The Purrfect Predicament (Australian Shifters) by Angela Castle Page A
Authors: Angela Castle
Tags: Fiction
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looking for you."
"I didn't even know he'd gone to prison." Juniper couldn't contain the wild thumping of her heart, the fear making her shake. Hamish squeezed her hand, and Andy rubbed her arm. "I can't go back into Police protection. He killed the officers assigned to protect me, then almost succeeded in killing me too."
River paced for a moment before asking, "What happens if she testifies, he goes away for life, right?"
"It's not just dear old Dad, I have to contend with Mr. Black. The Rosso family are…persistent in getting what they want. Me, dead, and anyone who stands in their way, even if my, uh, if Bill is put away for life. They will send someone else after me. I've managed to stay alive by hiding everything about myself. I've got no doubts they've got someone inside the police department feeding them information. If it's true what you say about the red flags. That information will be given to Bloody Bill."
"We won't jump to any conclusions just yet; right now we need to hear your side of the story. Anything and everything you tell us will help us deal with this possible threat, so the more details the better," River stated firmly, but she could see the sympathy in his steady blue gaze.
She swallowed and nodded. "Where should I begin?"
"From the start, baby girl, how you first came to be mixed up in this."
Pain swamped her as she thought back over the last few days of her mother's life. "I was fourteen when my mom died of breast cancer. We lived in Adelaide, South Australia. Having no other family, I was sent to live with my dad in Melbourne. I had no idea what he really was. He told me he was a handyman and did different jobs to help with the running of the Rosso family business scattered across Melbourne. So he was out a lot. I went to high school in the area and after I graduated high school, the Rosso's hired me to waitress in their Lygon Street restaurant. I went to college to learn office management. So between work and school I rarely saw my dad."
She drew in a breath. "Neil was nice, handsome, and I was nothing but an overweight nerd." She startled at Andy's low growl.
"Sweetheart, that's not what we see," Hamish said with a touch of a growl.
"Knock it off you two, let her finish the story. You can deal with her self-esteem issues later." River folded his arms, glancing between Andy and Hamish.
Juniper blinked, her brow scrunched in a frown, staring at River. Self-esteem issues ?
"Thanks River." Sarcasm dripped from Andy's tone.
"Oh, c'mon, I've had to deal with this with Storm, and Hawk with Tinder. Face it; women can't see their own worth. Constantly measuring themselves against other women and how they think they should look. Even when we tell them how Goddess damn sexy they are, and how much they turn us on. Thankfully Storm came to her senses months ago."
Something clicked within Juniper's mind. She realized River was right, her sense of self-worth was based on how she compared herself to skinnier, prettier women. Not once did she stop to think how men like Andy and Hamish saw her. Over and over they kept telling and showing her how sexy and desirable she was to them. How much they wanted her. Her own mental blocks had held her back from believing what they saw as truth.
It didn't matter what the rest of the world said, only the ones who truly cared about you, and you them, only their opinion mattered.
The revelation felt…enlightening, as if a heavy weight had been lifted from her shoulders.
She drew in a deep breath, knowing her story had to be told.
"I met Neil in a book store; I'd noticed he'd been kind of following me around. I ducked around the shelves and confronted him. He blushed and said he was trying to gain the courage to ask me out."
"Isn't that cute, just like a fucking romance movie." Andy sneered, the jealousy dripping from his tone startled Juniper.
"Shut it." Hamish reached around, slapping Andy up the back of the head.
She shook her head but continued. "At first
"I didn't even know he'd gone to prison." Juniper couldn't contain the wild thumping of her heart, the fear making her shake. Hamish squeezed her hand, and Andy rubbed her arm. "I can't go back into Police protection. He killed the officers assigned to protect me, then almost succeeded in killing me too."
River paced for a moment before asking, "What happens if she testifies, he goes away for life, right?"
"It's not just dear old Dad, I have to contend with Mr. Black. The Rosso family are…persistent in getting what they want. Me, dead, and anyone who stands in their way, even if my, uh, if Bill is put away for life. They will send someone else after me. I've managed to stay alive by hiding everything about myself. I've got no doubts they've got someone inside the police department feeding them information. If it's true what you say about the red flags. That information will be given to Bloody Bill."
"We won't jump to any conclusions just yet; right now we need to hear your side of the story. Anything and everything you tell us will help us deal with this possible threat, so the more details the better," River stated firmly, but she could see the sympathy in his steady blue gaze.
She swallowed and nodded. "Where should I begin?"
"From the start, baby girl, how you first came to be mixed up in this."
Pain swamped her as she thought back over the last few days of her mother's life. "I was fourteen when my mom died of breast cancer. We lived in Adelaide, South Australia. Having no other family, I was sent to live with my dad in Melbourne. I had no idea what he really was. He told me he was a handyman and did different jobs to help with the running of the Rosso family business scattered across Melbourne. So he was out a lot. I went to high school in the area and after I graduated high school, the Rosso's hired me to waitress in their Lygon Street restaurant. I went to college to learn office management. So between work and school I rarely saw my dad."
She drew in a breath. "Neil was nice, handsome, and I was nothing but an overweight nerd." She startled at Andy's low growl.
"Sweetheart, that's not what we see," Hamish said with a touch of a growl.
"Knock it off you two, let her finish the story. You can deal with her self-esteem issues later." River folded his arms, glancing between Andy and Hamish.
Juniper blinked, her brow scrunched in a frown, staring at River. Self-esteem issues ?
"Thanks River." Sarcasm dripped from Andy's tone.
"Oh, c'mon, I've had to deal with this with Storm, and Hawk with Tinder. Face it; women can't see their own worth. Constantly measuring themselves against other women and how they think they should look. Even when we tell them how Goddess damn sexy they are, and how much they turn us on. Thankfully Storm came to her senses months ago."
Something clicked within Juniper's mind. She realized River was right, her sense of self-worth was based on how she compared herself to skinnier, prettier women. Not once did she stop to think how men like Andy and Hamish saw her. Over and over they kept telling and showing her how sexy and desirable she was to them. How much they wanted her. Her own mental blocks had held her back from believing what they saw as truth.
It didn't matter what the rest of the world said, only the ones who truly cared about you, and you them, only their opinion mattered.
The revelation felt…enlightening, as if a heavy weight had been lifted from her shoulders.
She drew in a deep breath, knowing her story had to be told.
"I met Neil in a book store; I'd noticed he'd been kind of following me around. I ducked around the shelves and confronted him. He blushed and said he was trying to gain the courage to ask me out."
"Isn't that cute, just like a fucking romance movie." Andy sneered, the jealousy dripping from his tone startled Juniper.
"Shut it." Hamish reached around, slapping Andy up the back of the head.
She shook her head but continued. "At first
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