The Misguided Confession

Prologue

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Alim

Two Years Earlier.

Thank goodness that’s over.

Tarek Alim Kader stood on the pavement in London outside of the tall building which housed The Blackbird Security Firm. An old family friend had recently become romantically involved with the owners; his only niece had also begun dating another of the employees. He’d promised her he would pay a visit to them.

Crossing his arms over his chest, Alim waited for his driver to pick him up. Seconds later, he jolted forward when someone ploughed into his back. He spun around to steady the red-haired woman who he recognised as another former Royal Marine that now worked with the firm.

"Sorry." She sounded more annoyed than apologetic.

My apologies. Forgive me for so rudely obstructing the exit. He felt the strangest sensation when meeting her startling green eyes. Were you hurt?

Frowning when she failed to answer his question, Alim noticed her eyes straying up and down his body. He straightened his shoulders unnecessarily and barely managed to resist straightening his silk tie. He practically towered over her much shorter frame.

Elaine Gibbs.

It had taken him a moment to recall her name. They’d met several times, but never been formally introduced beyond a quick hello. He didn’t take her slightly uneasy silence personally. As an autistic, Elaine likely found his presence unsettling.

Will you accept my apology? He tried to keep his voice low and filled with concern.

She fluttered her hand at him, as if to bat away the words. It’s all right.

Alim couldn’t help noticing the green-and-gold tassel-covered holiday jumper she wore. How festive.

She gave a snort of obvious amusement, though her eyes still held the shadows of some sadness. I lost a bet. I’ve got to wear these things all month.

You don’t enjoy the Christmas spirit? Alim couldn’t help reaching over to touch one of the dangling tassels on her sleeve. What would you have received if you won the bet?

Peace and quiet. Elaine seemed to almost lean into his words. It reminded him strongly of his niece’s cat, Minxie. Peace. And. Quiet.

He glanced over his shoulder to find Ahmed, his security chief and driver had finally pulled up his Rolls-Royce. Would you care to have tea with me?

Tea?

Yes, tea. He found himself smiling brightly at her.

Tea? Her gaze dropped down to her jumper before shifting over to stare at his own immaculately tailored suit. With me? Why the bloody hell would you want to do a daft thing like that?

He held his arm out to her while being compelled to speak the unvarnished truth. Sometimes I find being surrounded by friends and family at the holidays to be the loneliest time of all. Please?

Elaine raised an eyebrow at him in clear disbelief. Tea’s fine, but you can stow the chivalry.

While she didn’t appear surprised by his chauffeur-driven car, Alim’s decision to take her to a rundown tea shop had certainly shocked her, given her slightly wide eyes and sudden speechlessness. He led her into the grungy building in Camden that looked more suited to life before The Blitz during the Second World War than anything else.

Mrs Witte rushed out to greet him, happily accepting his kiss on the cheek. He shook the hand of her husband warmly. The elderly couple guided them over to a private table, one he always used, in a quaint drawing room off the kitchen.

Friends of yours? Elaine asked once seated. She’d smiled when he’d barely resisted pulling her chair out for her.

Alim couldn’t help the rare flush on his cheeks. One rather dreary Christmas Eve after my father’s passing, I thought my heart might break from the sadness. Mrs Witte kindly invited me in for a soul-refreshing cup of tea. I’ve returned here every week since.

The lad’s leaving out an important titbit of our story. Mrs Witte shuffled into the room with a plate laden with all sorts of faerie cakes, sandwiches, and minced pies. She set it down on the table while her husband followed with the tea. He saved our little home when a project developer threatened to take it from us. We live above the shop, you see. It’s been in the family for so many years, but we’d fallen on hard times.

Elaine peered at him over her cup of tea, seeming to see him in a new light. Just a knight in shining Armani?

I’m a man who dislikes those who prey on others. Alim had never been one who enjoyed praise from others. He motioned towards the tray of food to divert the conversation. I’d recommend the minced pies as they tend to disappear.

The tea and the time evaporated far too rapidly for his liking. Alim had never been so drawn to a woman in his life. The quirky woman, who so clearly refused to allow a neurological difference to keep her from being herself, had captured his interest.

Can I— Alim paused with his fingers gripping the handle of the door leading out of the restaurant. I would be honoured to see you again.

I have to go to this sodding Christmas party at the bosses’ penthouse in a few days. Elaine shoved her hands into the pockets of her gaudy Christmas jumper. Doyouwannagowithme?

He blinked at the rapidly spoken question, unsure of what he’d heard. I’d love to go with you. Would you allow me to pick you up before the party? Or am I being too old-fashioned?

Prat. Elaine grinned at him, quite clearly pleased with his ability to roll with her eccentricities. In for a penny, in for a pound, you can pick me up at seven.

A year later...

An exhausted Alim had been bouncing from country to country, sorting out issues with several of their family businesses. He’d returned to London feeling utterly spent and decided to head out of the city to the estate he owned in Kent.

He’d missed Elaine. They’d been together steadily since their Christmas tea. Each date had further cemented his desire to have her in his life.

It had started out with meals after work or the occasional weekend excursion. Elaine disliked crowds, a fact that made dating complicated. He’d gone so far as to book out an entire convention as a surprise for Valentine’s Day.

The little quirks of Elaine’s tended to make others uncomfortable around her. Alim found them charming. It dragged him deeper into love than he’d ever imagined possible.

Travelling for an extended period had only reinforced it for him. He hadn’t been satisfied with phone conversations, particularly when Elaine hated them. Their attachment to each other had grown until they were far too intertwined to be apart for long. His niece, Alicia, had escaped to his home, but she wouldn’t mind him returning there. The house itself was large enough to allow her whatever privacy she wanted. Alim had no doubts Josh Withers would be with her. The man never seemed to leave his niece alone these days.

Striding through the front doors the butler opened for him, Alim paused at what sounded like an immensely large animal racing through one of the nearby rooms. He frowned at his butler, then froze at the loud roar that echoed through the mansion. His heart started to race while he grabbed one of the hunting rifles from a nearby cupboard and ran in the direction of the roar.

"No!"

Alim stopped short when his niece darted in front of what had to be the largest panther he could ever recall seeing. Alicia?

You can’t shoot him, Uncle. Alicia rested a hand lightly on top of the animal’s head. 

Him? Alim frowned at her with the weapon held tightly in his hand. Did Minxie suddenly grow while I was away?

Alicia laughed behind her hand for several minutes while the panther made what sounded like a grumbling sort of snarl. Play nicely, Joshua.

Joshua? Alim stumbled backwards as the dots started to connect in his mind. His arm fell to his side letting the weapon point harmlessly towards the floor. "How is this even possible? Is this a joke? I am not amused, Alicia."

Change, please? Alicia stepped to the right, and moments later, his niece’s tall lover was standing beside her. Isn’t it amazing, Uncle? His clothes come with him—just like magic.

How? Alim gripped the edge of the marble table behind him to keep himself on his feet. He placed the rifle on it to avoid any accidents and took a few deep breaths before focusing seriously on the couple before him. I want explanations from the both of you, and I would like them now.

He’s taking it better than you did. Josh grinned at Alicia and pointedly ignored the frustrated glare Alim sent him. You could offer tea or something. It’s going to be a long bloody conversation.

Alim pinched the bridge of his nose for a brief moment, then waved towards the door that led to one of the smaller rooms his family often used for meals together. Shall we?

"Uncle. Alicia lifted her perfectly sculpted eyebrows with a mischievous twinkling in her eyes. Lead on."

Alim took his niece by the elbow to guide her into the room with a snarling Josh at his back. He eased her down into a chaise lounge, then ordered tea from the butler hovering by the door. He turned towards the couple. "Now, you will explain everything to me. You will do it now, and then we will deal with this."

Over the course of two hours and several pots of tea spiked heavily with brandy, Josh gave Alim first, the abbreviated version of the history of the Blackbird Security Firm, and once pressed, the complete story. After, Alim dismissed the two with a wave of his hand and sat brooding in front of a roaring fire as he considered everything.

Two days went by with Alim barely functioning before he found himself outside Elaine’s flat, banging on her door at three in the morning. She seemed stunned to see him drenched from the rain, shivering and dishevelled. He gripped her door frame and stared unseeing down at her while attempting to put into words the question on his mind.

Are you a shifter? Alim followed Elaine inside her flat when she stepped backwards. She scurried off into a room down the hall and returned with a towel. My thanks. You haven’t answered my question. Are you able to change into a panther?

You saw Josh? Bloody wanker, Elaine grumbled.

Will you show me? Please?

Elaine paced in a small circle in her living room before finally nodding. Alim could only stare in shock when she morphed into a stunningly beautiful cougar before his eyes. The powerful animal stalked across the room to sit in front of him.

Crouching down beside her, Alim set the now damp towel to the side and reached up a tentative hand to brush his fingers through her fur. She shot up, with her paws on his shoulders, to knock him to the floor. He smiled when she stretched out beside him on the carpet with her head resting on his shoulder.

It seemed, in cougar form, Elaine was far more comfortable with him than she let on when she was human. Alim massaged the feline’s neck and shoulders. He relished the vibrating purr that emanated from deep within the animal’s chest.

Alim considered the worry he could feel, which he didn’t think was his own. He rested his hand on top of the cougar’s head. This changes nothing, Elaine. I hope I’m not over confident when I say I mean to have you always, and for you to have me.

His first meeting with Elaine had been straight out of a romantic comedy. They’d crashed into one another in the Blackbird offices days before Christmas. He could honestly say his interest had been piqued by the awkward redhead from the moment their eyes met.

He’d enjoyed the quiet appreciation she had shared with him over something as simple as tea. Her impressive strength in persevering through her difficulties had only served to endear her further to him. He had walked willingly into love, enjoying every second of the journey.

Now, if Elaine will only say yes to moving in with me—and maybe even marrying me.

Chapter One

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Ezekiel

Today

A quiet prayer.

A twisted soul.

And one misguided confession.

Forgive me, Father, for I have sinned.

Forgive me, Father, for I have sinned.

Forgive me, Father, for I have sinned.

Day in and day out, Father Ezekiel Harding used the Anglican faithful’s need for redemption to observe and to hoard away all their guarded secrets. He waited for those with weak wills he could exploit and manipulate, for anyone touched by an unclean nature. His order, the Knights Who Purge by Fire, took particular interest in fulfilling God’s will—ridding the world of the impurities—the holiest of callings.

He’d floundered for years amongst the other priests who never seemed to understand that God spoke to him in his darker moments. They failed to grasp the dire state of the world around them. So many souls were condemned to darkness; the fires would be a blessing for them in the end.

The unpredictable drunkard, Janice Williams, had stumbled into the confessional in his chapel for the first time in over a year; quite clearly a gift from above. Her unintelligible sobbing had eventually provided him with a clear message—her daughter was abnormal. Unnatural. A child she’d abandoned early in life, and she now felt immeasurable guilt about her actions or inactions.

The daughter had grown up with a family who’d given her a new name, Elaine Gibbs. She would never have come across his radar without direct and divine intervention. His new focus would be to learn all they could about her.

Father Ezekiel kindly offered her the only consolation available; his Knights would rid the sinner of her wickedness. Once again, God had provided him with a direction. They would test their mettle against this abomination.

God is good.

Chapter Two

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Elaine

Fucking. Bloody. Buggering. Wankers. You can all shove it up your arses, and I hope your bollocks shrivel up like prunes. Elaine launched her mobile phone across the room, where it made an impressive dent in one of the kitchen cabinets in her cramped flat situated on the edge of the charming and eclectic Fitzrovia neighbourhood in London. Shit. She’d be paying to fix that. Utter pillocks.

She chose not to consider how much of a ginger stereotype she was demonstrating. Breaking her cabinet hadn’t improved her mood. It only made it worse.

Up until a few months ago, Elaine had worked for the Blackbird Security Firm, a business ran by two alpha wolves she’d served with in Afghanistan. All the Blackbirds had been shifters working under Steven Samuels in a special ops unit for the Royal Marines, and she had transitioned out of military service after she’d been seriously injured in an explosion and joined their team.

The incident had left a permanent gulf in the group, as the men all seemed convinced she might shatter like fractured glass. She’d been happy enough though until the wankers lied to her face. They’d treated her like a sodding incompetent child, and then swanned off like it was nothing at all.

The firm had been working a case for a client, which Elaine should’ve been heavily involved in, both the research and in the field work. They had chosen, as a group, to instead sideline her and lie about the reasons. It had been one time too many for her, being left in the office like a sodding secretary to file her nails or some bloody shit.

As a cougar shifter, Elaine never felt the overwhelming compulsion to obey the alpha wolves’ orders. It had made quitting the firm and the pack simple,