Chapter 22 - The Bait
As Cat lay next to a sleeping Trey, she was looking at the bracelet that Sergeant Brooks had given her to wear. It seemed so insignificant in the greater scheme of things. The bracelet could save her if someone kidnapped her. However, if they took the bracelet off, it would be worthless.
"What's got you worried, kitten?" Cat jumped at Trey's question. She hadn't realized he'd woken up. She rolled over in his arms until she faced him and leaned against his chest.
"I'm scared. If something happens, I don't like this bracelet being my only lifesaver. What if it malfunctions or someone takes it off? There would be no way for you to find me." She felt her tears begin to fall, not because she was scared of Leo or someone else. That fear she had lived with her entire life. She was crying because she couldn't imagine being away from Trey.
When he saw her crying, it felt like someone had punched him in the chest. The last thing he wanted was for her to think he wouldn't be able to protect her. He held her tightly, and Atlas began purring.
"I won't let anyone get near you, so there's no chance of anyone taking you. Look at me." She looked at him with her tear-stained face, and he felt his heart break a little more.
"I've never depended on anyone but myself. I trust you to keep me safe, but after such a long time of not trusting anyone, it's hard to let go of that control. It terrifies me that Leo is offering an award for people to hunt me down like an animal. I would be hiding far away if there weren't children involved. Please promise me you won't leave my side until they catch Leo and the others. I was in a dark place before I met you, and now I'm seeing a glimmer of light. I don't want to go back into the darkness."
Cat clung to Trey, wishing they could stay in bed until Leo was locked up. She was worried not only for her safety but for Trey's as well. What if someone hurt him trying to get to her?
"I won't let you go into the darkness ever again. I will make sure you have nothing but light and happiness from now on." He leaned down and kissed her lips softly. She felt some of her fear slipping away, but not entirely. It would take Leo being behind bars for it to go away completely.
"How do they plan on using me as bait? All I can think about is what you see on the TV where they lay a piece of meat out and see what animal comes to get it. Am I going to be like that piece of meat?" Cat knew she sounded ridiculous, but this had been weighing her mind.
"Actually, it's close to that, but I'll be with you. You and I will go out to eat, to the store, or just for a walk. The goal is to get as many eyes on us as possible. Someone from my team will constantly be watching for anyone that looks suspicious. I don't always carry a gun, but I will now so I can protect you if needed. Do you think you're up for going out to breakfast this morning?"
Trey wouldn't make her do anything she wasn't ready for. If she said she wanted to stay in bed all day and start going out tomorrow, he would lock the door to keep the others away.
Cat thought about what he said. She felt better knowing he would be carrying a gun and someone from his team would be following them, as long as it wasn't Caleb. Even though she didn't want to go out, she thought it was probably better to get this done as soon as possible rather than drag it out.
"Alright, we can go out for breakfast. I don't know the restaurants around here because I never eat out. I don't typically order take-out either because I don't like letting strangers into the building." She ran her fingers over Trey's muscles liking the hardness she felt under his warm skin. It reminded her how strong her werelion man was.
"I know this part of Sacramento pretty well. My apartment is only a few minutes from here." Trey tried to keep his body under control from Cat's rubbing. She caused a reaction in him that made him lose his mind.
"You don't live far from here? Do you mean you've been close to me all these years, and our paths never crossed? Although, before I was forced to be alone with you, even if you walked right up to me, I wouldn't have seen you. I was basically a human shell, not really living, only taking up space."
Cat spoke quietly, thinking about how she was a completely different person than she had been just a little over a week ago. Now she was in a relationship with a man she was already in love with. That man was also a werelion who would eventually turn her into a werelion. She suddenly couldn't control her laughter from the ridiculousness of everything.
Trey stared in disbelief as Cat started laughing so hard she had tears in her eyes. He didn't know what was funny, but hearing her laugh made him want to laugh with her.
"Are you planning on letting me in on the joke, or are you keeping it to yourself?" Asked Trey in amusement.
"I was thinking how everything has changed so fast. Two weeks ago, I was all alone, and now I'm in love with a werelion. Not only that, but I'm going to be a werelion too. Can you imagine if I told any of this to someone? They would have me committed." He started laughing with her.
"You're right. No one would believe you. I can't wait to make you my lioness. Atlas wants me to mark you now so he can meet her, but we should wait until after we catch Leo. That way, we can go away while you adjust to the changes."
"Okay, let's wait. It'll be nice to go somewhere with you for fun. I haven't left Sacramento since I moved here other than our little trip to Truckee. Are you ready for breakfast? I want to take a quick shower first." Cat jumped out of bed and headed for the closet feeling better than she had just a few minutes ago.
"Yes, I'm ready for breakfast. I'll take a shower when you're done." Trey watched Cat come out of the closet, holding blue jeans and a red blouse. She had a smirk on her face.
"I think it will be faster if we shower together; just saying." With that, she walked into the bathroom and turned the water on. Trey sat on the side of the bed with his mouth open until Atlas told him to stop being a fool and go shower with their mate. He jumped up and ran to her.
After their not-so-quick shower, they were dressed and ready to go. Trey took Cat to the apartment down the hall where the others were staying so he could pick up his personal phone and the gun Brooks had kept for him.
They walked to a small cafe down the street from her apartment. There were tables outside where they decided to sit to increase the likelihood she would be seen. Ellie followed them this morning and sat on a bench pretending to read a book where she could keep watch.
Cat was having a hard time concentrating on the menu when all she wanted to do was look around to see if someone was looking at them. Trey moved his chair next to her so he could put his arm around her shoulders. She leaned against him, taking comfort in how safe he made her feel.
Once their food was delivered and they were busy eating, Cat started relaxing a little. She wasn't used to eating anywhere other than her apartment, so she was glad Trey was with her. She would never have the nerve to eat somewhere by herself. There were way too many people around.
While waiting for their bill, Cat saw a man walking down the sidewalk in their direction. She didn't know why but he looked familiar. He was tall and thin with dark grey hair. She looked at him discreetly as she tried to figure out where she knew him from when it finally came to her.
She almost dropped her glass of water as she started shaking. She felt a cold sweat come over her body as the tears started falling. She couldn't speak. The panic she was feeling threatened to take over. She gasped for air and thought she was going to pass out when she heard Trey calling her name.
Trey didn't know what to do when he first saw Cat turn pale and begin shaking. Then he heard her struggling to breathe and realized she was having a panic attack. He grabbed her in his arms and started saying her name, trying to bring her back to him.
Cat took deep breaths as she listened to Trey. She felt his arms around her and leaned into him, soaking in his warmth. Her shaking slowly started to subside, and everything became clear again. As she silently cried in Trey's arms, she remembered what had caused her to have this reaction.
She raised up and started looking around. She saw the man sitting with his back to them a few tables away. Before panicking again, she looked into Trey's eyes to regain her strength.
"What's wrong?" He saw her calming down, but he was concerned about what had caused this to begin with.
Cat kept taking deep breaths and holding onto Trey. She wanted to tell him about the man, but she had to make sure she could speak first. After a few minutes, she pulled him to her in a hug knowing she would only be able to whisper.
"Do you see that tall man with the grey hair in the black shirt with his back toward us?" Cat whispered in a trembling voice.
He looked around and saw the man she described sitting a few tables away. Trey watched him casually glance over his shoulder in their direction.
"Yes, I see him. Do you know him?" He was confused about where she would know this man from and why she was terrified of him.
"I know him from Indiana." Trey looked at the man again. Why would someone from Indiana other than Leo cause this fear in her?
"How do you know him?" As he asked the question, he heard Atlas growling in his head, knowing he wouldn't like the answer. Trey felt Cat hold him tighter, and she was slightly shaking again. Atlas began purring softly so only she could hear.
"He was a friend of Leo's. Trey, he was one of the men Leo forced me to be with."
