A Kitty in the Lion's Den (6 page)

Chapter Six

It was six in the morning, and Maverick was on the couch, the TV on but muted, and everything in the house still. He hadn’t slept at all, and in fact had his thoughts occupied with images of Kettah. The sound of movement in his room alerted him to the fact she was up, and every muscle in his body grew taut. All fucking night he had been keeping his senses tuned to what was happening outside, and inside. He had been hard as fuck, too, and that pissed him off. Not because she was so attractive, with her curves that reminded him of a woman, but because he knew he couldn’t do anything about it. He could not be with her in any way, despite the fact she was his mate. The situation was dangerous.
He
was dangerous. His lion was a sadistic and vicious thing, loving the taste of blood, the feel of flesh rending under its claws, and the power that came from taking a life. He couldn’t guarantee that if he was with her, and his cock buried deep in her pussy, that he wouldn’t be able to control the need to shift, because his lion wanted her, pretty fucking badly. Already he was fighting with the motherfucker constantly, because it wanted out, wanted to pin Kettah beneath him and sink its canines in the tender spot where her shoulder met her neck. He had also thought about whether or not he could just let her go when he’d handled the problem with Viktor. He might be a pretty fucking strong male, but he wasn’t strong enough to let Kettah go, no matter how much he tried reasoning with himself. So, that had been his internal debate throughout the entire night. Let her go. Keep her near. Over and over his animal and mind were at war with each other, and it seemed his animal was winning.
 

The door to his bedroom opened, and the sound of her soft, slow footsteps trailing down the hallway had him standing and facing her. She stopped right before she entered the living room, her hair adorably mussed from sleep, and her clothes looking rumpled. So she had slept in them. Smart girl she was.

“Good morning.” Her voice was soft, slightly husky from sleeping, and her wide hazel eyes taking in everything.

“
Mornin
’.
You want something to drink? I can make a run to get some coffee if you want?” It was strange having a female here, and not just because she was his. Maverick had never had another soul in his home, didn’t trust anyone to step into his den, so to speak. But as strange as having her here felt, it also felt pretty fucking good.

“I don’t like coffee, but water would be fine.” She took a step into the living room. She darted her eyes to the TV and smiled. He glanced over his shoulder, saw it was black and white cartoons, and for the first time in his life he felt embarrassed.
“Wouldn’t have taken you for a guy that watches this kind of programming.”
She was smiling widely, and he could see her straight, white teeth from where he stood. Maverick grumbled and headed into the kitchen. He had just turned the TV on as something to distract him from thinking about going into his bedroom and fucking his mate. He hadn’t even realized what was playing, his thoughts consuming him that much. After getting her a glass of water and walking back into the living room he stopped and just stared at her. She was curled up in the corner of the couch, her feet tucked under her round, very fine looking ass, and her arms wrapped around her middle.

“You cold?”
He took in her curled position, but she shook her head and reached for the glass he held.

“No, just still a little tired. Thank you.” After she drank the entire thing in a few swallows, he held his hand out for the glass. “Thank you again.” He set it on the breakfast bar and went back into the kitchen to sit in the chair beside the couch. His focus was on her, and the seriousness of the situation took precedence over his desire.

 
“We need to talk about the next course of action.” The color drained from her face, and although he hated the fact he was the one to put that worry and fear inside of her first thing this morning, things needed to be discussed so he could formulate a plan. He had thought about how he wanted to go about this, but he wanted to hear her take on it, too.

“Okay.” She twisted her hands in her lap, but didn’t waver from his stare.

“I’m not going to sugarcoat anything, because the reality needs to be dealt with head-on.” She nodded. “Viktor and his men are looking for you. That is a fact, and the truth is they will probably find you. But I can see on your face, and sense from you, that you are already fully aware of this.” She nodded again. “Your father has a vast array of connections, and has enough money to make sure every place on this planet is searched ten times over.”

“God.”
Tears started to well in her eyes, but she straightened her shoulders and had a strong aura of determination that came from her. “I know all of this, but I was stupid enough to think I still had a shot.” She angrily wiped away at the rest of the tears that were falling. “I shouldn’t have left, and then I wouldn’t be in this situation, and wouldn’t have put you at risk. If I would have just dealt with my own problems you wouldn’t have been found, been stuck with a mate that is also your enemy’s daughter, and part of this screwed up situation.” He growled low in his throat, his lion flashing right below the surface at her words. Her eyes widened momentarily. “I’m so sorry for inadvertently bringing you into this.”

“Let’s get something straight.” He leaned forward, and even though there was plenty of space between them, Maverick felt her body heat come right at him. “You’re my mate, and I’ll protect you above all else. You not staying with your father when it is crystal clear you are nothing like him, was the smartest thing you could have done.
Would
it have gotten you killed? Yeah, because a young female on her own and trying to get away from the shifter mafia is impossible. But
will
it get you killed? No, because fate brought us together, and no way in fucking hell will I let anything happen to you.” He let his words sink in. “I’m not telling you this to freak you out, but you’re intelligent enough to know that no one just leaves Viktor’s organization unless it is in a body bag.”

“You left.” Her voice was soft.

“Yeah, but I had been running with that circle nearly my whole life. I know enough about this life to figure out how to disappear, Kettah. I know how to make it seem like I was the one burned in that car, and have dealt with these situations enough that I knew how to make it so that they wouldn’t have thought twice about what was really happening. You’re so young, though, so innocent, and there is no way you could ever have gotten far from your father’s clutches.” The subtle scent that shifted inside of her told him that she knew exactly what he was getting at. “You’ll stay with me, here, because that is the safest place for you. If you go off running by yourself there is no way in hell I can protect
you,
and me running off and chasing you will only make things worse.”

“I know all of this, knew it when I ran, but I would rather be dead than stay there, witnessing all the atrocities they do, or being married to a male that would only hurt me like he hurts others.” She angrily wiped away her tears, and it broke his fucking heart. To hear that someone would dare to touch her, to place some kind of claim on what was his made him absolutely fucking crazy with rage.

“You won’t die. That I can
fucking
guarantee.”
He
might die in the process of making that declaration solid, but he would do it with a damn grin on his face and take out every single one of those bastards in the process. “But there is something I have that Viktor doesn’t, and that is skills that make me pretty deadly to men like him.” He didn’t say it with a cocky attitude, but with assurance that she was safe. Maverick was good at what he did, really fucking good, and that was how he had been known as the most lethal male for anyone to come across.

****

Kettah stared out the wide glass window and watched as Maverick talked to a big polar bear shifter. She was in Maverick’s office, had been down here since eight this morning, and sat in the corner as he had gone over paperwork. It might have seemed boring just watching him work in-between flipping through a magazine that had to be three years old, but strangely enough Kettah found it relaxing. She felt safe with Maverick, even though logically maybe she shouldn’t. Yes, they were mates, but he was also not normal in any sense of the word. Even when he was working he was alert, dangerous, and any human or shifter would know to stay away. There was just this aura about him, a warning that his lion let off, and in the stillness of that office she had realized he was far more animal than human, immensely more feral than any shifter she had ever been around, and that was saying a lot given the males she had grown up around. It was exciting, exhilarating, and frightening, but not in a way that made her feel as though he might hurt her. She just hoped her instincts didn’t fail her this time.

 
Even now she was smiling, thinking of how her mate had made her breakfast. It was strange seeing someone as big as he was in the kitchen, cursing to himself as he cooked for her. It seemed odd to see him scramble eggs and make her toast. As mundane and simple as those two acts
were,
something inside of her warmed as she watched him. Even when he set the plate of blackened toast and burnt eggs in front of her, and even after he apologized under his breath because he was “shit at cooking”, she had smiled broadly at him and said thank you. Oh, the food tasted horrible, but it wasn’t about that. Only servants had ever cooked for her, and that was if her father wasn’t taking her out to eat to talk business with his associates. No one had ever prepared a meal for her because “he had heard her stomach growling”, but Maverick had. She had been in his presence less than twenty-four hours, but she saw a little glimpse of something humane inside of him.

Now here she stood, watching as the two males looked over an engine that hung on chains from the ceiling. The dark haired bear shifter glanced her way, and she didn’t miss the dark look that passed over Maverick’s face. His mouth moved, and the other male looked at Maverick with a furrowed brow, nodded sharply once, and didn’t look at her again. Maverick turned and stalked back to the office, and she moved away from the window and sat back in the chair in the corner.

He stepped through the door, stared at the ground, and grumbled out, “How about we go get some lunch?” He looked at her with just his eyes, keeping his head still downcast, and waited for her to respond.

“Okay.”

“Yeah, figured you’d be hungry since I made you that toxic breakfast.”
She started laughing, not able to stop herself. “I know this sandwich shop in town. It’s got a wall around the patio, so we get you outside for some fresh air, but still have a bit of privacy. I don’t really like the fact of taking you out, especially with things on a tightrope right now with Viktor, but also think you shouldn’t be cooped up. Besides, I don’t sense any immediate danger right now.”

“Okay, I’d like that, as long as you feel it is safe enough.” She stood and put her purse strap over her shoulder. He nodded and lifted his head to stare at her. He glanced up and down her body, and a little shiver worked through her.

“Besides, we also need to get you some clothes. I know the owner of a small boutique. I’ll call her and see about having her close down for lunch so we can get you some things. It’ll be safe, and you won’t have to worry about anyone seeing you. I’d go by myself, but I don’t know the first thing about shopping for a female.”

That sounded nice, dangerous being out in open, but nice nonetheless. The thing was she knew Maverick wouldn’t let anything happen to her, so right now, in his presence, she felt safer than she had in forever. But Kettah only had a few hundred dollars to her name, and didn’t think she could spare anything on clothes from a boutique that would be willing to close down for her to privately shop. She looked down at her purse and said, “That’s really nice of you, but I can’t really afford to go buying clothes right now, especially since I have to stretch what I have as thin as I can.” When she looked up again it was to see Maverick standing just a foot away from her. She took a step back, felt the chair get pushed away by her sudden motion, and pressed a palm flat against the wall. The blood rushed through her veins at having him so close, but it was so much more than that, too. The scent of him was extremely male, and she breathed in deeply, taking it all in. “Besides, I don’t know how long I’ll be here, and I plan on paying my way with you.” The words tumbled out softly, and his frown deepened.

“You’re my mate, which means you won’t be leaving my side, at least not until I know things are safe for you.” An emotion passed across his face, and she swore he almost regretted something he had said.
 
As quickly as he had shown any kind of reaction it was gone. Back in its place was a deep rooted need that she felt down to her toes. He looked down her body once more, but it wasn’t just assessing her attire. No, Kettah could
feel
his stare like fingers trailing along her body. “I take care of what’s mine.” He lifted his eyes to hers and leaned in a fraction of an inch. His breath smelled faintly of mint, and a stuttered gasp left her at the thought that he might very well kiss her.
 
“And you’re mine. Money isn’t a problem, and if I can do this one thing to ensure your comfort, then that is my right.” Did he see how gentle and caring he sounded? He blinked a few times, and must have just realized it because he glanced away. “I can’t have you walking around in the same clothes day in and day out. I don’t know how long all of this will play out, and you need a selection, Kettah.” His voice was back to being gruff and unaffected, and it was as if he used his roughness as a barrier, a wall to keep others out. Kettah had seen the human inside of him, the one that he either hid or had no idea was there, and it was something that she wanted to see again.