The Lion's Surprise Baby

by Jade White

  “Saul invited me. He said you guys were brainstorming ideas for my release, who better to help you brainstorm, right?” She winked at him before sipping her coffee.

  “Yes,” Thomas’ voice put on a flirty edge. “I just think now I’ll be completely distracted the whole time.”

  “Not on my dime.” Hilary smiled and went back to sitting at the head of the table.

  “So why were you talking about your can?”

  Hilary grinned and turned to the others in the room. “Saul.”

  Saul’s ideas were all focused around Hilary’s ass and how it could sell perfume that smelled terrible. After he finally convinced him that was inappropriate, Thomas got on a roll and they brainstormed and actually started having some great ideas. He tried to put the incident out of his mind for the time being, knowing he would have to come back to it later.

  About an hour and a half passed and everyone decided they would need a break. Hilary decided to leave, but not before she sashayed up to him and fixed him with a sultry look.

  “Can’t wait for Saturday.” Her finger trailed down his shirt until it reached his belt buckle before pulling back.

  Her perfume lingered long after she left, and he had to make himself close his mouth. The things he wanted to do to that woman. A thought struck him and he couldn’t believe he hadn’t thought of it before. Hilary was pushed out of his mind as he pulled his phone out and dialed Blair.

  “Talk to me.” Blair was in the middle of a busy bar or somewhere where there were a lot of people. “That’s okay honey, you can keep your top on.”

  “Where are you?” Thomas asked, laughing.

  “A bar mitzvah.”

  “Well that makes no sense.”

  “What’s up man?”

  “Didn’t you say that Nathaniel Burr was in with a bunch of bad people. Could he have mob ties?”

  “Maybe, I’d say that’s why my dealer hasn’t broken both his legs.” Blair never missed a beat.

  “Shit, I think a couple of them might have paid me a visit today.”

  “What?”

  “Don’t worry about it. Enjoy your strange party; I’ll tell you more later. There’s another phone call I have to make.”

  He rang Melissa, hoping it wasn’t too late. On the one hand, he was worried about her safety, and on the other, he was just mad.

  “Hello.”

  Thomas smirked. He knew she was bluffing when she mentioned going out with Tilly. A strange warmth flooded through him when he realized she got all dressed up for him. What the hell was up with that?

  “Why did you tell that animal we were going to try for a baby?” He decided to curb that train of thought and go for something that he could actually resolve.

  “What animal?”

  “Your ex-husband, Nathaniel Burr. I know all about him Melissa. I know about the people he was around. Is still around. The people you were around. I know about the mob, the drug dealers. Why would you tell him?”

  “What makes you think I told him anything, Thomas?” Her voice had hardened. He’d made her angry. Good, that made two of them.

  “He sent two goons after me today to tell me to back off. Called the baby an abomination. Our baby. I can only imagine those have to be some of the people he would hang around. I really hope you are trying to get away from him. I know we don’t have a say in who we’re dating, but my child will not be around someone like that. I just don’t get why you would confide in him like that.”

  “Listen, I am very much trying to get away from him.” Her voice sounded harsh as if she was pushing every word through clenched teeth. “Just because you’ve been around for, what, less than two months, you think you know my life? If you don’t think of me any better than that Thomas, then maybe we shouldn’t be doing this at all.” She hung up.

  He stared at the phone for a minute, not sure what to do. What if he’d been wrong? Was it possible he jumped to the wrong conclusion? Who else would come after him like that, though? It didn’t make any sense. Who else would have known about Melissa’s research and their baby?

  “Ready to get back to it?” Saul came out and clapped him on the back.

  “Actually, man, I think I’m just going to call it a night.”

  Thomas didn’t think he could come up with anything else for the evening. He was too consumed about what was going on. He needed some time to think about everything before he jumped to any more conclusions.

  ***

  Melissa trembled and clenched her fists as she sat on the couch. She couldn’t believe he’d said that to her. Who did he think he was? He didn’t even ask if she’d told anyone he just started in on her. Of course she hadn’t told Nathaniel her plans. He’d have an absolute shit fit, and she was not ready to deal with that. He was her ex and refused to accept it. Telling him would be a disaster.

  There was one person she could call and ask to know for sure if Nathan had been behind whatever happened to Thomas. It wasn’t really a phone call she wanted to make, but she would for a little peace of mind. Then she could tell Thomas off for calling and yelling at her without any proof. The thought of sticking it to Thomas made her determined to make the call.

  It rang four times before he finally picked up. “Marco?”

  “Holy shit, Melissa? I didn’t think I’d ever hear from you again since you and Nate are on the outs. How are you?” Hearing Marco’s voice reminded Melissa of the good times she had when she was with Nathaniel.

  “I’m fine, listen, I have to ask you a question.”

  “Anything, babe, what’s up?”

  Sweet Marco, a mutual friend of hers and Nathaniel’s, and a complete criminal. He always treated her with respect, and never let Nate get too far out of hand when she was around. She couldn’t condone what he did, but she would always trust him to have her back. Marco had been there for her more than once, and she wouldn’t forget it.

  “A friend of mine had two big guys come after him tonight. Would Nathaniel do something like that? Does he have anyone left who’d come after someone for him?”

  “Melissa, Nathan is in jail right now. He went on a big drinking binge and drove when he shouldn’t have. The dumbass drove into a store front. I don’t think he could have orchestrated anything like that from the drunk tank. I know he doesn’t have anyone on his side anymore. He’s pissed off everyone we know and some we don’t.”

  “Okay, that’s what I needed. Thank you, Marco.”

  “Melissa, don’t be a stranger. Just because you’re a fancy doctor and no longer with Nathan doesn’t mean you can’t come see your old friends.”

  “I know, Marco, talk to you later.” She hung up knowing she wouldn’t. That part of her life was over and Thomas had been wrong about who was after him, but now she was a little worried. Someone had threatened not only her research, but her unmade baby. She needed to get some more answers before she talked to Thomas. There was no point in telling him about it right away; she was still mad at him. She would let him know eventually. And she would make him grovel for yelling at her.

  As she sat on the couch, she thought back over her time with Nathaniel. Marco had always been in the middle of it when anything bad started to go down. One particular time started playing over in her mind, and though she didn’t want to remember, it came to her in vivid detail like a movie. A movie where she lost the remote and couldn’t pause it if she wanted to.

  Melissa sat on the couch watching day time television and smoking a joint. She wasn’t long out of medical school and her new husband had convinced her to take some time off because he had a business opportunity that would set them up. Of course, that was selling coke and she had an inkling it was something like that. She just pretended to be dumb. It was easier that way.

  Nathaniel excited her with his bad boy ways. She knew it wasn’t good for her, and she knew it was lazy to not immediately start a residency as a young doctor. However, this was more fun at the moment. She had never done anything so reckless before. Always the g
ood girl. Nathaniel made her feel special, and not as if she always had to do the right thing. He was freeing.

  “Where is she?” Nathaniel was drunk again—she could tell by the slur in his voice. It wasn’t even two o’clock in the afternoon yet. She braced herself for what she knew was coming next. It was never pretty when he was day drunk. These were the times she didn't feel so special.

  “She’s just chilling with Vivian.” Marco was trying to calm him down. Marco was her savior, and she knew she would never be able to repay him for what he had done for her. This was not the first time he’d been in the middle. There was never a good reason for Nathaniel’s anger, it just came randomly and he suspected she was wronging him somehow. It was always her fault.

  “Melissa,” he bellowed as he ran into the room. “What the hell are these?” He held up a pair of men’s swim trunks.

  “It’s a pair of shorts,” Melissa said calmly, not getting up off the couch. He grabbed her by the back of the neck and pulled her up to standing.

  “What are they doing in our house Melissa? Are you screwing around on me again?

  “They are probably one of your crack head friends’ shorts and I haven’t ever screwed around on you.” She was still speaking calmly and quietly. Sometimes it would calm him down, sometimes it would set him off. It was always a gamble when he was in these moods.

  “You’re so smart, Dr. Melissa. You think you’re so smart.” He sneered in her face.

  Marco walked in and looked between the two of them. Vivian hadn’t taken her eyes away from the television. “Listen, Nate, man, let’s go smoke a joint and hang out for a little while.”

  Nathaniel turned all his anger on Marco, pushing him hard and knocking him into the wall. Vivian was suddenly off the couch and in his face. “Why are you pushing him Nathaniel? Get out of here with your drunk ass.” The two men started to fight as per the norm, and Nathaniel was punched in the nose. This was the first time it actually came to blows. Melissa heard it crack and blood splattered onto her, pulling her out of her shock.

  She ran out of the house.

  The neighbor was screaming at her and she could hear the men fighting in the house. Vivian was yelling at her to get back and control her man. She just wanted it all to stop. He was such an ass when he was drinking. Why was she doing this to herself? She was a doctor of medicine. Nathaniel was fun, but really, he wasn't what she needed and she knew it. She knew it the moment she laid eyes on him. The police showed up and walked up to her, looking at the blood on her shirt.

  She convinced them it was from standing too close and sent them in the house. Marco was busted for coke and Vivian was busted for weed. Nathaniel was taken in because he swung at the officer when he walked up to him. The whole day was a huge mess. Melissa sat outside the house for a long time just thinking about what her life had become. And how disappointed she was in herself at that very moment.

  Shaking herself from the memory, she realized that even then she knew he would never change. She’d loved him a lot in the beginning. When he wasn’t drunk he was attentive, and made her feel so loved. She had never had anyone treat her the way he did, but she also had never had anyone treat her the way he did when he was drunk. Over time that love had slipped away because of the way he treated her when he was in one of his moods. She was better than that. Getting up from the couch, she decided it was time to put herself to bed. Thomas accusing her of talking to Nathaniel, and her trip down memory lane, was all she could handle for the night.

  CHAPTER EIGHT

  Melissa hadn’t slept much that night. Her brain wouldn't allow her to drift into oblivion even though she had begged for it. It refused to give in to her needs, and when she threw off the covers in the morning, coffee wasn’t going to make a dent in her tired state. She sort of stumbled through her morning to get ready hoping that auto-pilot would get her through the day. Auto-pilot didn’t seem to be very observant as she walked all the way to her office door with her key in her hand as ready as she could be to start the day.

  Without her body firing on all cylinders, she pushed her key into the lock and struggled with trying to open the door. Her brain would not register the destruction before her until she pulled the key out and noticed what she had been missing. Her body went numb as she surveyed everything before her. The glass on her front door where her name should have been was completely bashed out. The large front windows Tilly took pride in keeping crystal clear every morning to allow the sun to shine through had been shattered. The entire front of her building had been battered in some shape or form.

  Across the front of her pretty white office was spray painted in menacing scrawl was, “stop messing with nature.” It was pretty clear whoever had done this was against her research, but why? And who?

  Her stomach pitched forward as she stood and stared at the mess in front of her. Her eyes started to prickle with tears as the numbness started to fall away. She desperately wished it would come back and shroud her from the emotions bombarding her. All of her hard work was inside this office, and someone wanted to ruin it. Someone had ruined it. Saying her life’s research was messing with nature felt like a giant slap in the face. Clearly, they didn’t realize the happiness she had brought to the paranormal world. The happiness she was on the verge of bringing to another species if her trial worked. Her unmade baby was not messing with nature. She was going to bring something beautiful into this world and these people were insulting her.

  The total destruction wasn’t all clear to her from the outside. She could see that they decided to take their little spray painting spree on the inside to ensure their message was received. She could see graffiti all over her front office as well, so she knew going in would be bad. With a shaky breath, she took out her phone and called the police, the tears starting to fall. Why did this happen to her? Somehow she managed to get through telling them what had happened through her sobbing. The operator tried to get her to calm down, but she wasn't witnessing her life’s work in ruin. She hung the phone up and waited for Tilly so they could go in together. There was no way she would be strong enough to do this on her own. She needed her friend more than ever.

  “Oh my God, Melissa.” A male voice from behind her startled her. She hadn’t realized she’d just been staring at the building shutting off the world around her. All anger from his phone call the night before was forgotten as she ran into Thomas’ strong arms.

  “It’s awful. Why would they do this to me?” she murmured into his shirt. She buried her face into his hard chest, wanting to block out everything she had seen, everything she had yet to witness, but knew there was really no avoiding it.

  “This Nathaniel's doing?”

  She felt his chest rumble as he spoke, but she didn't move away as she answered him.

  “No, I didn’t tell him anything, Thomas. You need to believe I would never put our future baby in harm’s way. I spoke to a mutual acquaintance last night and he said Nathaniel couldn’t have sent those men after you. He’s in jail at the moment, and out of favor with everyone.” She was getting angry again, but she still couldn’t remove herself from his comfort.

  “Okay, it’s okay. I believe you, and I shouldn’t have jumped to conclusions. They caught me off guard and I wasn’t thinking clearly. I’m sorry. We’ll figure this out. It has to be an enemy of the were-bear community, or shifters in general. I’m so sorry Melissa, this is all my fault.” He was still holding her and she looked up into his eyes.

  “No it’s not. This is my research and my facility. You’re just a part of my bigger picture. This isn’t your fault. I’m making someone, or a lot of someones, very angry by helping shifters conceive. Now that they somehow know I am willingly subjecting myself to having a shifter baby, everything will be focused on me.”

  Thomas’ jaw clenched as he took in her face. He finally pulled his gaze away from her to survey the damage over her head. He didn’t move to release her, and Melissa decided she wasn’t ready to move just yet.

 
Tilly arrived at that time, jamming out in her car, the bass rattling her windows. She hadn’t even looked their way and now sat putting on her makeup her head bobbing to whatever song she was listening to. Melissa decided to just let her continue to enjoy her morning, it was a friendly gesture to delay the misery she’d be walking into. Besides, she didn’t want to move from Thomas so she wasn’t going to break from him just yet. Once Tilly exited her car and turned around, she just froze with her mouth hanging wide open, her freshly applied lipstick shining in the morning sun. Melissa would have laughed at her comical face if it had been any other circumstance. Melissa reluctantly broke free of Thomas and ran to hug her friend.

  “Melissa, what the hell? Who the hell did this? Was it Nathaniel? I’ll kill him!” Tilly’s eyes were burning with anger as took in what had been done to the building.

  “No, it wasn’t Nathaniel, but we need to go in and see how bad it is. I didn’t want to go in without you.”

  “Let’s do this. Have you called the police?”

  “I did. They dispatched someone who should be here any time.”

  The two locked arms and walked toward Thomas who moved out of their way so they could go in. His forehead creased with worry as he looked at the two women. “Be careful of the glass,” he said, following behind them.

  Melissa’s heart sank when she walked inside. She knew she should have suspected the worst, but seeing it in real life broke her. Behind Tilly’s desk in big letters was the word UNNATURAL written in red spray paint, the drips making it look as if the words were bleeding. Her desk was completely gutted and files were strewn everywhere. The vase of flowers she kept there had been thrown against the wall. All the magazines in the waiting area were shredded and the furniture had long slash marks in it, making it impossible to salvage. Every piece of her office had been vandalized somehow and this was just the front room. Melissa didn’t want to go any further, afraid to see what she would come across.