Outfoxed

Chapter Two

The next few days passed in relative peace. Grady focused on work in Whitefish, where Chastell Tours had picked up a steady clientele. With the weather finally breaking, folks were starting to seriously fish. Hiking had slowed due to the rains, but as the weather warmed, the campers appeared in droves.

“Somebody shoot me.” Dean sighed and plunked his ass in a chair. “Sometimes I really hate tourists.”

“What’s wrong? Did Diana Do-Me not give you enough attention?”

Dean grinned. “Jealous? Who knew a woman could look that hot in waders? She and I went a few rounds yesterday and the day before. But now I’m bored, and she’s not getting the hint.”

“Just suck it up. She’s heading back to Florida in a few days.”

“I know.” Dean studied him with piercing brown eyes. His expression so eerily mirrored Burke’s that Grady blinked. “Grady, Grady, Grady. You’ve been pining for weeks—hell, months—and it’s starting to become embarrassing.”

“Fuck off.” Grady hung up his hat and jacket and moved to sit near the vacant fireplace. The office served its purpose, but the fireplace and seating area made it a favorite of Grady’s when he just wanted to relax and get away from the pride. Though Cougar Falls was only a half hour away, most Ac-taw never left town. Only he and a few other Shifters held down jobs on the outside. At the thought, he asked Dean about the schedule.

Dean checked the book on the desk. “Yeah, Monty will be out tomorrow. A business group he’s taking out on the boat. The Johnson party. They’re regulars, so it should be an easy one.”

“Lucky bastard. He’s a real pain in my ass, you know that?”

Dean laughed. “You’re just pissed because Sophie seems to like him but your wannabe girlfriend won’t give you the time of day.” When Grady tried to deny it, Dean cut him off. “Look, I have eyes. I see how you look at her. Hell, we all know you’re not joking around. Well, all of us but Gabby.”

“What can I do?” he moaned and shook his head. “Aside from asking her to fuck my brains out, I don’t know how to get her attention.”

“Well, that would surely get mine,” a husky voice said as a Shifter he hadn’t seen in years stopped in the doorway.

Grady stood, surprised and not a little wary. “Stacey Bermin?”

“In the flesh, sugar,” the cougar purred as she walked into the room like she owned it. On her tail came her sisters, Joy, Melissa and Amy. All in all, a welcome visit from sexy cats he knew and liked. Except if the women were here, their brother wasn’t far behind.

“Please tell me you finally saw the light and ditched that asshole you call family.”

“No such luck, Grady.” Miles Bermin strode into the room and glanced around, a polite smile on his face. “This is what you do for a living? How…quaint.”

“Day-um, Miles. What a fancy word for nifty.” Dean played the fool to a science when this idiot came to town, which thankfully wasn’t that often.

Joy, Melissa and Amy coughed to hide their laughter, but Stacey sniffed in disdain. A carbon copy of her brother, she thought everyone not a Bermin was someone to be pitied.

“Let me guess. You’re slumming and you decided to grace us with your presence,” Grady said sarcastically.

Amy sighed and her sisters exchange worried looks.

“What’s wrong?” Dean’s hick accent disappeared. “I smell worry.”

“It’s not a big deal.” Yet Miles frowned. Normally nothing impacted his perfect little world.

“Spill it, Vermin.” Direct hit. Miles’s old nickname still annoyed the shit out of him, and Grady wasn’t too proud to use what had once worked in grade school.

Miles clenched his jaw. “We left the pride.”

“What? Why?”

Stacey answered. “I’ll tell you why. Because a bunch of rogue Ac-taw came in and started demanding special favors.”

Dean sighed. “Being nice isn’t exactly a favor, Stacey. It’s called common courtesy.”

She glared at him. “Look, you overgrown hick, being told you have to spread your legs and keep your mouth shut while the new pride leader has his way with you exceeds common courtesy by a country mile.”

“Did he hurt you?” Dean growled.

Stacey blinked at the menace coming off Dean in waves. “N-no. Miles took care of him. But we weren’t willing to hang around and find out what else he—”

“You’ve said enough, Stacey,” Miles interrupted, his voice like ice. “The Chastells don’t care about our problems.” He turned to Grady. “We just thought we’d stop for a visit on our way to Oregon. We have some family out there we’re thinking of joining.”

Grady noticed the unhappy expressions on the females’ faces. He wanted to know what the hell had really happened down South, but he’d wait until later to confront Miles, once the females had settled. “I’ll call Rachel and let her know to expect five more for dinner.”

Melissa smiled. “Thanks, Grady.”

“That’s awful nice of you,” Amy said softly. Joy nodded.

Even Stacey gave him a warm nod of thanks.

Four sexy females. Four cats. The answer to his celibate existence, and he still couldn’t stop thinking about Gabby. He forced a smile and tried to find his cell phone.

A few hours later, as he and the rest of the pride sat around the long dining table in the main house to eat a late dinner with their guests, he came to the realization he’d lost his fucking mind. Inviting the Bermins—inviting Miles—had been a huge mistake.

If the bastard touched Gabby one more time, Grady wouldn’t be responsible for his actions. Why the hell couldn’t they have seated Miles between Joel and Monty? Just as the idiot leaned closer to Gabby to ask her to pass another dish, Rachel grabbed Grady’s arm and forcibly tugged him from the table. He thought about pulling away, but annoying his brother’s mate—a breeding feline at that—might get him seriously hurt. It wouldn’t score him any points with Gabby either.

He had to clear his throat so as not to hiss in Miles’s direction. “Yes?”

She dragged him several steps before she answered. “I need your help for a minute.” She waved Burke back. “I’m fine, honey. I just need an extra set of hands to carry something I forgot.” Once in the kitchen, she turned on the faucet and pulled him with her right by the sink. Even for Rachel, this was odd.

“Ah, Rach? You okay?” He glanced at her barely rounded belly. “The kitten giving you problems?”

Rachel tugged him close by the ear, ignoring his small yelp, and whispered harshly, “Your brother is driving me crazy with his constant worry. I don’t need your shit too. What’s wrong with you? You’ve been giving Miles dirty looks all through dinner. Cut it out.”

She let him go and he rubbed his ear, annoyed but knowing better than to take it out on his sister-in-law.

“I don’t like Miles. Never have. He’s an arrogant prick—ah, jerk.”

“He’s in trouble. He and his sisters need our help.”

Grady counted to ten in his head. “I know.”

“So stop being such a jerk yourself and help him. Burke’s so clingy lately it’s giving me fits, so he’s not going to be much use. Joel and Maggie are going on a trip to Florida for a few days to get away. We’ll make sure Dean and Monty are occupied in Whitefish with the tours next week. It seems to me helping Miles—who will be staying here at the ranch—will give you an excuse to be near Gabby.”

He blinked. He hadn’t expected Rachel’s help. “Thanks?”

“Sure. But if I could give you some advice? If you’re serious about her, don’t let her see you dance again. And don’t wear a hat or bow tie. Not a great look on you, Grady.” She shook her head, grabbed the pot of leftover vegetables sitting on the stove and left him standing by the sink.

Grady took a moment, turned off the water and walked back in a much calmer cat.

He did his best not to react to Miles. The way the bastard flirted with Gabby, complimented her sister and flat-out impressed Rachel with his knowledge of totems and antiques was enough to drive him insane. He deliberately turned to Stacey.

She toyed with the food on her plate, sneaking glances around the table. No doubt making snide remarks to herself about the hillbilly Chastells. The woman was a beauty, but such a cold thing. Not like Gabby, who could warm a room just by smiling.

“You okay, Stace?”

“It’s Stacey, with an E-Y. And no, I’m not.”

“What exactly did they do to you down there?” He thought he’d kept his voice low enough, but the entire table quieted.

“Time to share with the rest of the pride what’s been going on, Miles.” Burke and Rachel shared a glance. “We don’t run things like the Florida pride. We’re family here, all of us. The wolf, the bears, the foxes and the rest of us.”

“Rest of us superior cats,” Dean tacked on.

Monty’s lip curled. “You wish.”

“Well said,” Joel, the lone bear, added. His wife, Maggie, laughed.

Stacey and her sisters glanced at each other with worry.

Miles folded his napkin. “I do appreciate you letting us eat before delving into the unpleasantness.”

Christ, could the cat ever talk without sounding like he had a stick shoved up his ass?

“Most of you don’t know this, but we have—or I should say, had—a large pride down in Florida.”

“In the Everglades,” Stacey corrected.

“But our family kept apart, running a lucrative business in Miami.”

“Doing what?” Julia asked. The clever fox looked good sitting next to her husband. She glowed with her new pregnancy, and Grady had a sudden thought that Miles and his family being here might not be safe for the pride if their troubles followed them.

Stacey answered her. “Designer fashion. I design upscale clothing. Joy, Melissa and Amy sew. Miles is our financial whiz.”

Dean whistled. “Didn’t know you were into lady clothes, Miles. ’Course, as prissy as you are, it kinda makes sense.”

Rachel glared at him; Grady and Monty shared a grin.

Miles ignored Dean. “It’s a very successful venture, and not the only one I deal with. But that’s beside the point. To make a long story short, my pride leader mysteriously disappeared just after his two sons returned to town. In the span of a few months, they turned the pride inside-out. Lex is the oldest, with Ronnie a few years his junior. They’ve gone through money and resources like they’re water. Then they set their sights on us.”

Stacey scowled. “And not just for the money. We told them to forget it, but they don’t like to be told no.”

Monty’s smile faded. “How many cats are you talking about?”

Miles rubbed his jaw. “Maybe a little over a hundred?”

Burke whistled. “That’s a lot of cats. I didn’t know you’d reached those numbers. ’Course, it’s been a while since I talked to Michael.”

Grady stared at Burke. “I didn’t know you knew Michael Gates.”

“All the pride leaders keep in touch. Internet mostly. Michael was a good guy. Kept to himself. I never realized he’d had any kids.”

Stacey explained, “Neither did he. Apparently, the females he encountered were more like their animals than human.”

Gabby looked confused, and Burke explained, “Use ’em and lose ’em. Female cougars tend to spread themselves around. Once they get what they want out of their males, they leave.”

Rachel raised a brow. “Oh? Is that my cue to clear out?”

Burke had the grace to flush. “Hell no. I was talking about actual animals and you know it.”

“Many Ac-taw are like the ones in Miami,” Monty said quietly. “There are a lot of places with Shifters more animal than man.”

Grady considered his friend. Monty, Burke, Ty and Joel had been best friends growing up. But something had happened, and Monty had disappeared. He’d returned a year and a half ago, but he’d never told anyone where he’d been. Comments like these made Grady wonder just what the gray wolf had been through.

Miles continued, “Lex and Ronnie are Mike’s, but they come from different mothers. And they’re both very, very unstable. One of them attacked Stacey. I took care of him. Then Joy and Stacey stepped in and made a mess of things.” He frowned.

Joy piped up, “What Miles means is we tore the hides off a few of Ronnie and Lex’s thugs. After that, we kind of had to leave.”

Ty turned to Burke, sounding very much like the sheriff he was. “You need to report this to the town council.”

Burke nodded. “I know. But this can hold until tomorrow. We’ll settle all of you in the cabins. We also have a spare room or two in the house. Then tomorrow, Miles, you, me and Ty will head into town, okay?”

“Really?” Rachel had that look in her eyes. “And what if Stacey or Amy wants to go too? Why is it you assume the big, bad menfolk have to take care of this? Did you even ask them?”

Burke took a deep breath and let it out slowly. Grady knew that expression. He’d watched his older brother wear it throughout his and Dean’s high school years. “Honey, I’m just trying to make this as painless as possible.” He turned to the Bermin sisters. “If any of you would like to go into town and tell the council your version of events, I’d be happy to take you with us.”

Stacey tilted her chin as if considering it. The others said no, and she finally agreed to stay home.

Miles nodded. Conversation returned to who did what around town, who’d gotten married or moved away since the Bermins’ last visit four years ago, and who had odds to give birth first, Rachel or Julia.

“I’m betting on my sister.” Gabby smiled. “No offense, Rachel, but foxes can be sly when there’s money involved. No doubt that kit in there is already planning on beating your kitten to the punch.”

The group laughed. Grady felt his insides twist when Gabby looked at her sister with such affection. Hell, everything the woman did made him want to touch her. Just watching her pick up a spoon made him hard. How the hell could he make her see him?

Trust Miles to ruin the mood. The pussy smiled at her. “At least there are two good things to come out of this mess—the outstanding meal I just had, and all the pretty women at this fine table.”

“Here we go,” Dean muttered.

“I’m not exactly seeing anything good about your mess.” Grady emphasized the your. “The pride usually takes a vote on things. But I don’t recall anyone inviting you to stay.” The tension around the table thickened. “Not you ladies,” he hurried to ease the females. “You’re more than welcome. I’m talking about Miles.”

The Bermins smiled, familiar with Miles’ and Grady’s enmity. Monty sighed, Joel and Maggie shook their heads. Dean added a “hear, hear” while the foxes look confused. Gabby frowned at him, but too damn bad.

Miles raised a brow in that arrogant way that set Grady’s teeth on edge. “What’s wrong, Grady? Afraid of the competition?”

Gabby turned to him with narrowed eyes, the first negative response she’d shown the conceited cat all night.

Good. Show the woman how egotistical you really are, he silently encouraged.

“What, you’re the competition? Please.” He snorted. “Find a pair of big boy pants and we’ll talk.”

“I’ve been wearing big boy pants since you were still wetting yours.”

Grady laughed. “Right. I’m not the one who wet himself after a date gone sour the summer you visited after your grand graduation from reform school.”

“It was not a reformatory,” Miles said through gritted teeth. “It was Highlakes Academy Preparatory, and I was class valedictorian.”

“So you’d have been eighteen, then. Kind of old for accidents at that age. I’ll bet Renee Duquet could tell a few stories.”

Miles scowled. “There was nothing accidental about you punching me in the face and throwing me in the river. My pants were wet because you tried to drown me, asshole. But every time you tell that story, you make it sound worse.”

“Oh right. I remember that. Nice one.” Dean grinned and shoved a hunk of meat into his mouth.

Monty didn’t even try to hide a smile.

Burke chuckled. “I’d forgotten how much fun you can be, Miles. Imagine someone more annoying than Grady and Dean. Boggles the mind.” He glanced at Monty. “Make that, someone more annoying than my brothers and Monty.”

“Hey. Let’s not gang up on the wolf.” Monty shot a sly glance at Gabby. “Besides, it’s not Miles that Grady has a problem with, it’s—”

“One more word from you and you’re cat food, canine.” Grady ignored the others and refused to meet Gabby’s gaze. He hoped his ears weren’t turning as red as his face probably was. “Great meal, ladies. Thanks.”

He took his dish from the table before he said or did something foolish. He knew better than to react to Miles. God, it was like summer camp all over again. He could only hope the asshole did nothing to screw up his chances with Gabby. Because if he did… The need to mark something, preferably Miles’s forehead, surged hard, stirring his cat. He left the house in need of a good fight. And maybe a drink or two, since he wouldn’t be tasting Gabby any time soon.

Gabby stared after Grady in astonishment. She’d never seen him so angry before, not since he’d helped her and her sisters deal with Hunters several months back. The bane of Ac-taw existence, humans who knew about Shifters and hunted them down were always a threat to the town’s way of life. The mystical totem Rachel protected, an ancient magic courtesy of their Ac-taw forefathers, kept them safe. When in the town, it made Cougar Falls invisible to anyone not connected to the Ac-taw. Which wouldn’t protect them from cougars like this Lex or Ronnie.

She turned to Miles. “Do you think your pride will follow you here?”

The handsome Shifter shook his head. “We’re not that important in the grand scheme of things.” But the gaze he settled on Stacey said otherwise. Engaged with her sisters and Julia, she missed his worry.

“Good to know,” Gabby murmured and turned back to her plate.

Once they’d finished and cleared the table, Rachel put on coffee. They all sat around the table, taking the time after a meal to relax together. Contrary to what she’d expected when she’d first joined the pride, the cats liked to connect. Burke kept them close, informed of decisions and treated like family. No wonder they were the tightest-knit clan in town. They actually enjoyed being with one another.

She gave Grady’s chair a surreptitious glance, missing his laughter and teasing. He always made her feel right, as if she belonged here, which made little sense. No one had ever told her to leave. Hell, she’d been invited to join the pride. But he, for some reason, made life brighter. Weird.

She caught Ty telling Miles about some stir he’d recently calmed down in the raptor clan. Then the foxy sheriff mentioned how the bears and wolves were currently not getting along. He gave Monty a few knowing looks, to which the wolf shrugged and put on that innocent face that made her want to laugh. He was like a wolfish version of Grady, just not as handsome.

Stop it, girl. Quit thinking about Grady. Good Lord, he went for a walk. Give him some space!

“And Gabby? How did you and your family come to be part of the pride?” Miles asked her. “Burke mentioned you were cat and…fox?”

Before she could answer, Ty did. He’d been doing that a lot lately. Answering for her, protecting her, making sure everyone played nice around her. Though she appreciated his concern, he’d become aggravating in the extreme.

“We left the Silver Fox Clan when Julia and I mated. Her father was cat. Her mother fox. Lot of prejudice over with the foxes. Prejudice Burke and our pride don’t tolerate.” The warning couldn’t have been more obvious.

Miles smiled. Though annoyed with his line of questioning, Gabby was woman enough to appreciate his beauty. Dark blond hair cut short and neat. Light green eyes that looked savage in his civilized face. For all that the man wore sophisticated like a second skin, something about him screamed danger. Had Gabby not been in an off-men phase of her life, she might have given in to the many smiles and subtle glances aimed her way over dinner. Instead, she found him pretty to look at but nothing more.

Unlike Grady, whom she’d had to forcefully ignore so as not to stare at him through the meal. She’d never been taken in by his charm and good ol’ boy mannerisms. Gabby had seen him at his most lethal, and she couldn’t—wouldn’t—forget it. So sexy, and so incredibly wild.

Miles shrugged. “I couldn’t care less about pedigrees. Despite what Grady thinks, I’m all about family. It’s easy to see that this is a good one.” His gaze included everyone at the table. Then it settled on Burke. “I want to protect my sisters, but I’m not about to put you and yours in jeopardy. This is a nice breather while we decide where we’ll settle. Like I said before, we have a few distant relatives in Oregon, which is where we’re still headed.”

Burke nodded. “If that’s what you really want. But why don’t we at least give you some time to relax and think about it? We’ll talk to the council tomorrow, and maybe they can help you feel out some ideas about how to handle the situation.”

“Sounds good. But let me ask you, what would you have done?”

Burked scratched his chin. “Me? In your place, I’d probably have done the same. You don’t seem too attached to Miami, and I hate friggin’ cities. Not enough space to roam. And it’s too goddamn hot down South.” He grinned and winked at Rachel. “Besides, my mate would never let me hang out around all those bikini-clad women. She’s jealous like that.”

“Please.” Rachel rolled her eyes. “As if anyone else would have you.”

The others laughed. Gabby watched the interplay with a strange yearning. She coveted the affection, the warm way Burke treated his mate. Like the loving tenderness Ty gave Julia while still respecting her enough to share decisions.

Gabby hated to admit it, but trying to cut men out of her life hadn’t been helping. She wanted to find someone special. A mate. A male who would make her scream in bed yet cuddle her when she needed it. He’d sit with her through a chick flick and suffer, knowing she’d indulge him during football season.

Every fantasy in her head put her on a couch next to a cat, not a fox, and she had a bad feeling she knew why.

She glanced at Grady’s chair again. When she looked away, she saw Dean watching her with an odd expression.

She tilted her head, waiting for him to say something.

He just smiled and turned to Burke. “You know, all this talk about running and rogue Ac-taw is making me hungry.”

Burke snorted. “Dean, everything makes you hungry.”

“Which is my cue.” Maggie stood and left the table, returning with a tray of dessert. “Now who wants the first piece of my famous cherry pie?”

Dean’s eyes sparkled. Before he could answer, Miles did. “My favorite. I can’t wait to taste it, Maggie.”

Maggie blushed. “I hope you like it.”

“Well, I hope he doesn’t,” her husband said. “Then there’s more for me.”

“I made four of them. One just for you, Joel. My bear has an appetite,” Maggie teased.

“But I always get the first piece of pie,” Dean whined. “I’m the youngest cub here, Rachel. Please?”

Rachel grinned. “Good try. But you look older than Joy and Melissa.”

“Nope. They’re old, just real, real pretty.”

The women shook their heads.

“But I’m a guest,” Miles argued, mischief in his gaze. “Right, Gabby?”

She nodded. “Guests do come before family. It’s only polite.”

She swore she heard Dean mutter, “Vermin,” as he narrowed his eyes at Miles. He caught her looking at him and shot her a bright, overly innocent smile.

“Oh relax, Dean.” She rolled her eyes. “You can have my pie if you’re that hungry.”

“You’re the best, Gabby.” He blew her a kiss.

To her bemusement, Miles glanced between her and Dean with speculation.

Burke sighed. “If you’re done sulking, baby brother, can we please have some dessert?” He raised his voice. “And everyone knows pride leader gets the first piece. What is it with you people?”

Gabby laughed with the others, but her eyes kept straying to Grady’s empty chair.