Secured Heart (Timberon Cat Book 1)

• Title Page
  
• Chapter One
  
• Chapter Two
  
• Chapter Three
  

Secured Heart

Yvette Hines

This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents are products of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously and are not to be construed as real. Any resemblance to actual events, locales, organizations, or persons, living or dead, is entirely coincidental.

All rights reserved. The unauthorized reproduction or distribution of this copyrighted work is illegal. No part of this book may be used or reproduced electronically or in print without written permission by the author.

Secured Heart

Copyright © 2015, Yvette Hines

Cover Artist: Covers by K Designs

Editor: Bernadette Schane

Beta Readers: Lonnie H.

This ebook is licensed for your personal enjoyment only. This ebook may not be resold or given away to other people. If you would like to share this book with another person, please purchase an additional copy for each reader. If you’re reading this book and did not purchase it, or it was not purchased for your use only, then please return to eStore and purchase your own copy. Thank you for respecting the hard work of this author.

Author’s Note

Hello Readers. Some of you may recall that Secured Heart was originally in the Just One Bite contest at All Romance eBooks. This story at only 3k at the time, because of contest rules, came in third place among 36 other stories. Well, all rights have been returned to me and I have taken the time to increase this story and modified it significantly. It is now longer and hotter. So, the story that started the Timberon Series is back. Hope you enjoy it and the others in the series, On the Prowl, Rescued Mate, and coming soon, Stalking Nayla.

Best Regards,

Yvette

Chapter One

Strolling around the room one more time to check with his men and ensure everyone was in place and everything was secure before he left, Kal stepped to Dwayne, the man in charge for the evening.

“
Okay, Dwayne, everything appears to be under control. I’m heading out.” Normally, he wouldn’t have come at all with Dwayne leading the team for the night, but this project was a big one. The success of tonight’s event would mean more contracts of this caliber. Tyler, Bridge and Anderson law office was the largest firm in the city. They handled all the high-profile white-collar crimes around the state. Having Mayor Davy present was an extra bonus. The fact that he’d snagged this contract was proof that his company was succeeding in a major way. In the next few weeks, he would be hiring four more security people to add to his team of twelve.

“
Got it, boss man. Everything will be fine.” Dwayne, his good friend and fellow pride member, had left his job as athletics coordinator at a local recreation center to work with him. He was a six-three, dark-skinned black man who was as wide as he was tall.

Patting Dwayne on the shoulder, Kal confirmed, “I know you got it all under control. I don’t doubt it for a moment.” Glancing around, he whispered, “I just came here to show my face.”

“
And what a lovely mug it is.” Dwayne’s bantering tone matched Kal’s as he added, “A face only relatives and pride members could love.”

Chuckling, Kal nodded.

Kal and Dwayne’s families had lived in Albuquerque most of their lives, only five hours from the
Amofeli
sect in
in Timberon. Dwayne’s family members were unattached shifters. For years Kal’s elders had attempted to convince the family to join with Timberon Amofeli pride, but Dwayne’s father had declined. When he and Dwayne went to college his best friend joined the pride.

“
Well, I’ll see you tomorrow at the offi--”

“
Sorry I’m late, everyone.” Burt Tyler, the lead partner who had started the law firm twenty-seven years ago with his father, came in with a petite black woman.

Presently, she was about five-eight in her three-inch heels and her skin was a soft brown with red undertones, like Georgia clay. She was perfection, every feature designed by the Creator to attract and hold a gaze, in its flawless symmetry. Her long ebony hair cascaded down around her shoulders in layers, tempting a man to bury his hands in it.

Kal’s hands itched to do just that as the desire he once believed dormant flared up as hot and scalding as ever. A joyously sweet and erotically intoxicating combination of osmanthus and vanilla rum reached him from across the room.

He watched her smile as she worked the room beside the stout lawyer who was barely an inch taller than her. Her short black dress haltered around her neck, conservatively revealing the swell of her breasts. The garment hugged her slim form and ended mid-thigh, giving the illusion that her toned legs went on and on. Lana Greisen.

Fuck. What the hell was she doing here? With him?
Kal took a step along the outside perimeter hall.

“
Kal?”

He heard his name but disregarded it…kept moving. The hairs on the nape of his neck rose and his scalp tingled seeing another man touch her. He had to remind himself that this was not the time or place. His business was at stake if he did something foolish like shift and take out the town’s leading lawyer. It was hard to tamp down the urge to swipe the older man’s head off with his claws. If he used his concealment trait, it would be impossible for them to pin it on him.

“
Man, this may be a good time for you to head out.” Dwayne, who knew what Lana had once meant to him, must have clearly sensed his intent.

Kal took another step.

His friend grabbed his arm keeping him from following the couple. Raising an eyebrow, Dwayne spoke firmly. “As you planned.”

Glancing first at his arm and then up at his friend, Kal stifled the hiss rising in his throat. He knew Dwayne was right. This contract was too damn important to Elite Expert Security. Even knowing that, he couldn’t walk away.

“
I’ll be fine. In a few minutes I’ll go.”

Dwayne let go of his arm, but the second eyebrow arching high spoke volumes. “Well, at least get your hair under control. You look feral.”

With a broad, cocky smile, Kal finger-combed his hair back into place. Evidently, more than just the hair on his neck had risen when he saw his mate with someone else.

~YH~

“
Excuse me for a moment, Mr. Tyler, Mayor Davy. I’m going to powder my nose and check on a few things.” Lana smiled at her boss and the people gathering around the two influential men. It had been an hour since they’d arrived and she’d smiled and chatted like a good girl. She hated being in the spotlight. She preferred to hang out in the background coordinating things and people.

“
Don’t worry, Lana, everything is going perfectly tonight.” Mr. Tyler reached out and squeezed her hand. “Of course, I didn’t expect otherwise. Relax.”

Allowing a small laugh to grace her lips, she commented, “Now, you know it’s my nature to worry over things. That’s why you keep me around.”

“
It’s true,” he said to the small group as he sipped his bourbon. “Not much gets past our Lana. She’s sharp.”

Lana walked away enjoying the pride in her boss’s words. Meandering through the crowd, she touched base with a few people, ensuring everything was going well.

Stepping down a hallway, she nodded at one of the security men and continued on toward the bathroom. There were several patio doors open wide allowing a soft late spring breeze to waft through the rooms. The official start of summer would be upon them in a few days. Taking a deep breath along the way, she enjoyed the solitude of the area. Most people were congregated in the large ballroom and used the bathroom closer to the front, so this trek gave her privacy and a moment to herself.

She was only a few steps from the bathroom, past the last set of French doors, when someone grabbed her arm and dragged her out onto the terrace. Before she could scream, her back was against the cool stucco wall and Kal Walters stood before her, his arms caging her in.

“
What the hell are you doing here with Tyler, Lana?” he demanded.

Shock kept her speechless for a few moments. However, it didn’t stop the heat from curling low in her belly. It had been more than four years since she’d seen Kal. He looked good, real good in his button-down shirt and slacks. His chestnut-brown hair fell onto his forehead, emphasizing his golden amber cat eyes. He’d always stayed fit, his
Amofeli
genetics keeping his body honed to perfection. Kal had broad shoulders that made a woman want to curl up against them. She had done so many times in the past during late-night study sessions.

“
It’s none of your business, Kal.” Placing her hands against his chest she tried to push him away. He was as unmovable as a Mack truck.