UnexpectedFind

by Nancy Corrigan

  Rafe took in his widened stance and hands held loosely at his sides. Devin would fight him if he tried to get past him. He didn’t want to hurt his friend so he stopped and said, “Jazz is in no danger from me.”

  “It’s not your female I’m worried about.”

  Rafe glanced to Jasmine. She watched him warily. It was her guarded expression that helped him rein in his temper. She didn’t trust him. Why would she? She hadn’t even known the male who’d loved her body last night wasn’t human. His fears had been right. Not telling her the truth had nearly cost him her life. The pain in his chest worsened. He’d endangered his female. All for what? The chance to fuck her? Gods, he was a fool. No more. From here on out, she’d get nothing but the truth from him, even if she didn’t want to hear it.

  “Jasmine, come here,” Rafe said and pointed to the spot in from of him.

  She raised a brow. “Is that an order?”

  “A suggestion. If you don’t want your friend hurt, you’ll do as I say.” He shrugged. “You decide.”

  Josh pushed her behind him. “No. I decide. Jazz isn’t getting anywhere near you.”

  Rafe grinned. He retracted his claws and curled his fingers in a bring-it-on motion. “Fine. Let’s fight for her, human.”

  Jasmine gasped and jumped in front of Josh. She splayed her hands on his chest and looked over her shoulder. “Stop it, Rafe. I am not a prize to be fought for.”

  “Move, Jazz. This asshole wants a fight and I’m itching to give it to him,” Josh challenged.

  Panic flashed in her eyes. Her gaze swept over him then back to Josh. She shoved Josh when he stepped around her. “Enough. Who I stand beside is not something worth fighting over.”

  Yes it was, but when she ducked under Josh’s arm and walked to him, Rafe decided not to voice his opinion. He’d gotten what he wanted.

  She took a few steps toward him, stopped and said, “You lied to me.”

  “I didn’t lie. I just didn’t tell you the truth.”

  “What’s going on? Who is that crazy guy who just tried to kill us?”

  Rafe glanced from Jasmine to Megan, who watched them closely. He jerked his chin toward the little girl. “I promise to explain everything, but not now.” He blew out a breath. “I know it’s asking a lot but I need you to trust me.”

  “Trust you?” She laughed and the bitter sound cut through him, made his chest ache. “I’m willing to listen to you but—”

  “I sent Kade to watch over your boys, had Devin watching over Megan. If I’d meant to take the kids, I could’ve at any time.” He narrowed his eyes. “That’s what you were afraid of. That’s why you left me this morning. Isn’t it?”

  She nodded. “Do you blame me?”

  “No, sweetheart. I don’t and I’m sorry I didn’t tell you the truth.” He reached his hand toward her. “Please, come to me, Jasmine.”

  She hesitantly walked closer. Rafe waited until she was within arm’s reach, grabbed her hand and yanked her against him. He wrapped his arms around her shoulders and hugged her close. Peace swept through him now that she was where she belonged. He inhaled her fragrance, needing to imprint her on him, but the faint scent twined within hers made him tense.

  Jasmine stiffened too. “What’s wrong?” she whispered into his chest.

  Rafe slid his hand into her hair and tugged it to expose the length of her throat and the spot he’d added a permanent scent-claim. Calum had rubbed his signature over it. This display was temporary, the same kind her cubs had used, but it served as a reminder of how very close Rafe had come to losing her. Jasmine had been in Calum’s grasp. He could’ve killed her before Rafe even knew a threat to his female existed.

  He licked the offending smell away then buried his nose into her hair. “He had you.”

  “The…the shifter Devin scared away?”

  “Yes.” The desk clerk’s words came back to him. Rafe lifted his head and met Josh’s angry glare. Rafe inclined his head. “Thank you, Josh, for protecting my female when I had failed to do so.”

  Josh dipped his head but rage and jealousy still darkened his eyes and hardened his features. No matter. The human would have to get over his feelings. Now that Jasmine was back where she belonged—in his arms—she was staying there. He wouldn’t allow her to seek protection or affection from another male. Nor would he allow Calum to take her. And the bastard would try.

  “I’m not your anything, Rafe.” She lowered her voice even more. “Last night shouldn’t have happened.”

  He fisted her hair and bent her head back. “But it did. There is no taking it back, Jasmine.”

  “Jazz,” she corrected him. “And no, there’s not. But that doesn’t mean there will be any more repeat performances.”

  The fire in her eyes appealed to him. He couldn’t wait to tame her, but not here. He kissed the tip of her nose. “We will see, Jazz. We will see.”

  Devin cleared his throat. “We should go.”

  Rafe hugged Jasmine close. “Let’s go collect your boys.”

  He tucked her into his side and led the way back to their cars. At the roadside, he picked up the purple car seat that sat on the ground next to Devin’s vehicle and walked toward his.

  “No,” Megan said with a shake of her head. She planted little fists on her hips and glared at him then looked at Josh. “I’m not going with the angry man.”

  “You don’t have to,” Josh said. He yanked the seat from Rafe’s hands and handed it to Devin.

  Devin held it up, turned it around and frowned. “No biggie, kid. You can ride with me.” He bent in front of the child and asked, “Do you know how this thing works?”

  “Let me help.” Jasmine pushed away from him.

  He let her go only because Josh stepped next to him and muttered, “Let me make this very clear, Rafe. Devin explained briefly what we’re up against. And after what happened today, I know I’m out of my element. But that doesn’t mean I will blindly trust you or your friends.”

  “You have no choice but to trust us.”

  “Doesn’t mean I’m happy about it.” Josh leveled a hard look on him. “Betray me and I will find a way to destroy you.”

  Rafe nodded and matched the warning glare. “Then here is your warning—come between me and Jasmine and I will destroy you.”

  A grin spread over Josh’s face that didn’t reach his angry eyes. “Keep acting the way you did just now and I won’t have to.”

  Jasmine walked over, looked between them. “Everything okay?”

  Josh smacked him on the back. “Sure. Just some male bonding.”

  Rafe bit back the growl. He held a hand out to Jasmine. She reached for it without hesitation. He flashed the male a pleased smile. Josh scowled and Rafe chuckled.

  “If the two of you are done,” Devin called out, “I’m going to go pick up Kade and the cubs so we can get out of this godforsaken town.”

  “What?” Jasmine looked between them. Panic widened her eyes, made the color drain from her skin. “You’re not taking my boys anywhere.”

  “It’s too dangerous here. The children will be safer back in our compound,” Devin reasoned.

  “No!” She fisted his shirt. “Please, Rafe, don’t let him take my boys. You said you weren’t going to steal my kids!”

  He ran a hand over her loose hair. “I’m not stealing anyone. You’re coming too. I’m not leaving without you.”

  Her eyes widened even more. “Excuse me?”

  “I’m keeping you, Jazz. You’re moving home with me.” He waved to where Josh stood. “Josh will have to come to.”

  A flush returned to her cheeks but anger put it there. He scented it. She glared at him and shoved away. “I am not moving anywhere and neither is Josh.” She waved an arm out to indicate the road next to them. “This is our home. We both have businesses here. Friends.”

  “But you’re in danger. You’ve attracted the attention of an evil man. Even if we get him, you and your cubs will always be in danger.” Rafe mimicke
d her encompassing wave. “This backwoods town is the only reason you were able to live unnoticed by the shifter community.”

  A shuttered look passed over her face and he wondered if she had run into trouble before. Since she and her children were still alive, whatever trouble she’d had was minor. He filed the reaction away to discuss with her later. “But now you’ve been spotted. You won’t survive the week without my pride’s protection.”

  “No. I am not moving anywhere,” Jasmine said with a raised chin and arms crossed over her chest. The pose screamed stubborn.

  Rafe sighed. “Jazz, be realistic—”

  “I won’t move. If you want to protect me,” she dropped her arms and took a step forward, “you can stay here.”

  “Kade won’t like it,” Devin chimed in.

  No, Kade wouldn’t. But what was Rafe supposed to do? Sure, he could move them by force. They wouldn’t be able to stop him. Once they were in their compound, Jasmine would realize how much safer it was. Not only did his small pride reside there, the largest wolf pack in the eastern states called it home. Add in the two bear families and no shifter group would dare attack them, not even Calum. But would she hate him for it? He didn’t want her to despise him. No. He wanted her warm and welcoming as she’d been last night.

  A day or two here wouldn’t hurt them. Calum wouldn’t dare try to grab her or the cubs while they were with a royal. He could talk to her in private and convince her to leave willingly. The plan eased his distress.

  “Okay, sweetheart. We’ll try it your way.” And when she gifted him with a smile, some of the tightness in his chest eased. He grinned at her, then turned to Devin. “Call and see if any of our pride members can come down.”

  Devin nodded and glanced at Megan. “I’ll ask Mira to come too. She’s good with kids.”

  Rafe studied his friend carefully. “You sure? You usually don’t allow her around humans.”

  “I’m hoping being around Megan and the other cubs will give her some ideas. She’s been alone too long.”

  Rafe closed his eyes against the sadness that statement brought. “We can hope.”

  “Who is Mira and why isn’t she allowed near humans?” Josh asked.

  “My twin.” Devin faced him. “And humans aren’t trustworthy.”

  Chapter Thirteen

  Jazz waited until Josh got Megan settled and closed the car door before focusing on Rafe. “Megan’s out of earshot. Start talking. I want to know who you really are.”

  “My name really is Rafe Alexander.” He turned in his seat to face her. “I work for a special unit of the government helping to retrieve shifters who’ve been kidnapped and prosecute those who deal in shifter trafficking.”

  Shifter trafficking? Had the government found out about the fake birth certificates she had for Seth and Levi? She swallowed hard and forced herself to ask, “How can I trust that you’re with this special unit and not feeding me a line?”

  He grumbled but dug out his wallet, folded it in half and handed it to her. She took it and looked at the identification card. Rafe Alexander. Shifter Affairs. It even had an official-looking hieroglyphic on it. She turned it around, studied the glyph in the light, then glanced from the picture to him. It looked official. Real.

  It made perfect sense the government would have a group that policed shifters. She wasn’t the only person in the world who knew about them. She could take a leap of faith and believe that Rafe was telling her the truth. He hadn’t done anything to make her afraid of him, wary but not fearful. And she was wary of most people. That wasn’t new. His friend had even saved them from the lion.

  She handed the card back. “Okay, fine. Now why were you here in the first place?”

  He held his hand out to her, palm up. She stared at it a moment before placing hers in it. He tightened his fingers around her hand. “We were alerted to Megan’s adoption and came down to investigate, but we were too late. Tony was already dead. We assumed the killer skipped town when he didn’t snag Megan. That’s typical behavior for those who grab our kids. They’re opportunists.”

  He stroked her knuckles and mumbled, “But I was wrong and didn’t realize how much danger we were in until Devin saw the killer’s lion form and recognized him. If I had known, I would’ve told you, gotten you somewhere safe.” He ran a hand through his hair. “I’ve been tracking this male for a long time, Jasmine. He’s not sane. I don’t ever want you to fall into his hands. The things he would do to you would make you beg for death.”

  If he’d meant to scare her, he’d succeeded. She trembled. Her overactive mind took his words and put visuals to them. Bile rose. “Who is he?”

  His nostrils flared. “He’s the one who took my sister and my brother’s little girls.”

  “Oh,” she mumbled, unsure what else to say.

  “Don’t be scared. As long as you are with me, he won’t make a move. He might be sick but he’s not stupid, which is why we haven’t caught him yet. He knows coming at me head-on is suicide. He’ll sit and wait for us to leave you unattended. Same with your kids. But I won’t, baby. You’re safe with me and this time I will catch him.” He sighed and added, “And you’re doubly at risk now, Jasmine. He knows you’re with me, important to me. He would come after you for that reason alone. To take you from me.”

  She swept her gaze over the woods surrounding them. No lion. No glowing brown eyes. He was gone but the way he’d looked at her in the hotel scared her. He’d be back. She shifted in her seat and studied the man sitting next to her. “You really think he’ll come after me?”

  He nodded but didn’t say anything. He didn’t have to. The haunted look on his face betrayed his anxiety. He was worried about her and after the way the guy groped her, she had no problem imagining what he’d do if he got his hands on her.

  She inched closer to Rafe. “What were your plans for Megan?”

  He rubbed the back of his neck. “Honestly, I don’t have an answer. These aren’t easy cases.”

  “So you wouldn’t have just taken Megan or my kids?”

  Rafe shook his head. “No. It’s not our intention to rip families apart. We do what’s best for all involved.”

  A wave of relief swept over her and the last bit of unease faded. She blew out a rough breath. “Okay. What happens now?”

  “We’re going to catch this bastard then help you, Josh and the kids.” He laid a hand on her thigh. “But I can’t have you running off. You need to stay with me so I can protect you. Do you understand?”

  She rubbed at her pounding temples and thought about everything that had happened since meeting Rafe. The sweet way he talked to her, the way he made her feel. Dammit, last night had meant more to her than simple sex but she didn’t want to think about that. Not now. She couldn’t deal with it. All she knew was that Rafe hadn’t tried to hurt her family. He’d loved her body, watched over her kids and now sought to keep them safe.

  “Protect me. Yes, okay.”

  He covered her hand with his, gave it a little squeeze. “Good. Now don’t worry. You and your kids will be fine. I’m going to catch him. He won’t ever threaten you again. I promise you.”

  Devin’s car pulled out and Rafe released her hand to drive. She forced her fingers to unclench. “Worry is what I do. I’m a mother.”

  Rafe glanced at her then back at the road. “How exactly did you come to be the mother of feline shifters?”

  Nina’s image flashed before her eyes. She considered telling Rafe the truth about the poor, frightened woman she’d befriended, but she’d harbored the secret for over five years and wasn’t comfortable sharing it with him yet. Just because she was putting her faith in him to protect her didn’t mean he had to know everything about her life, not yet anyway.

  “I found them behind a dumpster,” she mumbled. At least that much was true. “I knew they weren’t quite…normal so I kept them.”

  Rafe’s nostrils flared and she held her breath. Shifters could taste scents. She’d learned that last Christm
as when she’d told Seth and Levi they had better be good or Santa Claus was going to bring them coal. They’d asked if he was real. She’d fibbed and they’d called her on it.

  “How did you know they were different? Male shifters don’t take their animal form until after their first birthday.”

  Jazz studied the claw mark on her arm. The day she’d walked into their bedroom and found a tiger cub in one crib and a lion in the other was one she’d never forget. Shell-shocked was putting it mildly. After a year of taking care of normal babies and all the joys and pains that went with it, she’d convinced herself she’d imagined the whole thing and Seth and Levi were as human as she was…but seeing the evidence of their furry little bodies…she’d sat down in the middle of the safari-decorated room and cried. When Levi, in his little tiger form, had started whimpering, she’d gone to him and learned the hard way that their claws were wickedly sharp.

  “Their eyes glowed,” she finally said.

  Rafe turned his head and studied her for so long she feared they’d have a repeat of the accident this morning, but he finally faced the road. “They must’ve been newborns, probably only minutes old.” He rubbed his chin. “It’s odd that their mother wasn’t around.”

  She shrugged. “I don’t know what happened to her.”

  The moment the words were out of her mouth she knew she’d made a mistake uttering the lie. Rafe’s nostrils flared once more and his hand tightened on the steering wheel until the tips of claws pushed from the ends of his fingers. She scrambled as far from him as the confines of the car would allow. He glanced at her and cursed. He breathed roughly for a few minutes but finally, the claws retracted and the tension in his limbs eased.

  “Dammit, Jasmine, do not be afraid of me. It makes me angry.”

  “I can’t help it when you start to go all furry on me,” she snapped.

  “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to frighten you. That’s the last thing I want.”

  And when he used that sincere tone, she believed him. She felt bad all over again for thinking the worst of him.