Bodyguard (Shifters Unbound #2.5) Read Free Page A

to the seat next to Kim's Shifter.
The Shifter sat up from his lounging position, smiled, and patted
the bench next to him. The smile was charming, but it was also
predatory, and his eyes were watching, watching. Ronan caught
Elizabeth's worried look and sent her another nod.
    Elizabeth went to the bench. The Shifter
rose, though both judge and bailiff scowled at him, and stuck out
his hand. "I'm Liam Morrissey," he said. "You're Elizabeth?"
    "Elizabeth Chapman. I called your wife."
    "She's my mate." Liam closed his right hand
around Elizabeth's and then laid his left hand on top of it,
sandwiching her fingers in a cushion of warmth. Liam Morrissey was
the leader of the Austin Shiftertown, Elizabeth knew. He and his
wife--no, mate --Kim, were the liaisons between Shifters and
humans. "No worries, lass," Liam said. "You answer the judge's
questions and tell the truth. Kim will take care of the rest."
    The pressure of his hands on hers and the
confident look in his eyes, together with the Irish lilt to his
voice, were soothing and reassuring. Elizabeth found herself
nodding, wanting to promise she'd do her best.
    Ronan said from across the room, "You can let
go of her now, Liam."
    Liam's smile widened but he released
Elizabeth. "I'm thinking you're growing a mite possessive, my
friend," he said to Ronan.
    "I'm thinking she's had a bad night," Ronan
growled. "That and I can break your head with one hand."
    "Shut it, Bear. I'm mate-bonded. You have no
competition from me."
    The judge pounded with her gavel. "The
defendant will stay in order," she said sharply. Both Ronan and
Liam went quiet but neither looked contrite.
    The Shifters are in charge
here, Elizabeth realized. Not the judge, not the
bailiff, not the prosecutor. Liam and Ronan might be inside the
cage, but they've taken it over.
    "The defendant will approach," the judge
said.
    The bailiff unlocked Ronan's shackles from
the chair, helped him stand, and led him forward. Kim came to
Ronan's side, not looking worried, though the prosecutor kept his
eyes on his notes as Ronan hulked next to him.
    "The charge is assault with intent to kill a
human," the judge said. She had dark hair going to gray, a face
like a squashed prune, and a flat voice. "How does the defendant
plead?"
    "He pleads mitigating circumstances," Kim
said. "And intent to kill is not on the arrest sheet. The human in
question was armed with a loaded nine-millimeter pistol. My client
was defending the owner of the store the human man had come to rob
and was shot by the human in the process."
    The judge eyed Kim in dislike. "I asked for
the plea, not the defense. You'll have the chance to speak in a
moment. Prosecution?"
    The prosecutor finally looked up from his
file folder. "The victim, Julio Marquez, is at the hospital being
treated for claw wounds. Mr. Marquez describes being attacked by a
bear in Ms. Chapman's shop on South Congress. In fear for his life,
Mr. Marquez shot but missed. The bear then struck Mr. Marquez
again, rendering him unconscious. According to Mr. Marquez, he
entered the store on a dare by his friends and waved around his
gun. The bear attacked from the back of the store. Mr. Marquez did
not see him before that."
    Elizabeth jumped to her feet. "That's not
what happened!" A dare by his friends? No way in hell. Elizabeth
had looked into the cold, hard eyes of the kid, which had held an
anger too old for his age. She'd recognized that anger. Julio
Marquez was a dangerous young man.
    The judge banged her gavel. "Ms. Chapman, sit
down, or you will be fined for contempt."
    The prosecutor leafed through his file. "Mr.
Marquez's statement and Ms. Chapman's are not exactly the same, but
both agree that the bear attacked Mr. Marquez."
    "Because Marquez was forcing me into my
office at gunpoint!" Elizabeth cried.
    Another steely glare from the judge. "You
will be called to give your version of events in due time, Ms.
Chapman. Sit down ."
    "Best sit down, love," Liam whispered. "Kim
will take care