The second the door closed, she told me, “You can’t tell people I’m yours.”
I shook my head. “Surprised the fuck out of me, too. The cat’s claimed you. I had no idea, and I’m not sure what we do about that, but there it is. Nathan will understand. I’m his and you’re mine, which makes you his, in a roundabout way. He sent his very best.”
She stared at me a good thirty seconds, and I’m not sure she breathed. “I can’t be yours.”
“Okay. The humans don’t always agree with the animals. I get it. My cat’s claimed you, nothing I can do about that. I’ll try to keep the human side of me from getting stupid with it, but while your life’s in danger—” I squeezed my hands into fists. “You have to tell me stuff like this. I need to be your first phone call.”
“I don’t want to fuck whatever this is up by mixing business and pleasure. Mad Dog is my point of contact with the MC. That isn’t going to change.”
Status quo. She’d called the president of the MC because that’s who she’d always called when she needed help from us. I opened my fists and closed them again, but not as tightly. “Okay. We’ll figure it out.” I wanted to stay here with her, but she’d appreciate it more if I stuck to schedules. My brothers here would protect her. It was safe for me to leave her with them. “I gotta get back to Blaze. You know to do what Khan says. Did we give you a burner yet?”
She shook her head. “My phone’s in a signal blocking bag, and someone else is on the way with a burner. They tell me that calls from my phone will forward to it, but it can’t give my exact location away. No WiFi or GPS is in the hardware, so it’s physically impossible to...” Her voice trailed off when she realized she was explaining something to me I already knew.
“Okay. It’ll still tell where you are in a three-mile circle, and looking here will seem logical, so don’t use even the burner unless you absolutely have to. Khan will give you a sheet with our safety protocols. Ranger will likely add to the ones Khan gives you.” I looked at my phone for the time, but I was really figuring out how to say what I needed to ask. I met her gaze and tried to look casual. “I’ll return here when Blaze closes. Make sure you get a king-sized bed.”
Okay, so I didn’t ask.
“Won’t having you return here instead of going home tip the bad guys off?”
“I’ll be on my bike. No one will follow me.”
Chapter Fourteen
Tess
Why was my inner mongoose so pleased his cat had claimed me?
Fuck. This was a complication I didn’t need.
We were about to open the door and walk out when he turned me, pressed me against the wall, and his lips crashed into mine. My hands pushed him away, but my tongue battled his, and my mouth opened and let him in. Let him own me a few seconds. My pulse thundered in my ears and my chest and neck grew warm. I knew they’d be flushed when he stepped away, but there wasn’t anything I could do about it.
I expected him to go all alpha-male and call me his again, but instead, he softened the kiss, ended it slowly, and pulled me into his arms. “We’ll figure this out. Just don’t get dead, so we have time to figure it out.”
I blew out a breath, and when I pushed him away this time, he backed off — though he still held my hand.
“Sounds like a plan. I should let Khan show me to my room. I keep spare clothes at my office, which let us come straight here without having to stop by my house. I assume this Ranger will be able to get me home tomorrow so I can pack what I’ll need.”
“Either that or he’ll send Mac to pick up what you tell him to get.”
He opened the door and walked me out, still holding my hand.
“I have a dog. He has an automatic feeder and water bowl. He’ll be fine a few days, but I’d rather have him with me.”
“What kind of dog?”
“German Shepherd and wolf. His mom was a quarter grey wolf and the rest GSD, and his dad was a full-blooded red wolf. He’s four years old and I’ve had him since he was a pup.”
“And if your primary bodyguards are both wolves, how will he react?”
“He’s been around shifters all his life. He’ll be fine. I assume my guards will have enough control to be fine with him, as well.” She stopped and turned to look at me. “He’s in the house when I’m home. He has inside manners. He goes outside to relieve himself. When I’m not home, he’s in the yard, which is completely fenced in. His doghouse has air conditioning in the summer and a heated floor in the winter. It’s on a hill with large windows on all sides so he can still see the yard — it was the only way to get him to use it.”
I smiled. “I like him already. Where did he stay during the riots? You were with the MC, right?”
“I fought. He protected the ol’ladies who remained underground, and they totally spoiled him. They filled a kiddie pool with dirt and put sod on it — and a bush on one side. It stayed in a storage area, and he let them know when he needed to use it. He got some time outside, but when the orders were to stay inside, he understood what to do when they led him to it. He’s damned smart.” She sighed. “He tried to save them. He still has a small spot on his back leg where the hair won’t grow back. He was burned, too. He and Velvet are close. They came through it together.”
He kissed my forehead. “Of course you fought. Why would I think anything different? If he’s close to Velvet, I’m sure Mad Dog has a plan for him, but he probably wants to wait until Ranger’s here to work out the details. I can’t wait to meet him. What’s his name?”
“Scout.”
Bobcat opened the door and Khan was waiting for me, as promised.
“I expect she’ll be in a king-sized bed when I return tonight. Is she going in the basement of the green house?”
Khan nodded, and Bobcat let go of my hand, his gaze serious. Concerned. “You’ll be safe so long as you follow protocol. I’ll see you in around six hours.”
Bobcat
Longest six hours of my life. Okay, so maybe that’s an exaggeration, but still — the night dragged on. I stopped by my apartment on the way back to the club and packed enough to last a week. It easily fit in a small duffel, which I strapped to the back of my bike. I took it into the office, and then back out when we closed. Thankfully, the evening wasn’t drama filled, because there’s a chance I’d have taken my belt to anyone who threw a wrench into the general ebb and flow.
I took a few detours when I left the club, and was certain no one was following me before my direction would give anyone an idea of where I was headed.
About a mile from the spa, I smelled the ’copter. Well, not the actual machine, since it was long gone, but the aftereffects of the landing. Leaves and branches had been blown and had rubbed against each other. There was more — not so much a disturbance in the force as a turmoil amongst the trees. A disturbance in the local environment, I suppose.
I parked in front of the house where I usually sleep when I stay here, and walked to the green house. No one told me to, it just seemed logical. Ranger let me in the front door, and I smelled Mac, which meant he’d already arrived, though I hadn’t seen what vehicle he’d driven.
“I’m glad Nathan sent the two of you. How is Bethany?”
“She’s good.”
“Any word yet on whether you’ll be adding a kitty or a puppy to your family?”
He grinned. “She smells a little like a cat, so we’re assuming the kid’s gonna have some really red hair, since both parents are likely gingers.”
“It’ll balance the energy out,” Mac said. I’d heard him coming up the steps, and I noted he stayed at the top of them. No one was getting past him to his charge. I approved.
“Right. Two cats and two wolves. Anything I need to know about Tess?”
“Nathan said she’s yours?” Ranger asked.
“My cat’s claimed her. She isn’t entirely pleased, but she isn’t running. It’s new. We’re figuring it out.”
“If you have some time, can you look over the floorplans
of her office and the courthouse we’re working from? Just to make sure there’s nothing new since they were drawn.”
At my nod, Ranger flipped the keyboard around on his laptop, turning it into a fifteen-inch tablet. I looked over her office first and noted a few furniture changes, but the walls hadn’t changed.
The courthouse, however, had added some features to the lobby since their drawings were created. Upstairs, around the courts, I thought was the same, but I couldn’t be sure since I’d only gone into one courtroom up there, and hadn’t paid much attention to the others.
“Her alarm is set for seven since she has to be in court by nine. We’ll do breakfast here.”
I nodded and made my way to her room. They didn’t need to tell me which they’d put her in, I could scent my way to her.
She turned towards me when I stepped into the room, but didn’t wake. The scent of her inner mongoose filled the room — she’d surfaced to check on things, and had decided it was safe to let the human sleep. She’d accepted me. I’d have to make sure I did something nice for the mongoose. Snakes were apparently a delicacy for them. I needed to find out how best to prepare snake.
Instead of a bare shoulder peeking out over a sheet, I saw blue fabric. She’d worn a shirt to bed. I hadn’t expected that, but I was good with it. We weren’t going to have sex tonight. I was just sleeping with her. Keeping her safe.
I stripped down to nothing and climbed into bed behind her. She stirred enough to spoon backwards into me, but didn’t seem to fully rouse.
Good.
I held her, let my pulse synchronize with hers, and fell asleep with her in my arms.
Chapter Fifteen
Tess
I awoke in the arms of a cat. The mongoose respected him and had no problems with him calling her his. The little bitch hadn’t awakened me when he’d come to bed, either. Traitor.
We’d long ago decided to be free spirits. Footloose, fancy free, and unencumbered. Well, as much as possible within the confines of my career. Why was she so happy about a damned cat claiming us?
Mad Dog had told me he’d get Scout and take him home with him. My boy would be thrilled to spend time with Velvet. He’d be fine there until we worked out the best place for me to stay. I wanted to go home, but only if my guards said they could keep me safe there. I’d given Mac the key and alarm code for my house, and he was going to take a trip during the night to collect some things for me, and to decide whether I could go home or should stay elsewhere.
Bobcat’s hand stroked over my arm and rested on my hip. My pulse sped, but I ignored it. “You should go back to sleep,” I told him. “You’ve only had a few hours.”
“I’ll get up and eat breakfast with you. The guys said you have to be in court at nine?”
“Yeah. I’ll probably be tied up all day. If I get out early, I can cut loose for the day, assuming nothing else comes up. Try not to get arrested and be the something else.”
He chuckled. “I’ll do my best. Any chance I can meet you for lunch? I’ll be at Blaze by the time you finish for the day, so dinner won’t work.”
“I don’t know. Tomorrow might work better for lunch. I try not to make plans on court day, and with new guards shadowing me, I have no idea how the day will go.”
“Fair enough.” His lips brushed my neck. “Go, before I change my mind about ravishing you.”
I rolled away from him, but I silently lamented the fact I had to be an adult. I’d have liked nothing better than to stay in bed and let him ravish me. I was safe here.
But I had a job to do. My client was counting on me, and I wasn’t in the habit of letting people down once I’d made them a promise.
Bobcat
She didn’t want to get up. I could smell her reluctance and — dare I say disappointment? I understood, though. Her client needed her to be in court at nine, so she’d be there. I waited until she was in the bathroom before I stood and put jeans and a t-shirt on. I’d shower later, after I woke for the day.
Ranger was cooking, and Mac sat at the table with a huge monitor in front of him, watching all sides of the house as well as a few areas outside the fence of our forested compound. He’d accurately found the likely weakest spots, and it once again reminded me these guys are professionals.
“We have cams on those areas. You should probably compare notes with our control people so ya’ll aren’t doubling up.”
“I’m good with doubling up on some things,” Ranger said from the stove. “Mac worries a sniper will be able to get her if she stays home. She has a marvelous view from her kitchen, living areas, and bedroom. The windows are shielded, but anyone with a FLIR scope could still see enough to target her inside her house from a half-mile or farther away.”
“Right, and we’re sniper proof here. But, if they have a pro, there’ll be plenty of other opportunities to get to her.”
“We can keep them to a minimum by dropping her off and picking her up at the door to the courthouse. Her office...” Mac shook his head. “She’s going to have to find another place to meet clients. Beautiful facilities, but it’s a corner office with two walls of windows, and there are more than a hundred viable locations for a shooter to have plenty of time to set up, wait for the shot, take it, and then safely exit.”
“We’ll talk to her to see if she has a preference,” Ranger said as he stirred a huge pan of frying potatoes. “If not, there’s a hotel around the corner with a conference room we can secure.”
I smelled sausage and bacon and assumed he’d put them in the oven. It looked like he was all set to make gravy once the bacon was cooked, and I saw four cartons of eggs sitting off to the side. I grabbed a large bowl and started breaking eggs into it.
“Blaze is short staffed. I’ll be hard pressed to get away at night, but if you need me, I’ll figure it out.”
“We know,” said Ranger. “McGyver’s here as well, helping with the control room. We’ve already touched base with him. Bethany may come down with Iris in a few days, even though we’ve told her we may not be able to break away to see her.”
“Are ya’ll here for the long haul, or just to set things up while you decide who can best protect her?”
“Based on the bastard who won’t think twice about hiring the most expensive hit man available? We’re probably here for the duration. Whoever they send after her is going to be top-level pro.”
“You make it sound like it’s a given. Not if they send someone, but when.”
“Pretty sure that’s the case,” said Mac. “Her plan is a good one, but once the guy they want goes into hiding, the attorney’s one of the first people you lean on to try to find him.”
“She doesn’t know where he is.”
“She has a way to reach him. All attorneys have to be able to reach their clients. Whether it’s a phone number or a third party doesn’t matter. She has a point of contact, and that’s what they need.”
I stopped breaking eggs a few seconds and let that sink in.
“But, that means they need to talk to her. Not kill her.”
“It means they’ll want to abduct her and talk to her. Easier to keep her from being taken than from being shot or poisoned or killed in a freak accident, but if they find out she has the data...” He blew out a breath. “These people don’t fuck around.”
“Okay. A prospect’s been assigned to stick to my side. We’re traveling in pairs while Tess is staying here. He works in the kitchen at Blaze, but we have the day free. If you need us to help keep Tess safe during her lunch, we can show up to help.”
Mac looked up from the monitors a second and focused back on them again. “That works. Ordering out comes with risks, but with only two of us, we didn’t want one of us to have to leave for food. If you can bring food to us, that’ll be good.”
We all clearly heard Tess in the other room, muttering under her breath. “Bastard managed to weasel into lunch today anyway.”
I rolled my eyes and kept my voice even. “I can bring the food
and leave if you don’t want me there. Just trying to keep you safe.”
She stepped into the doorway, her makeup done while she brushed her hair. “I’ll be happy to eat with you if my client eats with her people. However, if we turn it into a working lunch, you’ll be a distraction.”
“I’m not here to complicate your life. If you need to do a working lunch, I’ll drop the food off, make sure your security doesn’t need me for something else, and if not, I’ll go.”
She left without saying anything, and I broke the last egg, gathered all the shells, threw them away, washed my hands, and began the task of beating four dozen eggs.
Ranger removed the sausage and bacon from the oven, poured the grease into a pan, some flour in with it, and started the gravy.
“Mac doesn’t cook,” Ranger told me. “He cleans. He’s very good at cleaning.”
“Today, I’ll clean, so ya’ll can focus on Tess.”
Breakfast was mostly Ranger and Mac reinforcing operation protocol, and walking Tess through what they knew of her day. She commented that her usual bodyguard hadn’t been able to carry a weapon into the courthouse, and was surprised they thought they’d be able to, and they changed the subject. Rumor had it, they were both ex-CIA, which would explain the ability to still be able to carry in a government building. That, and the fact they worked for a government contractor. Didn’t matter they weren’t doing government business at the moment, their clearance status stayed the same.
I gave Tess a kiss to remember me by and watched them leave in their bulletproof black SUV. It looked like a Ford Explorer, but only because that’s the most common SUV on the road. My money was on it being something else, with an Explorer body. They’d want precision handling and a kickass engine in a car they’d gone to the expense of bulletproofing.
Bobcat (Rolling Thunder MC Birmingham Book 2) Page 10