The Shifter's Fake Fiancé Read online

  Kavan swallowed nervously. “It was nothing I did. I’m certain it’s a vendetta against Valerie Gilson. There is no reason for me to have been released.”

  “There is talk, rumors that I don’t believe of course, that you were offered… what is it called? A deal?”

  “I was,” Kavan admitted readily. “But I didn’t take any of them. I would never betray the family.”

  Lancaster waved a hand. “Of course, I always believed in you, my boy.”

  That was not reassuring. Kavan held his ground, though. If he was going to be killed for something he didn’t do, then he wasn’t going to be stabbed in the back. He wasn’t afraid of dying, but he certainly didn’t want to die for something he wasn’t guilty of. The family was everything to him

  “You know,” Carl continued, “I’ve always had a soft spot for you. I remember you, a scrawny little pup with fleas in your coat. Such a pitiful little creature.”

  “And the family took me in,” Kavan said, eager to prove his loyalty. “You gave me everything I have. You gave me a sense of purpose, a reason for existing. The family raised me, protected me, taught me everything I know. I know that this jail thing looks suspicious, but if you’ll just give me a chance, I can prove myself. Give me a mission and–”

  “My, my. I don’t have that big of a fondness for you.”

  Kavan fell silent, the dread inside of him turning his hands cold.

  “You see, Kavan, this isn’t just about loyalty. I believe that you didn’t give the cops anything,” Lancaster said, his expression pulled into a frown. “Even though some don’t believe it, I know that you would never betray us that way. You are too loyal. You love us too much.”

  “I do,” Kavan agreed. “I love the family, they’re my family.”

  “The problem is…” Lancaster sighed. “You have been convicted once. You have cops watching you all the time. You are under public scrutiny. And you know how we work. In the shadows, our faces hidden. You’re just too well known, Kavan. Too famous.”

  “Too famous… for what?”

  Lancaster sighed. “For pretty much anything. If we tried to put you on a job, the chances are that you would be recognized. Yes, there are masks and other such things, but let’s be honest. Those don’t always work. The last thing we need right now is extra publicity. And you, unfortunately, are publicity.”

  Kavan’s breath was shallow in his lungs. He couldn’t seem to get enough air. This could not be happening. The worst he ever thought could happen was that Lancaster wouldn’t believe his loyalty and kill him. That, Kavan could accept. After all, the Family came first and if there were any doubts, they had to be put down. But this?

  “No,” he whispered. “Please. Please, I’ll do anything. If there is anything that I need to confess to, to take the heat off someone else—”

  Lancaster shook his head. “I have considered this very carefully. You’re a good boy, and I know this is going to be a difficult transition for you.”

  “Please.” Kavan dropped to his knees. His wolf howled in anguish as he felt his world crashing all around him. This could not be happening. “Please, I will do anything.”

  “I know. That is why this is so hard. But there is nothing that you can do. No confessions that you can make that will make a lick of difference.” Lancaster put a hand on Kavan’s shoulder. “I know this is difficult. But it’s what must happen. Kavan McBride, you are no longer part of our family.”

  Each word was like a knife to his gut.

  “In honor of your loyalty and because I like you, you’re off-limits for anybody who might think you a traitor. You will be free to make a new life for yourself. However,” here Lancaster’s face turned dark and threatening, “you are forbidden from ever contacting anyone within the family again, on pain of death.”

  “The family is all I have.” Kavan’s voice broke. “I don’t have anything else to live for. Please, Godfather. I’d rather die.”

  “No, you wouldn’t.” Lancaster’s voice was firm and sure. “I understand that you’re feeling at a loss and betrayed right now, but you will make a new life for yourself. You’re young, strong and resourceful. Your old friend Philip is no longer part of the Family; perhaps he will be able to get you back on your feet. In the meantime,” he reached into his pocket and withdrew a large wad of money, “I’m not throwing you out with nothing. This should be enough to get you started.”

  Lancaster put it on the table and stood. He walked around Kavan, who stayed kneeling there, unable to make himself beg again. He knew it would do no good, and he wasn’t going to be cast aside without any pride.

  The door shut behind him, and Kavan could breathe again. A rat chewed at something in the walls and a roach scurried across the floor.

  His wolf howled. It growled and snarled and wanted him to get up and tear something apart. Kavan didn’t move. Not even to count the money he had been left. When he was first arrested, the cops tried to give him deals. Tried to break him, make him testify against Lancaster. Kavan refused them all. He thought that even if he never got out of jail, at least he was protecting his family.

  Now, he had nothing. And he didn’t know what to do with himself. If he had no family, no job, no future… Was Lancaster wanting him to kill himself, so that the family wouldn’t have to be involved in his death?

  No. This has to be a test. There has to be a way I can prove that I can be a member of the family again. Kavan’s hands clenched. But in the meantime, I can’t just sit around feeling sorry for myself.

  He seized his cellphone, not getting off his knees, and phoned Philip.

  Chapter Two

  There was something that felt irreverent about wearing a security guard’s uniform.

  Kavan growled under his breath, letting the sound reverberate from his wolf. The long sleeves of the dark shirt covered the tattoos that he had so painstakingly designed to commemorate jobs with the Family. It was ironic, or maybe fitting, for this to be the case. After all, he used to be the person that he’d be guarding a jewelry store against.

  Beside him, Philip slapped his arm. He grinned broadly, but Kavan couldn’t bring himself to return it. Philip was one of the only friends he’d had, but he’d paid the Family for permission to leave and live a life of his choosing. Kavan couldn’t blame him for it since Lancaster had wanted Philip to kill his own mate, but Philip was acting like this was the best thing that could have happened, completely oblivious to the fact that it was pure hell for Kavan.

  “Why do you even need to work?” Kavan snapped at him before Philip could say anything. “Isn’t that mate of yours a billionaire?”

  “Millionaire,” Philip corrected.

  “What’s the difference?”

  Philip’s goofy grin slipped away. “You sure that this is something you want to do?”

  Kavan scowled.

  “I work because it gives me something to do. Plus, it’s nice to be able to buy my wife and children things with money I earned myself. Lizzie could support us all, sure, but sitting around and doing nothing all day isn’t my idea of fun.”

  “If I had a mate that looked like her, I wouldn’t be sitting around. You ought to have more kids than you already have.”

  “Don’t talk about Lizzie like that.”

  Kavan rolled his eyes.

  Philip eyed him for a moment. “And you? Why have you decided to work? You always said you’d be happy running off into the woods and living as a wolf the rest of your life.”

  “Do you see any woods around here? This is New York City.” Kavan shook himself, trying to relieve the crushing sense of anger and hatred still threatening to swell in him. Philip was only trying to help him out and quite frankly it was a miracle he’d gotten this job at all, considering that he was still technically on trial for various crimes, including robbery. “Whatever, man. I need the money and something to fill my time.”

  “Then let’s make the best of it, okay?”

  Kavan shrugged and stopped messing with the
stupid tie. It was a clip-on so he wouldn’t get choked if someone attacked him (he’d won fights against stronger opponents because they’d been stupid enough to have a ready-made rope around their neck), but it felt wrong to wear even so. Kavan had never been the kind to dress up.

  “I’d rather be casing the joint, planning a heist,” he muttered to Philip as they patrolled down the aisles of the glittering diamonds winking at them from every side. Maybe if I contacted someone, let them know I was in a position to help them rip off all these jewels.

  But no. Lancaster said he’d die if he contacted anybody in the Family and he knew that Lancaster wasn’t joking around. The Godfather would have his eye on Kavan since it’d been less than a month since he’d been ejected from the Family and would know about his new position. If Lancaster wanted these jewels, he’d contact Kavan.

  “That’s not exactly what I meant when I said make the best of it.” Philip frowned at him.

  Kavan shrugged.

  “And I’ve stuck my neck out for you to get this job. Do you want to screw things up for me, too? Want to leave my kids without a father?”

  Kavan thought about the children that he’d met in the last month. Bethany he knew from when Philip was still part of the Family, but it had been years since he’d last seen her. She’d grown up so much in those few years, almost into a new person altogether. The twins were feisty and playful, and their little boy was an exact replica of Philip.

  Kavan thought about his own dad. He’d only met him a handful of times over the years, while he was in jail. And those handful of times, Kavan had left thinking that he was glad that his dad was in jail and he didn’t have to see him in his day-to-day life. If he’d had a father like Philip, though, he wouldn’t have wanted him to be in jail.

  “You shouldn’t have done that,” he muttered.

  “Done what?”

  “Stuck your neck out for me.”

  Philip rolled his eyes. “And why do you say that?”

  Kavan kicked the floor, glaring at a group of teenage girls as they picked out their future engagement rings. Didn’t they have anything better to do? But then again, they were maybe thirteen and showed all the signs of being from insanely wealthy families. Their parents had probably matched them all up with someone already, to have the best company mergers or some crap like that. The girls noticed his glare and moved aside nervously.

  “This isn’t my thing,” Kavan said once they passed the girls. “This monkey suit, walking around with all these frivolous gems. I mean, who is going to try to shoplift here, really? Those girls? Even if they did steal something their parents would have them out of trouble with the snap of their fingers. Face it. We’re here to make sure that homeless people don’t use the toilets.”

  “Or, are we here so that the homeless people can use the toilets?” Philip lifted one of his brows. “Think about it. Other people who don’t know what it’s like not to have money would just kick them out. We can at least let them use the bathroom, right?”

  Kavan snorted. “Whatever you want, Mr. Humanitarian.”

  They returned to the security booth and Kavan glowered at the various screens that showed people walking around the store. The group of girls had moved to the graduation rings.

  Philip was silent for a moment before abruptly asking, “When was the last time you got laid?”

  “Dude, really?”

  “Answer the question.”

  Kavan rolled his shoulders. “Since before I went to jail.”

  “So, over a year.” Philip looked pensive for a moment. “That’s not like you. You always had a girl or two hanging on your arms.”

  Kavan shrugged. “Guess I just haven’t felt like going through the trouble of picking someone up.”

  Philip nodded, continuing to look pensive. Kavan knew that look, and he kept an eye on his old friend, wary. Back when they were both in the Family, Philip had always been trying to set him up with a girl who might be The One. As though he didn’t go through bed pals with the same frequency; he insisted that Kavan needed to have a proper mate, so he could know what it was like to be in love. Kavan always scoffed at him.

  Now, he was certain Philip was winding up for another pass.

  “If you’re not into the bar scene right now, you could always use a dating app. You know about Lizzie’s agency that pairs together paranormal beings with other paranormal beings or humans looking for their mates.”

  And there it was. “I’m not looking for a mate.”

  “Not everybody with the agency is.”

  Kavan kept quiet, certain that Philip was going to say what he meant to say sooner or later.

  “No need to look so suspicious!” Philip laughed. “Look, it’s a great way to meet girls. You can be as open with them as you want and even though Lizzie’s worked hard to make it about finding your mate rather than just sex, there are still people who go on looking for a bit of fun. And who knows, maybe you’d like actual dating. It might humanize you and make it easier for you to stay out of jail.”

  That was tempting. Kavan most certainly didn’t want to go back to jail. The prisoners were one thing and the guards something else. More than once Kavan had watched them beat up a shifter over some imagined slight and wondered if this time, there would be a body bag involved. He’d heard from the others that it happened sometimes. And then another inmate was blamed for it.

  There were more and more investigations and regulations being set up, but if he went back, he knew that he’d never come out again.

  “I heard that they do background checks to make sure criminals don’t sign up.”

  “Luckily for you, I have the boss in my bed.” Philip grinned at him, lounging easily. “The thing about Lizzie is, she is stubborn and doesn’t like anything messing with her agency, but she also can’t say no to me. If I tell her it’s for an old buddy and turn on the charm, you’ll have an account by the end of the week. Just say the word and you’ve got it.”

  Kavan focused on one of the screens, where a woman had just put a bracelet into her pocket. He pointed it out. “We’ve got a sneaker.”

  Philip made a humming noise in his throat. “No, that’s Mrs. McCloud. She’s allowed to steal whatever she wants. We keep track of it and her husband pays the store later. Apparently, she gets a kick out of not being caught. Although, we can go get her adrenaline pumping by stopping and chatting with her.”

  “If people are allowed to just steal, why are we even here?” Kavan complained as he rolled his eyes. “Nah, I don’t want to go give some sticky-fingered rich lady the thrill of our company.”

  “Want to sign up for the agency, then?”

  Kavan didn’t respond for a moment. On the one hand, he was happy that Philip and Lizzie were still going strong. He’d had his doubts, what with her being so uptight and strait-laced and Philip being a criminal at the time. That they were still together and madly in love was as pleasant as it was sickening. And, deep down, Kavan was also a little jealous. He wanted that sort of closeness. He wanted someone to hold in his arms and not just for one night. He didn’t want forever but in the meantime was a pleasant thought.

  “Okay,” he agreed, and Philip punched the air. “But I’m not going out with anybody who isn’t hotter than hot, okay?”

  “Sheesh, be shallow.” Philip rolled his eyes. “Get out your phone and I’ll call Lizzie, fast-track your application through.”

  Lizzie may have yelled at Philip a little and told him in no uncertain terms she didn’t want to have a man awaiting trial using her agency to prey on unsuspecting women, but all it took was Philip reminding her that Kavan was the reason he wasn’t in jail to make her relent. Less than two hours later, Kavan had the app downloaded and was all signed up.

  Philip didn’t let him browse his matches, though. “I’m setting you up for a blind date. It’s a new option, one that I think is quite nice. Let’s go with this Friday, at seven o’clock. Now, it’s going to go through your top matches until one of them agre
es to meet you then.”

  “A blind date. Really? What are we, kids in high school? I can pick out my own dates.”

  “Too bad. You’re going on a date, Kavan, and I’m not going to let you use superficial reasons not to.”

  Kavan thought about arguing. He thought about deleting the app from his phone altogether. He was fine the way he was, and there wasn’t really any point in making any connections when he was just going to go back to jail sooner or later. Besides that, he joined up because Philip convinced him that he’d be able to pick up girls who were only interested in sex.

  A blind date wasn’t going to end between the sheets. Most likely not, at least.

  But Philip looked so pleased with himself. And he was trying. So, when, only a few minutes later, Kavan got a message stating that his blind date had been accepted, he let himself be happy and hope that whoever it was was hot.

  ***

  As expected, Valerie caught a lot of flak over her latest judgment. Over the next month, she was forced to defend herself again and again. The only thing that kept her going some days was the fact that she had broken down and signed up with the paranormal dating agency that Camille kept raving about. It might not help her public image since the ones who thought she was too soft on shifters would just take this as proof that she was, and those who thought she was too hard on shifters would accuse her of fetishizing them, but she didn’t care.

  It had been almost a year since she had broken up with Justin, when she found out that he was not divorced, as he’d said he was, but actually fighting the divorce that his wife had applied for. It was time that she picked herself up by the bootstraps and entered the dating world again. Just because the guys she had dated so far all ended up being jerks, didn’t mean that there wasn’t someone out there who was right for her.

  And if he happened to be a shifter looking for his forever mate, then all the better. She was ready to be in love for the rest of her life. Not to mention, with her caseloads slowing down, now was the right time to actually get looking.

  A blind date seemed the way to go, too. She hated the setup of chatting first. Technology, she thought, was a great thing but not a replacement for face-to-face communication. That was why she was here, at this semi-fancy restaurant, dressed in business casual with her hair done up and her lipstick bright red. Nerves made her twitchy, but she fought them down, concentrating instead on the hopeful possibilities of the date.