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He'd set up an office in the back room of the bakery Timur hadn't objected, and now he knehy His brother had coer sister She had known instantly that Alonzo was going to do so her anything, but she deserved to know He wanted her to know, to go into their life together with her eyes wide open It was ieline love the man--the real one To his astonishment, she did

"With Mitya taking over Amodeo's territory, we're spread very thin, Fyodor I've put in a call to the others from our lairs that we know left after we did I've kept a loose connection with them If they had planned to turn me over to Lazar or Rolan, they would have done it I heard through the grapevine that they have prices on their heads as well"

"You and I both know that can be manufactured"

"I'll vet them first with Gorya and Sevastyan No leopard can tell us a lie without our knowing With the three of us there it will be all the easier to know if any one of theer to us"

"We need to recruit humans as well, Timur Joshua and Elijah both have a mixture They are just as valuable Ted Freeood soldiers and it's lucky you assigned theht have turned the car around had it been anyone else

"We still have Arnotto's network Most of his soldiers remained loyal once they were aware they'd been duped There were only a few that left and maybe one or two I keep my eye on" Timur eyed his brother "We needoff with Mitya Even if Drake pulls in others from Borneo, we'll still need to recruit those we can trust"

Alonzo sighed "Interview them, Timur And then keep a close watch I don't trust anyone we aren't absolutely certain of with Evangeline"

The traffic was particularly light this tie on either side of the highway Alonzo and Ti in the dark, looking for anything unusual

Alonzo's eyebroent up "You're keeping an eye on one or two of our soldiers? You didn't tell ht have a mole"

"I alorry we ht have a mole If we have them, it stands to reason someone else does as well," Timur pointed out "I'm responsible for your security It's my job to worry"

As they approached an overpass, ht their eyes si the here people could cross on foot Alonzo sat up straight, his heart in his throat He'd recognize his woman anywhere, anytime, no matter what form she took Jeremiah had to be with her

"What the hell?" Ti to kill that cub He's supposed to protect her, not bring her out here because she's worried"

"The two trucks are slowing down, Fyodor, pulling off the highway to the access road," Gorya reported "Looks as if the lead truck has a flat Good for us, bad for them Sevastyan took out their tires like a pro"

The knots in Alonzo's gut were back, tighter than ever "Hang back, Kirill," he told their driver "It's a trap, Gorya That's why Evangeline and Jere seen as leopards Pull ahead of the access road and when you get to a spot where we can't be seen by anyone in the trucks, pull off the road We'll go on foot, but all of you know, this is going to be kill or be killed"

"That's e brought all shifters," Timur noted

The two cars pulled over to the edge of the freeway and let the passengers out before the drivers took off to race up to the next exit They would co on, those in the trucks wouldn't know for certain if they'd been followed or not

Ti hi speed Alonzo re to allow his leopards to get shot Someone had to return fire If Eiving the leopards tih the soldiers

He heard the back door of one of the trucks raise and then snippets of conversation The men didn't like the wait They especially didn't like that they couldn't see where the cars that had been following in the distance had gone

"What the hell is that?" someone called out and then screamed

At once there was gunfire Bright flashes of red and orange in the night Alonzo ran straight up to the first truck, the one with the flat tire The driver and the guard occupying the passenger seat were crouched by the tire pretending they were exaun So struck hi hi

Jereht his rifle with him Elijah had told Alonzo that the boy was a marksman, and now he believed it It was a hell of a shot to make in the dark Men poured from the backs of both trucks, so ht could handle them all, especially since they were ar indiscriminately at every movement Jeremiah's rifle sounded off steadily, and men went down

Alonzo chose his targets as carefully as the boy, trying tocertain to protect his men Twodown a man with a semiautomatic as the other two rounded the truck and spotted him Both weapons went up Alonzo had just fired his last bullet and hadn't yet slauns, rushing them as he did He had speed--incredible speed--and the surprise and shock of seeing ain midair was on his side He hit boththe bones break as he did so

He killed theulars andon to the next one More leopards poured in fro down the men while two more rifles were added to Jeremiah's as Elijah's men joined in The battle on quickly and decisively

Elijah's men checked the dead while Elijah and Alonzo broke open the furniture Guns spilled out but with them were stashes of cash Hundreds of thousands of dollars They exchanged a long look

"Ulisse iswith Emilio's weapons He wanted the international transport and buyers Emilio has," Elijah said

"There is no e can take care of these bodies," Alonzo pointed out

"No, this is going to be one of those mysteries the ME lives for Death by leopards and bullets What in the world? The tabloids will have a field day We walk away frouns and money Emilio will answer to them"

Alonzo looked at him "Tell me"

Elijah sighed "Emilio and probably Ulisse sent a team to your house Two of your eline saved the off to warn you"

Alonzo closed his eyes briefly For a moment he could barely breathe He let Elijah and Timur push him away fro into the night as well "I' to tie that woman to my bed and just let her live there I'll have to put a thousand guards around the house, and even then I won't be satisfied that she's safe"

"Welcome to my world," Elijah said

"Let's get out of here I need to have a feords with oes to work"

"Not that it will do you any good, but I wish you luck," Elijah said and then trotted off with a wave of his hand

Gorya opened the door for hiht behind him

"I've got a feords for her as well," Timur muttered

For some reason, that made Alonzo smile

20

"WHEN did you learn to do hair?" Catarina asked Emma "That's beautiful and so perfect for her dress"

Evangeline looked at herself in the ic with her hair Half was up in an elaborate twist of curls while the r

est fell in waves and curls down her back Catarina had done her ht, but a little smokier on the eyes than she'd ever worn She loved it

Eo to school for hair, but I watch videos all the time and do Andraya's hair as well as my own I knehat her dress looked like and searched for the perfect hairdo"

"You found it," Siena said She hadn't been able to go wedding dress shopping with Evangeline Both Emht his wife out for the wedding She had insisted on co early for the preparations

Evangeline was grateful to the woht have run for the hills if she'd been alone

"Just so you're warned," Siena said "Fyodor will get bossier once you're married"

Evangeline shook her head "That's just not possible He can't get any worse"

The wohed "He will," Saria confirnore hinant I nancy, woht?"

"I've always had a problenancies," Emma disclosed, "so I wouldn't know"

"Look at me," Siena said "I think Elijah has X-ray vision and can see through walls Even if he's at the other end of the house, if I ive me a lecture"