by T. Cobbin
“I… Well…” Leo blew out a breath and rolled his eyes.
Gracie appeared suddenly and stood in front of Leo as if she were protecting him. “Don’t shout at him,” she said, admonishing Danielle. “I asked him last night to take me out for a run. I needed to let Ju-Ju—”
“It’s okay, sweetheart,” Leo interrupted Gracie. He lowered himself down on one knee and turned the little girl around to face him. “You go get breakfast. Danielle and I are okay, honest. She’s just worried for you.”
“But it wasn’t your fault, Pops. I asked—”
“Go,” Leo ordered, standing up. “I’ll sort things. Now scoot.”
Gracie sighed and lowered her head before turning and heading toward the kitchen, mumbling, “I only wanted to let Ju-Ju out.”
“Ju-Ju?” Danielle asked Leo.
He ran his hands over his face, suddenly looking years older. “It’s what she calls her inner beast.” He sighed. “This wasn’t how I wanted to tell you this.”
Danielle had no option but to follow Leo when he tugged on her hand and pulled her toward the sitting room. The children had moved into the dining area where Ollie was now excitedly talking to Gracie as she ate her breakfast.
When he stopped, and stood in front of the fire, she pulled her hand from his and crossed her arms protectively over her chest. With the growing fear she suddenly felt, she looked toward Ollie, wondering if she had time to pick the boy up and get the suitcase of money before things got too bad to run.
“I’m not going to hurt you, Danielle. Please believe me. The scent of your fear clogs my senses.” He spun around and dropped to his butt on the corner of the black marble hearth, his hands covering his face, his shoulders slumped.
She couldn’t help but frown at his defeated look, and her fear and anger slightly diminished. What the hell was going on? She had some weird need to comfort Leo, to tell him everything was okay. But instead, she turned her head to keep Ollie in her peripheral vision, all the time ready to run if needed.
“I listened when you told me about your past. Before you run, will you at least hear me out?” His hands dropped from his face, and he raised his eyes to stare up at her. As his green eyes pleaded with her, the yellow rim around his irises seemed to be more prominent and sparkling.
Danielle nodded. What he said was true. He’d listened to her and been compassionate. He hadn’t run or blamed her in anyway. “Okay. But if I don’t like what you say, I get to leave, right?” she asked warily.
She really hoped Leo wasn’t going to turn out like Master. She actually liked Leo. The kiss they had shared had curled her toes and given her hope that they could have something.
“You won’t need to.” His small smile didn’t reach his eyes. “The house belongs to you now. This whole island does in fact.”
Surprise had Danielle stepping back, her hand clutched to her heart. “What?” Her whispered word was barely audible.
“The island is yours,” he said, enunciating each word clearly.
She took a step forward and sat on the edge of the sofa’s arm. “Why would you say that?”
Leo snorted and shrugged. “Because it’s true. I told my lawyer to draw up the papers, and he was there waiting for me to sign them when I went back to the mainland. Now, will you please take a seat on the couch and hear me out? I won’t move, I promise.”
Danielle frowned. Why would this man, who hardly knew her, leave his island to her when all she did was basically keep his house clean? Moving unsurely, she stood and shuffled to sit in the center of the sofa. Although she felt fear, and her heart thrummed in her chest, something deep inside her told her Leo would never hurt her. Listening to her instincts, she waited.
“No matter what happens after I tell you my story, you will always have a home here and be safe. If you don’t want to be around me, I’ll leave the island with Gracie and never come back. But, no matter what you decide, you will always have my protection. This island will always be a safe place for you. No one will ever know you were once Violet. But please, I beg of you, know the truth when I tell you this.”
Danielle could hear the heartfelt plea and truth in his voice.
“If I leave, groceries and supplies will still be sent to the island on a regular basis. You won’t have to leave the island for anything. And if needed, I will supply a tutor and anything Ollie needs too. Don’t ask me not to do this, as it’s the one thing I cannot do. I can’t not protect you, Danielle. Please don’t ask me not to.” He paused a moment, then asked, “Is that okay?”
Danielle was confused and shocked to her very core. She couldn’t answer him, she just sat staring into his green eyes as he vowed to protect her always, no matter what her decision was. Glancing toward the children, who were talking quietly and had no idea what was going on, Danielle nodded and hoped with all her heart whatever Leo’s story was, it didn’t involve him hurting her or anyone else.
* * * *
When Leo saw the infinitesimal nod come from Danielle, he exhaled a long breath he didn’t realize he’d been holding. He would have missed her small nod of agreement if he hadn’t been staring so closely at her.
“Good,” Leo said, glad she had accepted.
The smell of Danielle’s fear was only minimal to what she used to emit around him. She sat on the edge of the sofa, looking ready to run, her gaze dancing between him and the children. He had a feeling that if she thought Grace was in danger from him, she’d not only scoop up her son but his foster daughter too. Instead of fear in his heart at the thought, he found it quite comforting.
He also saw something else in her troubled eyes. A glimmer of hope?
With a push from his beast, he prepared himself to confide in his mate, as she’d done to him. This wasn’t how he’d planned to tell her, but come to think of it, he hadn’t really had a plan at all.
“Remember you asked about my band?”
Danielle nodded.
“Well, a group of gorillas is called a band.” He swallowed. “When my father retired, I become the alpha to a group of gorillas shifters.” Leo watched Danielle carefully, but seeing only disbelief so far, he continued. “It’s only Gracie and Prue now as I wanted to downsize and get away from the city.”
Seeing puzzlement creep into Danielle’s features, Leo instantly knew he wasn’t explaining himself very well. He ran a hand over his face again, his morning whiskers rough against his palm.
“We’re shifters, Danielle,” Gracie said straightforwardly, appearing in front of him. Leo had been so intent on Danielle, he hadn’t seen the little girl walk toward them with Ollie not far behind her.
“Gracie,” Leo warned in his low, alpha voice.
“Pops.” She turned around, her pale blue eyes and body language challenging him.
“Grace. I’m supposed to be telling Danielle this.” He went to stand, but seeing Ollie behind Gracie, his face a picture of puzzlement and wonder, he stopped, not wanting to scare the lad.
Danielle pulled Ollie toward her, wrapping her arms around her son as if to protect him.
“Pops, you so know you’re screwing this up. You taught me that if I had something to say, to say it.” His eight-year-old foster child spun around to face Danielle, and with her hands on her hips, stated simply, “Pops and I can turn into gorillas. Mine is called Ju-Ju. Wanna see?” she asked innocently.
“You can turn into a gorilla?” Ollie asked, his voice matching the wonder on his face, while he pushed against his mother’s arms, trying to get to his friend. “Like transformies on the telly?” He twisted around in his mother’s grasp and looked up at her. “Mummy, can people really do that?”
Danielle’s gaze flickered from Leo to Gracie and then to her son. Her pale features and wide eyes matched the scent of fear and disbelief coming from her. “I don’t think so, sweetheart. Things like transformers only happen on the telly in cartoons.”
“Are you calling me a liar?” Gracie burst out, her small hands fisted on her hips. With her
back to Leo, he could only imagine the look of anger he knew to be on her face.
“Come here, Gracie,” Leo ordered, tugging on the back of the girl’s onesie. This situation was slowly getting out of hand.
“No, Pops,” she shouted back at him and stepped forward out of his reach. “I’m not a liar.” And with those angry words she started to shift into her infant gorilla.
Chapter 7
As Gracie shifted into her gorilla, Leo stood and went to stand behind her. Not because she was a danger to Ollie and Danielle, but because he wanted to let them know they were safe.
Gasps sounded from both Danielle and Ollie, although Ollie’s was more of wonder than fear. Mere moments later, a small, child-like gorilla stood in front of them, her pajamas pulled tightly across her hairy body.
Leo held up his hands. “She won’t hurt you,” he assured them. “This is Ju-Ju, and although Gracie calls her gorilla that, the little girl you know is still inside her mind and won’t let Ju-Ju hurt you. They are one.”
“Mummy, can I do that?” Ollie asked with glee on his face.
Danielle had yet to speak. Her face had no color in it, and Leo was afraid she’d passed out at any minute.
Finally, Danielle shook her head and spoke. “No, baby, you can’t, and if I hadn’t seen Gracie do it, I wouldn’t have thought anyone else could either.” Danielle’s gaze drifted from Ju-Ju to Leo. “You can do that too?”
“Yes. Only mine is a huge silverback.”
“Can I see?” Ollie asked excitedly.
“No!” Both Leo and Danielle said together.
“My gorilla is too big for the house,” Leo explained to Ollie. “If he were to sit in a chair, or the settee, no matter how big they are, he’d probably break it.”
“Wow,” Ollie said in awe. “Can Gracie understand me?”
“Yes, she can, and her beast can too.”
“Can we play?”
“Umm, we better ask your mum if that’s okay, mate,” Leo said, raising his gaze from Ollie to Danielle. Leo was glad to see a slight tinge of color in his mate’s cheeks. He’d been so worried she’d faint he’d been ready to catch her.
“Perhaps Gracie would like to play with you instead of Ju-Ju for now?” Danielle directed the question toward a still-shifted Gracie.
Leo thought that would be better too, only because he wasn’t sure if Gracie could stop Ju-Ju from biting Ollie. Leo went on instant alert when Ju-Ju stepped toward the boy. Thankfully, the small gorilla did nothing but run the back of her knuckles down Ollie’s face.
“You are the coolness,” Ollie exclaimed excitedly.
“Shift back now, Grace, please,” Leo said to his foster daughter.
“Oh, Mum!” Ollie cried out as Gracie shifted back to her human half.
As soon as Gracie stood in her human form before them all, she turned her head to look up at him with eyes that screamed for reassurance.
“Don’t worry, sweetheart, I’m not angry. I was screwing things up anyway. I…We...” He sniggered. “...could have told Danielle and Ollie in a better way, but it’s out now.”
“You always said actions speak louder than words, Pops.”
Leo nodded, astounded yet again at how much he’d missed Gracie growing up. She was a bright little thing. He swore no matter what happened today, he would find a way to be a better father figure to her, because she both needed and deserved it.
“Why don’t you go play?” he suggested while playfully pinching her nose.
“Pops?” Gracie stood on tiptoes, trying to reach Leo’s ear, and she whispered, rather loudly, “I don’t want them to leave because of Ju-Ju, because of us. I like Ollie and his mum.” Her pale blue eyes filled with tears.
Leo’s heart hurt thinking of how much this little girl had lost in her short lifespan. He lowered to one knee and pulled her small frame against his huge one. Tucking her head under his chin, he held onto her for a few moments before pulling back. He wiped the tears that had fallen down her pink cheeks with the bottom of his t-shirt and then pinched her nose again.
“Go play. Let us adults talk, okay?”
Gracie nodded and turned to face Ollie and Danielle. Ollie gave her a crooked smile and held out his hand. Together, the children headed upstairs to the playroom.
“As yourself, and not Ju-Ju,” Leo called out to her.
“Yes, Pops.”
Leo stared at the children for a bit then moved to sit back on the hearth of the fireplace, waiting to see what Danielle would say. He allowed himself to hope that Danielle letting her son play with Gracie, and not already running for the door, was a positive sign.
“Wow,” Danielle said. “I can honestly say your secret life is way more shocking, and more dangerous if people saw you, than mine.”
Leo was up off the fireplace hearth and kneeling in front of his mate in a second. “But not as painful for me, sweetheart.”
Leo lifted her clasped fingers to his mouth and kissed them, thinking of what she’d been through. As far as he was concerned, it would have been far more dangerous if this Master were to have found her. If he or another shifter had been seen in their beast form, it could be easily dismissed. Of course, he knew that wasn’t what she meant. She was referring to the danger if anyone ever saw them shift. However, they were always very careful, so thankfully that had never occurred. And if it ever did…well, who would believe it? Even if a shift was caught on video, people would merely think the recording had been edited. Which was a good thing. Leo was sure that if humans had any idea paranormal beings existed, or just how many there were, that there would be all-out war.
“Plus, you aren’t in any danger from Gracie or I. While I’m around no one will ever hurt you.” Leo stared Danielle in the eyes, hoping she could see the truth in his.
A crease appeared in the middle of his mate’s forehead as she frowned. “Is that why you gave me the house? In case I saw you in your, umm…animal form? As a bribe?”
“Shit, no!” he swore. “I have a few more things to explain to you about us shifters, and perhaps then it will make sense.” He grimaced. “I didn’t give you the island because of me...us.” He motioned toward Grace with his head.
It’s make-it-or-break-it time.
With a deep swallow, he continued. “My kind have what we call mates. Soul mates. Our animal sides know instantly who that person is. When I came to the island, it was just for a few weeks holiday. But when I met you, that changed. You are my soul mate, Danielle. You are the one I’ve dreamed about over these last few months. Adored from a distance. But seeing and smelling your fear, I knew something bad had happened and I would have to show you I was a good man. Someone you could trust.” He blew out a breath. “Now, taking things slow and easy with a stubborn, silverback gorilla inside of you pushing you constantly to mate has been hard.” He grinned. “But doable.”
“You smell fear?” she asked, shocked.
Leo snorted and chuckled. “Yes, but not just fear, every emotion has a scent.” He leaned in closer to her ear, and taking a chance, he whispered, “Your arousal smells like honey.” He pulled back, pleased to see a deep blush coloring her cheeks.
“I, umm, I’m not sure what to say.” She paused, her gaze dropping to their clasped hands. “I have so many questions.”
“Well, how about I tell you a little about us, and then you can ask your questions and get me to fill in any of the missing bits and pieces.”
Danielle nodded.
Getting up from his kneeling position, Leo moved to sit beside his mate on the sofa, his hands still clasping hers firmly. He began telling her about himself, about being alpha and downsizing his band. Then he went on to say that even in their human sides, they had enhanced senses like hearing, smelling, etcetera.
* * * *
“Mummy, I’m hungry,” Ollie whined, climbing onto his mother’s knee.
“Yeah, Pops, me too,” Gracie grumbled, climbing onto Leo’s lap.
Danielle glanced up at the living ro
om clock and was surprised to see it was two in the afternoon. “Oh, Ollie, baby, I’m so sorry. Mummy was so caught up talking she didn’t realize the time.”
Peeking at Leo, he seemed just as surprised as she was. She couldn’t believe they had talked for so long.
“Come on, you two, let’s go get food.” Danielle lowered her son to the floor and stood beside him. “How about some cheesy beans on toast?”
She held out a hand to each child, and they both grabbed hold. Together, with Leo following, they walked to the kitchen. Danielle’s mind swam as she and Leo fixed them something to eat. They worked together as a pair. He buttered the toast while she did the beans with cheese.
While they all ate, Danielle was quietly going over everything she’d learned in her mind. Shifters! She’d seen newspaper clippings before…Master. About strange, wild cats or beasts roaming the wildlands of Britain. She’d seen a picture of a lion in a street, of yetis in America, and the supposed Nessy in Scotland. Were those things shifters or people’s imaginations? She supposed she’d never know. But she definitely knew for sure that two gorilla shifters were sitting at the table with her and Ollie.
Seeing Gracie’s body suddenly grow hairier and broader, Danielle had been stunned. Her small, pink face had darkened, her pale blue eyes changed to huge chocolate and yellow globes, and her tiny nose grew three sizes bigger. But Danielle couldn’t help but find Ju-Ju cute when she smiled with her pursed lips, making her little, wrinkled face light up with delight. Danielle had been jolted from her shock when Ollie proclaimed what Gracie had just done as ‘cool’ and struggled to be released from her arms. Danielle hadn’t even remembered putting them around him.
Danielle peered over toward Leo and Gracie eating their meal. Gracie and Ollie were chatting away, her son doing most of the talking with his mouth half-full of food. To look at them, no one would ever know what they could do. Leo had said his secret was very much like hers. If either one was found out, trouble would ensue. Her stomach suddenly rolled. Thinking about Master and her past made her feel dirty again. Putting down her knife and fork, she pushed her plate away.