Shifters: A Samantha Reece Mystery Book 1 by Jaime Johnesee (libby ebook reader txt) 📕

He used to make up a batch and we’d rent The Police Academy movies, laugh, and eat popcorn for dinner.

“That recipe has gotten me pretty far in life. It’s a bit like a magical elixir.”

“Yeah, it is.” I mentally drooled as I recalled the creamy buttery flavor of his popcorn.

“So, let’s discuss the changes I have for you.” He reached out and swept a piece of hair out of my eye.

It was so natural. He even continued on explaining how he’d like to outfit my home without even skipping a beat. Meanwhile, my heart leapt into my throat. I felt butterflies in my stomach and then I looked at my jaguar. She stared at me accusingly. The only one for her was Ben. That wasn’t the case for me. No sire bond was going to keep me from enjoying my life.

I told her then and there I didn’t give a bunny’s ass what she wanted, I was going to be seeing Alex, that I liked him, and she should get used to it. She snorted at me and turned her back. I decided to ignore her and focus all of my attention on Al and my security assessment.

He went through and found the weaknesses in my current system, which was really just the wall that ran around my property. I let him have the lead on where to put the main panels that operated the system, the living room wall that lead into the kitchen, and a smaller panel that went on the wall in my bedroom. I would be able to see every inch of my twenty-five acres on CCTV right from my bed. There was a tripwire on top of the wall that would go off when someone weighing over eighty pounds touched it, triggering an alarm to buzz throughout the house.

Somehow all this didn’t make me feel safe. In fact, it made me nervous to think that I’d have to watch all twenty-five acres because anyone could bust in anywhere. I wasn’t sure I’d ever actually feel safe here again. It troubled me immensely that Grisly had found me so easily. I figured I probably wouldn’t feel safe until we got every single person involved with the psychotic serial killer tucked away under lock and key. I know it was absolutely ludicrous and way too optimistic to believe it could be done, but I still held a spark of hope.

Apparently Alex did, too.

“We’ll catch who is behind it. Have no doubts about that, Sam.”

“How’d you know I was doubting?” I was taken aback, I hadn’t thought I’d been so blatant.

“I know you. You always doubt yourself. You need to stop.”

“Hey, I’m just hardwired that way. Perfectionism is my aspiration.” I shrugged.

“Sometimes when people strive for perfection they can miss out on it being right in front of them.”

“You had Chinese food this week.”

“Ha, I guess you know me pretty well, too.”

“Yup. You always try to use your fortune at some point after General Tso’s chicken.”

“Maybe we should order some while I discuss the system and package options with you.”

“No wonder you’re doing so well, that’s quite the service you offer, Mr. Baltazar.” I winked at him and moved into my kitchen where all the best delivery spots hung on a corkboard near my fridge.

China Moon was the best in town. The breading on the chicken stayed crispy, even with the gravy. You just can’t ask for better than that.

“Sam?”

“Yeah?” I pulled the pin out of the menu and stabbed it back into the board and turned to walk back into the living room.

I stopped when movement outside caught my eye. Alex had a gun trained on my gate. I watched out of the window as something ran between my gate and the front door. I tracked the outline until it came close enough for me to make out what it was.

Well, who it was, actually.

Ben.

Chapter 21

WELL, BEN IN JAGUAR FORM. I opened the door and ran out.

“It’s okay, Al, he’s a friend. What the heck are you doing here?” I didn’t feel like beating around the bush.

“I came to see if you were okay.” My jaguar leapt, grunting and mewing. I wondered how Ben and Alex would get along. I didn’t think they would get on well at all and realized what an awkward situation I was about to have on my hands.

“I’m fine. Grisly was here and someone shot him.”

“Before you got here?” Ben looked puzzled.

“No, he was already in my house before we got here, but he was shot after we had him contained. A sniper, not one of ours.”

“Someone really was pulling his strings.”

“Looks like.”

“Can I come in or are you going to keep me on the porch?” Ben grinned at me.

I watched the grin fade as Alex came to the door.

“Oh, hello, I’m Alex. I’m an old friend of Sam’s.”

“Ben. Nice to meet you, Alex. I just stopped in to see if Sam was okay after all that has happened the last couple days.” Ben looked about as uncomfortable as a large black panther could look.

I felt about the same level of discomfort. I’d say it was somewhere between getting a papsmear by your former kindergarten teacher and losing your bikini top in the ocean and having to walk to shore with everyone watching.

“I hear that. I’m here setting up a security system.”

“Good. Which company do you work for?”

“I actually have my own business. Used to work with Sammy, though. We went through Quantico together.”

“Don’t call me Sammy.” I hate it.

“Right, sorry. I forgot how much you hate that.” Alex brushed a stray curl off my face and an uncomfortable moment only became more awkward and uncomfortable.

“Okie doke, um, yeah.” Ah, that’s right, self, make it just a bit more uncomfortable.

I stepped away from Alex and tried to get the testosterone level down some. Both men stared at me, none of us sure what to say or do.

“Alex, Ben is the one who turned me.”

“He’s what?”

“Ben