Under the Panther's Protection [Black Panthers 3]

by Leah Brooke

  Brock smiled faintly. “He does, but he wouldn’t thank me for telling you. He didn’t want you to worry.”

  Swallowing heavily, she looked out the window before turning her attention back to him. “Is it dangerous?”

  Brock shrugged. “They all are. That’s why we get paid as well as we do.” Turning his head, he gave her an encouraging smile. “We’re all careful, and we’re very good at what we do.”

  “I sure as hell hope so.”

  She hadn’t been able to stop thinking about the danger he could be in and called him as soon as they landed.

  He answered on the second ring. “Are you okay?”

  “Yes. We just landed.” She followed the signs toward the car rental office. “Brock gave me an envelope full of money and wouldn’t take it back. Why the hell would you have him give me five thousand dollars? He also told me that you had a job. That’s why you didn’t come with me. Why the hell didn’t you tell me? I should have known you weren’t coming with me for a reason. Damn, you make me stupid.”

  “Thank you, my mate. That’s probably the nicest thing you’ve ever said to me.”

  “Damn it, Joshua! Answer me.”

  “Fiona, I—”

  “Wait! Can you talk? You’re not in the middle of something, are you?”

  “We’re loading the SUVs.”

  “Oh. Then talk.”

  “Number one, Brock gave you the money because I told him to. I’m not having you run around with just a few dollars in your pocket.”

  “What the hell am I going to spend five thousand dollars on?”

  “I don’t know. Gas. Food. You need to eat more. Buy yourself some of the shower gel you like. You’re not going around with no money in your pocket.”

  Shaking her head, Fiona paused several feet away from the car rental counter and began pacing. “Are you always going to be such a pain in the ass?”

  Even through the phone, Joshua’s low chuckle sent a shiver of delight through her. “I haven’t even thoroughly explored that yet, my mate.”

  Fiona’s face burned, and even though she knew the woman watching her from behind the counter couldn’t hear her conversation, she turned away. “Stop that. When do you have to leave?”

  “In a few hours. Why?”

  Fiona hesitated, dropping into a seat. “No reason. How long do you plan to be gone?”

  “A few days. It depends. I want you to call me tonight.”

  “How do I know you won’t be in the middle of something? What if you’re hiding and I call and get you killed?”

  “You sound like you care. It’s a start I guess.”

  “Shut up. You know I care about you.”

  “Do I?”

  “You can be so frustrating.”

  “Imagine that. It must be hard to deal with a frustrating lover.”

  “You’re also a smartass.”

  “I’ve been called worse, baby. I want you to call me. Say, eight every night and whenever else you want to.”

  “Why eight at night?”

  “Because you and your mother should be home by then. If another time’s better, let me know.”

  “No. Eight’s fine, but why the same time every day?” She hated the jealousy but couldn’t deny it. “Do you plan to go out at night?”

  Joshua chuckled. “Would that bother you?”

  “No. Do what you want.”

  “You can pick whatever time you want, but if you’ve had a hard day, or you’re pregnant with my child, you might fall asleep earlier. I want to hear from you the same time, so I know if something’s wrong. If I can’t answer, I’ll see that you called, and I’ll call you back.”

  “Okay. Uh, Joshua?”

  “Yes, my mate?”

  “Please be careful.”

  “I will. I’ve suddenly got a lot more to live for.”

  Shaking her head, Fiona sighed. “Joshua, I don’t know if I’m pregnant.”

  “I meant you. Call me at eight.”

  Fiona stared at the clock for about the twentieth time in the last five minutes, deciding that she couldn’t wait any longer.

  It wasn’t even seven thirty, but her nerves had stretched to the breaking point, and she just wouldn’t relax until she heard Joshua’s voice.

  After checking to make sure her mother was still on the phone, Fiona pulled her cell from her pocket and gestured to her mother that she would be going out back to make a call.

  Getting a distracted wave from her mother, Fiona went out to the back patio, and despite the warm, humid air, she still felt chilled.

  After calling the number he’d programmed into her phone, she paced back and forth, too restless to sit.

  By the third ring, she’d begun chewing on her thumbnail.

  He answered on the fourth ring. “Baby? What’s wrong?”

  Fiona blew out a breath, relief weakening her knees. “Nothing’s wrong. I couldn’t wait.”

  He chuckled, his voice lowering. “Can I assume that you miss me?”

  She smiled at his teasing tone and dropped into a padded chair. “Not at all. I was bored and thought I’d check to see if you’d gotten yourself hurt.”

  “No, I’m not hurt. I told you. I’m good at what I do.”

  “Yeah, but things happen.”

  Joshua sighed, his voice lowering even more. “Fiona, I don’t want you to worry every time I go away. I’m damned good at what I do, and so are the others. We watch each other’s backs, and we’re prepared for every eventuality.”

  Fiona leaned back, curling into the chair. “Don’t try to convince me there’s no danger.”

  Joshua paused, giving Fiona the impression that he weighed his words carefully. “We’re better equipped to handle danger than others.”

  “Oh? In what way?”

  “We just are, my mate. Fiona?”

  “Yes?”

  “I need you to trust me.”

  “I do trust you, Joshua, but no one’s invincible.”

  “How’s your father?”

  Allowing him to change the subject, Fiona rose again. “Impatient to get back home. He went to the rehab today, and he’s determined to do whatever it takes to get out as soon as possible.”

  “Good. I want you back home.”

  “Home?” Struck by the realization that she no longer had a home, Fiona dropped into the chair again. “Yeah.”

  “Your home is with me, Fiona. Besides, I already ordered a coffee maker. I’ve got to go. The others are waiting. I’ll talk to you tomorrow.”

  “Okay. Joshua?”

  “Yes, my mate.”

  “Please be careful.”

  “Always. Goodnight, baby.”

  Fiona’s mood worsened throughout the day, and by the time she drove her mother home, she had a killer headache and was exhausted.

  Her father had been a bear, complaining all day that he wanted to come home and making her mother feel guilty about not taking him.

  Her mother had wanted to stop and eat at one of her favorite diners, and although glad that she didn’t have to face cooking dinner, Fiona couldn’t wait to get home.

  She and her mother had both spoken to Glenna early in the afternoon, but other than telling her that Joshua, Dane Spencer, who she remembered as a quiet, watchful man, and Joe’s younger brother, Vincent, had all gone out together, she knew nothing.

  Fiona spent a restless night, waking several times to reach for Joshua, and in addition to being tired, she was mad at herself for allowing Joshua to become so important to her so quickly.

  Mad at him for making her worry.

  Worried about what she would do if she found out she carried his child.

  By the time they got back to her parents’ house, Fiona had worked herself into a mood and was looking for someone to take it out on.

  As soon as they went inside, her mother set her purse aside. “Your father exhausted me today. I know he doesn’t like it in there, but he can’t come home until he can walk a little better. I think I’m goi
ng to go take a long, hot bath, watch a little television, and have an early night.”

  “That’s good, Mom.” Fiona looked down at her phone to see that it was already three minutes past eight. “I might do the same. I need to make a call.”

  “Are you calling Joshua?”

  Fiona blinked, surprised that her mother knew about Joshua. “I suppose Glenna told you about him.”

  “In your sister’s defense, she assumed you’d already told us about him.” Her mother frowned. “But then again, we didn’t know about her men until after Jonas was born.”

  Shaking her head, her mother took off her sweater and folded it neatly. “I just can’t understand how your sister can have a relationship with two men. It’s just not normal.”

  Fiona bristled and rushed to her sister’s defense. “It might not be normal, but it works for them. Both Leland and Joe are madly in love with Glenna, and she’s in love with both of them. She’s happier than she’s ever been. They’re all happy.”

  Her mother studied Fiona’s features for several long seconds before nodding. “Okay. But what about you?”

  Fiona stiffened. “What about me?”

  “Are you happy, dear? You’ve always been so busy taking care of Glenna that you’ve never really taken time for yourself.”

  Surprised, Fiona shrugged. “I’ve had time for myself.”

  “You had one boyfriend, and when you broke up with him, you swore off men forever. That’s no way to live, Fiona. Your father and I had both of you late in life and didn’t quite know how to connect with the two of you. You two seemed to live in a different world. Don’t think for one minute, though, that we didn’t love you. You were our miracles.”

  Fiona jolted when her cell phone rang, stunned by her mother’s words. Uncomfortable, she forced a smile. “I’d better take this. I was supposed to call him by eight. He’ll be worried that something’s wrong.”

  Her mother smiled. “Good. He worries about you. I like him already.” Turning away, she started down the hall, leaving Fiona staring after her.

  “Mom?”

  Her mother turned, smiling faintly. “Yes, dear?”

  “Thanks.” Ignoring the second ring, Fiona smiled. “I am happy.”

  Her mother smiled again. “Good. You deserve to be happy.”

  When her phone rang again, her mother waved a hand. “You’d better answer that, or Joshua’s going to worry.”

  Nodding, Fiona watched her mother disappear from view and, shaking her head, answered her phone. “Hello?”

  “What the fuck is going on? Are you okay? Are you hurt?”

  Fiona sighed and made her way to the back patio. “Nothing’s going on. Just a long day. I’m fine. No, I’m not hurt. Just a headache. How are you?”

  “I’m fine. Why didn’t you call me? I was worried sick. It’s a quarter after.”

  “Sorry. We stopped for dinner, and then Mom and I were talking.”

  “Oh? Is everything okay?”

  “Yeah. We both talked to Glenna today, but I didn’t realize that she’d told my mother about you.”

  * * * *

  Sipping coffee from a plastic cup that Vincent had just poured from a thermos, Joshua stiffened. “What about me?”

  Fiona’s sigh sounded weary. “I guess she told her that you and I were an item. My mother thinks you’re my boyfriend.”

  Fisting the hand he rested on his thigh into a fist, Joshua clenched his jaw. “Boyfriend? I’m a hell of a lot more than that.”

  “Joshua, I—”

  “You’re mine, Fiona, and you could very well be carrying my child. We’re not kids in high school. We’re lovers.”

  “Yes. I guess we are.” She sighed again, and he would swear he could feel the pain from her headache.

  He didn’t exactly feel it but could feel that she felt it.

  It made his stomach clench in anger.

  He could hear the exhaustion in her voice, which added a sense of protectiveness to his anger, unsettling him enough that he couldn’t sit still any longer.

  Restless, he paced back and forth, aware that Vincent and Dane eyed him speculatively. “You’re not taking care of yourself. I swear, Fiona, you need a fucking keeper. You said that you stopped for dinner. What did you eat?”

  “Mom wanted to stop at her and dad’s favorite diner. I had the meatloaf.”

  “If you need money, let me know.”

  “I’m fine, Joshua. I’ll pay you back for—”

  “Are you trying to start a fight?”

  “Of course not. Why would you say that? I just offered—”

  “Got it. Just stop. Why are you so tired?”

  “Bad day.”

  Wishing he could hold her, Joshua bit back a curse. “Tell me.”

  “My dad was just moody and took it out on my mom. He hates being in there and asked her to take him home. I pointed out that she can’t handle him at home. She started to cave and tried to get me to agree.”

  Joshua fisted his hand tighter, his anger growing at the thought of her trying to handle her father physically while she was still weak herself.

  “Baby, that’s a lot of work. It would be too physically demanding for you.”

  “I told him that I was afraid that I would drop him.”

  He didn’t even want to think of her trying to pick up someone who outweighed her, especially if she were carrying his child.

  “And you very well might, hurting both of you in the process.”

  “If I brought him home, he wouldn’t do what he’s supposed to do, and it would delay his recovery. He’d browbeat my mother to convince his therapist that he didn’t need her and would run my mother ragged. It would just be another excuse for him to demand all of her attention.”

  His need for attention left none for you.

  His insight into her family life explained a lot.

  It hit him suddenly how little he knew about the woman he planned to spend the rest of his life with.

  He knew from things he’d heard from Glenna how much Fiona had taken care of her but hadn’t realized how much his mate had been on her own.

  Even now, Fiona ignored her own needs and took it upon herself to take care of everyone else.

  She even worried about him.

  The amount of responsibility she took upon herself both filled him with pride and frustrated the hell out of him.

  “Please don’t tell Glenna any of this. I don’t want her to worry.”

  No, you want to take on all that worry for yourself.

  Careful not to upset her by criticizing her father for not taking better care of her, Joshua kept his tone measured. “I thought he wanted to recover as quickly as possible.”

  “That was yesterday. He started complaining before he got there and found something to hate about everything. He was determined to do whatever it took to get out of there and come home.”

  Joshua blew out a breath. “And today he decided to take a shortcut.”

  Furious that Fiona had so much to deal with, Joshua bit back a curse. “I’m coming down as soon as I finish here. It should only be a day or two.”

  They’d already found the kidnappers and had just come back to the SUV to shift back into human form and get dressed before rescuing the oilman.

  “No.” Fiona answered quickly, too quickly. She sighed, a sound of both impatience and weariness. “I appreciate the offer, but I need some time with my mother, and to think.”

  Joshua stiffened, his stomach clenching. “Time to think about us?”

  “Partly.” She sighed again. “I need to figure out what I’m going to do.”

  “As soon as your father comes home, you’re going to come home to me.”

  “Joshua, I’ve screwed up twice in my lifetime. The first time I believed a man who said he loved me and made a fool of myself. The second time, Robert Hudson felt he had to get rid of me because his wife thought we were having an affair. Glenna’s taken care of now, and as soon as my father gets home, my pare
nts won’t need me anymore.”

  “I need you.”

  “You don’t need me, Joshua. You need sex, and I’m sure any number of women would be willing to give you that.”

  “I don’t want other women. I want you. Besides, the bed’s cold without you in it.”

  Her giggle stirred his cock. “You could just have them sleep over.”

  “You’re the only woman who’s ever slept in my bed.”

  “Seriously?”

  “Seriously. I’ve never had another woman in my home and don’t intend to. Just you. I already told you that if you don’t come back to me, I’ll come get you and bring you back, kicking and screaming if necessary. It’s time for you to let someone take care of you for a change.”

  “I don’t need someone to take care of me, Joshua.”

  “You do, but you don’t think you can count on me because you haven’t ever been able to count on anyone else.”

  “Joshua, I—”

  “I understand your mistrust, my mate. You haven’t been able to rely on the men in your life to be there for you. I am here for you. I’ll earn your trust.”

  “I trust you.”

  “No. You don’t. Not the kind of trust I need from you.” Joshua sighed. “You have no idea what you mean to me. You’re the most important thing in the world to me.”

  “Stop. Don’t say things like that. You can’t mean it. We haven’t known each other long enough to—”

  “Time has nothing to do with it. You knew the man who hurt you a hell of a lot longer than you’ve known me and learned that you couldn’t trust him. I’m not about to let you put this thing between us on some kind of fucking timeline!”

  Fiona’s sigh held a sadness that knotted his insides. “I’m not doing this tonight, Joshua. I have to go. Please be careful.”

  “Don’t you—fuck!”

  Furious that she’d hung up on him, Joshua started to redial but disconnected with another curse, not wanting to upset her any further.

  He was very much afraid that if he pushed her too hard she just might run.

  Dane shrugged on his jacket, his eyes searching. “Everything okay?”

  “Women are dangerous.”

  Dane grinned. “That they are.”

  “Mates are even more so.”

  “I’m beginning to see that.”