Total pages in book: 158
Estimated words: 145729 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 729(@200wpm)___ 583(@250wpm)___ 486(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 145729 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 729(@200wpm)___ 583(@250wpm)___ 486(@300wpm)
Shadow approached. The moment he did, every male went on high alert. The big male shouldered her to get her moving; she snarled, turned her head and raked him with her teeth. Shadow leapt away so the teeth barely scraped his shoulder, but he whirled around and slammed his body hard against Gatita’s, sending her to the ground.
Fury raged through Sonia. She took control immediately, taking advantage of Gatita being stunned at her mate’s actions. She burst to the surface, driving Gatita back to take her own form. She didn’t care how naked she was or how many men saw her that way. She was a shifter and shifters didn’t care. How many times had Joshua said that?
She kicked the large leopard hard with the ball of her foot, a perfect front kick, snapped out hard and fast to his side, followed by a heel hook. She drove her heel into his side in the exact same spot, hoping to break his ribs.
“Fuck you, Joshua. You want me dead, you kill me, not my leopard!” She shouted it, so angry she kept driving toward the furious leopard with her feet.
The leopard sprang back, but already he was shifting, and Joshua was coming at her, his face a mask of anger. Those crystalline eyes glittered at her, every bit as turbulent as the most violent storm. Her breath caught in her lungs as he blocked her kick and stepped inside, one hand catching her fist and twisting hard so her body slammed up against his.
“What part of ‘we don’t know who that hunter is or what he wants’ didn’t you understand? He isn’t local. He could be Nikita’s man. Is that what you want? To go back to Sasha Bogomolov? To a man who agreed to kill you?”
He held her too tightly, and she knew she’d have bruises. The bruises on her skin didn’t matter, it was what he was doing to her mind and heart with his snide tone. She raked the edge of her foot down his shin and then stomped hard on his foot, wishing she was wearing steel-toed boots. She’d found the perfect reason to own a pair.
“You are not going to endanger yourself one more minute. Not one. We’re going back to the house and you’re going to listen to everything I say. Out here, we’re all in danger. What your female did, attacking me, put both of you in danger from every leopard here. And kicking my leopard? What if I didn’t shift fast enough? What if I couldn’t control him and he’d ripped your heart out? She’s throwing a tantrum and you’re letting her.”
Her breath was trapped in her throat, closing off her airway. She could barely hear anything he said, but a tantrum? He’d ripped out her heart and he thought leaving was some kind of childish fit? Before she could find her voice and tell him to go to hell, he thrust her away from him.
“Fucking shift now, Sonia. Do it fast and head straight back for the house. You don’t have a stitch on.”
“Neither do you,” she hissed, suddenly aware of how naked she was.
“Do you think I want you putting on a show for everyone? Shift. Now. You pull anything like this again, or draw attention to us, I swear you’ll regret it.”
“Just shoot me and get it over with, don’t threaten me.”
He was back on her in half a second, looming over top of her, his hands gripping her biceps, fingers biting deep as he gave her a little shake. “You’re talking suicide, Sonia. Fucking suicide.” His voice was low but so intense it felt as if he’d roared it. If it was possible, his skin had gone pale under his permanent tan. “You’re not going there. Not in your mind. Not in reality. That’s unacceptable. You need to get past the emotion just enough to hear what I’m saying. I didn’t know Bogomolov had anything to do with you. Already, I know I’m going to take him out. You will be safe from him. Just come back to the house and listen to me.”
He had the upper hand. He’d brought six men with him, all leopards and all ready to take her down if she so much as made a move toward him. She nodded, because what else could she do? But believe him? Not so much.
Gatita took over, ignoring her mate, and started back toward the huge plantation house. Evan led the way, and Gatita followed with the others surrounding her. Sonia lost sight of Joshua, although she could smell his wild scent. He was bringing up the rear, following closely in her footsteps. She thought Gatita was magnificent. Totally magnificent. She looked like a queen as she padded through the swamp, refusing to be hurried. She set the pace and made it clear she was the one doing it.