Protector Lion

by Zoe Chant

  Micah – always perceptive, even at this young age – looked at her dubiously. “I finished my homework. It was easy.”

  “You’re a good boy. Did you finish your milk?”

  Micah nodded. “Can I have more?”

  Looking into his big brown eyes, Natalie suddenly recalled the loan shark’s words about how they always found a way to get their money back in the end. Would they threaten to hurt her? Would they threaten to hurt Micah?

  She couldn’t imagine anyone so evil – but then again…

  Suddenly overcome with fear, Natalie rushed down the hall to fling her arms around him. No one will hurt him. No one. I’ll keep him safe no matter what.

  “Mommy?”

  “It’s okay, Micah. Mommy just wants a hug. Okay?”

  “Okay.”

  I’ve got to keep him safe. I’ve got to get out of here.

  But where could she go? What could she do? Hadn’t she just decided she’d stay here and tough it out? Micah needed time to settle at school, and –

  That was then, Natalie told herself. This is now.

  Now, this apartment – this city – was no longer safe. Her budget was stretched paper-thin as it was. There was absolutely no way she could stretch it any further to pay off Ken’s gambling debts.

  And anyway, why should I?

  Suddenly furious, Natalie let Micah go. “Go put your glass in the sink, Micah. I’ll get dinner ready soon. You can watch TV until then.”

  Micah bounced happily off to the kitchen, while Natalie stood by the table, thinking. Anger flared inside her, burning away the fear that had threatened to engulf her just moments before.

  How dare Ken leave her in such a position? And how dare that slimy man threaten her like that!

  For a moment, she tried to get a hold of herself and consider her options. She was pretty sure she knew what the overworked cops who took care of this precinct would say. She’d be wasting her time.

  Ken Walker isn’t the only one who can do a disappearing act.

  The thought popped into her head out of nowhere, but she couldn’t deny it was a tempting one.

  Maybe she could stay with her sister for a while. She could pack her few things up, get on a Greyhound, and be there in three days’ time. Surely that was far enough away that they wouldn’t be able to find her?

  It wasn’t a perfect solution, but it was the only one she had. Grabbing her cell phone from her purse, she dialed her sister’s number – only to have it ring out.

  “Dammit!” she muttered under her breath. Maybe she could try Skyping her. Her sister, a copywriter, spent more time on her computer than Natalie had thought was humanly possible.

  Going back to where her small, cheap laptop rested on the kitchen counter, Natalie prepared to sign in to Skype – only to see her email showing one new message.

  She almost ignored it.

  But then, as if guided by some kind of intuition, she directed the mouse pointer to her inbox, and opened it. And as she read, Natalie’s heart leapt into her throat.

  Dear Ms. Nelson,

  Thank you so much for your application for the position of cleaner at our B&B! We’re replying now to let you know…

  Chapter Two

  Casey

  “Hey Casey – once you’ve finished there, would you mind doing me a favor?”

  Standing and wiping the sweat from his brow, Casey Whittaker stood, glancing toward where his step-mother Faye stood in the doorway.

  Step-mother. It was still kind of weird to think of her that way – not because of anything she did, but just because he’d grown up without any kind of mother at all, and he was still getting used to it.

  Faye was more like a friend, anyway – which Casey supposed made sense, since she and his father, Lincoln, had only gotten married a couple of years ago, when Casey was already an adult. Faye and his father had been childhood sweethearts before they’d been forced to separate – but life, strangely enough, had given them a second chance, and they’d grabbed it with both hands.

  Casey hadn’t seen his father so happy since… well, since ever. Finding his mate so late in life only seemed to make him more determined to shower Faye in love and affection.

  They made a great team, and now ran the B&B Faye had bought and renovated out of an old, falling-down mansion.

  Casey helped them out, dividing his time between here and the family ranch his older brother Joe now ran. He mainly helped out with repairs and some of the more heavy-duty gardening work – or, like now, with stacking up winter linens and storing them away for spring.

  It was already getting warm – the air was heavy with humidity, the kind of day where even light work left you feeling sweaty.

  Casey shut the door of the linen closet, dusting off his hands.

  “Sure, Faye. What do you need doing?”

  “It’s a bit annoying, I’m afraid. I need someone to drive out to the bus station to pick up the candidate I’m trialing for the cleaning job – I’d go, but I’m waiting on a delivery I need to sign for. Of course, it was supposed to be here two hours ago. I suppose I should’ve known.”

  Casey nodded. “No problem. I need to go pick up a few things for the ranch anyway, so I can do that on the way.”

  Faye grinned. “Thanks, Casey. You’re a gem. She texted me to say she’ll be arriving on the twelve fifteen bus. Oh –” Faye slapped her forehead. “I don’t have a photo of her. We’ve chatted on Skype so I know what she looks like. But you’ll have to try to pick her out. Her name’s Natalie Nelson. Long dark hair, late thirties. She’ll have her little boy with her, and a case.”

  “She’s from out of town, then?” Casey asked, his interest growing. It wasn’t often that people moved to sleepy little Cedar Hill, a small community of mainly ranchers and people who’d set up businesses to cater to the tourists who came through on Route 66.

  Faye nodded. “Yeah. She’s looking for a change of pace from the city. She has a ton of experience, though, and when we talked I could see she’d fit in well here. There’ll still be a probationary period, of course, but her references were out of this world.”

  “Sounds good,” Casey agreed. “But it’ll still be weird having someone else working here – it’s always been family.”

  “I know. But I’m just too busy getting ready for the floods of people we’re gonna have as soon as spring hits for real, and I’ll need someone to help with the cleaning.”

  “I suppose it’s a sign of success, though.” Casey grinned. “Remember when we first got started – we didn’t even know if we’d see out the year.”

  Faye let out an exaggerated shudder. “Don’t remind me! Those first few months were a nightmare. Lucky you were there to charm some of those bored housewives on vacation with their boring husbands, or I don’t know what we would have done.”

  Casey laughed a little uneasily as he said goodbye to Faye and walked out to the car. Well, it was true, he supposed. He’d seen some of the reviews on their website about the ‘hot handyman’ who wandered around the place fixing whatever needed fixing, and he wasn’t silly enough not to realize who they were talking about. He wouldn’t exactly have described himself as hot, but he definitely was the only handyman working here.

  Charming the ladies who came out to stay at the B&B wasn’t anything that he’d set out to do, that was for sure – in fact, he’d always considered himself a little shy.

  He’d grown up with an older brother, Joe, who’d taken over as alpha of the pride, and a cousin, Mason, who’d never had any trouble with women and was now the county sheriff. Beside them, Casey had always felt a little like the runt of the litter.

  That had led to a long period of acting out in his youth – and some of the things he’d done made him shudder, now. He’d come close to ruining everything he cared about. He’d betrayed Mason and his mate, Charity, and almost gotten them into the worst trouble possible. When a shifter motorcycle gang had come through town, the gang had talked Casey into helping them to t
ry to put Charity’s diner out of business, and discredit Mason as sheriff.

  He’d been a stupid little boy then. Not that that was an excuse, but he hoped he’d changed. He’d done everything he could to try to make up for it: he’d pulled double shifts at the diner when Charity needed help, and he’d worked harder than ever around the ranch so Mason would have more time off to spend with his mate and their daughter.

  But despite everything, Casey always felt that nothing would ever completely erase the things he’d done. Mason and Charity had told him a thousand times that they had forgiven him, but Casey knew that he had yet to forgive himself.

  Sometimes, he still felt like the same stupid little boy, floundering in the shadows of his older brother and his cousin.

  Starting the truck – a beat-up old thing he mainly used to get around the ranch – he shook his head.

  He’d have to find a way to feel like he’d made amends, somehow. He couldn’t live the rest of his life with guilt hanging over his head like this.

  But the more he thought about it, the more impossible it seemed.

  Can’t mope about it now, though, he told himself as he pulled out of the B&B’s drive and started the trip across town. It was only a five-minute drive to the Greyhound station, but if the cleaner Faye had hired was on foot and with a suitcase and a small child, Casey could see why she’d need to be picked up.

  What was her name again? Nala… no, that’s not it… Nora? No…

  Casey frowned, trying to remember, before it came to him.

  Natalie!

  That was right – Natalie Nelson.

  It would be easy to miss her, Casey mused as he pulled up by the bus station with a couple of minutes to spare. Not that there were too many places to wander off to here in Cedar Hill, but still, it was better to be safe than sorry.

  Opening the glove compartment, Casey grabbed a notepad and a ballpoint pen, quickly writing ‘NATALIE NELSON’ in rough letters across the first page of the pad. Maybe he’d feel like an idiot standing there holding it out, but he hoped it would make him noticeable!

  Getting out of the car, he walked across the road to the station, notepad in hand. With his sharp shifter senses, he could already hear the bus making its way down the highway – it’d be passing the Welcome to friendly Cedar Hill! sign any minute now.

  Whistling a little, Casey held up his makeshift sign, just as the bus rounded the corner into town and came into view. Faye hadn’t mentioned how long Natalie had been traveling to get here – whether she’d be hungry, or whether a shower and a change of clothes would be her first order of business.

  Well, whatever she wanted, Casey could provide – he could either drive her out to Charity’s diner for a fantastic meal, or take her straight back to the B&B to freshen up. He knew how important it was to Faye to make a good impression. She’d spent weeks sifting through applications for this job, calling up references, Skyping candidates, and making sure the person she invited to the trial was the absolute best choice for the job. He didn’t want to mess up all her hard work by putting Natalie off before she’d even started.

  The bus pulled up, idling as a few passengers disembarked, looking around and getting their bearings. Some looked like tourists – maybe they’d even be guests at the B&B – while others Casey recognized as Cedar Hill natives returning from a trip out of town.

  There was no sign of a woman with a case and a small child, however.

  Casey frowned, wondering if Faye could have been mistaken. It wasn’t like her to miss a trick – he had no idea how she carried around so many dates and numbers in her head, but she’d never been wrong about anything that he could recall.

  He waited, tapping his foot a little as the bus revved and then started on its way again out of town.

  And that was when he saw her.

  Wow. Wow.

  Faye had described Natalie as being in her late thirties with long dark hair – but what she hadn’t mentioned in that description was curvy as a goddess and absolutely smoking hot.

  Casey stared at her, still holding the sign reading NATALIE NELSON. The woman was standing about twenty yards away from him, a pensive expression on her face, a suitcase on one side of her and a little boy about seven years old on the other, a large stegosaurus toy clutched in his arms.

  I should go say hi. Welcome her to the town. Tell her I’m here to pick her up, Casey thought – but he stayed where he was, rooted to the spot, feeling slightly dazed.

  Natalie glanced around, obviously unsure, before her eyes fell on the sign he was holding. Casey watched as she hesitated, before taking a quick step backwards, clutching the little boy’s hand in hers, looking at him warily.

  Well, so much for not putting her off, Casey thought, feeling disappointment stab through his chest at her reaction to him.

  On the other hand, you are just kind of standing here staring at her, he reminded himself, and quickly plastered a smile onto his face, hoping she hadn’t been paying enough attention to notice his slack-jawed gawking.

  “Hi, Natalie?” he asked, smiling and walking toward her. “My name’s Casey Whittaker. I’m here from Faye’s B&B – you’re here for the job as a cleaner, right?”

  Natalie blinked at him, her expression still wary. Subtly, she moved her son a little further behind her. “I’m Natalie,” she said, her voice soft. “But I thought Faye would be here to pick me up herself?”

  Casey nodded. “Normally she would, but she’s back at the B&B waiting for a delivery. I’m her…” Casey hesitated. It still seemed weird to call himself Faye’s step-son. “Her son,” he finally settled on.

  “Her son?” Natalie asked. Casey watched as her eyes swept up and down over him.

  “Step-son,” Casey amended, immediately feeling guilty about even such a minor white lie – though he couldn’t exactly figure out why. “I work as the handyman around the B&B, when I’m not working on the family ranch.”

  Natalie looked at him, biting her lip, her sky-blue eyes wide. She was clearly trying to figure out whether or not to trust him – and, hell, Casey thought, he couldn’t exactly blame her. As a shifter – especially a lion shifter – he was a bit bigger than the average guy, and if she’d been expecting Faye, then this must be a bit of a surprise for her.

  But Casey sensed there was a little more to it than that. This wasn’t the usual wariness toward an unexpected stranger. Something had frightened Natalie.

  Immediately, Casey was on the alert. In his chest, his lion’s hackles rose and it narrowed its eyes, searching for the threat.

  Who scared her? Where are they?

  Casey licked his lips, surprised by his lion’s reaction.

  It’s okay, just stay calm, he scolded it, trying to get it back under control. Snarling and growling is only going to frighten her more, okay?

  The lion sulkily receded, its eyes still glowing yellow in the darkness of his chest.

  Casey resisted the urge to shake his head. Why was his lion acting like this? Something was making it agitated and restless – and it wasn’t danger.

  “You can give Faye a call and confirm she sent me,” Casey said to Natalie, realizing he’d been so preoccupied with calming down his lion that he hadn’t said anything for a moment or two. “I don’t mind. I can wait over here if you like.”

  Again, Natalie glanced up at him again, clearly considering what he’d said, and still sizing him up.

  As she hesitated, her son poked his head out from around the side of her leg, looking up at Casey with wide brown eyes.

  Casey had always liked kids – and he’d had a lot of practice with them too, given how many nieces and nephews he had running all over the ranch now.

  “Heya,” he said, raising a hand to wave to the little boy. “What’s your name?”

  “Micah,” the boy replied, blinking at him owlishly. He looked a little tired – which Casey supposed made sense if he’d been stuck on a bus for who knew how long.

  “Did you have a long trip down he
re?” he asked.

  Micah nodded. “Two days.”

  “Wow. And you looked after your mommy all that time? I’m sure she’s glad she had you to help her.”

  Micah paused, before a shy smile began to creep across his face. “I helped her a lot.”

  Casey nodded. “That was good of you. I’m sure she appreciated it.” He winked, and Micah’s smile widened. “Does your friend there have a name?”

  The boy wound his arm a little tighter around his stegosaurus. “Barry.”

  Casey laughed. “That’s a pretty good name for a dinosaur. Looks like he’s been through a lot with you – but I guess that’s what friends are for.”

  That’s probably given her a little time to consider things, Casey thought, raising his eyes to Natalie’s face again.

  To his surprise, her eyes looked damp – as if she was on the verge of tears.

  “Natalie?” he asked, a little uncertainly. “I’m sorry if I’ve frightened or upset you – if you like, I can call Faye, I’m sure she’d come straight here and sort things out –”

  “No, no,” Natalie said quickly. “It’s – I’m sorry. It’s really nothing. I guess I must just be tired. It’s been a long trip.” She shook her head. “Sorry. I’m not trying to be rude, but you know how it is.”

  Casey nodded. “Of course. It’s totally understandable. I’ll just wait over there.”

  I should have asked Sasha to come with me, he thought, the idea coming too late to be of any use. Having his sister-in-law here with her own little boy might have helped Natalie feel more comfortable.

  But now, Natalie was looking up at him, a new certainty in her eyes.

  “No,” she said, reaching down to grab the handle of her case. “No, it’s fine – I believe you.”

  Casey couldn’t account for the happiness that suddenly swept through his chest. Sure, Natalie was a beautiful woman, and she had curves to die for. But he’d been around beautiful women before – sure, none quite as stunning as her, but it just wasn’t like him to lose his head like this.