Page 22 of Tamed By the Lion Freak

"Let it go. That life is behind you now."

She bristled at his tone. "I can't just forget everything, Leo. Those lions belong to me."

"To you or to the circus?" The question hung in the air between them, heavy with implication.

Kitty turned back to the computer screen, unable to meet Leo's gaze. "I have an idea.”

"Why do I get the feeling I’m not going to like your idea?” There was an edge to Leo's voice now.

"I've been thinking about making a deal with Madame Noir."

Leo went very still beside her. "What kind of deal?"

"To bring Brutus back." The words tumbled out in a rush. "To bring all of my lions to the Twisted Carnival so I could have them here with me."

"No."

“If I could do that, it would make me complete. I could start over with a clean slate.”

"Absolutely not."

"You can't forbid me from..."

"I can, and I am." Leo's eyes flashed dangerously. "You have no idea what you'd be getting into.”

"Maybe it's worth it," Kitty shot back, her voice rising. Other patrons were starting to look their way, but she didn't care. "You don't understand. Brutus was more than just an animal to me. He was my partner, my friend. And because of Marco's deceit and the actions of one stupid man, he died."

"What you’d be asking Madame Noir to do will cost you more than you could ever imagine."

“I don’t care.”

“You don’t even know what it would be.”

“Neither do you.”

“I know the price mirrors the deed. Someone might have to die to bring Brutus back. You might have to kill someone.”

Marco?Kitty hated him, but she didn’t want him to die. She certainly didn’t want to murder anyone. She shook her head. “You don’t know that. Only Madame Noir knows what she’ll need for the miracle. I’ll ask her before I agree to anything. If I don’t like the terms, I’ll just say no.”

“It’s not that easy. She has a way of making the repulsive seem reasonable. I can’t let you do this.”

"You don't get to make that decision for me," Kitty snapped. She stood up abruptly, nearly knocking over her chair. "I need some air."

Without waiting for a response, she stormed out of the cafe, the bell above the door jangling discordantly in her wake. Marco had tried to control her too. Tell her what to do. It was bullshit then and it was bullshit now.

The bright sunlight outside was jarring after the dimness of the cafe. Kitty strode down the sidewalk, her mind whirling with conflicting emotions. She was so lost in thought that she didn't notice the young man with the camera until she collided with him.

"Oh, sorry," the man said, steadying his camera. Of course he was wearing a “Justice for Brutus” T-shirt. “Holy shit. You’re her.”

"I'm sorry, I don't..."

But the man was already talking a mile a minute, angling the camera to capture both of them in the frame. "I’m here with Kitty Wylde, the trainer who couldn’t control Brutus, causing the death of a man.”

“He didn’t die,” Kitty said exasperated. He had gotten mauled pretty bad, though.

“You should have been able to control him.”

He was right, of course. “It’s complicated.”

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