The Lion Within (Ghost Cat Shifters #1) Read Free Page A

multiple injuries, including a fractured femur in his thigh. It was that fracture that required multiple surgeries and caused him so much pain. The damn pain led to his painkiller addiction, and unbeknownst to anyone close to him, his subsequent search for heroin to replace the painkillers.
    “Stop it,” Vivi said sharply.
    Sophia’s eyes swung up to Vivi’s. The warm concern in her gaze belied her stern tone of voice. Sophie sighed. “I know. I need to stop obsessing about Heath. I’m working on it.”
    “I get it, but all you can do is be there. A distraction like Daniel might be just the thing for you.”
    “You make it sound easy. Daniel showing up here is going to send gossip running wild. Not so sure he’ll hang around.”
    Vivi took the last bite of her eggs and set her fork down. “Maybe so, but don’t go making excuses before anything even happens.”

    ***
    Daniel leaned back in his desk chair and stretched his arms above his head. He’d been hard at work all morning. He was a computer coder and worked wherever he wanted, whenever he wanted. For the most part, it was great. The downside was he tended to get caught up in what he was doing and lose all track of time. His father had taught him computer coding when he was a little boy, so he’d had a head start before the rapid rise of technology jobs. He’d been working on his own doing contract work for companies all over the world since before he graduated from college. He loved the work and enjoyed the flexibility, but it didn’t make for easy opportunities to meet people.
    Now that he was in Painter, he wanted a chance to learn more about his family, which meant he needed to get out and meet people. His mind spun back to yesterday and Sophia. The last few years hadn’t left much room for relationships. Between helping his mother care for his father in the year leading up to his eventual death from complications from heart surgery, grieving his father’s death while supporting his mother and then grieving his mother’s death within another year, it was fair to say he simply hadn’t had the emotional energy to consider any relationships. He could barely remember the last time he went on a date.
    Sophia had an effect on him unlike any he’d ever experienced. The fall of her dark hair, her deep green eyes and her generous curves were mesmerizing, but it wasn’t that. It was something about her—he wanted to know her. He might not know her well, but he knew she’d been born and raised in Painter. He couldn’t help but wonder if she knew his parents and might know more about what happened to his older brother whose death had led to his parents’ abrupt departure from Painter so many years ago.
    His mind spun back to the conversation he’d had with his mother when she was in the hospital.
    “Daniel, I have to tell you something,” his mother said. She’d been resting in her bed, her soft gold hair faded and threaded with silver. Her blue eyes had been weary. She hadn’t been awake much for more than a few hours at a time, and talking was difficult at times due to the occasional bouts of coughing from pneumonia. He’d been standing by the window and turned to sit in the chair beside her bed.
    When he met her eyes, he saw a sadness he only saw when she spoke of David who’d died when Daniel was only three. He barely remembered David. His gut tightened at the look in his mother’s eyes. “What is it, Mom?”
    She reached for his hand, curling his around it and squeezing. “I should have told you the truth long ago.”
    “What are you talking about?”
    “About how David died.”
    His gut churning, Daniel had been uncertain if he should let his mother speak or discourage her. He didn’t know what was better, or worse. She’d continued. “You know how you had those episodes when you’re hiking?”
    She was referring to times when he’d gone hiking and experienced what could only be described as frightening. His skin prickled to the