Bought by the Puma (Studly Shifters Book 1) by Ashley Hunter Read Free Book Online
Authors: Ashley Hunter
him away. She needed to think clearly and she wasn't going to be accused of jeopardizing anything.
"I think it's going to get jeopardized without my help. It's about to get very personal for you."
"What are you talking about?"
Whitney indicated the camera in his hand.
"Take a look. Last picture."
Simon lifted the camera and scrolled to the pictures Whitney had already shot. She could tell when he got to the ones with Natalya embracing Grattidge because his face went white. But Whitney resisted the urge to reach out and hold him, planting her hands on her hips as she glared at him.
"I think you've something more important to worry about than me jeopardizing your work."
Chapter 5: Love With the Enemy
Simon couldn't believe it. Natalya was engaged with Grattidge? This didn't seem real. But it was there on Whitney's camera - they knew each other and very intimately, judging from the kiss they were sharing.
How had they managed to meet? Natalya worked in human resources but Grattidge wouldn't have needed her professional services. They didn't even go in the same circles. Yet the woman he used to love was now with the man he had been assigned to get rid of.
Whitney was right. This was going to get personal.
If he let it.
After calling John to take Whitney back to the cottage, Simon had virtually dragged Whitney down the street to John's car. Whitney tried to fight him, saying she wanted to stay, but Simon wasn't having any of it. He warned her if she argued with him or did her antics again, she would be going to jail. He considered her lucky that he wasn't going to throw his mate in prison.
The threat of being arrested had shut Whitney up, although she was clearly not happy with the incident. She had got into John's car without arguments and then Simon went back to the restaurant, sitting at one of the outside tables. From there, he could clearly see Grattidge and Natalya in a booth, sitting on the same side and talking intimately between them.
Simon felt the anger grow as he sat there but he bottled it up as a young waitress took his order of coffee and brought it to him, pretending to read the newspaper left on his table while he waited.
Natalya didn't know what he really did for a living and she didn't know he was a shifter. But, nonetheless, this felt like a stab at him to get back at him for ending their relationship. She seemed to be sticking two fingers up at him to goad him.
It was childish and Simon knew it wasn't true but it still swam around in his head. He needed to talk to Natalya. While he didn't love her anymore, some part of him still cared, even after what she did to him. She didn't deserve to be dragged into this.
If only there was a way to talk to her without Grattidge about.
Then he saw his chance. Grattidge stood and kissed Natalya on the cheek before moving to the back of the restaurant, heading down a hall that had a sign pointing to the restrooms. Putting his newspaper down and leaving a hefty tip for the waitress, Simon entered the restaurant and made his way to Natalya's table.
"Hey, Nat."
Natalya looked up. She still looked good, maybe even better than she had been when they were together. Her eyes widened.
"Simon! What are you doing here?"
"I was going to ask you the same thing."
Simon slid into the booth opposite her and waited. He saw Natalya frown and sniff a little. Then her eyes narrowed.
"You lied to me." She accused.
"About what?"
"You're a shifter. You never told me."
How did she know that? Natalya was human. Simon decided not to try and bluff.
"I was going to tell you the night I caught you in George's bed."
"Bullshit." Natalya jabbed a finger at him. "I told you to tell me everything up front and you didn't."
"What would you have done if I'd told you at the start?" Simon shot back. "Walk away? Or run away?" He saw the answer in Natalya's expression and shook his head. "I thought so. That's why I didn't say
"I think it's going to get jeopardized without my help. It's about to get very personal for you."
"What are you talking about?"
Whitney indicated the camera in his hand.
"Take a look. Last picture."
Simon lifted the camera and scrolled to the pictures Whitney had already shot. She could tell when he got to the ones with Natalya embracing Grattidge because his face went white. But Whitney resisted the urge to reach out and hold him, planting her hands on her hips as she glared at him.
"I think you've something more important to worry about than me jeopardizing your work."
Chapter 5: Love With the Enemy
Simon couldn't believe it. Natalya was engaged with Grattidge? This didn't seem real. But it was there on Whitney's camera - they knew each other and very intimately, judging from the kiss they were sharing.
How had they managed to meet? Natalya worked in human resources but Grattidge wouldn't have needed her professional services. They didn't even go in the same circles. Yet the woman he used to love was now with the man he had been assigned to get rid of.
Whitney was right. This was going to get personal.
If he let it.
After calling John to take Whitney back to the cottage, Simon had virtually dragged Whitney down the street to John's car. Whitney tried to fight him, saying she wanted to stay, but Simon wasn't having any of it. He warned her if she argued with him or did her antics again, she would be going to jail. He considered her lucky that he wasn't going to throw his mate in prison.
The threat of being arrested had shut Whitney up, although she was clearly not happy with the incident. She had got into John's car without arguments and then Simon went back to the restaurant, sitting at one of the outside tables. From there, he could clearly see Grattidge and Natalya in a booth, sitting on the same side and talking intimately between them.
Simon felt the anger grow as he sat there but he bottled it up as a young waitress took his order of coffee and brought it to him, pretending to read the newspaper left on his table while he waited.
Natalya didn't know what he really did for a living and she didn't know he was a shifter. But, nonetheless, this felt like a stab at him to get back at him for ending their relationship. She seemed to be sticking two fingers up at him to goad him.
It was childish and Simon knew it wasn't true but it still swam around in his head. He needed to talk to Natalya. While he didn't love her anymore, some part of him still cared, even after what she did to him. She didn't deserve to be dragged into this.
If only there was a way to talk to her without Grattidge about.
Then he saw his chance. Grattidge stood and kissed Natalya on the cheek before moving to the back of the restaurant, heading down a hall that had a sign pointing to the restrooms. Putting his newspaper down and leaving a hefty tip for the waitress, Simon entered the restaurant and made his way to Natalya's table.
"Hey, Nat."
Natalya looked up. She still looked good, maybe even better than she had been when they were together. Her eyes widened.
"Simon! What are you doing here?"
"I was going to ask you the same thing."
Simon slid into the booth opposite her and waited. He saw Natalya frown and sniff a little. Then her eyes narrowed.
"You lied to me." She accused.
"About what?"
"You're a shifter. You never told me."
How did she know that? Natalya was human. Simon decided not to try and bluff.
"I was going to tell you the night I caught you in George's bed."
"Bullshit." Natalya jabbed a finger at him. "I told you to tell me everything up front and you didn't."
"What would you have done if I'd told you at the start?" Simon shot back. "Walk away? Or run away?" He saw the answer in Natalya's expression and shook his head. "I thought so. That's why I didn't say
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