Ciarra glared at the two men in the living room. Victor was bad enough, but the other guy made her skin crawl. That could be because of his looks, his hair was a dark algae green color and looked just as slimy, his skin had a green cast to it, not a 'I'm going to be sick' green but more of a pine green, his eyes were pitch black and when he talked she couldn't help noticing the sharp, narrow tongue. The other reason could be that he'd taken money from Steve to force her to go back home with the girls.

"Na, Creed, you're right, not worth tha pittance ta go back. 'Sides, Wanda's supposed ta be 'round these parts. I may go look her up." Toad was saying.

"You're never gonna learn." Victor grumbled. He wasn't very happy with her right now. She'd found him in the truck last night and insisted he come in out of the cold, now they were all stuck. There was at least five inches of snow on the ground and the radio, before they lost reception, said they were expecting at least three feet before the storm was over.

The two men had decided they were staying for the duration of the storm and nothing Ciarra could say was changing their minds. Victor had changed the mattress on the day-bed and set up a second crib in the bedroom with the girls so she didn't have to sleep with Mari, but she didn't like the idea of them sleeping in the living room with no door between the two rooms.

"You can take the couch, Warts." Victor said. "I'll take the old mattress on the floor." Ciarra was about to scream.

"Victor, can I have a word with you?" He just glared at her.

"What, Cub?"

She glared at Mortimer for a second, but Victor didn't get the hint. Finally she burst out.

"I didn't invite you two to stay, I am perfectly capable of taking care of me and the girls, and I don't need or really want to deal with men right now."

The stunned look on their faces was priceless, but the outburst of laughter that followed just made her even more angry.

"Men, did you hear that, she called us mmmenn." Toad was laughing so hard he fell off the couch.

"Well, fine, if you're going to make fun of me, cook your own damned dinner." She grabbed the bottle and sippy cup and stormed into the bedroom. Not having a door to slam ruined the effect.

XXXXXXXX

He stopped laughing as she stormed off to the bedroom. He wasn't sure if he should be complimented that she saw them as men not monsters, or insulted that she put them in the same category as her soon-to-be ex-husband. He glared at Toad, who stopped laughing.

"Is she really mad, I mean she is worth one hundred thousand dollars ta return ta him." Mort said.

"I think she was insulted by the amount." Victor said half lightheartedly.

The sudden smell of fear, and tears, along with the muffled sob made him get up and walk to the opening of the bedroom.

"What the hell is it, Ciarra?" He growled.

"I don't want you here, I really don't want him here. I'm scared, I've been through hell and the last thing I need is to entertain the damned gun for hire that took my husband's money to return me and the girls." He was surprised she was able to get it all out without breaking down.

He walked over to the day-bed and put one arm around her, pulling her roughly against his chest.

"Kid, one day you're going to figure out, I keep my word. Your grandfather made me promise to protect you, and if that means keeping Toad where I can see him and have some control over the situation, I'm gonna do that. I'd rather have him here, the devil I know, and can keep from doing something stupid, than have him running around out there, where I can't control the situation."

She looked up at him and nodded. She really could be reasonable, when she let go of the fear. For the first time in his life, he actually understood someone else's fear. Her soon to be ex-husband was not someone to trifle with, at least right now, when he was unpredictable.

His sources had found out that the man's parents were moving through both the US and Canada, searching for Ciarra and the girls. He'd done a background check on all three of them, the arrest warrant for Steve was still valid and the case was still considered unsolved as long as he remained at large. His parents were just about as bad, but they used money to cover up their laundry list of abuse complaints.

He realized he'd been stroking her hair, and the light snore told him she'd fallen asleep. He helped her settle on the new mattress, slipped off her shoes, and covered her with a blanket. Mari looked at him out of the new crib, and closed her eyes. Kiara was already asleep, but he adjusted her blankets and made sure she was in the middle of the old port-a-crib.

He didn't want Jonesey giving him hell about taking care of the kids. Sometimes he regretted letting that damned frail live, she'd been a thorn in his side since. He felt a smile on his face. He also liked the spirit she had, the pure guts, to not only get back on her feet after a run in with him, but to actually seek him out and make friends. She would be safe the rest of her life, just because she'd dared the impossible.

He looked over at Ciarra, who'd rolled onto one side, and taken half the blanket with her. He adjusted the blankets again. This was a cub that needed help, and healing, and if anyone could do both, it was Jonesey. He just hoped to hell, when the busy body found out his plans, she'd be smart and stay out of it.

The frail was his, lock, stock, and approved by her grandfather, and there was no way in hell he was going to let Jonesey stop him from claiming what belonged to him when this shit with her soon to be ex-husband was over. It was the best way to protect her, and the cubs, and he was starting to like the frail, not just in a drag her off to the nearest cave and fuck her brains out kind of way, because, despite all outward appearances, he was definitely looking for that cave, but because she had guts, and gumption, and determination to protect her cubs.

This was a frail that could be his mate, that could bear him cubs of his own. Hell he was even getting attached to her cubs, something he'd never done in his entire life, with the exception of Jimmy.