A Tiger's Treasure (Tiger Protectors Book 2) (3 page)

Uh-oh. He’d always been worried a partner would catch on to him. Luckily, there were no other cats in the precinct. Cats tended to avoid places where dogs, or wolves, frequented.

He’d always been good at suppressing his strength around his partners. But when he’d seen Amy in danger—not once, but twice—he hadn’t been able to hold back. He hadn’t had a second to think clearly. His animal had simply sent him charging forward with all his strength to protect her.

He didn’t want to think about the implications there, since no other female had ever had that effect on him.

Sure, he was protective by nature, but this was something else. His concern for her welfare overrode everything. Like his own common sense and his sense of caution.

“I just don’t get you,” she said, shaking her head. She swayed on her chair and nearly fell off, and Carter jumped off his stool to catch her.

She was warm and soft in his arms, and her dark-brown eyes widened as she looked up at him. Her dark skin was glowing, lightly sheened on her forehead from sweat. She let out a long sigh. And said something he’d never expected to hear from a partner.

“I wish I could see you naked,” she drawled.

He froze as she snuggled into his shirt. Were all alpha female wolves this forward?

He sighed and picked her up into his arms. Holding her with one arm and his thigh, he pulled out his wallet and paid the bill. Then he walked out, carrying her.

The night was pitch dark, and he knew she was in no condition to drive.

He knew where she lived, though. He’d dropped her off there after work before.

He walked to his car, put her in the front seat, and then buckled her in and closed the door after them.

She was groggy but aware. “Where are we going?” she asked, blinking.

“I’m taking you home,” he said. “You’ve had enough. Besides, we still have to work on the case tomorrow.”

“Just a simple one,” she said. “Not the one I want to work on.”

“Oh?” he asked. But she said nothing, so he started the car and headed in the direction of her home. She’d have to pick up her car in the morning, but he could take her.

He’d probably stay overnight just to make sure she was okay anyway. He should never have agreed to a drinking contest with her, knowing this would probably be the result.

But she did things to his brain. She made him try things he would normally refuse. She got him to go to that infernal bar where the losers hung out and he usually avoided.

He sighed as he stopped the car in front of her place and got out.

As usual, she got the door open before he could, but she swayed on her feet, and he caught her. She looked up into his eyes and once again, his breath caught in his chest.

His eyes darted down over her curvy figure. Large breasts pressing against her white button-up shirt. Curvy stomach. Wide hips pressing her suit pants tight.

So sexy and soft.

He shouldn’t be having these kinds of thoughts about his partner.

He was there to work with her, protect her, nothing more.

So why was a long-hidden part of him calling out,
Mate
?

He’d long ago accepted there would probably never be a mate for him. He had too much to do.

Still, she was so warm pressed up against him, and before the tiger in him could take her up on what she was offering, he needed to put her to bed.

Yeah, we’ll put her to bed all right
, he heard something growl inside him.

He shook his head and lifted her into his arms. He’d already taken her keys from her at the bar, midway through their drinking contest, and he used them to unlock her door.

As he walked into the darkened front entryway of her apartment, which was far nicer than most cops would have, something felt a little off.

But he ignored it, shutting and locking the door behind him.

It was just a vague sense that they were being watched, nothing more. He felt slightly better with the door closed.

He carried Amy up the steps to her bedroom, nudged the door open with his foot, and then set her on her bed.

She snuggled into the covers almost immediately. Watching her there, her plump form curled in happily, his protective instincts nearly overwhelmed him with warmth.

It was a totally unfamiliar feeling.

Perhaps the alcohol had affected him after all?

He looked around the room as he sat on the bed. Something was definitely off.

Just like something had been off at the crime scene.

He turned on all the lamps in the bedroom and the lights in the adjoining bathroom but didn’t see anything suspicious.

Then he walked to the window that looked out on the street.

He didn’t see anyone there, but his tiger instincts were screaming. There was no way he could leave her tonight.

She sat up groggily and reached for him. “Kiss good night?”

He frowned. How did one deal with
this
situation? “Um, no,” he said, pushing her back onto the bed and pulling the covers out from under her so he could tuck them over her. She struggled slightly and then pouted.

He couldn’t believe he was dealing with a grown woman at this point, even if she was drunk. Then she relaxed and threw an arm over her head and huffed out a sigh.

“People think female cops are all business. That we have no drive.” She shook her head. “Not true. We have needs too…” She grabbed him by the collar and pulled him in close. She smelled of whisky and something else. Her own unique scent of cloves and vanilla. Spicy and cool and smooth.

Her hands were on his collar, and he frowned as he considered their position.

Then before he had time to move, with surprising strength, she pulled his mouth onto hers.

He was too shocked to react as her tongue swept aggressively into his mouth. Sure, there had been sexual tension between them as partners. But this? It was wrong. It was…

His tongue joined hers, just for a moment. It was hot. It was electric.

Summoning all his strength, he finally pulled back. He had to.

She looked up at him with a glare. “Fine,” she said, slumping back in the sheets. “I got what I wanted anyway. Wasn’t that great.”

“Sorry,” he said, suppressing a grin as he ran his hand through his hair. Kissing her had been amazing, but she would no doubt be embarrassed the next day. It was all because of the alcohol; he was sure. She couldn’t really be interested in him.

He was all work, no play, just like she’d said. A total stick in the mud. He knew everyone said that about him.

But as he tucked her in, ignoring her mumbles, he knew he had one thing to offer her.

He might be a stick in the mud, but he was ever dutiful, and as long as he was her partner, he’d never let anything happen to her.

He settled in a chair at the side of the bed and put his feet up on the windowsill.

It was going to be a long night.

A
my didn’t know
which was worse. The hangover or the vague, painfully embarrassing memories of what had happened with Carter after her ill-planned drinking game.

She’d woken to see him asleep in a chair by her bed. It was bad enough he’d had to bring her home, but to know he’d stayed? Luckily, he’d been willing to leave and give her some time to get ready, but he seemed oddly reluctant.

What the hell had happened between them?

He was currently talking to the captain, and she couldn’t make out anything between the slits in the blinds.

She sighed and rested her cheek on her hand. Trent walked up, and her head pounded. She had no desire to talk to him.

“So how’d the drinking game go with Mr. Stick up his—”

“I don’t want to talk about it,” she said.

“No?” he asked, leaning one hip on the edge of her desk. “How about you go out with me tonight, then? For real.”

“A real live date?” she asked sarcastically. “No thanks. I’m sure I’ll be staying late with Carter, doing paperwork and tying up loose ends. Or taking my work home with me.”

He frowned.

“And Trent, no offense, but I already said I wasn’t interested in you, and—”

“And you should get lost,” Carter said flatly, walking up to the desk and making Trent jump.

Trent just scratched his head and took off, either because of her flat rejection or because of Carter’s harshness and the rigid position of his body.

He stared down at her, making her feel small. “We need to talk.”

She shuffled papers and pretended to be focusing on them. “What’s there to talk about?” she asked. “Whatever happened last night was a result of being drunk. I shouldn’t have suggested that game, and it was wholly inappropriate between partners—”

“No, not about that. Something else,” he said, and she felt her ears flush with heat and embarrassment.

She looked over at him as he sat at his desk across from her. He pulled photos out of a drawer.

“I think it’s just my instincts, but then again, my instincts have never been wrong,” he said. “But I can’t help thinking yesterday’s case has something to do with you. It was like he was waiting for you.”

“He was waiting for whoever came to the scene,” she said. “No big deal.”

“No,” Carter said, leaning back in his chair with arms folded over his impressively large chest. “It’s more than that. When I took you home last night—” She glared, and he lowered his voice. “When I took you home last night, I felt like we were being watched. Do you have any idea why someone would be after you?” he asked.

To finish what they started with my parents?
is what she thought. But she just bit her lip. “No. You must have been imagining things.”

He got up and came over to her desk, putting a large hand on it and caging her in against her chair. “I wasn’t imagining things. Do you think I stayed over for no reason?”

She flushed deeper ‘til her face felt like it was practically burning. Maybe it wasn’t only the alcohol that made him attractive to her. Maybe he was just attractive. She could scent him. Clean pine and cool mountain streams. So fresh you just wanted to dive in.

And hell yes, did she want to dive in. The wolf in her was practically howling.

“I think you stayed over because you had some misplaced idea that you needed to,” she said. “That it was your duty or something. But I was fine, obviously, even though you were asleep.”

“I don’t sleep like regular people,” he said. “I wake up at the slightest noise. You would have been safe.”

She pushed him away from her with a sigh, smoothing an errant curl back behind her ear. It was time to get her hair relaxed again, but she’d been too busy to get it done. “I was safe either way, Carter. Now get out of my face so I can work.”

He let out a little huff and stepped back.

She couldn’t help a small grin forming on her face. She’d gotten to him. He had a rock-hard exterior, always stern, always businesslike, so that was something different.

He sat at his desk, pulled out a file, and started flipping through it.

“Carter?” she asked quietly now that he was focusing on something else.

“Hm?” he said, barely raising an eyebrow.

“What happened last night?”

He looked up at her, and she could swear a grin was playing at the corners of his lips. “So now you want to know? You practically threw me out this morning.”

“Hmph,” she said. “Never mind. What were you talking to the chief about?”

“None of your business,” he retorted, turning a page in his file.

She swallowed and returned to her paper work. It was the most awkward day they’d ever had together.

“Go to lunch with me today and we can talk more,” he said, looking at the clock. “We’re off in a half hour.”

She shook her head. “I think I’m going to work through lunch.”

He sighed. “Turned you into a workaholic, have I?”

She grinned. “Maybe.” Then she yawned and shut the file, studying him warily. “Carter… nothing… inappropriate happened, did it?”

His face was serious. “I’d like to say that was the case. But there were a few things.”

Her heart clenched. “Like what?”

He looked around the office. “Do you really want to talk about this here, where others can hear?”

She shook her head.

“Then go to lunch with me,” he said.

“I’m working,” she retorted. “But I’ll meet you after work. How’s that?”

“I’m meeting with the captain again,” he said.

She shrugged. “I guess we’ll have to talk tomorrow, then.”

“No,” he said, folding his arms. “It can’t wait. I seriously think someone is after you. And we should talk about what happened last night. Clear the air and make sure it doesn’t happen again.”

What had they done? She wracked her mind for the memories, but nothing was coming.

“I really don’t think anyone is after me,” she said. “But fine. You know where I live. Come over after you meet with the captain.”

“Might be late,” he said.

“Whatever,” she said. “As long as you come.” Then she realized what she’d said and felt fire shoot up into her cheeks.

Her wolf was out of control.

She heard a deep, amused chuckle from Carter and had to grin. Sure, maybe things were awkward between them. But she had to admit a little part of her was kind of enjoying it.

It felt like she was bringing him out of his shell. And heaven knew she wanted to get out of hers.

Perhaps, when he came later that night to talk to her about his conspiracy theories that someone was after her, she could ask him frankly about her parents’ case.

She watched him studying case files and leaned her cheek in her hand.

Maybe she’d finally found someone she could trust.

A
t the end
of the day, Carter sat in front of the chief’s desk impatiently, checking the clock on the wall and wondering when he’d be excused to go check on Amy.

He didn’t like the idea of her going home alone. Not with how he’d felt when he’d been there last night.

Of course, he wasn’t exactly comfortable at the thought of another night spent under the same roof as her. She was gorgeous, and the last thing he needed was to start thinking of her as a woman instead of seeing her only as a cop.

He had a feeling he was fighting a losing battle on that front, though.

“Sir?” he said, chiming in. “I need to wrap this up. I’ve been working late and—”

“Well, I was just saying you should stick close to your partner for now, until we have more info,” the chief said, running his hands through his graying hair. Soren Winters wasn’t a bad man. He was tired, a full-blooded wolf shifter, but Carter had never seen him do anything unethical. If anything, he was a little scatterbrained but always tried to keep things in control.

Carter didn’t know why they had to talk about this again when he’d already told the chief he was sticking close to Amy just that morning, but sometimes the chief was just longwinded.

“All right, sir,” Carter said, standing. “Good plan.”

The chief stood with him, and he had to look slightly up at Carter, who was taller.

Sometimes Carter wondered if the chief suspected he was some kind of shifter, but no one could ever prove it.

“All right, dismissed,” the chief said.

Carter strode out of the office and checked his phone. An hour after everyone else would have left. He looked over at Amy’s desk and saw it was vacant. Of course she’d headed home first.

She seemed eager to avoid him after what had happened last night.

When she’d said she wanted to see him naked and then kissed him. For some reason, that was really hard to get out of this head.

He was cleaning up his desk and locking his drawers when his phone buzzed with a text. He absentmindedly flicked it open and glanced down at the screen.

Help. Need backup. Cedar and Ninth. Amy.

Damn, that was just a couple blocks from the precinct. Near a parking garage Amy liked to use.

Carter snapped his phone shut and took off at a dead run, heart pounding in his chest as he went to the elevator and slammed his hand on the button.

When it didn’t come immediately, he bolted for the stairs, not minding there were three stories of them to get all the way down.

Nothing mattered as long as he got to her in time.

A
my stayed hidden
behind one of the large concrete columns on the lower level of the parking garage where someone was casing her car.

She’d been lucky that her wolf had scented someone long before she would have thought to see him.

She’d been tired after a long day of work and fighting off Trent and trying not to think about Carter naked.

Like she needed to make things any more awkward between them.

She pulled her phone out of her pocket and checked to see if Carter had answered, but he hadn’t. Still, she knew he’d seen her text. Carter might have an old-ass phone, but he always had it on him and always answered it.

She just had to bide her time until he arrived.

She wondered if she could open the phone and give more detail on what was happening, but before she could peek around to see if the man who’d been standing by her car was still there, she felt a hand move over her mouth, silencing any scream she would have made.

She kept calm as she was hauled against a firm chest with an arm wrapped around her waist.

No need to let whoever this was know she had alpha powers and enough strength to easily take him out. The person holding her smelled like a simple human. Unlike the wolf at the car.

She pulled at his arm, struggling slightly as he brought her over to the other man at her car. The man was wearing a black mask with holes cut out for the eyes and mouth, and his lips curled in a sneer as she came over.

He was tall and lean, a typical wolf shifter, and he couldn’t help full-on grinning as he looked her over. “Couldn’t stay out of things, could you?” he asked in a low voice.

She glared at him, still gagged by the hand over her mouth. He came closer, motioning for the one holding her to drop his hand. When he did, she took her opening.

She leaned forward, grabbing the arm that was around her waist and throwing all her weight to jerk him over her shoulder, sending him flying onto the ground with a thud. She ran from him toward the other guy, who only had a split second to drop his grin before her open palm collided with his nose.

She was alpha. She was wolf. She wasn’t going down to lowlifes like this.

She followed with a knee to the howling shifter’s gut. She didn’t smell any alpha on this one at all.

After kneeing him twice, enjoying his grunts as he lifted in the air with each strike, she pulled back a fist and hit him hard across the face, letting him go so the force sent him flying to the side, drooling and unconscious.

She whipped around to see the man who was holding her standing still, speechless.

He swiped a hand over his mouth, and his blond hair was ruffled from when she’d thrown him.

He was taller than she’d expected, and his eyes were an odd color. A yellowish orange she hadn’t seen before.

She narrowed her eyes on him. He shouldn’t be up after that hard of a throw. He looked barely affected.

An arrogant, cruel stare lit his sharp face. “You don’t know what I am, do you?” he asked, putting his hands together and making his knuckles crack loudly in a way that made a chill run up her spine.

She took a step back, wondering if she could make a break for the car.

“I wouldn’t do that if I were you,” he said, deadly calm. He was wearing a dark jacket and leather gloves. He took a step forward. “I just need to talk to you…”

“Back away,” a loud, authoritative voice called out, and Amy turned her focus to a point behind the man in front of her and saw Carter walking toward them in the distance.

He was wearing a dark trench that made him look extra foreboding as he stalked forward in the dim light of the parking garage. His green eyes were gleaming emeralds in the otherwise hard set of his face.

As badass as he was, she didn’t know if she could let him get involved. The man in front of her had treated her alpha power like it was nothing. Carter had reacted quickly to put down some wolf shifters in their time together, but whatever this thing was in front of her, she wasn’t sure he could handle it.

“Carter, run!” she called out. “Get backup.”

Carter stopped, then took a step forward, shaking his head. “Never,” he said. “You’re my partner.”

The blond man rolled his eyes at the melodrama and turned to look behind him. And froze.

“Carter?” the man said.

Carter glared at him, eyes widening in shock beneath his lowered eyebrows. “Blake?”

The men stared at each other, and Amy took a moment to realize they were nearly similar heights, with the same foreboding builds. It really was like seeing Carter with one of his own.

Something clicked.

She turned to Carter. “You aren’t human, are you?”

The blond man, Blake presumably, threw back his head and laughed. “Oh, Carter. What are you doing hanging out with cops? They’re trouble, you know.”