Lessons in Purrsuasion: BBW Paranormal Werelion Surprise Pregnancy Mob Romance (Chicago Catastrophe) Read Free

make sure the investigation goes nowhere? Besides, it’s not like the cops are equipped to take on shifters,” Joe said, running a hand down the back of his neck in frustration.
    “What exactly do you want me to do?” Stone asked.
    “I want to hire you,” he answered, eyes burning.
    “I don’t do that anymore,” Stone got out, despite his lion already raging against that answer, before being interrupted.
    “I want to hire you to find my sister and kill whoever gets in the way,” Joe continued, his face tightening to a mask of rage.
    “You’re the only shot I’ve got, Stone. You know the underworld, you’re a shifter, and oh, you’re a goddamn navy SEAL!” Joe continued.
    “I used to be a navy SEAL,” Stone amended.
    “That’s bull and you know it. Once a SEAL, always a SEAL,” Joe countered, voice turning to steel.
    Joe was right. He as uniquely equipped to help. And who was he kidding, as soon as Joe had called saying he needed help, he knew he would do anything his friend asked. It sure beat doing the daily scramble in the back of the newspaper and praying that something would break around the house so he’d have something to do.
    “Okay. I’ll do what I can. But you have to realize… I can’t guarantee a happy ending.”
    The look Joe gave him told Stone that his friend was well-aware of what was at stake here and what the consequences might be.
    If she’s alive at all anymore .
    “You don’t need to be gentle with me. I know she could already be dead,” Joe said, as if reading Stone’s thoughts, his mouth a thin line.
    “They took her to teach a lesson, to show what happens if you don’t do what they want. That means if they had killed her, you would have found the body by now,” Stone rationalized.
    “Then what are they doing with her?” Joe asked, not really wanting an answer.
    Stone’s expression turned glum.
    What indeed.

Three

Selina
    T he “safehouse” Parker mentioned turned out to be a lavish penthouse apartment in the heart of Chicago. A private elevator was the only way to get to the top floor and armed guards milled around every exit and entrance, both inside and outside the building.
    Parker’s men carefully took off their shoes before entering. They got rid of Selina’s muddy sneakers as well, but it didn’t do much good. Her feet were still covered in wet dirt and she took great satisfaction in tracking it on the beige marble floors. She only wished she could find a nice, fluffy white rug to really do some damage on.
    The apartment was opulent in a tasteless kind of way. Everything screamed money, from the floors to the excessive use of gold, from the top-of-the-line electronics to the gaudy chandelier in the foyer.
    Selina sat down on one of the antique-looking couches before anyone could stop her. Her guards looked horrified as they shooed her off the red velvet. She suppressed the smirk dancing on the edges of her lips. They didn’t seem half as scary surrounded by their boss’s belongings as they had when she was being marched into the dark woods by them.
    So Parker has a weakness for the finer things, she mused, thinking of ways she could use that against him.
    Speak of the devil, Parker chose that moment to stride in. He frowned at the dirty footprints on the floor before turning to smile at Selina.
    “What do you think?” he asked, sweeping a hand over the huge living area.
    “I think you should fire your decorator,” she replied, savoring the way Parker’s grin faded.
    “Don’t be rude,” he snapped as he came to a stop before her, grabbing her face, his fingers digging painfully into her jaw.
    Irritating the man who kidnapped you and almost killed you – I’ve had better ideas, Selina thought, regretting letting her temper get the better of her.
    “I’m sorry,” she managed, despite the awkward position her lips were in due to Parker’s grip.
    He let go, the smile back on his face. Selina’s face stung, but that was the least of her