Donahue: Foster’s Pride – Lion Shapeshifter Romance (Foster's Pride Book 2) Read online

  “Not done anything to us? That woman killed our brother.” He said she’d not. That was why they let her go. “She did too kill him. I don’t care what the officer said to me. Did you know they paid her for lost wages when she left the prison? That money should have come to us.”

  Raymond looked at her. “Why on earth do you think that money should have come to us? It’s not as if we spent any time in jail with her. I’m telling you right now, Mae. Just back off and leave her alone.” She slammed her hand down through his newspaper. “What the heck was that for? You know this is one thing I enjoy before dinner.”

  “Well, now you can’t do it. You’re to march down there right now and find out where they live. I don’t care if you have to be there all night.” He picked up the paper she’d shredded and ignored her. “Did you hear me? I am not in the best of humor, Raymond. That man needs our help, and I plan on giving it to him.”

  “I’m not marching anywhere, Mae. I’m sixty-three years old, and I’m finished with walking anywhere.” He wadded up the paper and put it neatly into the trash can. “What is your beef with them? You’ve never allowed me to have a thing to do with the child or her mom. Never once have we sent her a birthday or holiday card. Now that she’s getting married and is probably happy—and I’m happy for her—you want to get all up in her Kool Aid and mess things up for her. Just don’t, Mae. Leave her to her own self and stay the heck away from her.”

  “Did you want to screw her too?” Raymond leaned back in his chair and didn’t answer her. “That’s it, isn’t it? You want to have sex with her. That’s why every holiday you ask me if we should send her something. I knew it.”

  “You don’t know anything. She’s my niece. What makes you think those kinds of sick things?”

  Mae knew that was what he wanted. It was what all men wanted. Well, she would put a stop to that too.

  Raymond stood up. “I’m going to take a walk. When I return, we can go and get some dinner. But not if you’re in this mood. I’ll go myself. I don’t know where your head is sometimes.”

  “It’s right here on my shoulders, you old fool.” Raymond was out the door before she could ask him where he was going. Taking a walk? He just told her he didn’t want to walk. “He’s going to do what I wanted. He’s headed there right now to get me the address.”

  Going to her room, she found a suitable dress to wear out with her brother. They had dinner out weekly, and she tried extremely hard to make sure she was dressed well each time. He would more than likely put up a fuss about what she was wearing, as he did every time. But it was her responsibility to make sure the Carter name was one to be proud of. As she pulled her dress over her head, she thought of Parker.

  It wasn’t really the child she hated. It was Park for not asking her if he could marry. Of course, he would have done as he wanted and not have minded at all what her opinion was. But it was the fact that he’d not asked her at all. Mae looked at the dress in the long mirror and hated the color. Running her hands down the lilac dress, it was a nice soft shade of brown when she finished.

  Raymond had the lion’s share of the magic that had been passed down from their parents. She supposed with him being the oldest, that was the way it should have been. But she begrudged him for it. He didn’t even use it all that much. He’d repair a button off his shirt or coat. Put on a pair of boots if the weather turned. Small things he’d do in front of her just to make her upset. Never once had he ever done anything fun with it. Mae had only ever been able to change the color of whatever she was wearing. It was a lame bit of magic. She couldn’t even change her clothing to something fun. No, she’d been left out of something better.

  Even Park had more than her. He’d been born after her, and he’d still gotten a bit more than her. It wasn’t fair. It was like she’d been singled out, and now she had to suffer because she had nothing to fall back on.

  As soon as she heard the front door open, Mae made her way down the stairs. She was nearly to the front hall when she saw the young woman standing there. It was Parker and some man. Brice, their butler, had let them in.

  “What are you doing here?” Parker looked at her, and she could see something different about her. Not that she could tell from where she was standing, but it looked like she’d tatted herself all up. “Just like the whore that you are. First thing you do when you get some money is mark up your body like some sort of hobo.”

  “I doubt very much that a hobo could afford to get tatted up, as you called it. But this came to me today. I got it from my grandda.” Mae told her she didn’t have any grandparents. “Then how did my parents come to be in this world without them having parents?”

  Mae hadn’t any idea what she was saying, so she ignored it in favor of coming down the rest of the stairs. When she was level on the floor with Parker and the man, she realized how tall she was. No one in her family was over five foot six or seven. Trying to stretch herself to be as tall, she nearly fell off her heels.

  “I’ve come to let you know that Park is no longer going to be bothering anyone.” Mae asked her what she’d done. “So you did know he was living in my mother. I thought as much. You didn’t seem all that upset when you were told he was dead.”

  “You killed him again, didn’t you? What was he supposed to do but find a way to live again, after the way he was treated by your mother? Why isn’t he with you? He told me that was the way the magic would work for him.” Parker told her he’d messed with the wrong woman. “I suppose you think it was you. Your mother wasn’t anything but a sap. Why she ever agreed to marry Park is beyond me. If I’d had anything to do with it, you would never have been born.”

  “I’m not Park’s child. So your prediction on that is all off.” Mae told her she was a liar. “Why is it when someone doesn’t agree with a fact you’re giving them, they immediately start out by calling the person a liar? I’m not. I’m the daughter of Peter Windchaser. My mom was pregnant with me when Park killed Peter. Mom didn’t consent to marry him either. He forced her hand by going to the witches’ council and them making her wed him to create a pure witch child. I was too much for Park, it seems, as I was able to not only take him from my mom but to make sure he suffered for as long as the earth turns.”

  “Why are you saying these things? I want you to tell me the truth.” Parker said she was, that she had no reason to lie to her. “But you are. You were nothing to me and my brother.”

  “That, Mae, is the whole truth and nothing but the truth. I’m not related to either of you.” The door opened, and there stood Raymond. He was a little damp—it looked as if he’d showered in his clothing. “Hello, Raymond. I came to tell you both that Park is now out of my mom, and that I’m no relation to either of you.”

  “I knew the relationship part. I’ve known that since you were born.” He looked at Mae, and she asked him what he was talking about. “I told you all along that Parker wasn’t our niece. I only went along with you to keep the peace here. Are you ready for dinner?”

  “I am, but I want her to tell me the truth.” Neither of them said anything to her. But Raymond did ask them if they wanted to join them for dinner. “I will not break bread with that whore and her whatever he is.”

  “Careful, Miss Carter. I’m not like your brothers. I will take a bite out of you that will make you understand I won’t tolerate you treating Parker this way.” She asked the man what he was talking about. Instead of answering her, the man shifted to a great lion. Then he was a man again. “I’ll tear you apart without any thoughts as to how messy it will be in this lovely house.”

  “Did you see that, Raymond? He’s a monster. Kill him.” Raymond turned to the young man and put out his hand. She slapped it away and told him again to kill him. “He’s a monster.”

  “He’s no more a monster than I am. You are, however. So I was thinking if anyone gets killed for being a monster, it should be you.” He turned to the couple.
“Would you like to have dinner with me? Since Mae has decided to decline, I’d love to have a nice quiet meal with the two of you.”

  Mae couldn’t believe it when they both agreed. Then, before she could tell them they were not leaving this house, she was left alone standing in the hall, like her prom date had done all those years ago.

  Surely they would return for her. As she stood there waiting, tapping her foot to make sure she was doing it when Raymond returned, Mae heard the car start up and then the crunch of gravel as they pulled out of the drive. Looking out the window, she was shocked to see them pulling around the curve of the drive in a long black limo.

  Mad now, as mad as she’d ever been, she called for Brice. “I want you to pull the car around for me and take me to where my brother and that trollop is.” He asked her where that might be. “Where they went to have dinner. What is wrong with everyone today? Why do I have to explain everything to everyone?”

  “Did he tell you where he was going to dinner?” She stomped her foot at him and told him he was getting on her nerves. “As you are mine, Miss Mae. If you don’t know where they are headed, it would be impossible for me to take you there. Unless, of course, you want me to drive you around town looking for his car.”

  “They were in a limo. What does it matter what they left here in? You’ll do as you’re told and take me there. I have a few things I want to say to my brother.” Brice just turned and left her standing there. “You had better be getting the car for me. I said you’re to take me where they are, and I won’t be put off again.”

  Forty minutes later, she was no closer to going to give her brother a piece of her mind than she was before he left—the nerve of some people. Brice didn’t come to her when she yelled for him. It took Mae another half hour to figure out where the kitchen was in the house. She’d never in her life been there.

  The place was empty of anyone. There was no food in the pantry that she knew how to cook—nothing in the refrigerator for her to snack on. Even getting a glass of water was impossible for her, as she couldn’t reach the cabinets to pull a glass down.

  Tomorrow Mae was going to start laying down the law about things. Why she’d not done it sooner was something she asked herself all the time. First thing, she was going to fire Brice and the rest of the staff. Then she remembered the last time she’d done that, and Raymond had hired them back. It was his home, he’d told her, left to him by their parents. Mae was shafted again, she realized. Well, she’d make sure someone knew she was upset. Going to her room, she sat at her table and began making notes. She did so much better when she had notes.

  “I’ll show them.” She made herself three pages of notes before she realized how hungry she was. “I’m not going to put up with this,” she yelled to the room. Tomorrow was going to mean big changes for her. They’d better known to follow her rules or else.

  Chapter 8

  Don was beginning to like the older gentleman. He was cordial to people, even waitstaff, which was a surprise after spending those few minutes with his sister. Ordering a large appetizer for the table, Raymond looked at him as they waited for their food to be brought to them.

  “Mae hates appetizers. I think they’re the most fun part of the meal. Sort of a precursor for things to come.” He laughed a little. “I’m sorry about Mae. I’d like to tell you she’s not always like that, but sadly, she is. I usually just go along with whatever she’s saying, then do as I want. But lately, since Park got out on his own, she’s been meaner. More demanding.”

  “Why? I mean, why does she hate Parker and Meggie so much?” Raymond told him he wished he knew, but Mae didn’t like anyone. Ever. “I see. So even the two of you have been in her line of anger.”

  “You have no idea. As I said at the house, I knew Parker couldn’t have been Park’s. He couldn’t have children. He and I shared mumps that sterilized him. I came out of it all right, but then Mae killed my wife to be. Alex would have, I think, made me incredibly happy.” They both told him they were sorry. “I am as well. But as I can’t do anything about it now, I want to get to know the two of you better. I know some about you. Also, before you find out from someone else, Parker, I arranged for someone to look deeper into your case to get you set free. My thinking was that if Park had forced your hand, he deserved it. It was, I hate to admit, easier to get you out than I thought it would have been. I should have looked sooner than I did. It was about six months ago I had them check, and they released you shortly after. Someone should have done it years ago. Or better yet, at your trial. I’m sorry for waiting so long to help you.”

  “Thank you for that.” Parker put her hand over the young man’s. The sigil was there for him to view. She smiled when he was caught staring at it. “It’s not a tat, as she said, but something the elements gave me. I know I said it was from my grandda. I just didn’t want to have to explain it to anyone that was going to toss me to the side of the road. They marked us both.”

  When she pulled her small jacket off, Don pulled his dinner jacket off as well and rolled up his sleeve. Raymond was amazed at not just the colors of the sigil, but also how detailed it was. He asked if he could touch it.

  “Of course.” Parker, using Don’s arm, told him what he was seeing. “The vine moves up his spine to the back of his neck. But only on the right side. Mine is only on the right as well. There are flowers on it all the time. They sort of change out depending on where we are, I think. When the two of us left home to come here, the flowers were lilacs, blue and pink ones. Now they look like begonias.”

  “They’re on both your right sides, you said. Do you know why?” Don told him he hadn’t any idea, while Parker told him she’d not been able to look into it. “I know why. It’s so when your backs are together, you form a whole. Whole what, I don’t know. But I’d bet, like the flowers, it changes with whatever you need it for. It’s supposed to be enormously powerful magic when the two halves make a whole.”

  Their appetizer plate was brought to them, and Don waited to pull what he wanted from it last. Honestly, he didn’t know what some of the things were. Raymond seemed to understand this and explained the parts of it to them as he filled a plate for not just him, but Parker as well.

  Enjoying the rib bites and the deep fried ravioli, Don told Raymond what he did for a living. Raymond, at one time, had been a teacher as well. He’d taught history. Don told him he should do it again.

  “You know, I’ve thought of it several times. If you want to know the truth, I’m sick of doing the same thing every day. It was something I thought of when Mae destroyed a model car I was working on.” He laughed again. “I do it to relax. If I were any more relaxed, I’d be dead, I think. With Mae around, it’s not easy, but I have found my way around her too.”

  “I thought you’d be upset with me about Park.” Raymond asked Parker why she’d think that. “I don’t know. You always struck me as an uptight asshole that didn’t want things to change you out of your asshole-ness.”

  Raymond laughed. Don realized the man had a good laugh. It was jolly like you’d hear from a heavy man. Joyful, Don realized. It was a joyful sound. His face reddened when Raymond told him it was joyful to be around them.

  “I’m sorry.” Raymond told him not to be. “I forget I’m around people that can and will read my mind if I’m not careful.”

  “I don’t usually do it. I’d almost forgotten I could. There hasn’t been a great deal to find humor in for a while now. I didn’t want you to think I was out for anything other than a good friendly meal with good company. Tell me about yourselves.” Don laughed and asked him how much he wanted to know. “Everything you’re willing to share. I know a little about the two of you, as I mentioned. Mostly just nonpersonal things. I want to be—I don’t know, perhaps an aging uncle or something along those lines. If you don’t want any kind of relationship with me, I can and will understand.”

  “I want to get to know you
.” Don looked at Parker when she spoke. “My mother, however. I don’t want you to harm her verbally or physically as you get to know us.”

  “I would never do anything to harm your mother in any way. She’s...well, she has a special place in my heart. I’ve always admired her, from a distance, of course. Mae would have done something terrible to her if she’d known. Meggie did a spectacular job in raising you. You’re brave, smart, and one of the nicest people I’ve met.” Don asked him if he was in love with her. “I’ll be honest with you and tell you I believe I have been, for most of the time she’s been Park’s wife. You’ve no idea how many times I wanted to save her from him. But as I said, I think she is only alive now because Mae never knew about it.”

  “You should see her. Ask her out.” Raymond said he’d keep it to himself, as he wished they would as well. “Why? You only have a single life, Raymond. And I believe you could make her happy. I don’t think she’s been happy for an exceptionally long time. Both of you deserve happiness after all you’ve been through.”

  Raymond looked at Parker. It occurred to him that Raymond would love to pursue a relationship with Meggie. However, he’d not do it unless he had Parker’s blessing. When she put her hand over his, Raymond took it to his cheek and cried a little. That was all it took for the man to look as happy as he’d ever been, Don would bet.

  The rest of their dinner was fun. The meal was wonderful, as was the conversation. Getting to know the older gentleman was very enlightening. He’d had a terrible life too. Mostly due to his parents and sister and brother. Park, it seemed, had been held since he was born.

  “He and Mae would cause such trouble when they were in school. Mae dropped out the day she turned sixteen. Park was asked not to return after he failed each year after he was out of elementary school. They told my parents he was just too old.” Raymond laughed. “He was forever getting into trouble for trying to date the teachers for a better grade. I say date because I honestly don’t think it occurred to him to try sex. He was that stupid. Mae? Well, as you’ve heard, she doesn’t think anyone is as smart as she is. She also expects people to know just what she’s speaking about when she asks vague questions of a person. It’s annoying to have her around.”