Page 112 of Bound by Love
Brie lifted up the heavy cat. “And Shadow is the one responsible. He totally deserves your love, Master Anderson.”
He laughed. “As long as Blacky doesn’t get too close to Cayenne, I can tolerate him. But that’sallhe’s getting out of me.”
Brie carried Shadow over to the guest bedroom—now Cayenne’s nursery.
As soon as she opened the door, Cayenne sniffed the air twice, her tail twitching back and forth as Brie put Shadow down. The two cats met halfway.
Cayenne sat down in front him. Shadow sniffed her while purring loudly.
“Oh my goodness, it’s like two long-lost lovers being reuniting,” Brie cooed, holding her hands to her chest.
The kittens seemed a little intimidated by the giant tomcat and kept their distance. It broke Brie’s heart, but she understood why. They had never met their father, and he was a daunting figure.
Master Anderson chuckled. “So, seems like the kittens are scared of him. Not a surprise. Sorry, young Brie, but I don’t think this is going to be the family reunion you were hoping for.”
The little calico that had licked Sir during their visit at the hospital was the first to cautiously approach Shadow.
“Naturally, she’d be the first to brave contact with the black bastard,” Master Anderson said, shaking his head in disbelief.
The large cat sniffed the calico for several moments before rubbing his cheek against her.
“And there he goes…marking his damn territory,” Master Anderson joked, trying to laugh it off, but Brie could tell it was actually making him uncomfortable.
Cayenne lay down beside Shadow, rolling onto her back and wiggling playfully as if she was a kitten herself. Instantly, the entire brood ran to her, a mass of furballs climbing and tumbling over each other.
To Brie’s amazement, Shadow stepped around Cayenne and sat down. She rolled next to him and meowed. With his two massive paws, he began kneading her shoulder area as if giving Cayenne a massage. It was the most loving thing Brie had ever seen, and both she and Shey murmured at the same time, “Aww…”
Master Anderson stared at the cats. “Well, I never.”
Sir wrapped his arm around Brie as he watched. “A father who looks after his woman is a man to be trusted.”
“I told you he missed her, Master Anderson,” Brie exclaimed happily.
He stood watching Shadow intently, as if he were in shock. “I can’t believe I’m saying this, but I agree, young Brie. Shadow deserved this visit.” He laughed when he told Sir, “Of course, I’m having Cayenne fixed after this.”
“That’s wise, Master Anderson. I’ve read that cats can go into heat just weeks after giving birth,” Brie informed him.
“Oh, hell!” Master Anderson cried. He looked at Shadow with distrust. “No unsupervised visits for you, old man.” He gave Brie a wary look. “Maybe he should go now.”
Brie giggled, smiling down at the feline couple. “Just look at them, Master Anderson. You can’t deny they have a special bond. I couldn’t bear breaking them up quite yet.”
Master Anderson looked to Sir for help. “Surely, you agree.”
“On the contrary, I find this quite unusual and…touching.”
Master Anderson brushed his hair back, chuckling to himself. “This is not how I saw this visit going.”
Shaking off his surprise, he asked Sir. “So, I’ve heard rumors that Baron and Captain have asked you to teach demonstration classes with Brie. Is that true?”
Sir inclined his head. “It is.”
“I’m extremely interested in hearing what they have planned. Why don’t we give these felines time to bond while you tell me more about Baron and Captain’s idea? The girls can watch over this Shadow character to ensure there are no more ‘surprises’ while we discuss it further over some soup.” Master Anderson winked at Brie as he walked out of the room with Sir.
Master Anderson knew how to effortlessly take care of his friends. It was a natural talent of his.
Brie took advantage of the time he’d given her to spend it with Shey while they watched Shadow interact with his little family.
Marquis had shared with Sir that a Blood Moon was eminent and advised him to make the effort to see it. “It is a remarkable sight. Truly inspiring.”
