Prey & Prejudice: Cougar Falls, Book 7 (21 page)

Chapter Thirteen

Everyone around began talking at once, until Brian yelled at them to quiet down. He gave Zoe an insulting once-over. “Why the hell would I do that when I already own your ass?”

Miles didn’t like the tone or the look. He figured he could rip out Brian’s spine before the fucker took his next breath. Miles wouldn’t survive the aftermath of the attack, of course, nor would his one-of-a-kind suit, but in the melee, Zoe would surely put her plan into motion to free herself and the pride from this blackmail. She had to have brought more backup than what she appeared to have.

But before he could do something stupid, Quince made a loud noise.

Lisette frowned at him. “What was that?”

Quince coughed, and a feather fell to the floor. “Had chicken for lunch. Hope that wasn’t one of your relatives.”

The cats roared with laughter while the birds closed around them tighter, circling before preparing to go in for the kill. Again with the chicken gag. Zoe and her lieutenants needed to work on being a bit more PC when faced with certain death.

She raised a hand and they grew silent. “Sorry, poor joke. My brother has a stupid sense of humor.” She glared at him over her shoulder, and big bad Quince gave her a sheepish apology.

Miles was getting whiplash trying to catch anyone’s eye. Granted, he’d been playing along, but he wanted to know how the hell Zoe thought they could finesse their way out of this one. And then she told him.

“Okay, here’s option that three I mentioned, and I suggest you take it. This guy here might look kind of geeky.” She thumbed in the direction of Sam Cotton.

“Gee, thanks.” Sam shoved his glasses higher and scowled.

“But he’s hell on wheels with a computer. Now Sam, show them the laptop.”

He held out the slender laptop in his hand. “Can I put it on the table so you can see better?” he asked Brian.

Brian looked as confused as everyone else. The raptors whispered among themselves. “Go ahead. This won’t take long, will it?”

Sam smiled. From what Miles recalled of the college grad, Sam was some kind of computer genius with a snarky attitude. No doubt he and Zoe were now best pals.

“Okay. I’ll keep this simple.” He punched a few keys and Miles saw a large graph appear. “These are your assets now.”

Brian leaned closer. “What…? Oscar, come here.”

Oscar hustled around the table. “That’s our condensed portfolio.” He frowned. “Where did you get that information?”

Sam hit another button, and the lines on the graph shifted. “And this is your net worth
now
. The money just jumped into an offshore account that’s managed by us.”

No one made a sound until Miles started laughing. Damn if Zoe hadn’t done it. She’d taken down an overpowering opponent without cutting a single throat. “Okay, that’s just impressive any way you look at it.”

“But that’s not how we have to leave things,” she said over the growing noise once more. The room quieted on a dime. “If you don’t want that to become your new reality, you’ll hear me out.”

“I could kill you all now,” Brian threatened.

One of the assholes holding Miles wrenched his arm back, and he bit his lip to keep from yelling out when his arm shifted in the socket. Not quite
out
of the socket, but damn, he fucking
hurt
.

Zoe didn’t flinch or otherwise react. God, he loved her.

“Yes, you could. It would be a smart move on your part,” she agreed. “Except then you’ll be the man who bankrupted his nest. I doubt you’ll be looked upon too favorably by your constituents.”

“Brian?” Bill asked.

“That can’t be right,” Lisetted cried. “Oscar?”

He was bent over, reading the screen. “I’m afraid it is. Hold on.” He pulled out a cell phone and talked to someone in a hushed voice. Then he slapped his cell phone closed, looking pale. “We’re tapped.”

“
Or,
” Zoe continued. “You could do what’s considered honorable among Ac-taw. Like what I’m proposing. Battle to the finish. Our champion versus yours. We win, you go home and don’t come back unless you want a real war and to be bankrupted for life.”

“We win?” Brian asked. His forehead shone with sweat.

Good, you bastard. How do you feel about dealing with a “weak” female now?

“You win, we hand over our territory and take off. Our earnings are our own, but you get property rights.”

“Zoe,” he growled. That was ridiculous.

“How do I know you won’t renege?” Brian taunted, no doubt trying to look tougher than he was feeling.

“I’m not the one who kidnapped your pride leader. I’m not the one currently outnumbered five-to-one. I am, however, one of two people who know the password to the account Sam shifted your money into. And I’m happy to go to my grave with that secret. Harm any of the cats with me, and you’ll chance killing the other guy or gal with the code.”

Brian fumed.

“Nicely done,” Miles congratulated her.

“Thanks.”

Brian glared at her. “You want to fight Ac-taw to Ac-taw?” A chancy engagement. Raptors could be big and had large talons, but against an enraged panther with sharp teeth and claws, it would be a draw to know who might win.

“No. Human-to-human.”

Brian looked them over, and Miles knew what he saw. Big and tough cats, but none of them were as huge as the small guard around Miles. What the hell did he feed these birds anyway? Worms on steroids?

With a sly smile, Brian motioned to one of the guys behind Miles. “Fine. Harold, come forward.”

The biggest, meanest dickhead among them rounded the tables and stood a head taller than Brian.

Miles sighed. Fine. He tugged his arms free from the guys holding him and started to take off his jacket when Zoe shook her head.

“Harold is your champion.” She locked gazes with Miles. “
I’m
the pride’s.”

Time seemed to stand still. The raptors laughed and clapped and made room for the fight. Miles continued to stare at Zoe. He couldn’t let her fight Harold. The bastard outweighed her easily. Hell, he was bigger than Miles and Quince combined. But she wanted this. She needed to prove herself to one and all, he knew.

But not to him.

She wouldn’t chance hurting the pride’s future out of a sense of her own self-importance. She had a plan, and he believed in her. She could have demanded the raptors leave by stealing all her money. They’d hate her, hate the pride, and she would have saved their people now but made for a miserable future. But by doing things this way, honorably—by raptor standards, she offered them a way to save face, get their money back and win cat territory by might.

The woman truly had a handle on what made Ac-taw tick. He could see many of them nodding, pleased with the way things had turned out. They all thought she would lose, but even if she won, she wouldn’t have a problem leaving—if Harold didn’t break her neck. A loss would suck, but she’d leave with her dignity and respect intact.

He knew his mate though. No way in hell she wouldn’t lie, cheat or steal to keep her people safe.

After what felt like an eternity, he gave her a subtle nod and made a big show of fitting his arms back into his coat and smoothing down his jacket. Then he crossed to her, slid a finger over her shoulder, across the snarling panther on her shoulder, and joined his pride.

Quince gave her a quick hug and a sound piece of advice that carried through the hall. “Fuck ’em up, sis.”

The cats laughed, but Miles heard and scented their anxiety.

Zoe didn’t wear more than a leather vest that served as a tank top, and a pair of denims that clung lovingly to her ass and thighs. She wore black biker boots as well, no heels, so at least she’d have better purchase when fighting.

She and Harold sized one another up.

“He’s going to rip her apart,” one of the birds said.

“Break her in half. Poor kitty,” another taunted.

More insults bantered back and forth.

“Fucking birds. Shit all over everything—shedding feathers, always leave a damn mess,” Jace added with a sneer.

“They are good for something,” Ellis said.

“Dinner,” several cats answered with laughter.

Brian glared at everyone and yelled for silence. “Fine. You wanted a brawl, you got it. Winner is the one left standing. Or conscious.”

“Or alive,” Lisette added with malice.

“Bitch,” Quince muttered.

“I have your word you’ll give us back our money at the end?” Brian asked.

“Yep. Even if he kills me, so long as you let the others go, you’ll have your money back as soon as my mother sees them safe and sound again. She’s waiting for them.”

Miles frowned. “Kills you?”

Harold cracked his knuckles, and Christ, his hands were the size of Zoe’s head.

She wrapped her hair up in a ponytail and waited, her knees bent, crouched on the balls of her feet.

“Good enough for me.” Brian nodded.

Zoe thought maybe she’d lost her fucking mind. It
had
to be Harold. He was a mean bastard, and the one bird she’d never managed to best during her sparring matches with the raptors five years ago. But she remembered how he moved, and in the time since, she’d done her best to learn a few tricks of her own.

She glanced at Miles again.

He shooed her. “Can you please hurry this along?” He had the nerve to check his watch. “I’m hungry and tired. It’s been a long day, and I’ve had to spend most of it with birds. Fight this idiot so we can leave. And do your best to keep the bloodshed in that direction.” He pointed toward Lisette, away from him.

“New suit?” Quince asked, conversationally.

“Yeah. It’s a Tony P. original. Polvino is new and based out of Philadelphia. Not much comes out of there with any consistent quality, but—”

The rest of what he said was drowned out by rage. Could he be a
little
concerned she had to fight this brute? Show some concern that she might be hurt?

“Dickhead.”

Harold frowned. “No call for insults. Don’t see me calling you a pussy, do you?”

“Fight,” Brian yelled.

Harold came at her with a huge fist aimed at her head. Going for the fast takedown.

She easily dodged him but didn’t strike. She watched him dance around, still nimble, but nowhere near as fast as Zoe. Not that he had to be. One blow from that fist, and most of his opponents would go down. Hard.

He had two points of vulnerability. His crotch, an obvious spot he’d protect no question, and his ears. He had sensitive ears and a balance issue she’d once noticed. So her best bet would be to—

Duck.

She rolled to her feet slapped him hard across the face when he leaned closer. Must have rung his bell and pissed him off, because he growled at her and came running.

He managed to get in a few minor blows that still rung her bell, but nothing major. She was tiring. Normally she’d sink a claw or tooth into a predator like this. But human-to-human was something more challenging.

“Shit, Zoe. If you’re going to flirt with him, I might as well come out there so we can get a decent fight,” Miles yelled, sounding annoyed. “Honestly. I can’t believe I let her replace me.”

“Let me?
Let me?
” she roared. What an ego.

Harold grinned at her, another male with an undeserved attitude. Not caring in the slightest about not aggravating him, she busted him with a high kick he hadn’t expected and knocked his tooth loose.
Ha. Take that for bruising my perfect cheekbone.

“Shit.” He stared at her in shock.

“Finally,” Miles muttered.

Then, with no other help for it, she launched herself into Harold’s arms. He caught her, as she’d thought he would, but she made sure to keep her arms up, free and away from him. He smiled and squeezed.

She had little time to work before he cracked her ribs. Ignoring the shouts from those around her, she clapped her hands as hard as she could over his ears.

Stunned, Harold screamed and dropped her. But as he made to kick her while she scrambled not to be tripped over, she moved in for the kill and punched with all her might right between his legs.

The crowd went eerily silent as Harold moaned and fell almost on top of her, holding one hand over his ear and another over his crotch.

She wobbled to her feet, bruised but otherwise okay.

Miles raised a brow. “Took you long enough.” His slow smile did much to appease her, however.

Lisette shrieked with dismay, yelling about her lost investments and contacts. Thanks to Sam, Zoe knew that Lisette’s dream of starting her own fashion line down here would tank now that she couldn’t make good on promises to her investors. It paid to not count one’s chickens before they hatched, she thought and chuckled, then winced. Lisette was sounding more and more shrill in the gathering quiet.

Zoe walked toward Miles and her grinning pride, while the raptors continued to watch her in disbelief. But the next part of what happened was a blur. A shot echoed in the room at the same time she was shoved hard to the floor.