoping he didn’t notice the tremor in her hand. “What can I start you off with to drink?”

  He looked up at her with those glittering eyes, a smile tickling his mouth like there was something he knew that she didn’t. “Just water for now.”

  Penny nodded, swallowing. “I’ll get that right out.” She turned and headed for the kitchen, passing by Anthony on her way. He shot her a mischievous look, eyebrows wiggling aggressively.

  Penny took a deep breath. She tried remembering the last time a man had had such a potent and immediate effect on her. She’d certainly never felt this way around Lucius, even when he’d behaved like a halfway decent human being. The memory of her ex reminded her why she’d been wary of insanely attractive men ever since he’d left her. She gritted her teeth. She wouldn’t fall into that pretty trap so easily a second time.

  Penny picked up the water and the fresh order of steak. She delivered the food to the woman and her kids first, resisting the urge to glance the man’s way. Was it just her imagination, or did she feel his gaze on her?

  Cut that out, she scolded herself. He’s just another customer.

  She turned and moved toward his booth, the glass of icy water in her hand.

  He watched her intently as she approached. Penny couldn’t imagine why. She knew she wasn’t the most stunning woman to look at, with her average build and tired, makeup-less face.

  “Here you go,” Penny said, setting the water down on the table. “Have you decided?” She pulled her notepad and pen out of her apron.

  The man stared at her. The look on his face made her pause. It was like he’d just woken up from a coma and hers was the first face he’d seen in years.

  “Um… Sir?” she said.

  The man blinked. “Ah… Sorry. What was that?”

  “Your order?” She gestured to his menu, trying to keep her face pleasant.

  He searched her face. “You are Penelope Sandler, aren’t you?”

  Surprised, Penny didn’t answer right away. “Do I know you from somewhere?” she asked.

  “Not exactly,” the man answered. He spoke in a rush like a clock was ticking somewhere and he was running out of time. “I’m looking for Lucius Manning.”

  Penny’s insides seized up. The name was like a stab to the gut. “What?” Her hand tightened on the notepad, wrinkling the paper.

  “Lucius Manning,” the man repeated. “I believe that you and he were—”

  “Who are you?” Penny snapped, interrupting him.

  The man hesitated. “My name is Decker Allan.”

  The name sounded vaguely familiar, but Penny was far too distressed to give it a second thought. “How do you know Lucius? What do you want with him?”

  The man, Decker, took a breath to answer, but Penny plowed on. “No, never mind. I don’t want to know.” She pointed to the front of the building. “Get out.” A part of her told her she was being foolish, but she didn’t care. This man had obviously done his research in order to find her. He was trying to use her, just like Lucius had used her. I knew that pretty face was a trap, she thought bitterly.

  Decker gazed at her in confusion, like she was speaking another language. He raised a hand in a pacifying gesture. “Listen, I just—”

  “Out,” Penny repeated. She glared down at him, wounded feelings churning inside her. “Don’t make me keep my other customers waiting.”

  A long moment passed. Then the man stood up from the booth, a dazed look on his face. He towered over her. It seemed laughable that she could force him to do anything he didn’t want to. He gave her a final intense look, like a starving man being turned away from food. Then he nodded, turned, and left.

  Penny stood there minutes after he’d gone. She shook all over. She’d been terrified, she realized. That man, Decker Allan, was not the kind of man who took kindly to being run off. There was something dangerous about him. Something savage.

  So why did he leave? Penny wondered. She ran a hand down her face and retreated into the kitchen. She prayed she would never see Decker Allan again, but somewhere deep down, she knew that she hoped in vain.

  Decker

  Decker stumbled out of the restaurant, nearly bumping into a group of people going in. He was feverishly hot. His head throbbed, his heart pounded, and his canines sharpened painfully against his gums with that animal urge. He couldn’t believe what had just happened in there.

  Mate. Mate. That woman is my mate.

  He moved to lean against the restaurant’s brick wall. The beast inside him screamed at him to go right back in there and claim what was his, but Decker fought back.

  “Damn,” he swore under his breath. What were the odds that he would find his mate in the middle of a hugely important job? What were the odds that she would turn out to be human?

  He glanced back through the window. His mate was tending to her other customers. She looked different from the woman in the photographs he’d been given. Her dyed hair had grown out several inches, leaving her with warm brown hair that changed abruptly to black halfway down. Decker recalled the image of her worn face, her wiry, callused hands. She didn’t mind hard work. Judging by the attitude she’d just given him, she wasn’t a pushover either. Pride surged up in Decker, but it was quickly overcome by dismay.

  She’d kicked him out. Rejected him. Decker’s beast snarled at the thought. She was his mate: she belonged with him. How could she turn him away so harshly? Didn’t she realize who he was?

  Probably not, Decker thought. She was human. She didn’t have the same instincts h
e did. He would just have to find a way to explain to her that—

  Decker’s business mind interrupted that thought. He had a job to do here. Penelope Sandler may be his mate, but Lucius Manning was his target.

  She’d freaked out when she’d heard Manning’s name. There had even been a hint of fear in her eyes. What had happened between her and Manning? Had he mistreated her? Decker’s fists clenched at the idea. If that were the case, he would relish hunting Manning down even more than he usually did. And he would find a way to make Penelope understand who he was, who she was. He was Decker Allan, wasn’t he? The Red Ledger. He never failed a job. Never lost a target. He would find a way to bring Penelope to his side, no matter what he had to do.

  Penny

  * * *

  By the end of her shift, Penny barely had enough energy to slide her sore arms into her coat. She clocked out, bid Anthony goodnight, and headed for the backdoor that let out the adjacent street. She owned no car and had to walk the two miles to her apartment building alone, but this was a small Utah town. Things quieted down as soon as the sky darkened. She rarely met anyone on her way home.

  Penny stepped out into the soft evening air and started walking up the deserted street. She hadn’t gone a dozen paces when a voice spoke from behind her. “Penelope Sandler?”

  Startled, Penny turned. She didn’t recognize the man before her. He wore dark, heavy clothes and his face was almost invisible in the dimness. “Yes?” she said.

  “Where is Lucius Manning?” The man’s voice was hard as granite and sent shivers of fear down Penny’s spine. Someone else was looking for Lucius, too? A cold feeling gripped her. Something was very wrong.