Hard and Easy [High-Country Shifters 5] (Siren Publishing Ménage Everlasting) (2 page)

“I don’t think you know her. That was one of my sources. She told me that apparently one of the history teachers at Anterra Prep will be fired if she doesn’t change what she’s teaching.”

“What’s she teaching? Earth history?”

He chuckled. “Hardly. Remember when Taryn and Kellum’s wife gave that presentation to the city council about those cave drawings?”

Brin’s hands stilled. “Do I? It was the talk of the town for weeks.”

“Well, it seems Madra, the history teacher for the uppers, began teaching that stuff, and the parents got up in arms.”

He smiled. “I can see why. A bunch of scratches on a cave wall shouldn’t be enough evidence to say our history is wrong.” He waved a hand. “Even if it were true, what good can it do now? Two thousand years is a long time to erase.”

He shrugged. “I don’t know. If you came across an article that proved one of your clients was innocent, wouldn’t you fight to get the sentence reversed?”

“Yes.”

“Her situation is the same to me.”

“Maybe.” Brin leaned back in his chair and got a faraway look. “Do you remember our history teacher?”

Larek had to chuckle. “Old Ms. Verna? She was a hundred if she was a day.”

“I was always convinced she knew her stuff because she lived back in the day.”

“You might be right.”

Brin seemed to refocus. “So what about this history teacher? Do you know anything about her?”

“Not a thing, but I say we interview her. It will make a great front-page story.”

“If she’s friends with Lara, I’m surprised we haven’t run into her at one of Taryn and Kellum’s get togethers.”

Larek shrugged. “They haven’t socialized much since Lara came into their lives.”

“True. Or else I’m the one who hasn’t gotten out. I haven’t ventured far from the courtroom and home.” Brin got up and headed down the hallway toward the kitchen. Larek followed. “You suggested we should interview her. Why do you need me?”

He shrugged. “I figure if the school wants to fire her, maybe it’s unjustified. Teachers at private schools usually sign contracts for the year. Aban might need to give her more warning before he lets her go. I’d like your legal take on it.”

He glanced at the clock on the wall. “Will this take long? I’m preparing the case for Wendric and his wife.”

“Hard to tell, but if this history teacher is anything like Ms. Verna, she might be long winded.”

“Why don’t you give her a call and see if she’s free now? If you can’t get her off the phone, I’ll let you go it alone.”

His friend always was the logical one. “Fair enough.”

He wanted to get her take on her situation, as Larek prided himself on speaking with the source whenever possible. This Madra woman must be something if she had the courage to teach that the lions’ most-hated enemy had some justification for killing them. Intrigued, he went back to the living room for some privacy and gave her a call.

The conversation was short. He returned to his roommate. “Just spoke with Madra.”

Brin looked up. “How did she sound?”

Larek had to think a moment. “I’d say young, upset, and a little scared. While she was tentative about doing the interview, it didn’t take much to convince her to talk to me once I told her I wanted to write about the truth.”

Brin cocked a brow. “Then this should be interesting.”

“Interesting or not, it will make good press. You’re coming then?”

He pushed back from the desk. “Absolutely. I’m intrigued.”

* * * *

Brin was the first off the tram. Larek didn’t remember the last time he’d been in this neighborhood. The area was run down, but the homes did look like the owners cared. He’d programmed her house number in his communicator. As they walked down a well-lit but narrow alley, he listened for his machine to beep, indicating this was the place. The chime sounded. “Here it is.”

He nodded to a narrow home that abutted two others. It appeared as if she’d turned on every light in her house. Maybe she felt more secure that way. The paint on the front door was peeling and the doorbell was dangling on a wire, so he knocked. The woman opened it seconds later.
Skelak
. She was not at all what he’d expected, and his cock hardened. Thank the skies above he didn’t suck in a breath or growl.

Her slightly curly, light-brown hair kissed her shoulders and tumbled down her back. At first he thought his intense reaction was due to the fact her haunting eyes matched her light-blue skirt, but on second glance he decided it was her lightweight, white top covering her large, pert breasts that made him take notice. Most of the Anterran women walked around topless, but he understood this woman would have distracted all of the young shifters in her classroom if she did. As sure as wolves were their vicious enemy, he wouldn’t have been able to concentrate on a word she said if he’d been at a desk watching her teach. Good thing Ms. Verna was older than dirt, or he would have surely failed.

“Come in.” The soft vision moved to the side.

As he went by her, he only had to glance down a few inches to those alluring blue eyes and full lips. Even though she was barefoot, the top of her head came to his chin. Boy, did he love a tall woman. It made coupling so much easier.

Stop it. You’re here for an interview.
His inner lion seemed to be fighting to get out. There was something about this woman that brought out the beast in him.

She ushered them to the sofa. While the material on the sofa was worn, her home was clutter-free. He and Brin sure could use her touch.

“Something to drink?”

He returned his attention back to her. “No. This isn’t a social visit.”
Though I wish it were
. “Do you mind if I record our conversation? I’d hate to misquote you.”

She drew in her bottom lip and crushed the material of her skirt. “Okay, but can I read the article before you send it out?”

He smiled, and immediately the tension sweeping her face diminished. “I’ll send you a copy first.” Her careful approach was a good trait.

They took a seat on the sofa and she sat in the chair across from them. “What do you want to know?”

Where were his manners? He hadn’t introduced either himself or Brin, so he did so now. He thought she’d balk about Brin being there, but from the way she kept glancing at him, she must have found his sleek good looks irresistible.

When he touched her hand to shake it, her strong grip surprised him. Apparently, she was no wilting clump of
almada
flowers ready to close up in the evening shade.

He tapped his communicator to start the recorder. “I read the transcript of the presentation the Earth woman gave on the cave drawings.”

Her eyes lit up and her palms flattened on her lap. “Then you realize the way we were taught history is wrong?”

Getting into a discussion about ethics wasn’t what he’d come for. Some other time he might find it interesting to spar with her, however. He bet she’d be an excellent adversary. “I don’t think I’d garner much sympathy for your cause if the article is focused on what’s right and what’s wrong.”

Her lips firmed. “Then why are you here?”

Her dogged determination to prove her point appealed to him, but right now he needed to write an unbiased story. “To find out the facts. Let’s start with how long you’ve been teaching.”

She exhaled. “I’ve been an upper history teacher at Anterra Prep for four years.”

He liked that she gave more information than he’d asked for. “If I recall, the archeologist unveiled the meaning of the cave walls about two months ago.”

“That’s right, and I changed what I had been teaching about a month ago. It took a lot of work to redo all of my lesson plans. I had to figure out the best way to get the information across to the students without any other supplemental material.”

Brin leaned forward. Larek knew his lawyer mind couldn’t stay static for long. “Besides the cave drawings and the opinion of this Earth woman, do you have any other corroborative proof to back up your theory that the lions wronged the wolves?”

Her brows pinched. “It isn’t a
theory
. The drawings clearly show the arrival of the lions after the wolves had already established their kingdom. Furthermore, it shows the lions decimating much of the population.”

A small smile captured his lips. “So the answer is no.”

“Let’s just say, not yet.”

Good comeback
. Most women were cowed when they got around Brin, as he could be a little over-the-top sometimes with his approach.

Larek grabbed back the control. “My source said your principal announced that if you didn’t go back to teaching the old way, you need not bother coming back on Monday.” He wasn’t sure the man could do that. “Aren’t you on contract?”

“Yes, but it doesn’t matter. I plan to adhere to his request.”

Brin’s brows arched. “You seem like the type to fight for what you believe.”

Her chest caved and her pendulant breasts heaved. He wanted to wrap his lips around the tips and suck.

Larek!

He jerked out of his reverie and glanced at Brin, who was ever so slightly shaking his head.
Can you blame me?

“I am, but if I leave, my students will be the ones to suffer. It’s so hard to find a substitute this late in the year.” She inhaled and glanced to the ceiling. “But you know, maybe if I—” She shook her head. “No, I need to put the students’ needs above mine.”

That makes sense
. “You really care about them, I see.”

She leaned forward as if she were really excited to have someone to talk to. In a way, he felt a little sad for her if she didn’t have friends to share her passion.

“Contrary to what many believe, what I teach is fairly immaterial. The important thing is that I connect with the students and guide them through their fledgling years. If I’m not at Anterra Prep, I can’t do that.”

Brin crossed a foot over his knee and leaned back. “So it’s not really important to you if you abandon your ideals and teach a bunch of lies, as long as you can guide your students?”

Madra slowly faced him. Her hands gripped her skirt again and her features hardened. “It’s not that simple.”

“Help me understand, or don’t you know what you want?”

They hadn’t come here to grill the poor woman.
Brin. Enough
. “Ignore him.” He faced his best friend—or at least the man who used to be his best friend. “This isn’t a courtroom.”

“Life is a courtroom.”

Larek turned back to Madra. He was proud she’d stood up to his overbearing roommate. “Do you think the principal and a few parents have the right to say what you can and can’t teach? I was taught to believe Anterra endorsed expressing one’s thoughts freely.”

A knock sounded at the front door, and Madra looked relieved. “I need to get that.”

From the way she kept shifting in her seat, this conversation wasn’t going as she’d planned. When she opened the door, a woman with shoulder-length blonde hair wearing a colorful skirt breezed in. He recognized her as the one who sold shoes in the mall.

“Oh, my. I didn’t mean to interrupt.” The pretty thing glanced from him to Brin and then back again.

“Rein!” Madra wrapped an arm around her friend’s waist and led her in. “No. I forgot you said you were coming over.”

From the way Rein’s mouth narrowed, she hadn’t mentioned it.

Not wanting to extend his stay, he stood. While he probably had everything he needed for the article, this passionate woman intrigued him. As much as Brin would deny it, he seemed interested, too. They shared their women and Madra might be perfect for them.

Larek swallowed a smile. Brin couldn’t take his eyes off Madra.
You sure you don’t want to stay a little longer, Brin?

She has company.

Want me to ask her out?

Brin glanced at him.
She’ll say no.

Larek forced back his smile.
I have an idea. Watch the master at work.

Madra was totally conflicted. The conversation had started to piss her off, yet she loved the way Larek seemed to get her. Thank goodness Rein stopped by or she would have had to spar with that handsome but annoying lawyer. Any other time, she wouldn’t have minded getting into a debate, but right now, her brain was fighting fatigue, anger, injustice, and depression. It was bad enough that she’d stayed up night after night reworking all of her lessons plans only to find out she’d have to abandon them all. The thought of recreating the old lessons weighed heavily on her.

Larek shoved his communicator in his pocket and stepped close. “I still have a few more questions. I know it’s last minute, but could you meet us at Wild Cat Bar tomorrow at noon?”

Us?
She doubted Brin would even agree to come along, as he seemed put off by her comments. It was hard to decide what to do. The man’s intriguing scent was messing with her body.

Rein grabbed her wrist and gave her an encouraging tug. She’d never been to that bar. “Do they have good food?” That was a stupid comment. She should have asked him why he wanted to meet. She wasn’t sure what more she could tell him about her situation.