by Lori Foster
Kendra looked at Thomas. Her silver-and-black bobtail watched them with a deceptively casual manner, which meant he was paying closer attention than he wanted them to realize. What was he thinking?
“You should have asked your friend to climb the ladder for you.”
She had. Kendra returned her attention to Paul. He’d noticed her arguing with Harvey. Had he heard them? She hoped not.
“My boyfriend doesn’t care for Tom. I think the feeling’s mutual.”
“They say animals are good judges of human character.”
Kendra eyed him suspiciously. What was he implying?
She saw the interest in his brown eyes. As flattered as she felt, she wanted him to know she was otherwise committed. “I don’t know that I agree with that.”
Paul glanced at Thomas, then held Kendra’s gaze. “Frankly, my money’s on Tom.”
Kendra had no response to that. She stared at him, speechless and confused.
Paul smiled, his killer dimples coming back. “Enjoy the rest of your evening.”
Kendra watched Paul continue his jog down the road, then turned to Thomas.
“Come on, Tom. You’ve tortured me enough today. Time to come in.”
The bobtail dragged his attention from Paul to Kendra. He stood, stretched, then started in the direction Paul had taken.
“No, Tom. This way. You know where we live.”
Thomas stopped and looked over his shoulder at her.
Kendra bent forward and held out her hand, rubbing her fingers together as though she had a treat. “Come on, Tom. Let’s go home now.”
He didn’t move.
Kendra straightened and sighed. “OK. But keep yourself safe walking the streets. And, when you’re done, remember you have someplace to come home to.”
Thomas watched Kendra reenter her garage. Part of him wanted to join her, to curl up in the warmth of her lap. But he was a cat with a mission. He could be self-indulgent later. For now, he needed to know where the male who’d helped Kendra off the ladder lived.
There was something about the male that made him think he could be the one to make his mistress happy. Thomas turned to chase after him.
He didn’t entirely regret the trick he’d played on Kendra. Climbing onto the roof had been an act of desperation. He could smell her fear as she stood on the ladder reaching for him and was sorry for it, but he couldn’t let her leave with her mate.
Harvey wasn’t the one for her. He was mean and selfish. Kendra was kind and giving. She needed someone who would love her the same way. Unselfishly. Generously. The way she deserved to be loved. Perhaps the male he tracked was that someone. Thomas was going to find out. He had to find a way to repay Kendra’s kindness.
Two months ago, Thomas had been beaten almost to death by a gang of strays that protected their territory with vicious zeal. He’d lain bleeding to death on the sidewalk. That’s when Kendra had arrived in her vehicle and rescued him.
She’d taken him somewhere to heal. At first he’d hated it. They’d poked, pinched, and pricked him from head to tail. But he’d admit to feeling much better afterward. Well-fed and strong. As he’d regained his strength, he realized he didn’t mind it there. But then he’d gone home with Kendra, and he liked that even more.
They hadn’t understood each other in the beginning. Having lived his entire life on the streets, humans were a mystery to him. He’d had the sense she hadn’t been used to cats, either. She’d tried to keep him indoors. The mean streets of Westerville, Ohio, weren’t always kind to cats, but he couldn’t imagine living behind locked doors.
Thomas watched the male cross the street and turn toward a house on the corner. He froze. That corner belonged to the gang that had almost killed him.
As soon as the thought came to him, a black Bombay emerged from the bushes, followed by an orange Somali and a gray-and-white ragamuffin. Shadow and his crew.
CHAPTER TWO
Thomas had been hungry, weak, and lost when he’d first clashed with the other cats. He’d wandered into this no-cat’s land hoping to find food and shelter, just until he could regain his strength.
No sooner had he crossed the street than Shadow and his cats—Red and Decoy—had jumped him. They’d given him the worst beating of his life. He had the scars to prove it, including a deep one bisecting his forehead to the bridge of his nose. And half of one ear was gone.
Flanked by Red and Decoy, Shadow stalked to the curb and hissed, baring his teeth and glaring his hatred. Red and Decoy weaved around their leader, seeming to dare Thomas to cross the street.
He knew the odds didn’t favor him. His last encounter with Shadow and his gang had proven that. He’d been lucky to escape with his life. He’d been lucky to meet Kendra.
But Thomas didn’t want fear to rule him. He had to make a stand. He arched his back and hissed his response.
Shadow pawed the air, hissing and spitting. Thomas could feel the other cats’ aggression build. He hesitated. Was he doing the right thing? He was all alone. There were three of them. He’d failed before. Would he survive this time if they beat him again?
Thomas scraped together his courage and placed one shaking paw into the street.
Shadow erupted in fury, bunching his muscles and screeching his outrage. His back arched, making him look double his normal size. Red and Decoy joined, hissing and calling, wailing their rage. Together, the gang formed a seemingly impenetrable wall.
Thomas froze. Fear filled him. His whole body shook with it. His muscles went lax from it. He managed to pull back his paw and stumble onto the sidewalk. In shame, he turned and raced back to Kendra.
Kendra half-sat, half-reclined on her fluffy red sofa, feeling Thomas’s soft gray fur beneath her palm. The bobtail pressed against her chest. His body heat warmed her. His hind paws braced on her lap. His front paws kneaded her stomach. She gazed into his slumberous green eyes and stroked his wide forehead back to the crown of his head. He leaned in closer, then closer still, then . . . head-butted her. Laughter rushed from Kendra, loosening the melancholy that had gripped her before Thomas had demanded attention.
Still grinning, she nuzzled his forehead. “You’re right. I shouldn’t waste a perfectly good Saturday morning feeling sorry for myself.”
Her doorbell rang. Kendra stroked Thomas’s forehead another time or two, then lifted him from her lap and set him on the brown carpet.
He trailed her around the mahogany coffee table to the door. Through the sheer cream curtains covering her side window, she recognized Harvey standing on her walkway.
Might as well get this drama over with. She was happy to see Harvey, but this make-up talk would come with a price. She straightened her clothes—orange tank top and blue denim shorts—and finger combed her shoulder-length dark brown hair.
Kendra unlocked her door and stepped aside as she pulled it open. He looked good, as usual. Like a male model stepping onto the runway. His cream polo shirt bared sinewy arms while his blue linen pants emphasized his long legs.
“Hi, Harvey.”
He kissed her hard and quick on the lips as he crossed her threshold. His spicy cologne teased her. “We need to talk.”
“About what?” She locked her door, then led him to the center of her living room. Thomas kept vigil beside her.
“You know about what. That cat.”
It really bothered her that Harvey wouldn’t use Thomas’s name. It was as though he didn’t want to place that much value on her pet. But Paul, her rescuer from the prior evening, had used Thomas’s name during their first meeting.
“What about Tom? I told you yesterday I wouldn’t choose between the two of you.”
He patted his soft black curls. “I was talking to Myrna last night.”
“Myrna?” Kendra’s brows rose at the mention of Harvey’s gorgeous and voluptuous coworker. A Viveca Fox look alike.
“You didn’t expect me to waste your movie ticket, did you? It’s bad enough we had to make a later show.”
“She happened to be available.”
In more ways than he claimed to realize. Was he really blind to how much the other woman wanted him? Unbelievable.
“And what did Myrna have to say?”
Harvey relaxed. “She told me about a local animal shelter. They take care of strays until they find homes for them.”
“Why would Myrna tell you about an animal shelter?”
“You can take that cat there, and they’ll care for it until it finds a home.”
Kendra had been sucker-punched. Her lips parted but she couldn’t breathe. Her eyes widened but her vision blurred. He wanted to take Thomas from her. Not now. Not ever.
“Tom has a home—with me.”
As though sensing he was the subject of discussion, Thomas began to meow. Kendra glanced down at him seated beside her, but he seemed fine.
Harvey spread his arms. “It’s obviously too much for you.”
She stiffened defensively. Her voice was tight. “What makes you think that?”
In her peripheral vision, she saw Thomas stand and close the distance to Harvey. He stroked himself against Harvey’s leg. Either her boyfriend didn’t notice or didn’t care. It was probably the former.
“You’re always shopping for it and playing with it. You even talk to it. You know, it doesn’t understand you.”
Kendra begged to differ. “I’m not going to apologize for caring for Tom. I’m sorry you’re feeling neglected, but you’re not being fair.”
Finally becoming aware of Thomas’s actions, Harvey glanced down to where the cat was tracing figure eights around his legs. “What in the hell is it doing?”
“He’s showing you affection. You could learn something from him.”
“It’s also getting fur on my pants.” Harvey lifted his right leg and shook it. “Call it off.”
Kendra briefly closed her eyes, then leaned forward, extending her right arm toward her cat. “Come here, baby.”
Thomas continued to pace around Harvey’s legs.
“It’s a cat. Not a baby.” His tone was just short of snappish.
Kendra tipped her face up to meet his eyes. “That’s a term of endearment. Or should I be offended every time you call me baby?”
Harvey looked away. “You’re obsessed with it.”
“You’re just upset because you no longer feel like the center of my world. I’m sorry for that, but it can’t be helped.”
“Will you get your cat away from me?” Harvey growled and lifted his right leg again. But this time he used it to kick Thomas away.
Thomas cried out as Harvey’s foot connected with his side, bouncing him across the carpet.
“Have you lost your mind?” Kendra screamed as she kneeled to check on Thomas.
Her shaking hands slowly moved over the brawny little body checking for bumps, bruises or—Heaven forbid—broken bones. Thomas stared up at her, stunned. She didn’t feel any damage, and Thomas never cried out. Maybe he was OK. But Kendra was fit to be tied.
She wanted to rip Harvey apart. She wanted to kick him even harder than he’d kicked her cat. Instead, she made Thomas her priority, lifting him into her arms and cuddling him close to her body.
She straightened and turned to face Harvey. Her voice was low and shook with fury. “Don’t you ever touch him again.” Kendra shifted her arms to keep hold of Thomas’s wiggling body.
Harvey’s eyes widened. “He was leaving fur all over my pants.”
“So?”
Kendra gasped as Thomas launched himself from her embrace onto Harvey’s chest. Harvey shouted and stumbled back. Thomas clung to him, hissing and spitting fury. Harvey tried to grab Thomas’s paws while avoiding the cat’s unsheathed claws.
Kendra followed them across the living room, managing to wrap her hands around her cat’s struggling body. She tugged him back toward her, but Thomas’s claws hooked into Harvey’s polo shirt.
“Stop. He’s shredding my clothes.” Harvey scowled and tried to untangle Thomas’s claws from his shirt. Once free, Harvey stepped back. “You see? That cat’s dangerous.”
Kendra was just as furious as Harvey sounded. “You attacked him. What did you expect him to do? Pack up and leave?” She kept a firm hold on the still hissing-and-spitting Thomas.
“Why didn’t you have him declawed?”
“Because he has to be able to protect himself from bullies who’d attack him.” She gave Harvey a pointed look.
“That cat is crazy and so are you.”
“That should make it easier for you to stay the hell away from both of us.”
Harvey’s eyes grew so wide, Kendra thought they’d pop from his head. “You’re choosing that cat over me?”
“If someone had told me you were capable of hurting a defenseless animal—one that was showing you affection, one that belonged to your girlfriend—I would have told them they were crazy. Little did I know I was a horrible judge of character.”
Paul had told her animals were good judges of character. Considering Thomas had never cared for Harvey, she now was inclined to believe him.
Kendra and Harvey locked gazes. Hostility arced between them, and Kendra lost track of time. Thomas continued to screech and struggle in her arms.
Finally, Harvey stepped back. “You deserve each other.” He turned, unlocked the door, and let himself out.
“Thank you.”
Kendra knew he couldn’t hear her, but that wasn’t the point. This marked the end of their four-month relationship. But she was too angry to care.
She marched to her front door, intending to close and lock it. As she reached for the doorknob, Thomas leaped from her arms and sped down her walkway.
“Tom.” Kendra hurried after him.
Harvey’s car was gone. That was quick. She watched as Thomas raced away. Where was he going now? Kendra turned back to her house. Thomas knew his way home. She just hoped he’d be OK.
He’d taken a risk by weaving around Harvey’s legs. Thomas had known the male would get angry. But he hadn’t anticipated that kick. Meow, that had hurt. He needed to work on his reflexes.
Kendra had been furious. Her expression and her tone had told him that, as had the fear and concern he’d sensed from her. This was the perfect time for the other male to move in. Thomas would have to play it by ear to persuade the male to take him home to Kendra. That would give them time together while Kendra was still mad at Harvey.
But one thing Thomas couldn’t play by ear was entering Shadow’s territory. He’d have to get to the male’s home by coming from the southeast street corner. It would make for a longer trip, but it should be safer—if Shadow had only marked the southwest corner and not the entire block.
Thomas quickly traveled the detour. It had rained overnight. The ground beneath his paws was damp but warm. Birds sang in the trees overhead, making him hungry. A cool June breeze threaded his fur and tickled his whiskers. It carried with it the scent of warm earth, cut grass, and new roses. Heady fragrances that made him feel alive.
Thomas slowed as he approached the southeast corner of the male’s street. He sniffed the air. Something was wrong. He tentatively approached the territory, one paw in the street, the other three still on the sidewalk. The wind rested and the birds quieted. Danger, but from where?
Another step and now three paws were in the road and the fourth remained on the sidewalk. He cautiously brought his fourth paw off the curb and crouched low in the middle of the street. Watching. Waiting.
A rustling from the hedges straight ahead on the opposite sidewalk claimed his attention. Shadow appeared, followed by Red and Decoy. The black Bombay had marked the entire block. That’s what Thomas had been afraid of.
CHAPTER THREE
Shadow sauntered to the edge of the curb, his expression vicious, his manner threatening. The black cat hissed a warning and bared his teeth. Thomas’s heart drummed painfully in his chest.
What had he ever done
to anger the Bombay? Crossed into his territory when he’d been tired and hungry? And for that he deserved to be bullied for the rest of his life?
No. Shadow and his crew stood between him and his goal, finding a suitable mate for Kendra. This mission was too important for Thomas to back down.
Gathering his courage, Thomas raced across the road and sprang into battle. As he leaped toward Shadow, the Bombay raised one paw. The slash cut four deep grooves into Thomas’s left cheek, drawing blood and sending him sprawling onto the sidewalk.
Mindful of the other two cats, Thomas ignored his pain. He rolled to his feet, keeping his back clear. Red and Decoy flanked Shadow. The three cats stalked Thomas. He arched his back and hissed his challenge. He wouldn’t back down. He wouldn’t show fear. His body was stronger now, thanks to Kendra. He wasn’t the same hunger-weakened cat they’d preyed on months ago. And he was ready to prove it.
Shadow charged him, coming in low, then leaping high. Thomas reared up onto his hind legs and swatted his attacker midleap. This time, Shadow landed hard on the curb. But Thomas didn’t take his attention off the Bombay’s friends.
Red rushed him. There was a tangle of paws and teeth. Red screeched loudly and long as Thomas wrenched free with a portion of the other cat’s ear. Payback was sweet.
But he couldn’t celebrate now. Decoy had jumped him, clawing his back. Thomas arched in pain. He twisted left, then right, trying to dislodge the ragamuffin. With one last desperate heave, he shook off his assailant—and felt his flesh torn for his efforts.
Dizzy from blood loss, Thomas turned to face the strays. Decoy rose shakily to his feet. He hissed and Thomas screeched back. The other cat’s eyes widened before he turned and scampered away.
Red was already gone. That left Thomas to face Shadow. The two locked gazes. Anger and hatred glowed in Shadow’s pale gray eyes. And something else. Fear? Respect? Before Thomas could decide, Shadow turned and sauntered away.
Thomas waited until Shadow was out of view before letting down his guard. He sank onto the sidewalk. He was weak, shaky, and bleeding from a multitude of wounds. He needed help. Kendra was too far away, but he could see the male’s house. Thomas pushed himself to his feet and limped toward his destination.