by T. S. Ryder
The Leopard might think that he just backed them into a corner, but he had actually given them an out.
Now they just needed an extra quarter million. Add that to the seven hundred and fifty thousand Killian was getting from his fund, and they would have a million dollars. Just enough to pay the Lion for permission to kill the Leopard.
***
As soon as he was back at the farm, Killian sought out Danita. She was feeding the alpacas, chatting to them animatedly. He strode over to her and slung her over his shoulder. They would find a way to get the rest of the money they needed to kill McGrath, but he had to make sure she was safe and far away from here.
"Hey!" she laughed and squirmed. "I'm working. You can wait until after supper, big guy."
She thought he was taking her to bed. He shook his head. "Ryan!"
"I mean it, I'm working." Danita's tone was still light and playful.
Killian pushed her into the truck and rounded to the other side. He tried to ignore the look of shock on her face that quickly turned to fear. They didn't have time. They had to get out of here and somewhere safe before McGrath decided to just come and take her.
"What's going on?" Danita's voice was high-pitched. "Kelly?"
Ryan joined them seconds later.
"Get Dani to the safe house," Killian said. "I'll be there shortly with some supplies."
Ryan didn't ask why, but Danita snatched the keys out of the truck's ignition and slid from the truck. Backing away from the two Bears, she shook her head. Her eyes were wide, but she had that set-jaw look that meant she wasn't going to back down.
"I'm not going anywhere. There's work to be done, and you're scaring me. What is happening?"
Killian glanced at his partner for help, but Ryan looked just as confused as Danita. Killian's shoulders slumped, and he told Danita everything, from the original agreement the shifters had made with McGrath and this further development. By the time he was done, Danita was swaying on the spot.
"So we have to go," Killian said, stepping towards her.
"No."
The Bear stopped. Hadn't she heard anything he just said? "Danita—"
"No. We need a quarter of a million dollars. That's only two hundred and fifty. I know my math. I have friends. Lots of friends. My foster-sister, Amelia, offered to give me a loan before I applied for my first mortgage. So I will call her up and ask for it now. And then you can kill McGrath and I don't have to sell my farm or my body to satisfy his demands. I'm sick of him and I want him out of my life."
Her hands were clenched, her chin raised in defiance. Her amber-brown eyes stared at him hard, almost challengingly. She wasn't going to back down. Killian felt a rush of love fill his heart. Beside him, Ryan chuckled low in his throat.
"Our mate is the feisty one, isn't she?"
"Yes," Killian agreed. He smiled. Maybe he hadn't been openly admitting it, but he couldn’t deny any longer that Danita was their mate. Their perfect third piece. "But it would still be best to—"
"Run, so McGrath knows that you're going to kill him?"
"Run so he can't get his hands on you."
Danita stepped forward. She clasped his hands in hers and shook his head. "That won't happen. I'll go phone Amelia right away. The sooner we get that money the better. But I can't just leave the farm. Not when I have Maria and my other alpacas to look after."
She brushed her lips against his. Killian's eyes trailed down to her stomach. In his dread of what McGrath might do, he had forgotten about one very important fact. Something that both thrilled and terrified him.
"Danita." He took a deep breath. "There's something else you need to know."
Chapter Seven – Danita
Pregnant. Danita smoothed her sunshine-yellow dress down over her rounded stomach. She had noticed that she was gaining weight, but hadn't thought anything of it, not with the amount of carbs she'd been eating lately. It wasn't like she had any other signs of being pregnant.
The lack of period probably should have been a giveaway, but she had never really paid attention to her cycle before. Besides, she was so busy working, all the days just seemed to melt together.
She smiled at herself in the bathroom mirror. It was only half an hour until Amelia's wedding, and she told the boys she was coming in here to freshen up–really she just wanted to probe her stomach and beam about the news in private. Today was Melly's day, she couldn’t side rail it by announcing her pregnancy, no matter how much she wanted to.
Her phone rang, startling her. Danita sighed as she answered it without bothering to look at the number. Killian and Ryan had become overprotective lately, always making sure they didn't go more than ten minutes without speaking with her. While she understood their worry and thought it was sweet, it was also a little annoying.
"I'll be right out, you don't have to worry."
There was a pause on the other end. "As much as I am happy to hear that, Miss Valdez, we have something else to speak about."
Danita's heart nearly stopped at the sound of the smooth voice. McGrath. She swallowed hard, clinging to the sink rim. "What do you want?"
"I just wanted to inform you that I know your two Bears are planning to kill me."
"They're not."
"I have friends in the Lion's circle. They have an appointment to meet with him. There's only one reason they would do that."
Danita couldn't deny it. She stayed silent, her heart pounding.
"I'll admit that I'm a little disappointed that they thought that they could hide it from me, but here we are. I just wanted you to know so that it didn't take you by surprise when I killed them first."
She didn't know she was falling until she hit the floor. Her satin dress crumpled around her as she sat on the cold tiles, trying to find a way to breathe. "Don't."
"Pardon me?"
"Don't kill them. Please." Danita clutched the phone tightly, her breathing shallow. She could feel each beat of her heart, but it felt… outside somehow. Like it wasn't part of her body. Or she wasn't. "I'll do whatever you want. Just don't kill them."
"Whatever I want?" McGrath's voice was layered with innuendos, but Danita didn't need any hints.
She already knew exactly what he would want from her, and she was prepared to give it to him. From the start, he had been wanting one thing, and everything he had done had driven her closer to that, bit by bit. Perhaps he’d known the boys would want to kill him all along, and this was his revenge. Whatever. It didn't matter, as long as she could protect them.
"Yes. Just tell me where and when to go."
McGrath chuckled a deep, throaty laugh. "I'm glad to hear it. I can't wait… Even if those brutes took your virginity from me. But don't worry. One night with me and you'll forget all about them."
She wanted to vomit or scream, but only remained silent.
"There is still a matter of what you owe me… I know. You spend a weekend with me–this weekend–and give me your little farm, and I will let your Bears live. After that, we can arrange a weekend here and a few days there until your debt is paid off. Agreed?"
Danita choked out a yes.
The call disconnected. Danita let the phone fall to her lap. Her heart continued to pound, but she didn't feel anything anymore. She couldn't think, either, which was a relief. The numbness was welcome. What was going to happen was going to happen, for the sake of her two Bears, but that didn't mean she wanted to dwell on it.
Eventually, somebody knocking on the bathroom door roused her. Danita quickly got to her feet, smoothed her dress and made sure her makeup wasn't smudged. She tucked her cell phone back into her clasp and strode out, smiling as brightly as she could.
***
All throughout the short ceremony, she was very aware of the warmth of Killian and Ryan by her sides. She reveled in it, stroking their arms and hands, beaming towards Amelia and her own mates as they wed. They would never know about this new agreement she made with McGrath.
Later, when they were home, she'd
tell them that McGrath phoned her and offered her a lower price. Something like that. It didn't matter. As long as they weren't out for blood, everything was going to be fine.
Danita violently thrust those thoughts away, knowing that they would lead to a breakdown. Instead, she focused on Amelia. She was so happy up there with Xavier and Timothy. The three of them were clearly perfect for each other. Her beautiful white wedding dress clung to her figure and–was it? Danita squinted. Yep. There was a curve to her stomach. Subtle, but there. Amelia was pregnant.
Such happy news. Such happy, happy news. Danita held her hand against her own stomach. Well, at least that was something she didn't have to be afraid of when…
How she made it through the small dinner afterward, Danita never knew.
All she knew was that she managed to smile and congratulate the happy triad, and she danced with both Ryan and Killian before spinning off with Amelia to giggle and talk about all the happy things they were going through. Amelia assured her that the loan that they had discussed was going to come through by the weekend.
It was only then that Danita felt the weight of it crashing down on her.
Somehow, she managed to keep smiling as she told Amelia that she was so sorry, but she was tired and had to go. Somehow, she managed to keep it together as she got the boys and headed home. She was in full control.
Until she got home and went to her room, claiming she needed extra sleep. It felt cold and empty without her boys. And the worst thing of all was the package on her bed. Inside was a white baby doll negligee. A note was set on the top.
Looking forward to our meeting.
An address followed. Danita closed the box and set it aside. The thought of McGrath inside her house made her feel ill. The thought of anything else… She quickly changed into a pair of old sweats and curled up in bed, trying not to cry, trying to just fall asleep.
She failed in both.
Chapter Eight – Ryan
Ryan stared out the window, watching as the skyscrapers and apartment buildings seemed to close in all around him. Normally he liked being in the city, back in the familiar settings he had grown up in. This time, it just felt claustrophobic. Probably because Danita wasn't with them.
Logically, he knew that she was safe. They didn't just leave her at the farm by herself, after all. Her friend Amelia and her two Wolf Alphas had come to visit. It had been a risk, but Killian had explained to the Wolves that a Leopard shifter was stalking Danita, and they promised to keep her safe.
Even if they were only Wolves, they were still Alphas, and ought to be able to handle McGrath if he tried anything. Ryan was just grateful that the three had agreed to put off their honeymoon for a few days.
Still, it ran against all of Ryan's instincts to leave Danita behind. Killian had a point when he said that the Lion might be even more dangerous towards her than McGrath, though. Risking her was out of the question.
James Grenham had founded the Four Clovers almost two decades ago. Well, him and his four wives. He was a huge man with steely brown eyes and plenty of scars from his younger days. Lions were notoriously violent with each other, even in mated groups like this one.
"Be careful. They might not look it, but the wives are just as dangerous as the Lion himself," Killian warned as he pulled the car into a parking garage.
"Yeah. I know."
Security was already waiting when they got out of the car. Both Bears were frisked, and the two duffle bags that they had the million dollars in was scanned. It was only then that they were escorted to another car, which drove them through the city until they got to a villa-style mansion in the suburbs. Grenham was outside, trimming a hedge as the two Bears were led to him.
The duffle bags were taken inside.
"It's not often that I get two runaways that were taken in by my little family wanting to do away with the one who brought them in." Grenham had his back to them. His gray hair was neatly styled, and his voice had a soothing, gentle quality to it. If not for his bulging muscles clearly defined under his shirt, he would look like a kind old businessman.
Ryan was fairly certain that he and Killian could take the Lion in a fight, but they wouldn't last long if they did. Not with all the security around.
Besides, they weren't here to fight Grenham, but to get his permission to kill the Leopard.
"McGrath is threatening our mate. If there was a feasible alternative, we would take it. But he decided that he wants her, and is stalking her. Leopards never release their prey once it's in their sights." Killian's voice was strong and emotionless. It was a good thing he was here to do the talking. "We tried to buy her freedom, but he keeps making demands we can't possibly hope to fill."
Grenham snapped a twig and turned, smiling pleasantly at them. "And so you came to me to buy forgiveness for killing him?"
Killian hesitated.
"We want to protect our mate," Ryan said.
The Lion's brown eyes flickered towards him, the fine scars on his face looking more like wrinkles than anything else. Ryan didn't let himself be fooled. The man was dangerous. He might be older than he once was, but that didn't mean he was any less deadly.
"Two males for one female." Grenham shook his head. "It's unnatural. And Bears no less. Your kind usually doesn't even take life mates, do they?"
Ryan opened his mouth to angrily protest against that unfair stereotype but Killian elbowed him in the side. "We realize our relationship is unconventional, but—"
"But I'm afraid that if you wanted permission to kill McGrath, you won't be getting it from me." Grenham shook his head, looking amused as both Bears tensed. "McGrath is—"
"A pig."
Ryan turned to find four women standing behind them, eyes narrowed and arms folded. They were all beautiful, all blonde, and had strong bodies. The one on the furthest left stepped around them and glared at Grenham.
"McGrath is a pig. You've turned a blind eye towards him long enough, James. He might not give you permission to kill the Leopard." The woman turned to the two Bears. "But we do. Go kill him. Protect your mate from the likes of McGrath. And we will only ask half of what you brought."
The Lion made a noise of protest in his throat.
The woman gave him a black glare. "The other half is for your freedom. Survive your attack on McGrath, and you will no longer be obligated to serve the Four Clovers. You can live on your little alpaca farm with your little human and never hear from us again."
Ryan's jaw dropped. "How do you—"
"It's our business to know." The Lion growled. "Now get out of here, before I lose my temper."
***
They were halfway home when Danita called Killian and told him that she had decided to go stay with Amelia for the weekend. As much as Ryan wanted to see her, hold her and assure her everything was going to be okay, he knew it was for the best that she wasn't at the farm while they killed McGrath. They couldn't risk hurting her.
"Have you noticed that Dani has been acting off lately?" Killian asked abruptly.
"Isn't that normal, though? There's a Leopard stalking her and we're going to kill him. She's not like us, used to this violence. Of course she's frightened and not acting like herself."
"Ever since the wedding, she's been acting differently." Killian's brow furrowed. "I've caught her crying in the barn a few times, and sometimes she just sits there, staring off into space with this… this destroyed look on her face. And then at night…"
Ryan knew what he was talking about. She was desperate, almost rabid, in their lovemaking. Every night, for hours and hours, until she fairly collapsed with exhaustion. He frowned, a shiver running down his spine. "I've been telling myself that it's pregnancy hormones."
"And so have I. But… Maybe I'm just being silly."
Ryan's brow furrowed as he considered the situation. Could there be something else happening that they weren't aware of? Something that happened at the wedding?
He squinted. "It could be that the wedding triggered
something. Like, maybe she's thinking that we might never get married or something? That McGrath kills us?"
Killian frowned but didn't reply. They continued on in silence, both wrapped up in their own thoughts. Would fears for their safety be enough to drive Danita to be as distracted as she had been for the past few days? If that was the case, couldn't she have just told them about it?
She had told them not to kill McGrath after he called Killian to not only lower her ransom but also gave them an extension. They had told her they weren't going to, just because she was so distraught. They had even gone as far as to tell her that this trip was to ask for the Lion's interference, rather than permission to kill the Leopard.
But now, Ryan shivered as he considered what could have happened to change McGrath's mind.
***
Back at the farm, they started preparing at once. Luring McGrath to a location wouldn't work, he was too smart to fall for something like that. So the only option left to them was to hunt him down and tear him to pieces. He would not be caught unprepared, though. Just their presence might set him off. So they were bringing guns, knives, anything they might need to take him out if they were in a space where shifting was impossible.
"We should bring a couple of bags to look like we're paying him," Killian said as he slid a knife into his boot. "Go look in the bedroom for another duffle bag, will you?"
Ryan grunted. He would prefer to be headed to get McGrath already but did as Killian said and headed to the bedroom.
The instant he entered, he knew something was wrong. The old, ratty slippers that Danita wore everywhere in the house were sitting beside her dresser. She wore them to sleep every night because her feet got cold. Even when she complained that both Killian and him cuddled up to her made her too hot, she kept those damn slippers on.
There was no way she would have left them behind.
"Kelly!"
"What?" Killian sounded vaguely annoyed.
"She left her slippers."
Killian rushed to join him in the bedroom door. "Maybe she was in a rush to pack and forgot them."
