Peace didn’t last for long for Kane. He feigned sleep the next morning as Sherra slipped from his bed and sneaked as silent as a thief from the bedroom. As the door closed, he opened his eyes and sighed
wearily as he stared up at the ceiling. Breaking through the woman’s reserve was going to be the death of him.
Lifting his hand, he scratched at his chest absently, the light itch around the mating mark Sherra had left years before another reminder of his tie to her. Not that being tied to her bothered him, fact was, he loved her more than he loved his own life. There were few things that meant more to him than that blonde-haired little hellcat did. Hell, he didn’t think anything mattered more than she did. Getting her to admit she felt the same was going to be the damned death of him. If this fucking erection didn’t beat her to it.
He cast a resigned, half-irritated, half-amused look toward his lap where the sheet tented over his hard dick.
Shaking his head and giving a half growl, he rose from the bed and headed for the shower. He considered a cold shower, but had learned the hard way that it didn’t help in the least. Besides, every bone and muscle in his body ached from the exhaustion slowly taking over. The lack of sleep, the worry, the damned arousal were combining to kill him. Sherra wouldn’t have to worry much longer about his harassing her, he thought as he stepped beneath the hard pounding spray of the shower. He was going to die from a fucking hard-on.
Work. It had filled in the missing places in his life for years now, it would serve him a while longer. The Breed sanctuary still suffered from security weaknesses and fools’ attacks. Not to mention those damned Lawrence aggravations they were trying to hide in one of the compound’s houses. Shit was starting to get real deep here, and he was getting fucking sick of avoiding the various piles everyone was trying to hide. After dressing, he clipped his holstered weapon to his belt and left his room, mentally going over a very long list of various duties awaiting his attention. Communications upgrades, intel from various sources left through the night, security protocols and logs from the past twelve hours from individual patrol leaders. It went on and on, dragging at his shoulders as he neared the top of the stairs.
“How dare you hide this from me?” Roni’s voice met Kane as he came downstairs. The tension in the compound was getting to them all. The enforced confinement was driving Merinus and Roni crazy and in turn they were driving them all crazy. He crossed his arms over his chest and watched curiously as Roni gave her mate hell.
There wasn’t much that he gained more pleasure from than watching the irritable, irritating Jaguar Breed get what-for, from his ever-loving mate.
The dark-haired beauty faced Taber, her fists clenched at her sides, tears streaking down her face as she screamed at him. Taber was pale, his eyes desperate as he stared at his wife. This didn’t look good. Kicking his ass over some perceived slight never made Roni mad enough cry. This wasn’t a hormonal asschewing. Which wasn’t good.
“Roni, you don’t understand. ” Taber ran his hands over his face in irritation. “I was going to tell you. As soon as I thought you were strong enough…”
Uh-oh. It appeared shit had hit the fan here, and Roni was well aware of the hidden guests gracing the estate.
“You fuck me until I can’t breathe but you think I’m not strong enough to talk?”
Kane winced. Boy, did she have him there.
“The situation is too dangerous…”
“And you’re too full of shit. ” Her finger poked into his chest. “They’re my family. All I have left. After the hell my stepfather put me through I can’t believe you would hide this from me. ”
“That was why, dammit,” Taber cursed. “Roni, please, you have to understand…”
“I don’t have to do jack,” she snapped. “You, on the other hand, better find another bed. ”
Taber, without his mate to help rid him of some of that excess energy that fueled his temper? Kane didn’t think so.
“A Feline divorce,” Kane quipped as he came down the stairs. “Can I watch? I might need to take notes. ”
Taber snarled as they turned to face him, canines flashing, green eyes glowing with rage as he found a target to hate. Roni’s eyes flashed with fury.
“Did I ask for your help?” she asked Kane angrily.
Kane shrugged. “You don’t have to ask, Roni. I told you, I’ll give you and Merinus advice for free. It’s the least I can do, seeing as how you’re chained to such rude, deceptive beings as these Felines. ” He smiled with all the male innocence he could muster. It wasn’t much, but it was enough to heat an already hot situation.
“I’m going to rip your fucking throat out, Tyler,” Taber promised him. Kane lifted a brow mockingly.
“Hey, it’s not my fault you thought you knew what she could handle. She’s an adult. Hell, let her live for a change. ”
Taber’s snarl was violent.
“This is none of your business,” Roni informed him snidely. “Go away, Kane. ”
He glanced at Taber and shrugged. ???See? She’s perfectly capable of handling betrayal. You worried too much. ”
“He did not betray me,” Roni gasped, turning on him now. “What is your damned problem?”
Kane shrugged. “He’s an ill-tempered bag of misfit genetics who lied to you. You deserve better. ”
“He didn’t lie,” she snapped.