It had been impossible to be with a woman. Well, not impossible, but the risk had made it very difficult. When his need had become too great, Timur had found a willing woman in a bar, had sex with her and then left before his raging leopard could get loose and kill her. He’d talked to Fyodor, and his brother had the same problem with his leopard. Gorya had as well. Timur had suspected his other cousins Mitya and Sevastyan had the same difficulties when it came to women.
The leopards had been subjected to too much violence, too many killings at a young age. Timur’s leopard had been forced to come out, to shift against Timur’s will in order to stop the brutal beatings Timur had suffered at the hands of his father. The moment the leopard had come out, he’d been forced to participate in his father’s cruel, sick games, training the cat to kill for pleasure. For blood. Human blood.
He tapped the table, watching the sidewalk. He wanted a home, just like any other man might want, but he knew that was impossible for him. Fyodor had found Evangeline, but they were still in a kind of prison and always would be. There was really no place anyone could hide anymore without being found. They’d all known it was a matter of time before their crimes caught up with them. Timur wasn’t going to have a wife and children. He would never have a home or feel a woman’s touch on his skin. Not again. Not when they were hunted like animals.
“Can I get you anything?” Evangeline offered during the next lull.
He’d been aware of her approach and knew she would attempt to fix things between them. He was upset with her for hiring Ashe without consulting with him. He needed a background check. He needed to know everything there was to know about the woman before he allowed her close to Evangeline or Fyodor. By hiring the woman herself, and then going to Fyodor, Evangeline had made certain that wasn’t going to happen.
She slipped into the seat opposite him the moment he straightened with a small shake of his head. Ashe was watching them. She held herself a little too stiff, the smile fading.
“You don’t want to do this with me right now,” Timur said, his voice gruff. He couldn’t control the rasp in his voice, the near growl. He wanted to shake some sense into her. “I’m angry with you, Evangeline.”
“I know. I’m sorry. You have every right to be.”
“Sorry doesn’t cut it. You could get my brother killed. Or, you could be killed, and then what would he do? I don’t want to hear your excuses right now. We’re not in a place of privacy.”
That should tell her he had a lot to say, things she wasn’t going to like. As it was, she’d winced at the lash in his voice, especially when he’d rightly pointed out that it was Fyodor who could pay the price for her willfulness.
“I really am sorry. It won’t happen again.”
“I’m sure it won’t. You can’t know that many women who worked with you in a coffee shop.” He kept his eyes on her face, although he really wanted to see Ashe’s reaction.
Evangeline blushed. She glanced over her shoulder to look at Ashe.
“Don’t bother to deny it, mladshaya sestra , that would just piss me off more. I don’t like lies, and you’re not very good at them.”
“I don’t want to lie to you,” Evangeline admitted. “I just can’t say anything. I’m really, really sorry, Timur, but she isn’t a threat to us at all.”
“You don’t get to make that call and you know it. When you married my brother, that went right out the window. I make the call, not you. You want your friend to stay, you come clean with me. Make this right, because if you don’t, she could disappear.”
Evangeline’s face went pale. “Timur …”
“Don’t.” He snapped the order at her, leaning across the table, staring her in the eye so she knew he meant what he said. “I’m responsible for you both. For your lives. I’ve spent a lifetime shaping myself into a weapon to ensure Fyodor’s safety. And now yours and those of any children you have. That’s my sole purpose in life. You don’t get exceptions. You can talk to Fyodor, insist he fire me, it won’t do you any good. I’ll still watch over you both. Come clean about your friend or send her on her way.”
The thought of Ashe leaving hurt. His cat protested with a mean snarl and a vicious swipe to his gut. That didn’t matter. He’d meant every word he’d said, and Evangeline had better take him seriously.
“I’ll talk to her. If she gives me permission, I’ll tell you everything. If she doesn’t, I’ll tell her she has to leave. I promise, Timur, you’ll either have that information by the end of the day or she’ll leave.”