Secret Baby Lion: A BBW Lion-Shifter Romance (Shift Your Fate Book 2) (6 page)

Olivia exchanged a couple of words with Miranda, then asked for Liam. She didn’t call him “son”, just in case Tristan had a sharp sense of hearing. She doubted he would listen to her conversation, or even be able to hear her from the dining room, given that she had taken the phone with her in the bedroom, but she couldn’t risk it. As expected, Liam didn’t say anything. She did all the talking, her eyes closed, both her mind and heart focused on the sound of his steady breath. She knew he was fine. Miranda had told her so, and her instinct was telling her the same thing. Before saying “Good night”, she promised him she would be home the next day, right after lunch.

Liam. Tristan caught the name, and his heart clenched. He poured himself another glass of wine and tried to block her voice. Whoever this Liam was, it was better if he didn’t know. Better if he never heard the name again. But it was impossible not to listen to her. She was talking so carefully and sweetly to him… He could have been anyone, though. A brother, or a cousin, or her uncle. Maybe he was ill and she was trying to make him feel better. He sighed. All these theories sounded stupid.

“Sorry it took so long.”

His stomach did a wild flip when he realized she was back in the dining room. He had been so lost in his thoughts and theories that he hadn’t heard her come in. Being taken by surprise… the feeling was new to him. He couldn’t believe this woman had such power over him that she could cancel his sharp senses.

“Not at all. I’m not going anywhere.” He smiled, even though he didn’t feel like smiling.

“I had to let my sister know.”

He nodded. She had a sister. Finally, he had learned something about her.

Olivia sat down to finish her meal.

She didn’t give him any other details, and he didn’t ask. In time, he would find out who Liam was, but for now it was better to get the name out of his head and enjoy the evening in her company.

“My invitation still stands,” he said.

“Oh?”

“The long stroll…”

Olivia threw him a concerned glance. “Isn’t it too late for that? I mean… it’s really dark. Looks dangerous out there.”

He gave her a broad, reassuring smile. “You’re safe with me.”

***

After Tristan told her the small neighborhood at the edge of Andes was actually more of a community built on private land, Olivia wanted to see it in daylight and meet its members. The next morning, she was brimming with excitement. She ate her breakfast as fast as she could so she’d have time for the walk and thorough presentation Tristan had promised her, before heading back to New York. Last night, she had thought it strange that no one had been around on the streets. She had spotted some people in their front yards and gardens, but Tristan hadn’t offered to introduce her. Then, she had thought they were neighbors, but she was beginning to understand they were more than that.

What Olivia didn’t know was that Tristan had expressly asked the members of his pride to be as discreet as possible and not bother him while he was with her. They didn’t question him. No one ever questioned the Alpha. They had all smelled her the second she had made her appearance inside their community, and they were all wondering why she was there. More importantly: why was Tristan so infatuated with her? Who was she, that their powerful Alpha had told them to stay out of his way, and focused all his attention on her? So, when Tristan and Olivia walked out of the house holding hands, and Tristan started dragging her to each and every house to introduce her, they were more than surprised. Baffled was more like the right word. They kept their feelings to themselves, though.

Olivia smiled and waved cutely, shook hands and made small talk with everyone Tristan insisted she should meet. It seemed strange to her that he could walk into their front yards and houses as if he was at home, and no one ever expressed annoyance.

“We’re much more than just neighbors here,” Tristan explained.

“I figured that much.”

They were walking back to his house. Olivia checked the time to make sure she was within schedule. As much as she liked it here, she had to go back to the city. Andes was peaceful, relaxing, the Catskills were breathtaking, and the people she had just met were unusually friendly and pleasant. She felt like she had just been welcomed into a huge family.

“You said this is private land.”

They stopped in front of the house next to Tristan’s. Olivia looked up at him, wondering why he was hesitating.

“Yes,” he answered.

He was studying the windows, listening to the sounds coming from inside. The person living there, the last one Olivia had to meet, was in the kitchen. His sensitive nose told him she was preparing herself a ridiculously light lunch made of yogurt and some crackers.
“When will she ever start eating normally?”
he asked himself.

“May I ask whose land it is? You don’t have to tell me, of course, if it’s confidential.”

Tristan smiled. “It’s mine.”

In fact, that was confidential information. Highly guarded information, even. But he felt like he could trust her. He wasn’t thinking straight when she was around. The night before, Olivia had rocked his bed and his life once again, and he was smitten. What scared him a bit was that his lion seemed to be smitten even more than his human side.

“Oh wow! I… did not expect that.”

Olivia thought for a second. Tristan had to be the most fascinating and mysterious man she had ever met. If the land was his, it made sense that all the people living there would be so friendly and respectful. Still… something didn’t feel right. She wasn’t born yesterday. She knew this was not how anything worked in this world. Why would this specific community be such a huge exception from the natural order of things?

Tristan squeezed her hand. “There’s one last person I’d like you to meet.”

Olivia cocked an eyebrow and followed him to the house in front of which they had been standing for the past five minutes.

Tristan opened the door slowly and held it for Liv. His sharp senses were telling him the woman living there wasn’t having lunch even though she had just prepared it and set it on the kitchen table. She was doing something else, and he had to know what. It wasn’t like him to sneak around, especially since it was useless to even try when being surrounded by a dozen lion-shifters, but this was a special case. The woman at the kitchen table was human. And, indeed, she wasn’t eating.

“Camille. Hello.”

The young woman jumped in surprise, her small, pale hand flying to her chest. She applied pressure on her left breast, in an instinctive attempt to slow down her heartbeat.

“Tristan! You scared me!”

He smiled. “I’m sorry.”

“No, you’re not,”
Camille thought. She stared at him for a second, then remembered what she had been doing. Quickly, she took the vial next to her cup of yogurt, placed it in the wooden box in front of her, and snapped the lid shut. She didn’t need to look up at Tristan to know he was studying her every move.
“Damn shifter… Can’t do anything without him sneaking around and sniffing me out.”
She locked the box with a small key which she then slipped inside the pocket of her jeans. She stood up, grabbed the box and stuffed it inside the kitchen cupboard. The rattle of tableware told anyone who was paying the slightest attention to their surroundings that wasn’t the place where the box usually stayed. She’d move it later, but now she had to deal with the two uninvited guests in her kitchen.

“What can I do for you?” Camille turned around and finally took in the woman standing next to Tristan. Her mind went blank for a second, and her stomach and gut started doing wild tricks that made her thank the heavens she hadn’t had lunch yet. She was just Tristan’s type: tall, curvy, with full lips, and a healthy blush on her cheeks. Camille swallowed hard and tried to smile.

Tristan gently placed his hand on the small of Liv’s back and pushed her forward.

“I’d like you to meet Olivia Jensen,” he said. “She’s… a good friend.”

The women shook hands.

“I’m Camille. Nice to meet you.”

“Olivia.” She squeezed the woman’s hand, and a chill ran up her spine. Her fingers were so bony and her skin so cold! It was as if Camille wasn’t entirely… alive. Of course, that was a stupid thought. Still, the girl’s slender body looked more like a shell. She could have been beautiful if she hadn’t been almost anorexic. Long, blonde hair, pale blue eyes, fair skin. A few years ago, Olivia would have given anything for those traits. Then she grew older and wiser, and learned to love herself.

“I love your dress,” said Camille.

Liv let go of the girl’s hand and tried to smooth down her blue dress. It was a mess, actually. Crumpled and a bit sweaty, as she hadn’t had anything else to wear.

“Thank you.” She studied Camille quickly, in hopes she’d find something to compliment. Unfortunately, they had really taken her by surprise and found her wearing an old T-shirt and a plain pair of jeans.

“Would you like to take a seat? I could offer you a glass of… something…”

“No, thanks,” said Tristan. “Olivia must drive back to New York today. I showed her around a bit, introduced her to everyone.”

Camille cocked an eyebrow. This was strange. This was really strange. Tristan never brought anyone home. She knew he dated lots of women, shifters and humans alike, but he had never brought a lioness home or, even worse, insisted that a human female met the members of his pride. Could she be… the one? Could she be his mate? The thought of it stabbed her right in the heart. She almost doubled back when she felt the blade of disappointment and hopelessness twisting and twisting. She fought to keep her back straight.

“I’d love to have a glass of… something with you when I come back,” Olivia offered. She could tell Camille wasn’t overly enthusiastic about the situation, but she wasn’t sure why. She seemed different from all the other people she had met today. Frail, lonely, isolated. It was hard to understand how someone could feel lonely and isolated when belonging to such a tight, loving community, and Liv hoped she’d find out when they’d get the chance to chat a bit over coffee. For some reason, this girl stimulated her motherly instinct. Olivia wanted her to be safe and happy, just like she wanted Liam to be safe and happy.

Butterflies started flapping their tiny wings inside Tristan’s stomach when he heard Liv intended to come back. Since the day before, he had been trying to come up with ways of convincing her to stay or return as soon as possible. Now he didn’t need to apply any of them.

“Sure,” said Camille. “I’d love to. Stop by whenever you like.”

“I will. Thank you.”

They talked about meaningless things for a few more minutes, then Tristan asked Olivia if she was hungry. She was, indeed. Camille walked them to the door, but when Olivia headed towards the street, Tristan fell a bit behind. She heard him whisper to Camille:

“What was that vial you hid in the box?”

In a small voice, the girl answered: “A new experiment I’m working on.”

“What sort of experiment? The liquid was transparent.”

“Don’t worry. It has nothing to do with that.”

“Camille, I thought I was clear when I told you you’re not allowed to work with… that.”

“It’s not that.”

Olivia sensed the reluctance in her voice. Then Camille added: “I promise.” Tristan didn’t say anything, and neither Liv, nor Camille could tell if he had been convinced. He left Camille without another word and caught up with Olivia.

Liv turned around and waved at Camille. The girl waved back.

“What was that all about?” she dared to ask Tristan.

“Nothing. Camille is working on something for me. She’s… a chemist.”

Liv’s eyes went wide with curiosity, and just a bit of incredulity.

“I see,” she said. “A chemist.”

It took them one minute to reach Tristan’s house.

“I’ve just realized,” she continued. “I never asked you what you do. You know… for a living.”

Tristan smiled. “I never asked you that, either. Actually, I never asked you why you’re here.”

Olivia sighed.

“We only met once, two years ago. All you had was my name, and I’m pretty sure that wasn’t enough information to find me. You showed up at my door, told me we have to talk, then completely forgot to enlighten me about your visit.”

“Yes. Yes, I know.”

They stopped in the living room, facing each other. Tristan placed his hands on her shoulders and looked deep into her eyes.

“I’ll answer all of your questions after you answer mine first.”

Olivia bit her lower lip, then smiled. “Fair enough.”

Tristan waited patiently for a moment.

“Well, are you going to do it now?”

“Err… no. How about I do it when I come back?”

“Will you really come back?”

“Yes. I promise.”

He hadn’t believed Camille earlier, but he did believe Olivia.

“All right. Let’s have lunch.”

CHAPTER FOUR

Olivia couldn’t tell if it was because she and Logan had settled things, or because she felt the powerful need to talk to someone about the past few days, but she told Miranda everything. Finally, the two sisters sat down before two cups of steaming coffee and talked for hours. She told her sister about Tristan Ward, about the night she had spent with him two years before, and about her decision to look for him and, maybe, tell him he had a son.

“Maybe?” asked Miranda. “You haven’t decided yet?”

“No…” Olivia looked at her cup, then back up at her sister. “I was going to tell him right on his doorstep and leave everything to fate, but then I realized I felt something for him. And it’s not just physical attraction, I’m afraid.” She smiled to herself. “Miranda, I think I’m falling in love with him.”

Miranda made a wide gesture with her hands, as if to show her sister was talking nonsense and wasting everyone’s time.

“All the more reason to take Liam with you today.”

Tristan had invited Liv to a fancy restaurant in NYC, and she was going to meet him later. Of course, they would then head to Andes. Miranda had convinced her it would be a good idea to spend the weekend with the man who was the father of her son. She had no problems taking care of Liam.

“No, not yet,” said Liv. “This weekend will be like a test. I like Tristan, yes, but I want to make sure he’d make a good father to Liam. I thought I wouldn’t care, you know? He was a stranger to me, and I had no intention of building an actual relationship with him. But things have changed. Now… it matters. It matters if he wants a son, if he’s willing to build a family, if he’s going to take responsibility for Liam and I. I want to figure out these things first, then I’ll tell him.”

Miranda sighed. “You’re right, of course.” She sipped her coffee and studied her sister for a few moments, then smiled. “It’s so unusual.”

“What is?”

“To see you all grown up like this.”

Olivia laughed. “What do you mean? I’m 26.”

“Oh, and you think you’re so old! You think you’ve seen everything!” Miranda laughed, but then fixed Liv with a serious look in her eyes. “I’m proud of you. You’re taking things slowly, assessing the situation, putting Liam’s wellbeing at the top of your priority list. Not long ago, you were the only one up there.”

Liv chuckled.

“Honestly,” Miranda continued. “I’m proud of you.” She took Liv’s hand in hers and squeezed her fingers lightly. “You go have fun on your date, enjoy the weekend, and test the hell out of this Tristan guy. Liam deserves the best. He already has the most amazing mother. He deserves a father to match her.”

“Thank you.”

Olivia finished her coffee, then went to get ready. It took her an hour to shower, pick the most flattering little black dress she owned, and make herself up. She wasn’t a huge fan of ridiculously high heels, but Miranda’s black pumps did add the final touch to her sophisticated outfit. No wonder Tristan’s jaw dropped when he saw her. And given that he had a more-than-generous package, he couldn’t quite hide his excitement from Olivia’s prying eyes. She made it her mission to talk in double entendres all evening, until Tristan was so horny and frustrated that he couldn’t wait to drive back to Andes, throw her over his shoulder, and only drop her when they reached his bed.

It wasn’t Tristan’s lucky day, unfortunately. His lion-shifters had decided to throw a bonfire party that very night, and Tristan and Olivia had to spend at least a couple of hours with them. Liv was more than excited. She hadn’t gone to a party since Liam was born, and when they arrived at the foot of the Catskills and she heard the music and saw everyone drinking and dancing, her heart started beating faster, her blood boiling with adrenaline, and her body eager to mingle with the other heated bodies and move in the rhythm of the music. She had been too much of a party girl to miss this unexpected occasion, and Tristan couldn’t say “no” to her. Not when she jumped out of the car and started walking towards the members of his pride, rolling her hips and shoulders sensually, warming up her muscles for a at least an hour of uninterrupted dancing.

Seeing her like this, beautiful and confident, making her way through the small crowd, accepting a glass of wine from a lioness and drinking it while dancing and exchanging pleasantries with those around her, Tristan came to a conclusion that scared him, but at the same time made him feel more exalted than he had ever been in his life: this woman belonged here, with him and his pride. Even though Olivia Jensen was only human, she had the strong, determined personality of a true lioness. He was still reluctant to think of her as his mate, although his lion had made his decision on that a long time ago, but he had an overwhelming feeling that she was the woman he had been looking for, waiting for when he had grown too tired to keep looking. Still, he was holding back. Or doing his best to keep a leveled head. She hadn’t answered any of his questions yet. She was still the wonderfully mysterious being who had stolen his heart two years ago and had knocked on his door when he had lost all hope he would ever see her again. So, he did the only thing that made sense then: followed her through the crowd.

Olivia danced until she couldn’t feel her feet anymore. To her chagrin, she didn’t have the stamina she used to, and her sister’s pumps made things more difficult than necessary. She told Tristan she needed a break, and went to find Camille.

The blonde girl was sitting on the grass, under an old, mighty tree, with her back against the rough bark and a glass of gin in her hand. Olivia took off her pumps, fussed a bit with her dress, then sat down next to Camille.

“Hey there,” she said. “Why don’t you join us?”

Camille finally turned and graced her with a small smile. Anyone could tell it wasn’t genuine.

“I don’t feel like dancing tonight.”

Olivia wondered if she wasn’t, in fact, bothering her. Camille hadn’t told her to leave her alone, but she didn’t seem very enthusiastic about her company, either. Nonetheless, she decided she should stay. The young woman intrigued her, especially because every time she saw her, or even thought about her, she felt the unexplainable urge to protect her.

“So… Tristan told him you work for him. That you’re a chemist.”

“Sort of… I guess.”

Olivia cocked an eyebrow. “You’re just as vague as he is.”

“My job is hard to explain.”

Liv nodded. They were both silent for a long moment. The girl didn’t expand on the subject, and Olivia didn’t know what to say next. She was trying her hardest not to make it another question. Eventually, she thought the best way to bond with her might be to tell her random things about herself.

“Mine is pretty straightforward. I work in the PR department of a British company.”

“British?”

“Yes. I live in London. I’m only in New York for a month, visiting my sister and her children.”

Camille’s whole face brightened all of a sudden. She moved around a bit, changing her position to face Olivia.

“Does that mean you’re going back?”

“Well, I have to, don’t I?” Olivia laughed. “It’s enough I took a month of vacation when all my other colleagues can barely take a week off.”

“Why did you move to London? If I were to choose, I’d definitely stay in the US.”

Liv shrugged. That was always a difficult question. She couldn’t tell her the truth, but she didn’t want to lie to her, either. She wanted to be friends with Camille, and lying was never a good way to start a friendship.

“I needed a change. I was almost 24 and had no idea what to do with my life. My family here was never very supportive, but I had an aunt in London who had always been there for me. When I left, I didn’t know if I was going to be able to adapt there, but I hoped I’d at least find some peace to think and come up with a plan. It didn’t take me long to fall in love with London, and once I did, everything came naturally.”

“Do you have a good relationship with your family now?”

“Oh, it’s functional.” Liv smiled thinking about her earlier conversation with Miranda. “Getting better every day. My sister and I have been apart for so long that we’ve forgotten about all the little, stupid things we used to fight over when we were younger. I have to admit it was usually my fault. I’ve always been the selfish one.”

Camille was lost in thought for a moment. “I would have loved to have a sister,” she whispered. “Maybe I do have one, and I just don’t know it.”

Liv’s heart sank a little. “What do you mean?”

“I’m an orphan. I grew up in an orphanage and never met my parents. Sometimes I think… what if they had another child after me? Did they abandon him or her, too?”

“Oh… wow. I… I’m sorry.”

Olivia didn’t know what to say. There were no right words in such situations.

“It’s fine,” said Camille. “You don’t have to say anything.”

“I’m here to listen, if you want to talk about it.”

“There isn’t much more to say, actually. I’m grateful to Tristan for taking me in. I love it here. The mountains, the people, the fact that we all live like a big, happy family… I couldn’t ask for more.”

“Tristan took you in… as in, he adopted you?”

Camille smiled bitterly. It took her a second too long to answer.

“Yes, yes he did.”

“How old are you, if you don’t mind me asking?”

“Twenty-three.”

“Oh.”

Liv didn’t know how old Tristan was, but he didn’t look older than 30. He could have been 35, but that was quite a stretch. She couldn’t make complicated calculations after having had too many glasses of wine, but something didn’t sound exactly right. Camille’s soft voice brought her back to the present.

“He’s nice. Tristan. He’s the nicest person I know. He takes care of me, of everyone around him. I don’t know how much they appreciate it, but I do. I know how it’s like to have no one, to grow up believing your parents didn’t want you, that for some unfathomable reason, you weren’t worthy of their love and they chose to get rid of you.”

Olivia opened her mouth, but nothing came out.

“It’s fine, really. You don’t have to say anything,” insisted Camille. “I’m over it, in fact. I’m just telling you these things so you’d understand how good Tristan is.”

“He’s been good to me, too,” said Liv. She bit the inside of her cheek before saying what she had actually wanted to say for a few minutes. “But I don’t think he was very nice to you the other day.”

“What other day?”

“You know… when we met. He asked you what you were working on, and I don’t think he did it in a very pleasant tone.”

Camille turned away from Olivia and finished the gin in her glass.

“He was only afraid I might be working on something dangerous.”

Her explanation didn’t sound very convincing to Olivia.

Camille sensed the woman’s reticence, and added: “He truly cares about me. His only fault is that he doesn’t know how to express it. Sometimes, he comes off as harsh and authoritarian, but once you get to know him, you understand what he actually means when he behaves like that. And I know him very well.”

That was when Olivia realized she might have gotten Camille all wrong. The girl was in love with Tristan. There was no doubt about it. The way she talked about him, the way she found excuses for his obviously misplaced behavior… That was love, and nothing else. Blind, hopeless love. She knew Tristan didn’t feel the same for Camille. Or… had she gotten him all wrong, too?

Camille stood up abruptly and headed to the party.

“I’m getting a new glass of gin.”

She didn’t ask Olivia if she wanted anything, and didn’t mention whether she was coming back or not. She simply walked away and left her there, under the old tree.

Liv searched the crowd for Tristan, but couldn’t spot him. She felt too tired to stand up, walk over and look for him properly, so she leaned her head on the thick trunk and got lost in the immensity of the sky and the calming brightness of the stars. Tristan found her later, as she was sure he would.

“I missed you,” he whispered in her ear.

His husky voice sent a wave of lust right to her core.

She smiled. “I don’t think I can stand, let alone walk.”

He laughed. “I’ll have to carry you, then.”

Olivia wrapped her arms around his neck when he picked her up.

“Hey! Don’t forget about my shoes!”

He lowered her carefully so she could grab them by the heels.

***

Tristan set Olivia on his bed and took a step back to admire her curvaceous body in the tight black dress. He couldn’t wait to see what was underneath it. She had great taste in lingerie, and he was almost sure her bra and panties were all delicate, sexy black lace.

Olivia let him stare at her for a while, enjoying the attention. The look in his intense blue eyes said he considered her the most beautiful woman in the world, and that made Liv feel confident and comfortable in her own skin. She had long accepted her size, her generous curves, large hips, and heavy breasts. When she was younger, around 18, she would look in the mirror for hours, study every inch of herself, and scowl at every roll around her waist, and every imperfection she could spot. She had tried a couple of diets, but they had made her sad and frustrated. Little by little, she understood that the solution to her being dissatisfied with herself was to work on her perfective, and not on her body. Once she accepted that it was fine to have a couple of extra pounds and that she could still look smashing if she knew how to choose her clothes, Olivia became the strong, assertive woman so many men started to fall in love with. They loved her body, but they adored her attitude. She was a challenge for them, and she knew that was what drew them in like flies. Of course, once she figured that out, she took her role to a whole new level.