But the feeling didn’t last long. Never did.
She needed to get the pastries, fill the case, and then maybe she could take that long overdue break she and her sore feet had been craving for the past hour.
Walking around the edge of the counter, she entered the kitchen and headed toward the walk-in refrigerator. Instantly, Fran stopped peeling the large mound of potatoes she had soaking in the sink and glanced over her shoulder.
“Where do you think you’re going?” the older woman demanded.
Valli looked at her in surprise. “The pies are almost gone. I was going to cut one of the apple and maybe a coconut cream.”
Fran wiped her hands on a towel as she moved toward Valli. “I’ll take care of that. You eat your dinner.”
“It’s okay, I’m not really hungry,” Valli forced herself to say, only to grimace when her stomach loudly grumbled.
Fran chuckled. “You can’t fool me, girl.” Reaching for Valli, she took her arm and firmly guided her toward the small table at the back of the kitchen, where a hot roast beef sandwich and a large pile of French fries was waiting for her. This time, Valli’s stomach rumbled appreciatively at the scent that wafted toward her.
Ever since her return to Bonne, she’d craved meat with an urgency that was terrifying. And to think, just last year she’d started thinking seriously about becoming vegan.
Dropping into the wood chair with the soft red cushion, Valli gave in to the inevitable. Not only would Fran continue to hover over her until she cleaned her plate, but her feet really did hurt and she was feeling a little dizzy. Maybe eating something substantial would help clear her head.
“I want you to finish every bit of that,” Fran warned, scurrying around the kitchen to collect a glass of milk and one of Valli’s favorite pralines.
“You don’t have to fuss over me,” Valli protested.
Fran smiled. “I like fussing over you.”
A warm sensation moved through Valli, and while taking a ravenous bite of her sandwich, she ruefully acknowledged that her employer was far closer to a mother figure than her own.
Of course, that wasn’t saying much.
Valli’s mother had been an alcoholic who’d lived with an endless series of disgusting and despicable men. Which had, of course, forced Valli to live with them too. By the time she’d turned sixteen, she’d had enough of fighting off those piece-of-shit perverts and hit the road. She doubted her mother even knew she was gone.
For seven years she’d traveled from one town to another, working at restaurants and truck stops, until she’d met Fran on a bus as she was going from Shreveport to New Orleans.
The older woman had seemed to sense that Valli was alone in the world and simply drifting from place to place. She’d offered her a job as a waitress, along with the use of a small apartment above the restaurant.
Valli had agreed, but she’d been prepared to discover that the offer was some sort of con. In her experience, people didn’t do things out of the kindness of their heart.
There was always a cost.
But as the days, and then weeks, coasted past, she’d slowly settled into the quiet life of Bonne and the comfort of Fran’s soft heart. Granted, she didn’t want to be a waitress in a backwater town forever, but it was nice to know she had a peaceful place to stay and a way to earn a decent living until she decided what she wanted from her future.
Then, without warning, she’d been hit with a strange illness. It’d started with just a basic cold, but one she couldn’t seem to shake. After a week and a half, she’d gone to the local doctor, who’d given her a home remedy that he swore was better than any antibiotics.
But it hadn’t been.
She’d grown sicker and sicker, getting to the point where she could barely crawl out of bed. She wasn’t working, and poor Fran had to hire on another waitress. As the guilt and worry built inside of her, the doctor performed endless tests trying to figure out what was wrong. In the end, he’d had to concede defeat.
He couldn’t heal her, but he knew of a clinic in Baton Rouge…
She often wondered, when she was in that cell, what the doctor had or hadn’t known.
With a small shake of her head, Valli pulled herself out of her dark thoughts and forced a smile to her lips.
“I don’t know what I would do without you, Fran,” she said with a soft sincerity.
“Nonsense.” The older woman flushed with pleasure even as she tried to wave away Valli’s gratitude. “Eat up and then take a walk. The dinner crowd won’t be coming in for another hour.”
Waiting for Fran to return to her potato peeling, Valli bent over her plate and finished the meal with a gluttony that she couldn’t control. For the past two months she’d been eating like a horse and could never fully satisfy the gnawing hunger deep inside her.
Barely resisting the urge to lick her empty plate, she forced herself to her feet. Instantly, the dizziness returned with a vengeance. Damn.
Walking out of the kitchen with careful steps, Valli wondered if Fran suspected she wasn’t feeling well. Again. If so, the older woman would insist that she go upstairs to bed. It was such a temptation, but it would not only leave Fran alone to deal with both cooking and waiting tables—it would be a reminder of the last time she’d been unwell. And she couldn’t risk losing her job, even if Fran let her stay upstairs while she hired out again. She had to push through.
Once out of the kitchen, she scurried down the short hallway that led to the women’s bathroom. Crossing to the sink, she splashed cold water on her face, taking deep breaths.
After a moment or two the dizziness receded but was replaced by a strange sense of euphoria. As if something, or someone, was filling her with pure joy.
Unnerved by the sensation, Valli rushed out of the bathroom, only to slam into a man who was just entering the hallway.
Dr. Scott Richards reached out to grasp her by the shoulders, preventing her from bouncing away like a pinball.
“Valli, are you okay?” he asked in concern.
She instantly pulled away from his touch. It wasn’t personal. The doctor was young and boy-next-door handsome, with his dark blond hair and bright blue eyes. He even had dimples. But since her return from the clinic she didn’t want anyone touching her. Especially not men.
She forced a smile to her lips. “Sorry, Dr. Richards.”
He clicked his tongue. “How many times do I need to tell you to call me Scott? Dr. Richards was my dad.”
She took another step backward. Since her arrival in Bonne, she sensed that Scott wanted more from her than just a doctor/patient relationship.
“Scott,” she reluctantly offered.
“That’s better.” He flashed his dimples. “Now why don’t you join me for a cup of coffee? You look like you could use some caffeine.”
“I’m fine.”
He frowned. “You’re pale.”
“I’m working a double shift, so it’s been a long day.”
“Hmm.” His gaze studied the shadows she knew marred the skin beneath her eyes before lowering to her loose smock. Did he suspect there was something she was trying to hide? Or was he just surprised in her choice of uniform? “I think you need to come in for a checkup.”
A flush of anxiety moved through Valli at his words. She pressed herself against the wall and began to inch her way toward the back door that served as an emergency exit.
She liked this man. She really did. But there was no way in hell she was allowing him to examine her. No way in hell she was letting him even get close enough to try.
“I told you when I returned to town that I was cured.”
The blue gaze moved over her face. “So you said, but you haven’t really told me what the treatments involved and if you need any follow-up care.”
“I don’t need anything,” she pressed a little breathlessly. “It’s over. I’m fine.”
He looked unconvinced. She didn’t blame him. “I’d like to run a few tests to satisfy myself th
at you’re healthy.”
Her head was feeling extraordinarily heavy and her hands were tingling. She prayed it was just anxiety. She moved another few inches toward the door. She needed fresh air. And space to breathe.
“I’ll call and make an appointment later,” she lied.
But Scott wasn’t fooled. He folded his arms over his chest, sending her a stern frown.
“I have time tomorrow morning.”
She shook her head. “I’m working.”
“Come on now, Fran isn’t a slave driver,” he said, clearly aware that the older woman treated Valli like a long-lost daughter. “I’m sure she would give you an hour off.”
Another inch, and another. Her mouth was so dry. She’d reached the doorjamb.
“I can’t.”
Scott heaved a frustrated sigh. “I’m worried about you, Valli.”
“I told you,” she said through slightly gritted teeth. “I’m fine.”
“Prove it. Come in and let me do a few tests.” He stepped toward her, reaching out his hand as if he intended to touch her face.
“No!” Valli leaped to the side, like a cat who’d just been burned.
Scott froze, his expression hardening at her melodramatic response. “I’m sorry.”
Her heart slamming against her ribs, Valli grabbed the doorknob and turned. “I really am okay.”
He didn’t believe a word she was saying, and no doubt was thinking she might have an emotional or mental issue to deal with now. “At least promise me you’ll call if you need anything, even if it’s just a friendly shoulder to lean on.”
“I promise,” she lied again, this time forcing a stiff smile.
Then, unable to halt her overwhelming need to get away, she shoved open the door and darted outside.
Distantly she was aware of Scott calling out her name and the crunch of gravel beneath her feet as she scurried toward the nearby woods. Oh God, yes… Air. Light...
She knew she was acting crazy. A grown woman didn’t have to run away from a doctor who was only trying to help her.
But she couldn’t help it. Something was…ruling her. Something she didn’t understand. Ever since she’d returned, it was as if her body was no longer her own.
Like she couldn’t control her impulses.
Preoccupied with that unnerving thought, she didn’t hear the sound of approaching footsteps until they were nearly upon her. Shit! The doctor? Her blood went cold in her veins and she reacted on pure instinct. Spinning around, she used her momentum to put power behind her fist as she directed it straight at the chin of the man standing behind her.
Valli had learned to fight at a young age. It was the only way to survive in a house filled with a steady stream of predatory pieces of shit. But even she was surprised by the loud crack as her knuckles connected with the stranger’s jaw.
He stumbled backward from the impact, but as she turned to scamper back to the safety of the diner, he was already reaching out to grab her hand.
“Easy,” he murmured, his expression rueful as he reached up to rub his chin. “That’s a hell of a right hook you have.”
Shock jolted through her as she caught the rich musk that teased at her nose.
Oh, fuck.
Oh, no.
Her entire body went rigid. Her breath locked inside her lungs as she tilted back her head to see the man’s face.
Horror consumed her entire being and she froze in place, like a terrified rabbit. The man who towered above her had dark, smoldering eyes and golden hair that shimmered in the stray sunlight that peeked through the trees. He was chillingly good looking, with a full mouth and lean, compelling features that had haunted her dreams for the past two months.
“It’s you,” she breathed in alarm.
His expression was unreadable. “You remember me?”
Shaking now, her sharp laugh echoed eerily through the woodland. “It’s hard to forget the animal who raped me.”
He sucked in a harsh breath and his eyes went wide with shock, as if he was utterly appalled at her accusation.
“Raped,” he rasped, dropping her hand as if she’d burned him. “What the hell?”
She glared up at him. Strangely, now that she recognized him, had confronted him, her terror shifted into something akin to fury, outrage. She didn’t want to run from him; she wanted to punch him again. Knock that fake look of shock off his face.
“I know it was you.” She spat out the words, a bitter need to not just physically hurt this man but emotionally hurt him as well churning through her. “I see your face every time I close my eyes.”
He shook his head. “I don’t understand. I was at the clinic, just like you. I was a prisoner, just like you.”
That fury and outrage bubbled inside of her now, hot and deadly. How dare he claim he was some sort of victim? How dare he say he was anything like her?
“You’re an animal,” she ground out.
His jaw clenched at that. “I’m a Pantera.”
“I know what you’re capable of. You can shift into a cat.”
“A puma, yes,” he agreed, his voice edged with a fierce pride.
Clearly he wasn’t going to admit what he’d done. Not even attempt to atone for his savage actions. Pig! She knew she should run, get the hell away from him. He wasn’t here to talk, she was sure of that. But several things besides nightmares had come out of her experience in the clinic. She’d grown a pair. And they were huge and made of metal. If cornered now, she wouldn’t give in without one helluva fight.
“Maybe I’ll just refresh your memory,” she continued harshly through gritted teeth. “And bear in mind, there are people who care about me within shouting distance, so I advise you to remain where you are.” Her eyes bored into his. “You were at the clinic to sell your blood—”
“What?” Confusion rippled over his severely handsome face as he interrupted her. “There’s no way I would sell my blood. Ever.” A growl escaped his throat. “I was captured by Benson’s assholes and kept caged in the basement of the clinic.”
Valli hesitated, her brows drawing together. A shard of interest, of curiosity, pricked at her. Could he be... No! She shoved the thoughts away. Of course, he would try to deny his sins. No man would be willing to admit he’d forced himself on a woman.
“Liar,” she rasped.
His eyes went clear then, and his chin lifted. “I don’t lie. That’s a human trait.”
The harsh, deep sincerity threading his voice made her stomach clench with a strange unease.
She shook her head. “They told me everything,” she said. “What you did...what you—”
“Who?” he demanded. “Who told you?”
“The doctors.”
A low snarl rumbled in his throat, his eyes smoldering with a lethal power. “They’re the liars.”
She licked her dry lips. “Right.”
He leaned down until their noses were nearly touching. Valli inhaled sharply but didn’t move away. Stupid! Stupid fool! Why are you still standing here? Letting him breathe your air?
His eyes closed then, and he just held steady, as if he was mentally willing her to believe his words.
“I’m telling you the truth,” he whispered. “They lied to all of us. Manipulated all of us. Hurt all of us.”
Heat poured into her and she nearly lost her footing. Over the past two months, she had considered exactly what she would do if she ever found this man. At the top of that list had been slicing open his chest and yanking out his heart. She’d assumed that would kill even a Pantera.
But the last thing she’d ever expected to do was to allow him to be this close to her as they debated his guilt.
Fool!
“Don’t touch me,” she snapped, ripping away from his strange, almost warm, connection. “Ever again.”
His eyes snapped open. They were dark and deep and they implored her. “I would never hurt you.”
Her lip curled. Was he serious? “You’ve already ruined my life.”
In seconds, those deep, soulful eyes and potently male features hardened like granite. Not with the strain of a guilty conscience as she’d hoped, but with regret.
Maybe even pity.
He stepped back, moving away from her, and leaned against a massive cypress. He crossed his arms over his chest.
“What exactly did the doctors tell you?”
Breathless and frustratingly confused, she warned herself not to answer. She’d gone from naïve to stupid in minutes here. She should be hauling ass back to the diner, to safety. Or kicking the lethal shifter standing before her in the nuts.
Instead, she found the words tumbling from her foolish lips.
“They said that the only way to cure my illness was with a special serum.”
His brows knit together. “Serum? You mean Pantera blood?” he demanded.
“I didn’t know it was that. Not at first.” Distaste curled her lips. “But then they said I would die unless I agreed to have a transfusion.”
Without warning, a blast of heat filled the air between them. She knew at once it was coming from the man. And he hadn’t even moved.
“You call me an animal but you were quick enough to accept my blood,” he accused in harsh tones.
Valli flinched. Not out of fear this time, but from something else. She searched for the answer and came up with guilt. No. She wouldn’t allow that. Yes, admittedly, she had accepted that serum, even knowing what it was. But she’d believed it had been given willingly.
Her throat tightened. And if it hadn’t been given willingly...
Her eyes lifted to meet his. She swallowed. What choice had there been? Live or die. That’s what the doctors had told her.
“It was the only way,” she said softly, almost pained.
The male sucked in a deep breath as overhead clouds enveloped the sun.
“It cured you?” he asked, as if it was an effort to speak calmly.
“I felt better, yes. But they insisted on bringing me back to the lab for more tests, and that’s when you—”
Her words broke off as the memory flashed through her mind. It came in odd bursts, like a strobe light flashing images that were there and gone so fast she couldn’t hold on to them. The only thing she remembered with any clarity was this man’s starkly handsome face.