Leopard's Wrath (Leopard People 11)

“Who did he work for the last time he drove?”

“Both my grandfather and father went out at the same time. My father drove for the Caruso family. My grandfather drove for the Anwar family. Both are out of Houston. Both packages originated in New Orleans. They were driving whatever it was to Houston.”

“Did you speak to either family after your family was hit?”

“They reached out to me, just as some of our other clients did. Both seemed sincere. I suspected them, but I couldn’t catch them in any lies. At the service for my grandparents and mother, my father talked to them. I stood beside him, listening for anything that might indicate they had ordered a hit, but I didn’t catch anything wrong. Later, we discussed it. My father claimed he hadn’t heard a lie either. Of course, we didn’t ask outright if they’d ordered one against our family.”

“Have you ever felt threatened, or has anyone tried to kill you?” He couldn’t help it. At his questions, which had to be asked, he felt the familiar stillness settle in him—that place he’d been in so many times when he’d been interrogating prisoners for his father. He was more familiar with the ice and the distance than he was the man who continued to try to ease the tension out of his woman by massaging her scalp, neck and shoulders.

Ania hesitated. His hand stilled. He waited. He already knew the answer.

“Yes. Once before my father. I was driving back from the Caruso estate in Houston, where I’d taken care of two of his cars. I was getting close to home and someone tried to run me off the road. It was an ambush. They had a second car waiting, just as they had with my grandparents. I spun my car around at the last second and squeaked between the first vehicle chasing me and the mountainside. I got away.”

Mitya closed his eyes. So close. She’d almost died. “The second time?”

“Someone took a shot at me when I was driving home, just about two miles before the entrance to my road. By shot, I mean about seven bullets. Again, my driving skills saved me. That was the day after my father was shot. I was coming home from the hospital to get a change of clothes and a shower.”

Mitya swore in his native language. “You should have told me of this, Ania.”

“I don’t know you, Mitya. You’re in that world. I’m not. My father and grandfather may have been, but if so, I knew nothing about it. I’m just trying to maneuver my way and keep my father safe. We’ve had three attempted break-ins. I’m positive whoever wanted my father dead wanted to finish the job. The alarms were set off and the police called. They ran. Even with an enhanced sense of smell, I didn’t know them.”

She got to her feet and moved across the room from him, not looking at him.

He studied her averted face for a long time. “Ania. I’m your mate. I’m telling you that you cannot hold things back from me.” He poured command into his voice. It was velvet soft, as was his wont. He rarely raised his voice. Right now, it was of the utmost importance that she understood him.

Ania raised her head slowly, her lashes lifting so that he was staring at those indigo eyes, eyes that had gone from the darkest blue to almost royal purple. “I suppose that you cannot hold things back from me when I ask you questions about your work.” Sarcasm dripped from her voice.

“My work can get you killed.”

She lifted her chin. “Perhaps I need to hold information back for the same reason. I told you, I’m not in a position to have a relationship with you. Especially since you’re so bossy. I’ve never had anyone telling me what I can or can’t do. My father wasn’t like that.”

“Perhaps, had I been around before your father was shot, it would never have happened. I take my job seriously. My number one job is to protect you. There is no doubt in my mind that you have come across their scents again. Not that night, but at some other time.”

She remained silent. Glaring. Her lashes sweeping down and then back up. She had no intention of telling him anything.

Mitya shrugged his shoulders. “Locking you up seems to be the only avenue you are leaving to me, Ania. I don’t want to start our relationship that way, but I will do anything necessary to keep you safe.” He glanced at Sevastyan, who had slipped back into the room. “I believe my woman has some knowledge of who killed her family, but she refuses to say anything.”

Sevastyan studied Ania’s defiant face. “Vikenti found evidence of a sniper practicing on the property a great distance from here. He said without a doubt it was Ania.”