The Man Within

by Lora Leigh

  Chapter Twenty-One

  “Can’t a man even come visit his goddamned daughter without being attacked? She’s my kid, I have a right to know if she’s alive or not.”

  Roni flinched as her father’s booming voice echoed up to her, coarse and blustering, causing her to come to an abrupt dead stop halfway down the stairs that led to the entrance hall. Taber stopped behind her, still and silent, watching her carefully.

  She was too tense, almost frightened, wary. Like a deer sensing danger but not certain which direction it was coming from.

  Reginald Andrews was one of the worst fathers Taber had ever known. His only saving grace, the only reason he still lived, was the fact that he had never laid a hand on Roni. Otherwise, Taber would have killed him years ago.

  “Mr. Andrews, that doesn’t explain why you were trying to sneak into the grounds. Why not just press the call button on the gates?” Callan’s voice was as cold and crisp as a winter night. He was flat furious.

  Reginald was, as always, making excuses. Loudly.

  Taber watched as Roni drew in a deep hard breath. He could almost feel the distaste that filled her and the reluctance that held her still and silent. But he could sense more than that. The morass of emotions that seemed to rush from her overwhelmed him, made him move closer to her, determined to protect her.

  He laid one hand at her waist, leaning close to her, his chin settling against her shoulder. “We could go back to the room. Ignore him. If you don’t go down there, Callan will take it as silent permission to have the bastard thrown out.”

  He whispered the words so softly that only she heard him. He kept his body close enough to be certain his warmth and silent security enfolded her. He would protect her, no matter what it took.

  She swallowed tightly and he could literally feel her fighting for the strength to face the man raging in the hallway.

  “No.” She finally shook her head as she reached back, tucking the revolver he had given her into the waistband of her jeans. “I’ll deal with him.”

  But she didn’t want to. Taber was getting the distinct impression that there was something about her father that literally terrified her now. Before he could question her about it, she was moving gracefully down the stairs, her hand retaining a light grip on the balustrade, her shoulders straight and erect. As regal as a princess and so determined to be strong it brought a lump to his throat, made him want to shelter her that much more.

  “Why are you here,Reginald?” She had to raise her voice to be heard over his furious tirade concerning the welfare of his beloved only child. The sound of it made Taber sick.

  Reginald had aged severely in the time since Taber had last seen him. His dark hair was almost fully gray and thinning. He tried to make up for that fact by growing one side longer than the other and combing it over the opposite side, giving him an off center, clownish appearance.

  His brown eyes were dull, his cheeks ruddy from drink and overweight. He was barely six feet tall, and not nearly as muscular as he had been even five years before.

  As Roni stepped into the entry hall, all eyes turned to her. The Feline Breeds filling the marbled entrance to the house were on alert, their hands on their weapons, their eyes sharp and missing not a move that the older man made.

  “Roni.”Reginald’s smile was more calculating than loving.

  Callan had noticed it as well, if the narrow-eyed look of dislike was anything to go by.

  Taber watched him closely, seeing the flash of hatred the other man tried to hide as he glanced at his daughter. Taber moved quickly then to insinuate himself betweenReginald and Roni, every instinct inside him screaming out that he protect her from whatever threat her father represented.

  Roni stopped as he stepped in front of her, confronting her father rather than allowing her to.

  “Taber.” She laid her hand on his arm as he pressed it back, stilling her attempt to move in front of him.

  At his movement, the others stepped into protective positions as well, their eyes narrowing onReginald, hands now gripping their weapons in preparation.

  “Why are you here, Reggie?” Taber didn’t bother with the formalities. Roni was upset, his own instincts were kicking into overdrive, and he would be damned if he would allow it to continue.

  “Well, she’s my daughter.”Reginald’s voice softened, but he couldn’t hide the stench of his own lies. He wasn’t there to assure himself of Roni’s safety, which made him an immediate threat to her.

  “Fine time to remember that,” Taber growled, making certain to show the canines that he knew would gleam menacingly at the sides of his mouth. He was pleased to see a bit of the ruddy color dim in the other man’s face as he paled at the sight. “I don’t remember it bothering you overmuch before.”

  “I can handleReginald, Taber.” Roni pushed at his heavy body, attempting to get him to move aside.

  There was no going around him as the other Breeds had aligned themselves in a way that would keep her clearly out of the other man’s reach.

  “Taber, you should at least let me see my little girl.”Reginald’s voice was too soft, too intentionally non-threatening for Taber’s peace of mind.

  “Taber, dammit, I can handle this.” Roni kicked his shin. And it sure as hell wasn’t a love pat. The damned woman had dangerous feet.

  He turned back to look at her warningly.

  “Don’t you give me that look,” she snapped, frowning back at him in determination. “Get out of my way so I can deal with this, then you can send him packing.”

  She was going to kick him again and he knew it, he could see it in her eyes. Damn, he loved it when she got physical with him. He smiled at her. A slow baring of his teeth, a sexual reminder of retaliation. He was pleased to see the slight widening of her eyes, the ripple of response that was barely detectable, the scent of sweet, clean arousal that suddenly bloomed from her body.

  He stepped back slowly, his arm going behind her, his hand clasping her hip to be sure she stayed close and well out of reach of the threat he was sensing.

  “Hmphf. I can see you’re getting along fine.”Reginald couldn’t hide the small telltale hint of vindictive displeasure in his voice. The insult that had Taber flexing his muscles in preparation to take the bastard apart, limb by limb.

  “Broke already?” she asked him softly. Her voice was smooth and mocking, but Taber sensed the anger he could feel building inside her.

  Reginald grunted. “They burned the house. Your mom’s pictures, the quilts, everything’s gone.” Roni flinched noticeably. Taber speared the man with a look that promised retribution, a rumbling growl of warning sounding from his chest. He was deliberately hurting her now, choosing his words carefully, striking where she was most tender.Reginald eyed him warily.

  “You used to be nicer than this, Taber,” he sighed as though the reception he was receiving disappointed him.

  “And you used to be smarter than this, Reggie,” Taber retorted softly, barely restraining his violence. If only he could figure out why the other man was sending his instincts off the scales, then he would feel more comfortable. “You’ve seen her. She’s fine. You can leave now.”

  “Roni, you gonna let them throw me out?”Reginald turned to his daughter, the whine in his voice grating on Taber’s ears. “Things are real tough right now. With our pictures flashing all over the television screens and your association with this…”Reginald paused insultingly, “…man being reported all over the world. I can’t even get a decent job from the old sources anymore.” The “old sources” no doubt being illegal.

  “You should have spent your last payment more wisely,Reginald.” She tried to sound unfeeling, cool under pressure, but Taber could hear the pain in her voice. “This isn’t my home. Mine burned to the ground. Remember? I have no right to determine who stays and who goes.” Reginald cast Callan a calculating look. “You gonna throw her daddy out on the street? You know how much trouble this has caused me, Callan?”

  Callan w

atched Roni as closely as Taber did.

  “You have family,” Roni reminded her father almost desperately. “I’ll give you the money,Reginald…” She stopped. Taber could hear her breathing in harshly. “I don’t have my purse, but I’ll call the bank. I’ll get you the money…”

  “No, Roni honey, you know none of those brothers of mine are going to let me bed down in their fancy-assed houses. You know how they always turned their backs on us.” It was no less than the truth. Just as it was no less thanReginald’s own fault that his family had literally disowned him.

  “The house is full at present,Reginald.” Callan finally stepped forward. “We can put you up at the barracks on the other side of the house grounds. There are a few empty bunks there.” Reginald’s gaze never left Roni’s. He stared at her the way a snake did an intended meal. Cold, deliberate, unflinching.

  “That’s right friendly of you, Callan,” he finally said softly. Taber felt a chill chase down his back as Roni stilled a flinch.

  She was frightened. He could feel it, almost smell it radiating from her body. She tensed, holding herself rigidly erect as she stared back at her father.

  “Don’t make trouble here,Reginald,” she finally warned him, her voice low, resonating with throttled anger. “I won’t be held responsible for what they do to you if you try to.” Taber looked down at her, holding back his surprise. He had never heard Roni threaten anyone other than him personally. And certainly never her wayward, mercenary father.

  “Why, Roni, shame on you, making these good people think I’d cause trouble.” He hadn’t even blinked at he stared at her. “You know I’m a right social person. They won’t have a peep of trouble out of me.” Taber tensed at the veiled threat directed at Roni. It pulsed in the air around them and caused the fine hairs on the back of Taber’s neck to lift and bristle in response.

  Taber wanted to order the son of a bitch off the estate, cast him out into the streets and tell him to fend for himself. For as long as Roni had been old enough to hold down a part-time job the bastard had leeched every penny she could make. There had been no protecting her from him then, but by God, he could do it now.

  “Escort Mr. Andrews to the workers’ bunk shed, Merc,” Callan ordered one of the burly guards.

  Mercury was six and a half feet of muscle with a face so closely resembling that of a cat’s that there was no way the man could walk down a public street without inciting riotous panic among the citizens now.

  He was stern, cold, a killing machine and one of the most loyal, honorable men Taber had ever known.

  “He can have the bunk nearest mine.” Thin lips spread into a cold smile as eerie amber eyes glittered with cold knowledge. Merc wasn’t a fool.

  “We need to talk soon, Roni.”Reginald smiled thinly as Merc gripped his arm firmly. “Catch up on things, ya know?”

  “I think we said enough last week,Reginald,” she answered him firmly, her voice cold enough to chill an iceberg. “Enjoy your stay. But I doubt I’ll have time to visit.”

  “You might want to make time.”Reginald tried to pull his arm back from the soldier escorting him from the house. “Think about it, Roni. Think hard.”

  The door closed on his parting words.

  Taber continued to watch his mate closely, his mind working, turning over possibilities and threats and only coming up with more answers.

  “You want to explain that little meeting to me, Roni?” he asked her softly, aware that all eyes had turned to them.

  Her gaze lifted to his slowly, but not slow enough for him to miss the flash of fear that she fought to hide.

  “Sure, Taber.” He didn’t like that slow, tight smile that crossed her lips. “I’ll be more than happy to, the very minute you answer my earlier question. Turn about, baby.” She nudged his waist with her elbow in a deliberately forced playful mood. “You just let me know when you’re ready to talk.” She turned then, moving quickly for the stairs again and taking them with quick, almost running steps.

  She was fighting to escape, to hide, just as she had always done when she was younger and rushed into the night with only her senses to guide her. More often than not Taber found her lost and frightened each time. He wondered what he would find when he followed her this time.

  “Taber, we might have a problem.” Callan stepped closer, pulling a small, ultra-sensitive receiver from the pocket of his slacks. “I picked this up from the office when Merc informed me who he had.” The receiver was a handy little bug locator given to them by the U.S. military. “Good oldReginald was wired for sound to hell and back. Our only problem now is figuring out who hired him.” Chapter Twenty-Two

  “The best way to figure out what he’s up to is to keep him from Roni as long as possible,” Taber told the men assembled in the large office downstairs early the next morning.

  Callan, Tanner, Merc, Kane and several of his brothers were watching him quietly.

  “You knew him better than we did.” Callan shrugged. “What do you think he’s up to?” Taber grunted. “Reginald is low-level sleaze. He doesn’t have the brains to mastermind anything but a good drunk and some petty theft, so I’m going to assume it’s one of two things. He wants to weasel money out of us, or someone has him on a chain. He doesn’t do too badly when he has instructions, but he doesn’t improvise well.”

  Taber frowned as he considered the scrapes he knewReginald had been in throughout the past decade.

  He had been his most wily, his most dangerous, when working for others.

  “It would be my guess he’s on a chain then,” Kane spoke up. “I pulled his record last night after Merc took him to the barracks. After that, I pulled in some favors and got a little added info from my own sources. Mr. Andrews has worked with some very heavy hitters in the past. Men who wouldn’t care a bit to use him to gain access to his daughter. If they got hold of her, I doubt it would be pretty.” They were all aware of the fact that the Council was now desperate to learn the importance of the mark Merinus carried on her shoulder, and the significance of the tests they had managed to attain from the scientists who had examined the Breeds after their surprising announcement to the world three months before. The hormonal changes that had shown in her blood work and other tests had thrown the scientists into a tailspin. The discovery that she could conceive, despite the small amount of human sperm Callan’s body normally produced, had shocked them further.

  The truth their own doctor had found would have astounded them even more. It wasn’t the sperm contained in the ejaculation of his cock that was so potent. It was the sperm contained in the small, thumb-like barb that only became engorged during sex with Merinus that allowed the conception.

  “For some reason, he must think he can gain her cooperation.” Merc sat stiffly in his chair and Taber could sense his impatience, his discomfort. Merc had been trained in almost complete isolation. There had been no Pride to sustain him, no friends, no confidants in the lab he had been found in. Being closed up in the office with the other men wasn’t easy for him.

  “What makes you say that?” Taber asked him carefully. It was no more than he had sensed himself the night before.

  “The man is pretty impatient to get to her. Keeps demanding to see his little girl.” The Breed sneered the last two words. “He’s not her father, by the way.”

  Taber stared at him in surprise. “He told you this?”

  “He didn’t have to tell me.” He snorted. “You can smell it if you take the time to try. There’s no relationship there. Scents are all off.”

  Taber looked at Callan. His leader hadn’t mentioned this ability the newest member of their Pride had.

  Callan only lifted his shoulders in reply and gave a short shake of his head. Evidently, he hadn’t known either.

  “How are the scents off?” Taber asked, watching him curiously.

  The other man leaned forward in his chair, a frown crossing his lion-like face. “Anyone born of the same blood shares a unique scented bond with their most immediate family. You just have to be able to detect and separate the varied smells to understand it.Reginald Andrews does not share this with the woman he claims as his daughter. He is no relation to her.”

  It made sense. Suddenly, more pieces of Roni’s life were beginning to come together.

  “So he’s no relation, which means there’s not a chance in hell of any bond keeping him from harming her,” Kane pointed out.

  Taber snorted. “There never was.Reginald would sell his own mother to slavers if it would bring him enough money. His only bond is the one he has with his wallet and the bottom of a liquor bottle.” He rose from his chair, pacing along the room. He was aware of Callan’s gaze following him and the concern from the other members of the meeting.

  “How is your relationship with her working out?” Callan asked.

  Taber shook his head. He wasn’t about to discuss that with any of them. Hell, he wasn’t sure he understood it himself.

  “She didn’t seem too pleased with him last night.” Tanner chuckled. “Sounds like he’s holding out on her. Let me guess, you didn’t tell her about the little buddy your cock has.” Taber shot his younger brother a withering glare.

  Tanner wiped the smile quickly off his face but it lingered along the edges of his lips.

  Kane chuckled. The damned man was working quickly at getting on his bad side. He was finding too much amusement in this situation.

  “Whoever has a leash on Andrews wouldn’t be far away,” Callan spoke up, bringing the conversation back on track. “They would have to be somewhere close.”

  “And he’ll have to make contact pretty often without the little bugs that shirt of his carried.” Merc’s voice was hard, lethal. “Those buttons were state of the art, let me tell you. Too bad it got thrown in the wash. Guess he shouldn’t have left such expensive material laying around.”

  “Yeah, shit like that happens.” Taber smiled coldly. He would have liked to seeReginald’s reaction to that one. “Keep a close eye on him. I want a report on everyone he talks to, on and off the estate grounds. Let’s see if we can’t figure out who his handlers are.”

  “I have some men on it,” Kane spoke up. “One of them we can possibly use to get close to him.

  Sometimes, my men can come off as real cat-haters.”

  Taber sighed deeply. There were times a few of Kane’s men could have convinced him of it.

  “Then we just sit back and wait,” he sighed. Waiting had never been difficult for him before—he was considered one of the most patient of the three males that made up his original pride—but he’d be damned if that patience wasn’t wearing thin now.

  “Wait and see how far we can push him.” Kane shrugged as he came to his feet. “We have some contractors coming to the estate today to finish up that fence around the grounds. Keep the women in the house and the curtains closed until they’re gone. I don’t want to take any chances with them. I’ll post guards at all the entrances to be certain no one slips in. Other than that, it’s business as usual.” Business as usual was becoming a fight to stay alive.

  “What about our little gun toting friend?” Taber asked him, wondering about the assassin they were still holding. “Has he talked yet?”

  “Not yet.” Kane shrugged. “Pretty soon it won’t matter. We’re running background checks on him now and should have answers soon. When the report comes in, I’ll know every dirty little secret he ever thought he could have hidden. He won’t be a problem for long.” If Taber or Callan got their hands on him, he wouldn’t be alive long either.

  “Okay, everyone knows their jobs today…”

  Callan was interrupted when the door to the office was rudely jerked open. Taber turned in surprise to see Roni standing there, a short little sundress gracing her slender body, a frown etched on her brow as her eyes blazed furiously.

  That dress was going to drive him insane, Taber thought. The soft cream color was a perfect foil for her skin, bringing out the blue in her eyes, the flush on her cheeks. He wanted to jerk it to her hips and take her there in the doorway, pounding into her pussy until she screamed out her pleasure.

  “Look at it this way,” Kane muttered behind him. “At least you have a reason for being pussy-whipped.

  No need to be ashamed.”

  Taber eyed him in irritation. “You know, Kane, when Sherra finally decides to show you what you keep daring her to, I’m going to enjoy giving you back every smart-assed remark you’ve ever made. Count on that.”

  “Meow.” Kane chuckled. “Good luck, Garfield. Catch ya around.”

  “Roni?” Taber questioned her when she didn’t move from the doorway. “Is everything okay?” It wasn’t. He could smell the desperate heat coming off her body, but mixed with that, he could sense the pain she was fighting so hard to tamp down.

  She glanced at the other men. “I’ll come back. I didn’t know you were busy.”

  “That’s okay.” He shook his head in response. “We’re pretty much finished up here.” He moved to her, amazed at the sensitivity of his own flesh as he neared her. As though a part of him longed for nothing more than her touch. It was a strange feeling for a man who had never known such a weakness before.

  He watched the way she glanced at the others uncomfortably, her gaze flickering to them before lowering. A light blush stained her cheeks and the soft color only added to the beauty that never failed to amaze him.

  “What’s wrong?” He nuzzled her cheek gently as his hand cupped her hip, moving her against him just enough to feel the warmth of her body.

  “You know what’s wrong.” Her voice was tight, tense with the heat he knew traveled through her body, through his own. “And don’t think for one minute I’m pleased about it. Now let me talk toReginald so we can get him the hell out of here. Tell your guard dogs to back down.”

  “Cats, Ms. Andrews,” Kane laughed. “Wrong species.”

  Various snarls greeted his words, not the least of which was Taber’s. He was running out of patience with his loosely related brother-in-law.

  “No.” He finally turned back to her, regretting the anger that flared in her eyes. “Not yet, Roni. Not until I know how dangerous he is. I won’t allow you to see him.” He watched the fire that snapped in her eyes, his cock thickening in arousal as he felt her preparing to defy him.

  “Won’t allow me?” she snapped furiously. “You won’t allow me? Since when, Taber Williams, do you have the right to allow me anything?”

  He smiled tightly, tamping down the need to show her, rather than tell her, exactly what gave him that right. She was tempting him. Daring him. Pitting her stubbornness against his own, and he was about to inform her who would win. In no uncertain terms.

  “When I took you to the floor and mounted you, I took the right to protect you as well,” he informed her coolly. “Mate.”

  Chapter Twenty-Three

  The office cleared out rather quickly after Taber’s words seemed to echo around the room. His voice pulsed with ire, with lust, setting her nerves on edge, causing the blood to thunder through her veins. She couldn’t figure out how he managed to do it. It had to be that damned hormone he kept infecting her with. To say his kiss was addicting would be an understatement in his case.

  “You have no right to tell me what to do, or how to handle my own father,” she snapped, slamming the door behind her. “And you sure as hell don’t own me just because you managed to infect me.”

  “Infect you?” he snarled. “Goddammit, Roni, it’s not a disease.”

  “Bet me,” she dared him recklessly, her anger and her lust merging. “It’s painful, Taber. And I don’t like the reaction it produces.” The lie nearly seared her lips on its way out. There was nothing she liked more than the results of the searing heat they shared. “And I sure as hell don’t like this possessive attitude you seem to want to take.”

  “Too bad.” He crossed his arms over his chest as he stared back at her furiously. “Guess you’re just going to have to live with it, aren’t you?”

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