“Why did you do it, Richard? Why?”
“Why’d I do what?”
“Kill Sharon, you sick fuck.”
Richard laughed. “Now, why would I kill the mother of my child? She was going to leave you for me.”
“That’s a lie and you know it.”
“So, did you find the journal?”
“Yes I did. And in it, Sharon wrote she had no intention of marrying you and had already made arrangements to get rid of the baby. She was not going to divorce me. But I sure as hell was going to divorce her. So, I ask you again. Why?”
Richard sighed. “If you want to know the truth, I didn’t kill her.”
“What?” Ethan must have moved, she heard a thud the sound of a fist hitting flesh. And she stepped out of the room toward the living room area.
Ethan had Richard on the ground with his hands wrapped around his neck. “You’re lying,” Ethan screamed. “You killed her.”
Richard’s hands were wrapped around Ethan’s trying to pry them off, but he managed to gasp out, “No—I didn’t.”
“Let him go Ethan,” Edge said, coming up behind him and touching his shoulder. “Let him go.” A scent caught her attention and her head snapped up. The blond woman she’d seen at Richard’s office pushed the door open and entered the room. She held a gun in her hand. One, Edge recognized.
The bitch pointed her own gun at her. “Step away from my son,” she said in a calm voice.
“You killed her,” Edge said watching the woman. Richard’s claim made sense now, if his mother was the killer it would also explain Richard’s actions. But why did she do it?
Beth Ingle Graves stood there in a black pants suit looking every bit the woman of wealth and leisure, but for the matching black gun in her hand. She smiled but it didn’t quite reach her eyes.
“What?” Ethan said, releasing his hold on Richard to stand up and move closer to her.
Richard stood up gasping, and had to hang onto the side table for support.
“You killed her?” Ethan asked returning his attention to his stepmother.”
The woman sighed, staring at her son before answering Ethan. “Yes. I went to see her as soon as Richard told me she was pregnant with my first grandchild, and I knew that you’d be out for a while. I couldn’t wait and I knew if you were around, you’d never let me set foot on the property. When I got here, she and Richard were arguing. She’d just told him she wasn’t going to leave you.”
Beth glanced in Ethan’s direction and even though her features couldn’t move much, she still managed to show she felt displeasure at even uttering such news. “I stepped into the room and went to her. I told her not to upset herself it wouldn’t be good for the baby. That’s when that bitch told me by that time tomorrow, there would be no baby. She wouldn’t listen…wouldn’t listen to reason. She was supposed to marry my son, get control of the company, so I could live a nice comfortable life again. But no, she was ruining everything.”
Edge’s senses told her this woman believed every word she said, but the scent of madness, something maniacal hung about her. “But why cut her up like that?” Edge asked. “What did you use?”
The woman raised her other hand and flashed three claws.
“Oh, shit!” Edge exclaimed.
Richard straightened up. “See? Told ya, I didn’t kill her.”
His mother’s attention briefly shifted to her son and Edge used the distraction to draw her gun and grab Richard to her, holding the nozzle to his neck. “Drop the gun, lady, and I say that loosely,” Edge demanded. “It’s over.”
“I don’t think so.”
Everything happened so fast, but time seemed to move in slow motion. Beth Ingle Graves fired, but Ethan shoved her out of the way and into Richard. Then, he leapt across the room, knocking the gun out of the woman’s hand.
Richard used the opportunity to try to get away, but Edge managed to hold onto her gun. “Oh, no you don’t,” she seethed and moved behind him, so she could watch the battle going on near the door.
Even without the gun, this crazy woman was dangerous. Claws materialized on both hands, but Ethan had his own and he clearly appeared to be the stronger of the two. He grabbed Beth’s hands and pinned them at her sides. “Yield,” he growled.
Just then, they all heard the sirens in the distance.
The woman went limp and Ethan released her, she slumped to the ground. The former Mrs. Graves wrapped her arms around herself, retracting her claws and began to wail, “No, no, no…”
Chapter Twelve
“We’re fine.”
Ethan listened in on Edge’s side of the phone conversation while she filled Cole in on everything.
Her detective friend had shown up and taken both his stepmother and stepbrother into custody. He found it interesting the detective never once asked what or where the weapon she used went, Beth had shown them. He’d been listening in on the conversation, so he must have known she’d shown them something. But, the only thing he’d collected was her gun.
After meeting the man, instinct told him Detective James had a trace of Atrox in him. He shook his head as nothing surprised him anymore. He never even suspected about Beth’s Atrox heritage, but then again she wasn’t full shifter, so it became harder to tell at times. Clearly, Richard wasn’t, he’d interacted enough with Richard over the years to be able to tell.
Once Beth showed her claws, Ethan identified her as a partial shifter, most likely all she could do. Which would explain why she didn’t carry any cat scent until she’d done a partial shift. Unlike Edge, who carried more of the Atrox scent even in human form.
Edge got off the phone and came over to him. He wrapped his arm around her and pulled her to him, just to hold her. He could smell the cat in her, the scent strong but not strong enough to mean she could turn a full shift.
She moved out of his embrace and went to stand by the window. Just barely midnight but the police were finally gone, statements were taken with all the evidence bagged, tagged and taken. He’d eventually have to attend a formal hearing to be fully exonerated but he was free. He stood in his study with Edge, but only wanted to take her upstairs to his bed. Instinct stopped him. “What’s wrong?” he asked, leaning against his desk.
She turned around to face him. “Nothing’s wrong. Everything is as it should be. You’re cleared and can get back to your life.”
Ethan got off the desk and came over to her. “That’s true, and I have you to thank for that.” He lifted his hand, turning his palm to stroke her face. “You know your skin is so soft.”
She grabbed his hand to stop him, but brought it around to her mouth to kiss and again, moved away from him. This time toward the door. “It’s getting late,” she said. “And I’ve got a long drive ahead of me. I better go.”
He blinked at her, confused. “Wait a second. Go? Go where.”
“Home.”
He crossed his arms over his chest. “I sorta hoped you’d stay here with me tonight.” If he had his way…forever.
Edge smiled and somehow, he knew something seemed off about it. “What the hell is going on?”
“Nothing. We had a nice time, enjoyed each other’s company. Danger and excitement tends to bring people together but it’s over now.”
He tilted his head and stared at her. “Are you trying to tell me the best sex we’ve both ever had is because of some adrenaline rush?”
She shrugged her shoulders and he moved to stand right in front of her personal space. “Take it from an adrenaline junkie, bullshit.”
“Ethan—”
“No. It was more than that and you damn well know it.”
Scoffing at his words, Edge gave another shrug of her shoulders.
He couldn’t believe she would dismiss what had happened between them. No way, would he let this woman walk away from him. He grasped her shoulders and pulled her to him, crushing their bodies together, so there’d be no doubt in her mind he still wanted her. He’d always want her.
>
Covering her mouth with his, he raised his head a little to say, “Let me in.” When he placed his mouth over hers again, she parted her lips, so his tongue could enter and he devoured her. She remained passive for a moment, but then he felt her arms go around him, to pull him closer. He purred into her mouth. Taking as well as giving with their kiss. Content that all would be right now.
When he finally released her, Edge lowered her arms from around his hips and he took her hands. Grateful the trouble of the last few months was behind him and he’d found this woman when he hadn’t even been looking. He raised her hands to his lips. “Stay with me, tonight, Alice. Stay with me.” He turned in the direction of the door while holding her hand.
At the doorway, he wrapped one hand over her shoulder and kissed her hair. “Thank you.” Together, they walked up the front staircase to his suite. He stopped after they entered the room and combed her hair back away from her face. “So, are you a partial shifter or full? I can’t really tell, but I know you’re more Atrox than Beth.”
“Does it matter?”
“No. Just curious.”
“I already know you’re a Leo.”
He nodded his head in agreement.
“Making you a full shifter.”
“Does it matter?” he asked.
“No, and I’m a partial shifter. I can shift my hands to claws, and I can grow a little taller. My face and teeth also elongate to become more cat like, my eyes become more slanted and my ears pointed. I’m also faster and stronger than humans and you already know I heal pretty quickly.”
Ethan grinned, he couldn’t help it. “Show me your cat.” He watched as her face and hands changed, just as she’d said, but faint golden stripes also appeared across her forehead, under her eyes and nose and chin. “You’re beautiful,” he whispered, tracing the stripes on her face. “And so soft.” He purred as her features returned to normal. “Would you like to see me change?”
“Can you control it?”
“I haven’t changed fully in years. I have no need, I was told some do, but I have complete control over my cat.” At least he did now. It hadn’t always been that way. He didn’t wait for her reply, instead merely stepped away from her and took off his clothes.
He’d learned the hard way the change ripped his clothes to shreds. One of many reasons he no longer shifted, maybe one day he would be able to tell her the whole story, besides there weren’t many places in the greater Metropolitan DC area for cave lions to run free.
As nature had dictated he carry a second form, he began to change to his other form. His entire body shifted at the same time. He’d watched himself in the mirror once, and it seemed to him his human form shrunk or folded into itself and stretched out into golden furred skin that formed into a large cat, then smoothed out into a cave lion. No glow or shimmer, he just changed, morphed from man to Atrox.
Ethan stood before her, his head reached her chest. He loved the look of awe on her face. His purr came out loud and rose from deep inside. He rubbed his head against her stomach, knowing too once he changed back he’d no longer be bald.
Edge sank her fingers into his short fur, caressing him all over his head and shoulders. “Wow! You are beautiful aren’t you? And you know it too.” She laughed.
He stepped away from her and changed back to his human form. His naked human form and all he wanted to do was to get her naked too. He reached for her shirt and pulled it off, tossing it over his shoulder, then he tugged her stretch jeans down taking her underwear with it as he did. She stepped out of her clothes and by the time he stood, she’d gotten rid of her bra too. Flesh pressed to flesh, he took them both down to his bed.
Ethan lay over her, enjoying the feel of every part of her. Her hand rose to his hair, which now brushed his shoulders, she dug her fingers into its softness.
“Beautiful,” she said. “I don’t know which way I like you more.”
“I can always shave it back off and when I shift and change it would grow right back.”
She grinned. “I like that.”
He shifted a little, so he could cover her mouth with his and also reach one of her full breasts. Just large enough to fit nicely in his hand. He rolled the nipple between this thumb and finger and reveled in the catch in her voice when she pulled away from his kiss. Silently sending him a signal, she wanted his mouth on her breasts. He had no problem complying as he gently molded her nipple to a perfect peak, allowing him to suck the entire chocolate colored circle into his mouth. Her hands shifted to his head, pressing him to her.
With his free hand, he lowered his fingers to the junction between her legs. He groaned when she parted them at his touch and found her wet and very ready for him. His dick jerked in appreciation.
When Ethan released one breast and began suckling on the other, Edge saw stars behind her eyes. Between the sensation of him pulling on her breasts and his fingers moving in and out of her pussy, she stayed lulled in a sensual haze. His mouth moved to cover hers and she exploded, but before the last tremor left her body, he’d risen up and plunged his thick cock into her. Triggering another orgasm before the first one had ended. She wrapped her legs around his waist and hung on for the ride of her life. Knowing it would be the last time.
A few hours later, when Ethan turned in his sleep, his hand slipped off her breast. Just then, Edge slowly pulled her leg out from underneath his, he groaned and she held her breath. She moved one of the pillows out from under her head and placed it beside him. He wrapped his arm around it, inhaling and settled back down to sleep. As soon as he did, she eased off the bed, grabbed her clothes, quickly dressed and left the room.
Shutting the door quietly behind her, she didn’t dare wake him up. Just glad he continued to sleep, so they didn’t have to do the whole goodbye thing. After their bouts of lovemaking, she remained exhausted and knew he was too. The only reason she’d gotten up was because she needed to leave. No way could she stay here. Time for her to go, get back to her life and the real world.
She made her way to the staircase leading to the first level, then at the bottom of the stairs, she paused and gazed up in the direction of his room. Firming her resolve, she headed for the front door, stepped out into the dawn and walked down the driveway. Once in her car and finally heading back to her apartment in Ballston, she breathed easier. Knowing she’d done the right thing in leaving him.
Their worlds were just too different. Nothing had really changed for him. If he remarried, he would have to marry someone in his own class, at least in the same social stratosphere. Edge didn’t even come close. The feeling of moisture in her eyes would probably be due to allergies, she wiped her eyes for good measure. “I’ve got to remember to get some Claritin tablets.”
She’d only been home an hour when her home phone rang. She already shut her cell off because Ethan had that number, but he didn’t have her home number or her address. At least not yet, she had no doubt he possessed the resources to find her, if he wanted to. She only hoped now that he knew he had his life back, he would also understand why she’d left, the best thing for both of them. Sex couldn’t be everything, even for Atrox.
She checked the caller ID…her father. She suspected the reason behind the call. “Hi Dad.”
“The Clan has a problem.” Her father’s voice came out gruff.
“I know.” The fact Beth was Atrox and jailed couldn’t be good. She already killed once and tried again, no way the Clan elders would allow her to remain in jail or not pay for her crime.
“So, you understand.”
“Beth Ingle Graves, but how did you find out so soon? She was just arrested last night. Oh, never mind…Cole.”
“Don’t worry about how we know, just that we do.” He chuckled. “You up for it? I can assign someone else.”
“No. I’m on it.”
Five years ago, her father would have taken care of this himself or called her in to help him, before her mother put a stop to it and insisted he retire. Now, as one of the Cl
an Elders and their Alpha, he no longer chased fugitives. He did however, pronounce sentence on those who broke the laws of man and Atrox alike.
“Good. Your mother misses you by the way. Come for dinner on Sunday. You know how she is, needs to see for herself you’re fine and your brother should be home for a visit next month.”
She smiled. Her father was always transparent. Using her mother as his own front. Not that she didn’t believe him, but he spoke for himself too. “We’ll see. It’ll depend on how things go with this little problem. If it’s resolved by then, you’ll see me.”
“Will you be coming alone?”
His code for, are you seeing anyone you find worthy to present to your family?
“Nope.”
“Oh. In that case bring Cole and if he’s seeing anyone, he’s welcome to bring them.”
“I’ll see. Dad,” she hesitated. They usually didn’t talk about who was or wasn’t Atrox or even suspected, unless it directly affected the Clan. “Did you know about Cole?” As soon as the question left her mouth, she knew how stupid it sounded. She’d taken over her father’s bounty hunting business with Cole as her partner. Something her father would never have allowed, if he hadn’t known damn well everything about the man. She laughed at herself. “Never mind,” she interjected before her father could answer.
Her father laughed too. “Took you long enough to figure it out. Hope to see you Sunday kitten. Mom and I love you.”
After she hung up the phone, she wondered briefly, what her father would think of Ethan if she brought him to dinner on Sunday. The ringing of the phone had her snuffing the thought. Caller ID showed Cole’s cell number.
He didn’t waste time after the first hello. “As you already know, Mrs. Ingle Graves is going to be a problem.”
“I just spoke to my Dad. Cole, how come you never told me?”
“Nothing to tell, babe. You know the kinda code we live by.” He sighed. “Okay, yes your father knows, yes I’m a Leo, no I’m not part of the Clan.”
“Rogue?” Those were rarer than Atrox even and usually looking for a Clan to call home. And most of them were wild and had to be put down, Cole was well, wild but not the kind the Clan would order terminated.
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