Claiming Their Cat (7 page)

Rio leaned against
the wall and listened to the conversation, waiting for Cat to beg Lucy for help.
He couldn’t blame Cat, and he wouldn’t hold it against Lucy if she gave her asylum.
And if that happened, he didn’t know what he’d do, because he had to protect her.

And he had to be with her.

His wolf perked up when it heard seven and a half to eight months. Could Cat be carrying his baby? That would be impossible.
His wolf would have had to bite her during sex, and surely, he would have remembered
something so erotic
.
And he hadn’t seen a bite mark. No, that
baby
wasn’t his.

He pushed that thought out of his mind when he heard she was writing a letter to someone. There was no way in hell Lucy would give it to him. Lucy never wavered on her morals. His beast instantly bristled. Was it a former lover? Did she have a boyfriend before Alvarez came into the picture? Was her beau someone at the brothel? Did she think she could get more money from Alvarez than working at the whorehouse?

The door opened, and Lucy slipped out.
“How is she?”

“She’s
fine
. Exhausted, but other than that, she’s
good
. She just needs rest and
peace
of mind, which
by the way
, she doesn’t think she can have with you.”

Lucy stepped into Rio’s personal space and poked her finger into his chest. “I’ve gone out on a limb for you. If you betray her, I’ll personally see that you pay.”

Lucy’s threat meant little to him, but he admired her standing up for a stranger.
“I’ll give my life to protect her, I swear.”

“And you’re not going to tell me why she’s different?”

He shook his head. Lucy wasn’t a werewolf and telling her was out of the question. “Just remember, sometimes people don’t know what’s
good
for them. They make decisions based on what they think.”

“What are you babbling about?”

“I heard about the letter. I want it.”

“You were eavesdropping on my patient.”

“Yes.”

“The answer is…absolutely not.”

“Listen, a very bad man wants her, and I don’t know why.
She may have family members that need protecting too.”
Or a boyfriend that needs killing.
“I can’t do that if I don’t know about them.”

“Then I suggest you turn the charm up on high and make her trust you. Ask her. If she wants you to know, she’ll tell you, but I’m not betraying her confidence.
I trust
that she knows what she’s doing, and you’ll just have to do the same.”

Lucy turned and headed down the hall. Well, it was worth a shot.
He still had a card to play on Cat, but he’d have to be careful, sort of like a negotiation.
He never negotiated, just took what he wanted or needed. But that wasn’t going to work on his Cat.

“Can I go in?” he called to Lucy.

“No. She’s not dressed.”

Cat, being behind that door naked, conjured up all kinds of wicked thoughts in his mind.
He remembered
lying
on that too small cot with her backside nested against his throbbing cock. He didn’t sleep much, but he was surprisingly content.
Her skin was soft, and she smelled so—sweet.
If she hadn’t been sedated, he would have made a move on her. But she had slept peacefully which was probably what she needed instead of him keeping her awake all night.

Relief
had
flooded his
wolf
when he heard
Lucy
t
ell Cat she could have sex, because not being able to pleasure Cat would be the hardest thing in the world for him to do. She’d trapped his wolf with her smooth skin and sensual scent. He may not claim her, but he planned to do everything up to that point. Over and over.

Lucy returned carrying a care-package that she kept on hand for wayward souls that included a change of clothes, flip-flops that she affectionately called Galilee gliders, and toiletries. Lucy was the best.
There would be no record of this visit. Lucy would provide any necessary pills and keep her mouth shut.

He waited impatiently. Ten minutes later, Lucy opened the door and motioned him in. Cat sat on the chair staring at the floor.

Lucy handed him two pill bottles. “Here are some antibiotics for her shoulder and her feet. She needs to stay off those feet until they heal. Take one pill three times a day. The other one is prenatal vitamins. Take one once a day. In about five or six days, those stitches will need to come out.
I can do it if you’re out this way, or you can do it for her.
I’m sure they taught you that in the military. She needs to rest and eat. Can you see to that?”

“Yes ma’am. She’ll be in
good
hands.” And she would be, because he planned to spoil her. Wait? Where did that come from? He’d never spoiled a woman. In fact, he avoided it. No need to ask for
clinginess
.

“She’d better be.”

Rio pulled ten one hundred dollar bills from his wallet and laid them on the counter. “Is that enough?”

“No. It’s too much.”

He didn’t miss Cat’s surprise at the money. She probably thought he was buying Lucy’s silence, but that was one thing he didn’t have to pay for.

“I’ll
have
the results of her blood work in a few days. Just give me a call.”

Lucy walked to Cat and stuck out her hand. Cat timidly shook it. “You take care and don’t let this brute of a man walk all over you.”

Cat’s eyes widened.

“Lucy, you could have gone all day without telling her that,” he said.

“She needs to know you can’t boss her around.”

He would boss her around in some things, like when she was
in danger
. She needed to obey him at those times, but that discussion could wait until later.

“Okay, you two.
Stay safe.”

Cat stood. “Thank you for everything.”

“My pleasure.”

She glanced around the room. “Where’s my backpack?”

“Your clothes and pack are in the truck.”
She was extremely possessive of
her
pack, but there was nothing special in it, because he’d looked.
It needed washing, and he was going to throw those clothes away.
She needed new clothes, and that meant a trip to a mall.

“Are you hungry?” he asked.

She shook her head no, but her scent said otherwise.

“Let’s go grab a bite to eat.

He handed Cat the medicine and scooped her up in his arms.

“What the hell are you doing?” asked Lucy.

“Protecting her feet. Get the door for me.”
Yeah, perhaps this was over the top, but he’d caught sight of her toes, and they were a mess.
Cat weighed nothing as he made his way out the front door. After settling her in the seat, he went back to Lucy.
“I owe you—again.”

“You just keep her safe.”

“That is the one thing I
can
do.” He kissed Lucy on the forehead and headed for his vehicle. His beast urged him to get his ass in the truck and feed Cat. She reclined against the seat in her freebie clothes and stifled a yawn. He needed to feed her fast before she slipped into sleep. He wondered if her hormones made her tired and why didn’t he ask more questions of Lucy.

He pulled on the highway.
“Let’s do a drive-through for supper.
What’s your preference, McDonalds, Burger King, Bo Jangles?”

“McDonalds would be great.”

“Ten minutes we’ll be in Mesilla. Can you hang on that long?

Her eyes were closed, and she nodded.
If she made it into town it would be a miracle, but keeping her talking was cruel. She had to eat to take her
meds
. Then he’d take her to a motel and toss her ass in the bed.

“Before you go to sleep, tell me what you want to eat.”

“Burger and fries.”

“How about a milkshake? You know. For the baby.”

“Chocolate would be
good
. Why do you care so much about me and the baby?”

He didn’t expect that question, and he certainly didn’t know how answer.
He wasn’t even sure he was ready to examine the whys.
“You need help, and I can provide it.
Is there anyone you need to tell that you’re safe?”

She shook her head.

“Parents?”

“No.” Her voice quivered.

“Brothers or sisters?”

She sucked in a deep breath and emotional pain poured off her. “No.”

His gut
warned
him that something
bad
had happened. “Listen. I can protect your family while we solve your problem. You don’t have to worry about them, but you have to tell me who they are so I can make arrangements.”

She opened her eyes, and her gaze searched his face. He took that
as
a good sign. “Trust me,” he added softly. His wolf wanted her to trust him more than anything else, but he could
n’t
blame her. In her mind, he was nothing but a killer. She had no reason to trust him and usually he didn’t give a shit where people trusted him or not. But he needed her trust
to
keep her alive.

“I have no one,” she said, before turning her head to face forward and closing her eyes again.

The scent of her lie betrayed her. “I don’t believe you, but that’s okay.
When you change your mind, let me know, and I can have them
double-covered
in bubble wrap within twenty-four hours.”

He chuckled to himself when she chose to ignore him.
It took guts to dismiss him, and he certainly wasn’t used to it, but he and his wolf would give her some leeway—for now.
Their discussion of ‘doing what I say’ when you’re in trouble could wait.

“Well, if you won’t let me protect your loved ones, tell me why Alvarez wants you so bad.”

“I
wo
n’t tell you. It’s not in my best interest to tell you.”

There was that mistrust thing again. “All I have to do is pick up the phone and call
him, you
know. I have his direct number.”

“And he has yours?” Her voice was laced with fear.

“No.” He wanted to put her at ease. “He contacts me through a secured email account. He can’t find me, but I can find him. No one will find you.”

“Listen, buddy. If you want to be stupid and put your life in danger by going against Alvarez, it’s
fine
with me. But I’m sure Alvarez already knows where you live.
It’s a game with him, and he’s the master.”

“If you tell me why he wants you so bad, I can formulate a plan to keep you and me safe.”

“I’m not telling you shit.”

Not yet. But you will.

Cat wolfed down the burger and fries and contemplated how to get herself out of this mess.
R
io would surely trade her in for the loot when he found out how many zeros were behind that one.

Slurping the milkshake was close to heaven. She should thank him for suggesting it because she’d always had
a sweet tooth
even before she got pregnant.
Rio scarfed down three burgers and a large fry, and she wondered if that were enough to fill those tree trunk legs of his.

When he pulled into a motel, all she could think about was a nice, soft bed.
Even when she was at the compound, she slept on a cot in women’s quarters with armed guards stationed at the door.

“Will you stay in the truck while I check us in?”

Unfortunately, she had to answer yes. She didn’t have the energy to run. “I promise if you promise me a nice, soft, warm bed.”

He grinned. “Coming right up.”

His
smile
caught her off guard. It reached his eyes, transformed the hard lines of his face. He almost appeared normal.
Get a grip, Cat.
This man
kills people for a living
.

“See those three men over there.”

She followed his finger and immediately tensed. Oh God. It didn’t take long to be found. There were three burly men, dressed in black. One sat on a big motorcycle.
She was sure
‘Mercs for hire’ was stamped across their foreheads.

“Take it easy. They’re here to watch our backs while we get some needed sleep.”

“Friends of yours?”

His gaze wavered.
“I only have one friend, and I just blew up his diner.
These are
only
acquaintances.”

For hire, not doubt.
“I don’t like them. They’re scary, just like you.”

“That’s the point.
We want someone to think twice before they do something stupid.”

Thinking twice was probably an understatement. Rio slipped from the truck and the doors locked. She was surprised when he walked towards the office door instead of going straight to them.
But what did she know about killers for hire and all the sneaking around shit
.

After ten minutes or so, she saw Rio coming across the parking lot with that long, determined stride of his. Again, he didn’t even glance at his ‘acquaintances.’

After popping the door locks, he slid in. “We’re on the end, around back.”

Probably more spooky around there
,
too.
More shadows for the scary people to hide in.

“Are you sure you can trust them?”

He started the truck. “Yep.”

“Because you’re paying them?”

“Yes and no. I am paying them, but they
wo
n’t betray me.”

“Right. Anyone would betray you for ten
m…
a bunch of money.”

His brow raised in interest at her slip. “Trust me. We’ll be
fine
here tonight.”

As they pulled around back, she noticed it was indeed dark and blocked off by a line of bushes.
He backed in
to
a parking spot, and she casually glanced around trying to find the goon squad.
If they were going to take her, wouldn’t they have done it while she was in the truck alone?
Of course, it would be easier to hide Rio’s body back here.
No one in their right mind would come back here after dark.

“Stay in the truck while I checkout the room.”

Room? Just one? Before she could ask, he pulled a travel bag from the backseat and then
disappeared
. She craned her neck to follow him in the inky black
ness
. He didn’t park outside the room he rented, but a few parking places down. Was that to throw anybody off who might happen to find them?

After five minutes, she wondered if the room was that big.
What in the hell was he doing in there? Figuring out Rio was a tiresome job. She rubbed her temples. A headache was coming. Maybe he had some aspirin back there with his arsenal. She jerked when her door opened.

“Sorry.” He reached across, popped her seat belt, grabbed her goodie bag, and then scooped her up.

“I can walk,” she screeched.
Her face heated
at b
eing pressed up against his hard body. He carried her as i
f
she weighed nothing, but she could walk. Hell, she’d run through the driving
downpour
with shoes on, so she could certainly manage in flip-flops. Her sores were on
the tops of
her toes and heels, far away from the single strap between her toes.

“Maybe I’ll let you walk tomorrow.”

If he thought her feet would keep her from running, he was mistaken. She just didn’t have it in her. But she would bide her time.
Eventually,
she’d catch a break and run like hell, and if he wanted to get her well while she waited for a break, she wasn’t going to stop him. She needed to eat more and rest a while, and then she’d disappear. If she could escape a heavily armed compound run by an insane man, she could certainly manage against Rabid Rio.

He pushed the door open with his boot. She glanced around room noting only one bed, a table with one chair and another small sitting chair. That chair didn’t look
big
enough for Rio to sleep in, but maybe he was staying next door. This wasn’t a fancy four-star hotel, but the room smelled clean and it beat the hell out of a culvert she’d napped in several days ago.

Rio
placed her feet on the carpet. “Get ready for bed. There should be a toothbrush and toothpaste in the bag Lucy gave you. Tomorrow, we’ll get you some more clothes, toiletries and anything else you need.”

“I just need to sleep for a week.”

“Me too. I’ve been up for three days straight. My gas has run out.”

She wanted to ask where was he sleeping, but a toothbrush was calling her name.
The bathroom was small
but
clean, and she was satisfied with that.
Her first sleeping quarters at the compound were with the maids and cooks, and there was minimal clean water.
Food was available, but it was usually two or three days old. One of the cooks tried to smuggle food out, but the guards caught her and no one had seen her since.

Cat would be a fool to complain about the bed or the hamburger or the medical care that she
’d
received.
But she
’
d also be a fool to think
R
io would protect her.
He was already underestimating Alvarez, who she’d pegged as a psychopath.

After relieving herself, she brushed her teeth and then splashed lukewarm water on her face. The towel was a bit tattered, but it smelled clean. She studied her reflection in the old, cracked mirror. Even it couldn’t hide the dark bags under her eyes, eyes that appeared sunken into her face. Running for your life was hard on one’s appearance.

She looked at her hands. They were dry and cracked from the manual labor she did at the compound and certainly a long way from the nail salon where she used to go. And her hair was beyond hope. She’d never get the tangles out. That left cutting it. Her dad would have a fit. He’d always said that her hair was a gift from God and should never be cut.

Well Dad, cutting it may help me disguise myself a little bit more and maybe, one day, you’ll get to see your
grand baby
. Her heart clenched. Hell, were her parents still alive? Mom’s heart wasn’t the best in the world. Maybe bringing home a grandchild would offset Cat’s other failure. Cat2 kicked, pulling her from her melancholy, reminding Cat she could only move forward.

She took a deep breath and opened the bathroom door. After letting her eyes adjust, she found Rio…in the bed. And he looked naked. “What are you doing?”

“Getting ready to sleep for at least a day.”

This was so not going to work. She should have known she’d have to take the chair. “I thought we’d have separate rooms.”

He shook his head, his long hair dancing around his shoulders.

“Can I have a blanket?”

“For what?”

“
The chair
.”

“Hell no. You’re sleeping with me.”

He lounged against the pillows, no shirt, white sheet draped over his lean hips. Her face heated remembering the last time they were in bed together.
Rio
was
as
naked as the day he was born.
Please tell
me he
has
on
underwear
.
“
Hell no, I’m not
sleeping with you
.
”

“Yes hell, you are. Now, come to bed. I’m dogged tired.”

“Why do we have to—share a bed?”

“So I can protect you.”

In a normal situation, she’d
say…who’s
going to protect me from you, but since she was pregnant, she was pretty sure he didn’t want anything to do with her body. And protecting her was bullshit unless it was for whatever plan he had stirring in that head of his. Well, she’d have a plan of her own—soon.

Right now, she was too tired to argue with the meathead. She moved toward the bed, hoping for a miracle in the next five feet.

“Take your clothes off.”

“What?”

“Take your clothes off.”

Okay, this was getting ridiculous. “Why?”

“So you won’t run on me.”

“Run, as in put one foot in front of the other and haul ass?”

He nodded.

“That’s not a problem tonight. I promise not to flee.”

“Not
good
enough. Take them off or I’ll do it for you.”

“What are you, a sick pervert? I’m pregnant. I look like a cow. Running around without clothes is just sick.”

“First of all, I’m not a pervert
, and y
ou
’re the cutest cow I’ve ever seen
. And
running around naked
—
is
immensely
appealing.
Now, get them off.”

The edge in his voice conveyed that he would do it
, but Cat stood her ground.
“Where was all that talk about protecting me?”

“I am protecting you by keeping you from running.”

“That’s just twisted.”

“Uh-huh. Now strip.”

What choice did she have? He was bigger and stronger and meaner which gave him all the leverage.

Cat
blushed as she
pushed her pants down and let them drop. Why couldn’t the goodie bag have had panties in it? “What makes you think I won’t bash you in the head and then put my clothes back on and run?”

“I’m going to lock them in my bag. So you can bash my head in, but you’ll have to do your running in those
itty
-bitty towels from the bathroom or a bed sheet.”
His brows shot up letting her know he didn’t believe she’d actually do that.

Great. Now he’s calling me fat.
She snatched her shirt over her head, picked up her pants, balled them both up, and threw them at him. “Are you happy now?”

“Almost.” He rose from the bed—naked—and
strolled
to his travel bag. She tried to
see if his bag really had a
lock. His hulking frame blocked the view, but his muscular back tapered down to a
very
nice
ass.
Then there were his
strong
legs.
The whole package was a marvelous caramel brown. All she could think of was a centerfold in Killers-R-Us magazine. Hell, she’d even buy a subscription.

“You’re staring at my ass,” he said over his shoulder.

What?
Did he have eyes in the back of his head?
Or is that what he expected her to do?
“Says who?”

He spun to face her. “
Says
me.”
Yep, he caught her, and he was grinning from ear to ear.
His smile actually reached his eyes, making him more human, less—scary.

She cleared her mind and rolled her eyes. His heated gaze traveled to her breasts and back to her face causing her belly to quiver. Why was she still standing instead of hiding under a sheet? “Which side do you want me to sleep on? Next to the lamp or next to the door?”

“
L
amp.”

“Good. I
wo
n’t have to go too far to use it
on your thick head
.”

Before she could move, he’d crossed the room and
stood
before her. She took a step back. Her eyes flicked down. He was semi-hard.