Miami Heat

by Tressie Lockwood

Sakura blinked at her sister.

  Shae looked at her. “What? I’m just being honest.”

  Shiya spoke up. “What kind of animal are you, Savino?”

  He reddened. “A bull.”

  “Damn!” the three of them said in unison.

  Sakura knew what she was thinking and figured her sisters were as well. “Mind out of the gutter, ladies,” she teased her sisters.

  Shae rolled her eyes.

  A thought occurred to Sakura when she thought of what she would do if Laila hadn’t backed off. “Why didn’t you try to kill my dad later?”

  Shiya and Shae gasped, but Savino sat in silence for a long while. He glanced behind him at the window, but no one stood there. She had the feeling he looked for Deveron’s approval. The man should be free of whatever hold the fox leader had on him, but Savino’s next words cleared up the mystery.

  “I can no longer shift,” he said. “I am physically stronger than a human man, much stronger, but I cannot shift. You might have heard it took me a long time to heal from my injuries, much longer than normal. It was because I can’t forgive myself for being the cause of Yvonne’s death. She… I loved her.”

  Shiya wept, and Shae hugged her. A lump of emotion rose in Sakura’s throat. She felt for this poor man who had suffered so much. Sure he lived after almost dying, but he continued to suffer every day. Losing her mother had broken him, and they weren’t even mated.

  “Did you turn my mother?”

  He shook his head. “I could have, but unless she chose to be my mate, I wouldn’t have.”

  “I’m so sorry, Savino,” Sakura said. She reached across the table and touched his hand. He flinched but didn’t pull away. “If you ever need anything, please don’t hesitate to call me. I’ll do whatever I can. I promise you that.”

  Her sisters echoed the vow, and she spotted moisture in the bull shifter’s eyes. He bowed his head. “Thank you. I am happy living a simple life in Deveron’s service. I don’t need anything more, but I’m glad I was able to meet my Yvonne’s daughters. You all three have inherited her beauty, and make me feel like I got to see her one more time.”

  Each of them gave the older man a hug, which he accepted awkwardly. Then they said their good-byes. Sakura would do all she could for him and demand Deveron treat him as more than just as an employee. She intended to keep in touch, and maybe by some miracle and with time, Savino’s broken heart would heal. That was the least the Keith family could do.

  She and her sisters left Deveron’s company to return to the villa with their mates, Sakura knowing her sisters felt as she did that she was fortunate to have the man she loved and who loved her still by her sister, for now and forever.

  Epilogue

  Sakura screamed, but this time it had nothing to do with pleasure and everything to do with pain and panic that she was giving birth. The estimated eight-pound baby was ripping his way out of her womb, and she had already told Adam more than once he would pay with his life.

  Miserable, her husband stood by holding her hand despite how she’d tried her best to break it, blaming him for this craziness. “It’s okay, Sakura,” he soothed. “It’s almost over, and our son will be here with us.”

  “I can’t do this,” she shouted. “I can’t! It’s too much. I want more drugs!” She thrashed on the bed, or tried to. All energy had been sapped, and she didn’t think she had it in her to push even once more.

  “The drugs don’t last, baby,” he said, almost sounding like he chanted it. He probably did because she had demanded something to soothe the pain for the last umpteen hours. After the initial epidural, which lasted all of a half hour because of her ridiculous healing ability, she was left to suffer. Why the hell couldn’t the healing take care of all this pain?

  “You’re going to pay for getting me pregnant! You hear me, Adam?”

  “Yes, Sakura. I hear you. You’ve threatened castration a hundred times.”

  “Are you getting impatient with me?” she shouted. “You are, aren’t you?”

  “Never, baby. Shh, it’s fine.”

  On and on she argued with him until the tiny voice of Adam Michael Martinez, Jr.’s voice echoed around the room. In an instant, Sakura’s mood lifted, and the pain eased. She stared in wonder at her little one. After he had been cleaned up and handed to her, she couldn’t resist opening the blanket to check him over. Beside her, Adam chuckled.

  “Looking for mutation?” he teased.

  She glared at him. “You’re not off the hook, buddy.” Then she smiled, her chest constricting. “Thank you for him, Adam. He’s perfect, isn’t he?”

  “Si, just like you, mami.” He kissed her lips, and weariness had her eyes fluttering closed. The next time she opened them, she was in a different room, and Adam paced at the foot of the bed holding their son and singing to him something in Spanish. Tears flooded her eyes. Look at me with all this emotion. Get a grip, Sakura. As much as she lectured herself, her heart still swelled as she watched her family. She’d given in to Adam and married him, pretending at first she did it for him. Her sisters had teased her that no woman’s face shown as much as hers when she spoke her vows. She’d threatened them all, but that had made them laugh harder.

  A knock on the door turned her attention there, and in walked Shiya holding her twins’ hands. The two toddlers, one boy and one girl, each had a lollipop stuck in their mouths. They ran over to the bed and were about to hop onto it when Kotori appeared and calmly scooped the two into his arms, a stern expression on his face. Sakura had heard from her sister that the boy was Kotori’s, and the girl was Birk’s. She’d asked how they knew and was told it was all in the scent. Yet, from the look of it, they were all one happy family, and the kids considered both men to be their daddies.

  Kotori muttered his apology for the disturbance, kissed her forehead and the baby’s, and then left with his children. Shiya sat down beside her and hugged Sakura. “I heard from Shae.”

  Sakura sat straighter. “How are they?”

  Shiya sighed. “Shae has too much mouth for her in-laws, so Eiji moved them to a house in Tokyo.”

  Sakura shook her head. “I don’t blame her though. She finally got pregnant, and I know for myself those hormones go whackadoodle. She hasn’t adjusted to the culture over there, so I guess being four months pregnant didn’t help.”

  “Please,” Shiya said. “She’s not trying to adjust. Shae’s getting antsy. How much you want to bet Eiji’s going to bring her back to the U.S. before the baby’s born?”

  “Probably,” Sakura agreed.

  “She said she wanted to wait to get pregnant, but these damn shifter men have super human sperm.”

  “You should know.” Sakura laughed, and her sister smacked her arm. “I know what you mean. I said I wasn’t having any, and then this one”—she glared at Adam, but he seemed oblivious playing with their son—“got me knocked up before I knew it.”

  “You’ll have another one by next year.”

  “Not if I cut off Adam’s balls.”

  This time her husband paled, and she and Shiya laughed.

  “I’m pregnant,” Shiya moaned.

  “You’re lying!”

  Shiya shook her head. “Nope.”

  “Wow, your little ones aren’t even two yet, Shiya.”

  “I know. Stepladder kids like us.”

  Sakura looked at her sister and grinned. “Your crazy behind is happy about it. I can see it in your eyes. You know it’s likely you’ll have another set of twins, right?”

  Shiya grinned. “Yeah.”

  “What about the obvious question?” Sakura asked her.

  “What?”

  Sakura hesitated. “Are you going to get turned? I mean, I know they can’t do it, but what about another shifter?”

  Shiya opened her purse and pulled a sheet of paper out. She unfolded it and smoothed it before handing it to Sakura. A list of names, addresses, and phone numbers extended down the page.

  “This is a list of shift
ers, all bears, different kinds. Two are polar bears.”

  “No way. Where did you get it?”

  “Where do you think?”

  “Roger,” Sakura answered. “That man is something else.”

  “Yeah, I discussed it with the guys, and we agreed after I give birth to start the process of finding the right maker.”

  “Wow, that’s awesome. I’m… I don’t know. I guess I’m glad for you. I’ve come to accept what I am, even embrace it. Adam and I are closer, and it feels so good sensing him, knowing how he feels, and being connected to him. I know you’ll experience an even greater closeness to Birk and Kotori.”

  A tear slid down Shiya’s face, and she nodded. “I can’t wait. I felt like the oddball, but now I’m going to be one of you.”

  “You were always one of us, baby sis. We love you.”

  Shiya sniffed. “I love you, too. Okay, well let me get out of here and let you get some rest. I’ll come by the house in a couple days to visit with you and my new nephew.”

  She kissed Sakura and Adam, and then snuggled with the baby, cooing to him. When Sakura was alone with Adam, he returned to her side and sat down. Sakura looked into the face of her sweet baby boy and noted how much like his daddy he looked. “Is he really okay, Adam?” she worried.

  “Yes, he’s fine, Sakura.”

  “You’re not just saying that?”

  He shook his head and leaned down, breathing deep with his nose to the tiny chest. “Not only do I smell my scent and yours on him, but I smell the bear.”

  Her eyes widened. “So he’s a bear shifter?”

  “Looks that way. If you’re jealous, we can go again and try for a fox.”

  “Boy, don’t even imagine touching me for a while!”

  He laughed and appeared depressed, and she stroked his cheek. “Not too long. Don’t worry.”

  He grew serious. “Sakura?”

  “Hm?”

  “I was thinking of taking a position with Deveron.”

  She stiffened. “He wants to use you, Adam.”

  “Baby, it’s not like I won’t get paid well or that I’ll be a lackey. He’s offering partnership, and I’ll be doing similar work to what I did before as your protector.”

  “Except you’ll be the hunter, chasing down shifters who threaten to expose our existence or who hurt humans, and we’re not hurting for money.”

  “I know, baby.”

  “It’s dangerous,” she said.

  “You didn’t think so when you were out in front.”

  “It’s not that I’m against it.” She sighed, and he laid the baby in the bassinet then took her hand. She laid her head on his chest and shut her eyes. “I don’t like feeling this vulnerable. I love you so much and little Adam. If I were to lose you…”

  “Shh.” He stroked her hair. “You’re not going to lose me. I’m going to continue my training, and with Roger’s intel, much more advanced than what was available in the family, I will have an advantage.”

  “I know.” She sighed. “Look how he was able to pinpoint where Kasen was.”

  “Exactly. Now your brother is under constant watch. That was all handled without any violence, right?”

  She rolled her eyes. “I don’t think he had much of a choice when you and my brothers-in-law threatened his life if he ever harms another shifter.”

  “He will never love our kind,” Adam agreed. “But as long as he worries about his own family, he won’t make a move against us. The mental break your father had and discovering his involvement in helping to cover the truth also got to Kasen. He’s not exactly reformed, but I believe he won’t cause any more trouble. So, how about it? Do I have your blessing with the job?”

  “Will it mean we have to relocate to Miami?”

  “No, we can stay here in San Diego if that’s what you want. I already let Deveron know your happiness is more important to me than anything else. If you don’t want me to do it, I won’t.”

  “You’re sweet, but I won’t stand in your way.”

  He kissed her lips. “Are you sure?”

  “Yes, I’m sure.”

  “So, what do you think about a daughter?”

  “Imma kill you.”

  He burst out laughing, and Sakura joined him, happier and more satisfied than she had ever been. The pain of losing her mother the way she did was still there, but with each passing day, she appreciated the good in her life, like her sisters and their mates, her perfect husband, and now her sweet son. Plus, Savino didn’t know it, but she intended to make him honorary granddad very soon, just one more step in restoring a very special soul. She couldn’t ask for more.

  The End

  About the Author

  Tressie Lockwood has always loved books, and she enjoys writing about heroines who are overcoming the trials of life. She writes straight from her heart, reaching out to those who find it hard to be themselves completely no matter what anyone else thinks. She hopes her readers enjoy her stories. Visit Tressie on the Web at www.tressielockwood.com or on her blog at tressielockwood.blogspot.com.