Total pages in book: 152
Estimated words: 139934 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 700(@200wpm)___ 560(@250wpm)___ 466(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 139934 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 700(@200wpm)___ 560(@250wpm)___ 466(@300wpm)
“If I were to question these men, Evangeline won’t like it. She’s become …” He was at a loss for words. He didn’t express how he felt often and certainly not about his brother’s wife, but she had somehow become special to all of them. Mitya and Sevastyan as well. He didn’t want to disappoint her or have their relationship strained. “She did something for all of us we never thought possible. Somehow, our leopards calmed in her presence. None of us had one shred of hope that such a thing would ever happen, but it did. Not just for Fyodor, but for all of us. You do the same, at least, that’s what the others told me, but none of the other female shifters do that. Evangeline was our miracle. Hurting her would be …” He trailed off.
“I understand,” Ashe said. She rubbed her chin on his chest. “Still, she has to be protected, especially from these men. They would hurt her more than any other. She loves that bakery, Timur. If they used it as a distribution center for opium, it would break her.”
“It isn’t going to happen,” he told her.
She laid her head on his chest. “When do you have to talk to them?”
He glanced at his watch. “I’ve got some business to take care of. Drake is getting her brothers here first. I want to clear them so Evangeline knows they aren’t in any way trying to hurt or use her.”
She smiled. He felt her warm breath right through the weave of his shirt. “You came back to check on me and on Godiva.”
He decided to be honest. “I came back because I needed to be with you, even if it was for just a few minutes.” He didn’t care if that made him too vulnerable.
“Whatever you need, Timur.” She pressed kisses up his chest to his throat. “I am very much in love with you, as shocking as that is to me. I want to be whatever you need.”
“You already are.” He knew if he asked her, no matter that she was sore, she would let him have her. She’d welcome him, actively and without reservation, participate no matter how rough he got. She would slide down his body and give him a blow job if he asked her, and she’d do that all while looking up at him as if she adored him. “I needed to hold you, baby. Just feel my arms around you.” That was the truth and his voice rang with honesty.
Ashe smiled at him and once more settled her head on his chest, ear over his heart while both arms went around him. They lay together for at least ten minutes, before she drifted off to sleep again. He held her for another ten after that.
Temnyy, can we leave them for a little while? He knew his leopard would feel precisely where Godiva was in her heat cycle.
For a few hours, Temnyy conceded reluctantly. His mate might be sleeping, but he didn’t like being away from her where he couldn’t get to her quickly, especially after the challenge from the outsider the night before.
Timur almost wished the cat had told him differently. He moved out from under Ashe carefully, whispering to her to go back to sleep when her lashes fluttered and she made a soft sound of protest. He stretched after he stood, staring down at her the entire time. His woman. She was soft, and yet she had pure steel running through her. She would stand with him and she’d do whatever it took to protect their family. She was the right choice.
• • •
NO crime boss ever really thought they were going to get hit in broad daylight, especially if they knew, as Ulisse did, that they were under surveillance by the Feds. The team had spread out, each coming in from a different direction. They were good at disguise and blending in with neighborhoods. This one was upscale and gated. Ulisse had neighbors and he made certain to fit into the neighborhood. His yard, a very large one, was well manicured, with wrought iron gates and cool green foliage surrounding the huge home.
His electricity had been giving him problems on and off for the last hour, appearing to short out. When the call went out, the household was assured that a truck would arrive within a two-hour time period. Just shy of that, it rolled up to the parking area, the logo perfectly displayed, and two men jumped out, both dressed in overalls and carrying two boxes containing tools. Both wore baseball caps with the logo of their place of work. At the door, they presented their ID to the security guard who asked for it. They were let inside.
Six minutes later, a carful of kids, teens living in the neighborhood, sped through the streets as they did every day after getting out of their private school. As they came around the corner just in front of Ulisse’s neighbor’s house, another vehicle came around from the other side. The two cars collided. As they were going at a good rate of speed, the crash was loud. A horn got stuck, airbags deployed, girls screamed and chaos ensued. The driver of the other car leapt out and confronted the driver of the teens. Neighbors poured out of houses.