Free Let Us Prey: BBW Military Paranormal Romance (Wild Operatives, #2) by Vivienne Savage

going inside,” Leigh murmured to me. As she stepped toward the door, I grabbed her by the wrist and anchored her in place.
    “You don’t have to run from anyone, Leigh.”
    The elderly couple picked their way down the drive. Gloria walked with a cane these days, following a recent knee replacement surgery. Her husband was a brittle diabetic and just as poor in health. Their son, prior to his arrest for drug crimes, had been their sole caretaker.
    I had to wonder how either of them thought they could take care of a child. If not for a crooked judge, they wouldn’t have had a chance.
    “Hello, Mr. MacArthur. This isn’t a bad time, is it?”
    “No. We’re just finishing up. What can I do for you?”
    “We wanted to apologize to Leigh for what’s happened. Your visit gave us a chance to talk and come to our senses. Thank you, young man.”
    I was hardly as young as I appeared. The magic flowing through my veins slowed aging. We didn’t live more than a decade or two longer than most humans, but we looked better during our lifetimes. So did our bonded mates.
    “We don’t want to take it to court, now that we know you’ll be here to help Leigh. I... we can’t use Sophia to replace Dennis. He’s gone now. There’s no bringing him back, and he made his decisions,” Gloria said.
    “Where’s Leigh so we can tell her in person?” Richard asked.
    Leigh stepped out from behind my vehicle. “I’m right here.”
    “Leigh, we’re sorry. We were so carried away with our pain. And after Dennis died, we just lost sight of what was best for Sophia. He wouldn’t have wanted this. He wouldn’t have wanted all of us fighting this way.”
    I glanced at the open backseat and saw a rear-facing child seat. Sophia was with them of course, her wide-eyed features alert and aware of her surroundings.
    “Do you mean I can see her now? Right now?”
    The older man nodded. Without another word, Leigh dashed for the car and slid in beside Sophia. I watched with a smile on my face.
    “You did the right thing,” I told them both as Leigh reconnected with her daughter. Those sporadic, monitored visits to their home hadn’t been enough.
    “We made contact with the social worker. We can’t leave her here with Leigh just yet, not legally, but you’re both welcome in our home at any time until we hear back from Mrs. Johnson.”
    “Thank you, Mrs. James. Have you set a date and time for Dennis’ funeral?”
    The older woman nodded. They only had about a decade on me, but the vast differences in our appearance came as a benefit of my shifter traits and healthier lifestyle. “We plan to put him to rest Saturday afternoon. We’d like it if both of you came.”
    “Of course.” I hoped Leigh didn’t disapprove of my agreement.
    I invited the couple inside my home for coffee while Leigh bonded with her child in the living room. We gave her complete freedom from our prying eyes and stayed clear. She didn’t need a monitor. She wouldn’t harm Sophia.
    “Cream, sugar?” I asked. A little friendly interaction went a long way, and despite the minor difference in our ages, I treated them with the same respect I’d give my gram.
    “Yes, please,” Gloria answered.
    “If you don’t mind my asking, Mr. MacArthur, how old are you?”
    “Ian, please. And no, I don’t mind. I actually get this a lot. I’ll be fifty-four next month.”
    Their eyes bugged. I’ve heard every kind of joke, from having great genes to having the same physical fitness trainer as Brad Pitt. I didn’t look my age and I never would.
    “Well, you sure don’t show it,” Gloria commented.
    A sweet soprano drifted from the living room into the kitchen. The lullaby was a familiar tune, but I’d never found it particularly pretty until now.
    “Is that Leigh?”
    “It is. You didn’t know she could sing?”
    “She never talks about singing. She only told me she likes to hear the choir at church.” We had talked about volleyball, her sports injuries, and