start confusing her and threatening his way into her pants.”
The claws had receded, but Diego knew that Shane could easily crush his windpipe with his huge fingers.
“First, I’ve already seen her without her pants.” A sight Diego would never forget, though that blue dress was damn sexy too. “Second, I want to keep her safe as much as you do. That’s why I want her here in Shiftertown. If she gets caught out again by someone besides me, she’ll be arrested and jailed, and I might not be able to protect her.” Diego fixed Shane with a sharp stare, even though he had to look up to do it. “Do me a favor and watch her for me, Shane. If she tries to leave Shiftertown, you stop her. And if you can’t stop her, call me. Me, and no one else. Can you do that? Help me out?”
Shane’s eyes narrowed. “You should ask Eric to help you.”
“Eric already let her go once.”
“That’s a point. Eric won’t stop Cass doing what she thinks she needs to do.” Shane drew a breath. “But I will.”
For some reason, Diego wanted to pat Shane’s shoulder and say, Good bear , but decided that might not be wise.
“I’ll come by, but I can’t be here all the time,” Diego said. “Just keep her out of trouble.”
“You got it, human cop.”
“Call me Diego. And I’ll tell you something.” He leaned a little closer to Shane. “If you think your mom’s tough, you should meet my mother.”
Shane’s face finally softened, and he chuckled. “Humans have a saying: When Mama ain ’ t happy… ”
“ … ain’t nobody happy ,” they finished together.
Shane laughed a little harder and clapped Diego on the shoulders. Diego fought to keep to his feet.
“You’re funny, human cop. I mean, Diego. I’ll watch over Cass. I’m your bear. Time for you to leave now.”
Diego let the man put a heavy arm around his shoulders and lead him to the front door and out of the house.
Diego wondered, as he watched the bear Shifter sway toward the house next door, whether Cassidy would remember in the morning what had been the most spectacular kiss of Diego’s life.
D iego figured he’d get shit from Shifter Division for how he’d handled Cassidy’s arrest, and sure enough, Lieutenant Reid, a man with ambitions in Shifter Division, accosted him the next day.
Diego was still reeling from the kiss he’d shared with Cassidy, still reveling in the scent and taste of her. He’d dreamed about her all night, thought about her while he showered, shaved, and readied himself for work. Imagining her being in the shower with him, smiling her red-lipped smile as she soaped his back, almost made him late.
Reid stopped him in the wide hall downstairs as Diego made for the elevator. “Anything to do with the Wardens is mine,” Reid said without greeting him. “You overstepped, Escobar.”
Diego eyed the man in dislike. Reid had a tall, lithe body—a runner’s muscles rather than a bodybuilder’s—and his eyes were so dark they were almost black.
“I made the arrest,” Diego said. “It was my call.”
“Two weeks’ confinement to Shiftertown?” Reid stepped closer, his dark eyes narrowing. “That’s it ?”
“If you read my report, you’d know why I made the decision,” Diego said.
“Yeah, I read it. She still broke the law.”
Diego had no intention of explaining his motives. He’d learned as soon as he’d become a detective that people would question his every decision, especially those in his own rank in other divisions. Human nature, his captain told him.
“I’ve worked on Shifter cases a hell of a lot longer than you have,” Reid said. “They can look human, and they try to act human, but if you don’t treat them like the dangerous animals they are, you’ll pay for it. Don’t let the Collars fool you. You can’t tame them, you can’t trust them, and most of all, you can’t be their friend.”
Reid’s eyes held conviction, but Diego gave him a neutral nod. “Thanks, Reid. I’ll keep it
The claws had receded, but Diego knew that Shane could easily crush his windpipe with his huge fingers.
“First, I’ve already seen her without her pants.” A sight Diego would never forget, though that blue dress was damn sexy too. “Second, I want to keep her safe as much as you do. That’s why I want her here in Shiftertown. If she gets caught out again by someone besides me, she’ll be arrested and jailed, and I might not be able to protect her.” Diego fixed Shane with a sharp stare, even though he had to look up to do it. “Do me a favor and watch her for me, Shane. If she tries to leave Shiftertown, you stop her. And if you can’t stop her, call me. Me, and no one else. Can you do that? Help me out?”
Shane’s eyes narrowed. “You should ask Eric to help you.”
“Eric already let her go once.”
“That’s a point. Eric won’t stop Cass doing what she thinks she needs to do.” Shane drew a breath. “But I will.”
For some reason, Diego wanted to pat Shane’s shoulder and say, Good bear , but decided that might not be wise.
“I’ll come by, but I can’t be here all the time,” Diego said. “Just keep her out of trouble.”
“You got it, human cop.”
“Call me Diego. And I’ll tell you something.” He leaned a little closer to Shane. “If you think your mom’s tough, you should meet my mother.”
Shane’s face finally softened, and he chuckled. “Humans have a saying: When Mama ain ’ t happy… ”
“ … ain’t nobody happy ,” they finished together.
Shane laughed a little harder and clapped Diego on the shoulders. Diego fought to keep to his feet.
“You’re funny, human cop. I mean, Diego. I’ll watch over Cass. I’m your bear. Time for you to leave now.”
Diego let the man put a heavy arm around his shoulders and lead him to the front door and out of the house.
Diego wondered, as he watched the bear Shifter sway toward the house next door, whether Cassidy would remember in the morning what had been the most spectacular kiss of Diego’s life.
D iego figured he’d get shit from Shifter Division for how he’d handled Cassidy’s arrest, and sure enough, Lieutenant Reid, a man with ambitions in Shifter Division, accosted him the next day.
Diego was still reeling from the kiss he’d shared with Cassidy, still reveling in the scent and taste of her. He’d dreamed about her all night, thought about her while he showered, shaved, and readied himself for work. Imagining her being in the shower with him, smiling her red-lipped smile as she soaped his back, almost made him late.
Reid stopped him in the wide hall downstairs as Diego made for the elevator. “Anything to do with the Wardens is mine,” Reid said without greeting him. “You overstepped, Escobar.”
Diego eyed the man in dislike. Reid had a tall, lithe body—a runner’s muscles rather than a bodybuilder’s—and his eyes were so dark they were almost black.
“I made the arrest,” Diego said. “It was my call.”
“Two weeks’ confinement to Shiftertown?” Reid stepped closer, his dark eyes narrowing. “That’s it ?”
“If you read my report, you’d know why I made the decision,” Diego said.
“Yeah, I read it. She still broke the law.”
Diego had no intention of explaining his motives. He’d learned as soon as he’d become a detective that people would question his every decision, especially those in his own rank in other divisions. Human nature, his captain told him.
“I’ve worked on Shifter cases a hell of a lot longer than you have,” Reid said. “They can look human, and they try to act human, but if you don’t treat them like the dangerous animals they are, you’ll pay for it. Don’t let the Collars fool you. You can’t tame them, you can’t trust them, and most of all, you can’t be their friend.”
Reid’s eyes held conviction, but Diego gave him a neutral nod. “Thanks, Reid. I’ll keep it
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