Eleven

Arlin kept her in bed for most of the morning before she forced him to get up and fix her some breakfast. As he stood in front of the stove, he ran his hand over her teeth marks embedded in his chest, shaking his head at how sensitive the marks felt. Now, this is definitely a twist on things, he thought with a chuckle. I wonder if I’ll turn into a human. He flipped the stove on and then rummaged around his cabinet for a pan in which to fry some bacon. He glanced behind him at her knife still sticking straight up on his counter. She definitely deserved some bacon.

He heard her coming from the back bedroom and turned his head as she shuffled into the front room wearing nothing but an old T-shirt of his. His tiger growled, and he had to agree with his animal’s assessment, although he would have much preferred she came out of the back room naked. The image of her under him, the freckles across her pale breasts, the sexy vulnerability she displayed, made his cock twitch even now. He’d never get tired of looking at her body.

Or touching it, caressing her flesh with his hands, tasting her skin with his lips. Down boy, or she’ll never get her breakfast. He shook his head, but not the image from his mind, as he walked over to the fridge for the bacon and eggs.

When he turned around, he gestured to the counter. “I made some coffee if you’re interested.”

She ran a hand through her sandy hair, the T-shirt climbing up her bare legs as she did. Both he and his tiger purred, and he had to tamp down the urge to press her against the wall and bury his cock between her legs, saying the hell with breakfast. He took a deep breath and turned back to the stove, setting the food on the counter next to the knife. “So, am I forgiven for cleaning up your cabin?” he asked, needing to change the subject before he acted on his impulses.

She walked over to the counter, leaning back on it, propping herself up with her hands, which made her shirt ride high on her thighs again, one leg swinging back and forth. “I think the jury’s still out on that.” She reached over, pulling the hilt of the knife back and letting it twang as she released it. “I mean, after all, I did have to threaten you in order to get you to take me to your bed. Not really a good impression, you know?”

He slipped some bacon into the pan and then leaned over, kissing her on the lips. “I promise, you’ll never have to threaten me again.”

“Good,” she said, with a curt nod, as he pulled away. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw her reach out and yank the knife from where it was stuck. “I’d hate to have to leave more holes in your counter.”

“Yeah, I’m going to have fun explaining that to my brother.”

She shrugged as she ran a finger over the edge of her knife. “Just tell him I did it. Nathan won’t be surprised.”

Arlin felt a twinge of jealousy stiffen his spine. “There isn’t anything between you and my brother, is there?” He needed to have a talk with Nathan. And soon.

She giggled as she set the knife on the counter behind her. “And if there is?” Her eyes sparkled as she said it, and at first, he didn’t know how to take it.

He turned to face her, an eyebrow cocked. “Then I think I’m going to be kicking my brother’s ass.” She laughed as if he was joking, but Arlin was far from joking. He grinned, however, as he reached for the eggs. After he cracked a couple into a skillet, he tilted his head as he looked at her from the corner of his eye. “Care to tell me about last night? Who that guy was?”

She sighed, turning her gaze to the floor, her lips pressed into a thin line. “He was a very bad decision that I thought was finished.” She shook her head and then gave him the full story.

As she leaned back on the counter, her leg no longer swaying back and forth, telling the tale of Kyle’s abuse, he continued to cook them breakfast, frying the eggs while the bacon sizzled. If her story hadn’t been so dreadful, making his anger growl for a different reason than it did earlier, Arlin would be distracted with the way her legs kept drawing his gaze away from the stove. He took several deep breaths, focusing on the story she shared.

His anger boiled just below the surface with every instance she recounted of where Kyle beat her for his own failings. At the same time, his heart went out to her for everything she endured. He didn’t feel sorry for her, not by a long shot. She may have suffered at Kyle’s hands for a brief period, but she refused to be a victim for long. He glanced over at the knife on the counter, wondering how far she was willing to take it if Kyle came at her again. His tiger growled within him. Don’t worry, boy. That scumbag won’t get the chance.

As they sat down at the table to eat, she finished with her story. Her voice was soft, neutral in tone, as she spoke, her breathing even, almost as if she distanced herself from the story she told. He refused to reach out and hug her, even though that’s exactly what he wanted to do. However, he knew she wouldn’t appreciate it. Not in the least.

“And the knife?” he asked. “Is that something you carry now because of what happened with Kyle?”

She glanced back to the counter where the knife lay, her eyes distant as if looking backward in time. “It’s more than just something I carry for protection. It’s become a symbol of sorts.” She shrugged, turning her attention back to him. “It reminds me that I don’t need anyone else to protect me, that I’m a capable woman who doesn’t need to rely on anyone else.”

He scooped up a forkful of eggs as he nodded. “You know it’s okay for other people to help you once in a while, right?” He shoved the eggs into his mouth, watching her.

She reached for her juice glass as she nodded. “However, there’s a difference between getting help and being dependent upon someone. I was dependent on Kyle, which is why I suffered the abuse. I believed him when he said I couldn’t do any better, and only he would take care of me, only he would love me.”

“So what finally broke?”

She grinned as she lifted the glass. “Not me.” She waggled her eyebrows at him as she took a sip of her juice. Shrugging, she said, “He finally hit me one too many times, and I guess it knocked some sense into me. I realized Kyle would never change or stop or put me first, and if he wasn’t going to do it, then it had to be me. So, as soon as he was out the door, I packed my bags with everything I could carry and ran.” She sighed, setting the glass back on the table. “Sounds cowardly, doesn’t it? I ran.”

Arlin reached out, seeing the self-doubt in her eyes, and placed a hand on her wrist. “Not at all. What else could you have done?” He shook his head as he moved his hand, setting his wrist on the table next to his plate. “You only had one real option; get the hell out of there. Never doubt that.”

She gave him a weak smile, and he knew she didn’t believe what he said. He felt his tiger whine within him. We’ll prove it to her, boy. Don’t you worry.

When breakfast was over, Eve said she needed to get back to her cabin. Someone was due out to replace the glass in her windows, and a local of Bull Creek named Josh planned on replacing her locks with stronger ones. Arlin watched her get dressed, dreading every second of it. He wanted to go with her, stay by her side until Lainie put Kyle behind bars, but after everything Eve said, he really didn’t think she’d take it as anything other than him believing her weak and coddling her. Eve Hartlow was anything but weak.

He stood on his porch after hugging her goodbye and watched as she walked down his dirt driveway, keeping his eyes on her until she turned and headed out of sight. He wasn’t thrilled with her walking home alone, not with Kyle still out there. Keeping his eyes on his driveway, he slipped out of his pajama pants, dropping them carelessly in a heap on the porch. Once he figured enough time had passed, he shifted, legs and arms popping and stretching, feet and hands transforming into paws, the striped fur of a tiger oozing out of his skin as whiskers slid from his nose. It only took a few seconds, agonizing seconds to be sure, but ones he would endure to ensure Eve’s safety. He hunched down on his back paws and then leaped off his porch, slipping into the woods between his cabin and Eve’s. She may not want him beside her, babysitting, but that didn’t mean he wouldn’t keep an eye on her as best as he could. She just wouldn’t know he did it. After all, what Eve didn’t know, couldn’t hurt him.

At least, that was his hope.