“At least once every two months,” I answered primly. I pointed to the food on his plate. “Eat something, or they’ll think you’re not having fun.”
My father chuckled as he leaned back in his chair. He was enjoying Godric’s discomfort immensely. We were in Port, definitely not New City. This was saving my father’s reputation with his army. He chewed a baby potato and swallowed it before stating, “The food is excellent here. Relax and enjoy it.”
Godric grumbled under his breath but started cutting into his steak. “You should probably lean over and kiss me. They need to know we’re a couple, and I’m not just here schmoozing with your father and his daughter.”
My lips twitched.
He wanted to save face with his own subordinates too.
I leaned on my chair in his direction, and he looked up, completely attuned to my body. His head dipped, and he pressed his lips to mine for a chaste but loving kiss. I leaned back on my chair and cleared my throat.
My father muttered, “I may have lost my appetite.”
“Don’t look disgusted or you’ll ruin this,” I mumbled, with a smile on my face. I took a drink of wine from my glass, asking behind it, “Did they take a picture of that?”
My father snorted and scanned his plate for his next bite. “Yes. My guess is it will be everywhere within the next five minutes.”
“My plan will work. I promise. Have a little faith.”
“Speaking of work,” my father probed. “When do you start the CA officially?”
“In a week. I’m actually excited. Major Wilcox wants me on the investigation team until I take the intelligence unit’s exam. There have apparently been a few women who have gone missing, and they want additional help. The major wanted me sooner, but the forms for enrollment in the CA take a while to get approval through their system.”
My father’s brows furrowed. “Can’t Mr. King ask them to put a rush on it?”
Godric muttered, “Poppy is being very difficult—”
I poked his side. Hard. “You will not interfere with my job. No matter what.”
Godric shrugged, his attention on my father. “See? Difficult.”
“Promise me, Godric,” I demanded.
I pouted. He had better not interfere.
My chin even trembled and my chest constricted.
I wanted to do this on my own. I needed it.
Godric instantly set his utensils down and cupped my cheeks. His thumb ran over my lower lip, his forehead crinkled in dismay. “I won’t. I promise, pet.”
I heaved a sigh of relief, my eyes lighting with joy. “Thank you.”
“You’re welcome.” Godric leaned down and kissed my lips softly, and then he lowered his hands from my face and picked up his utensils again.
My father instantly started laughing.
Both of our heads snapped in his direction.
He shook his head and pointed his fork. “You, Mr. King, are screwed. My daughter already has you wrapped around her little finger.”
Godric lips trembled. “Her little fingers are cute.”
I cleared my throat pointedly to shut them down. “Father, what happened with Brandon? Was he behind the photo, as I suspected?”
“He was.” Father ate another potato.
“What did you do with him?”
My father grinned, calm and happy. “I buried him.”
CHAPTER THIRTY-NINE
“Shift for me.” I bounced on the balls of my feet near the shoreline. We were back in New City at our home. My plan had worked as I’d hoped—all was good with my father and Godric now. And I was ready to see a lion. I wiggled my ball cap, adjusting the bill. “Come on. Show me.”
Godric’s brows rose. “Right here?”
“You’re a lion. Is anyone around?”
He cocked his head, listened, and inhaled deeply. His head tipped back into the late afternoon sun, closing his eyes, beautiful in all ways. The man was in his element, wild and fierce as he used his inhuman senses.
“So?” I asked with excitement.
Godric opened his golden eyes and stared into the very heart of me. His lips curved as he scanned my face with entertaining delight. “No one’s around.”
I punched a fist into the air. “Let me see, big man.”
“Fine. But don’t be frightened. It’s still me.”
He kicked off his tennis shoes and removed his t-shirt at the same time. My little claw marks on his shoulders were still there, scabbed over, healing normally. His shorts were taken off last, and he wore no underwear.
He was glorious naked in front of me, the water lapping gently near our feet.
An explosion of white sparkles erupted.
I skittered backward.
That was much more than Cassander’s had been.
I blinked. A lion sat before me.
“Oh my,” I whispered in awe. “You’re big.”
The lion pushed up to all four paws.
And proceeded to strut in a circle, his tail flicking.
I snickered. “You are so damn vain.”
His tail twitched.
I wasn’t frightened at all. I trusted my man.
I moved forward, placed my hands on his tawny fur, and stroked down his massive mane. “It’s coarse but still soft. Like your normal hair.”
Large golden eyes closed as I scratched my fingers down into his fur, rubbing all over him. He huffed an odd purr, it starting and stopping in spurts. It was completely adorable.
The lion ducked and moved far back.
Then he started a low creep, almost on his belly, the muscles working under his fur. He hunted me, his eyes watching my every move, while he came closer.
I started backing up, grinning from ear to ear.
I turned…and tripped.
But I shoved myself up quickly enough and raced down the shoreline. I laughed and glanced over my shoulder, watching as the lion galloped at a slow pace behind me.
Then he raced past me and turned.
He started his slow creep again, low to the ground.
I pivoted and raced back the way I’d come.
The lion galloped around me in circles.
Again and again.
I held up my hand, breathless. “You’re making me dizzy.” I pointed to the sand. “Let’s take a break.”
The lion instantly rolled to his side.
The sand was cool beneath my touch as I sat down in front of him, and then I leaned back to rest my head on his shoulder. The water rippled, and the sky was a brilliant shade of purple on the horizon.
Content with my life, I whispered, “The sunset is beautiful.”
His tail flicked twice, whacking onto the sand. We watched the sunset, as we were, peaceful in ourselves together. The warmth of his body was enough to keep me toasty warm against the chill.
* * *
Dinner was surprisingly nice with his father. I couldn’t understand now why everyone acted like it was such a hindrance. His father had been quiet, but everyone else had talked and enjoyed themselves.
And damn, his father could cook.
Godric took off his dinner jacket and dropped in on the back of his father’s couch, getting comfortable for drinks afterward. He untucked his shirt and unbuttoned the top button, and as an afterthought, he removed his weapon from the back of his pants and stuffed it in his jacket.
He kissed my cheek. “What would you like to drink?”
“Just a beer.” My stomach was so full I didn’t want anything hard on it.
The muscles under his shirt flexed as he walked with Finn to the long sidebar on the far side of the room. The rest of the gang already had their drinks and were now sitting down.
Curiosity overtook me.
I picked up the weird ‘weapon’ he always carried by the barrel, swinging it up and catching it. I repeated the action. I asked loudly, “Godric, why do you carry this useless thing around with you? A blade makes more sense.”
I tossed it up and caught it again.
The occupants of the room froze.
Godric’s hands shot up in the air. “Stop!”
Finn slid in front of Godric, blocking my view of him.
My brows furrowed at the protective action. I lifted the ‘weapon’ by the barrel and waved it in front of me. I sputtered, “Whatever this is, it’s broken. There’s no blade in the little barrel.” I flipped it around and held it by the handle, pointing the barrel around the room so each person could see there was nothing inside it.
Rune choked on his drink. “Oh, my fuck. Someone take that away from her before she shoots one of us.” He paused. “Or kills God if the bullet goes through Finn.”
“What?” I asked, my forehead crinkling.
Theron walked toward me with his hands up in peace, his tone gentle and his eyes patient. “Let me have that, Poppy. Then we’ll explain.”
I jerked my hand in his direction. “Here.”
Theron tensed, but he walked forward and carefully took the ‘weapon’ from my hand. He jerked his head in the direction of the bar. His voice was sharp and ticked. “Godric, get your ass over here and explain what this is.”
Godric stepped from behind Finn.
He shook his head at me and strolled forward.
Theron handed him the ‘weapon’ and then smacked him upside his head. “She could have killed you.”
His father marched away to his seat, glaring the whole way. He sat down with a huff and took a heavy swig of his liquor. He muttered, “Fucking kids.”
I stared wide-eyed. “Godric, what the hell is that?”
My man sighed heavily and turned away from me. He lifted the weapon, clicked a little piece on it, and stuck his finger in the small loop. “Cover your ears, pet.”
I did. The rest of the room did too, with scowls.
He squeezed his finger.
I jumped and screamed in fucking terror as the worst sound jarred my hearing and a bottle of clear liquid on the sidebar exploded. I shouted in horror, “What the hell is that?”
Godric clicked the little piece on the side and placed the definite weapon into the back of his pants again. His gaze was patient on mine. “I’m sure you read about these in your history books. It’s called a gun.”
I slapped my hand over my mouth. “Holy shit.”
He nodded and cupped my right cheek with his hand. “They are very dangerous and can kill easily. So until I’ve trained you to use it, don’t touch it again. Do you understand?”
I nodded and dropped my hand from my mouth. “Those have been banned and illegal since the end of the war. They were confiscated from every remaining household and destroyed. How do you have one?”
His lips twitched. “Who do you think passed the law to ban them?”
My jaw dropped. “You?”
“Yes.”
“And you kept some?”
“Of course.”
I blinked. “I want one.”
He chuckled. “Maybe once you learn how to handle it.”
My eyes sparkled with delight.
He held up a finger. “I said maybe. Not yes.” His brows rose. “After all, you nearly killed me a second ago.”
I peered down my nose at him. “Not my fault. I didn’t know what it was.”
Godric stepped closer, running his palm over my waist to my back and pulling my body closer. His voice was an intimate, quiet purr of foreplay. “I’ll show you a few new things tonight. Don’t worry, pet. You’ll be well-informed.”
“Promise?” A small smile lifted my lips.
“Oh, yes. I promise.”
My body hummed with warmth, all for him.
He inhaled deeply, his golden eyes flaring. He grinned, and whispered, “You like me.”
“Shut it.” I slapped his arm.
He winked. “I like you, too.”
We were in love. We both knew it.
I’d fallen for a lion man.
He’d fallen for his enemy’s daughter.
We couldn’t be happier…
Unless we were in bed all day.
Cassander muttered, “Fucking hell, get a room, you two. You’re stinking up the place with your lovey-dovey shit.”
Godric muttered, “Screw you, Cass.”
“Kids, no fighting,” Theron ordered. He sipped at his drink watching over the group. “Everyone needs to save that fight for when it’s actually necessary. One day, we will take down the monster who is fucking with mates.”
THE END
New York Times bestselling author and award-winner, Scarlett Dawn, is the author of the Forever Evermore new adult fantasy series, the Origin paranormal dystopian stories, the Mark new adult science fiction saga, and the Lion Security contemporary series.
Website http://www.scarlettdawn.net
Newsletter http://eepurl.com/4X1rv
Table of Contents
Chapter One
Chapter Two
Chapter Three
Chapter Four
Chapter Five
Chapter Six
Chapter Seven
Chapter Eight
Chapter Nine
Chapter Ten
Chapter Eleven
Chapter Twelve
Chapter Thirteen
Chapter Fourteen
Chapter Fifteen
Chapter Sixteen
Chapter Seventeen
Chapter Eighteen
Chapter Nineteen
Chapter Twenty
Chapter Twenty-One
Chapter Twenty-Two
Chapter Twenty-Three
Chapter Twenty-Four
Chapter Twenty-Five
Chapter Twenty-Six
Chapter Twenty-Seven
Chapter Twenty-Eight
Chapter Twenty-Nine
Chapter Thirty
Chapter Thirty-One
Chapter Thirty-Two
Chapter Thirty-Three
Chapter Thirty-Four
Chapter Thirty-Five
Chapter Thirty-Six
Chapter Thirty-Seven
Chapter Thirty-Eight
Chapter Thirty-Nine
THE END
Trigger (Origin Book 1) Page 17
