Page 30 of Tiger's Little Waif

Shaw shook her head, resisting the urge to look back and confirm that, yes, Dan really had just picked a fight with a man twice his size. “But he got awfully moody toward the end. I always thought it was my fault, that there was something I was doing wrong, something I wasn’t giving him.”

Both Harrigan and Kodiak assured her that wasn’t true, but Shaw barely heard them. Something she wasn’t giving him …

Why did Dan want Gio?

Marshall waited until Shaw and Kodiak were out of sight before he released his tight hold on the man’s throat so he could breathe again. “If you ever come near her, call her, email her, or get in contact with her in any way, I will track you down and there won’t be enough left of you to identify. Understand?”

“Y-y-yes,” the man stuttered.

Instead of releasing him, Marshall needed a few answers. “Why did you need Shaw to bring Gio?”

“Who? Oh, the stupid toy.” Already beginning to recover some of his bluster, Dan rolled his eyes. “Because she loves it, okay? Because if she refused to come back to me, I was just going to take it and make her come back. What’s she going to do, call the cops and report grand theft plushie?”

Although Marshall could readily believe Shaw would do anything, even remarry this asshole, to protect her best friend, he couldn’t quite believe that was all there was to this.

Maybe he saw Marshall’s skepticism, because Dan scowled, embarrassed and defensive. “For real, she hides her stupid baby crap all over and cries when I throw it out. I let her keep that one because it’s so easy to get her to shut up, just pick it up and pull out the scissors and she’ll do whatever I say. I should have cut the fucking thing to shreds years ago. Maybe then she’d stop acting like a child once and for all.”

Marshall’s low-throated growl had the man growing pale. “Her Little side is a gift and I’m so glad she’s my mate and will never have anything to do with you ever again. Now get back to work. You don’t want your boss to have to explain to Shaw why her alimony check is short.”

His tiger was frustrated that they couldn’t just shred the man and be done with him, but Marshall kept his head. rose and backed away from Shaw’s ex, watching as the man scrambled up and ran away.

Then he turned and followed his mate’s scent to where she was swinging on the children’s playground not far from where they had entered the park.

“Papa!” she cried as soon as she saw him, scooting her feet until the swing slowed enough for her to jump off without hurting herself. She ran to him, throwing herself into his arms.

He caught her easily and lifted her with one arm as he used his free hand to swat her several times.

“Ow. Owie. Papa, what’s that for?”

“For jumping off the swing before it stopped completely. You could have hurt yourself,” he growled as he snuggled her for another moment before setting her back down on her feet.

He was so thankful that she had listened and not fought against the restrictions he had put upon her during their meeting with her ex. Jumping from a swing, while dangerous, was nothing compared to what she could have done. At least her ex had not pulled a gun and threatened her. He would keep a close eye on her until they returned to Bratburg, just in case.

He was surprised when she did not argue with the tiny punishment. His tiger began to purr when she slipped her hand in his once again as they joined the others and headed to the street to find a couple of cabs to take them back to the hotel.

“You didn’t kill him, did you, Papa?”

“What? Of course, I didn’t kill him. I explained to him how things were and what would happen if he tried to contact you or see you at any point in the future. He stays away from you, no text, no email, or else.”

“Or else what?”

“No need for you to worry about or else. Now, should we have lunch now or go to bakery store and shop?”

She did not even think before she began to bounce on her toes. “Shop. Shop. Shop at the bakery store. Please.”

Chapter Seventeen

“Papa. Papa! Papa?” Shaw called as she crossed the kitchen. She stopped at the tiny office and frowned when she found it empty.

After three exhausting days of shopping and showing Papa around the city, they had returned to Bratburg. The next week was spent putting together her playroom in the cabin, and playing with all the new baking pans and supplies she had bought at the baking supply store. The Littles loved the fancy decorated cupcakes and cookies she was now making.

The shifters seemed to like them, too, but did not rave over them like their mates did, though she had noticed that by the end of the day, there were none left, no matter how many she made.

Life was good, except she could not find her Papa and she needed to discuss plans for the special tea party the Littles wanted to hold in the next few days. She needed to convince her Papa that she could do all the preparations and cooking for the party, and that he and the other Daddies would not be welcome in the dining room during the party.

This would be her way of bonding with the other Littles since she was not able to spend a lot of time with them. They were friendly, but she hoped that the tea party would convince the others that she was as Little as they were.

“Papa? Where are you?” she called again as she walked into the dining room.