Another bond stretched between the two of them and the new life inside Carly. Tiger let out a protective growl. The Shifter Bureau could never get his cubs.
Tiger would not let his cubs—anyone’s cubs, for that matter—live through the hell he had. No cages, no needles, no shocks, no experiments. He might die trying to save them, but that didn’t matter. He would make sure his cub would live and grow up like the other cubs in Shiftertown—safe, protected, happy.
As the sun climbed, Carly woke and stretched. She gave Tiger a quick kiss on his cheek, then rummaged in the cooler Walker had brought and pulled out a bottle of water, droplets of moisture clinging to it. Carly offered it to Walker and to Tiger, who both declined, then she opened the bottle herself and drank.
Tiger watched her lips purse over the bottle’s mouth, her throat move in her swallow, her eyes close as the cool water slid over her tongue. Tiger clenched his fist and made himself only watch, not touch.
Carly waved her hand in front of her face. “I bet it’s already ninety out there. Been a while since this truck’s AC has had a tune-up, I’m guessing.”
“Probably,” Walker said. “Open the window.”
“I might. When I’m hot enough to put up with swallowing half the dust of Texas.”
Tiger hadn’t noticed the temperature, but Carly was perspiring. He’d never had to worry about another person before. If he let her stay with him, would she be cool enough where they ended up? Or warm enough? Safe enough? Comfortable? Happy? Would their cub be?
Carly rested her head on his shoulder again. “You look like you’re thinking deep thoughts.”
“I want to take care of you,” Tiger said. “Hoping I know how.”
Carly patted his arm. “Don’t you worry about that. I’m very good at taking care of myself. I’ve had a pretty good sleep, Walker. I can drive when you need a rest.”
“Thanks,” Walker said. “I’ll take you up on that in a little while.”
“I’m not tired,” Tiger said.
“Mmm.” Carly slanted a glance up at him. “You know how to drive?”
He hesitated. “Connor was teaching me.”
“I see.” Another pat, this one on his chest, and she left her hand there. “I think Walker and I should handle it.”Tiger liked that she didn’t move her hand from over his heart. She leaned her head on his shoulder, continuing to drink the water, her tongue coming out to wipe it from her lips.
Tiger leaned to kiss her, licking the moisture from her mouth. She smiled when they broke apart, and the need inside Tiger threatened to choke him.
They drove on. Tiger checked behind them constantly, as did Walker. No cars followed, no flashing lights appeared, and no police vehicle they passed, waiting for speeders, paid them any attention. Walker drove calmly, not going too fast but also not being overly cautious, which would also attract attention. The man would make a good Shifter.
Carly insisted on stopping at a rest area where she could use the bathroom, countering the two males’ annoyed stares by saying she didn’t have outdoor plumbing and couldn’t pop behind the nearest bush. Not that there were many out here anyway, and she had no intention of getting foot-long stickers in her privates.
Tiger hated every second she was out of his sight in the restroom. He didn’t relax until she came out, purse over her shoulder, and walked briskly again to the SUV.
Carly took over driving then, competently steering onto the freeway. Walker rode in front with her, both he and Carly wanting Tiger to stay in the back. He was too big and too conspicuous, Walker said, even if he hid his multicolored hair under the baseball cap.
“Will you really be court-martialed?” Carly asked Walker. “Are you—what’s the term—AWOL?”
“No, I had some leave coming. I won’t be AWOL for a week. But unless I can convince whoever tries me that Sheldon is a cruel bastard and endangered people’s lives, they might decide to make an example of me.”
“I’m sorry.” Carly sounded sad. “You shouldn’t have gotten dragged into this.”
“Doesn’t matter. I believe in doing what I think is right.” Walker shrugged bulky shoulders. “I’ve had a good run.”
“You can’t be much older than I am.”
“You grow up fast doing what I do.”
As Tiger listened, a recently learned emotion welled up inside him, one he’d never experienced in the research lab. Tiger had felt something like it for Iona when he finally realized she meant to release him from the research building and let him go, and again for Liam for taking him in and giving him a home. He felt it also for Connor for trying to teach Tiger how to live in the world. Now for Walker for helping at a cost to himself.
Tiger had a word now to put to the feeling: gratitude.
“Take this exit,” Walker told Carly as a green sign loomed up. “No more easy freeway.”
Carly smoothly steered off the road and followed Walker’s instructions to turn left onto the empty, narrow road at the end of the ramp. This road, a little rougher, no shoulder beyond the white stripe at its edge, stretched straight and long southward, going as far as Tiger could see.
They were still on this road as the sun moved slowly westward, but they’d left behind flatlands for small mountain ridges that hugged the horizon and made the road bend around them. Carly had switched with Walker again, but she remained in the front, her sunglasses on against the glare.