Claiming Kristen

by Jenny Penn

“Already offered a plea, huh?”

  “I told him I’d pass the deal along to Richard.” Which Kristen had, along with advising him not to take it. “I’m not going to tell my innocent client to plead guilty to make all our lives easier.”

  Friends since law school and lovers since they opened up the office together, Kristen knew Peter better than almost anybody and knew he’d understand her position. It would be his if Richard Payne was his client.

  “So, off to trial you go.” Peter offered her a half smile.

  “Yeah,” Kristen sighed, taking another wide view of the papers cluttering the table. “The thing is that I could easily get him off with diminished capacity. I got the report right here that says he suffers from delusions and could even push that into not being competent to stand trial.”

  “You do that, he ends up institutionalized.” Peter’s calm, deep baritone hid the distaste Kristen knew he’d feel at that conclusion. She felt it, too.

  “He’d be easy to dress up as sympathetic to a jury, and the prosecutor’s case is all circumstantial.” Kristen met Peter’s dark, soulful gaze. They both knew there were no guarantees in a courtroom. Taking any case to trial always held some risk because every now and again juries did the strangest things.

  “Be good if you had an alternate theory,” Peter finally suggested. “If you can explain why your client was anywhere near that money or in that hotel room at all, but—”

  “—that gets me back to him being crazy,” Kristen concluded. Shaking her head, she shoved back in her seat. “I’m going to have to tear each bit of the prosecutor’s case apart and see if that’s enough to let the defense rest. If not…”

  Kristen didn’t really know which was worse, playing the insanity defense or trying to prove some convoluted conspiracy theory without a single bit of proof. If only she could somehow prove Lilly’s involvement. Kristen would risk it, even knowing that Lilly would probably take Kristen’s career out on her way down. The problem was that Lilly was that good, and Kristen hadn’t been able to find a single link between her and Richard Payne.

  “Or maybe he was duped,” Peter offered. “Not crazy, but senile and taken advantage of by somebody younger. A relative?”

  “I’ve looked that angle over.” Kristen shook her head. “Wife’s dead, no brothers or sister, one son, Steven, who disappeared about five years ago. I can’t find any trace of him, and all Richard will say is that the devil took him.”

  “Old man all alone in the world?” Peter considered that. “Perfect pickings for a con artist.”

  That would be Lilly. Kristen really should go have a frank talk with that little bitch. First, though, Kristen needed to have one with Peter. She’d put it off for the past two weeks but instinctively knew the longer she waited the angrier Jakob and Kort would be when they discovered the truth.

  “I’ll figure it out.” Kristen offered Peter a forced smile. “One thing for sure, I won’t let an innocent man go to jail.”

  “Of that I have no doubt,” Peter retorted, falling silent as he studied her. “I know that look, Kristen. You got something to tell me, but you’re not sure how to say it, so why don’t I? You found somebody.”

  She’d always sworn that Peter had a bit of mystic in him. His ability to read and understand her moods had almost made her think that he was her mate when they’d first met. It hadn’t taken her long to realize that despite being a perfect match for her, the fickle beast inside wanted something else.

  “Your mate?” Peter asked, not bothering to give her time to answer. “Perhaps the large brooding shadow you’ve been traveling around with these past couple weeks?”

  “Yeah,” Kristen sighed. “That would be him.”

  “Kind of figured.” Peter cast Kristen a curious look. “I take it he doesn’t know about me, yet.”

  “No,” Kristen almost laughed at the idea. “I don’t think our relationship is ready for that conversation.”

  “And I guess this is the point in the conversation where I say something like, ‘It’s been fun.’” Peter smirked, wagging his eyebrows at her. “Hell, I’d say I love you like a sister, but…” His gaze dropped pointedly to her breasts. “That would be a lie. Still, as much as I love you, Kristen, I love certain parts of my anatomy more.”

  That got a real laugh from Kristen as she shook her head at Peter. They’d never really been a couple, just best friends and busy professionals who’d had problems finding others to fit into their lives. That’s the real reason they’d started having sex. There had been very little romance to it, but enough satisfaction to keep both from worrying about the lack of a significant other.

  “I promise you, I won’t let them take anything from you,” Kristen vowed.

  “Them?” Peter cocked his head at that slip.

  “Him,” Kristen corrected instantly. Not that her speed washed away Peter’s amused look. Frowning back as he began to grin, Kristen took her stand. “I said him.”

  “Uh-huh.” Peter smirked. “You know, back where I come from in Texas, your kind likes to do the multiple thing, so it’s not like you got anything to hide.”

  Kristen strongly suspected that where Peter came from there were Lycans. Definitely not her kind, but apparently the same couldn’t be said of her mates. Not that Kristen bothered to explain things to Peter. Just because he knew of the existence of shifters didn’t mean he had to be educated on all the varieties.

  “Yes, well, you’re in South Carolina now.” Kristen offered him a prim smile to go with her deepening accent. “We do things differently down here.”

  “Haven’t I learned that over the past few years?” Peter snorted before softening his look and offering her a more sincere response. “Well, him or them, either way, I know the score. The only thing that breaks up mates is death.”

  “Well, there are no deaths planned, so I guess I’m stuck.”

  Peter’s gaze sharpened as he pinned her in her seat. “Stuck?”

  “Don’t give me that look.” Kristen groaned. “You know what I mean.”

  “And I quote,” Peter straightened up as his tone took on a higher pitch, “mating is nothing more than an archaic tradition perpetrated by dictatorial males in their relentless drive to dominate and oppress females who would accomplish more with their lives without the hindrances of male intervention. End quote.”

  “I haven’t said that in years,” Kristen defended herself, insulted and annoyed at the way Peter managed to remember every damn thing she ever said.

  “It was like your mantra through law school,” Peter shot back. “You almost had me thinking you were gay.”

  “Just because I believe in female independence does not indicate any kind of sexual preference,” Kristen hissed at him. “I happen to believe that—”

  “Oh, no.” Peter waved her comments away with a shake of his head. “We’re not sidetracking onto one of your woman’s lib rants. We’re talking about you being stuck.”

  “Don’t say it like that. I didn’t, and I only meant that nothing breaks up a mated pair.” Least, nothing she knew of, and Kristen really wasn’t interested in learning any. The very idea of being separated from Kort and Jakob had already started to grow terrifying.

  “True, but I know you, Kristen.” Peter gave her his best pointed stare. “You don’t give in easy, which probably explains why you look like hell—”

  “Hey!”

  “—and been grumpy as all get out while your shadow fairly oozes a dark, menacing quality that obviously terrifies everybody in his vicinity.”

  “Oozes a dark, menacing quality?” Kristen couldn’t help but snicker at the idea of Kort oozing anything. Not that Peter joined in the joke. He stayed focused, his tone calm and accusing.

  “You’re obviously making their lives hell.”

  “So?” Kristen bristled. “They deserve it. You don’t know what they did to me, so don’t you be passing judgment.”

  “They?” Peter cocked a brow. “So it is more than one.”


  Kristen growled as Peter’s grin widened. He’d trapped her, distracted her, and ran her right into a slip that already had chuckles slipping out his lips. It didn’t take a genius to figure out what came next, but Kristen cut off whatever gloating comment he’d thought up with her own snap.

  “Get out of my office.”

  Lifting his hands in surrender and staying pointedly silent, Peter shoved out of his seat. Kristen knew by the sparkle in his eyes that she’d only delayed the inevitable. Peter would have his fun with this piece of information, and it started when he paused by the door.

  “I can’t wait to meet these men.”

  “Yeah?” Kristen glanced down at his trousers before meeting his gaze. “I thought you loved certain parts of your anatomy?”

  “You won’t let them hurt me,” Peter stated with complete confidence. The statement softened his smile until it faded. “You know they’ll want you to leave the firm when they find out.”

  “I’m not going anywhere,” Kristen muttered, but she feared that it was a lie.

  “Yeah,” Peter agreed obnoxiously. “Well, I’m still going to miss you.”

  Then he was gone, leaving Kristen to stare down at the table and face the mess that she’d made of her life. Peter had one thing right. She was making everybody’s life hell, including her own. He just didn’t understand, though, how dangerous things were.

  If Kristen allowed her hormones or emotions to rush her into a rash decision or action, she might very well have to live with the consequences for the rest of her life. The difference could be her working here, and holding on to the last piece of her former self, to being forced to give up every single thing she’d ever known.

  Kristen didn’t like change. Never had. Given everything she’d had to change and would have to, Kristen figured she deserved some time to adjust, even if that did leave Kort oozing things in the lobby. At least he stayed down there.

  Thankfully, Kort hadn’t invaded the sanctuary of her office. Kristen recognized it for what it was, an attempted symbol of their respect for her job. It would probably be too much to hope that he’d hold that attitude after he met Peter. That would have to happen sooner or later. It would probably end as badly as she feared, so putting it off made sense.

  What couldn’t be put off was her work. Renewed by the caffeine, Kristen shoved aside her concerns over Kort and Jakob and threw herself back into work. The rest of the afternoon slipped by. Before she knew it, her Thursday had come to a close and it was time to head home and cope with serving as Jakob’s dessert course for another night.

  “You know the thing about a bathtub full of dirty water?”

  Kristen closed her eyes at the sound of Peter’s amused question. The elevator doors whooshed shut behind her, leaving Kristen no avenue for escape as he shoved off the wall he’d been leaning against to saunter over to her.

  “What?”

  “You got to pull the plug to clean the tub.”

  Kristen blinked then scowled. “What?”

  “Think about it.” Peter winked.

  Kristen did, and it still didn’t make any sense. Shaking her head, she started for the lobby’s exit. “I’ll keep that in mind. Now you have a nice night.”

  “You seem to be in a rush,” Peter commented, easily falling into step with her quick stride.

  “I am.” Kristen shot him a patronizing look for insisting on opening the door for her. “I was rushing to try to get away from you.”

  “Ah.” Peter nodded, following her right out the building and settling a hand onto her back to guide her down the sidewalk. “But, you see, that won’t get the plug pulled.”

  “Plug?” Kristen repeated in confusion, increasing her step to try and pull away from his touch. It was hopeless. With his longer legs, she could be running and he’d keep up easily at a jog. “What is this with the bathtub analogy? Because I’m not getting it.”

  “You’ll figure it out.” Peter steered her around the corner into the parking garage’s stairwell. “I have every confidence.”

  Kristen rolled her eyes at that and shot Peter a dirty look for making her pause so he could open the door at the end of the staircase. “You’re assuming I’d waste any time thinking about your—”

  “Who the hell are you?”

  Kristen came to a sharp stop, right along with Peter as they rounded the corner and almost slammed right into Kort. Her mate’s sudden appearance might have held Kristen stock-still with alarm, but Peter didn’t have enough sense to recognize the danger. Of course, if the man had any intelligence at all, he wouldn’t have set this all into motion. Then again, a sane man wouldn’t have responded with such blatantly inappropriate cheer.

  “I’m Peter Hann. Kristen’s partner in the law firm.”

  “Peter who?” Kort growled, the words sounding garbled as they grumbled around fangs Kristen could sense lengthening.

  “Peter Hann, and you must be one of Kristen’s new friends. It’s a pleasure to meet you.”

  Kristen snapped forward in a sudden rush as she broke out of her panic-stricken paralysis and flung herself between them, blocking Kort from lunging at the other man.

  And Peter was a man, a human being. He didn’t have the strength to make it a fair fight, but he was frail enough to make it a lethal one. Kort, on the other hand, could snap Peter’s neck without breaking into a sweat. He looked about ready to do just that.

  “Please, Kort, let me explain,” Kristen pleaded desperately with him, but to no apparent avail.

  “So this is Peter.” His scowl didn’t soften as a hard smile tugged at Kort’s lips. “Or should I say was.”

  “Now, Kort—”

  “Get out of my way, Kristen.”

  “I will not,” she snapped back, managing to sound determined despite the fear pounding through her. Kristen could tremble later. Right now she had to make sure Kort didn’t separate Peter’s head from his shoulders.

  “Honey, don’t make me—”

  “Don’t you make me,” Kristen cut him off, matching his harsh snarl and then some. “Now take a deep breath and calm down. It’s not what you think.”

  “Don’t lie to me.” Kort’s glowing gaze cut to her, and Kristen could tell how close he was to losing all control. “I know who this is. I recognize his scent.”

  “Well,” Peter smiled in the face of death, “I hope it’s not too offensive.”

  “No!”

  When Kort lunged for Peter, Kristen threw herself at him. Wrapping her arms around Kort’s waist, she clung to him.

  “He’s just joking, Kort.”

  “I’m not.” Kort grunted, trying to pry her arms free. Every time he managed to loosen one, she snaked it back around him, managing to tie him up enough that he couldn’t get at Peter, who, wisely, finally decided to flee.

  “Actually, I’m leaving before anything I love gets damaged.” Peter paused long enough to wink at Kristen, a gesture that forced her to tighten her hold on Kort. “After all, I think the plug has been pulled.”

  Kristen shot him a dark look, half tempted to unleash Kort for that smart-ass comment. Not that she had time to bother with Peter when Kort took up all her attention. Shoving her back, he managed to tear himself free without getting rough with her, though the look in his eyes told her that wouldn’t last.

  More than just her ass started to burn as that thought had Kristen wondering just how long she had before Kort felt the need to get physical. In his current condition, he probably wouldn’t care that they were in a public parking lot. Kristen did. As much as she didn’t want to have this argument in the first place, she sure as shit didn’t want to have it there.

  “You slept with him.”

  Kort didn’t beat around the bush. Kristen couldn’t claim that his accusation shocked her. Nor could she deny it. None of that stopped her from stiffening up with full indignation and snapping back at him with clear insult.

  “Yes, slept with. As in past tense.”

  “Don’t.” Kort surged f
orth, his temper slipping as he locked her arms in his tight hold. “Don’t push me, Kristen.”

  “He’s not my lover, Kort. He’s my friend.” Kristen spoke slowly and clearly, wanting to impress the difference on him. “We’re not having sex. That’s in the past. As you and Jakob both made clear, your past is not relevant. Neither is mine.”

  “It is when you’re still working with him.” His body tightened with his snarl, his hands jerking her right off her feet to leave her dangling in the air.

  “Damnit! Put me down.” Kristen glanced around the parking lot. “Somebody’s going to come along and call the cops.”

  Surprisingly, her feet hit the ground. Not shockingly, Kort issued a warning before turning to storm off. “Fine. We’ll talk about how you’re quitting this job at home.”

  “Great,” Kristen whispered to herself. Peter and his stupid analogy, maybe she wanted to bail that tub one bucket load at a time. Now it looked like she’d be sucked down the drain, or maybe shoved down it, given Kort’s mood.

  Chapter 20“I’m telling you, I’ve had

  * * * * enough! I’m not going to take any more harassment or abuse from you. You got that?”

  No. Jakob didn’t get it. Peering around Cal’s half open bedroom door, he surveyed the empty room before shoving the door wider, trying to see who Cal yelled at.

  “Don’t even give me that shit.” Cal’s hands waved through the air with sharp, jerky motions. “I don’t know sign language, but I’m pretty certain this ain’t it…Oh, yeah?”

  Cal shot a bird at the room and snapped. “Back at you, tiny-tits.”

  “I don’t think I’ve ever been called that.”

  Jakob enjoyed watching Cal start. Jerking around, his eyes went wide as red streaks started to stain his cheeks. Jakob didn’t think he’d ever seen Cal embarrassed, despite the fact that Cal did all sorts of humiliating things. Of course, he’d never done crazy.

  “I didn’t see you standing there,” Cal grumbled. Apparently, he still had trouble focusing on that fact. Jakob glanced in the direction Cal’s gaze kept cutting, but couldn’t figure out what the man looked at.