by T. S. Ryder
Jamie started to cry from upstairs as soon as they were settled on the couch. Rose closed her eyes, not wanting to soothe the baby when she was in such an emotional state herself. But as she stood, Devon gently took her hand in his and squeezed.
"I'll get her back to sleep. Just relax. I'll be back soon."
He left and Rose curled her feet under her. Tears were leaking from her eyes, and she let them water the front of her shirt as she sat there.
What am I going to do now?
It was all so difficult to process. First, that Devon had attacked Percy, and then why. Threatening Jamie? A baby? Percy deserved being hit–and more!
The thought that Devon might be lying about why he hit Percy came to Rose's mind, but after a moment's consideration, she dismissed it. There was no reason for him to tell her the truth about hitting Percy and then lie about why. Which meant that Percy had threatened the baby.
Was he serious, or he could have just been deliberately trying to provoke the shifter. But why? What did he have to gain by making Devon hit him? He could bring up charges against Devon…
Why is he so obsessed with me?
During their time together, Percy had always made Rose know she wasn't really good enough for him. So why do all of this to make her come back to him? It wasn't like she was rich or anything! Maybe he just missed having someone to do all his cooking and cleaning, a verbal punching bag to take all his abuse.
Rose wiped the moisture from her face. A verbal punching bag. That was what she had been for five years. And even though she had escaped that relationship, she hadn't escaped Percy. But even if he hadn't shown up again, trying to get her to go back to him, she realized that she wouldn't be completely free.
Even before Percy arrived again, his ghost was still hanging around. She was making strides to find her own voice again, yes, but there was a reason she hadn't started dating again. Whenever she met a guy she was attracted to, she looked at him as though he was Percy. Even Devon. Deep down, she expected him to tear out her heart and do a tap dance on it.
It was the kind of pain she didn't ever want to go through again, but what was the alternative? Never loving again? Never trusting another living person? That wasn't going to work. Especially since the whole 'never loving' thing wasn't working out anyway…
Rose wiped the last of her tears away, setting her jaw in determination. It was time to face what was really making her angry. And it wasn't anything that Devon, or even Percy, did. Not this time, at least. This anger was just a mask. She didn't want to face her true feelings, so she got angry with Devon.
I was hoping to pick a fight because it would have given me a reason to run away, she thought, shaking her head. But I'm not going to run away.
Because the truth of the matter was that she had been falling in love with the Panther, slowly but surely. And that was terrifying to her, more than anything else that had happened. Living with Devon felt right; like he and Jamie were her family now, and the fear of losing that sense of belonging left her breathless.
Her realization calmed her, letting her shoulders relax, as Devon came back into the room. He didn't have Jamie with him, so he must have been able to calm her.
Now the only problem was figuring out how to tell him about her feelings. He had made it clear he wasn't looking for something like that in his life. It had been a relief, since she wasn't looking for anything, either, but now… Did she dare confess her feelings, and risk things becoming awkward between them?
Devon sat down on the couch beside her and put an arm around her. "Rose… I wish I knew what I could do to help you. I hate what that man did. What he's still doing. I just don't know how to protect you… and it's terrifying."
Rose gulped in a deep breath. "You want to protect me?"
"Of course I do. I… I care about you. A lot."
As a friend? Or was it a different sort of caring? Rose buried her face into his shoulder. "Devon… Right now all I need is for you to be with me. I love you. I know you weren't looking for a mate, or for a relationship, but--"
He cut her off, shifting her away. A smile lit his face as he kissed her. Just like every time before that their lips met, fireworks exploded in her head. Rose pressed herself closer to him, her eyes fluttering shut.
Devon broke the kiss and rested his forehead against hers. "I've wanted you to say that for I don't know how long. I love you, too. I think… I think you're my mate. But I didn't want to pressure you, I didn't want to scare you off. But I love you, Rose Doctor. I love you."
Rose pressed her fingers to his lips, enjoying the way he nipped at them. Her heart was dancing a timba in her chest. "What now?"
"Good question. I suppose some formal dating first off. I know we've been having dinner and seeing movies and stuff, but some actual fancy, formal stuff seems appropriate." Devon pulled her in against him. "Restaurants, theater… Moonlit strolls through the countryside. Camping."
"That sounds nice." Percy flashed across Rose's mind but she pushed him away. She didn't want to think about him or whatever he might be planning right now. She leaned against Devon, her whole body melting against his. "I missed being held like this."
Devon hummed, kissing the top of her head. His arms tightened. "Me, too. Holding someone, I mean. And you fit so perfectly in my arms. It was never appropriate before, but I want to tell you your body is so beautiful. All these curves are just right."
His hands ran down her body, warming her from the inside. Rose leaned into his touch, moaning. It would be easy to abandon herself to passion right now, but even as Devon's hands kept exploring her, she knew she couldn't let it go too far. As much as she would love to throw caution to the wind, the situation was still too new.
"But we can move slowly," Devon whispered, sensing her hesitation. He moved his hands back to her waist and kissed her neck. "There's no need to jump straight to the third date."
"Oh, you think it's going to be on the third date, do you?" Rose teased lightly. "I don't know… it might not be until the third month."
Devon's eyes widened in surprise. "That long?"
"I want to be sure first."
"Okay." Devon nodded. "As long as you need."
Rose settled against him again, sighing as her eyes fluttered closed. A feeling of warmth filled her, and peace and contentment as well. There was nothing Percy could do that could take this away from her. Nothing.
Somebody knocked on the door.
Chapter Eight – Devon
Devon growled at the insistent knocking that was growing louder. Rose tensed in his arms, and he tried to swallow back his anger. If that was Percy at the door, he didn't know what he'd do… call the police, probably. But the timing couldn't be worse. Not when he and Rose had just admitted their true feelings. His mind had filled with all the hopes he had for the future…
And now the knocking wouldn't stop and was ruining the moment.
Shifting Rose from his grasp, Devon went to the door. When he opened it, he stiffened. It wasn't Percy on the other side, but rather four cops. His gaze traveled over the blue uniforms and his Panther hissed.
What they were here for was immediately apparent. Apparently, Percy had gotten what he wanted in the parking lot after all. A reason to turn the law against him. It couldn't be more obvious that this was about the punch he'd laid into the human. Devon repressed growl.
"Devon McGullicuddy?"
"Yes."
"We'd like to have a few words with you down at the station."
Rose edged closer, twisting her hands. "Are you arresting him?"
The cop that had been speaking to Devon looked at Rose severely. "Should I be?"
"No!"
Devon turned to her. "Rose, you need to stay with Jamie. Or better yet, take her to a mall or library or something. Maybe get a hotel room. I'll do my best to straighten this out. In the meantime—"
"You want Jamie and me to be safe."
The cops scoffed at that. Devon refused to react. Clearly, Percy ha
d been working his verbal Olympics with these guys and had them convinced that he and Rose were playing a game. If he hadn't warned them that his 'assailant' was going to pull the 'they'll pretend she's in danger' card, they'd be asking Rose what she meant by that, and offering her protection. Something none of them seemed interested in doing.
"Can we stay here until she's ready to go?" he asked, trying to sound civil.
"No."
His Panther reared, yowling, but Devon forced it down. Living in human cities, he had to obey human laws. And as much as he would have liked to just take down all these cops, grab Rose and Jamie and run, he knew in the end that would only be putting them in more danger. The best course of action would be to cooperate and explain what happened. There had to be at least one person who heard his story that was going to be sympathetic to their situation, right?
***
The holding cell was cramped. They always seemed so much bigger in TV shows, but Devon felt like he might as well be in a garbage compacter. If the walls closed in anymore, he might not be able to breathe. He'd never considered himself claustrophobic before, but this place was so small he might as well be trapped in a shower stall.
His Panther growled and snarled in his chest, filling him with so much nervous energy that he couldn't sit still. So he was left pacing the two stride from the door to the bed over and over again.
He was the only one in the cells, so he didn't even have anybody to talk to in order to distract himself from what was happening. The cops had made up their minds about him before he'd even opened his mouth. They had arrested him on assault and were keeping him because they thought he posed a serious threat to Percy.
They showed no concern for Rose or Jamie. They hardly listened to his side of the story. Any of them believing him was out of the question now.
They aren't even going to ask Rose for confirmation. What sort of half-assed justice is this? He couldn’t help but think that this would be much different if he wasn't a shifter. But then maybe it would be the same. Percy was a smooth-tongued snake…
Footsteps came down the tiled floor and Devon returned to the door, peering out. He gripped the bars tightly as Rose came into view. The first thing he noticed was that Jamie wasn't with her, and his heart dropped into his stomach. A cop walked in behind her, though he stopped several feet away and grunted.
"You have five minutes," he said.
Rose rushed to the cell door and reached through the bars to cup Devon's face.
"Where is Jamie?"
"I left her with the receptionist at the clinic. She knows not to leave her alone and I gave her a picture of Percy so she knows not to let him near her."
Devon sighed in relief, reaching through the bars to hold Rose the best he could. She trembled violently, her eyes filling with tears. He wished he could rip apart these bars and take her into his arms. And then maybe go find Percy and rip him apart.
"It's going to be okay," he said with more confidence than he felt. "I'm getting a lawyer, and they're going to have to see the truth. I promise you, everything is going to be okay."
"No. It's not." She shook her head, her words choked off.
His Panther mewed, distressed at seeing his mate in distress. But Devon tried his best to smile for her sake, to exude a confidence that he didn't feel. As long as she was in a hotel, she would be safe, wouldn't she? Percy couldn't possibly find her every place she went to.
"Hey, look at me." Devon tilted her chin up. "I promise. It's going to be okay. Things are a little messy right now, but I'll be out before you know it. And then you and I and Jamie will find a new place to live. We can find a shifter pack to join. We shifters always take care of our own. We'll be safe from that madman."
"Devon… Percy phoned me. He told me that he's going to pursue every charge he can, up to attempted murder."
Devon shook his head. That was ridiculous. But just like him.
"He said that he'll only drop the charges if I go back to him."
"No."
Rose inhaled sharply, clearly fighting the urge to sob. "I looked up other precedents to situations like ours, Devon. The shifter is always convicted. Always."
"Not always."
"The courts are hard on shifters. I don't see another way to get you out of here except to do as he says. And Jamie… what if they take her away from me while you're in here and put her in the foster system?"
"That is not going to happen," Devon said firmly. His arms tightened around Rose, the cell bars cutting into his body as he pressed against them. "Listen to me. I might not be super wealthy, but I can afford a good lawyer. I've already talked to a really good one that specializes in shifter cases, and she's on her way here as we speak."
"But if you're convicted—"
Devon cut her off with a quick kiss. "I won't be. Please, please trust me, Rose. I am not going to go to jail, and I am not going to let anything happen to you or Jamie. I don't care what the precedents are, we're going to create our own precedent."
He felt her relaxing, which helped his own coiled muscles ease as well. He wiped a few tears from her face and kissed her the best he could.
"I do trust you," Rose whispered. "I don't trust the justice system, but I trust you. And I love you, Devon. I know if there is anybody who can do this, it's you."
Devon breathed a sigh of relief. He had convinced her. If she hadn't added the last part, he'd be afraid that she would still go and do something that couldn’t be taken back, but he had won her over. Now, even though he wasn't certain that he could beat this charge, at least he knew she would be safe.
"Did you get a hotel room?"
She nodded. "I did. And I rented a new car so he can't follow me. I'm having it driven to the clinic, and I've stashed some clothes there to change into so that if he is watching me I can throw him off the trail."
"Good."
The cop stepped towards them. "Five minutes are up."
Devon glared at him but focused on Rose again. "I love you."
"I love you, too." She kissed him once more before she left, shoulders shaking. She stopped once to turn back and smile at him. When she did, he saw tears cascading down her face again.
Two hours later, the cops came back to Devon and opened the cell door.
He frowned as they told him he was free to leave. "What do you mean? I thought I was a 'risk' to the safety of the human that's been stalking and harassing my mate."
"Percy Jenkins dropped the charges against you. Apparently, he had a nice chat with that woman and they've got it all sorted out. But you'd better get out of here before I find something else to book you with. Violent shifters like you—"
Devon didn't wait to hear the rest of the cop's tirade. He hurriedly gathered his things and ran from the station. He quickly called Rose. No answer. Terror pounded through his heart. What had she done? What had Percy driven her to?
His stomach churned and his head spun. He called again and again as he raced towards the clinic. His car had been impounded. He didn't have his wallet–no money for a taxi or a bus.
"Pick up," he begged.
A ding told him he'd received a text. Panting, he stopped running to look at it. It was from Rose.
This is the way it has to be. I'm sorry. I left Jamie at the clinic. I love you.
"No." Devon dug his hands into his hair, looking around wildly as though there would be something in the busy streets that would tell him which way she had gone, where that beast had taken her.
The hotel room.
If she had used his credit card, then maybe he'd be able to find it. He phoned her again, hoping against hope that she would answer and tell him it was all a mistake, that she was coming home and Percy would leave them alone.
It went straight to voicemail.
Chapter Nine – Rose
What made her the sickest was that Percy had decided that their 'reunion' would take place at the hotel she booked to get away from him. He was even going to charge their meal at the restaurant at
tached to the hotel to their room. Devon was going to have to pay for it all.
She emptied her glass of wine, hand trembling. "Why are you doing this?"
"Doing what?" Percy asked–or more rightly, snarled. "Taking you out to dinner? Accepting you back after the way you treated me?"
"Blackmailing me into coming back to you," she replied, her own voice terse. "Stalking me. You never cared about me before, so why did you all of a sudden decide that you just couldn't live without me? Why go through all this effort to make me be with you?"
"Blackmail. That's such a nasty word. And how dare you say I never cared about you? Would I have followed you across the country if I didn't care?"
Rose stared back at him stonily.
"Fine. If that's how you want to do this. I have cancer. A brain tumor, to be precise. All I want from my last few years on this Earth is to be with you. And I am not going to die by myself."
A shiver ran down Rose's spine. She didn't even want to know what he meant by that. But cancer? It had to be just another one of his lies.
Percy held his hand to her. When she didn't move, he narrowed his eyes. "Rose, you're mine. You promised me you'd always be mine and never have anybody else. If I'm 'forcing' you to do anything, it's forcing you to keep your promise."
"And what about your promises? You've broken plenty of those."
"Just order, I'm hungry."
Rose glanced at the menu. Was she even going to be able to keep anything down? But she knew what was waiting for her once they got back to the hotel room, and that made her feel even sicker. So what on this menu would take the longest to cook?
The server came over to them. "Ready to order?"
"No," Rose said, but Percy nodded.
"We'll have a garden salad and salmon for her, and one of these delicious-looking cheesy-bacon hamburgers for me. Oh, and can you top up our wine?"
Rose clenched her hands as she glared at Percy. She waited for the server to leave before she spoke, her voice a hiss. "Salad and salmon? You know I hate fish."
"Do you?" Percy shrugged. "Well, you'll get used to it. I love you, but you need to lose weight. You must have gained fifty pounds since I last saw you."
