Will you stop it? You can’t get involved with this woman.
Ray shook his head as he took the stairs two at a time. He knew that good sense rarely played a role in these situations. Still, he had to get some perspective.
That was difficult when his current perspective showed a fine view of Augusta’s firm ass right at eye level.
Finally, they reached the first landing, and Ray took the lead. As they jogged toward an office with an open door, Ray schooled himself to focus on the task at hand. He kept glancing back at her, though, as if his eyes were drawn by a force of gravity. Every now and then, she caught him looking, and she stared right back, almost as if she was challenging him.
Even if she is, I can’t. She’s supposed to be my hostage, for fuck’s sake.
No she’s supposed to be our mate. When are you going to just accept that?
In the office, he took a few puffs of the cigar and then held the glowing tip to one of the smoke detectors. In only a few seconds, alarms went off, and the sprinkler system kicked in.
Even though both of them had known what was going to happen, they still cringed when the cold water drenched them. As if they were kids caught in a sudden rainstorm, they grabbed each other’s hands and ran down the stairs. He couldn’t wait to see their pissed-off faces.
I really should not be having this much fun,he thought.
But isn’t it great to have a partner in crime? She could become our partner in life if you would get out of your stubborn ass head for once.His animal was relentless
The trouble was Ray couldn’t remember the last time he’d had any actual fun. He was enjoying this, and he had to admit to that he was searching for ways to extend it.
There won’t be any fun when the gangs finally clash, and they come to kill her for that photo.
The thought sobered him, and he grabbed Augusta’s hand even tighter as they hit the ground level. The dance floor was emptying out quickly, the lights were off, and a soft glow from emergency signs was the only source of illumination.
The crowd from the dance floor had filled the hallway and the back exit, so Ray urged Augusta toward the main bar so they could head out the front, where perhaps some of the men had partially undressed. To Ray’s dismay, a few rival gang members stood between him and the door. He let go of Augusta to fight but kept up his purposeful pace as if they would part before him by the force of his will.
All interactions between people are just pecking order disputes. Let’s see which one of these guys is a fucking chicken.
Let them try to touch one hair on her head. I am pissed you have kept me hidden when all I want to do is protect her and mate her.
As he approached, he started to get the feeling they really weren’t going to move. He was so focused on getting through them that he didn’t notice one of the guys closing in from the side.
As he whipped around, thinking the guy was flanking him, the other man reached for Augusta. She shrieked and tried to jump away. Before anyone could move, the goon slapped her across the face, and she went down, hitting the floor with a horrific thud.
All caution was seared from Ray’s veins as his panther tore through him, obliterating conscious thought as it flooded him with pure fury and lethal intent.
Chapter11
Augusta
Augusta wasn’t aware of anything except the pain as she fell through the air and smacked the floor. Her cheek stung, and her knees and hands hurt fiercely as she tried to brace herself for the fall.
A roar beside her disorientated her completely. For a moment, reality seemed to buckle and flow around her, and she wondered exactly how hard she’d been hit in the head.
As she turned her eyes in the direction of the sound, her mind refused to believe what she saw. Where Ray had been standing was a massive black panther. Its muscles rippled under the shimmering night-dark coat, and every time it roared, it showed off incredibly long gleaming fangs.
She blinked, shaking her head. Augusta even looked around, wondering where Ray had gone. When she saw the shredded remains of his suit on the ground around them, she realized what happened, but her mind still refused to accept it.
The goons had stepped back, but they hadn’t run away. There were four of them, all big, tough, and mean-looking with piercings and tattoos.
None of which match our guy’s tattoo.
Augusta was beginning to wonder what would happen next … if the guys would just let them go … then the panther turned into a mass of teeth and claws.
She screamed as the creature rushed forward in a blur of speed and tore two of the men to shreds in one whirling, powerful movement. A haze of red hung in the air, and as their bodies fell, the light spray of blood settled on Augusta, mixing with the water from the pouring sprinklers.
She barely had time to look away before the other two men lay in pieces before her. Augusta shivered, her eyes glued to the carnage.