Page 20 of Where She Belongs

Movement caught the corner of his eye.

Something black and moving way too fast. It darted up a stack of boxes, causing the tower to topple right before it lunged straight for him.

He yelped, cursed, and stumbled back a few steps. His arms flailed and his phone clattered to the ground. Rylee called out to him and then her footsteps shuffled down the stairs.

A beam of light came from his phone, throwing a little light on the room, and he finally got the beast off his chest.

Tate glowered at the scrawny animal, holding it at arm’s length. “I think I found your intrud—” The rest of it cut off and his head came up as he whirled around. “Rylee, what in heaven’s name are you doing?”

The cat in his arms startled, yelped, and swiped at him before darting away. The sting of its claws on his hands was nothing to what happened in him at the sight of a hunting rifle pointed straight for him. “Will you lower your gat dang weapon?” he finally mustered.

She blinked, looked at the rifle, then offered him a shy smile. “Sorry. I thought you were in trouble.”

“Didn’t your father teach you never to aim that⁠—”

Rylee glowered at him. “My father taught me never to take aim unless I’m ready to shoot.”

He gaped at her. “You were going to shoot me?”

“Not you… not exactly,” she said the second part under her breath. “Just…” She threw up a hand in the air. “Never mind.” Then her eyes darted around the room. “What was that? Please tell me I don’t have rats.”

Tate brushed himself off, muttering, “No, you don’t have rats. And the reason for that is probably due to that cat.”

Her eyes lit up. “A cat?”

“Don’t sound so excited. It’s probably feral. I’m going to have to get checked for rabies. I’m pretty sure it bit me.”

“Oh, don’t be so dramatic.” Rylee leaned the rifle up against the nearest wall and crouched down. She made several clicking sounds before murmuring, “Here, kitty, kitty, kitty.”

“I don’t think that’s going to…” His eyes widened as the black furball inched out from its hiding place.

“Why, aren’t you just the most beautiful thing…”

Tate stood there in morbid fascination while the cat approached Rylee like they knew each other. That wasn’t possible. The cat wasn’t old by any means, but it wasn’t a kitten either. “You probably shouldn’t—” He sighed. It was part groan, but mostly exasperation. “I see we’re not going to be logical today.”

Rylee giggled. “She’s purring.”

“You don’t even know if she’s a she.”

“Oh, I know.” Rylee rose to her full height then glanced over to the fuse box. “Bad news, I take it?”

He sighed again. “Yeah. But I know a couple guys. I’ll see if one of them can stop by today.”

“You don’t have to⁠—”

His death-glare must have been plenty scary because she cut herself off before she finished her argument. Then he turned his dark look on the cat. “Please tell me you’re not going to keep that thing.”

“Who? Nightmare?”

He wrinkled his nose. “Nightmare?”

She laughed again when the creature rubbed its head into her chin. “Yeah, Nightmare. Only something that scary could make you scream like a little girl.”

Tate narrowed his eyes at her. “I didn’t scream like a little girl.”

Rylee shrugged as she turned. She reached for her rifle and headed for the stairs, leaving him alone.

He snatched his phone from the ground and followed her up. “Where did you get that rifle anyway?”