Shifter Town 3 - Big Cats Don't Purr (9 page)

Letting out bone-rattling roar, he turned away from the rogue and stepped close to her, blood dripping down his black mane. He took another step and she felt the magick inside him swirl, the lion fading into a man, and suddenly he was standing before her. “We’re out a car.”

“Get across the street to the gas station and start walking north. I’ll catch up.”

He grabbed her arm. “I’m getting your cat, but your daughter needs you right now. She needs you to be more of a parent then her mother was. Protect
her.
”

His jaw went tight, but he stalked past her towards Kinsey. Blowing out a breath of relief, she jogged for the car. The rogue was groaning, rolling on the ground. No doubt trying to get to his feet. Sawyer ignored him and pried open the back door. “Rona,” she called out. “Here kitty, kitty. Here girl.”

She found the cat under the passenger seat, her claws dug into the floorboard of the car.

“It’s okay sweetheart, I’ve got you.” She leaned around the seat and snatched her phone from the console and dialed home.

Scooping the terrified cat out of the car, Sawyer hip-bumped the door shut. She glanced across the street. Rift and Kinsey were already moving off at a hurried pace. The parking lot was thankfully still empty. Heart pounding, she headed away from the car with Rona cradled to her chest.

The rogue would pick himself up and run if she had any bets. And the car was registered to Sawyer Grant. Lennox could cover that up easily enough.

Right now, though, they needed to disappear.

A tremor ran through her.

She was out of options.

Then a familiar voice came over the phone, a deep bass rumble that reminded her of every story he used to read her before bed. “And I here I didn’t think you’d ever call your dear old dad again.”

Guilt pricked at her heart. She didn’t call home nearly often enough, and definitely not when she was under cover. “I’m under cover, dad. And I need your help.”

“What’s wrong?” Instantly, Gaston Reyes’s voice turned serious. Deadly.

“I need a ride, please. We’re on foot.” She glanced around and relayed information from the street signs. “Heading north. The people I’m with can’t know I’m STE, but we have a pride on our trail. I didn’t want to bring trouble to you guys.” She gulped down a deep breath. “But I don’t have any other choice.”

“Mace is actually not too far away. He was on a construction job down there for a while. I’ll send him your way. Just hang tight.” Tears welled in her eyes as she hurried after Rift and Kinsey’s retreating forms. “And Sawyer, you know damn well you can always call us.”

“I know.”

“I don’t care if it’s your job, or you, that has the problem. We always have your back.”

The phone clicked off and Sawyer shoved it in her pocket before pressing her face into Rona’s fur. She’d known the pride would help her...though they wouldn’t be thrilled about Rift...but she just hadn’t wanted to bring the problems to them.

They didn’t deserve it.

She knew they’d always come to her aid, always protect her. But some day she’d just like to safe herself for once.

Chapter Eight

Rift didn’t look back until he heard Rona’s soft meow behind them. He turned and spotted Sawyer gaining on them, slow and steady. The cat gave another meow and Kinsey spun, her tear-streaked face transforming to one of joy as she bolted for Sawyer. “Rona!”

She plucked the silver tiger from Sawyer’s hands and buried her face in the cat’s fur. “She’s okay,” Kinsey said, her voice shaking. “Where was she?”

“Hiding under the passenger seat like a smart little kitty.” Sawyer gave the cat an affectionate rub. “Come on, let’s keep going.”

Rift watched as she ushered Kinsey on, and stepped in behind her, his hand finding the small of her back. “Game plan?” he murmured softly.

“Uh, head for that strip mall up there.” She swallowed and Rift knew there was something she wasn’t telling him.

“Sawyer.”

She shot him a smile, then jogged up beside Kinsey. “She’s a tough little cat, isn’t she?”

Rift sighed and let it go. Sawyer hadn’t gotten them this far to turn her back on them now. If she had a plan she didn’t want to divulge yet, he’d give her time. Besides, it wasn’t like
he
had a plan.

He should have chased down the second rogue and killed him, too, when he’d had the chance.

Now they not only had no car, they’d had to leave in such a rush that they had nothing left at all. Nothing but the clothes on their backs and Rona. He smiled at that. He’d known Sawyer wouldn’t leave his cat any more than he or Kinsey would have, but to turn and see her cuddling Rona to her chest as she hurried to catch up? Well, damn.

They rounded the edge of the small strip mall and Rift instantly spotted the large black explorer. He froze, his heart pounding in his chest. Sawyer—

“Mace!” she shouted, waving, and the man leaning against the side of the vehicle turned.
Lion.
But Rift didn’t recognize him as one of the Cane Creek males, but something about this one screamed pride male.

Maybe it was the power, the confidence, of being so close to Boulder turf and just not giving a damn, but the sight of it hit Rift like a stone to the gut. The big man grinned and opened his arms, just as Sawyer hurtled herself into them.

Instantly Rift’s lion roared to the surface, furious, the hard slam of aggression sending him staggering forward a few steps, his fists clenched at his sides.
Mine
, his lion thundered inside him.

The man holding Sawyer grinned as he lifted her into the air, his face almost boyish as he looked into her face. “Damn, girl, been a while.”

Then he looked up and saw Rift and the joy washed away into something colder. Dangerous.

“Don’t, Mace,” Sawyer said, pressing a hand to his chest. “Rift’s a friend.”

A friend?
She hadn’t kissed him like he was nothing more than a fucking friend.

“You didn’t mention a rogue male when you called.”

Sawyer braced both hands on her hips and frowned up at him. “Would it have mattered?”

The man she called Mace shot her a glare that made Rift snarl. The other lion flicked his attention back to Rift, but he answered Sawyer, the word sharp and short, “No.”

“Rift, cool it,” Sawyer said, turning toward him. She ran a hand through her long hair, shaking out the tangles before she took a step towards him, then Kinsey. The poor girl looked so confused.

“Mace, this is Rift and Kinsey, and the details are a long story. But I called for help.”

“And a ride. And you got both.” He tilted his head towards the car, even if he never removed his gaze from Rift.

Obviously he saw Rift as an enemy.

Same here, asshole.

“Rift, Kins, this is Mason Reyes.” She glanced at the man by the Explorer and then back to Rift. “My brother.”

Her what?
Rift jerked his attention to her, the other male temporarily forgotten. “Your last name—”

“Grant.” She shrugged. “I changed it when I left the pride. The thought of getting chased down by six pride males tends to make most prides think twice before taking on a Reyes daughter.”

Rift just stared at her.
A Reyes daughter. Holy fucking hell.
And he’d kissed her. Slept with her wrapped in his arms every night they’d been together. He cut a glance to Mason and knew her brother could smell him all over her. Mace’s eyes were dark as he leaned against the car.

Shit.

And they were heading into the thick of pride territory.

Rift had never considered himself a coward, but the thought of facing down the entire coalition of Boulder Pride males made him want to run in the other direction.

“Were we heading here all along?” he said finally, his voice soft.

“No. At least, I was still trying to figure out another way.” She gave him a sad half-smile. “I didn’t want to bring trouble to my family. They’ve had enough of it.” She looked at Kinsey. “But after today.” She shrugged. “We’ll at least be safe there.”

Her maybe. Her family was probably going to hand him his ass.

But Kinsey would be safe there, too.

Rift closed his eyes and nodded. He was a dead man walking, but planned or not, Kinsey was his daughter. And she deserved all the safety he could give her. There wasn’t anywhere safer than Boulder Pride.

“You have five older brothers and two younger ones. Which set is he in?” Rift glanced at Mason, fighting not to cringe as he did the math.

“The youngest of her older set.” He grinned, no doubt knowing damn well what Rift was thinking.

Ouch.

“They’ll behave,” Sawyer promised him, but Rift doubted it.

Especially considering that, Reyes daughter or not, Rift had no intention of ever letting her go.

Something in his face must have given him away, because Mason scowled, but Rift ignored him.

“Let’s go, then,” he muttered.

“Can Rona come too?” Kinsey asked, looking at Sawyer as she cuddled the cat, but it was Mace who answered.

“The cat? Of course.” He popped open the back door. “Just keep an eye on her when we get there. Some of the youngsters can play a little rough.”

And as lion cubs they probably played rougher than most.

Rift slid into the back seat next to Kinsey and watched as Mace grinned at his sister before pulling her in for another hug. “It really has been a while, sis. You could call more, you know. Your mom’s been worried sick.”

“Sorry, I just...” She glanced at Rift and then shook her head. “Let’s go home.”

But from that split-second look she exchanged with her brother, Rift knew without a doubt she was keeping something else from him.

Though after the last surprise, he doubted it could be anything worse than being a member of Boulder Pride. He slumped back in his seat. If he survived her family, he could handle whatever other secret she was hiding from him, no problem.

***

The highway flew by, the sights all familiar from a lifetime of traveling all over the state. The scenery itself had become a symbol of family, safety, home. She smiled. As much as she’d tried to avoid bringing this problem home, it felt nice to know they were finally safe.

Cane Creek couldn’t touch them here.

“Rulon’s got a second cub on the way,” Mace said, referring to her oldest brother.

“Oh? Boy or girl?”

“Little boy. And dad’s groaning because, at this rate, people have got to start moving out. He already booted Cutter from the pride.”

Cutter was a year younger than her and had been raising hell when she’d left.

“Dad couldn’t take a seventh male.”

Still, her heart broke for her younger brother. Where would that leave him? She doubted many prides would want a Reyes who had been kicked from Boulder. It might mean family problems they’d have to deal with later.

“So he’ll be a rogue?”

“Nah. I’m leaving, too. Cut and I can get our own turf up in Montana or Wyoming. And at the rate the pride is growing, if we ever need a third or fourth male, we’ll just grab one of the young guys as they come of age. They can’t all stay and live at home like Ru.”

“Anyone else know?”

“No. They don’t need the stress right now, and I’m not actually pulling out until Cut’s got us some land. Besides, you know Ru would kick my ass if he knew I was planning to leave and just hanging around. He hates freeloaders.”

He flashed her a teasing grin, but Sawyer knew better. Rulon wouldn’t care at all. Mace was still his brother. Once Mace and Cut had formed their own pride, Rulon might not be able to have their back, but he’d always be rooting for them. Dad, too.

“So he’ll hate me,” Rift said from the back seat, and Sawyer started to protest, but Mace cut her off.

“He’ll hate you for a lot of reasons. The big one being you smell like you’ve been rolling with his sister.” There was enough anger in Mace’s voice to make her roll her eyes.

“I’m a big girl, Mace. I get to choose what I do in my personal life. That’s why I left. I didn’t need you all breathing down my neck.”

“Doesn’t mean they’ll like you bringing him home.”

Sawyer sighed and glanced out the window, recognizing the dirt road they’d turned down. The small green street sign on the corner read Reyes Street.

“Shit,” Rift said from behind her. “You have your own street?”

Sawyer couldn’t help but smile. “The ranch is set on a hundred and twenty acres, but the actual territory is half the state. But grandpa wanted the street where we actually live to carry the family name.”

Sawyer stared out over the string of ranch houses that housed various members of the pride. There were two new ones over on the north end. A high-pitched squeal sounded from the lawn and she turned to see a pair of lion cubs shifting back and forth from human to cat and back again, batting at each other as they played.

Rulon’s wife Abby leaned against one of the houses, her belly swollen with child, and she looked perfectly at home watching the kids.