Atticus (Were Zoo Book 12) Page 3

  “Good. I’ll make the necessary changes. We use the unmarked SUVs to drive her, with another vehicle following discreetly behind to ensure no one else is following her. I’ll send you her schedule, it’s pretty regular, Sunday through Thursday.”

  “Perfect. Thanks.”

  That out of the way, he texted Cael and asked to meet with him and Novi to discuss her mom and their situation, and then he went back to work at the maintenance shed. But the last thing he was thinking about was the oil change.

  He was only thinking of Lori.

  Chapter Five

  Lori leaned against the door. But unlike previous nights, when she’d been scared and hovering at the door checking for danger, this time it was because she was bone-deep tired and desperately wanting to call Atticus back.

  Her entire body warmed as she thought of him. Dark hair, dark eyes, sexy, kissable lips. And freaking broad shoulders and muscles on top of muscles. He was easily the sexiest guy she’d ever laid eyes on.

  Her thoughts drifted to Keir. She’d thought he was good-looking at one time. But he was a pale shadow compared to amazing, irresistible Atticus.

  That thought—how irresistible he was—drew her up short. She pushed away from the door, turned and locked it, and stomped into the bedroom. She flopped on the comfortable bed and groaned, covering her face with her arm. If she’d said no thanks when he’d offered to sit with her, she wouldn’t suddenly be picturing a happily-ever-after with a guy she’d only known hours. Why on earth did she feel so drawn to him so fast, when she was always so careful with her feelings? No guy ever got past her defenses, because letting a guy into her life meant putting him at risk.

  And wow did she seethe at the thought of Keir going after Atticus.

  Yeah, Atticus was bigger than the guy stalking her, but Keir was determined. She was very sure that he wasn’t going to stop until one of them was dead.

  She liked Atticus. She’d liked holding his hand as they walked through the park. In her whole life, she’d never felt so safe. After being scared for so long, it was a strange feeling.

  She didn’t want to like him, but she did. She didn’t need a complication in her life like a sexy guy, but she suddenly had one.

  The question banging around in her skull was whether she could actually leave town once she was certain Novi was safe now that she had feelings—however early and fledgling they were—for him.

  Throwing her arm to the mattress, she sat up with a disgruntled sigh and mentally gave herself a good shake. She’d spent the last twenty years carefully keeping herself away from any romantic entanglements. She would one hundred percent not call Atticus, and if she saw him in the park, she’d politely find a way to leave so she didn’t run the risk of getting him involved in her situation. While she didn’t know him well, she was sure that he was the sort of guy who would try to help her. She wasn’t a damsel in distress, she was a woman on the run, and those things were very different. She didn’t need saving, she just needed to go.

  She picked up her phone and ignored the contact for Atticus that was now at the top of her list and instead sent a text to Cael.

  You’ll take care of Novi, right? Make sure she’s safe.

  He replied quickly: Of course. Is something wrong? You know that you both are safe here, right? The park is the safest place on the planet for you.

  Lori let out a little mirthless laugh and blinked away the sudden sting of tears.

  I’m glad she has you in her life. I just wanted to reassure myself about her safety. And yours. I’d feel terrible if something happened to either of you.

  Nothing will, I promise. We’ve got plenty of security in place to see to it that you’re both safe here.

  Thanks.

  You can talk to me, you know. If there’s something bothering you.

  I’m fine.

  She blew out a breath and put the phone on the bed and looked around. She’d been in the apartment for three weeks and hadn’t yet unpacked her suitcase. It just didn’t feel right, and she couldn’t put her finger on it. When was the last time she’d felt like she was home?

  When Atticus held her hand.

  Oh hell no!

  This was too much, and she needed to find a way to get gone, sooner rather than later. Maybe Keir had given up—it had been three weeks and it wasn’t like he’d shown up at the park gates and demanded her and Novi make an appearance. It didn’t seem likely, though. He had a reason for coming after them, and after twenty years, it seemed unlikely that he would simply give up.

  She lifted her phone and looked at the time. The night yawned ahead of her like a gaping maw. What she wanted to do was reach out to Atticus and spend more time with him. But that was not going to happen.

  Instead of texting him, she opened the map app and started to search for a new place to hide. She’d spent a lot of time going with remote, out-of-the-way places and towns with low populations. Now she wondered if doing the opposite was a better choice. If she went to a big metropolis, some huge city somewhere, she might be able to be lost in the crowd and more difficult to find. Maybe she should leave the country.

  Her thoughts strayed to Atticus and his sincere brown eyes, but she pushed them angrily away.

  It was for his own good, and Novi’s too, if she booked out as soon as possible. Like tonight.

  * * *

  Lori took her suitcase and lifted it to her side so the rolling wheels wouldn’t make a sound once she was outside. It was four a.m., and even though she hadn’t slept a wink, she was energized. She knew she was running away, but she honestly had no choice. She’d been unable to stop thinking about Atticus. The urge to call or text him had hammered at her subconscious like a tire iron. There was no way to explain the attraction to him, but she knew it would fade in time. He needed to be with someone who didn’t have a crazy stalker intent on killing her and everyone she loved.

  So she was going to split. She had the code to the gate to leave the park. She had her own car. She would message Novi once she was safely away from the park. Around one a.m., she’d decided to go southwest and find a place to stay in a touristy area like Nashville. She’d change her name, find a place to work that paid cash, and hopefully draw Keir away from the park and Novi. If he found her, at least it would be just her and not her daughter. Or sweet Atticus.

  Raw heat filled her, and she squeezed the doorknob so hard that her knuckles cracked. She could practically smell his cologne.

  That’s it...she was going crazy. Which was one more reason why she needed to take off.

  Get a grip, woman!

  She shook her head to dispel the warring thoughts—Stay or go? Call him or don’t?—and turned the handle.

  It was dark out, and she breathed a sigh of relief as she stepped out onto the concrete walkway and pulled the door quietly shut behind her.

  She closed her eyes as once more her thoughts drifted to leaving Novi without saying goodbye, and also Atticus. But she owed it to her daughter to leave town and take Keir with her. He’d surely follow her, and she’d ensure that Novi could have the good and safe life that Cael promised. That kind of life wasn’t for Lori, she knew that. It was unfair that she’d been paying for a single mistake for two decades, but that didn’t change the facts. Keir was after her and Novi, and Lori wasn’t about to let him get to her only child.

  Letting out a breath she didn’t realize she was holding, she turned from the door.

  “Good morning, Lori.”

  Atticus!

  Chapter Six

  He couldn’t say he was surprised to see Lori sneaking out with her bag packed before dawn, but he was definitely disappointed. He’d had a strange feeling all day that she was going to bolt. While his first instinct had been to lock the door to the apartment and keep her safe, he wasn’t about to imprison her. She didn’t deserve that kind of treatment. Her whole adult life she’d made decisions based on her stalker and keeping herself and Novi safe. Atticus wanted her safe, wanted her to know that he could a
nd would provide for her, but he couldn’t tell her what he knew.

  If only she knew that shifters were real.

  So instead of barging into her apartment and calling her on her leaving, he’d parked himself outside of her place and waited.

  He’d honestly hoped he’d be wrong and she wouldn’t leave, but then he’d heard her at the door, muttering to herself. His gorilla had been furious. He’d had a hard time not shifting and beating his chest with his fists. He wasn’t mad at her, but at the situation. How scared she must be to feel like she needed to flee in the middle of the night without letting anyone know.

  Lori gasped and dropped her suitcase with a thud.

  Her eyes went wide and her brows lifted, her mouth forming an O as she stared at him.

  “What are you doing?” She hissed the words at him with a low voice.

  He snorted and folded his arms, well aware that he was blocking the walkway. “What are you doing, Lori?”

  “Would you believe going to work?”

  “Not with your bag packed. Try again.”

  She blinked rapidly and looked up, and he could smell the tears that were forming, all saltwater and sadness.

  “I can’t stay,” she whispered as she lowered her head, avoiding his gaze.

  “Yes, you can. You’re safe here, Lori. I swear on my life.”

  This time, she lifted her head to look at him, anger sparkling in the depths of her eyes. “That’s the problem!”

  “What?”

  “You could die, Atticus. Because of me. Because I made one mistake twenty-four years ago and have a target on my back. Keir’s found me again, and it’s just a matter of time before he figures out that Novi and I are here.”

  His gorilla was dually pleased she cared about his life and pissed that she thought he was so frail as to be taken out by a dumb bear. “So you’re going to do what exactly?”

  “Leave and lead him away from this. Give Novi her life.”

  He took a step toward her. “You’d be all alone.”

  “I’ll survive.”

  He stared at her. “It’s not safe to be alone and cut off from everything and everyone. I promised I’d keep you safe. Did you think I was just saying something flowery and nice to get you into bed?”

  Her nose wrinkled as her upper lip curled. “No, of course not.”

  “Then why don’t you believe me? All you’ve done is run. You’re about to do something extremely foolish and put yourself in more danger.”

  The space between her brows wrinkled as she frowned, and she curled her hands into fists. “I can’t stay.”

  “Why not?”

  “Because!”

  “That’s not an answer, Lori.” He barely stifled a growl.

  “Because I like you, okay? Because if I stay, I’m going to want to do more than hold your hand, and then he could come after you too. If something happened to you, I’d just...I’d never forgive myself, okay? I can’t let you get hurt for me—please, don’t you understand?” Tears pooled in her eyes and flowed over her cheeks as she tried to stifle her sob.

  He stepped past her suitcase and pulled her into his arms. She was stiff as a board at first, and then she melted with a sob, her hands curling in his shirt and her soft cries breaking his heart. He cupped the back of her head and held her tight. “I like you too, Lori. Which is why I can’t let you go alone. If you want to leave, I’ll leave with you. You can’t give up your life and put yourself at risk because you’re scared of your feelings for me.”

  “You can’t come with me.”

  “Sure I can. I’ll be your navigator and your protector. Whatever happens, I’m by your side.”

  She shuddered and exhaled shakily. “Why would you leave everything for me? You don’t know me.”

  “But I want to. Tell me you don’t feel connected to me in some deep way, even though we only met yesterday afternoon.”

  “I don’t.”

  He chuckled, hearing the dishonesty in her voice. “Liar.”

  “Stop that,” she said, lifting from his shoulder. “I’m not a liar, I’m just trying to spare you.”

  He brushed the tears from her cheeks. “Sweetheart, it’s true that I don’t know you, but I feel connected to you. I want to be with you. If you’re going to leave, then I’ll be with you, period. There’s a part of me that won’t let you be in danger alone. I have to listen to it.”

  She didn’t say anything, just stared at him with green eyes that were bright with tears.

  “Do you really want to leave?” he asked.

  “No.” The word was whispered, but he heard it all the same and his gorilla hooted for joy.

  “Good. Then let’s go back inside your apartment and talk.”

  “You’re not mad at me?”

  “Nah. You’ve been running for twenty years. I just had a feeling that you got spooked because we clicked so easily. But for the record, sweetheart, you don’t have to be afraid of me, and you don’t have to be afraid for me. I can take care of Keir if he shows up, and I can one hundred percent take care of you.”

  She looked like she wasn’t sure if she believed him, but then she sniffled and nodded. “I really don’t want to go. I...couldn’t face you or Novi, so I knew I had to leave without saying goodbye.” She put the key in the lock and opened the door. Then she looked back up at him and added, “But it killed me.”

  He followed her into the apartment and set her suitcase on the floor by the door. He shut and locked the door and silently thanked his lucky stars that he’d been sitting outside the apartment when she tried to leave.

  “I’m glad I was able to stop you,” he said.

  She sat on the couch and looked so weary. He joined her and put his arm around her. She immediately leaned into him and put her head over his heart. “Atticus, I’m sorry.”

  “Don’t be, sweetheart,” he said, kissing the top of her head. “I’ve got your back. You’re not alone.”

  She let out a barely stifled sob, and he put his arms around her and held her while she wept. While things weren’t fixed by a long shot, at least she was with him and not pushing him away. It was a step in the right direction.

  Chapter Seven

  Lori woke with a start and sat up, momentarily confused as to where she was.

  Oh, right.

  Atticus had somehow known she was going to bolt and stopped her. Then she’d fallen asleep in his arms on the couch.

  She turned to look at him and couldn’t help but smile as he grinned at her. His eyes were sleepy, his hair mussed, and he looked perfect to her. “Hi.”

  “Hi yourself,” he said. He stretched, his shirt riding up a little and giving her a view of tanned skin and delicious abs.

  Holy crap, she’d never had so many sexy thoughts about a guy in her life before! He just seemed to bring that out in her.

  She looked at her watch and realized she was going to be late for work if she didn’t get a move on.

  “I should get ready for work. Would you...normally someone from the park drives me. I was hoping you’d do that?”

  “I’d be happy to. And for the record, I already requested to be put as your permanent driver.”

  Now that was a surprise. “You did?”

  “Of course. I wanted to get to know you better, plus I want to make sure that you get back and forth to work safely.”

  She was secretly pleased. He’d said that he liked her and wanted her to be safe. He hadn’t tried to get so much as a kiss from her last night, which she liked and disliked at the same time. She wouldn’t mind kissing him. A few hundred times, just to see if his lips were as soft as they appeared.

  “Hey, my eyes are up here, sweetheart.”

  She hadn’t realized she’d been staring at his mouth. Her cheeks heated as she snapped her gaze to his and let out a girly giggle at being caught.

  “Sorry.”

  “Don’t apologize. I like that you’re thinking sexy thoughts.”

  “How do you know what I’m thinki
ng?”

  He blinked a few times and then shrugged casually. “Maybe I’m just a good guesser.”

  Something sparked in her memory, and she frowned as she thought back over the night she’d been with Keir. Even though it was so many years ago, a lot of it was fresh in her mind because she’d had to deal with him so often. When he’d come up to her at the bar that night, he’d told her he could tell that she thought he was sexy. She’d been thinking he was attractive but hadn’t thought she was staring at him that much.

  “How do you know?” she’d asked nonchalantly.

  “I’m psychic, don’t ya know?”

  He’d winked at her, and his eyes had flashed to an odd pale blue color, which she’d thought had been a trick of light.

  Over their night together, he’d made a few odd sounds that seemed like growls or purrs and laughed them off when she questioned him.

  She might never have thought of that again if it weren’t for seeing Novi’s eyes flash that same pale blue when she got emotional and hearing odd growling sounds from her on occasion.

  “Hey, where’d you go?” Atticus asked, snapping his fingers in front of her.

  She opened her mouth to tell him exactly what she’d been thinking, but then she closed it and decided against it. What could she tell him? That she thought there was something weird about Keir, something almost animal-like?

  Atticus would think she’d gone off the deep end.

  “Nothing,” she said. She stood and looked toward the bedroom. “I need to clean up before work.”

  “I’ll be here,” he said.

  After she showered and dressed, she found a spare toothbrush for him, and he used the bathroom. They made travel mugs of coffee and walked to the employee lot to get one of the unmarked SUVs the park employees used to ferry her back and forth to work.

  As he pulled away from the parking space, she said, “I need to go back to my rental house.”