Leopard's Run (Leopard People 10)

He found himself smiling instead of wanting to rake his claws over the leather seats. “My brother has always played things close to his chest. Now he’s out there, exposed, and he can’t afford to do that, but he still wants to be the soldier instead of the man at the helm. He’s going to get killed doing that.”

Timur leaned into Ashe and brushed his mouth over hers. The moment his lips touched hers, he felt a strange rolling in the region of his heart. “Moy malen’kiy smerch,” he murmured. “Sit down and put that seat belt on.”

She continued to kneel up on the seat beside him, her amber-colored eyes looking into his. He felt that look right down to his soul. Something twisted in his chest. Hard. Broke open. He wrapped his arms around her and pulled her down onto his lap. Then he was kissing her. He knew better than to kiss her in public, even in the backseat of his car, not when anyone was around. Kissing Ashe was like lighting a stick of dynamite. The two of them went up in flames.

He forgot where he was and what he was supposed to be doing. The world fell away until there was only his woman and her incredible mouth. The fire roaring between them. The electricity arcing from one to the other. His body reacted the way it always did, going hard and making urgent demands.

Her mouth was as hot as hell, the firestorm raging out of control that fast. It was a beautiful, terrible thing, to fall so far, so fast. His hand tightened in her hair.

“We need to get a privacy screen for the car.” She whispered the words against his ear. “Imagine how I could make all that tension disappear right out of you if we had that screen.” Her mischievous smile went right through his cock.

He knew she felt that part of him straining against his trousers, reaching for her. “I could care less if they were here watching.”

“Sadly for you, I do.” Her grin went wider, and her eyes danced. She slipped off his lap and reached for the seat belt. “Safety first and all that.”

“I will retaliate,” he warned.

“I’m looking forward to it.”

He realized she’d distracted him from the continual reports on his phone. The anger was gone, replaced by a much more enjoyable sensation. He glanced down at his phone.

I’ve sent word to Drake to have Joshua look discreetly into his two uncles as well as Charisse and her brother, Armande. If he missed something and they’re doing business with either Emilio or Ulisse, we could be in trouble. Fyodor had sent the text.

Someone sold us out, Timur texted back. Either one of them wants you gone. Emilio wanted Evangeline and had been very upset when she’d chosen Fyodor. Ulisse just wanted to expand his territory. He was looking for power. There was always Lombardo to worry about as well. Hell, they had to worry about everyone.

Is Mitya on alert? If this is Lazar’s hit team, they will go after him first.

Timur wasn’t certain he agreed with Fyodor’s assessment. He’d had a lot of time to think about it. It was up to him to prepare for their uncles’ retaliation. Lazar would want to deliver the killing blow to the son he believed betrayed him and the code of the lair bratya . He might want to personally kill his nephews as well, but regardless, Mitya would be Lazar’s own target. He didn’t bother to explain his reasoning to Fyodor. What did it matter who was right and who was wrong? The hit squad was knocking on their door and had the help of a powerful scent-blocker.

Mitya has been kept apprised of the situation.

“A mile out, boss,” Rodion said.

“Do we have a tail?”

“Not that I’ve seen. I took evasive action, just to be certain, but I didn’t spot anyone remotely looking as if they were tailing us.”

Timur threaded his fingers through Ashe’s. He wanted their world to be different, but he’d made his choice and there was no going back. “I’m not offering you a safe environment.”

“I got that.”

Her little smile twisted his insides, but he wanted her to know he was serious. “My leopard claimed yours, Ashe. He isn’t going to let her go. We both know that. I don’t want to let you go. Me. Not my leopard. You’re the first thing I’ve ever wanted for myself. You’re the first time I’ve ever thought maybe I could have some kind of life. I don’t want you to go, not for my leopard or yours, but for me.”

He kept his voice low. There was no privacy, not when two leopards sat in the front seat with acute hearing. He would have much rather they heard her blowing him than his spilling his private emotions to her, but it had to be said and who knew if he was ever going to get another opportunity.