Rebel Lion

by Anna Lowe

So she left the investigating to Dell and his friends and spent the next three days teaching him everything she knew about caring for Quinn. That turned out to be more than she thought, considering she’d just had her own crash course. Other than that, she did her best to keep up with things at work, though it was getting harder and harder to strike some kind of balance. On her first day or two on Maui, she’d been tempted to run at full throttle, spending hours on work as well as with Quinn. Over the next days, she found herself slowing down and evening out that ratio a little. Just being in Maui relaxed her, what with the sun, balmy temperatures, and quiet, lazy pace.

  “Not lazy,” Dell corrected her. “Healthy. You city types are the ones who are skewed.”

  She starting sleeping later and longer. Leaving her phone in her work bag instead of at her bedside. She found herself stretching. Breathing. Sniffing the fresh breeze. And instead of having to rush Quinn through each bottle and change, she had the luxury of lingering over each one, making it a treasure instead of a chore.

  Of course, with Dell taking on most of those tasks, Anjali could relax even more. The second Quinn cried for her morning feed, Dell would appear at his gorgeous, disheveled best, chirp a hearty Good morning, and scoop up the baby. Then he would sit on the couch he’d slept on out on the porch, holding the baby in the crook of his arm while she drank from the bottle he’d prepared. Quinn spent the whole time gazing up into Dell’s leonine eyes, and who could blame her? Anjali was tempted to do the same.

  Mornings were the most beautiful and peaceful time of day. Dawn light lent the slopes of the plantation a golden glow while the last, lingering nighttime scents drifted away, replaced by those of fragrant flowers opening to the sun. The ocean murmured as waves rolled into the shoreline a quarter of a mile away. Dell hummed to Quinn, and Anjali couldn’t help but sitting beside him and listening in.

  “You’re good with her,” Anjali whispered on the fifth morning of her stay.

  “Nah. Still learning. It helps to have a good teacher.”

  His smile was a work of art, and his eyes shone. For the next long, magical moment, they stared into each other’s eyes. Their chests rose and fell with every hushed breath, and their fingers brushed at Quinn’s side.

  Kiss him, a little voice whispered from the back of her mind.

  Kiss him, the swish of leaves over the porch roof urged.

  Dell’s face went totally serious, and she swore his eyes glowed.

  Her lips parted, as did his, and her world narrowed to that soft line of pink. She would never have said Dell and soft could go together, but wow. Sometimes they did. Despite the aura of battle-hardened warrior on the outside, he seemed all soul inside. Lonely, almost.

  Which ought to have been laughable. Dell — lonely? He lived among half a dozen close friends, not to mention the fact that women practically threw themselves at him wherever he went. Why would a man like that be interested in her? And why was she attracted to a man who wasn’t at all her type?

  Destiny. The word ghosted through her mind in a voice that reminded her of Dell’s.

  Her heart beat faster, and her hand slid over his. Destiny wasn’t something she’d spent much time considering, and yet the word bounced around her mind until it amplified.

  Anjali was so preoccupied with that echo, she didn’t notice herself leaning forward, nor Dell doing the same. But when their lips met in the softest, silkiest kiss ever — oh, yes. She noticed, all right.

  Her eyes went wide, but a second later, they closed, and her soul just about sighed. Her whole body warmed as if she’d slipped into a warm bath, and her mind went blissfully blank. Dell moved his lips over hers, and he gently cupped her cheek. There was nothing bold or demanding in his kiss. Nothing cool or practiced. Just pure wonder.

  When they finally pulled apart, she peeked to find Dell biting his lip and opening his eyes in a way that suggested a wish had finally come true.

  “Gotta watch myself,” he said in a husky voice. “Falling in love with two women at the same time…”

  Anjali nearly screeched. “Two women?”

  Dell cracked into a grin. “Sure. Her.” His chin dipped toward Quinn then jerked toward Anjali. “And you.”

  And just like that, she melted all over again.

  “Funny, I was thinking I was the one who’d better watch out.”

  He was about to reply, but she cut him off with another kiss. One that made her body ache and burn for more. But Quinn cooed, and the kiss ended with both of them looking down at Quinn, chagrined.

  “Dell,” Anjali whispered, trying to figure out what she wanted to say.

  But just then, Joey called from around the corner. “Dell? Dell?”

  “Heya, buddy,” Dell said, breaking away. His eyes were filled with a dozen unspoken hopes, and he squeezed Anjali’s hand.

  “Dell! Want to play?” Joey asked, bouncing into view.

  Anjali stood, making sure there was nothing for Joey to see between her and Dell. Not that Joey was aware of that kind of thing, but still…

  “Sure,” Dell said. “Just as soon as Quinn finishes her bottle. Want to do a countdown?”

  Joey nodded and stood right by Dell’s shoulder, counting. “One, two, three…”

  Technically, that was a count up, but wow. It was the cutest thing. Little Joey put a hand on Quinn’s head by way of hello. Dell counted with him, leading when the numbers got big. Quinn smiled around the edges of the bottle, looking absolutely, positively content.

  Anjali heaved one of those soul-deep sighs that only came when the world seemed completely at peace.

  When Quinn finished her bottle, Dell carried her around, burping her while chatting a mile a minute with Joey. Then Dell strapped the baby carrier to his chest and maneuvered Quinn in.

  “X-wing fighter copilot, ready for battle stations?” he asked Quinn.

  Battle stations? Anjali blanched.

  He cinched the baby’s sun hat a little tighter and winked. “You coming, Princess Anjali?”

  She glanced at her work bag. She’d already avoided business for too long—

  “Beware of the Dark Side,” Dell called. “Come with me!” Then he turned to Joey. “Ready, young Jedi?”

  “Ready!” Joey squeaked.

  “Lion ready?” Dell asked, tucking the stuffed animal in beside Quinn.

  “Ready,” Joey cried.

  “Then we’re off! Come, Princess Anjali!”

  Dell strode toward the front of the porch, and Anjali couldn’t help but follow.

  “Prepare for blastoff,” Dell announced as he approached the top of the stairs.

  Cynthia came out from the house, looking concerned. “Oh, dear. Joey—”

  But Joey was already leaping to the ground, and Dell looked about to follow. Anjali screeched to a stop, watching him. He wasn’t really going to jump down the stairs with the baby, was he?

  “You only live once,” he called. “But don’t worry. Cats always land on their feet.”

  Anjali’s eyes went wide as he sailed into the air. But, heck. Cat fit. Every move Dell made was graceful and controlled. His landing was smooth and steady, and he ran on without missing a beat. That is, until he turned and flashed that winning grin.

  “Come on, Princess Anjali. The force is with us!”

  Cynthia looked at Anjali, who shrugged. “I’ve been promoted.”

  “Lucky you,” Cynthia said. “I’m still the Wicked Witch of the West.” Her words were dour, but a tiny smile played around her lips.

  “Come on, Princess Anjali,” Joey chimed in.

  Cynthia shook her head wearily, then nodded to Anjali. “Better go. Will you do me a favor, though?”

  Anjali raised an eyebrow.

  “Keep an eye on both boys for me.” Cynthia made air quotes around boys.

  Anjali trotted off, grinning from ear to ear, wondering when she’d last done something this childish. Wondering who on earth had ever packed stolen kisses and a Star Wars game into as short a time as De
ll. But, heck. He was right. You only live once.

  Joey and Dell zigzagged around the huge property, slashing at invisible enemies and shouting orders to each other. Dell kept a protective hand around the baby snuggler, and Quinn didn’t seem to mind the action in the least. Anjali started wishing she’d brought her phone — not to call anyone, but to snap a few pictures of Joey, Quinn, and Dell. They made a great little family.

  Just as that thought crossed her mind, Dell turned and looked at her with a wistful expression that said, Exactly. Except you belong in it too.

  They both froze as that feeling swept in again — that suspension of time, that beat of an ominous drum. That sense of some great force outside their control.

  “Come on, Dell,” Joey yelled.

  Dell blinked a little, still focused on Anjali.

  “Dell?” Joey called.

  Dell jerked out of his trace and turned to Joey with a wave. “Just let me get the secret message from the princess.”

  Anjali held her breath as Dell backtracked to her and took her hand.

  “Secret message?” she whispered.

  Dell grinned and leaned in for a kiss. An all too quick one, but it still took her breath away.

  “Come on, Jedi Master,” Joey called, and off they bounded again.

  Anjali did her best to keep up — over hill, over dale, and around a corner, where Joey finally slowed down.

  “Can I get a drink?”

  “Sure,” Dell said, nodding him ahead.

  Anjali stopped in her tracks. “Wow.”

  The creek that cut through the property tumbled off a rocky ledge, forming a tiny waterfall that splashed into a natural pool. The water bubbled quietly before skipping toward the ocean in another downhill stretch. It was a scene like something from the Garden of Eden, with a house that seemed to spring from the landscape.

  “Wow,” she breathed. “This is your house?”

  Dell nodded. “Sure is. It used to be a mill.”

  That explained the wheel rotating slowly in the current, but the mill house was little more than a one-room shack. The main part of the building was an elaborate, two-level addition. The ground floor opened directly onto the creek, giving the living room an indoor/outdoor feel. The second story was set back into the slope and angled to one side, where a huge, sunny terrace looked all the way across the plantation to the sea.

  “Oh my God. Did you build this?” Her eyes roved over the combination of rock, wood, and glass that gave the place an old-fashioned yet thoroughly modern feel.

  “Yep.”

  Joey skipped over a plank set over a narrow portion of the stream and ran inside.

  “It’s incredible,” she murmured.

  “Not exactly babyproof, though.” Dell sighed. “Now you know why I haven’t brought Quinn here yet.”

  Anjali nodded, wondering at the hint of sorrow in his voice. But then it hit her. That house was new and not quite finished, judging by the tools and stacks of wood. Dell had been laboring on his very own bachelor pad, but he’d just had that lifestyle stolen from him. No late-night parties, no lazing around in the hammock strung between two beams. It would be hard enough for a single guy to raise a child on his own, let alone to do so on the edge of a creek.

  “I don’t know. You could set up…um…” She struggled to give him hope, but even she petered out.

  “Exactly.” He sighed then motioned her forward. “Anyway, I haven’t gotten around to building a bridge yet, so it’s just the plank right now.”

  “A pirate plank,” Joey yelled in glee, emerging from the house with a glass of water.

  A very wide and sturdy pirate plank, thank goodness. Anjali followed Dell across, pausing when he did. He’d stopped to kick hastily at the ground, wiping away some trace he didn’t want her to see.

  “Evidence of your last party?” she teased.

  He smiled, but it looked forced. “Uh…just sawdust.”

  Anjali looked at the pattern in the dust, then squinted. Were those some kind of animal tracks? But Dell shuffled through the area and motioned around.

  “So, yeah. Home sweet home. At least, it was going to be.”

  Anjali pursed her lips. “Is there another place you could use?”

  He made a face. “Just one. Up over the hill. A cute little cottage with a white picket fence.”

  She tilted her head. “Not your style, huh?”

  “Not exactly.” His eyes were sad, though he managed a smile as he rearranged Quinn’s hat and tickled her cheek.

  “Can I have a popsicle?” Joey asked.

  Dell laughed. “This early? Your mom would kill me. I do have some bananas, though.” He turned and nodded at Quinn. “Can you take her for a second?”

  Anjali took the baby eagerly and looked around. For the briefest of instants, she lost herself in a fantasy. One of living there and waking up to the babble of the creek. Doing yoga or watching the sunset from that terrace. All of that with a good man, a child, and yes — a really long baby fence.

  Then she shook herself a little and looked around. Who was she kidding?

  Quinn made a babbling sound and reached out in the direction Dell had gone.

  “You like him, huh?” Anjali whispered, snuggling her closer.

  Quinn gurgled earnestly.

  Anjali nodded pensively and whispered, “Yeah. I like him too.”

  Chapter Ten

  “Brody McGuire,” Connor muttered, reading from notes he’d compiled. “A real bastard from everything we’ve been able to gather.”

  Dell scrubbed a hand over his face. Five days had passed since his talk with Anjali at the Lucky Devil. Slow days, because gathering information on Lourdes’s background took time, testing his patience again and again. Beautiful days, because he got to spend most of them with Anjali. Tiring days, because as cute as Quinn was, she was a baby, and holy hell, did babies keep strange hours.

  He’d been running a strange schedule himself, catching naps whenever Quinn did so he could run his night patrols of Koa Point estate and the Koakea Plantation grounds. But those night patrols helped. Shifting into lion form always felt good, and he spent ages digging his claws into the ground and sniffing through the undergrowth. He and Cruz, one of the tiger shifters at Koa Point, had met to spar a few times, doing their best not to release wild roars into the night while they wrestled and pounced. It kept him in fighting shape, and it took the edge off emotions he’d rather avoid.

  So shifting helped, except one part. Every time he shook out his mane, crept back to the plantation house where Anjali and Quinn slept, and shifted back to human form, he felt like a liar.

  Did you sleep well? Anjali would ask.

  Uh…yeah, was his usual shaky reply.

  He’d quickly caught on to Quinn’s sleep schedule and had never missed her wake-up times, but still. What he wouldn’t give to come out and tell Anjali all.

  My brother was a lion shifter. Quinn will be one too. Oh, and I am one as well. I spent last night padding around on four feet, whipping my tail around and baring my fangs. You wouldn’t believe how good that feels.

  But instead, he just smiled, fetched a bottle for Quinn, and pretended to be a mere human.

  He still slept on the porch outside Anjali’s room, ostensibly to help Quinn transition. In truth, the idea of trying to take care of the baby alone at his place scared the crap out of him. Having Anjali around made everything seem possible. Trying to parent Quinn on his own, on the other hand, felt like a disaster waiting to happen.

  He tried. He really tried. But some things just didn’t occur to him. Why would a baby attempt to roll off a changing table? Why would Quinn try to stuff everything she came across into her mouth?

  So, yeah. He was trying, but not always succeeding. It would have been so much easier to charge out and take on some enemy with his bare hands — or claws. But this was a different kind of battle. One he wasn’t sure he could win alone.

  Don’t need to do it alone, his lion kept insistin
g.

  That was the other thing. He’d been burning for Anjali, day and night, and it was getting harder and harder to keep his beast under control. Sometimes, when Anjali laughed or smiled, he was certain she wanted him too. But Anjali had a second side, much as he did. Not as a shifter, but as a corporate slave whose job simply wouldn’t leave her alone. Obviously, she earned a good salary and commanded a lot of respect. She had her independence. So why did she need him?

  Dell closed his eyes. Every moment he spent with Anjali felt like a lifetime. Doing yoga, laughing over Quinn, getting to know each other. The thought of her leaving hurt as badly as the notion of letting Quinn go.

  And as for his friends? Connor, true to his word, had been investigating Lourdes — and increasingly, Brody McGuire. It had been slow going at first, but once Connor had solicited the support of Silas Llewellyn — the influential dragon shifter who owned Koa Point estate — things moved along more quickly.

  “Let me guess. He’s a coyote shifter.” Dell stirred the air with his hand to hurry Connor up. He had about fifteen minutes before Quinn started wailing for her next bottle.

  “Wolf,” Connor growled.

  Chase gave a curt, canine snort that said, Hey. I’m a wolf.

  Of course, no one could accuse Chase of anything but awkward manners. Brody, on the other hand…

  “Record of multiple arrests…” Connor slapped one printout after another onto the table. “Armed robbery. Drunk driving. Assault. And those are only the times he’s been caught.”

  Dell frowned. “How about murder?”

  Connor shook his head. “ At least, not on the books. That, and he hasn’t shown humans his shifter side, so there’s that.”

  Dell grimaced, unimpressed.

  “Classic rogue,” Connor continued.

  If Dell had been in a better mood, he might have laughed. Connor might never have been a rogue, but he’d been a loose cannon in his day. Now, the man was on his way to becoming a respected alpha. Funny how things changed.

  Did that mean Dell could change too? As always, his thoughts drifted back to Anjali. But he’d promised himself to go about this systematically, and that meant assessing any potential danger. Then he could figure out what to do about Quinn, and only then could he decide about Anjali.