Chapter 24 #2
She pointed at each masked woman and gave me their street names. “Crimson Tiger, she’s our fighter. Cherry Cheetah, our undercover expert. Silver Jaguar, the medic in the house, and last, Golden Lioness, the leader of the Wildcats.”
I turned to Tara. “And you?”
Her eyebrows scrunched in confusion. “And me?”
“What’s your street name?” I knew it was something about a panther, considering the little panther doorknob of her apartment.
A smirk came over her face. “Shadow Panther.”
My lips twitched, and a sense of rightness hit me in the chest. “Very fitting.”
Someone cleared their throat, and my eyes snapped to the Golden Lioness.
The woman carried herself as a leader, in her burgundy suit, her short bob hanging around her mask in waves, her head slightly tilted as she tried to stare into my soul.
Sucked for her. My soul was a black hole with a singular obsession. I met the Lioness’s eyes and gave her a nod. “Pleased to meet you, ladies.”
“Can’t say likewise, Mr. Steele,” the Lioness said.
“You’ve made our lives—Shadow Panther’s life—extremely uncomfortable.
You’ve interfered with our missions. You’re a threat to every single member of the Wildcats.
You are the biggest liability. And most importantly, I don’t trust you.
Give me one reason I shouldn’t get rid of you? ”
She was ballsy. And protective of her team.
I respected that. So I sat straighter, every person’s gaze boring down at me, and looked at Tara.
All I cared about was her eyes, which were also trained on me, waiting for my response.
Her eyes glared at me not to fuck it up, not to go back on my word.
I turned back to the Lioness. “I’ll give you three.
One, if I die or go missing, the Wildcats would be outed.
I have made sure of that. Second, I think it would be beneficial for us to work together,” I said, and turned to my Beauty as I gave the last reason.
“And third, I will be the Shadow to the Panther. Nothing and no one would harm her with me at her back.”
Tara’s cheeks turned crimson when a loud sigh had me turning to the Cherry Cheetah. “That was beautiful,” she cooed.
The Silver Jaguar jabbed her elbow in her ribs, making her yelp. “He’s blackmailing her and us.”
“I like this one,” the Crimson Tiger stated, crossing her legs on top of the table and leaning back in her chair.
“No, we do not like this one.” Dominic scowled.
The Golden Lioness watched everyone and faced me. “I would still kill you for the first reason. I don’t need you for the second reason. I will only allow you to join us for the third reason.”
“We don’t need him for the third reason.” My little criminal scowled at the Lioness.
I wrapped my arm around the back of her chair. “You will keep me, irrespective of the reason.”
I turned to the Crimson Tiger, who seemed to be fidgeting the most. “I know who you are, Miss Samaira, Dominic’s girlfriend from the hospital. You can get rid of the mask if you wish. You’re safe from me.”
She immediately pulled off the mask. “Thank fucking God.”
“Maira, fucking hell,” Dominic groaned, throwing daggers at me with his eyes.
“What?” She pouted at him. “It’s hot and itchy when we’re just sitting here.”
He clutched the bridge of his nose, muttering something under his breath, and then his eyes snapped to me. “If you harm Samaira or any of the Wildcats, I will ruin you.”
“I’d like to see you try,” I deadpanned.
“Don’t fucking test me. I don’t personally have to fight you. I can destroy your career and put you in the ground with a single fucking call.” Dominic’s face flushed with anger, and I almost believed his threat, even if it didn’t scare me.
I pressed my lips tight, conceding for the moment. “Noted.”
“What’s your goal here, Lieutenant Steele? How long do you plan to shadow us? Or cooperate with us?” the Lioness asked.
Obviously, my goal was to obsess over my fairy tale freely. I planned to stalk her forever. “If the Wildcats can work in cooperation with me for, let’s start with three months, well, I don’t see why we should stop working together at all.”
“So you plan to continue working as a cop and also with us? How the fuck would you do both? We’re not changing up our mission logistics for your convenience.” That was the angry fighter, Samaira.
“Don’t worry about me. I’ll be here. I’ll tell my team I’m working with my contact on the Russian case. It’s not like you carry out your missions in broad daylight either. I’ll make it work.”
“If you betray us, I’ll shoot you.” That was the Cherry Cheetah. “But if you don’t, and treat Tara right, I’ll ship you guys so hard.” She sat with her hands under her chin.
I turned to my beauty. “Why will she ship us off?”
Her lips twitched, the scar on her cheek stretching a little. “Ignore her.”
She turned to everyone. “Are we done for now? I haven’t slept well in four fucking days.” Then she turned to me. “Your stalking didn’t help either. Just for that, I need every piece of information you have on the Russian case.”
Anger exploded in my veins. My Tara wasn’t taking care of herself properly. “How the fuck are you going to fight well in your missions if you don’t sleep well?”
Her eyes widened. If looks could kill, my exploded brains would be splattered on the desk in front of me. “I can work on my mission half dead. Mind your business.”
I stopped the smile that threatened to escape my lips and raised my hands in surrender.
“I’ll get you all the information on the Russian case tomorrow evening.
Now, are we done here?” I looked around at the ladies and Dominic.
Once the Lioness nodded, I turned to Tara.
“Let’s go. You can help me pack my stuff and move in. ”
“Say what now?” Dominic exploded while Cherry Cheetah gasped dramatically, her hands clutching her heart.
She glared at me and rubbed her face in defeat before facing the room again. “That’s one of the asshole's conditions for not arresting any of us and working with us without any fuss.”
“And you’re okay with it?” the Jaguar asked Tara.
Her eyes met mine, and they swirled with indecision.
I knew her true emotions—the crazy, mischievous darkness that made her break into my house and come on my uniform—were warring with what she was supposed to feel.
She pressed her lips and ran her hand through her hair. “Yeah. Shadow and I can handle him.”
“I’m going to be a perfect gentleman,” I told the Jaguar.
Samaira scoffed. “Says the stalker.”
I raised my eyebrows at her. “I’m not the only stalker here. Isn’t that right, Tara?”
“You told him your name?” Cherry Cheetah gasped again.
Tara immediately jumped out of her seat. “That’s it. We’re done here. See you guys tomorrow morning. It’s almost evening,” she said, checking her watch. “Let’s go grab your stuff, stalker. I want an early night for once.”
Before anybody could respond, she power walked out of the room. I gave them all a little salute and walked out at a respectable speed, my heart jumping around with joy in my chest.
I was going to live with my stalker, my fairy tale, my beautiful dark obsession, my Tara.
Life was starting to turn blindingly, beautifully, and chaotically colorful.