“Not ‘if,’ baby. It will work. We don’t have a choice anymore.” He took a deep breath and gave her more. “I told you I have a sister. I don’t talk about her much because she’s safe now. She’s married and happy. And she’s finally safe. I don’t like anyone to remember she exists. She never betrayed me. Not even when she thought I put a hit out on her.” There was pain in his voice.

Siena put her arms around him and lay her head on his chest. Over his heart. Holding him close to her. Her body fit into his as if born for him. And she was, he was certain of that. “I’ve got you, Elijah. I’ll always have you.”

“All right, baby,” he murmured, and brushed a kiss on top of her head. “Go take that bath. I’ll take care of business and then fix you dinner.”

She pressed a kiss over his heart and dropped her hands, turning toward the bathroom while he reached down to snag his jeans from the floor.

“You know, baby,” he said, just to see her catch fire, “I think we should try again with the spanking. I could make it erotic. Make you love it.”

“I could hit you over the head with a frying pan in your sleep too,” she said. “Make you love that.”

He laughed as he dragged on his jeans, and listened to her soft laughter coming out of the bathroom. Then the water was running and the scent of honeysuckle and jasmine drifted through the open door. He figured he’d love just about anything she did to him. Even the fucking frying pan.

14

“WE’VE got a visitor, Elijah,” Drake announced. “He’s been cooling his heels for a while, and I can tell you, he isn’t happy. He’s been pacing, and he’s dangerous. He’s leopard, no mistaking that, and he’s pushing the edge of his limits.”

“Name,” Elijah demanded tersely.

“Alonzo Massi. He’s big and powerful. Be careful, Elijah. I’ve come across some very dangerous leopards and I can tell you, this man is extremely lethal.”

“Yeah. I’ve met him.”

“Not like this. Not with his leopard riding him hard. You okay to do this, or you want me to take care of it?”

Elijah knew Drake was telling him he needed to keep his leopard under control. Was he that edgy now that he had Siena in his home? Out of necessity, he’d learned to stay in complete control, expressionless, an enigma, his features sheer stone. Now his woman was laughing at him and his friend was warning him.

“I can handle Massi.”

“We don’t know if he’s an enemy yet,” Drake pointed out.

“He worked for Siena’s grandfather, and she suspects that he covered for Paolo killing him.”