by Bianca D’Arc
Katrina had been astounded to learn that Dave was staying in the apartment directly below hers, which had been empty for the past couple of months. Apparently, Ren had rented it out for just such a purpose, so his Clanmate could stay close enough to Katrina to be of help should there be a problem.
Dave had taken it one step farther, though. He’d installed a large cardboard box on her fire escape and had told her he’d be sleeping out there, under cover of the box, in jaguar form tonight. The box was just to camouflage his spotted fur from sight, he’d explained, and he told her he’d be more than comfortable sleeping in it in his jaguar form. He had claimed to like sleeping outside, especially high up off the ground. Katrina had just shaken her head and figured she wouldn’t win this battle. If the crazy man wanted to sleep on the fire escape, so be it.
Ren ended the call a few minutes later, and she knew he was calling Dave, as promised, while she started her packing. He called back a half hour later, and they stayed talking for a few hours more until, finally, she fell asleep. Morning couldn’t come soon enough. She needed to be with Ren in person, not just on the phone.
Katrina and Dave flew back to England the following day. Katrina’s parents didn’t really understand the manufactured film-set emergency recall, but they didn’t fuss, for which she was grateful. Reuniting with Ren was everything good in her world.
The small jet came to a stop on the tarmac in the private portion of the airport reserved for charter flights, and Katrina was out of her seat even before the door opened. She saw a car waiting as the stairs unfolded and lowered to the ground, and Ren was standing there, waiting for her.
Throwing caution to the wind, Katrina ran down the steps and into Ren’s arms. He caught her and lifted her off her feet, crushing her close as he twirled her around in joy at their reunion. His lips brushed over her skin, and she felt her world shift into proper alignment again, now that she was where she was supposed to be. In Ren’s arms. Forever.
“Let’s never do that again,” Ren said, his words a growl near her ear. “I didn’t sleep a wink.”
Katrina laughed and pulled back to look at his beloved face. He did have circles under his magnificent eyes, but he was still so handsome he took her breath away.
“I didn’t like it either,” she told him. “I agree. We shouldn’t travel alone.”
“Never again,” he reaffirmed, lifting her into his arms as he walked back toward the waiting SUV limousine. It was big and black, and he lifted her into it, climbing in after her and taking her back into his arms as soon as they were seated. The pain in her heart eased the more they were together.
That Ren had taken the time to come all the way out to the airport to meet her plane meant a lot to her. She watched out the tinted window as Dave and his brother, Bryan, got her bags loaded in the back of the large car. Then, Dave joined Bryan in the front the vehicle, and they set off. Ren kept her in his embrace, seeming unwilling to let her go. She was fine with that and snuggled into him gratefully.
Chapter Twenty-Three
The next few weeks passed in a blur of happiness as she spent every moment with Ren. She went with him to work, helping around the set where she could and watching his performances with an admiring eye. The other jaguars were so incredibly friendly and accepting of her now. They were already like family.
Eventually, though, Ren’s part was over, and there were no more reasons to keep Katrina away from home. She’d have to introduce Ren to her folks and figure out how to mesh their lives together. Ren chartered another flight from the jaguar fleet, and this time, they sat together in the rear of the plane, enjoying just being together. How different this flight was from the last, Katrina reflected. Just being with Ren made everything better.
When they arrived in New York, there was a car waiting for them at the charter terminal. The fellow driving the vehicle was handsome in the brawny sort of way that Katrina had recently come to associate with wolf shifters. He was polite and professional, escorting them into the black vehicle with blacked-out windows then putting their luggage in the trunk. Ren looked over the vehicle with appraising eyes while the driver closed the trunk then got behind the wheel. As soon as the door closed, Ren spoke.
“Good to see you again, Cassius. Thanks for doing this.”
“Anytime, my friend. The Midtown Pack stands by its allies. My brother wanted me to pass along greetings to you and your Alpha,” the driver added, looking at them in the rearview mirror while he pulled out into traffic with competent motions.
“I’ll be sure to tell Mark,” Ren promised. “And I definitely owe you one. I’m going to have to clear a few things with your brother. Seems I’ll be spending more time in the Big Apple.” Ren put his arm around Katrina’s shoulders and smiled.
“Really?” The driver’s attention focused on Katrina in the rearview mirror with alert interest.
Ren grinned like the proverbial cat with the canary. “I haven’t introduced you to Katrina yet, have I? She’s my mate.”
“Seriously? Hot damn. Congratulations to you both,” Cassius said with genuine warmth. “So, you’re from New York, Miss Katrina?” Cassius asked politely.
“Born and raised. My folks own a restaurant on the Upper East Side. Have you heard of Valiando’s?” Katrina asked.
The driver smiled. “Love their linguini with clam sauce,” he told her. “I like to take dates there because it’s quiet enough that they can hear me without having to shout and yet busy enough that I can blend in when I’m out with a human. The food is top notch. Now that you mention it, I remember you. Didn’t you work the front of house? Seating people and overseeing the dining room?”
Katrina smiled. “I do. Or did, I guess. I’m not sure I can go back to that after working with Ren.”
“Not to mention, finding your mate,” the werewolf agreed, still smiling as he exited the airport and joined the traffic on the parkway traffic streaming toward Manhattan. “Your life will change, but I suspect it’s going to be wonderful beyond your wildest dreams. We all search for our mates. It’s the blessed ones who find their life’s mate early. You must’ve done something really good in a past existence, Ren, my boy.” The werewolf chuckled, and Katrina warmed to his playful tone. “So, you were in the movie, too?” Cassius asked Katrina as they sped along in the never-ending New York traffic.
The drive passed with Katrina talking more than she’d expected. Ren checked his phone messages a few times, but he was at ease, so Katrina didn’t worry. She suspected Ren and she were building a relationship here that might be useful in the future, since this werewolf obviously had a high spot in the hierarchy of werewolves in the city.
Katrina was beginning to understand that the shifters did things according to a pecking order, and Ren was pretty highly placed within his own people, but she didn’t know how that would translate to other species of shifters. She suspected he’d still be highly ranked due to his power and position in the human world, but the shifters seemed to have other measurements, as well. Like the dominance thing Ren had talked about.
Katrina knew she had a lot to learn about shifters, but she was enjoying the education. This werewolf was both friendly and charming in his own way. A typical talkative New Yorker, who put her at ease so that she almost forgot that she was about to introduce her fiancé to her family for the first time.
Cassius pulled up in front of the restaurant some time later, and Katrina was almost surprised the ride had gone so quickly. It wasn’t quite opening time yet, but it was close. As far as she was concerned, it was the perfect time to arrive. They would have a short window to be grilled by her folks before the restaurant got busy. She had planned it that way.
“Cassius, if you’ve got nothing else on, you should come in and get some dinner,” Ren invited the werewolf, surprising Katrina. “My treat. According to my mate, they’ll be serving shortly, so there won’t be much wait.”
“I can get you a really good table,” Katrina added, grinning. Reservations wouldn�
��t start arriving for another hour, so Cassius could have just about any seat in the house.
Cassius smiled back at them. “Now, that’s an offer I cannot refuse,” he quipped. “I’ll just park the car and join you in a few minutes.”
“Perfect,” Ren said, nodding.
Then, it was time to get out of the car and head into the restaurant. Ren urged her to go ahead while he dealt with the baggage, which gave her a few minutes to hug her parents and say hello before he joined them.
There was an air of excitement inside the familiar confines of her family’s restaurant. The waitstaff were holding back, bustling more than usual, if Katrina was any judge, as her folks greeted her with big hugs and a zillion questions. Then, Ren walked in behind her, filling the entry with his presence. And carrying all their luggage.
He set it down and came forward for the introductions she’d been both looking forward to and dreading. How would her parents react? They’d had many famous people in the restaurant over the years, from politicians to high-powered executives, but to her knowledge, they’d never met a movie star of Ren’s international stature. Would that count in his favor or against him? She wasn’t sure.
It was her mother who broke the ice, offering her hand as Katrina introduced them, and then, somehow, Ren was hugging her mother. Whether it was his impulse or her mother’s, Katrina wasn’t sure, but they hugged like long lost family members, and Ren’s open warmth with her mother touched Katrina deeply.
Then, it was her father’s turn to meet the new man in Katrina’s life. Her father was more reserved, shaking hands with Ren formally and giving him the eye—sizing him up, as if unsure whether to like him or not.
“I’m so pleased to meet you both. Kat has told me a lot about you and this place.” Ren gestured around to the décor. “It’s even nicer than she described. Homey,” Ren enthused. “I really like the atmosphere you’ve created here.”
That was all Katrina’s mother needed to hear. She took Ren by the arm, as if they were old friends, and gave him the nickel tour of the place while her father held back, standing next to Katrina.
“How serious is this thing, Katrina?” her father asked in a quiet voice. Katrina gulped. Her dad wasn’t one to beat around the bush.
“Very,” she replied, feeling her nerves stretch taut. “I want to marry him, Daddy.”
Her father sighed heavily and put his arm around her shoulders, drawing her into his side. “Are you sure about him, cara mia?”
“He’s not a frivolous man, Dad. He doesn’t take his stardom too seriously, and he doesn’t play around. Once you get to know him, I know you’re going to love him. And he knows he needs to win you over. He wants to be part of our family and make me part of his,” she said quietly, feeling the truth in her words as she spoke them.
“Have you met any of his family?” He released her shoulders and turned to meet her gaze.
“As a matter of fact, I have. When we spent the weekend on Jaguar Island, I got to meet a number of his relatives, and they were all amazingly kind to me. He has a house there, and that’s where he plans to retire eventually. The house is amazing, and the people were so nice to me. So welcoming. He’s never brought another woman there, Dad. Only me,” she finished in a more serious tone.
Katrina hoped her father understood the significance of her words. It looked like he just might, judging by the speculative look on his face as he shifted his gaze to Ren, who was walking around, meeting the waitstaff with Katrina’s mother.
“All right. I’ll give the man the benefit of the doubt, but if he hurts you, he’ll have to contend with me. I may not be in his league celebrity-wise, but I know a few tricks that could hurt his reputation, and I wouldn’t be afraid to use them if it comes to that,” her father surprised her by saying.
Still, it was a better outcome than she’d feared. Ren would win her dad over. Of that, she had little doubt. Already, her mother and most of the waitstaff were putty in Ren’s hands.
The door opened, and Katrina turned to find Cassius entering the restaurant. She made the introductions and then slipped easily into her old role, seating Cassius at one of the quiet tables near the back. It was the table her family used when they wanted to eat or just sit for a bit during a lull. She signaled to one of the waitresses, who came right over.
Ren, finished with his tour, joined Katrina and Cassius at the large table and sat. Katrina realized that both men were probably more than ready for a big meal, being shifters and all.
“You two stay right here. I’m going to put in a special order for you both,” she told them. “I’ll be right back.” She left them and went into the kitchen to say hello to the chefs and other staff members, quickly organizing an impromptu feast for the men at the table.
The restaurant wouldn’t really be open for another half hour at least, but the chefs were happy enough to get cooking, especially for such a famous guest. The meal turned into a celebration as the waitstaff took turns serving their table and Katrina’s parents joined them. Her mother heartily approved of men with good appetites, and by the time the meal was winding down, she was plain out doting on Ren and Cassius, both.
“I’ve seen you here before,” her mother had said at one point to Cassius, who nodded and swallowed before answering.
“Yes, ma’am. I’ve been here a few times, and the food keeps drawing me back. It’s truly fantastic, and though it’s busy here, the way you’ve designed the seating area, it’s still intimate enough to speak easily to your fellow diners. I think you’ll be seeing more of me now that I’ve tasted this scaloppini. I didn’t think anything could top the clam sauce, but I was wrong. This is truly outstanding,” he complimented the food before taking another bite while Katrina’s mother beamed.
Ren, likewise, had won over Katrina’s mother without much effort at all. Her father was watching them, though. Like a hawk.
Finally, near the end of the meal, Ren captured everyone’s attention. His words weren’t surprising to Katrina, though she still doubted things would unfold as he thought.
“You know,” Ren said, a tone of speculation in his rich voice, “your daughter is about to be launched into the stratosphere as soon as this movie comes out. Her life—and yours, to some extent—is never going to be the same.”
“You really believe that?” Katrina’s father asked. He’d been quieter than usual throughout the meal, watching and assessing.
“I do, indeed,” Ren confirmed. “Her performance was amazing. Everyone on the set thought so. And the director is… Well…she’s something special. Her version of the classic tale of Robin Hood is going to make a big splash.”
“Your presence in the picture doesn’t hurt either,” Cassius put in, grinning at Ren, who bowed his head slightly in modest acknowledgment.
“Be that as it may, Katrina here is going to hit the ground running. She will have her choice of film projects just as soon as word gets around about her abilities.”
The trickle of diners that had started not long after Ren’s food had been served was picking up, and the restaurant got busier from there. Katrina saw the way some were eyeing Ren and realized it was probably time to leave, unless he wanted to get stopped a bunch of times for selfies and autographs. She yawned—which wasn’t feigned after the long day of travel—and made her excuses.
Cassius was kind enough to give them a lift to Katrina’s building. Ren and she had already decided they were going to stay at her apartment tonight and figure out the rest later. One thing was certain. Neither of them wanted to be parted again, even just for one night.
“Do you like living here?” Ren asked as they snuggled together on Katrina’s couch, watching the weather report. It was too early to go to bed, but neither of them wanted to do much else.
“I’ve been in this building ever since I moved out of my parents’ house,” she replied. “Mrs. Rigallo, who manages the building, is a friend of the family. I think she reports back to my mother on a regular basis.” Katrina chuc
kled at the thought then realized the implications. “Uh oh. She’s going to tell Mom that you stayed over. Oh, well. Dad already knows I intend to marry you.”
“He does?” Ren sounded intrigued. “I thought you wanted to break the news to them a bit more slowly.”
“That was the plan, but things just sort of happened, and it came out. Dad has some nefarious plans to ruin your reputation if you break my heart.” She chuckled. Ren stroked her hair, and she felt warm all over.
“That’s good, but he’ll never have cause to do anything. You aren’t getting rid of me anytime soon. Or, actually, anytime at all.” He leaned in and kissed her temple, then rested his chin on her shoulder from behind. They had ended up spooning on the big couch that faced the television.
Just being in his arms eased the ache that had formed in her heart when they’d been apart, and all was right with her world again. They moved into the bedroom not much later, where Ren made love to her slowly, drawing out the pleasure for them both. The more they were together, the better things got.
She had learned his likes and dislikes, as he had learned hers. If Katrina was being honest, though, there was pretty much nothing Ren did that she didn’t like. She’d never been with a more attentive, open, inventive and thrilling lover. His looks drew the eye, but it was his heart that made her love him with all of hers.
*
Months later, when the movie premiered to wild acclaim, Ren was proven correct. The film was a smash hit, which launched both Katrina and Sonia to the top of the A List in Hollywood. Offers came flooding in for so many projects that Katrina couldn’t keep up. Mel Lazarus earned his agency fees going through them all and presenting the ones that met Ren and Katrina’s very strict criteria.
At the top of their list of requirements was that the projects be something they could do together. Just that one episode of being parted had cured them both of the idea of ever separating again. At least not for the foreseeable future. Maybe, in a few decades, they could bear being in different places, but for now, they wanted to always end their days in each other’s arms. Together. As it should be.