Beneath the Skin: de La Vega Cats, Book 3 Read Online Free Page A

was his next oldest brother, Silvio.”
    Imogene, warming to the story, took Gibson’s hand before she continued. “Silvio had an eye for the ladies.” She rolled her eyes. “Legendary, even for a de La Vega male. He began to court one of the cats in the jamboree.”
    “Oh uh oh, I can see where this is going.” Kendra shook her head.
    Imogene nodded. “Indeed. Lettie was one of the most beautiful women in Boston in her day. Still packs a punch in her seventies. Lettie’s parents went to Silvio’s family, the alpha pair, and demanded they either make him back off or get serious about their eighteen-year-old daughter. Who he got pregnant.”
    Gibson sighed. He really hated this story. He wondered if Lettie was Mia’s grandmother or great aunt? Wondered too, what she had been raised to think about his family.
    “Of course he had to marry her. It wasn’t so long ago that a boy who got a girl pregnant would marry her because that’s what you did. Especially in a tight-knit shifter community. Wedding plans went forward, but a month before the date Lettie lost the baby. But they didn’t cancel the wedding. He made his bed and he made it with a young woman he got pregnant. Cesar’s father was beyond old school. He was an old-school shifter. The day of the wedding arrived and the church was full. Full of everyone but Silvio and one other cat, a female by the name of Charlotte.”
    Kendra’s features left no doubt just how outrageous she thought Silvio’s actions were. “He left her at the altar? Please don’t tell me he went to Vegas to marry Charlotte.”
    “Not Vegas. But he ran off with her for several weeks, and when they came back, they were married and she was pregnant with the first of three children she gave him before he imprinted on yet another female he ran off with for good. Abandoning his wife and kids back here.”
    Kendra shook her head slowly. “Wow, that sort of is a scandal. So the Porters clearly hate the de La Vegas for a reason, though Silvio isn’t here anymore.”
    “It gets worse. He and Charlotte spent a great deal of time talking poorly of Lettie when they returned. Charlotte, who I do like, couldn’t ever really get past her jealousy of Lettie, so she was quite unpleasant on that subject. The Porters pulled back, though they never left the jamboree entirely. They attend major gatherings and answer all the calls made. But they don’t do anything more than what is required. Jorge made amends with them I know, but there’s an enmity to this day.”
    “Whatever the current state of de La Vega, Porter drama, Mia carried me back to her apartment and saved my life. Quick thinking.”
    “Cesar and I plan to thank her ourselves. She did a great service to this jamboree and to my family.”
    He barely managed to keep his cringe inside. “I don’t know if she’s going to like that.”
    “It was two generations ago. Ridiculous to be held back by that man whore Silvio’s dastardly deeds.” His mother waved lazily. She’d clearly made her mind up, and he had nothing to do but hope it went all right.
    He tried to push to stand, but his mother put a restraining hand on his shoulder. He reined in his impatience and squeezed her hand. “I need to get back out there. I want these cats found and dealt with. Nobody shoots me and walks away without a lot of pain.”
    Imogene simply kept her hand in place, one brow arching.
    “You’ll do no such thing. You will nap for three hours at the very least, and you’ll do it here so we can keep an eye on you.” Renee stood and Galen sent Gibson a look.
    The look told him he was on his own.
    He gave Renee a smile and cocked his head a little. “ Bebe , really I’m fine.”
    “No you aren’t.” Her response made him frown. This is what love got you. Bossy women. He had enough bossy women in his life but his brothers kept bringing more home.
    Renee waved away his expression. “You have silver in your system. It’s a poison, remember? You need to