page17 (2/2)

Molly put her hand to her face "Is ? Why do I always look ahen that man comes around?"

"As if you could ever look awful I was thinking of doing you inYou're like one of those wo even prettier with tears in your eyes"

Molly laughed, the sound surprising both of them Soood guy, don't you think? He didn't sound like he'd turnout what really happened"

"Is there evidence of your broken ribs and arm?"

"X-rays were taken at his doctor friend's clinic We went there after hours After that the doctor would come to the house"

"Were you ever alone with the doctor? Did you try to talk to him?"

"Blake was always in the roo his friend, but the doctor was angry with hih it would mean his license I think there was more than money between the two of them"

"Do you know if Blake was seeing soirlfriend" She carried Molly's bag into the guest room "Sorry about the mess I haven't had tih, and the bed is nice Just keep your eyes closed and don't look at the walls" Sonia scowled, looking down at the floor "This room really needs work"

"So does your roof This is fine I feel safe here with you, especially if Joshua has a couple of his hotshot security tea over you"

Sonia rolled her eyes "I think he assigns theo to work and co kidnap victiet a legiti to be a rebellion"

"Does that et a job, Joshua leaves the country?" Molly asked uneasily

Sonia hadn't thought about that She didn't like the idea of Joshua leaving, especially if his job put hiht be the perfect solution If he left, she wouldn't have to tell hiht just be married to one of them

"I hadn't thought of that," she said, pushing open the door to the guest bathrooain, it isn't very nice" It wasn't The tile was cracked and broken The walls were peeling, faded paper and paint

"It ork"

"I guess it's better than ca to drink I don't have your strawberry leot plain lemonade"

"Sounds perfect," Molly said "We can sit out on your upstairs balcony so the alligators can't eat us and listen to the sounds of the swamp I could use a little relaxation" She followed her to the kitchen

Sonia loved her kitchen She didn't have to be ee of re Joshua's kitchen Well, his entire house and the houses on the property," she said She pulled open her refrigerator, unable to keep the smile from her face "It's my dream job Seriously, Molly, the perfect job soets because I don't have the right credentials That old plantation hos no one else building in this area during that time period did All the tiny little details, the exquisite o on and on"

She poured thelass of lemonade, with plenty of ice "I love what I do, and I never thought I'd get such a chance"

"The bonus is, the owner just happens to be gorgeous"

"That isn't a bonus" Sonia led the way up the stairs "I haven't made up my mind what to do with him"

"You seem to do just fine with him," Molly teased

Sonia forced the blush back down "That part is easy It's all the rest of it that's difficult Re? The Russian mob would come in force if they kneas still alive Joshua isn't the type of man to back down, and no one takes on the Russian mob They're violent They kill entire families If you look at what they normally do, my mother and I were very lucky"

Molly gave a little sniff of disdain "Lucky? Thoseto love you, to be fa on you Even if you were married to one of them, he doesn't deserve you, and I'm pretty certain the fact that he tried to kill you cancels out the e"

She stopped in the s "These are beautiful, Sonia" She moved closer to study the canvas Sonia hadn't quite finished "Youco at this painting"

"Thank you, Molly, that's an a compliment"

"It's true, though I can't believe you've got such a talent Bastien is right, these paintings belong in a gallery"

"Russianfor me, remember?" Sonia repeated and opened the French doors to the outside verandah "Come sit down I at least have decent chairs out here" She waved Molly toward theshe had

This was her favorite spot The studio had a beautiful view of the swa in the water The knobby knees of the cypress trees rose around the larger trees just at the shoreline or in the shalloaters The colors were vivid, shades of green, explosions of pink, purple and yellohere flowers fought for space in the heavier bushes and brush Leaves took on a silvery glint or yellow and gold so that colors seemed to vie for space

Birds circled overhead and flitted fro the twisted lirunted Always the vibrations of the cicada filled the air Frogs called back and forth Fish jumped from the water and landed with a splash The occasional snake plopped froine a more beautiful place She kneasn't for everyone, and she was grateful it wasn't, otherwise it would be gone, overrun by people

"Have you noticed the way the tree branches lead straight to your balconies? That big thick one twists down to your lower verandah and this huge, gnarly one nearly touches this balcony The branches are so big that anyone or anything could walk right on them," Molly observed

Sonia leaned on the railing, peering down at the trees as if studying the branches It would be difficult not to see that, and Molly wasn't stupid Sonia was an artist She would have noticed the branches She nodded, but kept her back to Molly "I've been thinking about how best to paint them," she said "There are q

uite a few really large trees in this swamp Thick ones, withto build a treehouse, this would be the perfect place"

She turned to face Molly, her hips resting against the railing "Have you ever looked at books with treehouses in them? There are beautiful homes Actual homes"

"You're thinking of building a treehouse? Aren't there, um" Molly frowned and took a sip of lemonade "I think I've beco, not even beautiful trees Why are you able to carry on with your life and I'm such a terrible baby? I cried in front of Bastien That's so awful I can't iine what he thinks"

"He thinks you're a beautiful, desirable wo after you He thinks you're human, Molly" Sonia turned back to stare out over the swamp She needed that swamp to keep Gatita safe and happy She wasn't human She had no idea why or how she ended up a shifter, a wo inside her She didn't know if her mother or father was a leopard, but she did know she wasn't human There wouldn't be a human man in her future

You have a hed in

I don't kno to tell him about Sasha He would try to protect us and no one can take on the Russian hed and pushed at the hair falling out of her haphazard ponytail

"I'm really scared, Sonia," Molly confessed "I don't think I'd survive if Blake found ain I can't take pain very well It hurt so much"

Sonia whirled back around, forgetting for ato get to you, Molly No one I'll protect you, I swear it"

"He could hurt you," Molly pointed out

Sonia shook her head "Since Sasha turned on s in this last year" She was getting faster at shifting, although she hadn't figured out how to get out of her clothes as quickly as she would like She was still working on that "He's not going to get to you Kai will be here any minute and then Gray and probably Bastien Once Joshua knows you're in danger, which he probably already does because Kai and Gray tattle every chance they get, he'll come too Most likely, because his security tea and then"