Liars and Tigers (2 page)

"She's a Tiger, Sam old man. Watch out, she
looks like she's
about to
take a nice hefty bite out of your ass. Don't think she can't do it
either. I've know the chit for a while and she is as vicious as a lioness
protecting her den."

"Shut up, Jack. I am not, nor will I ever be,
afraid of what anyone thinks they can do to me. Especially someone as small and
helpless as a newly hatched chicken. And Sam was my father. No one calls me
Samuel, either!" Alex hissed.

"If
you think for one moment that being small means that I am helpless, you are
delusional,
Samuel
," Misha
screamed, planting the tip of her hard boot directly into Alex's shin, and
watching as he reached over to grab his injury. "And if you believe you
can get my cooperation by threatening me, you've got a lot to learn! This
chicken has very long teeth and claws, and is not afraid to use them."

"Go
easy on him, Tiger. He signs my paychecks." Jack
kissed Misha's cheek
before excusing himself from the room. Mish
a snorted, angrily
shaking her short, blonde ponytail, and proceeded to inform Alex Hodges exactly
what he could do with his offer of employment and where he could shove his
tiny, little cock.

Alex's
face had reddened. "No one talks to me with such blatant disrespect,
especially an employee. You had best realize that if you don't work for me, you
will not be working anywhere."

"I
don't know who the hell you think you are, but it's about time that you learn
what the word 'no' means, Mr. Hodges! Not only learn what it means, but how to
be man enough to accept it graciously!"

 
The
two were still st
anding toe
to toe,
arguing
hotly with their arms flailing about, when J
ack
returned with a tiny
bundle nestled in his arms. "Miss Miller? Is there anything you can do
with this little one? She won't eat. It's been ne
arly two days
now,
"
he said, holding out a bottle. In a moment's time, Mish
a
was on the floor,
cradling the baby cougar and joyfully watching her suck the formula from the
bottle.

Alex's mouth
hung open as Misha looked up and smiled, her beautiful golden brown eyes filled
with happy tears. "I changed my mind, Mr. Hodges. I'll take the job. Just
keep your arrogant nose out of my business, and I will allow you to keep it
attached to your face. Deal?"

Two years had passed since that day, and she still
had that same love-hate relationship with her overbearing employer. True, he
left her to her own devices most of the time; but he still managed to find ways
to bother her beyond her ability to regulate her temper.

The latest episode involved the rent
al of her home. Alex heard
from Scuttlebutt (aka Jack), that Misha had moved out of her little facility
owned apartment and rented a place in the heart of grape country.
The well-being of his
employees was a priority, and Alex's old-fashioned values meant that he did not
approve of a single woman living out in the middle of nowhere; especi
ally
so close to an animal hating, beer-chugging, sweaty slum lord, who had a
reputation for dropping by and illegally inspecting the property of his female
tenants without notice. Alex had promptly investigated the jerk, and announced
that Misha would not be safe anywhere near him. He then proceeded to
forbid
her to live there!

R
aging at his audacity and presumptuousness,
Misha had bluntly informed
her employer that it was none of his damn business, and he had no right to
dictate where and how she would live. Alex demanded to person
ally
see her home
to make sure her living conditions were adequate,
adding that
he would give her one hell of a paddling should they fail to meet his approval
. Misha, her nose ne
arly
touching his forehead as she leaned across his desk and glared into his eyes,
had
told him
to fuck off, before storming out of his office. The slamming of the door had knocked
a picture off the wall, resulting in the satisfying sound of glass shattering
as Misha stomped away. That had been three months ago and, blissfully, she had
not had reason to talk with the overbearing Alex Hodges since.

Misha smiled as the cub yawned, stretching out his
little paws on the towel at the bottom of the box. "Please live, little
one. You can protect me from that big, mean boss of mine. Maybe even eat him!
Hopefully, he won't give you the stom
ach aches that the asshole gives to me,
" she giggled,
scratching the cub's ear. No doubt, turning
Alex Hodges into a
tiger chew toy
would be poetic justice, for sure!

"Did she do it, Jack? Did she take the cub
home?" Alex asked, twiddling his pen as he leaned back in his chair.

Jack nodded. "No problems. I'm just not sure of
the game you're playing," he commented, sipping some coffee.

Alex chuckled. "Sure you do. I'm on S
afari.
I've been tracking this
little chicken for two years, and I'm about to catch it. There are different
ways of hunting than with guns, my old friend. Miss Miller is a brilliant
scientist with a special way about her, but she's as untamed as those cats she
coddles. She's going to get hurt if we don't watch out for her safety. You've
said that yourself way too many times. She's too v
aluable a
team member to leave her to her own devices.
"

"She won't appreciate your interference. She
pretty much hates you and would love to see you on her kitty cats' dinner
plates."

"Whatever. She's still my responsibility. And a
very pretty one to boot. Too bad she has such an ugly temper," Alex
sighed, twirling the pen between his fingers. "I would love to see her
softer side, if she has one."

"She has one, but it's reserved for the
animals. The kid has been through all kinds of hell, and requires a special
touch to tame her heart, just like the one she gives her cats."

"Are you ever going to tell me what happened to
her?"

"That is her story to share if she ever chooses
to do so. Mish is very private and only shares her softer side when she feels
absolute trust and safety. Believe it or not, the sharp-toothed crocodile you
come head to head with is simply her defensiveness."

"I
lived with a sharp-toothed croc. I would not want to do that again."

"Yeah, buddy, I know. Have you heard anything
from Carla and the kids?" Jack's voice softened.

"No." Alex suddenly looked sad. "As
you know, the divorce w
as finalized several months ago,
and Carla is still
determined to stay in New York. I get the twins during the summer and
Christmas. I miss them," he admitted, thinking of his two year olds.
"They always make me laugh with the things they get into. They are so much
like the puppies…"

"It's been a tough time for you," Jack
sympathized. "If Misha knew that you had a softer side, she would respond
to it. Have you ever thought of talking to her? Like a friend?"

"Misha and I are not friends, nor would I
burden her with silly bullshit like this."

"Hey, don't turn into a snapping turtle with
me," Jack scolded. "I know the real you. I was there when this all
began. I've seen you cry over the birth of your children and the death of your
marriage. This is me, Alex. No pretending."

"Yeah, you're right. I'm just not ready to give
up this sense of control yet." Alex sighed.

"The control is an illusion and you know it.
For five years, you and Carla fought constantly. She took off after the babies
were born simply because you refused to sell the refuge. She was specific when
she said she wanted you to return to
active duty so that her social calendar would not
suffer any interference due to your charity events and fund raisers. It has
always been about her social status, buddy, not you. She didn't deserve you,
and you know it. It is time to get over it and move on."

Jack turned Alex's chair to
look him in the eye. "I am your best friend, and I say this out of love.
Carla
married you for your money
and political connections. She was
incensed when you built
the reserve, because it tapped into her dreams of having an unlimited expense
account. She depended on your father supporting her political aspiration for
you. She was not counting on him using his influence as a retired senate leader
to help make your dream, not hers, come to life."

"You warned me not to marry her.
You saw all this through
her beauty. I should have listened."

"You
should have, but you never do. Carla is as deadly a snake as they come. A Black
Mamba wouldn't stand a chance against her venom. But you have always been
stubborn, and needed to see for yourself. She's not worth all this self-induced
misery of yours."

"It
cost me my children." Alex looked away to stare at the smiling faces of
the little boy and girl on the wall.

"Cary
and Cory will always be your children. You need to allow yourself the chance to
find a gal who will share your love for your kids, even the four-footed ones.
Alex, hear me out. Your passion for this work is unmatched by anyone I have
ever known. Anyone, except Misha. What she has in her heart burns brighter than
all of ours put together. Her passion will bring life to you again. Please,
give her a chance. Put down the hunting gear and come to her as a man. Bring
her flowers. Or better yet, dark chocolate-covered macadamia nuts."

"Jack,
you're
a
foolish old romantic. I am not going to date her! T
he last thing I need in my
life right now is a woman, especially one who wants to castrate me every chance
she gets. I need to focus on my goals, keep these animals alive and healthy,
and try to prepare them to enter their natural habitat if they can. That's my
love and my life. There is no room for anything else. She is simply a means to
help me accomplish my goals, nothing more."

"Then why
are you on the hunt?" Jack confronted him.

Alex looked
straight at him. "There is no hunt. I am being logical and seeking a means
to protect my investments. Misha Miller is a valuable commodity to this
facility, nothing more."

 
"You are a lot of things, old
friend, but you are not a liar. You are attracted to her, like a bee to honey.
The passion she possesses calls to you, and you know it. Her refusal of your
advances makes you want her more because you hate being rejected. Just admit
that you desire her as a woman, not just as a coworker. Both of you will be
much happier if you stop denying this spark that you share."

"You are
delusional, Jack. True, the carnal part of my nature wants to have her. She's
beautiful, intelligent and fearless. To me, she is like the elusive
mythological beast that every hunter in the world wants to claim as his
own."

"You can't
fool me for a minute. I know what you want, and you are terrified of pursuing
it. You're afraid that being kind and gentle will portray you as being weak.
Misha is not a Sasquatch, the Loch Ness monster, or any other legendary
creature. She's a human being and deserves respect. I love that little girl,
Alex. Don't you go hurting her. I have had to help her pick up the pieces from
her broken life once before, and I don't want to have to do that again. Not
even for you."

"That is
not my intent. I promise," Alex said quietly. "I only want the best
for her."

J
ack said nothing. He
instinctively knew that Alex
would
be
the best thing for his little Misha. He had seen the firework display between
his old friend and the adorable little scientist replay over the last couple of
years. They would be a great match, provided they didn't kill each other. He
still didn't like Alex's plan however; it needed some serious tweaking to work…

***

Mish
a sighed after succeeding in getting less than an
ounce of liquid into the little cub. He had refused the specially formulated
paste used for abandoned domestic kittens, yet had shown interest in the
persimmon jam she had put on her finger. He licked that from her with
diligence, but the sweet preserves were not enough to sustain his life. He
needed protein. How could she get him to take it if he would not drink from a
bottle or use the edge of a washcloth soaked in the formula?