Eli had tons of experience when it came to sex, she at least recognized that. She knew she could be somewhat submissive. It was impossible not to be, raised the way she was, but it didn’t make sense that she found his commanding voice so absolutely compelling. Each time he gave her an order, delivered in a low, sexy tone, her body went up in flames. Was that something to do with being a shifter? His cat dominant over hers? She didn’t know. She didn’t know why she liked caring for him so much. Or why she liked obeying him when they had wild sex. She just didn’t know.

She slipped from the tailgate, caught up his clothing and brought it with her back to the cab. Her gaze slid to the ignition. He’d left the keys in the truck. She’d been fairly certain she’d noticed that little detail, and if she noticed it, he had. So, what was he playing at? Testing her? If so, she ought to drive back to the house and let him walk home. She bit her lip, for the first time finding a little humor in the situation. That was, if she could find the house and if she could figure out how to drive.

She climbed into the relative warmth of the cab. The sun shone through the windows, warming the leather interior. She took the keys out of the ignition and stared at them, before folding each item of his clothing carefully and setting them on the backseat in plain sight.

She was exhausted from all the sex and trying to figure out a future. Her leopard was no help, sleeping or something rather than giving her any clues as to what to do. She went through the glove compartment and found a set of handcuffs, but nothing else that might give her something to get an advantage over Eli.

Catarina found herself shivering at the thought. He wasn’t the kind of man to cross. Not in the same way as Rafe; he wouldn’t kill someone and tell her their blood was on her hands, but he’d make it known he wasn’t happy. She wasn’t certain she wanted to find out how.

•   •   •

THE leopard stretched its legs, running along the road and winding through the trees, but always in a tight circle that kept the truck in the center. He detoured when the scent of three men he recognized drifted from just over the edge of his property line. His acreage butted up next to Jake Bannaconni’s estate. His neighbor was a billionaire with oil on his property, and twice he’d mentioned to Eli that he was certain there was oil on his property as well.