Oakley: Marshall’s Shadow – Jaguar Shapeshifter Romance (Marshall's Shadow Book 3)

by Kathi S. Barton

  Harris went into the living room and sat down on one of the nice chairs. She was going to have to talk Shep into taking a cruise with her. She’d forgotten how nice they were. When Rebecca joined her, she told her to have a seat. She didn’t argue with her, as she had hoped she would, but sat and kept her mouth shut.

  “Your son-in-law is dead.” Whatever reaction she thought she’d get with that statement wasn’t Rebecca falling over sobbing and thanking her. “I didn’t do it, but Oakley and Lach did. His obit is going to say he died in a horrific car accident rather than having anyone think he might well have been killed. I’m not going to give you any more information than that. I also warn you now that you’d better not be telling anyone about our midnight visit. You will end up on my shit list, and that is not a place you’d want to be. Understand?”

  “I understand. However, you should know that my daughter is insane. I mean, I don’t know what Frank told you, but she was going to kill me. Just toss me away as if I were nothing to her.” Harris told her she more than likely wasn’t anything to her. That she had her own set of rules. “Yes, I suppose you might be right. But I’m terrified of her. She was so calm about what she was telling me that it was as if she was talking about how the weather was nice out.”

  “I’ve come here to tell you I don’t think you’re any better than Rita. You’ve both treated my new sister-in-law like shit, and if it were up to me, I’d toss you off the boat myself. But it’s not. So, I guess we’ll have to agree that I won’t kill you tonight.” Rebecca looked at her with terror in her eyes. “I will, however, cut you some slack if you promise me you’re never going to talk to Lach again. Also, that as soon as you can arrange it, you’re to leave the state, never to return. Frank is going to be living closer to his daughter, the one that you took from him when all you ever wanted to do was hold that over his head. If I see you within a mile of the state of Ohio, you’ll never know you’re dead.”

  “Why would you say something like that to me? I’ve just had a horrific day, and here you sit, adding more onto it. Do you have any idea what my daughter said to me? How she was going to kill me?” Harris pointed out that she wasn’t dead. “Not because of you, apparently. You’d probably have a party if I were to end up dead, wouldn’t you?”

  “I would, actually. A huge one that would be a wonderful occasion for a great many people. Your staff, neighbors. Even people at the grocery store wouldn’t be bothered if you were to end up dead. You’ve been a blot on a great many people’s lives that don’t particularly give a shit about you.” She told her she had friends. “Perhaps. More than likely, people just like you. A bitch with a little money that lords it over people until you chase them off with your rudeness. I have known a great many people like you, and fortunately, they’re all pushing up daisies because I’ve killed them. You see, Rebecca, when you called Frank to tell me about your troubles, you had no idea that you were going to have a hitman for the United States government come to your aid. The next words out of your mouth will be the death of you if you choose wrong. Are you going to leave the state of Ohio forever?”

  “Yes. Just so you know, I don’t like you.” Harris laughed. “How can you live with yourself knowing you’ve ended the lives of people? I’m sure you’re just as insane as my daughter.”

  “Frankly, I could care less what you think about me. Nor if you like me or not. I’m what I am because I made something of myself. You have only done the barest of work to get yourself where you wanted to be. A semi wealthy bitch without friends—or, as it turns out, a family—to call your own.” She said she had Lach. “No, you don’t. You aren’t to have a thing to do with her. I will kill you if you come around. You’ll never see your grandchildren either. No pictures of them will be sent to you. You’ll not get a Christmas card from the family, nor will you ever be able to have anything to do with Lach. They’re all dead to you. Or you will be. Test me on this, and as I said, you will never realize you’re dead.”

  “Do you talk to everyone this way? It’s no wonder you have to come into rooms in the middle of the night to have conversations with people.” Rebecca started to stand, and Harris told her to sit. “I want to know what you’re going to do about helping me out. Or have you only come here to make sure I’m put in my place?”

  Almost as if the timing were perfect, someone knocked on the door. Before she went to answer it, Harris stood up to hide behind the door. She told her not to mention her or she’d simply end her life and that of the person. Pulling open the door, Rebecca pulled at her robe and asked what was going on.

  “Mrs. Russell? I’m sorry to wake you in the middle of the night, but I was wondering if you could come with me. There’s been an accident.” Rebecca asked what sort of accident. “Would you mind coming with me, please?”

  Harris slipped into the hall when she was sure Rebecca and the man were gone. Going into the room across the hall, Harris put her wet suit back on, as well as her boots and gloves. In seconds, no more than half a minute, Harris was climbing out the window and to the water below. Landing no more than a few feet from where her ride, an all-black jet ski, was, just where she’d tied it off, Harris climbed onto it and let it drift away from the ship for several minutes until she was sure no one could see her from above.

  Riding back to the boat that had brought her out here, she thought about what the older woman was going to find when she got to the medical unit. No one would need to worry about Rita Underwood again. She had, as people were going to believe, killed herself in the main dining room of the large ship.

  Harris had gone to the cabin Rita was supposed to be in. Not finding her there, she pulled out her phone and began searching the ship via their own camera to find where the woman had gone. Finding her in the dining room, Harris, dressed in her all-black clothing, snuck into the room to find her prey. Not only was Rita alone, but she seemed to be making notes about something.

  It only took her minutes to shoot the dart into the back of her head. It would knock her out for several minutes, long enough for Harris to not only put the poison into her drink but also to look over the notes she’d been writing. It was a suicide note, one that Harris knew was supposed to be from her mother and not Rita.

  Backing away from the table, she waited for Rita to wake. She was none the wiser, it seemed, for her little nap, and she picked up her drink and drained the glass. Harris had thought it would take a lot longer for her to know Rita was dead. Most people didn’t guzzle down good whiskey but sipped it over time.

  As soon as Rita’s head fell forward on the table, Harris moved up behind her to check her pulse. Nothing. The drug had caused her to have a massive stroke and killed her immediately, just as she’d hoped. Leaving the empty bottle of the drugs they’d find in her system on the table, Harris had made her way back to the room she had been in and changed into her regular clothing to go and talk to Rebecca.

  The more she found out about the Russell family, the more she wished she’d not promised Lach that she’d not kill her mom unless necessary. She may still have to do that, but for now, she’d kept her promise to the other woman and had given Rebecca the rules. All the rules, including the one where she couldn’t enter the state of Ohio again, were from Lach. The girl was quickly becoming someone Harris admired, which was a scant few people in this world.

  I’m finished here. Shep told her what was going on where he was. He’d told her that Collin was dead before she’d even gotten on the first boat. Rita was easy. She drank like a fish; did you know that?

  That must have been calming for you. You be careful. Are you coming home tonight? She said she didn’t think she could. That she was exhausted and didn’t feel like trying to get some sleep on a plane. I was hoping you’d stay there. For as much as I’d like you to be home, I also don’t want you too exhausted to be here safely.

  How is Lach? I was going to call her tomorrow to tell her it’s finished with her sister. Shep told h
er she more than likely knew already. Probably. I did just what she wanted and didn’t let her suffer. Though it was very tempting to kill off her mother too. She’s a bigger bitch than even I am. She had the nerve to tell me I was rude. This coming from a woman that was more than willing to have Lach abort her children.

  People are going to disappoint you all the time if you allow them to. I heard that from someone very important to me. She laughed when she realized it was her. When you get home, I think we should tell the rest of the family you’re going to have a baby. It’s been weeks now, and I’m about to bust with all these others having babies. I cannot wait to see you large with our baby.

  I’m sure this suit I have on is going to not fit me quite the same again. They both laughed. She was nearing the boat when she told him where she was. Do me a favor, will you, Shep? Will you please go over and talk to Oakley and Lach about this? I know she said she just wanted it over with, but I want you to make sure for me. Killing someone’s sister isn’t like killing a stranger. I don’t want her to not want to be around me anymore. I’m enjoying having female friends I can hang out with that don’t give a shit as to what I do for a living.

  I’ll go over first thing in the morning. I promise you. She thanked him and then asked if he thought she was silly. No, I don’t. I think you don’t want anything to happen to your family, and that would include killing someone to make them safe.

  I’ll feel a lot better about this as soon as I speak to her. Hopefully, she won’t be upset. What happened to Collin’s body? Did they pick it up on time? Also, I ordered a complete cleanup. I hope they did a good job on that as well. Shep told her he’d been taken away and that Oakley said there wasn’t a speck of anything around to indicate a large jaguar had torn a man’s throat out so badly it removed his head. I hope he’s not feeling guilty about this. He had to do it. Roger left him no choice at all.

  He doesn’t act like it. In fact, I think they’re both relieved to know Roger’s out of their life. I’ve not spoken to her since you finished up on the ship. I’m sure she’ll be just as happy with that. Not just for her sake, but for the children. That was the main reason she’d been so happy to do this. To make sure her niece and nephew were safe. I cannot wait for us to be able to make the announcement. You’ve no idea how much I want to tell Grandda to be quiet about us making him a great grandda too.

  I’m coming home tonight. I need to be with you. I never realized before just now that you make me feel perfect. I know I’m far from it, but you make me feel that way. Shep told her that to him, she was perfect. You keep that up, big boy, and you might just get lucky when I get home.

  He was laughing still when she closed the connection. Harris wanted to be home now in the worst sort of way. Going straight to the airport when they were on land again, she was on her way home in less than twenty minutes.

  ~*~

  Lach stretched as she woke. She didn’t think she’d ever slept that well in her entire life. Not only did her body feel about as relaxed as it ever had, but her mind was clear, and her skin even felt renewed. Rolling to her side, she looked at Oakley as he lay there looking at her.

  “I thought for sure you were going to sleep all day again. Did you know that when you sleep, you snore so quietly it’s almost cute?” She told him she did not snore. “You do. I swear. It’s adorable. I mean, it’s not even the least bit annoying like Shep’s is. He’s loud. I wonder at times how Harris stands it. Come to think of it, she might snore louder. Do you suppose that is one of the traits we get in mates—we all have the same sleeping habits?”

  “I do not snore.” She rolled over him and sat up over his waist. “Did you want to go to the doctor with me tomorrow? Or today. How long was I asleep?”

  “Just the usual time. But we did go to bed fairly early, so I guess about ten hours. I think having less stress is what—” She told him she didn’t want to talk about her family. “I do have to tell you one thing, Lach. Before Harris comes over for dinner. She is terrified that you’re going to be upset that your sister is gone as well.”

  “I’m not upset at all. I’ve been reading over the reports she found on the two of them. They were both insane. Did you read them?” He said he’d not. “Seventeen people are missing that lived around or worked for them. Seventeen people. I don’t even want to think about what they might have done to these babies.” She shivered and laid her head down on his chest.

  “They would never have gotten them. Nor you. I promise you that.” She said she knew that, but it had scared her when Roger showed up. “You, my dear, were brilliant in confronting him as you did. Shep coming up with that plan to get him to think you were here alone was also brilliant. We got him in the act, and that is better than anything in the world. I love you. So much.”

  “And I love you. But I don’t want to talk about family anymore. I want to have you make love to me. It’s been put off long enough. I know you were healing me all along with the kisses and touches. My wounds are all gone, and the one on my head is almost closed up. I’m stronger every day, and I want to have sex with you.” He pulled her up for a kiss and rolled her to her back. “Yes, this is just where I wanted to be. However, with both of us naked and you deep inside of me.”

  “I aim to please.” His hands were warm as they moved over her body. There was something so profoundly amazing about having her body touched by someone. It was even better that he loved her too. “You’re right. You’re way too overdressed right now. How about if I take all these off you and have a little exploratory fun with your lovely body.”

  There wasn’t any time for her to tell him yes. Before she could even guess what he was going to do next, the sound of ripping clothing made her body wet with anticipation. Her nipples ached to be touched. Something so primal rolled over her, and she knew she wanted Oakley to bite her, to make her come with the feel of his teeth as they sank into her skin.

  “Oakley, I need you.” She was on fire and couldn’t seem to make her mouth work to tell him what she wanted. But when he scraped his teeth, sharper than she remembered them being, over her skin, she screamed out his name as a climax took her breath away. “Again. Please? I want to come like that again.”

  It was like she had challenged him into seeing if he could kill her with coming. Every place he touched her, she would feel her body respond. Not in small climaxes either, but her body felt like it was going to explode with the feelings he gave her.

  “Do you have any idea how much I love you, Lach? More than I can put into words. I’m showing you, showing you how much I love you by worshipping you. All of you.” She cried then, so touched by his words and actions. “I love you.”

  “I love you too. My heart is overflowing with my love for you.”

  He moved up her body. Having touched every part of her, he kissed his way up her until he got to her pussy. “I need a taste of you.”

  She would swear for the rest of her life that he’d stuck her toes into an electrical socket. Her throat closed off; her ears rang. Every part of her body seemed to have come apart the moment he licked her from gate to clit, only to suckle hard at her womanhood.

  Lach opened her eyes, knowing for some reason that she’d fainted. It had been too much, but she’d gladly have him do it to her again. The next time, however, she’d make sure she stayed awake. She’d missed him filling her. Missed him taking her as his own. Wrapping her legs around his legs, she met him stroke for stroke as he took her hard.

  “Christ, I’m so close to coming. I thought for sure I’d killed you.” She said she’d thought so too. As he doubled his effort to take her to new highs to come with him, Lach dug her nails into his back and bowed up off the bed as a climax took her up and over a high so high she didn’t care if she died when she hit bottom.

  His cat raced over his skin enough that she could see him. His beauty surprised her in this moment. Lach had seen him before, of course, but this time, while
they were making love, she could have sworn he told her he loved her too. As she came a second, then a third time, Lach let go of whatever tiny hold she had over herself and let herself fall into whatever well she’d fallen into as she came again.

  When she awoke this time, she was alone in the huge bed. The sheets were cold, so she knew she’d been alone for some time. Sitting up, she could see her clothing lying on the floor and wondered what anyone would have said had she died, and they found the mess. Giggling, she got up and made her way to the bathroom to shower.

  The hot water felt delicious over her body. She’d not realized how achy making love could make a person. Laughing again, she thought what they’d just done it wouldn’t be called something so simple as making love. It had been so much more than that.

  She was wrapping herself in a towel when there was a knock at the door. Telling Oakley when he told her who it was that she’d be right out, he said for her to take her time. Coming out with the towel still wrapped around her, she asked him what was wrong.

  “We’re going to have to work on you not thinking every time I see you there is something wrong. Nothing is wrong, love. I just wanted to come up and see you. That’s all.” Smiling at him, she was surprised he’d made the bed and picked up their clothing. “While you dress, I’ll tell you some things. First of all, nothing bad. Your mother claimed the body of your sister yesterday and is having her buried in the cemetery with Collin. When his prints were run, they found out he had been responsible for seventeen other deaths. Your sister had been in on all but one of them. The reason I’m telling you this now is that it’s going to come out in the paper in the next couple of days. Your name isn’t going to be mentioned as having anything to do with any of them.”

  “Good. I’m glad they’re out of my life and yours. What else?” He told her about how they were going to go shopping soon for things for the house. Then he mentioned the suicide note her sister had been writing and how it had been for their mother. “You’re peppering good things with the bad. I’d rather you just tell me all the bad things, then tell me some good things. Then I don’t want to mention them, or my mother, again if we can help it. All right?”