“I’m safe,” I said, a little annoyed. “He’s inside the enclosure.”
Rodolfo still held my wrist as he scanned the enclosure. Lev was at the very end, but slowly the machine dragged him back toward the window.
“Let her go,” said a deep, familiar voice that warmed my belly. My eyes darted to the door, where Nestore towered in black clothes, a fur coat, and a bone crown.
Rodolfo released me when Nestore stalked into the room and cradled my face in his scarred palms. His expression was haunted. “I left you, and you almost died.”
“I’m alive.”
He shook his head with a growl. “I would have never forgiven myself.”
“I handled it.”
“But you shouldn’t have had to. I promised myself you’d be safe from violence.” He brushed his thumb across my lips, then showed me the blood.
“It’s not mine,” I said. “I bit his cheek to startle him.”
It was only then that I tasted the metallic tang of blood in my mouth. Nestore bent down and kissed my forehead, then each of my cheeks, and lastly my lips. “Never again will I allow someone to get this close to hurting you. Never.” His voice rang with viciousness as he stepped back and turned toward his men. “Why did he get close to killing my wife?”
Rodolfo lowered his head. “She wanted to feed the wildcats with Sasha and his new helper. You know, his nephew.”
Nestore’s eyes slanted to Sasha, who stilled, resignation filling his gaze as if he knew this was his death sentence. “You vouched for him.”
“I thought he was clean… I’m sorry, sir.”
Nestore’s expression remained cold and pitiless. He moved toward the glass when Lev was dragged past it. “The cheetahs don’t know what to do with him. Maybe they need a little encouragement.”
“Aren’t you going to question him?” Rodolfo asked.
Nestore took a knife from his holder and threw it at the man. The blade impaled itself in his shoulder. Rodolfo cried out and gripped the handle, his skin becoming pale.
“Never doubt me again,” Nestore snarled, then held out his hand. “I need my knife back.”
Rodolfo curled his fingers around the handle, his face scrunching up with agony, and perspiration shining on his forehead. He pulled the blade out, then sagged to his knees. With a trembling hand, he held up the blood-covered knife. Nestore took it from him, then held out his free hand for me. I put mine into his, and he led me out toward a door in the fencing around the enclosure. He unlocked it with a key dangling from a small key chain in his pocket. “Do you want to join me?”
I nodded. He gave me a slight smile and led me into the enclosure. The cheetahs raised their head and looked our way, but they didn’t come closer. They had lost interest in Lev.
Nestore made a slashing motion at the window, and the machine stopped. Lev looked our way, and his eyes grew wide when he spotted Nestore. He wound himself and then cried out in pain. Nestore shook his head as he led me toward the dangling Lev.
“You broke your arm and wrist in several places. This must be painful,” Nestore said matter-of-factly.
“Yes,” Lev gasped, his expression lighting up with hope as if he thought Nestore pitied him.
I almost rolled my eyes at him.
“The pain you’re feeling now is nothing compared to the agony I’ll inflict on you for attacking my wife.”
Lev blinked, then stilled like a scared mouse when Nestore stopped in front of him. Disgust and rage twisted Nestore’s regal features. “Pathetic. You really thought you could kill a Romano? The woman destined to be at my side?”
Lev didn’t say anything. His pants turned dark in the crotch area as he peed himself.
Nestore’s lips curled. “Let’s see if we can make the cheetahs take notice.”
Nestore bent forward and sliced his blade along Lev’s calf in several fast, slashing motions. Lev jerked and screamed. Nestore motioned toward the window, and the steel wire began moving again, dragging Lev behind. The gashes in his calf dripped blood on the ground.
The cheetahs sniffed the air, and finally, one of them began to trot after Lev.
I watched the elegant cat as it sniffed at Lev’s leg. He screamed and kicked out. The animal was too quick but obviously didn’t like resisting prey.
