by V. A. Dold
Patiently, she watched the man, learning his patterns and tells. Rolling her eyes, she sighed. He broke every rule of a successful assassin, especially, the third rule. Rule number three, always change things up and be unexpected so that your opponent can’t anticipate your actions. Within a few minutes of watching the idiot, she knew exactly what he’d do and when.
She studied the balcony, staircase, and courtyard. If she timed it right and slipped out when he did his visual sweep of the gate end of the garden, she could be deep in the shadows before he looked her way. Still, she didn’t make her move. She hadn’t utilized rule number six yet. Always make sure you know how many players are in the game.
Taking her time, she inched the french doors open slightly and checked out every part of the courtyard that she could see. Damn it, she hated breaking her own rules. At least a third of the garden was beyond her line of sight, and she had to go down there.
The instant the infiltrator turned his head toward the gate, she made her move. She pushed through the door and tiptoed down the stairs, avoiding the creaky spots she’d identified during her earlier visit.
She’d just ducked behind a large leafy green plant when the man turned his attention to the staircase again. She held her position, waiting for her target to look away so she could work her way close enough to strike. Suddenly, a hand clamped down on her mouth and an arm wrapped around her stomach. Her mind immediately logged any and all facts. The person was tall, muscular, and wore musky aftershave. A man of approximately six feet and two hundred pounds.
Stupid move, leaving her hands and feet free. Cassidy jerked her elbow back and up, punching the man’s nose into his skull. His arm and hand jerked from her body, and he went down with a grunt. She spun on her heel, grabbed his chin with one hand, and the back of his head with the other then gave it a quick, hard twist. He wasn’t coming back from that.
Spinning back toward the other intruder, she assumed a ready stance with her knife in hand. Killing the first guy had been done fairly quietly but not wholly without noise. The other man was sure to come looking.
Silently, she flowed into the shadows of the potted plants the size of small trees. As the intruder skulked into view, she inched around the pots to keep the plants between her and the man until he was right where she wanted him. When the man reached his partner and found him on the ground with his head lolling oddly to the side, he glanced left and right, searching for the person he knew was somewhere in the courtyard. After several long minutes, he reached down to feel for a pulse. He jerked his hand back, a grimace on his face. Interesting, the guy was creeped out by dead bodies. When he stood there, staring down at the body, she made her move. Two steps to move out from behind the plants, and five more to reach the intruders back. With a quick reach around, she slit his throat and stepped back to avoid arterial spray. Shaking her head, she thought, pickings must be getting slim for Jones.
Leaving the second man to bleed out, she searched the courtyard for other assassins. She spotted a third man before he spotted her. He had hunkered down in an alcove. Pulling a throwing knife from her boot, she let it fly. The man clutched at the knife in his throat, gurgling as he went to his knees. After one last look around to assure she’d cleared the area, she headed back to the condo and Marcus.
Marcus inched his way along the hallway to the room sounds were coming from. From what he’d heard, someone had forced a window open and was now… moaning. The scent of iron-rich blood hung heavy in the air. Blood? What was going on in that room, and why hadn’t the intruder left it? Neither he or Cassidy were in there, and there was nothing of value in the room. There was no reason for the man to stay in there. He didn’t rush into the unknown situation. Instead, he used a tiny mirror on a telescopic stick to assess the situation.
That explained it. The idiot had forced the window open and somehow fallen through the window, injuring himself. And he now sat on the floor, clutching his compound-fractured ankle. As Marcus studied the injured man, another man hissed out a breath.
“Jesus, Jake. You’re such a pussy. If all you’re going to do is sit there holding your owie, at least try to keep it down.”
“It’s a fucking compound fracture, asshole. It hurts like a mother.”
Marcus had both of them now. He could see Jake on the floor, and though he couldn’t see the second man, he’d pinpointed his location as against the wall about three feet from the door. He partially shifted to allow his claws to emerge, then went invisible. He didn’t know how his no see me gift worked. It just did. He went for the healthy man first, stopping only long enough to slice a claw across his throat. Then he spun on his heel and reached down to do the same to the other.
He took in the bloody carnage and wrinkled his nose. His mother was going to have his head. Sure, she’d be relieved he was unharmed, but then the condition of the condo would sink in, and he’d be in the doghouse. Maybe he could get the cleaner in fast and redecorate before she found out? He rolled his eyes. Yeah, right, as if she wouldn’t notice the changes and then he’d be in trouble anyway.
Finished in that bedroom, he crept back to the hallway to clear the other two bedrooms. A four-bedroom condominium was unheard of in the Quarter unless you were a wealthy paranormal. When the building was rebuilt after the hurricanes and fire of 1794, the family purchased four units and had them built out as a single home. The side by side lower units made up the general living areas, and the side by side upper units offered four spacious bedrooms and two bathrooms. He and Cassidy had been in the master bedroom gearing up, so that left the two bedrooms and one bath on the opposite side of the hall. Within a matter of minutes, he’d cleared one bedroom and the bath. Marcus was closing the door of the walk-in closet, the last place he’d had to search when Cassidy showed up and leaned her shoulder on the doorframe.
“I have you by one,” she said with a smirk.
Marcus cocked his head and frowned. “By one what?”
“Intruders. I had three in the courtyard. You only had two. You’re falling behind, Le Beau.”
He scowled at her. “Seriously? You’re making this a contest? It’s not as if I can make the bad guys multiply.”
Cassidy pressed her lips together and nodded. “True. I tell you what. I’ll give you first shot at the bad guys when we go after Jones.?”
He chuckled and pulled her into his arms. “Thank you, baby. That’s very magnanimous of you.”
Marcus tapped his earpiece to check in with his brothers guarding the exterior. The family had forced the technology on him. His revenge was making them use it. “Cade, is the perimeter secure?”
“I have no idea. You left me guarding the café. Give me a minute to check.”
“Stefan? Have you secured the perimeter?” Marcus asked.
No response.
“Stefan?”
A thud of a body slamming into a car, and a shrieking antitheft alarm, followed by pedestrians screaming marred the peaceful morning. “Don’t worry. I’m okay. That was me disabling the one left to guard the front door,” Stefan yelled from the street below.
Marcus and Cassidy rushed to the front door. He yanked it open to see Stefan standing behind an assassin who he had face-down on the hood of a car. “Does El know you swing that way?”
Stefan scowled at him over his shoulder. “Screw you, jackass.”
“You didn’t leave any for me. Greedy, don’t you think?” Cade asked as he joined them and waved the police cruiser down.
“You were only across the street. What took your turtle ass so long?” Stefan snarked back
Cade shrugged. “I had to finish my last beignet and wipe my hands on a napkin.”
Marcus rolled his eyes. “Of course, you did. When we’re done with the police, I want everyone to meet at my house for a planning session.”
Cade pulled out his phone and started texting. “I’m on it.”
“Thanks, send the cops upstairs. I have two bodies in a spare bedroom and there are three more in the
courtyard,” Marcus said as he trudged up the stairs to wait.
Fifteen
Cassidy had never seen anything like the bayou. The hanging moss in the trees was fascinating. It was so pretty and lacy. Was it as soft as it looked?
“You don’t want to handle the moss. It’s full of chiggers,” Marcus said.
She turned from the window to look at him. “What?”
“You were checking out the Spanish moss and flexing your fingers like you wanted to touch. You don’t want to do that.”
“Oh.” She turned back to the window and gazed longingly at the moss. “Really?”
He chuckled. “Really. It’s pretty to look at, but the chiggers will drive you nuts. I swear I scratched myself raw as a kid.”
Cassidy sighed. “That sucks.”
“Here we are,” he announced as they turned onto a private driveway.
She glanced out both sides of the car and frowned. “Where’s your house?”
“All of the houses are about a mile into the property.”
“Houses? A mile? How large is your place?”
“This is the family plantation. My parents and most of my siblings live here. We each have our own house, but they’re spaced out across the acreage for privacy.”
“You own a plantation!”
Marcus grinned. “It’s a nonworking plantation. Meaning, we don’t grow crops. But yes, we have a huge tract of land. See that big traditional two-story plantation house over there? That’s my parents’ house. They’ve kept it true to the era while updating the kitchen and bathrooms, etc. The only modern addition to the exterior is a big deck off the back. My dad loves to barbecue and insisted on a deck.”
“It’s beautiful! Was it designed after Oak Alley that property that everyone tours?”
He gave her an indulgent smile. “Actually, Oak Alley was designed after this house.”
She leaned into the window to see the house better. “No… really?”
“Yes, ma’am. The architect is a friend of the family.”
“Is? You mean was.”
“Nope. I mean, is.” He winked at her and added, “He’s a shifter. We live a long time.”
“The architect is a shifter, too? How many of you are there?”
“Millions, worldwide.”
Cassidy flopped back in her seat and huffed out a breath. “Wow. And nobody knows?”
“Nope. We operate under the radar. Although, that may be changing sooner rather than later.” Marcus pointed out the windshield. “There she is. My humble abode.”
The house wasn’t a classic plantation manor like his parents’ place. Not that the style made the house any less impressive. The home was only one story, but the entire structure sat majestically twenty feet off the ground on massive stilts and sprawled out in every direction. Marcus was a single guy living in what must be twenty-five hundred square feet. What did he do with all that space?
Cassidy wasn’t surprised by the lack of flower beds and fancy landscaping. Marcus wasn’t that kind of guy. Besides, the bayou itself created the most amazing backdrop for his house. Getting out of the car, she spontaneously smoothed her blouse without thinking about the action. Her gaze moved from the house to the dock. Marcus had a boat? Another thing she hadn’t expected of the designer suit-wearing man.
The trees wept branches and moss into the dark river water flowing slowly by, beckoning her to take a closer look.
Peace and serenity filled her soul. Closing her eyes, she drew in a deep breath and smiled. She’d bet the sunset reflecting off the water was outstanding. It was easy to understand why Marcus chose that location on the plantation for his home. Opening her eyes, she meant to turn for the house but instead lifted a foot to move closer to the water’s edge. That is until a gator bellowed, and she drew up short. Instead of stepping forward, she stumbled back.
A laugh burst from Marcus as he caught her under her arms before she fell. “Whoa there, killer.”
Cassidy abruptly righted herself and spun in his loose grip. Marcus was so close she banged her nose on his chest and cried out. Immediately, her hands came up to cup her offended nasal passages and wipe the tears from her eyes. “Damn that stings.”
Marcus felt that same sting as if he’d been the one punched in the nose. Lifting a hand to his face, he said, “It most certainly does.” Once he was sure she’d be okay, he allowed his gaze to drift over her and breathed freely when he verified that no other part of her body had come to harm. He took a moment to just look at her, to breathe her in. He wouldn’t get many of these moments again until her brother was safely home. When he realized she was gazing back with a smirk on her lips, he held out a hand to her. “Come on, cher. Let me show you inside.”
Still smirking, she put her hand in his. His fingers closed around hers, and he led her to the bottom of the stairs. “After you, mon amour.”
Cassidy took the first few steps, then looked back and smiled before making her way up the rest of the stairs to his home. His heart swelled with pride for his home. When his father offered five-acre lots to all of his sons so each of them could build a private residence, he’d jumped on the acreage he now had. The acreage he’d fallen in love with when he was but a young pup. So far, so good. Hopefully, she’d love the inside as well.
This little stretch of riverfront had the best daylight year-round, and a drop off mere feet from the dock, making it perfect for his wants and needs. He’d had lengthy discussions with the architect when they designed the house and its exact placement on the acreage. He’d insisted that the views from every side of the wrap-around deck had to be perfect.
He couldn’t wait for her to see the layout inside. As a large man, Marcus liked wide open spaces, which meant he preferred minimal walls and high ceilings. Twelve-foot walls and ceilings peaking at twenty-four feet, with strategically placed fans, were the solutions he and the architect came up with, and he loved the results.
When she paused outside the door, he waved her inside.
“No locks?” she asked over her shoulder before she turned to see the interior for the first time. “Oh my. Your home is enormous! I love the open concept.” Then she leaned down and petted an oversized custom leather couch and made a strange moan/groan combo sound that went straight to his manhood.
He bent over her back, lifted the hair from the nape of her neck, and kissed her warm, sweet-smelling skin. When he breathed warm air over her kiss-dampened flesh, she shivered. Marcus smiled. He loved that he affected her so profoundly.
“Your scent drives me wild,” he said softly. “And the fact that my family is showing up at any moment is a fuckin’ bitch.” With his arms around her middle, he straightened and took one step back, pulling her with him. Then he turned her around and took her mouth.
Her body molded against his as her arms went around his neck, and she kissed him back.
Marcus growled. His woman kissed with the same confidence she showed when she took care of business. He may have started gently, but that didn’t last. His pulse quickened and blood pooled low. He had spent decades unsuccessfully searching for his mate. And now she was where she belonged, in his home and his arms.
Cassidy’s fingers stroked the nape of his neck. Marcus wasn’t sure she realized she was doing that, but he wasn’t going to say anything. If he did, she might stop. Then she parted her lips, and soft moans rose from her throat. Those sexy sounds were more than he could take. His control snapped, and he was gone.
He was reaching for the hem of her shirt when someone knocked on the door. “Damn it. Why don’t you grab a seat while I answer that?”
He felt her eyes on him as he went to the door. Lord have mercy. She’s potent. And now that she was in his home, he couldn’t take a breath without drawing her into his lungs. The realization that her scent was permeating his personal space made him smile.
Marcus opened the door to find half of his family on his deck. “Hey, guys. Thanks for coming.”
Cade entered first, follow
ed by John and Thomas, Cade’s stepsons. All of them wore matching annoyed but determined expressions. “Dad and Mom are right behind us, and Simon and Stefan will be here shortly. I’ll Call Etienne once we iron out a plan. He wasn’t happy when I explained who Jones is and how he set up your mate in his territory.”
Thomas gave Marcus a nod. “Mom wanted to come, but we pointed out that the conversation was inappropriate for Abbi, and she agreed to stay home. She wanted you to know that she really wanted to be here.”
Marcus clapped Thomas on the back. “Thanks, man. I’ll call her later.”
Then he turned to John and held out his hand for a manly handshake. “Thank you for coming. I’d like you and Thomas to meet my mate, Cassidy Ryan. Cassidy, this is John and his brother Thomas. They’re Cade and Anna’s boys.”
She gave them each a warm smile and a handshake. “It’s nice to meet both of you. I wish it were under better circumstances. I can’t believe the entire family is going to help rescue my brother.”
John grinned and shrugged. “We’re used to dealing with trouble. And why wouldn’t we help? When a Le Beau needs assistance, we band together.”
Marcus winced. He knew they were rallying because Cassidy was his mate, claimed or not. And that made her family. The problem was, he wasn’t so sure she understood that.
The smile faded from her lips. “It must be nice to have a family that has your back.”
John cocked his head a little and blinked. “But you do have a family at your back. The Le Beaus are your family now.”
Cassidy’s glance shot to his. There were confusion and suspicion in her eyes.
Holding her gaze, Marcus took her hand and whispered, “We’ll discuss it later. Right now, we need to concentrate on Colin.”
She glanced at Marcus’s family then held Cade’s gaze. Cade nodded once before turning away as if giving her and Marcus privacy. “I agree. Colin is the important thing. But—” She paused and stared him in the eye. “I’m expecting an explanation when he’s safely home.”
