Total pages in book: 149
Estimated words: 138217 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 691(@200wpm)___ 553(@250wpm)___ 461(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 138217 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 691(@200wpm)___ 553(@250wpm)___ 461(@300wpm)
When one of his clanmates raised a hand, he raised one back with a smile but didn’t go over. “They’re on a date,” he whispered to Theo, leaning down to speak close to her ear. “She’s been courting him for months and I don’t want to throw a wrench into the works by interrupting.”
To Theo’s credit, she didn’t turn and look, but she’d clearly already noted the couple because she said, “He doesn’t look like the skittish type.”
“Don’t get taken in by appearances. He might look like a bear in human form, complete with the pelt”—Simeon’s beard was legendary for its lushness—“but she’s a senior dominant while he’s at the other end of the dominance scale.” Yakov got the sweats even thinking about the balance Vana would have to maintain to create a relationship with Simeon, but love was a crazy thing.
His bear saluted her courage.
“Yasha!” Juana waved from the other side of the restaurant. “Grab a table. We’ll be with you shortly.”
Theo kept her silence until they were seated on the far side of the cantina from the other couple, a small candle between them. “How does it work,” she asked, “with such a big power imbalance?” The candle flame flickered in the intense blue of her eyes.
It took him a second to realize he was staring, compelled by her energy. Energy so wild it was near to feral. “Trust and communication.” His words came out rough with the bear’s compulsion toward her.
Hell, who was he kidding? It wasn’t only the bear.
Yakov wanted to take Theo Marshall home and unravel her. He’d probably end up with bruises, but oh, it’d be one hell of a ride. “And love.” He held her gaze as he added that, his bear at the fore. “A ton of no-holds-barred love.”
Theo’s lashes glittered gold in the candlelight. “I understand.” Leaning back, she picked up the menu. “What do you recommend?”
Yakov narrowed his eyes but permitted the unexpected retreat from a woman who had refused to retreat from even her own worst nightmares. “Anything. It’s all good. I’ve been through the entire menu twice.”
In the end, she didn’t stick to the safest possible choice, as he’d half expected.
The waitress who took his order gave him a wink after turning slightly away from Theo.
Though he’d kept a straight face, Theo said, “Is she a bear?”
“No. But she’s dating one.” Dating seriously enough that she was all but clan at this point. “You’re about to become a hot topic in bear circles.”
“I’m hardly that exciting.”
“Oh, I wouldn’t say that.” Then, and aware that no one was close enough to listen in to their conversation, he decided it was time to stop playing games. One way or another, he needed to discover if he could trust Theo.
His bear hated the idea that he might just be another man who hurt Theo. But he was also a StoneWater dominant, one of his alpha’s most trusted people. He was honor bound and heart bound to protect his clan from all perceived threats. And right now, the woman of his dreams was an unknown, classified as a threat until and unless he learned otherwise.
He locked his eyes with the shielded blue of hers once more, and this time, it was dead serious. “I can’t help you find what you need to find if you’re not honest with me—and Theo? I’m not real comfortable with the idea of assisting a family that made a ton of cash off maiming people.”
* * *
* * *
THEO froze, caught unawares. Yakov had been so easygoing and friendly that she hadn’t been prepared for the steel in his tone. She remembered too late that he was one of Valentin Nikolaev’s seconds. That meant Yakov Stepyrev was one of the most powerful people in the city of Moscow.
Steel was a prerequisite.
His eyes glowed amber with an edge of yellow in the candlelight, the animal that lived beneath his skin in full focus.
She should thank her grandfather. He was the one who’d given her the ability to hold even the most brutal gaze and not flinch. Because flinching meant pain. Her back tightened, her skin holding the worst echoes of memory.
I wouldn’t have to do this if you’d cooperate, Theodora.
She rubbed her bracelet. Hard. “Are you saying you won’t assist me unless I share everything?”
“I’m saying you’re wasting me as a resource if you tie one hand behind my back.” Eye contact so confronting it was more intimate than she’d ever before been with a man. “I also can’t work with a partner who’s hiding things that might get in the way of what we’re trying to do.”
Theo found herself flinching inside, all her stupid hopes shattered at her feet.
Partner. Work.
That was all she was and would ever be to Yakov.
But that didn’t change the fact that he was right, of course he was right. She’d been useless while she’d had her panic attack—and she’d be even more useless should the bracelet activate. But she had time there. Enough time. “I apologize—” she began.