She wouldn’t be caught dead resting her ass on any of the couches, and she’d inwardly cringed when they threw Dean on one of the dusty/moldy things. He currently lay, still feline, on the cushions, adding blood to the myriad stains beneath his matted body.
She wanted to weep at the pain he must be suffering but couldn’t call attention to their relationship, such as it was. Ted was finally coming around to seeing things her way. For just five hundred thousand dollars, some sack time wherein she’d promised to do all sorts of uck things, of the s and f variety, and a shot at Lex, he agreed to release her. Dean too, because she’d told him he’d only be a burden when the local pride came to find him. So Ted had agreed to keep Dean’s sullen ass alive.
Because of her.
But did he look thankful? No. She should be glad for his glowering, contemptuous aggression. No one studying the pair of them would ever assume them to be friends, let alone mates. She hoped her scent had faded, since she’d tried to pull back emotionally. It helped that his blood would cover most of her claim, unless a cat sniffed hard enough. Then again, Dean hadn’t claimed her back. She had traces of him on her, but not enough of his scent to fully mark her as his. For which she was grateful, or so she kept telling herself. A claiming didn’t have to be two-sided.
Now it only made it easier for the others to believe nothing existed between her and Dean but sex.
She paced, waiting for Lex to finally show. The dick. Because of him, she’d lived a miserable existence for months. They’d left their pride, their home. Miami—her haven.
Yet as she cast a subtle look at Dean, she feared her heart had chosen a new home. Her cat certainly had no urge to return to the humid Everglades. The prissy feline had thrown in her lot with the cooler clime of Montana. She’d thrived when running through the forest and couldn’t wait to do so again…so long as Dean ran with her.
As if sensing her regard, he glared at her from the couch and growled. Again. This time he couldn’t conceal his hurt, and she literally ached for him. He blinked a few times and quickly looked away.
Jeremy crossed the room to her, his jaw clenched tight as he looked from her to Ted. “Anything you want to share, Stacey? Not like we couldn’t hear you and Ted bargaining for the last few hours.” He sneered. “You’re going to let him fuck you, but you deny Lex? Seriously?”
Ted smiled. Then he laughed, seemingly more at her than at Jeremy, and she had a bad feeling the joke was on her.
“What?” she asked.
“Honey, you’re beautiful. And desperate if you’d take a Hunter between your legs.” Ted shook his head. “But if you think I’d fuck an animal, you’re out of your mind. Lex was right. You’re ruthless. No wonder he wants you so bad. You might as well be twins.”
The others around them chuckled, even Jeremy.
Stacey felt sick to her stomach. Ted had been stringing her along, no doubt to keep her occupied. Instead of trying to escape, she’d stayed, sure she could worm her way out of trouble. She should have taken off to find help for Dean. Now she’d doomed them both to Lex. And he’d never let Dean go. Especially not if he scented Dean anywhere on her. Which he would. Hell, Jeremy knew they’d had sex. Lex wouldn’t tolerate another cat in the picture, no matter the reason.
And then it was too late to escape.
Lex walked through the front door with two of his feline guards by his side. He was tall and handsome, and any woman would have been proud to be seen on his arm. Until they looked into his eyes and saw nothing but the malice and greed there. He took what he wanted when he wanted it and damn the consequences. Lex ruled by might, fear and intimidation.
“Stacey. It’s been too long.” Lex walked right by everyone until he stood a hairsbreadth from her.
Terror knotted her stomach. The last time she’d been this close to him, he’d assaulted her. A few slaps to her face and he’d ripped her blouse. Miles had intervened, and they’d fled. But there was no Miles to save her, and Dean needed her more than she needed him. Time to play it up for all she was worth.
Dean lay still, not daring to hope he’d seen the truth in her eyes. Had she been playing this entire time? That expression on her face when she’d seen him glaring at her, his heart in shreds, meant everything. That kernel of helplessness, that sadness, it was there. He’d seen it. He knew it existed…for him.
Her emotional distress had been buried under a pretense of shallowness and self-involvement. How had he missed it? Stacey would never consort with Hunters, not to save her own skin. But to save his?
He took a deep breath and let it out slowly, feeling every bump, bruise and gouge on his body. He was in no condition to fight, and the pride—who should have arrived by now—was nowhere in sight. Instead, Lex had come.
The big bastard smelled like death, a puffed up promise of torture and pain just waiting to happen. Dean wanted to tear him down to nothing but knew he wouldn’t manage to do more than kill himself quickly, not in his condition. Fear for Stacey made it hard to function, but he refused to let Lex know of his terror.
“This is the prick we’ve been worried about?” he rasped and got to his feet.
Lex turned to face him, a pinch of annoyance on his face. “Dean Chastell?”
Jeremy answered. “Yep.”
“The one who spent some time with my female?”
Dean let out a low growl and answered, “The one who fucked her, yeah.” He took a swaggering step forward. A mistake, because it was all he could do not to fall on his face. Not the image he wanted to project while trying to appear Lex’s match.
The asshole was as big as Dean, and the thought of him pawing at a scared Stacey sent him into a rage, which lent him the strength to stand without falling flat on his face.
Stacey glared at him, and he could finally see the worry in her face, which didn’t help his confidence any. To the dickhead, she said, “Look, Lex, if you want me, I’ll—”
Dean interrupted before she could sacrifice herself. “Talking here, sweet cheeks. Let the big boys play. You’ll have your turn.”
“Sweet cheeks?” She fumed.
He much preferred her annoyed to scared. But even better, he’d drawn Lex’s attention.
“This is the raggedy thing you fucked?” He laughed, and his goons laughed with him. But the lead Hunter didn’t smile. That was the one to watch throughout this. Though he might not be friendly with Lex, he definitely had his own agenda, and it wouldn’t pay to underestimate him. Dean wanted Stacey away from Lex and Ted, but the woman wasn’t moving an inch.
He took a few steps, feeling better about himself when the hurt numbed and he moved without impedance. “Instead of hiding behind everyone else, including a female,” Dean added with a sneer, “why don’t you face me right here, right now?” From what he’d heard about the guy, Lex was not only a bully, but a chauvinist. He’d take offense at the claim that he needed a woman to protect him. Or so Dean hoped.
Stacey opened her mouth to retort but Dean silenced her with a roar.
Then Lex responded, venom dripping from every word. “You Chastell pricks never learn. You think because you killed my brother, I’m afraid of you?” He snorted. “Ronnie was weak. He was blood, but barely. I owe you for his death, and I’ll make you pay. I don’t hide behind anyone.”
“Funny coming from a guy who sent cats and Hunters to ambush two cats, one of them a girl.”
When Stacey scowled at him, he took precious energy to send her, “Shut up and let me distract him. When he’s on me, make a break for it. But watch Ted and the other Hunters. Something’s not right with them. They’re not here to help Lex.”