Purrks of the Job: Paranormal Ex-SEAL Surprise Pregnancy Mafia Romance (Chicago Catastrophe)

by Anya Nowlan

  Which was easier said than done.

  He had other things to worry about, but being around Kate without grabbing her into his arms and kissing her until they were both out of breath was getting harder and harder. It was time to clear his head, to get out of this house. It was filled with Kate’s scent, fogging up his brain with lust every time he drew breath.

  He still hadn’t called his father back and he was in no mood to do it now.

  Well aware he was avoiding at least two problems, River got up, got ready, and made his way downstairs, sparing a glance at Kate’s door on the way there. The two guards posted at the guest bedroom’s door nodded at him as he passed by.

  They’re still alive, so the night must have been uneventful.

  His tiger protested, growling, trying to push him towards his mate. River resisted, his hands balling into fists as he descended the stairs. Gunner was standing at the front door, dressed in a fresh suit, looking tired yet alert. He had been more diligent than ever lately, seeing as The Firm was still after River’s tail, and they were hosting a world-renowned assassin under their roof.

  “Did Kate tell you where her things are stored?” River asked.

  “She mentioned it to one of the guards, sir.”

  “Send someone to retrieve her things and bring them here. Clothes and essentials, nothing that can be used as a weapon. For your own sakes.”

  Gunner nodded and got out his smartphone, typing away as River made his way to the kitchen for a quick breakfast. He was done with his meal within fifteen minutes, keeping his ears open the whole time he was eating.

  Everything was quiet upstairs. Kate was probably still asleep.

  I have to find a way to get her out of my head. I can’t afford distractions right now.

  But how does a tiger put his mate out of his head?

  Maybe by focusing on the plethora of shit that was heading his way.

  The Firm aside, Dyson was up to no good, he just knew it. Which is why he grabbed his jacket and headed to his car, setting his sights on the nightclub Talon owned. He was itching to get to the bottom of what Dyson was planning.

  He’ll tell me what his meeting with Dyson was about, whether he wants to or not. If they had the gall to meet in my house, right under my nose, they better be ready to deal with the consequences.

  Pulling up to the curb outside of Hunt, Talon’s club, River pushed thoughts of Kate aside and focused on why he was there. It was quiet now, but come nightfall it would become the place to be. He had to give Talon credit, he had managed to make Hunt one of the trendiest places in Chicago, which was good news for the Claws.

  But that didn’t excuse going behind River’s back.

  There was another reason for his visit. Actually, he had been planning to have a chat with Talon even before he went to New York to track down Kate. Some rumors had made their way to him about Talon letting underage girls into his club and supplying them with drugs.

  River was against being involved in the drug trade in the first place, but he begrudgingly understood the need for it. Providing hits for people who were old enough to make their own bad decisions was one thing, but screwing up the lives of kids? That was where River drew the line hard.

  Talon had even gone lower than that, the stories told. These were impressionable kids he was selling his shit to and that just wouldn’t do. There were murmurs of overdoses and young girls found unconscious in the alley behind the club. The whole thing made River sick to his stomach.

  Apparently I have some morals after all. Kate would be proud.

  The heat was spurring on his anger, making him lose control, even more so now that he was away from Kate. It didn’t matter how hard he tried to put her out of his mind, she still popped up with increasing frequency.

  She would be great to have as back-up right now. If only I could turn my back on her without the fear of her plunging a knife into it.

  Oddly, the thought brought a smile to his face. She was a challenge, but River had handled those before. And he couldn’t deny, the way she kept him on his toes was exhilarating.

  Pulling his jacket tighter as an icy Chicago breeze whipped around him, he rushed to the back door, wiping the smile from his face. The guard posted there scowled at him at first, before his eyes widened in recognition and he hurried to open the door for him.

  At least some people around here still have the proper amount of fear of me.

  Passing through the main floor, still bathed in colorful lights as staff flitted about, polishing glasses and setting up the stage, River took stock. It was a wide, open space, with plenty of VIP booths. Talon ran a tight ship, as far as the party side of things was concerned.

  River stalked up the stairs and towards Talon’s office.

  He still remembered Talon’s disrespect from the last time they saw each other. A part of him wished for Talon to make the same mistake twice, so he could relieve some of the tension building up inside him by giving the club owner a lesson in manners he wouldn’t soon forget.

  And yet, at the same time, he knew it was just more bullshit that he didn’t need in his day. Even mobsters were allowed to get tired of it all, weren’t they?

  Reaching Talon’s office, he pushed the door open with no warning and stomped inside. The man was sitting behind his desk, but leapt to his feet when River burst in.

  “What are you doing here?”

  River’s presence definitely put Talon in edge. Closing the door behind him, River stepped closer, fixing Talon with his gaze. Talon was strong, fast, and a good fighter, but they both knew he was no match for River.

  “Is that any way to greet your boss?” River growled.

  Talon hesitated for a moment, before sitting back down, giving River a measuring look as he did. He motioned towards one of the chairs across from his table. River ignored the offer, choosing to stand for a moment longer.

  “I didn’t know you were stopping by, that’s all.”

  “I’m nothing but a hands-on leader, wouldn’t you say?” River asked, eyeing Talon’s neck.

  Talon’s eyes narrowed at that as he crossed his arms in front of him. Smiling to himself, River took Talon up on his offer and sat down, enjoying how the man squirmed uncomfortably in his seat. Talon just stared at him wordlessly.

  “What do you want?” Talon finally exclaimed after a while, exasperated. “Is this about the other day? I admit, I was out of line. Is that what you want to hear? I’m sorry, I apologize.”

  Staying quiet until the other guy can’t help but fill the silence. It’s the oldest trick in the book, yet it still works like a charm.

  Talon was now on the defensive, giving River power over the conversation. Not that he didn’t already have plenty of it when he first walked in the room.

  “That’s all fine, but you know why I’m really here. Save us both a lot of trouble and start talking.”

  “Look, just because a couple of chicks couldn’t handle their X…” Talon said, waving his hands absently as if shooing the concept away.

  “Still not it. But thanks for confirming the rumors. I want to know what that meeting with Dyson was about.”

  Talon let out a strangled sigh, frustration making his features tighten. Clasping his hands in front of him, he managed a smile. It was the furthest thing from genuine.

  “It was just a business meeting. You were the one that put Dyson in charge while you were away, first when you were chasing that Richard guy and then when you were tracking down the assassin. We were talking about increasing profits in our sectors, that’s all.”

  River wasn’t buying it for a second. He could smell the cloying scent of fear wafting from Talon as he tried to convince River of his bullshit story. A roar rumbled in River’s throat, his way of telling Talon he had to do better than that.

  Realizing what he was doing wasn’t working, Talon got up from his chair, visibly agitated. He started pacing around behind his desk. River found himself relaxing at the sight, easing into his role as the disapp
ointed superior with relative ease for once.

  Love it when they start sweating.

  “Whatever you’re accusing me of, you’ve got it all wrong,” he insisted, pointing a finger at River.

  Standing in response, River could feel the irritation inside him increasing.

  He has the nerve to lie to my face?

  Tired of trying to handle this with words, River leapt over the desk, baring his teeth in a snarl and barreling into Talon. The man didn’t even have time to react.

  River’s momentum pushed Talon’s body up against the wall behind him and had the man’s head bouncing against the concrete. Pressing his forearm against Talon’s collarbone, he held his lieutenant in place as he spoke with a measured tone.

  “You were nothing but a two-bit thug, trying to make ends meet before joining the Crimson Claws. I gave you the means to make something of yourself, and this is how you repay me? By going behind my back and lying to me? By selling drugs to teenagers after I told you that’s not how we operate? I should rip your head off right now for your insubordination.”

  Talon struggled against his hold, a growl ripping through him as his body was starting to change shape. River could hear his body realigning, preparing for the shift.

  No, you don’t.

  Quickly reaching down, River grabbed a dagger from the inside of his boot and brought it to Talon’s throat. The blade was sharp and he didn’t have to apply much pressure until a trickle of blood started to roll down Talon’s neck.

  The man stilled immediately, eyes wide, stopping his shift as he pressed himself against the wall in an attempt to get further away from the knife. River’s voice was pure gravel when he spoke.

  “I don’t like people wasting my time. Start talking before I get really impatient. You won’t make it to your animal form before you’re dead, otherwise.”

  Talon gulped, probably realizing he was out of options. His disdain for River was evident when he answered, his breath carrying the scent of tobacco and alcohol. Another lovely byproduct of their line of work – no mobster could avoid the many sins of their lifestyle.

  “The Crimson Claws are at a standstill. We could be bringing Chicago it its knees, but you’ve grown content, or your heart’s not really in it, I don’t know. Dyson has a vision of where we could go, and people are starting to pay attention. Especially now, after word is out you left that bitch Walker alive. There are whispers you’re getting soft.”

  Soft? These motherfuckers have another thing coming. I didn’t build this organization from the ground up to have Dyson turn my own people against me.

  Rage took over as every muscle in River’s body tensed. He hadn’t gotten where he was now by letting people second-guess and doubt him. His hand moved almost on instinct alone when he slashed his blade across Talon’s throat, deep enough to sever both carotid arteries.

  The look of panic on Talon’s face was one that was far too familiar to River. He’d seen it many times before, usually on the faces of men just as deserving of their death as Talon was.

  The gush of blood that followed was a sight to see. It covered Talon, River, and the surrounding walls, spraying as far up as the ceiling. Talon slumped to the ground, taking his final, gurgling breaths before everything in the room grew quiet.

  Bending down, River wiped his dagger on the part of Talon’s suit jacket that wasn’t drenched, before tucking it back into his boot. A calm fell over River. He had accomplished what he had come here to do.

  It only dawned on him now that from the moment he had stepped into the office, he’d known that only one of them would be leaving.

  He knew for certain Dyson was gunning for his seat now and he’d gotten rid of a disloyal member at the same time. All in a day’s work…

  That’s one problem taken care of. But I have no idea how many others Dyson has gotten to…

  Twenty-Three

  Kate

  It took a while for Kate’s nausea to be gone, but as soon as it was, she cleaned up and got ready for another day of possibilities. Of escape, that was. Slowly and quietly, she opened her door, peeking out into the hallway to assess the situation.

  “Good morning, ma’am,” a gruff voice said, almost making her jump.

  She swung the door open, hand on her hip, measuring up the two men on either side of the door. The ‘usual’ reaction would have been to slam the door shut the moment she got startled, but life had taught her to go against base instincts like that.

  They were surrounded by large cardboard boxes, with ‘clothes’ and ‘accessories’ written on them in black marker, in her handwriting.

  My stuff! Finally I can put on something other than a robe. Have they been standing here, waiting for me to try and make a break for it?

  She couldn’t put that past River, to anticipate that. One way or another, these guys looked like they were intending to stick around.

  “Hello, boys,” she said to the men eyeing her. “Since I have a feeling I’ll be seeing a lot of you, why don’t we get acquainted? I’m Kate, but you probably already knew that.”

  “I’m Thane, ma’am,” the one who had wished her a good morning replied.

  He was built like a tank, with massive arms and a thick neck, and a shiny, shaved head. His voice didn’t betray any emotion as he stared straight in front of him, looking through her.

  “And I’m Max,” the other one said.

  He wasn’t quite as big or wide as Thane, and carried himself in a more relaxed manner. Running a hand through his long, curly hair, he gave her a small smile. She couldn’t help but notice his giant belt buckle, depicting two crossing guns.

  How macho of him.

  Kate wasn’t sure if they were a threat to her or not. She could have killed one of their friends when she was helping Stone and not even know about it. Or they could hold a grudge over some hit or another she’d carried out in the past.

  Lord knew, there had been a few, and she’d taken particular joy in taking out thugs and louts. Just the kind of guys these men might consider friends.

  With the amount of jobs under her belt, she had learned to assume most everyone she ran into in the underworld could hold a grudge against her. She remembered going out to a bar once to stake out a shifter who had been skimming off of people’s retirement funds. That night, she got attacked by a wolf, whose friend she had been hired to take out a couple of months ago.

  River wouldn’t assign someone who wants me dead to guard my sleep, right? And even if these guys did hate my guts, they wouldn’t dare disobey their boss’ orders by hurting me.

  “Can you help me get this stuff inside?”

  “Of course,” Max replied, grabbing a box.

  It wasn’t long until her things were in her room and Max and Thane resumed their duties at her door, closing it after carrying the containers inside. With surprising glee, Kate got to unboxing.

  Tearing the duct tape off the top, Kate opened the boxes and rummaged around in the contents, picking out things to hang in the closet.

  I’m not getting comfortable here, I’m just making it look like I am so my escape will take River by surprise. Yes, that’s definitely it.

  Tossing the robe aside, she pulled on a pair of white pants and slipped on a silky, cream blouse that complimented her complexion.

  Ah, that’s more like it.

  Being back in her own clothes felt good, but there was still that nagging anxiety in the back of her head that had set up shop there the moment the thought of being pregnant entered her mind.

  She had wanted a family once, a long time ago, but had buried the idea after David’s death. There couldn’t be a family without him, or at least so she had thought. And she definitely hadn’t foreseen that she’d end up carrying a mob boss’ baby.

  River might not be exactly like what I had imagined, but that doesn’t mean he’s father material either.

  The slam of a door and the buzz of voices from downstairs caught her attention. It sounded like someone was upset, and it
didn’t sound like River. Kate strained her ears, trying to make out the words and figure out who it was that was talking.

  I could recognize his voice anywhere, she thought, instantly embarrassed by how mushy that sounded.

  She rushed to her door, pressing her ear against it to get a better idea of what was going on. Things definitely weren’t boring around here.

  “Where is my son? He’s been avoiding me long enough!” a male voice bellowed.

  That must be Dornan Royce. And he’s not happy.

  She could hear Gunner trying to calm the situation, but he didn’t seem to be having much luck.

  “What do you mean he’s not here?” Dornan demanded.

  Footsteps erupted from outside her door as Max and Thane left to see what the fuss was about. Kate waited until they would be out of sight before slipping out of her room, her curiosity getting the best of her.

  If River really wasn’t home, this could be bad for her. No one in the Claws was happy she was still alive, and Dornan Royce was one of the few people who wouldn’t think twice about going against River’s wishes and taking her out.

  Kate crept closer to the top of the staircase, crouching down and trying to remain hidden, while also catching a glimpse of what was going on. Max and Thane were standing awkwardly by the foot of the stairs and Gunner was trying to explain River really wasn’t home.

  Instead of trying to make a break for it, she was eavesdropping on Royce family business. The irony of how deep she was getting into this mess didn’t escape Kate.

  Dornan stood in the foyer, looking more than a little annoyed as he started to push past Gunner. There was a young woman standing by his side, but all Kate could see of her was a waterfall of chestnut hair.

  What is going on here?

  River chose that moment to come bursting through the front door. The foyer suddenly looked tiny, with all the people crammed into it. Pushing his way inside, River sounded almost as angry as when he had his hands around Talon’s throat the other day.