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“Your tigress talks to you?”
“Not talk like you and I are doing, but more along the lines of that whole bonding link thing. It’s like there’s another voice inside my head, telling me things. She is not at all happy with you.”
“You should know, turning a human, even if she is your fated mate, without her fully informed consent is frowned upon.”
“Then why did you do it?”
“Because the thought of you not being one with me was unacceptable. When I saw you going through my things,” again he placed his finger on her lips, “I allowed my anger to override my head and used it as an excuse to release my more primitive side. Don’t worry. I want you to rest. I know you want a story, and I know you’re after Gutierrez, as am I. I have already told my beta, Navarro, that I do not believe you would find happiness in the traditional role of First Lady to the clan. We will find a way to make it work.”
“Bodie, I can’t explain what I’m feeling. It makes no sense to me. I just know that I am horribly conflicted about all of this. You’re a gangster. I’ve spent my entire career bringing guys like you and corrupt officials down. My credibility is going to be zip when people find out, and they’re going to find out. I should hate you for even getting me into this situation, but to be honest, I can’t bring myself to hate you. Like I said, I don’t know what I’m feeling, but I know it isn’t hate.”
She could hear the sadness in her voice and could feel the effect it had on him.
“And for now, I will settle for that. But I promise you, we will find a way. I will not live without you, Quinn, and I no longer believe you want to live without me. You may not believe that, but I do. Give it… us… me… time. We will find a way. I swear it.”
“Another one of those gangster vows?” she teased.
“It’s the only kind I know how to make,” he rejoined.
* * *
Gutierrez
On The Yacht Paloma
Just Outside the US
Territorial Waters
“So,El Tigrehas taken a mate,” said Gutierrez with a feral gleam in his eye. “He and his compadres, Beckett and Hamilton, have cost me much. I think it only fair I visit some of that sorrow on him. Who is she?”
“A reporter for the New Orleans Gazette,” said his second-in-command as he stood observing his alpha. “Her name is Quinn Forrester.”
“Quinn Forrester?” he asked, looking at his second. “Isn’t she the one who reported on the corruption in the bidding process at Belle Chasse?”
“One and the same. She’s human, as far as anyone can tell. Why wouldEl Tigretake a human mate who could expose us all?”
“Why indeed,” said Gutierrez. “The only explanation I can think of, given he is a tiger-shifter, is that he believes her to be his fated mate.”
“Would he risk everything based on some fantasy some of the more predatory shifters choose to believe?”
Gutierrez nodded as he brought the glass of Sangria to his lips. “I have seen that those who believe would risk everything. And that means thatEl Tigrefinally has an Achilles heel, and one we can exploit for our own means and ends.”
The leader of the capybara-shifters rose from his seat and looked out the window towards the waters within the United States’ territory, raising his glass. “You have exposed your weakness, my striped friend. It may well be the last thing you ever do.”
CHAPTER16
QUINN
They finished the pasta and sat quietly together, simply finding a peace she had never known with anyone before.
“I hate to break this up, but I’m not really one to just sit around doing nothing. Besides I have something to talk to you about,” she said, struggling to get off his lap. Struggling because Bodie had his arms wrapped around her and seemed disinclined to let her up. She tried again and failed.
“You will stay where I put you,” he said in a stern tone of voice.
Quinn wriggled around, trying to find a way to get loose, but he seemed to have her trapped without putting much work into it.
“You’re being an overbearing jerk, Lambeau,” she said, still squirming.
