Cat's Lair (25 page)

It was Jake’s wife, Emma, whom he emailed when he was coming to the property. She personally didn’t stock his fridge, he knew better than that, but she had the supplies bought and delivered. The Bannaconnis were good neighbors and Jake certainly deserved a heads-up that a rogue would eventually be coming their way.

He shifted as he got closer. As a rule shifters weren’t in the least bit modest, but he was always careful to know who was close by before he allowed himself to be seen.

“Jake?” he called out the moment he identified two of Jake’s men with him.

Joshua Tregre and Elijah Lospostos were two of Jake’s shifter crew. Eli knew them both fairly well. They’d come from Borneo with Drake to work for Jake. Eli knew Drake was now living in New Orleans but was still very tight with Jake and these two men.

“Eli?” Jake called back.

The three men moved closer to the property line.

“I’ve been out for a run,” Eli warned them.

They didn’t hesitate. “I’ve got a spare pack,” Joshua said. “Do you want a pair of jeans?”

“Seems silly just for a short visit. I’ve got my mate in the truck and she could decide to take off any minute,” Eli said.

“Not happy about being your mate, I take it,” Jake said, stepping through the foliage. He was a big man, like Eli. Like all of them, they were built with the roped, powerful muscle of their kind.

“No, can’t say she is. She’s got a rogue after her. Not only is he very dangerous, but he’s built himself a large crime network. He owns just enough cops to get information very quickly.”

“You got a name?” Bannaconni asked.

“Rafe Cordeau.”

Elijah made a soft sound, a kind of warning growl at the back of his throat. “He’s a bad one, boss,” he said. “Rumor is that he likes to bring his enemies to the swamp and let his leopard hunt. I heard a whisper that he lost his most prized possession. She with you?” His mercury eyes met Eli’s. “Because if that woman is the one he’s been looking for, he’s going to come at you with everything he’s got to get her back.”

“I’m well aware of that. I’ve been chasing this bastard for over two years with the DEA and haven’t gotten anything on him that would stick. Every time we had him, our witness disappeared right from under our noses. Every safe house we put them in was found and penetrated, nothing has worked. Now I know why. I had no idea he was a shifter.”

“He knows to stay clear of Drake’s lair and the Boudreaux boys in the bayou and swamps. They’re all in law enforcement in some capacity and Cordeau wants no part of them,” Elijah said. “Drake married into that family, and he runs a tight lair. I’ve had a couple of sit-downs with Cordeau. It was tense, to say the least. My uncle was in power back then. The two of them did business together. Since I’ve returned to the States, he’s put out a few feelers.”

“I’ve got to take him down,” Eli said. “If I don’t, my woman will never rest easy again.”

“You can’t keep a shifter locked up,” Jake said, watching him close.

“I have no intentions of locking him up, Jake,” Eli said, knowing his eyes had gone cool and watchful. His cat surged close. He’d been close all along, but the thought of meeting Cordeau and taking him out permanently had his cat raking for freedom.

“Do you want extra patrols over there? More eyes on your woman?” Jake offered.

Immediately his leopard roared a challenge and he had to fight to keep him under control. “Her female hasn’t emerged yet and my male is difficult at the best of times. I wouldn’t want to vouch for him right now. She’s close though.”

“Once she emerges,” Jake said, “bring her over to meet Emma.”

“Jake.” Both Eli and Elijah spoke his name at the exact same time in the same warning voice.

“He kills entire families. Anyone befriending Catarina,” Eli said. “I thank you for your offer, but I don’t want to put Emma in danger, especially now. I’ve heard you’re expecting again.”

A muscle ticked in Jake’s jaw. “Emma could use a friend. We’re set up for anything and my men will have no problems protecting a woman. Bring her over. I’ll show you my setup. Your woman can get comfortable with us and if things go wrong, she’ll know she has a place to go.”

Eli studied Jake’s face for a long time. He meant every word. Eli nodded. “I appreciate it. The only shifter she’s ever encountered was Cordeau, and he terrified her. Marked her with scars, and he did it on purpose. He killed a woman, a friend of hers, and forced her hands into the blood. She was a kid. This man, he likes to hurt people, Jake. He gets off on it.”

“I’ve met a few of those, Eli. We can’t have your woman thinking that’s what all shifters are. Bring her over. We’ll close ranks here. She’ll know she’s protected.”

11

C
ATARINA
stood in the police station staring in horror at Eli. He stood with his friends, laughing, telling them how easy it was to manipulate her – how she was so hot for him she’d do anything for him. Laughter surrounded her, horrible male amusement at how weak and stupid she was to fall for him
again
.

She tried to run, but her feet were frozen. She couldn’t move, locked there listening. Eli turned his head and saw her standing there, listening to every word. He sent her a cocky grin and turned back to his friends.

She fought to move, to throw off the frozen horror so she could run. She even opened her mouth to scream, but no sound emerged. When she looked again, instead of Eli, a giant black panther stood where he’d been. She whirled to run and came face-to-face with a large leopard, his lips drawn back in a snarl, already advancing on her.

She stood helplessly in the middle of the hallway, helpless prey caught between the two leopards – and there was nowhere to go.

Kitten.
Wake
up,
now.
It’s
just
a
bad
dream.
Wake
up.
 

She clung to the voice, anchoring her. Drawing her back from the edge of madness.

“Baby.” Eli’s soft voice penetrated, and this time she heard him.

She felt him then, his arms stealing around her, drawing her close to him. The terrible paralysis ended and she was able to fight. She used every trick she knew, everything both Malcom and Eli had taught her to free herself, but Eli knew them all as well. She fought silently, ferociously, dirty, using her teeth and fingernails. She knew she’d scored a couple of times when he swore.

Then she was flat on her back, Eli on top of her, pinning her down, both wrists in one of his hands, her arms stretched above her head.

“It was a nightmare, Kitten, that’s all. Just a nightmare. You’re safe here with me.” His face was dark, lines etched deep. He looked hard and invincible and even a little frightening.

She didn’t relax under him, not even when she realized he was right. “Let me up.” She whispered the demand, her heart pounding. She was such a fool. She wanted to believe him so she just ignored all the evidence.

“I don’t think so, babe. You need to tell me what’s going on in that head of yours. I can see that nightmare had nothing to do with Cordeau and everything to do with me.” With his free hand, he brushed strands of hair from her face.

She tried not to let his touch get to her. It was that easy for him, one stroke on her skin with the pads of his fingers and she was lost. Her entire body shuddered. She didn’t want to feel anything for him. She wanted to curl into a little fetal ball and just cry until the room flooded with tears and she drowned.

“That’s fucked up,” he pointed out.

“I didn’t let Cordeau in,” she whispered. “Only you. I let you in.”

His hand moved gently over her face. “I know you did, Kitten. I know I hurt you. I can’t take that back. I can only tell you it won’t happen again.”

“How do I know that? How do I know that you’re not keeping me here so you can win my trust again and ask me to testify against Rafe?”

He leaned down and brushed a gentle kiss across her lips. “You don’t know that, but your leopard does. Your leopard knows a lie when she hears one. When she emerges, listen to her. She’ll let you know if I say something she doesn’t like.”

Eli studied her face. She looked so young, and very exhausted. He’d come back to his truck, half expecting it to be gone, but found her asleep on her seat, the keys clutched in her hand. His clothes had been folded neatly on the backseat. There had been something touching about the fact that she’d taken the time to retrieve his clothing and folded it before putting it into the warmth of the cab.

They’d had a quiet evening together and she’d taken another long, hot bath before bed. He thought she’d settled, but clearly her dream had renewed her doubts.

“Cat, I know you’re scared. I did that to you and I have to own it, but you’re going to have to get past it so we can work together. I need to teach you how to fight him, just in case I’m not with you when he shows up. My male needs to teach your female how to fight for the same reason. We have to be a team.”

He kissed her gently again, pushing back the long silky hair that had come out of the thick braid. He preferred it down, spilling all around them on the pillows. He always wanted white sheets now, just to see the contrast of her dark hair tumbling around them. Her body trembled again, a shiver he felt moving through him. Already they were connected in the way of the shifters. The bond wasn’t strong yet, but he was forging it, binding them together with tiny threads she’d never be able to break.

Her brilliant blue eyes searched his. He couldn’t see one hint of her cat. She had exotic eyes, like most of their kind. He’d slowly begun learning to identify shifters by their eyes. Hers were gorgeous and very distinct in coloring and shape. Her leopard might have receded, hopefully resting up for the big event, but her eyes would always give her away. He should have known the moment he’d seen her. He’d been drawn to her, even reading her file, but he still hadn’t gotten it. Drake would have scowled at him and shaken his head in irritation.

“I’m so afraid.” The admission came out softly. “I barely know who I am anymore. I feel lost and alone and I don’t have anyone I can trust.”

Every word she said was a major body blow. He hated that he’d done that to her. Her voice shook with pain. It was impossible not to feel it. The worst part of it was he could tell she wanted to let go of what had happened and give him the same trust all over again, but she didn’t know how.

“I know, sweetheart. I know you are, but I’m not going anywhere. Not ever. If you want a fucking ring right now, we’ll go get one and find someone to make it legal. I’d do anything to make you feel you have someone that’s going to stay and fight for you.” He nibbled on her chin. Her sweet chin that sometimes lifted defiantly and made him hard just watching the tiny little gesture. He loved her rebellious. He loved her sweet. He loved her when she gave him everything.

“You know, Kitten, you do trust me a little bit. When I make love to you, you surrender totally to me. Always. You always give yourself to me.”

She shook her head, frowning a little. “That’s you, or maybe her. That’s not me.”

He kissed her neck. Kissed the fluttery pulse right there on her throat. He couldn’t help himself, he had to feel it under his lips, the one little spot that confirmed she was alive, was his, lying there under him, looking up at him with her beautiful eyes.

“That’s all you, Catarina. Your body knows I’m here to stay. Let me back in, sweetheart. Take another chance on me.”

He kissed his way down the valley between her breasts, feeling her shiver again as the shadow on his face rasped against her sensitive skin.

“This isn’t okay, Eli.” Her hands curled around his shoulders and she pushed, without really exerting much effort.

“What, baby? What’s not okay?”

“This. You. This is different.” Fear crept into her voice.

He swept his hand down her body, his palm absorbing the warmth of her satin skin. Already there were dewdrops in the tight curls guarding treasure. He slipped his finger deep. She was tight. She was always tight. Sometimes, he thought he might not make it inside her she was so damn tight. But always, always, she was slick and hot and ready for him.

He nuzzled her breast gently, using the rough hairs along his jaw to stimulate her more. He loved the way her body was so responsive. He was the one drowning. He’d been so busy trying to convince her to fall for him, he hadn’t realized just how far he’d fallen. He couldn’t help himself.

He used both hands to shape her body, to slide over every lush curve and trace every rib along her narrow rib cage. She was his. All his. She might be afraid, and she might be on the verge of running, but when he had her under him, she belonged to him.

He should have taken her gently the first time. Like this. Like she feared he was doing. The rough, hard sex she could blame on their cats, but this, this was all them. The man. The woman. And it terrified her. He didn’t take his gaze from hers and her every emotion was there for him to see. Pain. Fear. Need. Even the beginnings of the love he’d seen before, there in the warehouse. That’s what scared her. That’s what had her hands pushing at his shoulders. She could take his orders. She could take his rough. She couldn’t handle sweet or gentle.