Escaping Love (15 page)

He’d probably catch all kinds of grief from Gryph for admitting it, but he didn’t give two
shits.

He parked Rose back in her safe home and helped a sleepy feline to bed, more specifically his bed. She didn’t protest
, which he liked a lot. It wouldn’t have mattered anyway because her sleeping beside him was one thing that he wouldn’t budge on.

He set his alarm to make sure he would wake before the rooster crowed. He stripped out of his clothes and slid in beside her. God
, it just felt right. He spooned her, marveling at how her body molded perfectly to his. He let out a contented sigh, but couldn’t sleep. He wanted to keep her he just didn’t have a clue how. He needed to talk to her father and see if he would let him place a bid on her.

Inwardly cursing himself for
even thinking the term, he cringed. But if her old man wouldn’t see reason then he’d have to play by his rules. He’d been saving most of his life and had a sizable amount of money stacked away for a rainy day. He’d do it tomorrow.

Feeling a whole lot better about the next couple days
, he decided to strip his Little Cat naked and ready her for a midnight roll in the hay.

Alex swatted at the noisy box buzzing in her ear. She risked a glance but wasn’t greeted by the sunlight. She squinted at the numbers on the clock and almost died. At a quarter to five, she felt anything less than human.

Clint’s scent surrounded her, making her feel all cozy and giving her another reason to stay in bed. He surprised her many a time during the night with frisky business. Her body hummed with residual pleasure.

She started to drift off again
, but the devil’s plaything started buzzing again. Groaning, she struggled to lift her body to a sitting position. Her eyelids felt like sandpaper and her arms seemed to contain cement instead of flesh.

Realizing she had
a job to do, she managed to stand and pull on her clothes from last night. Clint had folded them and placed them neatly on the bench at the foot of the bed. His on the other hand were scattered across the floor without a care in the world.

“Clint? Are you up?” she whispered.

He rolled over and pulled the covers over his head.

She rolled h
er eyes. Typical male behavior. The morning’s chores rested on her slender but capable shoulders. She shuffled her way to her room, took a quick shower, and dressed in some of her borrowed clothes. The sun had barely started to break through the night’s darkness. Despite her tiredness, she wouldn’t have traded last night for anything. It was magical.

Today would be her last day on the ranch. Clint didn’t know it
, but she had to go home. If she didn’t, there may be an uprising and innocent people could be hurt. At the thought of leaving him behind, her heart began to race. She tried taking deep, even breaths but no matter how much air she sucked into her lungs, she still felt as if she were suffocating.

She stepped into her attached bath and splashed cold water on her face. She looked her reflection in the eye and said with as much conviction as she could rally
,

“You can do this
, Santos. It’s the best for everyone.”

It did the trick
, and she started down a path with leaden feet. Each step broke more pieces off her heart, and each time her foot came to rest another piece fell off. It was like she was leaving her heart behind. She had to hurry. She’d made a promise to help out, and she would keep it. Gus needed his home cleaned, and the eggs needed gathering.

She peeked in on Clint
. Her lips twitched when she saw him snuggled up with his comforter. Tears pricked at her eyes so she shut the door, blocking the image from her view. She made her way through the house and out the back door. The wind snaked around her exposed limbs, chilling her to the bones. She ducked inside and grabbed a jacket. Every minute that passed, the day became brighter. It still wouldn’t have been enough for a normal person, but with her shifter vision is was easy. The air smelled crisp and fresh as if the world had yet to take its first breath. Silence filled the vast space of the sky, but she loved it. Every step of hers seemed to be placed with purpose.

She found the henhouse and made quick work of gathering the eggs, placing the fragile ovals in the basket. She took them inside and placed the basket on
the kitchen counter then grabbed the pair of gloves she used yesterday. She made her way to Gus’s shed. Luna meowed at her.

“Good morning
, pretty girl.”

The kitten started
to purr as soon as Alex scratched her right above her tail. She began kneading the ground and twining herself around Alex’s legs.

“I’d better get to work.” She grabbed the shovel
, placed it in the wheel barrel, and wheeled it out to the outer gate. Gus was still locked up, but she decided to feed him that way he’d have something to do while she worked.

Before she made it inside Clara’s voice drifted up behind her
, causing her to jump.

“Wow
, Alex, ya sure are an early riser.”

“And you are quiet. I didn’t even hear you walk up. I thought I would get an early start today. I still have to pooper scoop.”

Clara grinned brightly. “Pooper scoop, huh? I don’t think I’ve heard it called that before. I like it.”

Alex placed her hands on her hips and shrugged.

“I like to keep things interesting.”

“You know, I could tell that about you. You seem to have a hard time settling down.
Must be a feline thing.”

“Probably.
Listen, I wanted to thank you for letting me stay with you. It’s been fun.”

“Sounds like a goodbye if I’ve ever heard one.”
Clara’s gaze looked her up and down with a curious eyebrow.

“No, no it’s not like that. I just wanted to make sure you knew how much I appreciated being here.”

“Don’t worry about it none. The way Clint smiles around you is payment enough.”

Alex wouldn’t be surprised if she was the color of a tomato.

“Er…well I’d better get back to work. I’ll see you at breakfast.”

“See
ya soon.”

She made her way back inside and scooped out
Old Gus’s grain and placed it in his indoor trough.

He watched but didn’t move.

“Good morning, Gus. I’m sorry to say this will be my last day with you. I’m leaving tonight when Clint falls asleep.”

Gus snorted.

“Hey, don’t judge me. I don’t have a choice. If I don’t go someone’s going to get hurt. I couldn’t bear it if it was Clara or Clint. The presentation is in a couple days. I’ll find my way to town and call my father. He’ll find a way to get me home.”

She sniffed as tears ran waterfalls down her cheeks. Gus stopped eating and stared at her with his big
, soft, brown eyes.

“Don’t look at me like that. I don’t want to leave the only man I’ve ever loved just to be married off to a complete stranger
, possibly a complete asshole.”

He stepped closer to the flimsy gate separating them almost within reaching distance. The tears wouldn’t stop flowing
. Bit by bit she felt heart break while she was talking to a donkey.

“I hate feeling this way. I’d take Clint with me but my father would have him harmed just for being with me.
I don’t have any other choice.”

Gus pushed against the gate.

“What? I’m not letting you out with me. I learned my lesson last time.”

He pushed his muzzle through the slats and just waited. She used the jacket to wipe away some of her still present tears.

“Fine, I will pet you, but if you bite me, there will be a very nice donkey-shaped rug in my future.”

If he was able
she’d bet he would be rolling his eyes. She wouldn’t hurt him but still she liked having five fingers on both hands. She watched him waiting for any hint he might turn into Satan’s pet again. But he didn’t. He just sat there with matching sad eyes. Lightly placing her hand on his head, she began a tenuous petting. His fur proved to be surprisingly soft, making the petting less uncomfortable. Her tears kept falling in spite of her best efforts.

“I love him so much it hurts,” she whispered.

Her body trembled as she fought the urge to go into the pen and hug the little creature that seemed to be offering her comfort. But instead she just sat there silently crying until feeling sorry for herself just pissed her off.

“You know what? I’m going back, but not to surrender. I’m going to change my fate. I shouldn’t have run in the first place. I can do this.”

Gus whinnied and stomped his foot, seeming to agree then went back to munching on his grain. She placed two leaves of grass in his feeder and headed outside to clean up shit, Gus’s and hers.

She walked tall and proud
, knowing she could handle anything life threw her way. Maybe a small part of her was still afraid, but her inner bitch had the weak little female bound and gagged.

“
Ria, I found you,” a heavily accented voice rolled behind her.

Bile burned the back of her throat and
she gripped the handle of the shovel. She poised herself for attack, not knowing what to expect. She slowly turned, searching for more danger.

“Carlos,” she spat. “I wish I could say it was nice to see you.”

“I could say my view is quite pleasurable.”

“How did you find me?” He
r knuckles turned a ghostly white against the wood as she struggled to form a plan. Her gaze shot from the house to the yard, looking for any signs of Clara.

“Are you looking for your female friend? She’s in the house, b
ut if you don’t remain complacent I will be forced to
harm
her.”

She shook her head
, silently answering him and denying his words. Clint wouldn’t let any harm come to his mother. Two more men came from behind Gus’s shed. She was surrounded. Blood rushed past her ears as adrenaline answered her fear.

She could hear her heavy breathing while she struggled for answers.

“You wish to know how I found you? I have to say it was more of a challenge than I expected. I followed your trail to a bar in Colorado. I met a bear but he was less than hospitable. He wouldn’t help in my search from you so I was forced to impair his health.”

Oh God, Clay
.

She covered her mouth with her hand to keep her scream at bay. Rational words escaped her
. All she could think about was Clara and Clint. She could scent more of Carlos’s men in the area, but she had no way of telling how many.

“Don’t worry
, Ria, the man is alive…for now.”

She was going to be sick. The sight of Carlos in a white Italian suit with slicked back hair and eyes
blacker than his soul didn’t help settle her nerves. She’d know he was a mistake the moment she slept with him. But being young, a bad boy was like a sickness she couldn’t be cured from. He pulled a knife from a leather holder from his belt and began casually playing with it.

She knew he was serious
—he had no morals.

“Now will you come with me like the lady you were raised to be or do I have to get the bastard dog out here to show you
who’s boss?”

He knew about Clint.
Ohgodohgod.

He continued with a vile sneer, “I saw him fuck your mouth in the back of that piece of shit truck of his. 
I could tell you liked it by the way you moaned around him. Maybe I’ll have you do that to me before I take you back to dear old Santos.”

Her stomach recoiled a
s the feeling of sticky blackness covered her skin. He’d seen her expressing her love. The moment had been spoiled by uninvited vermin.

“You wouldn’t dare touch me. If my father found out he’d have your head.”

He shook his head at her.

“Poor, Poor,
Ria, didn’t your daddy tell you? He’s losing control. He hoped by marrying you off to some influential Clan he would gain the power he needed to stay on top. But since you ran everything has been falling apart—piece by delicious piece. It’s all thanks to you. The rare white panther will be the downfall of her people. Don’t worry, I’ve been there to pick up the remains.”

“No, you lie.”

He smiled like a snake lulling its prey into a deadly calm. “I am not telling a falsehood. You will see how far the Santos family has fallen.”

She ground out her next words bitterly, “Let me guess, you’ve been using my father’s downfall to climb your way to the top.”

“I have taken the proper steps to maintain my status and with you as my wife, the last of those that oppose me will fall in line.”

“I’d rather die.”

Her response was a bit dramatic but it was how she felt at the moment.

He cocked his head to the side.
“Sounds like your
dog
is getting up. We shouldn’t dally any longer unless you want his blood on your hands too.”