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Having a panic attack was no joke and she hated them with a passion. So, she used the rules her grandfather made for the sanctuary as a way to stay as far as she could from the enclosures. However, in reality, she stayed away because of how she felt the minute she stepped foot inside. It killed her to stay away. Those were her cats and to not be able to be with them every day, well, depression took root. Yes, her parents forced her to talk about the event, but there was nothing like the comfort of a big cat to wash all the pain away. So, little by little, she'd try to see her most beloved big cats from outside. It never ended well though. The minute she'd spot one of the lions coming toward her, Scarlett would run from the fence line quicker than a cheetah chasing a rabbit. Today, was the first time in almost three years since she'd been inside the facility.

Kenny pushed open the metal door, allowing her the first glimpse into the cages they used for housing the animals at night and during the winter. All of them were empty except for one. Her breath came a little quicker with each step she took. Her heartbeat a wild tattoo. She couldn't run away this time. She had to face her fears no matter what. As she peered into the housing cell, three sets of small blue eyes peered up at her. Their tiny tiger bodies were laid out like their mother while peering up at her as if she were a curiosity or an oddity.

One meowed, causing their mother to lift her head and stare right at Scarlett. She froze. Fear ignited her fight or flight response. She had to get out of there. What if tigress got out? What if she lunged for Scarlett? What if the tigress blamed her for Jäger's death? Stupid, to even think such a thing, but for Scarlett, the question was part of the visceral reaction she had when any of the cats saw her. The animals, to her anyway, weren't witless. They were intelligent. They remembered the smells and tones of voice. They knew time as well. The tiger could very well eat Scarlett, finishing off what Jäger started twenty years ago. Instead, the tigress yawned, lowered her head and went back to sleep.

"All worked up for nothing," Kenny murmured. "You do fear these animals, don't you?"

Scarlett turned around and started back for her office. “I don’t have time for your nonsense.”

“You don’t want to see the lion cubs?”

She paused. “You’re acting like this is a good thing, Kenny. We are a sanctuary where animals come to rehabilitate and live out their remaining years. Not get treated like breeders.”

He held up his hands. “I already told you I agree with you, Scar. However, they’re here and we need to care for them. Maybe find them new homes when it’s time and deal with the fallout from the mating in an appropriate manner.”

He was right. Again.

She chalked her reaction up to being afraid. To be so close to the one thing she loved so much it almost resulted in her death. Scarlett didn't know how she'd get over her phobia, but she realized standing there, how much it affected her daily life. She'd built herself a cocoon and never came out again. She'd also relinquished the bulk of the decision making to Maisie and now, she regretted it. "Fine. Show me the lions."

Kenny grinned. “There’s the spark I’ve been waiting to see.”

She rolled her eyes and muttered, “I’ll show you spark.”

When they stepped into Fabien’s office, she’d seen the two sets of lion cubs as well. One belonged to Thadeus; a new lion from a neighboring town’s circus, which had been shut down by theHumane Societydue to the horrid conditions the animals were kept in, and Hera one of their older lionesses. The other set, according to Fabien one of their veterinarians, had been conceived before they received the lioness.

No one knew about it.

She called BS. Her sister arranged everything and part of the family protocol set up by their grandfather was to have a veterinarian check over every animal before it entered the sanctuary. Scarlett knew she sounded like a militant person when it came to the rules, but they were there for a reason. If the lioness was pregnant before she arrived, well Maisie should have known and taken it under advisement. But it wasn't here nor there now. The cubs were alive and thriving. All they could do now was provide support for them.

Once they’d received a full report on the baby lions and tigers, Kenny walked her back to her office. He stood at the doorway staring down at her with such an intense amber gaze, it stole her ability to breathe. The anticipation built between them, for what, she didn’t know, twisted her insides and she worried she’d melt into a pile of goo. This man, looming over her, left her a befuddled mess.

“Have drinks with me and the guys,” he murmured. “You should get out of here more. I think if you did, you’d heal.”

She frowned. “So I can be the laughing stock of this place? No thank you."

“No one is laughing at you, Scar.”

“No, you’re right. When they’re not laughing, they’re staring at me or giving me looks of pity.” She stepped away from him, needing the space to gather herself.

“No one does that either.” He stepped in front of her, stopping her in her tracks. “You’ve been treated as an outcast by your family—your sister—for so long, you’ve continued to oppress yourself on your own.” He traced the jagged line of her scar with his fingertip. “You’ve got a scar. Who cares? It’s a badge of honor.”

She snorted. “Do you know how many times doctors have said the same thing to me? Oh, I shouldn’t be ashamed. I survived. You didn’t lose your eye, so buck up. You and them, don’t have to deal with the constant whispers and sideways glances.”

“Then those people are assholes,” he murmured. “Come with us, Scar. Just one night.”

She cut her gaze to where the binders sat on her desk waiting for her to dig in. She'd been going through them before Kenny stopped her. Like she told him earlier, the budgets were cut, and she had to find out why. Going out would take her away from her task. "I can't." She stepped around him and headed to her desk. "I have too much work to do."

He nodded. “Seven new mouths to feed.”

“Exactly.”

“Well, shit, Scar,” he said, strolling back toward the exit. “If I didn’t know any better, I’d swear you didn’t like me and were making excuses.”

She opened her mouth to refute what he said, but Kenny was already gone, leaving her to stare at an empty entryway. Scarlett sat at her desk and blew out a pent-up breath.What the hell just happened?Why had the air in her office become so oppressive, and not in a bad way either? Why did she think her heart would cease to beat, even though she was a good way away from the enclosures? And, why did she see a hint of hurt in his eyes when she rejected his offer?You’re reading too much into it. Kenny doesn’t like you. He wants to help you get over your fears.So, why didn’t she go out with him if that were true?

Scarlett groaned in defeat.

“Stop torturing yourself,” she chided. “And, get back to work. The books won’t figure themselves out on their own.”