The Quiet One

20

"Plenty, but that list is private. Not even my sisters or my best friend Julie knows what I have. They like to have it be a surprise; one of them always comes with me to help me with new people."

"Does Hainsley go?" Hunter asked.

"Um, not usually. She has her shop to run and finds it hard to be gone for a week. Julie runs the bookshop for me and we keep it closed three days that week to help with reducing her workload. After the convention, I usually have new titles to add to our shelves and we set up book signings with the authors I made connections with at the convention." Harper gave him a suspicious look over his comment about her sister.

"Do you know Hainsley?" She held in her laugh, as Hunter's cheeks took on a rosy hint.

"I go in every morning at six for a coffee and a scone." Hunter answered, Harper smiled and then put two and two together.

"You are the hot contractor who comes in every Monday through Friday!" Then clapped her hand over her mouth for sharing too much. The one time she talks and it is to out her sister's crush on Hunter.

"You think I am hot?" Hunter asked, and Regal growled next to her. She put her hand on his arm and shook her head.

"Not me, I've heard about you from Hainsley." She figured if she was going to out her sister, she might as well do it all the way.

"She thinks I am hot?" Hunter began to smile as if Hainsley herself were in the room.

"I am not answering anything more about my sister. If you like her, ask her out." Harper motioned to zipping her lips.

"Aww come on!" Hunter put his hands together in a pleading motion, she shook her head and snuggled into Regal's warmth. Yes, things were bad with two attacks on her property in as many days, but his friends made her feel better. She would get the list to Regal and let him and his friends handle everything.

"Is there anything I can do?" she wanted to know.

"Just go about your daily routine, don't let anyone see these two incidents have rattled you at all. You want to project a strong front, so we can figure out is after you before something worse happens." Regal explained smiling down at her and crushing her even closer.

"I can do that, but what if they go after my store?" She didn't think she could afford to close should they trash her store the way they did her apartment.

"How is the security at you shop?" Hunter asked.

"Top notch, I have too many rare books in the locked room to skimp on security. I have cameras all over the inside and front and back entrances. I have a silent alarm that will be trippedthe second the locks are touched with any kind of lock pick," She shared, all four men gave her an impressed look.

"Well, that is good." Regal took her hand in his and kissed it.

"It sounds like we have a plan I'll get the list from Harper and Anders you can get your people looking into those on the list. Hunter, I want you to come by and check the store to make sure there isn't any place where someone could break in. You have a good eye as a contractor, and Max I want you to use your contacts as a journalist to help Anders. I want you to let me know, if anyone has come into the world of collecting books who has a less than savory background. I will dig into the underbelly of the trading web and see if I can't find someone looking for a rare book that either George or her grandfather owned." Regal stood and all the men did as well with nods to him, Harper looked on in admiration at how amazing her mate was when he took charge. She could really see the alpha in him, along with the other men in the group.

"Are you all alphas?" she blurted out and then gasped, where had her boldness come from? She knew you never asked a shifter about their animals, it was a sign of respect.

"Don't worry Kitten, and yes we are all alphas. I assume you know what animal your mate is?" Hunter clapped her on the shoulder and she nodded.

"Well you know I am a tiger because Regal told on me." Hunter winked and pulled her away from Regal for a real hug.

"I am a mountain lion," Max shared, everyone looked at Anders and he huffed.

"I am a jaguar."

"All big cats... are there any other kinds of shifters in our town?" She looked up at Regal and he nodded.

"Yes, but we should head home. Tomorrow will be busy cleaning up your apartment and making sure nothing had been taken," he shared, she turned and looked at Hunter, Max, and Anders.

"Thank you for being willing to help."

"Anything for Regal and his mate." Hunter smiled, he kissed her cheek, and she knew it was to annoy Regal before leaving the cabin. One by one, all the men left until she and Regal were left.

"Who owns this cabin?"

"I do, this is my house." She turned and gave him a shocked expression.

"I thought you have a high-rise apartment?"

"Oh I do, but here is where I go when I need to shift. We have to about once a week to keep the balance between man and animal," he explained, she wrapped her arms around his neck and kissed him passionately.

"Want to pick up where we left off?" she asked with a wink. Regal growled and scooped her up into his arms, taking large strides towards the master bedroom. Harper giggled as he nipped at her neck she swore he was practically purring. 

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