by Ashley Shay
“I feel a little like Cinderella at the ball. I keep waiting for the clock to strike twelve.” She looked around her at the opulent surroundings. “Actually, I’m a little awestruck.”
“You’ll get used to it fast.” Shane caught the attention of the band’s lead singer and nodded toward Carly. The singer gave a brief nod in response and finished the current song. He leaned into the microphone and gave a low whistle of approval. “Cowboys, I see some mighty fine-lookin’ women out there that would love to dance. How about I sing something slow so you can take advantage of…or I mean…so you can invite your lady to dance?”
The crowd hooted and clapped. Several couples made their way to the dance floor before the music even started. Shane took Carly’s hand. “I would like to request the honor of a dance with you, my beautiful gargoyle.”
Carly giggled. “I’d be delighted, Quasimodo.”
She melted into his arms as they mingled into the crowd of dancers swaying to the sensual music. The intimacy of his body rubbing against hers made Carly sweat with need, and she caught herself pressing her body closer, the softness of hers caressing the hard planes of his. Very briefly, she closed her eyes and rested her cheek against the soft fabric of his shirt, feeling the steady thump of his heartbeat against her skin. He cradled the back of her head in his large hand, his fingers drifting through her hair. She inhaled, tuning out the cloying perfumes, the more subtle scents of the flowers surrounding the dance floor and the delicious food smells hovering in the air. She focused on the masculine and heady aroma of the magnificent man she held. If only she could live like this forever…
Her eyes flew open, and she jerked slightly in Shane’s arms. What the heck was she doing? Life would be pretty challenging if every time she got near one of these men her hormones went into overdrive and she started thinking of a future. Maybe it had been a big mistake to get this cozy so fast. Besides, there were four of them, and each one offered enticements. How would she ever choose?
She pulled away, forcing herself to meet the green gaze peering down at her intently. She laughed, trying to cover her embarrassment, and found the only excuse she could muster. “I think I almost fell asleep.”
“I didn’t mind at all,” Shane said. He gave her a little smirk. “In fact, I rather liked it. I had no idea gargoyles were so cuddly.”
“Thank you, but falling asleep before my charge wouldn’t look good on my resume.”
“You haven’t started your job yet, so no worries.”
She glanced around as Shane continued to lead them across the dance floor. She’d caught glimpses of Suzie throughout the evening, and each time, she’d been in the company of a different person. Everyone seemed to have a hand in raising the little girl, and though Suzie had seemed happy bouncing on the shoulders of a security guard, dancing with a teenaged girl, and eating dinner with Lucia, that was no way to raise a child. Carly hoped she could change all that.
As Shane slowly spun her in a circle, she caught sight of a tiny girl in a purple swimsuit. Suzie’s hair had been tugged back in a ponytail, and wet curls hung down her back. She was holding the hand of the most beautiful woman Carly had ever seen. She was everything Carly wasn’t—tall and willowy, with enough curves to beautifully shape the eggplant-colored bikini she wore. A flash of jealousy spiked through Carly with enough force to make her stomach roil. Her hand tightened on Shane’s shoulder, and he tugged her closer.
Carly peeked around his shoulder and stared at the pair as they made their way around the pool area. Suzie skipped ahead when the woman stopped to chat with several guests. Eventually, Suzie returned and tugged on the woman’s hand, and she followed, moving with a sensual elegance. Her straight black hair had been pulled away from her face, and like Suzie, Carly’s new nemesis wore a long ponytail that hung down her back to brush against the edge of a matching sarong wrapped around her hips.
Carly watched as Tyler approached the two dressed in purple. He put his hands on Suzie’s shoulders and gazed down at her. He must have said something she didn’t like because Suzie shook her head and shrugged away from his touch. When the woman leaned down and spoke to her, Suzie nodded then gave her father a withering look. She huffed and twirled around, stomping away from them. Tyler gazed after her, raking his hair back.
“Looks like Suzie isn’t in the mood for bed,” Carly said.
“She never is,” Shane said. “That kit has more energy than the rest of us put together.”
Carly glanced up and smiled. “Kit?”
Shane’s brow furrowed then a smooth smile settled on his lips. “Did I say kit? I meant kid of course. I’m going to have to lay off the beer.”
“That makes two of us,” Carly murmured. She glanced once more toward the pool where Tyler and the woman in purple bikini continued to talk. She really didn’t want to ask, but she had to know. “Who’s that woman?”
Shane let his gaze roam over the crowd before finally locking on his brother. “The woman with Tyler?” When Carly nodded, Shane tightened his arm around her waist. “Haven’t you met Rosa yet?”
Rosa. Darn it all. She heaved a sigh and stared at the housekeeper.
“Crap,” she muttered.
Chapter Six
Tyler looked up to see Carly in Shane’s arms, and he watched them for a minute with mixed thoughts. After losing Jillian, they’d all pretty much agreed not to get involved with another human mate, but Carly Barnes just might turn out to be the exception. So far, she’d managed to win the majority of the Lucas clan over, along with the feline community and the other shifters. He decided not to worry about Cougar and his thoughts. He wouldn’t share them anyway.
Ty admitted he needed some serious help with Suzie. She seemed to love everyone but him. Even Cougar, for all the outward animosity between him and Suzie, held a piece of the little girl’s heart. But Tyler couldn’t seem to get her heart no matter what he did. It hurt a little. Hell no, it hurt a lot, but he knew the blame fell squarely on his shoulders. He hadn’t been there when the family needed him. Now he had to face that fact and win back the ground he’d lost with his daughter. Maybe Carly could show him the way over the next few months.
He caught Shane’s eye, and his brother gave an almost imperceptible nod. Tyler sat his beer on a table and made his way through the dancers. “Mind if I cut in?” He had the right as alpha, but he didn’t want to come off like a jerk to Carly. Her approving smile sent a jolt of heat straight to his cock.
Settling her into his arms, he thought she felt about as natural there as his own skin. He could feel his cougar rippling under the surface, needing to be released, but he tamped down his desire, trying desperately to ignore her sweet scent and the glimmer of her bright blue eyes. His body wanted to change, needed to change, when he experienced strong emotions, and Carly sure as hell brought out emotions in him. This happened with any shifter, but every shifter learned quickly that strong emotions, both good and bad, had to be kept in check and reined back in tightly when control slipped. The survival of every shifter, as well as the clan, dictated they learn how to control the impulse to shift, and the only way to control the impulse was to control their emotional state. For young shifters, it was a constant struggle. Curiously, however, it hadn’t impacted his daughter. Suzie lived in a perpetual state of emotional chaos, her feelings running rampant through her body, and yet she seemed to have complete control over her shifting. Just like she had control over him.
The change stirred again beneath his skin, a prickly sensation that skittered under the flesh as it jumped from nerve to nerve, trying to spark the metamorphosis. He gritted his teeth and resisted the urge to twitch. He felt as uncontrolled as he had as a young cub. He remembered this sensation with Jillian. Love might be grand, but it had irritated the hell out of his system until he’d settled down.
Carly looked up at him with a curious expression, and Tyler wondered if she could sense his beast. She didn’t look frightened. She looked intrigued, maybe even turned on, and she
pushed a little closer, taking his breath away. They danced silently for a few minutes until, in a voice so sultry his cock twitched beneath his jeans, Carly said, “I saw you speaking to Rosa. She’s very beautiful.”
Tyler bit back a grin, hearing the guarded jealousy in her voice. He nuzzled his face against her temple and felt the glide of fur under his skin. It was a sensual sensation, like dragging warm silk over cool flesh, only stronger, because this came from within. He wanted to luxuriate in the sensation, but rubbing his face against her when they’d just met might set off her alarm bells. He wanted her calm, serene, and accepting, not howling like a she-coyote.
“She is.” He felt Carly tense at his admission, so he went on to explain. “She’s like a sister to us. We’ve known Rosa all our lives.” Carly relaxed slightly and gripped him a little tighter. Tyler knew he should warn Carly about Rosa, but how? He controlled the Catamount colony with an iron fist, all except his own daughter and Rosa. They were two of a kind. Untamable and unmanageable. He’d already warned Rosa she’d better be on her best behavior around Carly, but that would last only as long as Rosa wanted it to.
“Carly, honey, there’s some things you need to know about Cattail.”
She looked up at him with her luminous eyes, blinked at him, and he damn near forgot what he was talking about.
“Uh, well, you see, not everything is what it seems around here.”
“Looks okay to me.” Carly looked around her and stumbled. She giggled. “Sorry, I’ve had a lot to drink.” She gave a cute shrug of her shoulders. “I think I’m a little drunk.”
“I think maybe you are, too,” Tyler agreed. “But you need to concentrate on what I’m saying. You’re probably going to see some things and hear some things that frighten you. If you do, I want you to promise to come straight to me. Understand?”
“Sure. Of course. You’re my boss.” Carly nodded, and the movement seemed to be too much for her. She teetered a bit. “Oh my God,” she whispered with a stricken look on her face. The soft blush across her luminous skin simply evaporated. “I need to lie down somewhere.”
Tyler chuckled. “I’ll take you to your room. It’s about time to wind this party down anyway.”
So he led her to her room and walked away. It was one of the hardest things he’d ever done. All he’d wanted to do was lean forward, breathe in her delicious, intoxicating scent, and devour her mouth. And then, when he’d kissed every inch of her, he wanted to shift and run. As he tried to walk with some measure of control down the stairs, he curled his hands into fists and felt the sharp sting of his claws as they punctured his flesh.
“Goddamn. What have I gotten myself into?”
When he returned to the pool area, he saw that the band was starting to pack up, the caterers were gathering up the leftovers, and Rosa sat at the edge of the pool, her legs kicking gently in the water. Security was herding the remainder of the guests toward the driveway. He sat down with Shane and Dusty at one of the poolside tables. Cougar was noticeably absent. Tyler had stopped worrying about his youngest brother’s solitary existence.
“I think it went well,” Tyler said, taking a swig of Dusty’s beer. “Looks like Carly’s going to fit in, and Suzie seems to love her already.”
“She reminds me a little of Jillian.” Shane looked pensive, almost sad. “We need a woman around here. No one is ever going to take Jilly’s place, but it’s time we all started living again. Jilly would have wanted that.”
Tyler nodded, knowing his brother spoke the truth. Jillian would have wanted happiness for her family at any cost. She’d been an incredible part of their lives, and nothing could ever take that time away, but it was time to move past the grief.
“You like her then?” Tyler asked.
“Like’s a hell of a word,” Shane said. “Kind of a paltry word if you ask me, and not nearly good enough. Can I say I like like her?”
Tyler laughed. “Sure. I think I might like like her too.”
“I think we should keep her,” Shane said. “Plus, Suzie needs someone all her own.”
A seductive voice drifted toward them, wrapping around Tyler like guilt, like recrimination. “She’s got me.”
Tyler shifted in his chair then opened a beer from the bucket on the table. “Rosa, you know you won’t stay, not long enough. She’s only going to get hurt.”
Rosa continued to slowly drag her leg through the water, staring at the tiny waves she made. “I came when you needed me, Ty. I never asked questions, and you know how much I loved her, how much—”
The sound of a cougar’s growl drifted across the yard and shivered in the air around them. Rosa closed her eyes, and each man shuddered in response. Tyler felt his hackles rise and his skin ripple as the fur beneath his skin took control.
“Can we stop now?” Dusty drawled then took a long drag from his beer. “You all always get maudlin when you drink. We loved her, and she’s gone. So let’s move on. I say we take a little run and check out the property lines. Sounds like Cougar’s already on the prowl.” Dusty rose and started to unbutton his pants. “I’ve got a cat ready to howl inside me, and if I don’t let it loose, I’m going to do some serious—”
“We got the message.” Tyler drained his beer. “Might be a good thing. I think Carly ruffled the fur in all of us.”
“You reckon?” Shane asked with a smile. He peeled off his shirt and glanced around, dropping down on all fours. His tawny skin rippled under the pressure, glistening with sweat as the golden fur began to manifest itself.
Tyler shot a hard look around him and decided they were safe. “You got our backs, Rosa?”
“Always.” She heaved a sigh and waved at him. “Get the hell out of here and leave me alone.”
“Thanks, baby.”
He began his change, and Dusty let out a low snarl of joy as they raced out of the courtyard and into the darkness.
* * * *
Carly’s head swam as she pulled herself off the bed and staggered to the window. This time, it had nothing to do with her Emmy-winning performance as a gargoyle. It was the beer making her sway. She leaned her head against the cool glass, wondering if the men would be disappointed in her for folding before the party ended. She hoped she hadn’t made a bad impression before she really had a chance to get to know everyone.
The glass felt so good against her hot forehead. She rolled her brow against the smooth surface and…She blinked her bleary eyes and focused on the impossible. One minute the Lucas brothers were sitting at a table drinking beer. The next minute, they’d disappeared and three beautiful cougars were racing across the yard to freedom. Carly knew it wasn’t possible. The men hadn’t just disappeared into thin air, and three cougars hadn’t sprung up from nowhere.
How much beer had she drunk? No, it couldn’t be the beer. It had to be the brownies. Someone had added an extra ingredient. Very funny. Now she was hallucinating. Seeing mountain lions and disappearing brothers. If she had to take a guess, she’d put her money on that Rosa.
“I’m going to die,” she groaned. Putting her hand over her mouth, Carly ran to the bathroom. She would never drink again. Ever.
* * * *
Juan Miguel Santos, better known as Viper to federal authorities on this side of the border, sipped on a mojito and thought about his recent misfortunes. From the balcony of his hotel room, he looked out over the lights of Miami with jaded disinterest. At least he was back in the heat. DC wasn’t exactly the great white north, but he preferred the temperature above seventy-five. Taking a slow drag from his cigarette, he thought about the fiasco of his botched assignment in DC and the woman who had caused it. The bitch didn’t look smart enough to have figured it out on her own, and yet something had gone very wrong.
He remembered the way she looked at him when he passed her office. Like she’d butted up against the devil himself. Then he’d heard her retching while he was talking to that son of a cur Haney. By the time he got finished with the oh-so-good principal, the woman was no
where to be found.
Mildly annoyed that he hadn’t cloaked himself better, Juan decided he’d take care of Haney and her at the same time. Right after he got the rest of his pay for retiring the senator. He figured she didn’t have a clue what she had experienced, but he didn’t like leaving loose ends trailing along behind him, just in case. Then he’d discovered somehow the impossible had happened. The miserable bitch had apparently read an e-mail on Haney’s computer and contacted the authorities. Much to Juan’s disgust, Haney took the easy way out and offed himself, saving himself considerable pain, but grating on Juan’s last nerve. He liked to make men pay for their stupidity. Haney’s death had actually been a minor glitch.
The worst part? Well, the authorities had a witness now. He liked a challenge as much as the next person, but he didn’t have a goddamn death wish. There was no way to get to the senator now without considerable problems, but he sure as hell wasn’t giving back the partial payment he’d already received. He’d just have to find a way around the FBI and Homeland Security and finish the contract. The first step was getting rid of the woman.
Carla Barnhart had been swallowed into the Witness Protection Program. That made finding her a little more difficult, but not much. Not when he learned Marshal Gabriel Laughton was her controller. Laughton was so predictable. He thought he kept his private life private, but Juan knew better. Everything always circled back to Catamount, Texas, and those damned brothers.
Juan smiled to himself when he looked at the incoming call on his cell phone. It was the woman jackal he had on his payroll in Texas. His hunch had been right. Tossing his cigarette butt over the balcony, Viper put the phone to his ear. “Sí?”
“Laughton was in San Antonio today with a woman.”
He clenched his jaw. He hated that tone some women got. The “I’ve got a secret” tone. He also hated dragging information out of people. She might as well have had her hand out for another fifty. Most of them knew better than to test his patience, but this one was new. She’d yet to see what happened to people who wasted his time. He’d give her a pass today if the information was worth his time. If not, there were plenty more where she came from. Shifters who knew how to get to the fucking point.
