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TIMUR Ae, so from the town car with its tinted s and black paint, heon the sidewalk His trench coat swirled around his ankles, the inner lining filled with many loops to hide the weapons he carried

People moved out of his way It was the set of his wide shoulders, the scars on his face, his expressionless mask, the threat in his cold, dead eyes He saw their reactions, and he knew exactly what they would do—step aside for hierous because hewas dangerous He looked like a man ould kill—and he was

He didn’t pretend to be anything other than who he was A shifter A bodyguard A weapon sent out when it was deemed necessary If he showed up at so to see another sunrise He looked the part because that was exactly who he was A stone-cold killer, a legacy given to hirandfather And uncles There was no hiding the truth, not even from himself, and he didn’t care to Life had handed hi his hand until he couldn’t take it anyo out his way

He didn’t let down his guard for many people First and foremost was Fyodor, his older brother Fyodor had risked everything to save Tiht up with them in their sick, twisted environuards to Fyodor, but his brother just refused to stay out of harht as well have gone around with a target painted on his back No matter what security measures Tinore them

In his defense, Fyodor had been a bodyguard, a soldier, long before he’d ascended to the throne, but Tiuard and keep safe a nored every security protocol

He loved his brother Not that they talked of such things That had been forbidden growing up They’d been taught never to feel affection for anyone—especially a woeline, owned and operated a bakery in San Antonio, and that meant Fyodor worked out of it sometimes Most tiing, Fyodorit, either The thing was, Timur loved her too He loved her as a sister, but couldn’t express it A childhood of savage beatings had seen to that

Tilass door to the bakery He’d had the door replaced and bulletproof glass placed in it, along with the banks of s that eline looked up quickly and sent him a smile His heart contracted She eet Beautiful Perfect for his brother More, she kept his brother’s leopard fro to break loose to hunt and kill His own leopard raked and clawed, angry, violent, moody as hell

“Everythin’ all right, Tieline’s little Louisiana accent always an to fade when he didn’t return it

Hell no, nothing was all right His fucked-up brother was so smitten with this woman that he risked his life—and hers—every damn day He kept that to hieline, nor did he want to

He gave her a curt nod as heevery table as he made his way to the restroos, under the tabletops, to ensure no incendiary device or explosives had been placed there

“Timur?”

Evangeline was being insistent What was he going to say? Fyodor had received h occurrence However, this particular threat he was taking seriously, but his brother wasn’t—as usual Timur knew they’d taken tooto run out His gut—never to be ignored—told hione and this time the threat was very real

“Make me a double latte”

“A double latte?” She was clearly shocked

He needed the caffeine He needed her busy He gave her another curt nod and shoved open the men’s restroo certain his brother was safe from any assassin, and then he checked the women’s room The moment he put his hand on the door to push it open, he knew, by the way his leopard went crazy, that it was occupied He didn’t care He wasn’t there to cater to anyone’s sensibilities He was there to make certain Fyodor wasn’t murdered