Baby Protector Bear: BBW Bear Shifter Baby Paranormal Romance (Who's the Daddy? Book 4) (6 page)

“It’s usually easier to stick to the truth, or as near as you can make it.”

“Believe me, if we want to stay low profile, we don’t want to share who my parents are.”

“You intrigue me,” he said, coming over to her. “Are you royalty?”

“No,” she said, shaking her head. “But if anyone knew who my family was, it would draw attention to us.”

“In what way?” he asked, frowning, his hand reaching to brush her hair back from her face. “Tell me. I think it would be better if I knew what I was trying to keep covered up.”

She looked at him, and then said, “This is between us.”

“Absolutely.” His hand dropped to her upper arm, and he stroked it, soothing her.

“My real name is Crystal Cartwright. But I’ve been
Chrissie
since childhood.” She watched his face, but it didn’t change. “My dad is famous for making millions, and then being stabbed by an armed robber. He lost the use of his legs. Spent the last twenty years in a wheelchair. All so some stranger could get high on his next drug fix.”

“I’m sorry. That must have been extremely tough. But that’s not the end of the world. People have full lives, even in a wheelchair.”

“He lost a lot of blood…” She wasn’t sure if she could carry on; the vision of her dad, lying there in a pool of blood, while she sat by his side crying helplessly still haunted her. It was why she had pushed her boss to let her have this case. The similarities were almost too much to bear. Only Sam was too young to help his mom, but she should have been able to scream, run for help, do something before her dad’s brain became irreparably damaged.

“I’m sorry. Truly I am.” He pulled her into his arms and held her tight against his chest, and she breathed in the scent of him and languished in the safety he exuded. It reminded her of how she used to feel with her father, before the robbery, before her dad became the center of her world for all the wrong reasons.

“My mom has devoted her life to looking after him. Spent their money on the best care, tried every treatment. Nothing worked.”

“And that’s why you became a social worker.” His chin was resting on her head, and she wondered if he could read her mind. “To protect those who are too weak to protect themselves.”

She nodded, and a sob escaped her. “My mom is so disappointed that I didn’t marry a rich man who would take care of me. I’ve lost count of the times I’ve tried to tell her that isn’t who I am. Not since that day. I was six, and in that moment all ideas of fairy tales and happy endings went away.”

“That moment does not define your life, Chrissie. It happened, it happened to you, and it sucks. But you have picked yourself up, and become a kind and caring young woman.”

She stepped back. “Trying to flatter me into sleeping with you?” She said it lightly, but the hurt in her voice was unmistakable.

“No.” He wiped a tear away as it trickled down her cheek. “No, I’m not that kind of guy. I just want you to be proud of yourself, as I am sure your mom is proud of you.”

“She’s proud of my sister. She married a rich man and has a child. She doesn’t understand me. I think, because she figured that money gives you security.” Chrissie turned around and resumed her search for the pan.

“Bottom cupboard,” he said, pointing. “Sometimes people just can’t find the words they need to say the things they want to say. My guess is your mom grew up with the idea you married for security, both financially and socially. You broke the mold.”

She smiled and turned to look at him. “I can see why you are good in Homicide. The gentle touch.”

“Me, gentle?” he asked, flexing his arms above his head. “You have seen my biceps, right?”

“Hard to miss, you like showing them off so much.”

“That’s better. And you should know, I have been in Homicide for around six weeks.”

“And you said you were the voice of experience.”

“I am, just more of the down and dirty experience. I’ve worked hard, sacrificed my personal life, to take down people who like hurting others. I worked undercover, then the drug squad. I’ve seen the best and worst in people.”

“Why Homicide?” she asked, setting the pan to boil.

“Would you believe, because my partner, Liam, found his mate and wanted to settle down?”

“His mate? Is that some kind of code for a boyfriend?”

Joel chuckled. “No, his mate is all woman. They just got married, which is why I was the obvious choice for this job. I’m partner-less for a couple of weeks.”

“So you switched departments when he got married?”

“No, when he met her.”

“So they married even though they had only just met?”

“Yes.”

“Shotgun wedding?” she asked.

He laughed again. “It would have taken more than a shotgun to
stop
him marrying Carla. We’re an old-fashioned breed,” he said cryptically. “Once we see the woman we want, there is nothing, or no one, who will keep her from being ours.”

He smiled and her insides turned to liquid fire, thinking that sharing a bedroom, hell, sharing a
bed,
with this man was the right thing to do. Even if it was just for a few days, or a few weeks, her body ached to find out what it would be like to play happy families with this man.

The only thing that stopped her was she knew if she did, and he wanted her, she might very well be trapped for life.

“That was delicious,” he said, sitting back in his chair, and stretching. “I miss home-cooked meals.”

“Glad you enjoyed it. You can be on dish duty,” Chrissie said, looking more relaxed. She had seemed a little tense after telling him about her family. It was probably something she kept to herself, and he couldn’t blame her; he had seen enough people with a past following them around to know escaping it was difficult.

“Dishes it is,” he said, getting up and clearing the table.

“While I have a cuddle with this young man,” Chrissie said, lifting Sam out of his high chair. “Soon you will be able to eat all the good things too.” She kissed his cheek, and sat him on her lap, bouncing him and talking to him as Joel left the room, smiling at the two of them.

One day it would be their own child Chrissie would be making giggle. Although he was concerned over how Chrissie would feel when they had to hand Sam back, when Krieg was finally brought to justice.

He took out his phone and dialed the station. “Landy?”

“Hey, how are you and
Mrs. McMillan
?” Landy asked.

“Funny. We’re good, settling in. I just thought I would check in, will you log this call?”

“Sure,” Landy said and Joel could hear him logging on to his computer.

“Any news about Krieg?”

“Nope, we are trying to flush him out. With Sam out of the way, we figured it was time to bait him. Nothing. We set eyes all over the city, but nothing. He’s laying low, and the chances are they’ll just put Sam in the system under a new name. Hopefully he’ll get adopted and never learn the truth that his dad was responsible for his mom’s death.”

“Listen, can I ask you something?” Joel lowered his voice.

“OK. As long as it isn’t if you can sleep with my wife,” Landy said, but his voice was serious.

“I know she only has eyes for you, you big hunk of man-meat,” Joel returned.

“OK, it’s safe, ask away.”

“The attack on Angela Manilla. You have proof it was Krieg?” He took a breath and tried to clarify what was working its way into his head. “I mean, I know it was a hit man, linked to Krieg, not Krieg himself, but you are sure he was the one who paid the piper, so to speak?”

“You have someone else in mind?” Landy asked.

“Maybe.”

“I’ve logged the conversation,” Landy said. “Whatever you say now, will be between us.”

“Can I trust you?” Joel had to ask.

“Do you think I would invite you over for dinner if you couldn’t?” Landy asked, but there was no offense in his voice.

“No. I had to ask, though.” He thought it over one last time, and then said, “What about the boss of social services? This Anderson guy.”

Landy laughed down the phone. “Guy’s been a paragon of good behavior. Not even a speeding ticket.”

“So you checked him out?” Joel asked.

“Only a background check. Anderson is high up in social services, anything odd about him, they would know, surely,” Landy said. “Like I said, paragon of society. Really, I think you are way off the mark.”

“Maybe, can’t be too careful though, huh?” Joel said, running the water into the sink. “Thanks, man.”

“Pleasure. So what’s she like? I did a little digging on your Chrissie,
as a background check
, to make sure you were safe. Would hate to see you tied to the bed and taken advantage of, my friend.” Landy sounded as if he was fishing for information.

“I would not say no,” Joel admitted, hating that Landy had been probing Chrissie’s background. “She told me about her father.”

“She also tell you he had to file for bankruptcy, but someone bailed him out last minute? Saved them from losing their house.”

“No, she left that part out.”

“Watch your back, man.” Landy was full of concern. “Who knows what people will do for their only family.”

“She wouldn’t…”
Would she?

“Listen, people do strange things when money is involved. You have the most experience out of all of us. Chief would not have let anyone else go on this. It’s why he also wanted to keep Anderson and Chrissie in the loop.”

“Then why the lineup?”

“To make it seem as though she picked you. Blend in, play the game, but keep one eye open. Did she point the finger at her boss?” Landy asked.

“No, that was all me. Will you dig a bit more? It’s just a hunch, but he came here to the house. Old man down the street saw him. Maybe he is just being thorough in making sure Sam is safe, or maybe there’s more to it.”

“Leave it with me. I’ll have a rummage through his life. You know I love finding juicy details people think are well-hidden. You might have the muscle, but I have the brains.”

“Thanks. Let me know if you find anything,” Joel said.

“You’ll be the first. After the chief, at least,” Landy said. “But watch your lady too.” Then Landy hung up.

He wanted to tell Landy he could trust Chrissie completely, but it would sound false, since they had only met each other a few hours ago. Joel was glad Landy trusted him enough to look any deeper into Anderson’s background for him. A background check would have just scraped the surface, and why would they have gone further, when the guy was a paragon of society?

While he washed the dishes, he thought it over. If nothing turned up on Anderson, he would play the long game, keep a low profile, keep Sam and Chrissie safe, and sooner or later, someone would break cover, and they would have the whole thing cleared up. Or Sam would end up in a foster home, with a new identity. Maybe that was for the best. Sooner or later Krieg would surface, and they’d get it out of him.

Anyway, the longer it took to work out, the more time he had to spend here with Chrissie, playing happy families. And he planned to make sure they were very happy. He wanted to be the perfect man for her, so she couldn’t imagine life without him when it was time for them to leave. How did he do that?

For him the bond, the need for her, was instant. Somehow he had to act as if he was falling in love with her, not as if it was tightly bonded love at first sight.

“You OK in here?” she asked, coming into the kitchen with Sam in her arms.

“Yes, just finishing up. Can I get you anything?” he asked, wiping the surfaces down.

“No, I am going to feed Sam. Then I am going to bed. It might be a long night trying to get this little one settled. You might want to put some cotton balls in your ears,” she said lightly.

“But then I won’t be able to hear if someone breaks into the house.”

“The alarm is on. Anyway, no one followed us, and hardly anyone knows we are here, we have to be safe for one night.” Her eyes caught his. “You’re serious?”

“Yes.” He dried his hands, while she warmed the bottle. “I pro…”

“I know. You promised. And I am grateful. Truly.” She grabbed the bottle and then came towards him, standing on tiptoe to kiss his cheek. “Thank you, Joel. I’m glad you’re here.”

He cleared his throat, the emotion of her lips on his skin almost too much. “I’m glad I’m here too.

Sleeping in a strange house had always been a problem for Chrissie. Tonight was no exception. She tossed and turned, listening to the house and the noises from the street outside, hearing Joel’s warning in her head every time she shut her eyes.

Sometime after she had come to bed, Chrissie heard Joel go around the house and check the doors and windows. Twice. He was like an animal on the prowl, coming up the stairs softly, making little noise, despite his big bulky body. She could imagine him walking on tiptoes, being careful of every floorboard that might creak under his weight and wake her or Sam.

Then she heard his bedroom door open, and the bed creak under his weight. He was there; she and Sam were safe. This comforted her and she slipped off to sleep, only to be awakened, what felt like immediately, by a hand over her mouth.

Struggling, she opened her eyes and looked up into Joel’s concerned face. He put his finger to his lips and motioned her not to scream. She nodded, her eyes wide, both with shock and trying to focus in the dim light.

Slowly, he took his hand away, and then bent to whisper in her ear. “There’s someone trying to get into the house.”

She went cold, shuddering despite the heat of the blankets covering her, and the nearness of his body. “How do you know?” Her ears strained against the silence and heard nothing, making her wonder if he was making the whole thing up.

“I heard the front door being unlocked.” Backing away from her so she could sit up.

“Unlocked,” she hissed. “How can someone have a key?”

“You tell me?”

“You think this is to do with me?” she asked, pushing him away.

“No.” She saw him shake his head in the dim light. “But this is an inside job. So did you tell anyone we were coming here?”

“No one.” Chrissie still hadn’t heard any noise, other than a car driving along the street outside. “It might be your imagination. And if it isn’t, they’ll trigger the alarm and backup will get here. We can keep Sam safe.”