Again, Mitch went to tell her she didn’t have to do anything, but Bren’s elbow slammed into his side.

Pushing herself up, she gazed down at the two cats. “Steak all right with you two?”

The brothers nodded.

“The boys are out back with their daddy. Guess I gotta make enough for them, too.” She shook her head and walked out of the room.

“Bren—”

“Not a word, Mitch. Not a word.”

Bubba walked his baby girl to the rental car. She’d told him everything…well, she’d told him enough. Enough to know that he could have lost her.

Enough to know she was madly in love with a damn cat. She hadn’t said the words, but Bubba knew the signs. He didn’t blame the cat—it just meant the feline had good taste. But he’d always hoped Sissy would find a nice wolf to settle down with. In the long run, though, all he cared about was that his baby girl was happy.

And because she was a lot like her momma, it wouldn’t take just anybody to keep her happy.

“So he testifies tomorrow?”

“There’s some prep or whatever, but pretty much.”

“You’ll be there with him?”

“Yes, sir.”

“And after?”

“Daddy…I don’t know. I love him.”

“I know.” Bubba kissed her forehead. “But don’t forget, Sissy Mae, your Pack needs you. But you need them more.”

She wrapped her arms around him and gave him one of her warm hugs. “I know, Daddy.”

“I love you,” he reminded her gruffly and stepped back. “Now you better get out of here. You got a long flight ahead of you.”

Bubba stood on his porch and watched his baby drive away while Dee-Ann waved and headed by foot into the woods back toward Eggie’s place.

“It’ll be all right, darlin’.” Janie slid her arm around his neck. “Don’t you worry now.”

Bubba brushed his head against Janie’s cheek. She still had the softest skin.

“I’m going inside and taking a good look around,” she said. “That daughter of yours was hiding something.”

“You know,” he said after kissing her cheek and watching her saunter away. “I noticed something when Sissy was telling us what had been going on around here.”

“Oh?” Janie said, opening the screen door. “What?”

“I noticed that what she was telling us you seemed to already know. And you got quite a few calls from your sisters the last day or two.”

His mate paused outside the door, smiled, and stepped into the house.

Chuckling, Bubba put his hands on his hips and looked out over his territory. He was so glad to be home. You could keep those boats and tours andcruises—waste of time in his estimation.

His brothers walked out of the woods, already shifted and wanting a good hunt. Smiling, Bubba pulled his clothes off and began to shift.

“Goddamnit!” he heard Janie yell from the family room. “What the hell happened to my couch cushions?”

She stormed back onto the porch, the couch cushion in her hand, but when she saw Bubba trotting down the stairs toward his kin, she snapped, “And I better not find out y’all are playing tug again with that damn crocodile!”

Chapter 30

“You ready?”

Mitch nodded. “Yeah, I’m ready.”

They’d been back in Philly for three days, his testimony pushed off until this morning. Just as she’d promised, Sissy came with him.

He pulled at his tie again, and Sissy playfully slapped his hands away. “You’re gonna end up strangling yourself.”

“I hate wearing these things.”

“I hate you in them. But you’ve got to look respectable.”

He looked outside the windows of the SUV the cops had used to transport him here. It had started raining last night, and it didn’t seem to show any signs of stopping soon.

“Want to just get this over with?”

“Yeah. Let’s go.”

He knocked on the window, and one of the police escorts opened his door. He walked around the vehicle and found Sissy already getting out before anyone could open the door for her.

She took his hand in hers, and they walked into the courthouse.

Sissy knew something was up when that cranky cat ADA came up to them. “I need to talk to you and to her.” She walked off, Sissy and Mitch following. She entered a room and waited until they were inside, then she slammed the door shut.

“Who? Who was it?”

Mitch glanced at Sissy before giving the female a helpless shrug. “I don’t know what you’re talking about, Jen.”

She flung a file at the enormous table that took up most of the room. It flipped open, and photos sprayed out across the wood.

Mitch leaned over, moving the pictures around with the tips of his fingers. “It’s O’Farrell.”

“What’s left of him,” Jen snarled.

After a few moments, Mitch blinked and stood straight. “Wait. Do you think I had something to do with this?”

“Detective, everyone knows about your mother.”

“My mother? You’re blaming my mother?”

“And then there’s your new girlfriend—Huckleberry Hound!”

“Watch it,” Sissy sneered, “or it’s time for a declawing.”

“She’s got an uncle in prison,” the female damn near snarled.