The Great Disapurrance: BBW Shapeshifter Surprise Pregnancy Romance (Chicago Catastrophe) (18 page)

“
P
ut
the gun down and let’s settle this like shifters,” Arlen said as soon as Sienna was out of the room.

He was worried about her being alone with Antonio, but it was better than having her here when he and Holland finally went at it. Besides, she was armed. Arlen didn’t doubt she would use the gun if she had to.

On top of that, he needed to finish this fast, before Shadow Squad swarmed the place and he’d be out the one chance he had at handing in Holland.

“I don’t subscribe to your archaic view of honor. Only one of us is leaving here alive and I plan on it being me,” Holland replied, his finger on the trigger.

Arlen managed to jump away a moment before a bullet whizzed by the spot his head would have been if he hadn’t moved. He landed on his side, gun still in hand, and aimed it at Holland. Unfortunately, the man was just as fast as Arlen and the shot he fired missed.

Arlen quickly rolled away as Holland sent another bullet flying his way.

Tumbling to a stop at Holland’s feet, Arlen grabbed onto his knees, pulling the man down before he could get another shot off. Both of their guns clattered on the floor and the real fight was on.

Arlen was crawling up Holland’s body, trying to get his hands around the man’s neck. Struggling beneath him, Holland interlocked his fingers and formed a V-shape with his forearms so he could bring both of his elbows down on Arlen’s shoulders at the same time.

He had to ignore the pain of Holland’s elbows repeatedly jabbing into him and kept going until he could wrap his fingers around the man’s throat. Holland thrashed beneath him and tried to pry his hands apart, as his face was turning red from the effort and lack of air.

“Just give up,” Arlen hissed.

Suddenly, he roared, and his shape began to twist underneath Arlen. Within seconds, the man was replaced by a large tiger, its claws out and ready to slash across Arlen’s skin. Arlen followed suit the moment he realized he couldn’t stop the other shifter from shifting and let his shift take over, backing away from Holland so he could have some space.

The two huge beasts filled the room, snarling at each other and knocking things over with each move. Arlen could hear the action outside intensifying as Shadow Squad already had a perimeter in place and was preparing to charge in. He was getting low on time if he wanted to be the one to finish Holland off.

Both animals lunged forward at the same time, crashing into each other in the middle of the room. The impact sent them flying, knocking into walls and cabinets. Dishes clattered to the floor, covering it with shards of porcelain and glass.

Arlen scrambled up, baring his teeth and planting his paws, ready for anything.

Holland stepped forward, tail twitching, one paw already raised. Arlen didn’t give the man a chance to strike as his own paw shot up. He landed a swipe across Holland’s muzzle, with such speed and power Holland’s whole head jerked to the side.

Arlen followed up immediately, jumping on the animal and pushing him to the ground. Holland squirmed under his weight, trying to get back on his feet as Arlen slashed at every part of him he could reach. Streaks of exposed flesh opened up in the orange and black fur covering Holland’s body as he howled in pain, thrashing.

Arlen was unmoved by the sounds of agony as bloodlust took over. Holland had endangered Sienna’s life more than once, and he was going to pay for that in pain. Even the knowledge that Shadow Squad Three could come busting in at any moment couldn’t break through the haze of rage surrounding him as he continued to rip Holland apart.

He took plenty of wounds himself as well, Holland tearing into him with his claws and teeth, but Arlen couldn’t even feel it anymore. The only thing that drove him was the need to know that he could take this danger out of Sienna’s life. For that, he was willing to suffer through any kind of pain.

The sound of a gun firing finally brought him back to his senses. It definitely came from inside the house and he stilled for a moment, trying to pick up Sienna’s position.

Holland didn’t waste time taking advantage of the momentary distraction and used his powerful hind legs to throw Arlen off of him. As the Crimson Claws tiger got back on his feet, he dribbled blood on the linoleum with each motion.

It only fueled Arlen’s anger. Now Holland was also standing in the way of him seeing if Sienna was safe. The growl he let out was so menacing, Holland even seemed to shrink back. He lunged at Holland’s neck just as Shadow Squad rushed in from all possible sides, surrounding the grizzly scene and pointing their weapons at Arlen and Holland.

Ignoring their presence, Arlen used his massive paws to hold Holland down as his teeth sank into the tiger’s neck. Blood filled his mouth, copper the only thing he could taste, as he forced his jaw to clamp down even harder.

The animal found satisfaction only after he felt Holland’s trachea being crushed. His opponent’s body twitched and shook as he gasped in his final breaths. Arlen wouldn’t let go until he knew that Holland would never take another breath again.

Arlen pulled his mouth back as Holland returned to his human form, his mangled throat looking even more gruesome this way. He slowly stepped away from the body, lowering his head in the direction of the men around him to show he was surrendering.

Travis moved forward and stared at him with an expression Arlen couldn’t quite figure out. Plenty of disapproval, but was he delusional when he thought there was also some respect mixed in?

“Lower your weapons,” he ordered, his eyes still locked onto Arlen.

Arlen nodded at Travis and shifted back, holding up his hands as he got up to stand. He grunted, feeling the extent of his injuries now, his clothes hanging off of him in tatters. But out of him and Holland, Arlen was the one still left standing.

Looking around the room, he felt oddly out of place for once. Arlen was used to being the one rushing the room and creating havoc, backed by an unflappable knowledge that he was doing the right thing, because he’d been told so. Now he was the one questioning everything, while Travis and the rest of Shadow Squad Three could remain in that bubble.

The glares he got from Syce and Devlin, both back on the line and cooped up in the kitchen with him, were withering.

“Let me through! Move out of the way or I swear to god…” Sienna was elbowing her way through the towering bodies, all armed to the teeth, like she wasn’t afraid of anything. Arlen had to smile at that.

“Please, let me see her,” Arlen said, looking at Travis.

The man arched a brow at that, but stepped out of the doorway nonetheless after a moment of contemplation. It was a small sign of good faith and Arlen would remember it.

Rushing past Travis and the other men staring at him with weapons in their hands, Arlen found Sienna at the doorway to the bedroom. She was struggling against two mountain-looking men blocking it.

She was giving it her all as the guys just stood there, giving each other amused looks.

“It’s okay, fellas,” Travis said from behind Arlen.

It was for the best. In the state Arlen was in, he was more than ready to go through both of them, armed or not.

The men moved to the side and Sienna broke through, rushing towards Arlen as soon as she spotted him.

“I’m okay,” Arlen assured her, before she could even ask anything.

She grabbed him in a tight embrace and he grunted as the spike of pain went through him. Regardless, he wrapped his arms around her as well. If she didn’t mind getting bloody, he would happily deal with the discomfort as well.

“And Holland?”

“Dead.”

Her father came out of the bedroom, followed by a nurse, just as he said that.

“And what went down in there?” Arlen asked, holding her at arm’s length now.

Sienna turned around, her face twisting.

“Father was feeling stupid so I had to take a warning shot to put him in his place. And Janice here is a live-in nurse whose job is to take care of Holland’s mother. She had a stroke a while back and is only kept alive by machines, but Holland was having trouble letting go. Not wanting to seem weak, he visited her in secret,” she explained.

A twinge of remorse pulsed in Arlen’s chest. He shook his head, closing his eyes for a moment.

It had to be done,
he reminded himself.

Guys like Holland wouldn’t give up once they fixated on something. Arlen knew that. He was one of those guys, after all.

“Okay, enough chitchat. Say your farewells, Arlen. Let’s go, you’re coming with us,” Travis interjected.

“And you’re coming with me,” Antonio added, pointing an angry finger at Sienna.

Arlen could feel Sienna stiffen at his side as his tiger roared back to life inside of him.

So the fight isn’t over.

S
ienna clung
to Arlen’s arm. This couldn’t be happening. The plan had worked, Holland was dead, but now Arlen was going to be taken from her while her father dragged her away.

“I will come with you, Travis. Just let me settle this first.”

Travis and Arlen seemed to be at a standoff for a moment and Sienna watched with bated breath. Would Travis allow it? He was being a real sport about the whole thing so far, Sienna had to admit. As much as he could be, considering everything that had gone down.

“Fine,” Travis finally responded with an annoyed sigh. “Back up, cover the exits,” he said to his men.

Everyone retreated, giving them some space. Two of the men tracked Arlen with particularly vicious looks, both sporting fresh bruises. She got the feeling they’d run into him before.

Arlen stopped one of the guys who was passing them in the hallway and tapped on his shoulder.

“Hey, can I borrow your gun?” he asked, sending Sienna’s brows flying up to her hairline.

“You’ve gotta be kidding me,” the man replied, a rather tall, broadly built guy.

Did he really expect that to work?

“Come on. I’m not going to take you all out with one gun. And if I did, hell, I deserve it.”

Travis let out another sigh from behind them.

“Let him have the goddamn gun. If nothing else, it’ll give me a reason to finally fucking shoot him. It’s a long time coming for the shit you put us through, Johnson.”

The agent looked surprised, then annoyed, then completely out of his mind with rage, but didn’t argue as he handed over his weapon and got out of their way. Sienna could hear him muttering expletives under his breath as he went.

Arlen immediately pointed the gun at Antonio.

“You were saying?” he growled.

For a split second, Antonio was speechless. He must have been sure he was the one in control, but now the tables were turned.

“I’ll pay you whatever you ask,” Antonio finally said, looking behind them at what Sienna guessed was Travis.

“This woman is my mate and she is carrying my child. This is my business, and The Firm would be wise to stay out of it.”

Arlen’s tone didn’t allow for any disagreement.

Soft murmurs erupted all around them as the Squad took that information in.

“I won’t mess with another shifter’s family, no matter how much you promise to pay me.”

Travis shrugged and leaned back, eyeing the situation with calm curiosity.

In any other situation, Sienna would have been horrified at the blasé stance these guys took towards human lives. With her father and the likes of Holland as the targets though, she couldn’t really find the compassion within her to really care too much.

Though she did think that Holland’s devotion to his mother was a bit heartbreaking, even if he was a jerk otherwise.

Arlen’s mouth curled into a snarl as his finger rested on the trigger.

“Just say the word,” he said, throwing her a sideways glance.

For a second, Sienna was tempted. She could be rid of the man, once and for all.

But at what cost? The action would permanently link Arlen to Antonio and she didn’t want to think of her father every time she looked at Arlen. Besides, death was too easy for her father. She would much rather have him live with knowing he failed to control her.

“He’s not even worth the bullet. Let him keep on rotting from the inside, knowing that the Marquez line ends with him and that he’ll never see me or his grandson ever again.”

Arlen paused, and she watched his hand shake a little. He must have been worn out from the fight, but that didn’t make him any less deadly. Finally, he took a breath and she could feel the whole room relax.

“If that’s what you want,” Arlen replied, lowering the gun.

He dropped it on the floor and stepped towards Antonio, who now looked legitimately scared. Arlen snatched up her father’s arm before he could even react and bent it backwards until the man screamed and Sienna could hear the bone crack.

She covered her mouth with her hand but that was as far as it went. She wouldn’t rush to him, she wouldn’t console him. Her own arm throbbed where he’d broken it when she was twelve.

Guess karma really was a bitch.

“I will do this to every one of your bones if you ever come near Sienna again,” Arlen said, as tears began to stream down Antonio’s face.

Her father nodded, probably unable to speak due to the pain.

“Can someone please escort this man back to his hotel?” Arlen asked.

One of the squad members, a tall man with a long scar down his face came forward after Travis confirmed it with a nod and led Antonio out of the house as her father cradled his arm and avoided looking at her.

“What will happen now?” Sienna whispered, watching Antonio be carted out, even though she already knew.

Arlen threw his arm over her shoulder after handing the gun back to one of the agents.

“I will call my friend, Graham, and you can stay with him until my punishment is over.”

“How long will that take?” she asked, feeling tears well up in her eyes.

“I’m not sure.”

He ran a finger down the side of her face, remorse painted on his expression. Sienna realized she was only making this harder for him, so she pulled herself together and slapped on a smile. Being away from him and not knowing when or in what shape he would be back would hurt like hell, but she had to put on a brave face.

It wasn’t like he was doing this out of his own free will. She’d have to help however she could, and the options were limited.

“We’ll be waiting,” she replied, taking his hand and placing it on her stomach.

Arlen smiled at her before grabbing her into a long, lingering kiss. Sienna melted against him, trying to commit every second to memory. Her memories of him would have to be enough to tide her over until they got to be together again. It was Travis clearing his throat that finally broke them apart.

Arlen gave her a final hug before turning to Travis.

“I’m ready. Can someone take her to Graham Rawley’s?”

“We’ll handle it,” Travis replied as two men approached and fell into position at both sides of Arlen.

“I love you,” he called out as he was being led outside.

“I love you, too,” she called back, trying hard to keep the sobs out of her voice.

* * *

S
ienna paced around anxiously
in Graham’s apartment, listening to the man speak to someone on the phone. Graham was the only link she had to The Firm and the only person who gave her any information about Arlen. Which was to say, not a lot of information at all.

It had been two months since Arlen gave himself over and she hadn’t heard from him since. All Graham would say was that he was alive and looking forward to seeing her again. Being kept in the dark was driving her crazy and the hormones raging inside of her weren’t exactly helping her be reasonable.

So when Graham had gotten home last night with news that Arlen might be released soon, she had made the man’s life hell with questions and demands. One thing she was sure of, she was going to be there waiting when he got out.

“You have to understand, he might not want you to be there. He’s not going to look like the man you remember,” Graham explained, but Sienna was having none of it.

Now Graham was on the phone with some superior or another, trying to get Sienna access to The Firm’s blacksite so she could be the first person Arlen saw when he was finally free. These two months had felt like an eternity, and she wasn’t going to be away from him any longer than was absolutely necessary.

For a while there, she’d started thinking that maybe she dreamed it all up. The hormones were doing a number on her and she couldn’t wait to see Arlen again, to touch him and to assure herself that he really
was
real and they were really going to have a future, not just a daydream.

Graham hung up the phone and Sienna immediately rushed to his side.

“So?” she asked, wringing her hands.

“Grab your coat. Let’s go get your man,” he replied, giving her shoulder a little squeeze.

“You wouldn’t be yanking a crazy pregnant lady’s chain now, would you?” she asked, not quite ready to believe it in fear of disappointment.

“What, do I look like I have a death wish?”

Sienna didn’t even bother replying to that, she was already busy with pulling her coat on. It could no longer zip up at the front, but that didn’t really matter right now. Those shifter babies didn’t screw around with getting big!

Travis was already pulling up to the curb as she and Graham went outside.

“Sorry, but these are the rules,” Travis said, handing her a blindfold as she and Graham got into the vehicle.

Sienna didn’t protest, tying in on right away. In a way, she was glad to see Travis, even if he was the man who’d taken Arlen away. She could see the men exchanging a surprised glance before the fabric made everything go black. The ride to wherever they were going seemed to drag on forever, even though objectively, she knew it took about an hour.

Graham patted her on the shoulder as the car came to a stop.

“I’ll guide you inside.”

She could hear car doors opening as Graham took her hand and pulled her along. She could feel the sun on her face for a while, before a shadow slipped over her and the air turned chilly and damp.

They’d gotten lucky that Arlen had been given his punishment in the Chicago branch instead of any others. The Firm was all over the place and it wasn’t rare for guys to get shipped off somewhere else. Sienna had wondered a couple of times if maybe Travis and Graham had helped to play a role in keeping him close.

“Okay, you can take it off now,” Travis said.

Sienna removed the blindfold to find herself in what looked like an old hangar. They walked through the empty space to a door, manned by two guards. Nodding at Travis and Graham, they tried very hard not to stare at Sienna’s stomach.

The guards opened the door and Sienna stepped inside the pitch black room it lead to, followed by Travis and Graham. She could barely see the hand in front of her face. Travis fished out a little flashlight and attached it to his vest.

Sienna gasped as he turned it on.

The room seemed empty at first glance, until one looked down. There, in the middle of the floor, cement gave way to metal bars, covering a square hole that wasn’t deep enough to stand up in or long enough to stretch out in.

In the middle of the hole sat a figure, clad in a dirty jumpsuit. His face was covered in an unkempt beard and he was holding a hand up to his face, even the barely-there illumination of the small flashlight clearly hurting his eyes.

With a start, Sienna realized the man was Arlen. He was pale and scruffy, and his hair was longer and disheveled, but she could recognize those grey eyes anywhere.

“He’s been here this whole time?” she asked, her breath barely a whisper.

“Yes. This is where we put the ones that really need to be taught a lesson. We call it ‘The Hole’.”

“Creative,” Sienna mumbled under her breath as she slowly approached the little hole that she could see Arlen through.

Travis pulled out a key from one of his many pockets and followed her while Graham remained standing at the door.

“Why did you bring her here?” Arlen demanded, his voice raspy. “She shouldn’t see me like this.”

He turned his head away. Even his voice sounded somehow different. None of that mattered, though.

Sienna grabbed the keys from Travis and opened the lock holding the bars in place.

“I don’t care what you look like. I love you and I didn’t want to spend another second without you by my side. Now get out here and hug me,” she said, voice breaking under all the emotions swirling inside.

Arlen turned to look as her with shiny eyes as he pushed himself up slowly, the process obviously painful and arduous. He had just enough room to turn around in there, maybe, but that was it.

Sienna reached out a hand and helped him stand, tears of joy spilling out of her eyes as soon as their skin made contact. He climbed out of the hole, squinting at her as his eyes started to adjust to the light.

“You’re right, it doesn’t matter what I look like. Not when you are even more beautiful than I remembered,” he said, staring at her belly. “Wow, our little man has really grown in there.”

He ran his hands over her stomach and she let out an exalted breath. This was real. It was really happening. She was going to have him back.

It felt like the grimiest, creepiest fairytale she’d ever heard of. But dammit, it was hers!

“He keeps kicking me like crazy, just when I want to fall asleep,” Sienna got out between blubbering like a fool.

The next thing she knew, Arlen had her wrapped in his arms, crushing her to his chest.

“We’ll never be apart again,” he whispered, and it was just what she needed to hear.

“Oh, and you can tell Spade I quit,” he said, turning to Travis. “I have some time I need to make up with my family.”