that she wouldn’t back down from a threat. Nor would
she run from a fight, even if the odds weren’t in her favor. She’d made a life
of being her own woman and no one would take that from her. “I know.” Sonja
brushed back sun-kissed strands of red hair. “But I’m familiar with this
situation. I can handle it, Derrick.”
She noted how Derrick avoided meeting her direct gaze, then
remembered she was naked beneath the sheets. His erection, while not visible to
Max, pressed against a thigh.
Derrick’s voice held an unspoken threat. “Can you keep her
safe?”
Max slid his hands in his pockets. “I can do the best I can.
That’s all anyone can ask for. While her magic may be uncontrollable, we’re
puma shifters. You haven’t forgotten any of your old training, I trust.” He
made it a statement.
Sonja noted the pain in Derrick’s expression at the mention
of his training. She’d have to ask, if and when it mattered. Later. Not now.
“I haven’t. But like last time, what if something goes
wrong? They seemed to know to expect us, and where to find us.”
Sonja shifted beneath him, twining a leg around his. An arm
wrapped around his waist and held him. She gave him a light squeeze with her
thighs. “We don’t have to use surprise. They’re going to expect something like
this, right? If they’re smart enough to know how to play the political field,
then they’ll be prepared for any assault you bring in.”
Max nodded.
Derrick glared at her, irritation plastered all over his
handsome face.
An eyebrow rose. “What?”
“Your voice has that magical lilt to it again, sweetheart.
It’s…distracting.”
“Get a room, you two. A different one. Not mine. Or at least
wait ’til I’m out of the fucking building.” He looked away and forced a thick
cloud of smoke into the air.
The grin that slid over Derrick’s face enticed her. “He’s
right. We should boot his old ass out.”
Max turned around and glared at the two of them.
“Seriously.” He muttered something beneath his breath. “I know we’ve seen
things, man, but dammit.”
Derrick pulled the covers over Sonja and slid an arm around
her waist.
She reluctantly went to him, thankful for the release of
chaotic energy swirling around her head. She remembered briefly the moment
she’d killed those men, heard the screams, and almost fell into the abyss of
darkness until Derrick pulled her back from the precipice.
His every movement had been a comforting factor, made her
wonder about their actual relationship when this was all over. Could they deal
with one? Would he remain on pins and needles when she was on tour?
She shut the train of thought down. No way was she
relationship material.
“Look, I have some contacts that would pay to see me go
under. I can play decoy and use Sonja to lure them out into the open. I have a
few scores that need settling anyway. You two talk it over and get back to me.
Out of my bed.” Max turned and headed toward the door. “I’ll be back in an hour
with something for breakfast, provided my stomach can function.”
He opened the door, frowned at them, and walked through it,
slamming it behind him.
Chapter Five
Derrick grinned and looked back at Sonja, making sure to
project only the arousal he had for the woman sitting before him with her mouth
parted and that sweet, pink tongue darting over her lower lip. Her eyes held
strong determination to make this right at whatever cost. He could respect
that. What bothered him was that he had no idea what he’d do if this went bad
and she ended up dead. In such a short time span, they’d grown close, closer
than most couples, thanks in part to her being able to see in his head and not
run.
Of course, he’d shielded her from the really painful
memories.
He didn’t know if they could fit together in life or how
it’d work if they tried.
“You’re thinking.” The sheet fell slightly, exposing pale
flesh and the tender tops of her ample
she run from a fight, even if the odds weren’t in her favor. She’d made a life
of being her own woman and no one would take that from her. “I know.” Sonja
brushed back sun-kissed strands of red hair. “But I’m familiar with this
situation. I can handle it, Derrick.”
She noted how Derrick avoided meeting her direct gaze, then
remembered she was naked beneath the sheets. His erection, while not visible to
Max, pressed against a thigh.
Derrick’s voice held an unspoken threat. “Can you keep her
safe?”
Max slid his hands in his pockets. “I can do the best I can.
That’s all anyone can ask for. While her magic may be uncontrollable, we’re
puma shifters. You haven’t forgotten any of your old training, I trust.” He
made it a statement.
Sonja noted the pain in Derrick’s expression at the mention
of his training. She’d have to ask, if and when it mattered. Later. Not now.
“I haven’t. But like last time, what if something goes
wrong? They seemed to know to expect us, and where to find us.”
Sonja shifted beneath him, twining a leg around his. An arm
wrapped around his waist and held him. She gave him a light squeeze with her
thighs. “We don’t have to use surprise. They’re going to expect something like
this, right? If they’re smart enough to know how to play the political field,
then they’ll be prepared for any assault you bring in.”
Max nodded.
Derrick glared at her, irritation plastered all over his
handsome face.
An eyebrow rose. “What?”
“Your voice has that magical lilt to it again, sweetheart.
It’s…distracting.”
“Get a room, you two. A different one. Not mine. Or at least
wait ’til I’m out of the fucking building.” He looked away and forced a thick
cloud of smoke into the air.
The grin that slid over Derrick’s face enticed her. “He’s
right. We should boot his old ass out.”
Max turned around and glared at the two of them.
“Seriously.” He muttered something beneath his breath. “I know we’ve seen
things, man, but dammit.”
Derrick pulled the covers over Sonja and slid an arm around
her waist.
She reluctantly went to him, thankful for the release of
chaotic energy swirling around her head. She remembered briefly the moment
she’d killed those men, heard the screams, and almost fell into the abyss of
darkness until Derrick pulled her back from the precipice.
His every movement had been a comforting factor, made her
wonder about their actual relationship when this was all over. Could they deal
with one? Would he remain on pins and needles when she was on tour?
She shut the train of thought down. No way was she
relationship material.
“Look, I have some contacts that would pay to see me go
under. I can play decoy and use Sonja to lure them out into the open. I have a
few scores that need settling anyway. You two talk it over and get back to me.
Out of my bed.” Max turned and headed toward the door. “I’ll be back in an hour
with something for breakfast, provided my stomach can function.”
He opened the door, frowned at them, and walked through it,
slamming it behind him.
Chapter Five
Derrick grinned and looked back at Sonja, making sure to
project only the arousal he had for the woman sitting before him with her mouth
parted and that sweet, pink tongue darting over her lower lip. Her eyes held
strong determination to make this right at whatever cost. He could respect
that. What bothered him was that he had no idea what he’d do if this went bad
and she ended up dead. In such a short time span, they’d grown close, closer
than most couples, thanks in part to her being able to see in his head and not
run.
Of course, he’d shielded her from the really painful
memories.
He didn’t know if they could fit together in life or how
it’d work if they tried.
“You’re thinking.” The sheet fell slightly, exposing pale
flesh and the tender tops of her ample
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