female, much less a human woman. And the idea of being separated from her made not only him but his cat ache.
But he pushed back the urge. He knew such a declaration would sound insane. He would do better to claim her as a Hunter, a protector.
“To guard,” he amended, his gaze moving over her face. “The doctor is mine to guard. She will live with me, have my full protection as she cares for Ashe.”
Bayon started to laugh, then abruptly stopped when Parish turned and glared at him.
“You’re serious? Live with you in the caves? A human female?” The blond male tossed a look at Raphael. “Presuming she actually agrees, she won’t last a minute in that dank, uncivilized rock. She’ll be running from us.”
She won’t get far .
“I will agree to you guarding her, Parish,” Raphael said slowly. “But it will be somewhere with hot water and clean sheets.”
There was nothing Parish wanted more in that moment then to scoop her up in his arms and take her home to his caves, but he knew Raphael’s mind, knew how far to push the male when it came to protocol. And perhaps the beautiful doctor deserved a little pampering after what he’d put her through. He nodded at Raphael. “Fine. I’ll bring her to Natty’s.”
“She may very well be afraid of you. She’s not going to soften around the feline who shut down her mind and abducted her.”
Parish’s lip curled, but the ire was more for himself than for the Suit. “I won’t be harsh with her. I won’t scare her.”
The male looked unconvinced. “Can you truly promise that? Your dislike of humans is legendary. And understandably so.”
“She is different.”
She is mine .
“She is special.” Raphael came to stand beside him at the bed, his puma’s face flashing momentarily from its normally controlled cage. “I cannot have this go wrong.”
Parish knew exactly how important this was, for the both of them. “I give you my word. I will keep her safe and well.”
Golden green eyes searched his. “All right. If the woman agrees, she is yours to protect.”
The cat inside of Parish purred.
CHAPTER 3
JULIA returned to consciousness slowly, her mind still wrapped in a delectable dream. One she wasn’t all that keen on releasing.
She was on her bed in the hotel. It was night and the windows were open, letting in the glow of moonlight and the balmy New Orleans breeze. Beneath her lay a man with bronze skin and hungry, gold cat eyes. His long black hair kissed his broad shoulders and chest, both of which were beaded with sweat. As she rode him, he growled at her, his hands gripping her hips.
Beside the bed, watching, his expression strangled and confused, was Gary. Blond, buttoned-up, cheater, liar and all around heel, Gary. He kept whispering the words, “You’re supposed to be at the hospital, Julia,” over and over, but Julia barely spared him a glance. She was close, so close. The one beneath her, the one inside her, the one who growled and snarled at her as he made her come again, was the only thing that mattered .
“ You belong to me !”
Julia collapsed onto his chest, his possessive roar echoing in her ears as his hot seed filled her sex .
“Julia?” A voice, female and insistent, was trying to reach her, break in to her wonderful dream.
“Julia?” the voice said again. “Her breathing’s worrying me, Raphael. And she looks flushed.”
Julia felt something cold on her face and gasped. Body on fire, limbs shaking, her eyes flickered open. It took her several seconds to focus, but when she did fear gripped her. The dream was gone, and the woman who sat beside her, on what Julia could only guess was a hospital bed, was a complete stranger.
“I’m Ashe.” Long black hair framed a beautiful, concerned face. “Please don’t be scared.”
“What’s going on?” Julia demanded, trying to sit up, but failing immediately. “Did I pass out?”
The woman glanced behind her and Julia followed her line of vision.
But he pushed back the urge. He knew such a declaration would sound insane. He would do better to claim her as a Hunter, a protector.
“To guard,” he amended, his gaze moving over her face. “The doctor is mine to guard. She will live with me, have my full protection as she cares for Ashe.”
Bayon started to laugh, then abruptly stopped when Parish turned and glared at him.
“You’re serious? Live with you in the caves? A human female?” The blond male tossed a look at Raphael. “Presuming she actually agrees, she won’t last a minute in that dank, uncivilized rock. She’ll be running from us.”
She won’t get far .
“I will agree to you guarding her, Parish,” Raphael said slowly. “But it will be somewhere with hot water and clean sheets.”
There was nothing Parish wanted more in that moment then to scoop her up in his arms and take her home to his caves, but he knew Raphael’s mind, knew how far to push the male when it came to protocol. And perhaps the beautiful doctor deserved a little pampering after what he’d put her through. He nodded at Raphael. “Fine. I’ll bring her to Natty’s.”
“She may very well be afraid of you. She’s not going to soften around the feline who shut down her mind and abducted her.”
Parish’s lip curled, but the ire was more for himself than for the Suit. “I won’t be harsh with her. I won’t scare her.”
The male looked unconvinced. “Can you truly promise that? Your dislike of humans is legendary. And understandably so.”
“She is different.”
She is mine .
“She is special.” Raphael came to stand beside him at the bed, his puma’s face flashing momentarily from its normally controlled cage. “I cannot have this go wrong.”
Parish knew exactly how important this was, for the both of them. “I give you my word. I will keep her safe and well.”
Golden green eyes searched his. “All right. If the woman agrees, she is yours to protect.”
The cat inside of Parish purred.
CHAPTER 3
JULIA returned to consciousness slowly, her mind still wrapped in a delectable dream. One she wasn’t all that keen on releasing.
She was on her bed in the hotel. It was night and the windows were open, letting in the glow of moonlight and the balmy New Orleans breeze. Beneath her lay a man with bronze skin and hungry, gold cat eyes. His long black hair kissed his broad shoulders and chest, both of which were beaded with sweat. As she rode him, he growled at her, his hands gripping her hips.
Beside the bed, watching, his expression strangled and confused, was Gary. Blond, buttoned-up, cheater, liar and all around heel, Gary. He kept whispering the words, “You’re supposed to be at the hospital, Julia,” over and over, but Julia barely spared him a glance. She was close, so close. The one beneath her, the one inside her, the one who growled and snarled at her as he made her come again, was the only thing that mattered .
“ You belong to me !”
Julia collapsed onto his chest, his possessive roar echoing in her ears as his hot seed filled her sex .
“Julia?” A voice, female and insistent, was trying to reach her, break in to her wonderful dream.
“Julia?” the voice said again. “Her breathing’s worrying me, Raphael. And she looks flushed.”
Julia felt something cold on her face and gasped. Body on fire, limbs shaking, her eyes flickered open. It took her several seconds to focus, but when she did fear gripped her. The dream was gone, and the woman who sat beside her, on what Julia could only guess was a hospital bed, was a complete stranger.
“I’m Ashe.” Long black hair framed a beautiful, concerned face. “Please don’t be scared.”
“What’s going on?” Julia demanded, trying to sit up, but failing immediately. “Did I pass out?”
The woman glanced behind her and Julia followed her line of vision.
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