Claiming Their Cat

by Maggie O'Malley

  Her eyes rounded with fear. She looked like she was going to puke up all that good food.

  “You want to be the one to give Alvarez a message for me or do you want to join your very dead friends on the cold, hard floor?” In Rio’s mind, it was a no brainer

  The guy’s gaze dropped to his dead compadres. “No,” said the lone kid. “You’ll let us walk out the door, or she’s going to die.”

  The teen and his hostage inched toward the door. Rio took a sip of coffee while he waited. All he needed was a few inches of that ugly face, and the youth would be dead. Over the rim of his cup, he saw her eyes narrow. Oh, shit! What was she going to do? Stay calm, little girl. In a smooth move, she pretended to stumble, and Rio didn’t waste the opportunity. As the bullet sent the man careening backwards, the woman broke free and charged for the door.

  “Why is she running?” Rio asked Fred. “I just saved her life.”

  Fred glanced at the carnage on his diner’s floor. “You’ve killed four men without leaving your seat at the same time you’re sipping your coffee. Hell, you even scared the shit out of me. Or maybe she’s afraid of the Rabid part of your name. Or maybe you’re just butt ugly.”

  Rio stood, holstered his pistol, and stretched his back to ease the tension. “I’ll go get her, and then I’ll help you clean up this mess.”

  “Be careful. She’s armed and dangerous.”

  “What?” No way.

  “Yep, she pilfered one of my best steak knives.”

  Rio grinned. “Thanks for the heads-up.” He pulled his cowboy hat down over his eyes, buttoned his duster, and stepped out into the pelting rain.

  Damn, women sure were a pain in the ass.

  Chapter Two

  Cat Watson bolted into the rain, wincing with each step she took. She fumbled with the door to the ragged car that belonged to Alvarez’s goons and slid in the seat. No keys. Damn it. She searched the front seat and then the back for a weapon but didn’t find any.

  Peering out the windshield, she saw Rabid Rio stand. She had to get out of there. After stumbling from the car, she limped across the road hoping to disappear in the brush.

  Her stolen shoes had made mincemeat of her feet. The blisters on her heel and the tops of her toes throbbed with pain, but she wasn’t about to stop. The sores were nothing compared to what Rabid Rio would do to her when he found out how much she was worth.

  Rabid Rio. What a nightmare. He killed ruthlessly, worked for anyone, and would do anything if the money were right. She’d heard rumors that he’d done jobs for Alvarez, and those men just confirmed it. A man who did Alvarez’s dirty work couldn’t be trusted.

  What rotten luck. She’d managed to escape the compound, made her way across the border and right into the hands of the most notorious killer around. If there ever were a legend, it was Rabid Rio. Funny, but nobody ever mentioned how handsome he was underneath all that scary. Yep, those sharp planes of his face, and predator eyes made him Mr. Scary. Even though he saved her life, he frightened her even more than Alvarez did.

  Everything Alvarez did was for more money or more power. Rabid Rio just liked to kill people. He didn’t even blink when he pulled the trigger back there, and never missed a sip of coffee.

  Cat tripped and caught herself. Running through the desert at night in a heavy rain wasn’t her best idea, but she’d managed the last three days on her own, and she was damned sure not going to let that rabid man take her back to Alvarez. Going back would be the deaths of her and her baby. She turned and moved parallel to the highway, hoping she’d lose Rabid Rio if he was hunting her.

  God, she didn’t even know how her baby was still alive. Three days without food couldn’t be good. The baby was so little. A floppy shirt and no one knew. The stress alone should have killed them both.

  It was wrong to bring a baby into the world the way she planned. All her lies and deceit made her an unfit to be a mother. Months ago, she’d made the decision to buy her time to do what she needed to do. Now, she regretted that decision.

  In the beginning, the getting pregnant was a means to the end. Now it was the only thing that mattered. Keeping her or him alive was her only goal. She’d gladly give up her life if her child could live and was safe from Alvarez.

  She’d thought about taking the baby to a church or orphanage, but rumors had swirled thought the compound about DNA tests. Knowing Alvarez, he’d test all newborns within a hundred miles. For those unlucky ones, he’d kill them…or have Rabid Rio do it. No, her best option was to keep running and figure something out. The farther away from Mexico she could get the better chance Alvarez wouldn’t find them. But money was low; probably not enough for a bus ticket out of here thus her attempt to swap food for sweeping.

  Briefly glancing over her shoulder, the lights from the diner glowed barely visible through the horrid rain, but she wasn’t far enough away. Those thugs didn’t tell Rabid Rio she was wanted alive, and Rabid Rio didn’t do alive. Cutting to her left, she moved parallel to the highway. Hitching a ride to anywhere but here was her only option.

  Relying on strangers wasn’t safe, but a chance she’d have to take.

  Stumbling in the dark was her least favorite thing in the world. She shivered as the rain chilled her to the bone, but at least it kept the snakes away. They’d surely drown out here tonight.

  Through the passing lights of a big-rig, she thought she saw something move about thirty feet in front of her. Surely, Rabid Rio couldn’t find her in the dark, in the rain, in the brush. She dropped to her knees and fixed her eyes at the point in the darkness.

  Come on Lady Luck. At least keep me safe from Rabid Rio.

  Cat pulled the steak knife from her pocket and gripped it like a lifeline. The cold metal gave her a fighting chance. Someone like him would have no compassion for a pregnant woman. Hell, if he knew how far along she was, he’d probably rip the baby from her dead body to collect the money.

  A pain shot through her belly. No, God no. Not now. It’s too early.

  Sucking in a calming breath, she stood to alleviate the pain and prayed it was indigestion, prayed that she was hallucinating the movement thing in the rain. She’d only gained twenty pounds, but her body still protested every chance it got. Her only hope was to get to the road.

  In a dead run—as much as a pregnant woman could—she headed for the highway, hoping not to trip. Out of the night rose a shadowy figure. She plowed straight into it.

  “You’re running like a scared rabbit.” A gravelly voice chilled her blood. She struggled against strong arms that held her in something worse than a vice.

  Oh God. I’m going to die!

  This woman is mine!

  Rio felt as if a freight train had slammed into his gut, and it wasn’t the physical contact from this slip of a woman. No, this was much deeper. Thoughts raced through his mind as he fought to keep his inner wolf from howling to the heavens. But how could she be his mate? His mate was some whore he’d met in the back room of a Mexican brothel, not Alvarez’s whore.

  Maybe that was why Rio hadn’t been able to find her these past months. She’d snatched Alvarez’s attention, and who wouldn’t trade in an endless carousel of men at a brothel for a rich one. Maybe she was Alvarez’s mistress, which was crazy up until two years ago. Alvarez preferred young men, the younger the better and always had, but then a parade of fresh females started flowing through the compound. None of them lasted very long. Alvarez got tired of everything sooner or later, and this waif must have figured it out and escaped. But why did Alvarez want her back? Did she have something of his or did she know something?

  A kick landed on Rio’s shin pulling him from all the questions running in his mind. He inhaled deep. Peaches. She smelled like peaches, but there was also a strong scent of fear. This woman was terrified of him. “I’m not going to hurt you. Now, be still.”

  “No, let me go!” She struggled so hard, he was afraid she was going to break a bone or two.

  “Hey, I’m here to help
you.”

  “Please, please don’t kill me!”

  Kill? Now where in the hell did that thought come from? “If I wanted to kill you, I would have let that thug blow your brains out.”

  His words had no effect on her. She continued to fight with every ounce of female determination. A sharp pain sliced through his gut. He spun her around and pinned her arms to her side. After jerking the knife from her hand, he hurled it into the darkness. Fred would have to get another knife. Then he grinned. Any other person, he would have snapped their neck for attacking him, but this was his mate. She was scared out of her mind, defending herself the best way she knew how—with Fred’s steak knife.

  He couldn’t fault her for that; it took guts to stab a man as big as he was.

  But Rio’d had enough. She was beyond reasoning with, and he didn’t want her to hurt herself. “You either calm down, or I’m going to sedate you.”

  She fought even harder which pissed him off. He pulled a syringe from his inner coat pocket and drew the cap off with his teeth. He jabbed the needle in her arm and pushed in the plunger. His medical kit always contained a sedative. He hated to use it, but she’d left him no choice.

  “No, no, no, you can’t drug me. I’m…

  Rio recapped the syringe and stuck it back in his pocket. He wouldn’t throw it out here where some kid could pick it up and use it to shoot up. He scooped her up and couldn’t resist burying his nose in her dirty hair. He inhaled deep, imprinting her sensual scent on his wolf. He’d never get enough of it, never get enough of her.

  She was his, and he kept what was his, and would kill anyone who thought otherwise.

  He needed to get her warm and dry, a good dose of antibiotics. She weighed nothing, didn’t have an ounce of meat on her bones. Rio opened the diner door and found Fred rolling one of the thugs into a tarp.

  “What in the hell did you do to her?”

  Rio frowned. “I sedated her.”

  “And all that blood?”

  “It’s mine. Her and your damn knife.”

  “Well, I did warn ya.”

  Rio followed Fred to the back where the cot was ready. It wasn’t much, but it was better than running in the rain. After laying her down, he stepped back to give Fred some room to play nursemaid.

  “She’s smart, got you in the gut. Glad you ain’t human.”

  “Yeah, I ain’t human.”

  “Here.” Fred held out his hand with four knotted slugs. “I dug these out. I figured you didn’t want your signature left around.”

  “Thanks.” Rio never left evidence behind. In his business, that was definite no-no.

  “You need to heal; otherwise, I’ll be cleaning your guts off my floor, and I’ve got enough to do already.”

  Rio followed Fred’s gaze to his belly. A puncture seeped where she’d shoved the knife in, but it was only a hole, no slice, so his guts weren’t going anywhere. Fred was right; he need to fix himself or he’d be no good to anyone. Now that his wolf was somewhat satisfied that his mate was safe, he actually felt the pain in his belly.

  “I’ll be mopping blood up the rest of the night anyway.”

  “Sorry, next time I’ll ask them to step outside before I shoot them.”

  Fred’s eyes crinkled. “You do that and save an old man the trouble.”

  A low growl halted Fred’s fingers on her coat buttons. Fred stepped back and held up his hands. “You wanna tell me what’s going on, big guy?”

  Rio barely recognized his own growl and certainly had no idea that his wolf was going to do that. Fred was his best and only friend, and definitely deserved better treatment than that. He didn’t believe in lying to friends either. “She’s my mate.”

  The look that crossed Fred’s face was one of disbelief, and who could blame him. Rio wasn’t mate material. He was a gun for hire, killed people without batting an eye. Tracked them down, and eliminated them. God couldn’t have been so cruel to a woman to match her with him.

  “She is, huh? That’s the last thing you need.”

  Rio nodded.

  “You know what that means, don’t cha?”

  Yep. He had to kill Alvarez to keep her safe; his wolf demanded that. Claiming her was still out of the question. Hell, she knew of him and was scared shitless.

  “Undress her, but keep your eyes closed.”

  Fred rolled his eyes. "Are you sure? Because the last thing I want is for you to swipe at me with those claws of yours? I’m an old man. I can’t take you, and one of us needs to be whole to take care of her.”

  “I know. I’ll behave. I promise.” He hoped his wolf was listening.

  “It’s not you that I’m worried about. It’s the wolf inside you.”

  Rio leaned against the far wall and tucked his hands into his jeans. Fred was right; his claws were unsheathed because his best friend touched his mate. Fred removed her wet jacket and her shirt. Rio’s gaze shot to the soft swell of her creamy breasts. His mouth watered, and his cock went ramrod straight. His wolf barely contained himself, wanting to crawl on that cot with her and keep her warm, just hold her and make sure she was okay.

  And rip out Fred’s eyes.

  Two shoes hit the floor. “She’s doesn’t have any socks on so her feet are tore up pretty bad. It’s a wonder she could walk at all, much less run.”

  He’d noticed a slight limp when she crossed the road, but they hadn’t appeared to bother her when she sprinted like a scared deer in the brush, in the dark, in the rain.

  Rio’s claws dug into his thighs when her sweatpants cleared her hips. He had to close his eyes and fight the impulse to kill his best friend. He and his wolf were always in control, but the wolf was pushing hard for him to protect her, hold her, mate her.

  “Um, Rio. I think we’ve got a problem here.”

  Rio’s eyes snapped open, and a hundred dreadful things zipped through his mind in the two strides it took to cross the room. His gaze searched for the problem. Several marks marred her arms, but he didn’t smell any blood. “What?”

  Fred rolled his eyes. “You meathead. She’s pregnant.”

  His gaze instantly traveled to the small swell of her belly. “Pregnant?” His wolf totally missed that.

  “That’s what I said. How much sedative did you give her? That can’t be good for the baby.”

  Baby? His mate carried someone else’s baby? Even though he deserved it, God was cruel.

  “Sedative, Rio. Focus here.”

  “Ah, no. I only used half a dose because she’s so…thin.”

  “You reckon the baby’s okay?”

  Hell, Rio didn’t know anything about babies or women either. “Shit, I don’t know. Should we take her to the hospital?”

  “There’s no we in this. It would have to be me since you’ve been gutted. And my diner’s full of dead people which the health department tends to frown on.”

  Rio raked his hand thorough his hair. The night had clearly turned to shit. Four dead, a sedated pregnant woman, and a belly wound.

  “I’m going to place my head on her belly and listen for a second heart beat…unless you want to do it.”

  No, Rio didn’t want to touch her. His wolf was now worried about a baby, a baby that wasn’t his. The wolf didn’t care, and Rio knew he shouldn’t care either, but he had to admit it made the slice to his stomach seem like a walk in the park compared to the slice in his heart. It wasn’t the baby’s fault nor was it the woman’s. Damn, he didn’t even know her name.

  “Go ahead. I’ll behave.”

  “Hell, boy, you don’t even know what the word means.”

  Rio controlled his wolf as Fred leaned down and placed his ear on her belly. “I hear it. It’s strong.”

  “That’s good. Do you know how far along she is?”

  Fred popped up and frowned. “How in the hell should I know?”

  Rio rubbed his hand on his belly around the knife hole. He had to think fast. Morning would be here soon, and they had to clean the diner. “Let’s put th
e bodies in their car. I’ll tow it down the road somewhere and set it afire. The police will probably figure out they were killed before the fire, but nothing can link them back to you.”

  “And while you’re doing that, I’ll mop. Sure wished I’d put a drain in the floor.”

  “Yeah, that would hurry it along. I need your liquor bottles.”

  “Sure. Take what you need.”

  After placing the bodies in their car, Rio hitched it up to his truck and drove away. He knew a great place to start a bonfire.

  Chapter Three

  Cat was warm, so warm. She must have died sometime during the night and gone to hell. What was she saying? She was alive and living in hell, running from a madman. Wait. She’d run right into another madman last night—Rabid Rio.

  “Go back to sleep.”

  A voice whispered against her hair. Her eyes flew open when a big heavy arm captured her middle, pulling her to a very naked body. She was naked, too. This was not good. Cat held her breath when he splayed his hand over her belly. She had to get out of here.

  “Don’t make me get up to chase you.”

  She tugged against his restraint. “You don’t have to get up at all. Stay in bed all day for all I care. Now, let me go.”

  He removed his hand, and she scrambled off the small bed, taking the blanket with her. She turned around to see if he would pursue her. Thanks to the pink hues flooding the room, she saw him lounging on the cot wearing nothing but a…hard on. He leaned up on his arm and dragged a huge hand through his shoulder-length black hair. To save her life, she couldn’t pull her eyes from his body. God, he was beautiful…for a man. His tanned skinned contrasted with the stark white concrete block wall and the white sheet. Corded muscle covered long, powerful legs, his belly tight and ripped. And based on the size of that cot, he had been holding her to keep her from falling off.