Fur-Ever Yours: A BBW Paranormal Shape Shifter Romance (The Protectors Book 2)

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Fur-Ever Yours: A BBW Paranormal Shape Shifter Romance (The Protectors Book 2) Page 4

by Roxy Wilson


  “That’s true enough.”

  Keran’s cell phone rang. He picked up the call.

  “The money is here,” Roger spoke over the cell.

  “Thanks. Martin, go outside and get the money.”

  Silence reigned in the room.

  Martin came back. He was carrying a black briefcase.

  Joe took over the bag. He patted it all over. “Don’t want you to do a repeat to the same trick. It was a nice one, huh. You bugged her. How did you know we would take her?”

  Devyn’s gaze met Keran’s. He could see that she was aware what his plan was. He was ashamed of the beliefs he held about her. Later, he would apologize. He would beg for her forgiveness and make her understand. Of course, no words could explain what he did to her.

  “We made an educated guess,” Martin replied before Keran had a chance to say something.

  Joe opened the briefcase. He counted the money. “Great. This all looks okay. I’m going to let her go, and if I find out that you lied about the man, well…there will be trouble.”

  “We didn’t lie.” Keran reached forward and untied her ropes.

  Devyn stood. She didn’t look a bit scared.

  Keran held her hand and walked backward. He was expecting trouble. This man couldn’t possibly be alone. He sensed the presence of two more people, shape-shifters, upstairs. Were there more? He had more than enough men to destroy them. If there was a fight, Keran and his people would win, but then there was Justin who was still with one of them. Keran couldn’t take a risk.

  They walked out and Joe watched with a smile on his face.

  Devyn let go of his hand. “How did you guys follow me?”

  “I stuck an electronic surveillance device to your shirt when I hugged you in the morning,” Martin confessed.

  She sighed. “Great.”

  “We will drop you to the airport. You can go home,” Keran stated in a stiff voice.

  She didn’t say anything.

  He didn’t want to let her go, but after the terrible mistakes he made, there was no other choice. He owed her this much.

  Martin shook his head. “She might not be safe alone anywhere. If they kidnap her again, they might do worse. It’s a better idea if she stays with us.”

  They both looked over at her.

  Keran couldn’t read the emotions that flitted in her eyes. Of course, she was upset with him. She had every right to be, but he didn’t want her to go. If she stayed, he could ask for forgiveness, he could make amends.

  She nodded. “I’ll stay for now. When Justin is home then I can go.”

  He breathed a sigh of relief. For now, she was here, and that was more than he hoped for. Now, all he had to do was find his son and then try to get her to forgive him.

  Chapter Five

  Her life had become a regular roller coaster. There were ups and downs…sometimes, she really felt as if she’d lost all control over it. She’d been ready to leave the city, but now she was back at the house. Devyn unpacked. As she put her things in place, she thought about the first time when she came here. Justin had been excited about showing her where everything went, and now he was no longer present in the house. Without him, there was no life here.

  She wanted him back.

  His father wanted him back.

  Yet…those men clung on to him. What the hell was their plan? Why weren’t they finishing what they started? What was the point of this cat and mouse game? What had started as a fun evening at a concert was now a nightmare from which there was no escape. She longed to go back to the way things were, but of course, that would never be possible. She wouldn’t ever be able to forget the beautiful memories that she created in the short weeks with Keran and Justin but now…

  Devyn sighed.

  Keran wasn’t the same man she loved.

  And Justin wasn’t there.

  And there wasn’t a damn thing she could do.

  When she heard the knock on her door, she nearly leapt out of her skin. She took some deep, steadying breaths. It would take a long time to feel safe again. “Come in.”

  Keran stepped in.

  Her first urge was to ask him to leave, but of course, this was his house. He offered her a choice and she decided to come here. She very well couldn’t refuse to speak to him now.

  “Can I speak to you for a minute?”

  As if she had a choice about it. Devyn nodded. “Yes. What is it?”

  He hesitated. The play of emotions on his face showed he was struggling.

  Devyn didn’t have any intention of helping him. He’d hurt her enough already and she didn’t want to be sucked into the same storm that was their sexual chemistry. It was safer to keep her distance, both mentally and physically.

  “I want to apologize for the way I behaved. There’s no excuse I can make except that perhaps the loss of my son drove me right over the edge of insanity. I was crazy to suspect you.”

  “It’s okay,” she replied in a stiff voice.

  “No, it’s not—I-I heard what you said to that guy. The electronic device Martin planted on your clothes not only allowed us to follow you but also gave us the opportunity to listen to whatever you said. That man offered you a choice. You could have walked away. There was no need for you to risk your life, but you did it for my son.” His gaze was unwavering, but a muscle ticked in his cheek. “I don’t think I can ever repay you for—”

  “—You don’t need to repay me. I didn’t do it for you, but for Justin. Contrary to what you thought, I love him. He might not be related to me, but that doesn’t mean I can’t feel for him.” She sighed. “I owe you a thank you. It was a lot of money you paid to get me out of that situation.”

  “That was nothing. You were in that situation because of me.”

  She shrugged. There was no use crying over spilt milk. What was done was done. “Still, thank you. And beyond that, I think we should just accept that the past is over with.”

  He seemed at a loss for words once more. For a moment, he stared at her. “I want to express my regret again. For my choice of words, for my actions, for everything I did that hurt you, I want to grovel for forgiveness.”

  A man like him didn’t need to humble himself. He could have said sorry and walked off, but the fact he made so much effort made her realize that he was really serious about it. She appreciated his words. They soothed some of the hurt in her heart. Still, she wasn’t willing to forget it all. It wasn’t possible for her to do. The wound was too fresh and too painful. She loved him, and he hurt her. If she gave him the same opportunity, he might hurt her even more the next time. “You don’t have to do that. It’s okay. I can understand that as a father you were in pain.”

  He took a step forward and hope bloomed in his eyes.

  “But even though I can forgive you, I can’t—turn back the clock and make things go back to the way they were.”

  “But…we could try.”

  She knew exactly what he meant. Did he really think they would be able to pick up their relationship where they left off? It wasn’t possible. She never wanted to do that. “No,” she said in a firm voice. “I don’t think we can.”

  “But—?”

  She raised her hand when he took another step forward. “I’m only here because I need to know that Justin is all right. I want him back as badly you. But I can never…trust you again. You didn’t—”

  “—I made a mistake.”

  “And I have forgiven you for it but I can’t simply wipe the slate clean and start all over again. You didn’t trust me and that—hurt.” Her voice cracked. “When you asked Martin to put that bug on me, you weren’t expecting me to be kidnapped. You wouldn’t ever knowingly put another person in danger even if it served a purpose. Joe bought that story. I didn’t. You did it because you thought I would go running to my accomplices and then you would find out where your son was.” The look on his face told her she’d hit the nail on the head. “And for that, there’s no forgiveness. Please. Let’s not say anymore.


  It looked as if he wanted to argue, but perhaps he read the resolve in her eyes because he nodded. “You can’t begin to imagine how sorry I am for what I did. I wish…”

  She’d never seen him look so conflicted, but Devyn was determined to stay strong. She simply couldn’t take the risk of loving him again. It would put her in a precarious position. If she got attached to him again and he did something to hurt her, she doubted she’d be able to pick up the pieces of her life and start over. Whatever they had was over and done with. “Let me know if you need anymore help. I would be happy to do whatever was needed to bring Justin back.”

  Keran nodded. “Thanks.” He walked out and closed the door behind him.

  She breathed a sigh of relief and went back to unpacking. Once she was done, she stepped out. There wasn’t much she could do. She’d come here to teach Justin and be with him but he wasn’t here anymore. She went downstairs and then strolled out into the garden. Everything looked beautiful, lush. If Justin were here, they would’ve enjoyed this together. She missed him, his smile, and his enthusiastic attitude.

  As she sat on the patio, a man came out.

  He must have been in Keran’s study because she didn’t see him when she came down.

  He looked at her with interest. “Hi.”

  Roger was close to Keran. She’d met him before but he never showed any interest in her. “Hi.”

  “So, how was your foray in the world of kidnapping?”

  She didn’t think it was amusing. “Terrifying.”

  He sat on the couch. “I bet it was. Well, good thing you were rescued.”

  She wasn’t sure if he expected a response, so she remained silent.

  “Martin and Keran made a lot of effort.”

  “Yes, they did.”

  “What was the man like? The one who kidnapped you. I bet you were terrified when he asked you to go with him, but you’re a brave girl. Did you know he was a werewolf?”

  She shook her head. “I didn’t, no.”

  “Would you have gone with him if you’d known?”

  She didn’t know why he felt the need to ask so many questions. Had Keran asked him to do so? Maybe he forgot to ask all this and now wanted Roger to fill in the blanks for him? Devyn was quite aware that she wouldn’t ever be able to trust Keran again. Whenever he or someone else did something out of character, she would always suspect he had an ulterior motive. “Yes, I would have. It was a matter of Justin’s life.”

  “Brave girl.” He sighed. “Justin and Keran are lucky to have you in their lives.” He stood and smiled. “I’ll see you around.”

  He walked back in, and she sat still. There was something about Roger that bothered her. She got this vibe from him that he didn’t like her in Keran’s life. Well, if that was the case, he should be happy now, because she was no longer involved with Keran. She stared blindly at the garden and remained lost in her thoughts.

  Martin stepped out.

  She sighed. It was a day for conversation…it appeared.

  He sat next to her. “Hey.”

  “Hi.”

  “I’m sorry about…planting that thing on you. I just—”

  “You were following Keran’s orders,” she said. “There’s no need to apologize; you were only doing your job.”

  “Yes, well…I do feel bad.”

  “You didn’t think I was involved with the kidnapping.”

  He hesitated as if he wasn’t sure of the right answer. “I was the one who suggested this to Keran in the first place, but then when I talked to you, I realized that you couldn’t have done it. You love Justin.”

  And for Keran. He didn’t say the words but she felt he wanted to speak them. It was too bad that a man she met just a couple of days ago understood her better than the man she gave her heart to.

  “You were very brave today.”

  “It’s a day for compliments,” she said. “Roger said the same thing. Well, I wasn’t brave, but I did what had to be done.”

  “That’s what real bravery is. You knowingly risked your life.”

  She sighed and leaned back. There was nothing else left to say about this matter. “You really didn’t find the guy?”

  “No, we don’t have a clue as to where he could be.”

  “They will call Keran soon. He will have no choice but to go.”

  Martin shook his head, as he looked disgusted. “And he’ll also do what needs to be done. I’ve never felt so helpless in my life. We had the man. If we could’ve taken him prisoner, it would have given us leverage, but we couldn’t take the risk. His absence would have triggered some repercussions and Justin would have had to pay the price. It was frustrating to let him go. Shit. I don’t know if we will ever get that chance again.”

  “We will. They can’t be so clever. Sooner or later, they’ll make a mistake and you’ll catch them.” Devyn ran a hand over the edge of the chair. “There has to be a reason why they haven’t called Keran. What the hell are they waiting for?”

  “That’s the million dollar question.”

  Devyn didn’t know if it was her to place to speculate, but she had some concerns about this whole fiasco. “I think there’s a traitor.”

  He nodded. “Funnily enough, I believe so too.”

  “It’s not me.”

  “I believe we’ve already established that.”

  Devyn turned to look at him. “Do you have any idea who it could be?”

  “I don’t have a clue,” he admitted. “But it’s something I’m working on. All I hope is that we’re not too late. The quicker we get some answers, the better it is…for Justin and for Keran.”

  There wasn’t much time. At least, they didn’t know how many days those guys would wait before they called Keran and once he entered their den, he would be gone. They wouldn’t see him again. The thought that he could die if they didn’t find answers depressed her. Sure, she didn’t want to be romantically involved with him, but she also didn’t want him to die.

  Devyn wasn’t the sort to switch her feelings on and off. She’d fallen in love with him and now it would take some time to get over that. She was determined to wipe them from her heart. “I’ve faith in you. You’ll find the answers.”

  He glanced at her, it was almost as if he wanted to say something but didn’t have the courage to say it. He licked his bottom lip as he gazed at her. “Keran’s a lucky guy.”

  “Keran and I aren’t involved.”

  He opened his mouth to say something but the door opened and Keran came out.

  It always amazed her that whenever she looked at him, she actually felt breathless. His good looks always hit her. It didn’t matter that she was angry at him, or how he treated her so badly, because she was still soft on him. Devyn hated to feel like this. The man didn’t deserve any sweetness from her, but she couldn’t help but give in, albeit in the privacy of her mind.

  Seeing them, Keran halted. A strange expression passed over his face.

  If she didn’t know any better, she would have thought he was jealous to see them sitting so close together. Of course, he wouldn’t ever think like that because he didn’t exactly feel anything for her.

  “Martin, we’ve got work to do…Roger has some new ideas and he wants us all to sit together.”

  Martin stood. “Sure.” Then he turned to her. “See you later, Devyn.”

  “Bye,” she said.

  The men went inside, and she was left alone to deal with the storm that raged in her heart. Perhaps it wasn’t a good idea for her to stay here. If she continued to do so, she would remain involved not only with this problem but also with Keran. There was simply no escaping him in this big house. He was in her heart, whether she wanted it or not, and the only thing she could do to wipe away any soft feelings she held for him was to move far away.

  She needed to think more about this.

  Chapter Six

  Keran listened to the men talk as they discussed strategy, but the words didn’t make an impact on
him. His mind was still grappling with the image of Martin sitting with Devyn outside a day ago. The burning sensation that ripped through his stomach told him what he already knew—he was jealous.

  She owed him nothing.

  And neither did Martin.

  Keran only had himself to blame. He was the one who severed ties with Devyn so abruptly. He was the one who didn’t want anything to do with her, and he basically threw her in to the lions. How could he blame her if she didn’t want anything to do with him? If she wanted to kindle the flame of romance with Martin, it was her call and her life. He’d nothing to do with it. It wasn’t any of his business.

  But shit. It didn’t mean he had to like it.

  Keran wanted to punch Martin in the face. It was a totally unreasonable and out of character for Keran. He’d never felt such hot jealousy ever before and the presence of it shook him. When he asked Devyn if they could go back to the way they were, he expected rejection. Any self-respecting woman would’ve done the same thing. It was time for him to admit to himself that he’d harbored hopes of eventually convincing her but he never realized that she might actually choose someone else.

  …And he fucking didn’t have to like it.

  “We’ve already staked out the house that Joe was in, I don’t think he is coming back. I’ve assigned a man to do some research on him and see if we can figure out where he’s staying.”

  “That won’t be easy,” Roger interjected.

  “Nothing’s easy,” Keran said. He felt restless, frustrated. The wait was killing him. Every minute he got no closer to finding a solution was torture because it reminded him that his son was with them, helpless and alone. God knows what they were doing to him. He could only pray that his child was safe. Walking over to the window, he gazed out. “Have you set things in motion, Roger?”

  Roger glanced at him. “I have but I still think you should think about it.”

  “There’s nothing to think about. You’ve been with me right from the start and you know how things work. If this thing turns sour, and I die, I want you to take over. Look after my son, and pass on the business to him when he’s old enough. As I’ve said, you’ll be well rewarded.”

 

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