Treasured Find (Royal Pride Book 1) (19 page)

Chapter Twenty-Six

Rafe leaned against one of the half-finished cars in Jasmine’s garage. Josh took up a similar position across from him.

“What do you want to talk about?” Josh asked.

“Recognize this?” Rafe held up one of the dozens of bid sheets Evan had found in the storage unit Tony had shared with his neighbor.

“No.” Josh frowned. “What is it?”

Josh’s scent didn’t change nor did Rafe’s cats alert him to any questionable body language. Rafe blew out a relieved breath. Josh hadn’t been a part of Tony’s gambling life.

“A bid sheet.”

“For what?” Josh snatched the paper. “Cage fighting? Where the hell is there cage fighting around here?”

Rafe shrugged. “These operations tend to move from place to place. Sometimes they’ll set up a fight in an abandoned warehouse or a field, other times, they’ll have a makeshift ring in somebody’s basement or barn. The people who watch these fights are there for the violence, not the atmosphere.”

Josh crushed the paper in his fist. “And you’re saying my brother went to these fights?”

“That’s exactly what I’m saying. Evan found that in the storage unit Tony shared with his neighbor, Cindy.”

Josh crossed his arms over his chest. “Then it must belong to that no-good husband of hers. That guy is always in the bar. If I let him, he’ll drink until he passes out.”

“Look at the handwriting on the back.”

Josh smoothed the paper, stared at it for a minute, then cursed.

“Recognize it?”

“Yeah.” Josh shoved the paper back at Rafe. “And so what if Tony was bidding on fights. He had a good job. If he wanted to spend his play money on fights, he could. It wasn’t like he was neglecting Megan or anything.”

Rafe sighed. He too would be protective of his brothers if someone thought to drag their names into an illegal activity. It was possible Tony hadn’t known…at first. Shifters rarely changed forms in front of humans. The instinctual drive to protect their species stopped most accidental shifts, even when faced with danger. At some point, Tony had learned the truth, though.

Rafe handed the pamphlet back to Josh. “Read the back.”

“I did.” Josh cracked his jaw. “A grand on the Hunter’s wolf form beating the Kagan’s.”

“Tony knew what the fighters were. He’s not innocent in this. These men are brought into the ring in chains or if they’re meant to fight as animals, in muzzles.” Rafe paused, letting that sink in.

Josh’s body tensed and a pissed-off look settled over his face. He shifted his gaze to the wrinkled paper in Rafe’s hand, but didn’t speak. No matter. Rafe had made his point.

“Even if Tony didn’t realize they were shifters, he couldn’t have missed the fact they were treated as slaves. I can guarantee you none of those men want to be in there. They’re fighting for their lives,” Rafe added.

“They’re kidnap victims?”

“Or they were raised in cages for the sole purpose of fighting. The Kagan is probably a male from the Kagan wolf pack. Their territory is only twenty or so miles from here. We can contact them and see if they’re missing any members. The Hunter?” Rafe shrugged. “No clue. It might be a title he’s earned. He’s listed as undefeated against other wolves.”

Josh eye’s darkened. “The fuckers who run these fights need to be found.”

“Agreed.” Rafe nodded. “This fight was a week ago. Think back. Did Tony mention if he was going anywhere?”

The chances of finding the operation were slim, but Rafe would pass on whatever information he could to the Shifter Affairs’ agents. Sometimes their tactics of following a financial trail worked better than trying to pick up a scent.

“I don’t know.” Josh held up a hand. “That’s the god’s honest truth. Tony called and said he was bringing Megan over in ten minutes. He needed a break. She’d had him up three nights in a row, and he couldn’t take a fourth night. I assumed he’d stayed home and slept. It wasn’t the first time he’d needed a break.”

“You mentioned before that Megan had nightmares. What about?”

“She won’t always tell us, but she gets worked up and won’t go back to sleep until every single light in the house is turned on. Every light, Rafe. Even the oven light.” Josh shook his head. “Other times it’s because she thinks someone is going to get hurt. Those aren’t as bad because once she sees or hears the person’s voice, she settles down.”

Rafe curled his fists. The worry over losing a loved one was common with rescued shifters, so was the fear of the dark. The knowledge didn’t soothe him, though. “Does she talk about her birth parents?”

“No. Not a word. Whenever we’ve asked her questions about the past, she ignores us or cries. We assumed she just wasn’t ready to talk about it.” Josh motioned toward the house. “You’ve seen her. Other than her nightmares, Megan’s a happy kid. She’s not fearful of strangers, and she isn’t exactly afraid to speak her mind. We didn’t see a reason to push her if she wasn’t ready to talk about her past.”

Rafe wasn’t fond of bringing up the subject either. Upsetting the little girl was the last thing he wanted.

“There’s something else”—Josh scrubbed a hand down his face—“about Megan. It might be nothing.”

Rafe waited a moment, then prompted, “What about her?”

“She talks to herself.”

“As in, she has an imaginary friend?”

“Not exactly.” Josh rolled his shoulders, then blew out a strained breath. “Sometimes when she’s alone, she talks. Well, whispers.”

Devin had mentioned the same thing. It had struck him as odd, but Rafe hadn’t asked him more about it. As Josh had pointed out, Megan seemed to be well-adjusted.

“What does she say?”

“I haven’t been able to tell. She only does it when she thinks nobody is close, and when she does talk, it’s more of a whisper. Her voice is so low it’s tough to make out anything. The moment she senses someone watching her, she clams up.”

“Okay. We’ll keep an eye on her. She might just be trying to talk to her cat.”

Rafe rubbed his aching temples and focused on the other question he had for Josh. “Why would Tony have been sharing a storage unit with Cindy? And why would only her name be on the unit, not her husband’s too?”

Josh tilted his head. “Just hers? That’s odd. I have no clue.”

“Tony and Cindy were friends? Or lovers too?”

“As far as I know, only friends. She’s friendly with everybody, though, so who knows if it was more. I never cared to ask. Not my business.” Josh narrowed his eyes. “What else was in the unit?”

“Random stuff. Books, old furniture, boxes of junk. Nothing that would offer us other clues.”

“So all we can say for sure is that Tony had been bidding on shifter cage fights?”

“And that he’d lost about twenty-grand at it. Tony had kept a log of the fights and his bids. I can’t say whether he was paid up on it, but that’s a lot of play money to be tossing around, especially after just adopting Megan.”

Josh clenched his hands until white-knuckles betrayed his anger. “Why would he get involved in this crap? He knew Megan was a shifter too.”

“Those bid sheets go back a year. He was involved in exploiting shifters long before he ever became a father of one.”

Josh turned and slammed his balled fist against the table. A container of nuts and bolts spilled. The pinging sounds of metal hitting the floor filled the room. He planted his palms on the surface and hung his head.

“He never talked about adopting a kid. One day, he just showed up with Megan. He made a point of complaining about the lawyer fees. He even waved the stacks of paper and bitched about how long it had taken to sign everything. I never looked at any of it. I should’ve. Maybe I would’ve noticed something wrong.”

“And you didn’t think it was strange that he just came home with a kid? That social workers didn’t inspect the house or talk to any of you?”

“Sure, but”—Josh glanced over his shoulder—“he was my brother. A good guy. No matter what he was involved in, he cared about Megan. I guess I just didn’t want to know.”

“Understood.”

And Rafe did. It was easy to ignore inconsistencies when you cared about the person involved. He’d done the same where Jon was concerned.

“I’ll talk to Cindy tomorrow night and see what I can find out.” Josh bent and started picking up the screws that had fallen. “Maybe she knew more than she let on.”

“Do you want me to send one of my brothers with you?”

“And take a guard away from Jazz and the kids?” Josh snorted. “No way. I have a carry permit. If the bastard comes at me, I’ll shoot his ass.”

“Then you better shoot to kill.” Rafe gave Josh a warning look. “Shifters heal quickly.”

“Good to know.”

Rafe made his way to the door. He wanted to spend some time with Megan. He hadn’t gotten the chance to talk to her earlier in the day. There’d been too much going on.

“And Rafe?”

Rafe stopped with his hand on the door. “What?”

“If you break Jazz’s heart or disappoint her kids, you’re going to regret it, and believe me, I’ll be watching to make sure you treat them right.”

The warning didn’t surprise him. The acceptance behind it did.

“Aren’t you going to try and steal her from me?”

“No.” Josh placed the container of screws on the countertop, then left through the back door.

Rafe didn’t know what to make of the change in the male’s attitude, but he wouldn’t question it. Competition for Jasmine was the last thing he wanted to worry about, not when more practical matters came first. And keeping her safe until he could take her life ranked right up there.

Chapter Twenty-Seven

Jazz couldn’t tear her gaze from Rafe. After an initial awkward moment where Seth and Levi had stared wide-eyed at Rafe when he’d taken his bowl of ice cream and sat on the floor with them, they’d settled into a discussion about their favorite superheroes. Then they’d looked through the boys’ comic book collection and played a board game. It didn’t take much to imagine Rafe stretched out on the floor watching Saturday morning cartoons or playing ball in the yard.

The clock on the wall chimed. “Okay, kids. Say good night to Rafe. It’s time for bed.”

“Can Rafe read us a story?” Levi asked.

“Please,” Seth added.

She glanced between her kids and a grinning Rafe. He winked at her, and she smiled. “Sure. Hugs from me first.”

Seth and Levi squeezed her tight, then Rafe kissed her on the cheek. “I’ll be down soon.”

She caught both boys watching them closely, curiosity on their faces. Her skin warmed. “Okay.”

Rafe flashed her a pleased smile. “By the way, Seth and Levi gave me permission to love you.”

“They did?”

“Mmm-hmm.” Rafe took her hand and ran his thumb over her knuckles. “I explained how special you are to me. That I wanted to make you happy. And the best way to do that is to stay close to you.”

“So we told Rafe that he could move in,” Levi said.

Seth nodded. “We can be a real family.”

“That’s okay, isn’t it?” Levi asked.

“Yes.” She swallowed hard. “That’s okay.”

Seth and Levi raced toward the stairs. Rafe slipped his hand around her waist and pulled her close. “And just so you know, they told me I could share your room since Mira would be sleeping in the spare one.”

Jazz chuckled. “You’re sneaky.”

He brushed his lips over hers. “I am when I need to be. I do house big cats. Sneaky is one of their traits.”

He slipped from the room before she could respond. She shook her head. He’d won them over. And her.

“Rafe’s very good with kids,” Mira said in a low voice.

Jazz tore her gaze from the stairs and faced the other woman. Mira stood with her hands linked loosely in front of her. Jazz swept her gaze over Mira. Her beauty was still as profound as the last time Jazz had seen her. Genetics had definitely been kind to her.

And she’d been Rafe’s lover.

Jazz shoved the thought deep before her jealousy could stir. From the way Rafe had worked her body, she’d known he was experienced. It’d be ignorant to think he didn’t have tons of ex-lovers around. It was just unfortunate one of them was staying in her house for at least the night. Tomorrow? She had no clue. Rafe had told her they needed to talk, but they hadn’t had a chance.

Mira stared at Jazz expectantly, obviously awaiting a response.

“Yes, very good,” Jazz forced herself to say.

“Your boys seem to like him too.”

“Yes, they do.”

Jazz slipped past Mira and walked toward the kitchen. Small talk with Rafe’s ex-lover was not on her list of things she wanted to do before bed.

Mira followed her, and Jazz silently cursed.

“I used to wonder how he’d be if we had kids.”

Jazz froze mid-step. “If
you
had
his
kids?”

“Well, yes.” Mira shrugged. “I couldn’t help it, especially when we were in bed together.”

She’s talking about fucking Rafe. In front of me. What kind of woman did that?

“And do you want to have his babies?” Was that the point of the conversation? That Mira wanted Rafe back?

“I’d considered it. One time when we were in bed together, I almost asked him to make me his, but—”

“Stop.” Jazz raised a hand. “I don’t want to hear it.”

Mira crossed her arms in front of her. “I’m sorry, Jazz. I didn’t mean to upset you. I’m not used to interacting with humans. Your beliefs are so different than mine. I don’t know what’s appropriate. Do I offer you tips on how to make Rafe wild or not?”

That was it. Jazz pointed toward the living room. “No tips. Just get away from me. I don’t want to look at you or talk to you.”

Mira flinched. “I see. When Devin gets back from patrolling the woods, I’ll have him drive me home.”

She turned and rushed toward the door, but not quick enough for Jazz to miss the tears in Mira’s eyes.

Great. Now, I’m the bitch. Mira just admitted to not knowing how to interact with humans.

“Mira, wait. I shouldn’t have snapped at you. I’m sorry.”

“I truly didn’t think anything of my relationship with Rafe. Sex doesn’t always mean attraction or love. Sometimes it’s just an escape. Something to chase away the loneliness. Sometimes it’s just an act to make babies.”

Jazz thought back to how Mira had stood apart from everyone and to the way she’d been so happy to talk to Jazz. It had felt good to laugh with another woman again.

Okay. If Rafe is going to make an effort to accept Josh, I can do the same with Mira.

Jazz moved to the sink and filled a glass, not because she was thirsty but to give her a moment to gather her thoughts. There was no good way to ask why Mira allowed Devin or Rafe’s brothers to order her around. Protection was one thing, but the display Jazz had witnessed went beyond that.

Jazz took a sip of water, then set the glass down. “So you’re not seeing anyone?”

Mira frowned.

Geez. Mira wasn’t kidding about not being used to humans. Didn’t she even watch television? Jazz sighed.

“I mean you don’t have a boyfriend? Or a lover?”

“No lover. I haven’t been with anyone in a long time. I’m afraid to risk it.”

“Why?” Jazz straightened. “Would Devin or one of the other men hurt you if you took a lover?”

Mira laughed, and Jazz’s tension eased.

“Gods no. My family would never hurt me. Actually, Devin would be happy if I decided to take another mate. Then he wouldn’t have to watch out for me anymore.”

Mate.
Jazz tried the word out. It sounded primitive and reminded her that the man she’d been sleeping with wasn’t really a man. He was a different species. And what exactly did that mean? Could he mate her?

“So it’s common to have more than one
mate
?” It was for wild cats, at least.

With a grin on her face, Mira pushed away from the door. “See? This is what I mean. Our cultural differences can cause a misunderstanding.”

“Will you explain it to me?”

“You can only have one mate. It’s a physical and mystical bond.” Mira hopped on the counter. “Physically, your tie is through a mate bite. Mystically is a little harder to explain. It’s also different for human mates than it is for most shifters.”

“Shifters can take human mates then?”

Mira grinned. “Yes. Rafe can mate you.”

“Oh, well, that’s good to know.”

And can I sound any more fake?
Jazz shook her head. Was it so wrong to be excited? She had been thinking about growing old with him.

“It is.” Mira’s smile widened, obviously guessing at Jazz’s excitement. “Now, understand that there are two types of mate bond—one that’s strictly for breeding and one that’s based on love.”

“But if you can only take one mate—”

“—and you pick a partner for the wrong reasons, you’re stuck.” Mira nodded. “Exactly. That’s why it sometimes takes years and years before our males mate, but once they find their
one
, they never let her go. Our males will tie their females to them body and soul.”

“Like soulmates?”

The idea made Jazz’s belly flutter. She’d always dreamed that there was one person in the world she was meant to be with. She blamed it on reading too many romance novels, but it was the kind of thing fantasies were built on.

“Yes, soul-mating is the ultimate bond and not one every shifter will commit to. Actually, it’s pretty rare, but for a human-shifter mating, it’s essential.”

“This mate bite”—Jazz stroked the spot on her neck Rafe had scratched. It wasn’t a bite, but it had bled. “What does it look like?”

Mira took a deep shuddering breath, releasing it through clenched teeth. She shoved the long fall of her hair off her shoulder and tugged the collar of her shirt enough to expose a scar—a bite.

Four raised puncture wounds marred the spot where her shoulder met her neck.

Jazz cringed. “I bet that hurt.”

“A little.”

The hitch in Mira’s voice caught Jazz’s attention.

“Did your mate die?”

A wicked smile spread over Mira’s face. “Yes, Edmund…
died
.”

And Mira looked quite happy about his death. Why would she be? Unless hers had only been a breeding partner, maybe?

“You said Devin would be happy if you took another mate, but then you said shifters could only have one mate. Which is it?”

Mira righted her shirt, then slid off the counter. “My situation is a little different. By shifter law, I was mated because Edmund bit me. But from a biological point of view, I’m not mated. Poor Edmund got his throat ripped out before he could touch my soul and finish the act.”

Jazz covered her mouth but not before her gasp escaped. “He forced you, didn’t he?”

“Yes”—Mira raised her chin—“and I killed him for it.”

Did she think Jazz would judge her? After the things Seth and Levi’s mother had said about her mate, Jazz was glad Mira had been lucky enough to stop the bastard who’d tried to force her.

“Is that why you don’t want to commit to another man?” It certainly explained why Devin was protective of Mira.

Mira motioned to her shoulder. “This happened a long time ago. For the most part, I’m over it. The truth is I don’t want to be on the receiving end of a determined male. Once one sets his sight on you, you don’t get away. But you know that, don’t you, Jazz?”

She did. Rafe had pursued her relentlessly from the moment he’d spoken to her in the bar. “Yeah, I suppose I do.”

“At least as a human, you know that if Rafe mates you it’s because he loves you and will be faithful to you. He’s tying your souls together, giving you a piece of his and taking a piece of yours.” Mira pressed her hand against her chest. “That’s profound. Do you understand? It’s not a simple commitment. He’ll be driven to please you, just as you will be for him, and if you’re killed, he’ll follow you to the grave.”

“And a shifter who only mates to breed won’t?”

Mira snorted. “No, he’ll go on to take other lovers. He just won’t be able to have kids anymore. A breeding bond is a…” Mira pursed her lips. “A one-way bond. A male won’t ever hold a piece of his mate’s soul. She’ll just get his kids. Don’t get me wrong. He’ll protect her. Care for her. It just doesn’t guarantee his love.”

“I can’t imagine many women being happy with a one-way bond.”

“Honestly, it’s the most common one, and in some instances, it’s the only kind a male will enter into.”

“Why is that?”

“Then he can still take other lovers. Of course, the female doesn’t get that option. Her mate would refuse to allow it.”

Shifter culture was definitely not equal. Her only comfort was in knowing that if she were to commit to Rafe, he’d do the same. Except, Mira had just implied it was rare.

“What happens if he doesn’t mate me? We can still be together, right?”

“Sure. He won’t get rid of you. You’re his beloved human.” Mira toyed with the edge of her shirt. “But I wouldn’t be too worried about him not mating you. I’ve never known Rafe to show any interest in a human. Just don’t be surprised if it takes him a few years to get around to bringing the topic up. It’s a huge deal for our males.”

Years? She didn’t want to wait years. She wanted him tied to her so she didn’t lose him, but if she brought it up too soon…

And why am I worrying about this? We’re getting along well. Can’t I just leave it at that?

Jazz shrugged and hoped it looked believable. “It’s too soon to worry about the future anyway.”

“Absolutely. Enjoy the present.” Mira motioned toward the living room. “Look, I should probably go talk to Devin before Zach does. I don’t want him overreacting to what happened earlier with Josh.”

Mira walked to the door. It opened before she got to it. Josh strode in. They collided, and Josh stopped her backward tumble with an arm around her waist.

“Sorry, Mira.” He settled his hands on her hips. “I should pay better attention to where I’m going.”

Mira dipped her head. “No, don’t apologize. I should be too.”

Josh bent slightly to look into her face. “Where were you rushing off to?”

The patio door slid open, and Devin stepped through before Mira could answer.

“Have you seen—” Devin jerked his head toward where Josh and Mira stood. “Get your fucking hands off my sister!”

Josh stepped in front of Mira. Legs widened and hands held loosely to the side, he appeared as if he were itching for a fight.

“And you can drop your fucking attitude.” Josh reached behind him and rested his fingertips against Mira’s arm. “This was innocent.”