“I’m protecting you from my life. From me.” He tried again. Maybe he needed her to continue looking at him the way she did. He needed her to see him as noble when he was anything but. This wasn’t going to end well for her. He tried, for her sake, but he was so far gone. So empty. So alone. So fucking tired of killing. He couldn’t fight his leopard forever. He realized that without her, his leopard was going to go insane. He could try to protect her from who and what he was, but if he wanted to survive with his soul intact, he needed her. Sooner or later he’d get too tired, he’d slip up and his leopard would slip his leash.

“I get that.” No judgment. Just acceptance.

“You don’t,” he said, bringing her hand to his mouth. “You don’t get it and I don’t know how to tell you.” He couldn’t help himself. His teeth scraped over the pads of her fingers and then he sucked one into his mouth.

“Zashchitit’ yeye.”

That was the only warning Alonzo got, but it was all he needed. He surged to his feet, jerking her up with him and turned, pushing her face and the front of her body into the wall, covering her with his own. He was big, surrounding her, his arms protecting her head while his body sheltered the rest of her.

There was the sound of brakes locking up. The terrible smash of glass as a truck jumped the sidewalk and hit the front of the store. It came to a shuddering halt with just the bumper and a small part of the hood inside the store. Glass rained down. The truck had taken out the glass door and both picture windows. The aim couldn’t have been better. Timur was already striding through the glass to berate the driver.

Very slowly, Alonzo released Evangeline. She turned reluctantly to survey the damage. All color leeched from her face, leaving her shockingly pale, so much so that he locked his arm around her belly and pulled her back against him for support.

“It is only glass, amore. No one was hurt. Timur will get the necessary information and I’ll make certain this is repaired today.”

People were crowding in, gawking. The driver shook his head, apologizing over and over, handing over his license and insurance and showing Timur the gas pedal had stuck. Timur glanced back at Alonzo. Alonzo scowled at his brother. Of course his brother had arranged the accident. His fault for insisting on frequenting the bakery. He’d made it clear he would continue to go there on a regular basis, even though it wasn’t safe. He knew exactly what Timur was up to, and his brother would get the lecture of a lifetime—not that it would do any good.