Alpha Lion: BBW Lion Shifter Paranormal Romance by Zoe Chant Page B

delighted, and swiped his thumb over the screen. “Dale," he said into the phone. “I’ve been expecting your call.”
    * * *
    Dale’s entire body had gone cold. “What the hell have you done with Sam?” he snapped.
    “Oh, she’s just fine," Chapman said. “Nothing to worry about. And she’ll stay fine, as long as you cooperate.”
    “Cooperate with what," Dale said flatly, although he didn’t need to ask. He knew.
    “You’ll meet me at the studio when it opens," said Chapman in his smooth, confident voice. “I will issue a formal challenge with witnesses. We will fight today, and you will lose. If you don’t, Samantha dies.”
    “How do you know I won’t just show up at your house in five minutes?” Dale stood up and moved for the door.
    “Dale," said Chapman, sounding like he was talking to a simple child, “we’re not at my house. We’re at another property, and it’s not even under my name. You have no hope whatsoever of finding me before the day is over.”
    Dale stopped halfway to the door, his ears starting to ring. He felt like everything was receding, like the world was just fuzzing out.
    And then he heard something that slammed him back to reality: a tinny voice shouting, “Don’t do it, Dale! Don’t give in to this asshole!”
    And then something that turned his whole-body chill into a hot rage: a high, sharp smack. The sound of someone being slapped hard across the face.
    “Now, Freddie," said Chapman reprovingly. “I’ve already spoken to you once about getting too violent with Samantha. I’d hate to have to do it a third time.”
    “I’ll see you at the studio," Dale gritted out, and hung up.
    He stared at the phone in his hand for a long second afterward, wondering if hanging up had been a cowardly move. But no—he’d never be able to convince Chapman of anything, and the longer he stayed on the line, the more likely Chapman would try and use Sam to get to him.
    Dale had to get to Sam instead. He had to. But how?
    Sam would be alone with Freddie when Chapman left.
    Dale had never had a chance to get to know Freddie very well, since he’d always been too much under Chapman’s spell. But he didn’t think impulse control was Freddie’s specialty—he had no idea what Freddie might do without Chapman there. If he wanted to hurt Sam…
    Suddenly, Dale eyes widened. He grabbed his keys—he had to get to the studio.
    * * *
    Dawn was already at reception when Dale came in. She wasn’t working, though, just staring down at her desk. When Dale came over, he could see that there wasn’t anything on the desk, and her computer wasn’t on.
    “Dawn," he said.
    Dawn jumped, and looked up at him. Her face made it clear that she already knew. “Dale," she said in a small voice.
    Dale remembered Chapman sweet-talking Dawn, taking her to lunch one day. He’d seen Freddie hanging out at the desk while Chapman was nosing around in Dale and Lynn’s business. He knew Dawn didn’t like working at the studio much, and that she didn’t get along too well with the other younger lions.
    If he’d been Chapman, and he’d been trying to get at studio records to figure out where Sam lived, Dawn would be the first person he’d go to.
    Dale had guessed she’d know something, and now he knew he was right. He was also guessing she could, and would , do something to help. He could only hope he was right about that, too.
    “Dawn," he said, keeping his voice as level as he could, “I know that you’ve had a hard time fitting in, and I know that the studio isn’t where you want to work all your life. But you’ve met Sam. She’s a good person, and she’s scared and hurt right now.”
    Dawn’s chin jerked up. “She’s not hurt!” she protested.
    “How do you know that?” Dale asked, keeping his voice low. He didn’t want to scare her into clamming up.
    “She’s not going to get hurt," Dawn assured him. “He just wants you to realize that this isn’t the way to lead a