And wow, that hurt. She never imagined she would have a mate. Never thought about what it would be like. Still, to have someone claim to be hers and then in the next breath say he didn’t want it…well, it still hurt. “Neither did I,” she hissed, much like the wounded feline she was.
They stared at each other for minutes on end, until Ben cleared his throat. Devon blinked rapidly before pacing away toward the front window. He brushed the curtain aside and focused on something out front.
Carolline let out a breath and slumped back into the chair. “Care to explain what this is all about? I’m pretty certain it was decided I would be fine. The house has an alarm system, there’s a security gate, and there’s the roving security team. I see no reason I can’t recover here. On my own,” she said raising her voice.
Ben leaned back, stretching his arms across the back of the couch. “No, you assumed I was on board with letting you stay here alone. In my professional opinion, you should have been at your mate’s house, but since he’s a stubborn ass, like you, I went to have a little talk with him before coming back to set you straight. Nothing was taken from your office, Carolline. You verified it yourself. There were only two logical conclusions I could make from that discovery. They wanted the files you had in your hospital room, which I highly doubt, since they didn’t take any from the office, or they were looking for your home address.”
For the second time in as many days, Carolline felt the blood rush from her face. “Why would anyone be looking for me? I told you before, I study hybrids, nothing else.”
“You interfered with the kidnapping,” Ben said. “People low enough to take children have no problem eliminating someone who stood in their way. Even if it was purely coincidence.”
Her analytical brain went into overdrive. She solved problems and calculated probability for a living. There were too many things wrong with Ben’s theory and, if he was right, there was an even bigger problem at the hospital. “How would they know it was me? The man who ran off never saw me out of tigon form. He wouldn’t have been able to tell anyone who I was or what I looked like.”
Ben’s smile dropped from his face, a grim look setting in. “There aren’t many tigons in the area, Caro. You know that. A little Internet search would bring you up in a heartbeat. I don’t think what happened in your office was a coincidence. I grabbed those files for you on Monday. The office was clean, just like you like it. Jessie was out of her office Tuesday, and she never heard anything the rest of the week. That’s when I’m guessing it happened. There were no other opportunities. Frank is checking the security camera footage to verify. I doubt whoever did it showed their face though, so I’m not expecting much.”
“It could have been the dead of night.”
“Maybe.”
“I don’t believe an Internet search ratted me out either. I look enough like a tiger for people not to notice with a quick glance. The only people who could figure it out were the ones who saw me at the scene. Which would be Devon and the EMTs.”
“Plus, the hospital staff when you were brought in. People know who you are and what animal form you take,” Devon finally spoke. “Gossip has flown through the place like wildfire.”
She shifted in her chair to get a better look at him. He swiveled in their direction, allowing the curtains to fall back into place. Devon’s lips were pulled down in disapproval. It had to hurt his pride to think someone on his staff—because, let’s face it, he ran that place—would have ill will toward any one.
Carolline shook her head. “Probably not staff. They could have looked at my admission information, or access employee records. They wouldn’t need to go through my files.”
“I didn’t have your information when you were admitted, and since you work there, it really wasn’t needed. If it was a staff member, it would be easy to trace them looking through the personnel database. Plus, they wouldn’t have had time to sneak away. We kept the same staff working with you the entire week. I thought it would be best, so you weren’t inundated with questions every other day.”
“I know they didn’t work around the clock. There were two shifts. Someone could have done it after they got off, or they had an accomplice. Plus, you handed my case over to another doctor. Who says he was as careful as you would have been,” she snipped, glaring at Devon. It irritated her that he had no qualms about walking away.
Ben chuckled, pulling both their regard. “How many mystery shows have you watched?”
Carolline flushed and looked away from both men, picking a spot that lead into the kitchen. “Enough,” she grumbled. She loved trying to solve the who-done-it before whatever sixty-minute show was over, revealing the killer. It was something she’d gotten into the habit of when she’d first started dating Ben, and she used the term loosely. It made her feel like she had some sort of connection to him.
“Regardless of how it happened, since we don’t know for sure what’s going on, it would be better if you were surrounded by other people. Mainly him and his family.” Ben pointed at Devon. Pushing up from the couch, he checked his watch. “I need to get going. Can I assume you have this handled?”
Carolline blinked a couple of times in confusion. The conversation wasn’t over…in her mind. She didn’t have anything handled. Not what happened in her office. Not what was going on with the man who refused to get closer to her than was absolutely necessary.
“I’ve got everything under control,” Devon answered. “She’ll be at my place from now on if you need her.”
“You wish,” she snorted. Her eyes rounded when Ben laughed. Shit, she’d said that out loud.
“No, I insist,” Devon growled.
“And I’m telling you, I’m staying in my home. I get the impression you don’t want me around, and I’m not inclined to put myself in another uncomfortable situation. From your body language and tone when you talk to me, you aren’t exactly thrilled with the mate thing. For your information, I’m not either. Let’s forget about it and move on,” she sniffed and thrust her chin up. If she had to be someone’s mate, then she wanted them to want her. Not grudgingly take her because their animal decreed it. She had more pride in herself than to go along with a ridiculous trick of fate. “I don’t doubt we can steer clear of each other at work. I’ll stick to my floor of the hospital, and you can do whatever it is you do. There’s no need for our paths to cross ever again.”
A rough, aggressive sound burst from Devon’s throat. Glancing at him from the corner of her eye, she wasn’t sure she liked what she saw. His narrowed eyes glittered gold, his mouth was open the slightest bit with a hint of fang showing. Irritation radiated from him. And a lick of heat brushed over her skin. The result was gooseflesh decorating her arms and legs, and a shiver of delight racing down her spine. No, you horny girl. Just because he goes all primal on you, it doesn’t mean you get him, she chastised her tigon.
“I’ll be going now,” Ben declared. He gave a quick, sharp nod to them before turning on his heel.
Carolline bolted up from her seat, ignoring the sharp pain in her side. “Take him with you.”
Ben stopped and turned around. “No, Caro, go home with him. It’s for the best.”
“No,” she said through gritted teeth. It was too early in the day to be dealing with these men, and she was finished with this conversation. “You are not my brother, nor my father, or anyone with any authority over my life, and you don’t get to tell me what to do.”
She was done with this silly notion that she was mated to a man who didn’t want her. She was over people telling her she couldn’t damn well protect herself if need be. She was just done, and definitely ready to go back to bed…alone.
“Take him and leave,” she growled, letting her own aggression bubble up. She glanced at Devon, who stood like a statue near the window. There was a blank mask on his face. The one she’d seen him wear at the hospital. It meant all business and no emotion. That was fine by her. She was too tired to deal with it anyway. “I’m a big girl,
and I don’t need his or your protection. There’s a lot you don’t know about me, Ben, and I’m telling you right now, I can protect myself. I’ve been doing it for more years than I’d care to count, and I’m not going to stop now. I am not leaving this house with that man, today or the next, or the next.” She pointed to Devon to make her point. A person would have thought she’d physically poked him with the way he cringed. “Besides, if there is one thing I know about you, when you’re concerned about someone, you pull out all of the stops. I’d bet my life that you have someone watching the house and have been since you dropped me off last night.”
Ben opened his mouth to refute her claim. She held up her hand to stop him. “Don’t even bother trying. I know you had someone watching Cuppa Claire’s when that Omega wolf came through town not too long ago and was sniffing around her place.”
Ben’s mouth snapped shut. A deep blush darkened his cheeks.
Carolline turned her attention to the man who should have been saying more. Who should have been by her side all along. “Devon, I don’t know what’s going on with you. One minute you’re nice, the next you act like you hate the ground I walk on. I am too tired to deal with you and your bipolar attitude. Approaching a woman first thing in the morning and pulling her from a dead sleep while she’s recovering, honestly, isn’t the brightest idea, and I expected more out of you. If either of you had any sense, you would have given me a couple days at home to recoup before attempting to talk to me about all of this. Since you didn’t, I’ll give you a couple things to think about before you darken my doorstep again. Does my tigon feel drawn to you? Yes. Do my eyes take on the glow of someone who has found their mate? I’ve yet to see it, but I’m willing to consider that you’ve both said you’ve seen it happen, as fact. Do yours change? Yes. Am I ready to believe we’re mates? No, and nothing you do will convince me of that right now. So, if you’ll excuse me, I’m going back to bed. Please don’t bother knocking on my door again today. Ben, use the extra key I gave you to lock up. Have a lovely day, gentlemen.”
She turned and left the room. All the energy she’d had upon waking up, which admittedly was very little, drained from her body, and it was all she could do to keep her eyes open long enough to crawl back into bed. She genuinely didn’t care what they decided. Stay. Leave. Whatever. She was going back to sleep. If a tiny part of her hoped Devon stayed and crawled into bed with her to keep her warm, then she would blame it on exhaustion. Seeing as it didn’t happen, well, that was fine….no really, it was.
Chapter 15
Devon eased out of Carolline’s front door reluctantly and a bit stunned. There was a part of him that didn’t know what the hell just happened. He was jittery and unnerved. It wasn't how he should feel. Ever! The other part of his being, the part ruled by his tiger, was pretty damn pleased at having a mate with a backbone. It preened and glanced around, head held high like it was the luckiest motherfucker around. It was proud knowing she could take care of their children and stand up to him when the situation warranted. Which she'd clearly done, and it had been imprinted on his tiger's mind. Stamped there forever to be remembered. It looked forward to rising to any challenge she brought and bringing her down in the most delicious ways.
He was a bit torn on what to do now. He’d told his parents he wouldn’t come home without her, yet he saw no way to convince her to leave. He believed her when she said she could take care of herself. Could see the steely determination stiffening her spine and the stubborn set of her shoulders. So used to being the protector and alpha in any relationship, it was a foreign concept to have someone, his mate mostly, take the role.
He was, in turn, irrationally turned-on and irritated that she didn’t fall over her feet to throw herself at him. A small bit of his pride had been hurt.
Standing in her home. Smelling her scent as it wrapped around him had been insane, and it had taken all his focus, the kind he reserved for work, to keep from taking her down where she stood and scent the hell out of her like his animal wanted. To mix what made up her intoxicating lure with his musk. To mark her and claim her as part of his family. It had been a monumental shock to realize he wanted that with every fiber of his body.
His attraction to her was on a scale he'd never felt before. Not even to his beautiful, docile, deceased wife.
Matthews stepped out seconds after he had and locked the door behind them. The man grunted and thrust his keys into his pocket. He seemed as thrown off as Devon felt. “Not how I expected that to go. I know she’s stubborn, but that,” he waved in the direction where they came from. “That's more stubborn than I’ve ever seen her, and that includes the time I tried to take her out to a sushi bar back in PA. She hates that shit, which is surprising for a shifter. Raw fish isn't much different than taking down a deer and gnawing on it.”
Devon did his best to pay attention to what the other man was rambling on about; instead, the tiger in him was bristling at the idea that this man had a key to her house. Hated that he could get in whenever he wanted and yet Devon, whose human side was still hesitant to admit he was Carolline’s mate, couldn’t. He reassured the beast, his mate was locked inside and safe for the moment. That's what they needed to focus on and he would take that.
Maybe.
For now.
The Sheriff brushed by him, walking to the vehicle sitting in the driveway across the street. It took long, painful minutes after that for Devon to move. He pushed one foot in front of the other, forcing himself to make his way to his SUV. The conflict warring within him about leaving her side or staying was a battle he didn't think he could deal with at the moment. It was probably best for him to retreat and regroup.
What was it his father used to say when they talked about the war that almost took place with the Purists? It is better to bide your time and take the lay of the land before scaling the wall leading to the unknown.
He didn't know if it applied to this situation, he just didn't have anything else to make him feel better.
Devon slid into his SUV and shut the door. He gazed at the front of the house, eyes focused on the large bay window he'd stared out of earlier. He waited to see the flutter of a curtain. The soft features of Carolline looking out at them, whether to ensure they left or hope with bated breath he would come back, it didn't matter. He wanted another glance at her. Some sign she was as conflicted as he was about what was developing between.
There was no flutter or face, though. The place looked to be locked in slumber. No lights. No movement. No sign that she was tormented as well.
Still, what did you expect? His inner voice sneered. She's exhausted. Probably has been for a while. Her recovery is slow. Her mate, it snorted, left her high and dry to take care of herself, and basically rejected her. Why would she be tormented by not being near you? She's already been dealing with that for days on end. Combined with the pain she'd been in, you're probably her last thought.
"Or the only thing on her mind and full of anger," he said into the silence in the vehicle. With a sigh, Devon threw the SUV in gear and eased out of her driveway.
The Sheriff stood on the sidewalk expectantly. Easing up next to him, Devon lowered the passenger window, allowing the man to lean in.
"Listen, I know that didn't go as planned, just don't give up on her. Too many people have, and she'll expect the same of you."
Devon frowned. He’d never heard of anything about her personal background. All the things he’d heard or read said she was an outstanding doctor. Patients and hospitals praised her and thought highly of her. There had been no stories of abandonment. "What do you mean?"
"That is something she'll have to tell you. It’s her story, not mine, and even then, I don’t know much. Just know that her life hasn't been lush like yours. She didn't grow up with the same understanding and love surrounding her. She isn't going to see what you two might have together as a gift that not many people get." Ben stopped speaking and tilted his head in thought. "Or maybe they do. In our world, the hybrid world, w
e don't. Add on top that we don't get the same treatment in general, and she's bound to be wary of your intentions, seeing how you never reacted to her before, even if nature was telling her you’re mates. We just don't see things the way you do."
Devon nodded as he mulled over what the man said. It was apparent he needed to look more into her background. Dig deeper than the easily referenced articles and letters of recommendation. "I'll keep that in mind."
"See that you do. Now head home to those sweet kids of yours. I've got an officer monitoring her and the house, and I have some work back at the office I need to get to. The tech guys are supposed to get back to me later today about the break-in at her office."
"Keep me in the loop. I want to know what you find."
Ben snorted and crossed his massive arms over his chest. Devon would be lying if he said he didn't find it intimidating. "How about you let me handle the police stuff, and if there's something I deem significant, I'll let you know? You need to be concentrating on coming up with a plan to win over that woman in there, and ensuring your kids know you're there for them and they're safe. If I was in your position, that’s what I would be focusing on."
Before Devon had a chance to respond, Ben saluted him quickly and spun away. He climbed into his cruiser and took off.
Devon did the same, only at a slower rate. With each mile he put between he and Carolline, the harder it was to handle. His chest ached and his mind spun. His no longer dormant tiger bumped and pushed along his psyche. It yowled to go back. To find a way into her home and convince her to leave with them. It knew better than the human side did that they should be together, and that leaving her on her own would make it harder on them both.
Devon was happily in denial of it for the time being. He would deal with reality when the time came.
Finding More (Tiger Nip Book 3) Page 10