by Anya Nowlan
Kate was familiar with the type. Some people got into the business to satisfy their dark desires and grew to like the work too much. They were a dangerous sort.
It was one thing when the warring was between shifter factions. That always happened and in fact, it was even healthy for the men to battle it out, Kate knew that. It was a whole other matter when innocent lives started getting mixed in, which was exactly what had been happening with the Claws lately.
Kate had started making calls the day before, reaching out to all the law enforcement contacts she had left in Chicago and giving them all the intel they could ever need to take these men down. Having the head of the Claws to use for information made for a veritable treasure trove of incriminating data.
There are probably raids in progress all over the city right at this very moment.
If The Firm somehow didn’t already know what was going on, they would soon enough, once the news of huge gun and drug busts broke. While the cops could probably mop up most of the big bads – Kate had made a point about sharing information about judges and cops that were bought off by The Claws as well – she was sure that River and she would have to tie up a couple loose ends on their own.
Maybe for the honeymoon, she mused wryly.
With the bigger and more dangerous fish taken care of, they were left with the middlemen and errand boys. Guys who were just following orders and handling business without being overly vicious about it.
These were the men River would be speaking to today.
And I’m going to be right by his side when he does.
“Okay, I’m ready to go,” he announced, throwing on a leather jacket.
Kate got up to squeeze his shoulder. He had been all business as they planned this whole thing out, but it had to be taking a toll on him.
“The Crimson Claws has been your life for so long. You don’t have to pretend it doesn’t bother you, dismantling something you built.”
The soft leather of his jacket brushed against her as he placed his hands on her shoulders in turn, his hazel eyes warm and staring right into her soul.
Will there ever be a time when he can’t shake me to my core with one look?
“It’s not easy, but it’s the right thing to do. And I have a whole new life in front of me, one I chose for myself,” he replied, planting a kiss on the top of her head.
“Then let’s get to it.”
They pulled up to Hunt, the nightclub Talon used to manage when he was still alive. Kate was nestled into River’s side in the backseat while Gunner drove. River had dissolved the rest of his security team without even bothering to find out which one of them ratted his plan to get Kate out of Chicago to Dyson.
They were too busy with their new plan to deal with lengthy interrogations, and it didn’t matter much now that Dyson was gone and the Claws were almost history.
But Gunner had insisted that while the Crimson Claws still existed, he would do his job. Kate couldn’t argue with that and River even less so. Loyalty was a rarity in this day and age.
Hunt had plenty of space and was now officially closed for business, which was why they had chosen it to be the meeting place for today. Plus, it was conveniently set up with metal detectors at every entrance, allowing the private security company River hired for the occasion to quickly and efficiently screen everyone entering.
The last thing we need at this party is someone showing up packing heat.
“I’ll see you later, old friend,” River said to Gunner, before pushing his door open.
Stepping out into the chill of Chicago in the fall, they made their way inside, hand in hand. Kate gave Gunner a little wave as the door fell shut between them.
The metal detector beeped when she went through, earning a raised brow from River.
“Must be my jewelry,” she said in a sing-song voice, skipping past the guards at the door.
The dance floor of the club was full of impatient shifters and buzzing with conversation. A hush fell over the crowd as River walked past and climbed onto the stage in the back. Plenty of curious glances were thrown at Kate as well, but she didn’t mind. At least half of them had to know her by her reputation, and the other half had to have heard that River was up to no good with a blonde chick.
She didn’t mind living up to the hype.
The overhead lights were on, showing off the little nicks and scratches here and there, and the tired-looking sofas in the VIP area. The bar looked sticky, probably not having been cleaned properly since the last party.
There’s a reason clubs are as dark as they are.
She followed River up on the stage, stopping to stand near the back. He stood tall in the middle, letting his eyes move over the crowd of about forty. They looked up at him, hardened and serious faces, waiting for their leader to speak.
He looked powerful and in charge as he spread out his hands and addressed his people. The lights shone down on him, making it look like he glowed from deep within.
“Brothers. Thank you for coming. I’m sure you’ve already heard there are changes happening in the Crimson Claws. The rumors are true, and I am here to tell you, face-to-face, what the future of this organization will be.”
The men were exchanging glances, some of them concerned, some of them restless. No one was unaffected.
“When I founded the Crimson Claws, I did it with one thing in mind – to give shifters a place to belong, to be ourselves. It quickly grew past that, and at first, I was okay with it. It was in my blood, after all.
“We were bringing in good money, our members were happy. But then, things started to change. Violence, greed and selfishness took over. And that’s not what I wanted the Crimson Claws to be about.”
River paused for a second, letting his words sink in. Murmurs erupted among the men, quickly silenced when River held up a hand.
“Which is why I’m shutting it down. From this day forward, there is no more Crimson Claws.”
The voices grew louder as it became apparent this was happening, for real and the initial shock wore off. Their leader was telling them something they had been a part of for years was being taken away. Kate couldn’t blame them for being caught off-guard.
River carried on, his voice easily silencing the rattled crowd.
“I am here to offer you a choice – leave now with the intention of moving on from the Crimson Claws and turning over a new leaf, or stay and challenge me. You better take your shot now, because I will be keeping an eye on you all. If I see you falling into old habits or trying to resurrect the Claws, or anything like it, you will not like what follows.”
His tone grew sharp, eliciting a growl from here and there around the room. The men were turning to talk to each other, their voices demanding and urgent. One by one, some of them started to file out, a couple of them bowing their heads at River before leaving.
After all was said and done, they were faced with a dozen angry shifters, looking like they were ready to storm the stage.
“Fuck you, you can’t tell me what to do!” someone yelled, followed by approving shouts and other voices chiming in with similar declarations.
Kate rolled her eyes slightly.
Men.
Kate stepped forward to stand at his side, staring down a mass of bitter, enraged faces. The familiar buzz of adrenaline started flowing through her, warming her muscles and making her palms itch, reminding her she needed a weapon.
“Twelve against two. How do you like those odds?” River asked, cracking his knuckles.
Reaching back and under her shirt, she grabbed the daggers tucked away there.
“Don’t worry, I brought my claws,” she said, holding them up.
The former members of the Crimson Claws advanced towards them, some of them already starting to climb the stage. River turned to look at her, a devilish smile on his face.
“These boys don’t know who they’re messing with.”
Kate grinned back at him, gripping the blades tightly.
“
Then let’s show them, shall we?”
Epilogue
“Mommy’s arms are getting tired, yes they are,” Kate cooed.
It seemed she had been rocking Darick to sleep for ages now, but he kept staring up at her with his huge hazel eyes, not a hint of sleepiness in them despite it definitely being nap time.
“You’ve inherited both your father’s eyes and his stubbornness,” she whispered softly, keeping at it.
Yet she couldn’t really complain. Darick was a remarkably unfussy baby, letting her and River sleep through the night more often than not, which she was very grateful for. Being a mom was a lot easier when you weren’t sleep deprived.
Darick was a handful even when she’d had her eight hours, she couldn’t imagine getting by with less. But she had River to help her.
As if he had somehow known she was thinking about him, the front door creaked open and River stepped inside, running a hand through his mess of a hair as he kicked off his heavy work boots, mud trailing in his wake.
“What’s going on here?” he asked quietly, seeing Kate pacing around with Darick in her arms.
“Trying to put a remarkably not sleepy baby to bed, is all,” she sighed.
Walking over, he planted a kiss on her cheek before holding out his hands. The warmth and familiar musky scent, tinted with a bit of motor oil, rolling off him made her want to curl up into a ball in his lap, but she wasn’t the one supposed to be sleeping right now.
“Here, let me try.”
“I don’t see how you’re going to have more luck than me, but okay,” she grumbled.
River gathered his son up in his huge arms, murmuring softly as he started to walk up and down the living room, gently swaying Darick from side to side. Leaning against a doorframe, Kate stood and watched her two loves move around their home. Bliss finally had a definition in her mind.
If someone had told me a year ago this is what my life would look like…
After only a couple of minutes, River turned back to her, flashing her a cocky grin.
No way.
He stepped closer, lowering his arms so she could get a good look at Darick, eyes closed and breathing deeply.
“Daddy’s boy,” Kate huffed softly under her breath as River strolled towards the back of the house to put Darick down in his crib.
When he returned, they both plunked down on the couch, with her nestled into his side. Being surrounded by his strong body made her feel small and safe, and she nuzzled closer, relishing the feeling. He draped an arm around her and pulled her in tighter, like he always did.
“Not that I’m complaining, but you’re home awfully early. I thought you were starting a new project today?”
River had started up his own bike shop almost immediately after they moved to California, using his considerable funds to make it exactly like he wanted it. All top- notch equipment, set up in a way that made sense to him.
With his mechanical expertise and drive to work hard, it wasn’t long until it was the most popular spot among Monterey’s bikers.
She remembered the pride in River’s eyes the day his shop opened. It still brought a smile to her lips. Watching him make his dreams a reality was a beautiful thing to see.
“I left Madden in charge. He has the skills, but he leans on me too much when I’m there, like he’s unsure of himself. So I thought I’d make him jump into the deep end and decided to come hang out with my two favorite people,” he replied, idly stroking her hair.
“Still putting those leadership skills to good use, huh?”
He grinned down at her, his hair longer now than when they had met, which Kate thought only added to his rugged, bad-boy vibe. Then again, he could shave it all off and she’d probably feel the same way. Maybe it was because he’d be handsome whatever his haircut, or maybe she was just blind with love.
Probably a bit of both.
“I swear, wrangling those guys is a full-time job sometimes.”
River loved to complain about his employees causing him all sorts of trouble, but she knew the men were like a second family to him. They were all shifters, looking for a second chance or just for a place to belong. Some of them already had a mechanical background, others River trained himself, but he never turned away anyone who was willing to work hard.
In some ways, it was the realization of the idea he had when he founded the Crimson Claws – he was giving others like him somewhere they could fit in, even if it was just to hang out and shoot the breeze.
And to think, there’s absolutely no criminal activity involved. As far as I know.
On her part, Kate had gotten into volunteering. She was a regular at the women’s shelter, offering donations and her time, and also helped out at different support groups. It turned out that women’s self-defense classes were sorely needed all over California and Kate was glad to provide. If there was one thing she could teach, it was standing up for one’s self.
Her own experience with loss and violence came in handy many times, and it felt good to connect with people on an emotional level.
She was finally talking about her past and letting her feelings out while also encouraging others to do the same. It was a much healthier way of dealing with the pain she had been carrying since David’s death than killing people for a living, that was for sure.
After leaving Chicago, she had also left that part of her life behind, only reaching out to her contacts to make sure The Firm was off River’s back. Once that was confirmed, she closed her accounts on the Deep Web and cut ties with everything and everyone still connecting her to her old life.
Now, wrapped in River’s arms, with their baby boy sleeping soundly in the other room, she felt more at home than she ever had.
“I love you,” she whispered, peering up at River.
“I’ll never get tired of hearing you say that,” he replied, pulling her up so he could cover her mouth with his.
His lips were warm and his taste familiar, sending heat flashing through her stomach. Once she had wondered if River would ever stop having this magical effect on her. Now she was sure the answer was ‘no’.
“You are mine forever,” River sighed, moving to trail hot kisses down her neck.
And I wouldn’t have it any other way.
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The Great Disapurrance
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Meow or Never
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Bear My Baby
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When Time Stops
Don’t miss the excerpt of Anya’s next book, Big Bear Daddy, on the next page!
Big Bear Daddy Excerpt
She must have looked as lost as she felt between the rows of hammers and nails, because after a while, a deep voice addressed her. It made her jump a little before she turned around.
“Miss? Can I help you with something?”
Now how did he manage to sneak up on me? was the first thought she had when she came face to face with the man looking down at her.
He was absolutely huge, towering over Jessy’s modest 5'7" frame and looking like his wide shoulders barely fit in between the shelves. Wearing a t-shirt that accentuated his hard chest and narrow waist, and sporting the sexiest beard she had ever seen, the mere sight of him made Jessy’s mouth run dry.
“Umm, do you work here?” she stammered, trying not to gape at Mr. Sexypants and failing spectacularly.
The way his eyes flicked down for a second and moved across
her curves told Jessy her appreciation wasn’t one-sided, at least. He smiled at her, the way his full lips quirked up demanding her attention in the most carnal way. Blushing at the naughty thoughts starting to run through her mind, she did her best to pull her mind out of the gutter and focus.
I’m here to find my niece, not to date, she reminded herself, yet all she could think of was how the man’s beard would feel against her face.
“No, but I thought I’d offer my help anyway,” he replied, his voice low and husky, with just the right amount of twang.
“That’s how hopeless I look, huh?” she asked, crossing her arms and trying to sound casual.
Mr. Sexypants shrugged, his biceps bulging under the thin cotton fabric of his shirt. Dark eyes glimmering, he took a step closer. The heat emanating from his body wrapped around her, the intensity of it almost making her gasp.
Suddenly, she didn’t mind being warm. Fire pulsated through her veins, pulling her towards this stranger in a way she had never experienced before.
“We’re all hopeless at something. But then we learn,” he said, studying her face closely, like he was trying to place her. “Have we met somewhere before?”
Oh, I would definitely remember seeing you before, Jessy almost said aloud, biting her tongue at the last moment.
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Treasure Lane Dragons: 3 Book Series
From Book 1: This special edition of Billionaire Dragon's Bride also includes a bonus book at the end! Grab this book to get Find Her Bear for free along with it!
He's blazing hot and this dragon won't take no for an answer.
Devon Bluewing is a billionaire playboy like no other. Cocky, strong and sexy as hell, he's used to getting anything and anyone he wants. But when it comes a time to step up and stand as the head of his family, and the dragon council of Treasure Lane, Devon is met with an inexplicable problem.