He walked right up to Flambé where she stood, back pressed against the wall. There was nowhere for her to retreat. She straightened to her full height, which compared to his was ridiculous, so she tilted her head up as he caged her in, his hands on either side of her, his chest a barrier as his eyes blazed down into hers.
“Is there something wrong with me?”
Her long lashes fluttered. She looked genuinely puzzled. “What are you talking about?” She blinked again and her eye color changed. She gleamed with golden fury. She turned her head toward the office and he heard the hiss of rage. Behind her, where she’d braced herself against the wall with one hand, claws dug into perfect wood. “That bastard. Does he do that to make himself feel better? No, Sevastyan. There’s nothing wrong with you.”
“He isn’t really a bastard.”
“You know he is.”
“Ania loves him.”
“I know she does.”
“But you can’t love me. What’s wrong with me?”
Her breath caught in her throat. Her lashes went down and then swept back up. The fury faded and for a moment he caught fear mixed with something so close to what he was certain was love his heart clutched tight in his chest. So tight it hurt. Burned. She did feel something for him and it terrified her. Still, he didn’t trust himself. He wanted to believe it so much he might have made up that very brief look. She had become protective of him for just a few moments, even if now she was stiff and prickly.
Shturm? He turned to the one companion he could count on. Through every nightmare, his leopard had been there for him, trying to protect him, trying to give him truth and stand for him, guard him when there was no one else. Does she feel anything at all for me besides fear? Anything like Ania feels for Mitya?
He tried to convey tender feelings much like he felt for his leopard, but it was hard when one had to use images. Shturm had been in the world a long time now, hearing and learning, and he was intelligent. He picked up words, but Sevastyan wasn’t certain if he grasped the concept of love.
She does.
Shturm felt aggressive. Every bit as moody and ready to fight as he did. He needed to be cool and in control when he planned his strategy against a master strategist like Rolan. At least his leopard had given him some much needed reassurance. Flambé was still running scared, but she had developed some feelings for him in spite of herself.
“There’ve been some complications, baby. Maybe danger. Remember I told you about my father, Rolan, and how much he despises us? He slipped into the States and was in Houston. I had eyes on him but he got past them and now he’s in the wind. I’ve got to lock everyone down.”
She nodded. “I understand. Do you want me to go home?”
He shook his head. “I’d prefer you work here where I know you’re safe. Our house is safe, but when I have my eyes on you, I just feel better. Ania said she wanted to take you out to her garage and show you something. The two of you can carry on as normal, just with a team watching over you. They’ll stay out of your way as much as possible. Ania is used to it and hopefully you’ll get used to it as well.”
He saw the beginnings of a protest, but she locked it down immediately. He detested that. She didn’t argue. He wished she would. Before, he took her compliance as part of her submissive nature, but now he doubted her silence had anything at all to do with compliance or even submission. Outside of sex, and from the little he’d managed to get out of her, Flambé didn’t show her submissive side to many. She most likely simply didn’t argue and went her own way when she chose. That was not a good thing for him.
Ania came up to them. “I’d like to show Flambé some of the things I’ve been working on, Sevastyan.” Her tone was placating. She put her hand on his arm and looked up at him. He could see the affection in her eyes.
Flambé made a single sound, a low vibrating noise in her throat that was a growl, cut off by a choking cough. Sevastyan immediately caught her arms and pulled her to him, worried her throat might still be sore. He’d given her honey in tea before she went to bed and again that morning before they’d come to his work. The moment he gathered her against him, he felt his male leopard’s smug satisfaction.
They did not like another female touching us.
Sevastyan felt a little smug himself even though Flambé all but pushed off his chest to get away. She might not ever be one of those women who was overly demonstrative toward him in public. He resisted catching her red topknot and tugging her head back so he could take command of her mouth and light a match to her dynamite. Instead he brushed a kiss on top of her head.
“Have fun with Ania, baby,” he murmured.
* * *
* * *
FLAMBÉ followed Ania down the hall, past her office to the very end where the back door leading to the garage and gardens were. She found it really quite lovely, but wished she could implement a few changes. The pavers were perfect, the darker colors showing off the flowers and bushes with their variegated leaves, but the path wasn’t quite wide enough and needed more of a definition. She would plant some more lacy vines going up trellises and the low fencing around the walkways leading to the garage.
?
?Are you all right, Flambé?” Ania asked as she stepped back to allow Zinoviy and Vikenti, the two bodyguards, to enter the garage while she stayed waiting for them to ensure no one was lying in wait to harm her in any way. Two other bodyguards, Trey Sinclair and Kyanite Boston, remained with them. They kept their distance, facing away from the two women, scanning the grounds around them, all senses enhanced by their leopards. Ania ignored all of the them as if she wasn’t aware they were hovering close.
Flambé refused to allow Flamme even close to the surface, although she would have felt safer. The bodyguards were too close and the female was getting far too near her heat. Flambé’s body already was so sensitive to touch without the added hormones of her female, she didn’t dare allow her to rise even for a moment with the men in close proximity. It would be a disaster for everyone. She had no doubt in her mind that Sevastyan would murder any male that challenged him for her—and they would if Flamme or she became seductive.
“Yes, I’m just uncomfortable.” She kept her voice as low as possible. Leopards could hear about five times better than humans and sometimes, depending upon the shifter, even better. She was careful, but she knew the guards probably heard her—and scented her. It was impossible to cover the scent of a female in heat, no matter how she tried.
“We’ll be inside in a minute and the guards will stay outside,” Ania assured.