Free Claimed By The Lion: A BBW Paranormal Shapeshifter Romance Standalone (BBW Romance, BBW Shifter Romance, BBW Paranormal Romance, Paranormal Shapeshifter Romance) by Laura Sexton Page A

too bad. Her rose gold hair still had the luster from when she dyed it, and her blue eyes still were just as blue as the last time she saw them. The purple of the bruises actually accentuated her eyes, she thought.
    As long as she was safe, she wasn’t going to worry about how she looked. She’d take her battle scars in stride.
    With that, she exited the room and crept down the hall. She heard a soft male voice talking downstairs, though the enormity of the house made her feel as though she wouldn’t be able to find him. She decided to just follow his voice and hope for the best. That led her downstairs to a large, open concept room with high heelings and gorgeous accents. She marveled at the room as the man’s voice stopped.
    “You’re up then,” he said, standing from his place on a large white, leather couch. He had files before him and seemed to be making dictations on a tape recorder he still held in his right hand. “How are you feeling?”
    She shrugged and smiled, admiring his natural goldish, sandy hair, handsome face, and strong body. “I’m feeling pretty okay. A little sore, admittedly. Thank you so much for helping me.”
    He nodded, but didn’t seem at all interested. Seeing her in the daylight, he noticed that she looked quite a mess with all the bruises and injuries. “You can stay here for a few days so I know you’ve stabilized. I’ve talked with my lawyer to set up some money for the damages I caused. I would suggest, though, not running through the street at night. It’s not smart.”
    “Yeah, I normally wouldn’t be doing that. I do appreciate you letting me stay here though.”
    “It’s the least I can do. Let me know if you feel any pain or feel out of the ordinary. You seemed fine, if not a bit beaten up.”
    She nodded. “Is there um… anything I can do for you?”
    “Just stay out of my way. I have a lot of work to get done in a short time period, and I don’t need the distraction. If you’re hungry, the kitchen is that way. There’s a cook who comes in and prepares meals - I just have to heat them up. He leaves instructions on them, so as long as you can read, you should be fine.”
    “Okay. Thanks.”
    He nodded and went back to his work. He hadn’t planned on having any visitors and was not at all fond of it. The woman gave a small smile - which he didn’t notice - and went to the kitchen for some food. Her stomach grumbled - she felt like she hadn’t eaten in days. He watched her go from the corner of his eye. He hoped she wouldn’t eat him out of house and home. He wasn’t in the mood for that.
    The man avoided the woman for two days. The woman tried to introduce herself to him, but he didn’t seem interested. On the third day, she came down the stairs to get some breakfast, then noticed him, again, on the couch with some work. She figured she’d be pleasant with him, but the look on his face spoke volumes.
    “Good morning,” she greeted. “You know, I never got to introduce myself. My name is Juliet.”
    He stood, “I didn’t know you were still here. I figured you’d be gone by now.”
    “Well, you said I could stay a few days and…”
    “It’s been a few days. I’d like it if you left, please.”
    She started to cry, which threw him off slightly, “Please, please don’t make me leave! I know you have a lot of work to do, but I can help you! I… I can clean, I can cook, I can…”
    “I have a cook. And I don’t really need a maid.”
    “Please. I can’t go back home. They’ll kill me. Just let me explain…”
    “I really don’t have time for your long, melodramatic story right now. I have a lot of work to do…”
    “Please.”
    The woman, Juliet, continued pleading and crying, begging him to let her stay. All of it was starting to make him uncomfortable, as though he was the one who caused her the injuries. It was starting to bum him out, and he felt like he was having such a good day with the expectation of her gone.
    “Fine, you can