Complication: BBW Paranormal Shape Shifter Romance (Shifters Forever After Book 1) Read Online Free PDF Page A

custodial rights. There seemed to be no doubt that the little shifter called Dominic was Marti’s son as well as Kozlov’s grandson. That wasn’t in dispute.
    The dispute was that Fedor Kozlov wanted full custody of his grandson when Dominic had a mother who was more than competent and loving.
    Fedor Kozlov claimed his son had gone to Bear Canyon Valley. Credit card charges substantiated that claim, but the investigators Kozlov had sent there had been able to find no one who had witnessed Vey’s presence there.
    The SSC couldn’t charge Tanner Navarro with an unsubstantiated crime; they didn’t operate that way. So Fedor Kozlov’s assertions of murder had fallen flat.
    Laken had studied Tanner Navarro, and the way he watched Marti and Dominic. His bear glowed amber in the depths of his eyes, and though her panther found his bear honorable, there was something that pricked at Laken’s nerve endings. She believed that Tanner Navarro wouldn’t hesitate to kill to protect his mate and her son.
    And I don’t blame him.
    No, she didn’t blame him, and she envied Marti Lee for having found a good man. A man who would do that for her.
    A small sigh escaped from her lips and her shoulders slumped forward. She and the rest of the judges would have to vote on these people’s futures. As cantankerous as she found the old man to be, she still felt pity for him. He didn’t know where his son was, and he had no relationship with his grandson.
    Laken looked at Benedict Morris and Dale Carver. Benedict was older; perhaps he had experience in cases like this.
    “What do you think?” she asked.
    “I’m a father,” Benedict said. “And a grandfather. I can’t imagine not seeing my grandkids.”
    “There’s no reason to take that child away from his mother, but maybe we could arrange for visitation?” Dale asked.
    “Mr. Kozlov wasn’t willing to negotiate terms of that nature. He said it was all or nothing,” Benedict reminded him.
    Laken shook her head. “I can’t see myself agreeing to that.”
    “I can’t see myself agreeing to a grandfather never seeing his grandchild.” Benedict closed the file in front of him.
    That was how the day was spent. The three of them in one room, lunch delivered at the halfway point, until six o’clock rolled around.
    There was no majority decision.
    One for.
    One against.
    One undecided.
    David Partlay poked his head in. They gave him the bad news.
    “We’ll meet in the morning. Eight o’clock. I hope we have resolution by then. Please spend the evening thinking about the matter.” He left the room.
    “Let’s not drag this hearing out any more.” Dale frowned as he followed David out the door. “I don’t want to spend my holidays locked up with you two trying to sort this out.” He laughed, a sheepish grin on his face. “Nothing personal.”
    Yeah, as if this is how I want to spend my Cozumel vacation.
    Her mind went back to Ky. Had he talked to David Partlay? David hadn’t acted odd, but still…

8
    K y and the rest of the involved parties had been dismissed. The judges had no decision yet, so they’d all have to return in the morning.
    So much for simple.
    David threw an apologetic look his way.
    Not that it mattered much to Ky; this was what he got paid for. Except that it added to the time he’d have to wait to have dinner with Laken.
    He returned to his place and stripped, then pulled a t-shirt over his head.
    The doorbell rang.
    Just when he was relishing a night alone, a night without the push-and-pull of the hearing. He wanted to revisit his time with Laken. Something seemed so different about her now. He also felt bad about asking her to dinner like that—as if he were exhorting her to have dinner in exchange for his silence. He needed to talk to her. He couldn’t have her thinking he was like that.
    The doorbell chimed again.
    “Alright, alright.” Fuck. Enough already. I’m coming. He opened the door. “Isaac. Where’ve you been?”
    The dark circles