Leopard's Run

by Christine Feehan

  “Eat, woman. You need to keep up your strength. Your leopard is going to rise again soon and she’s going to be very demanding of us.”

  She made a face at him. “She’s a little hussy. Thank you for the care last night, the soaking in the tub really helped. I can’t imagine what I’d be feeling like now if you hadn’t done that. As it is, I didn’t put on any panties because I thought exposure to the air would help heal me.”

  He groaned. “Baby. Really? You’re going to tell me right now you aren’t wearing any panties and then in the next breath tell me you have to heal?”

  Her grin turned mischievous and he knew she’d done so deliberately to tease him. She licked the syrup off her fork. “Yep. That’s exactly what I’m telling you. Not a stitch on under this dress. And you were delicious this morning. Shame on me for missing my opportunity to wake you up properly.”

  “Now my fuckin’ cock is as hard as a rock again.” He glared at her.

  She threw her head back and laughed again. The sound filled the room and his heart with joy. He hadn’t considered that having a woman could be fun. She made the simplest things exciting and amusing. He already couldn’t imagine his life without her. From the moment he opened his eyes, he’d looked forward to the day.

  His phone vibrated, and he took it out of his pocket and glanced down at the text. “Cops are back asking questions. Fyodor would like us over there, you for Evangeline and me to answer questions.”

  “About what?”

  He shrugged. “It’s always something. You’re going to have to get used to a little bit of harassment. He’s called our lawyer just to be on the safe side. Come on, we’ve got to go. Get your shoes.”

  “I’ll stay here and do dishes. I don’t feel like getting dressed.”

  “You’re going to have to come with me. You don’t need to get dressed, just get your shoes. You look beautiful.”

  “What if the little hussy suddenly makes an appearance?” She sounded nervous.

  “They aren’t leopard. They won’t be able to tell and, in any case, they won’t be there that long. Let’s go see what they want.” She was coming with him, even if he had to carry her, but he waited patiently, hoping she would come to the conclusion he wanted.

  She heaved an exaggerated sigh. “Fine. But if she comes out and gets all amorous with cops, that’s on you, not me.”

  “I won’t hold you accountable.” He might kill a few cops, but he wouldn’t blame her.

  They walked over to the main house, which was a good distance away. He held her hand, feeling a little bit of a fool, but liking the way it felt in his larger one. It was a new experience for him and one he savored. He’d pulled on a tight tee and loose drawstring pants. His loafers he could kick off immediately if he needed to shift.

  Ashe wore her long dress and a pair of sandals. He liked that she wasn’t in the least bit shy about her lack of underwear. She seemed utterly unaware of it, while he was aware with every single step he took.

  When they entered the house, Gorya nodded toward the sitting room. It was the one place Fyodor consistently took guests, especially the police. They could easily contain anyone in that cozy little room. The walls had secrets. And catching an enemy in a crossfire was extremely easy. The lighting threw more shadows than light. Timur walked in with Ashe and chose the two chairs Fyodor had left in the darkest area of the room for him.

  Jeff and Ray were there, along with two other cops, one in uniform. The fact that the other man wasn’t in uniform meant he was at least a detective. Timur was introduced and found out the newcomer’s name was Anton Lipin. The uniform cop was Finn Moran, an Irishman through and through.

  Timur studied Lipin. Definitely Russian, or at least of Russian descent. The man stayed in the shadows as much as possible and that marked him, as far as Timur was concerned. He watched him closely, while keeping the others in his line of vision.

  “What can I do for you, gentleman?” Timur asked as he drew Ashe down onto his lap. She immediately pulled up her legs beneath the long skirt of her dress. “You’ve come at a very bad time. I’ve only got a couple of days off and I had planned on enjoying them with my fiancée.”

  Every eye went to Ashe, first on her face, then dropped to her bare hand and then back to her face in speculation. She squirmed a little, her bottom rubbing over his groin. Instantly, his cock reacted, growing hard and long beneath her. She shivered visibly but stopped moving when his hand pulled a blanket from the opposite chair and spread it over top of her.

  “Are you cold?” Timur was all solicitation, but he knew she wasn’t cold. He knew it was his reaction to her innocent squirming that sent that little shiver down her spine.

  “I’m good now,” she said and leaned back into him, putting her head on his shoulder.

  The action thrust her breasts forward and he slid his hand beneath the long skirt of her dress to splay his fingers over her belly. The tips brushed the undersides of her breasts. His cock jerked in response. He kept his features blank.

  “Again, what can I do for you, gentlemen?” He looked to Jeff, who usually led the others.

  “We were called to a motel this morning when several of the rooms were found abandoned.” It was Moran who answered.

  Timur found that utterly astonishing, but he kept his mask in place. Why would the uniformed officer be the spokesperson? He stayed silent, waiting for an explanation as to why they were there.

  “The motel charges by the day and rents are paid one day at a time. The rule to be out is very strict. Money changes hands by ten A.M. or the tenant must leave. There were six rooms rented and not one paid. No one was in their rooms and it looked as if they hadn’t spent the night there. More, all security cameras were on the blitz. The ones in the parking lot and above the door of each of those rooms along with the cameras installed on either side of the rooms.”

  Timur drummed his fingers against the arm of the chair as if becoming impatient. With his other hand, he began to rub along the underside of Ashe’s breasts with the tips of his fingers. She was achingly soft right there. He loved the way she felt. She didn’t move a muscle, nor did she try to stop him.

  “Get to the point, because I don’t see where this is going.”

  “The point is this.” Moran leaned closer. “Clothes were still in the room, as if they were coming back. In the suit pocket of one of them was this address. Written on that paper was Fyodor Amurov, Gorya Amurov and Timur Amurov. There was a second address. I believe your cousin Mitya resides there. His name and his brother’s, Sevastyan, were also written there. There were other names as well. The names of men you employ and some in your cousin’s employment.”

  Timur shrugged. “First, Sevastyan isn’t Mitya’s brother. They’re cousins, although quite close. And I’m not certain where you’re going with this. Was there a threat made against us? Against my brother or cousin?” He slid his fingers down to her belly and dipped them in her little belly button. He wished his fingers were his tongue.

  “They are here from Russia.”

  Timur frowned. “I still don’t understand. We haven’t been in Russia for many years.” That was strictly the truth. “What does that mean? I don’t understand.”

  “We were hoping you would tell us what that meant.”

  What it meant was, Jeremiah had fucked up again. His job had been to erase all threads between the men who would never be returning to those rooms and the Amurov family. Clearly, he’d dealt with the cameras, but he’d left behind an important piece of paper. That left the burning question, had he missed anything else?

  “I have no idea. Who are these men?” He looked to his brother. “Did you have visitors I wasn’t aware of while I was out?”

  Fyodor shook his head. “No. It was very quiet yesterday.”

  Timur stroked the pads of his fingers down Ashe’s soft skin and settled them just on top of her mound. “What are the names of these men? Perhaps we know them from our homeland.”

  Finn Moran indica
ted Fyodor. “He’s got the names.”

  Fyodor passed a piece of paper to Timur. “I didn’t recognize any of them. Do you?”

  Timur pretended to study them. His entire attention was on Ashe’s body. She was warm and soft and more than anything, he wanted to hold her close and spend time kissing her. Exploring her mouth. Learning every erogenous spot she had on her body. He knew he wasn’t the best man in the world, but for her, he would try to be, within the context of who and what he was. He wanted her happy above all else.

  He nuzzled her shoulder and pressed his mouth to the nape of her neck, kissing her there. Her heavy fall of hair had been pulled up into a ponytail, leaving her neck bare. He liked the little shudder that went through her body when he put his lips to her skin.

  “I’m sorry. I don’t know any of these men. Having said that, it doesn’t mean that I’ve never run across them before. It just means that I can’t recall them.”

  Jeff seemed restless. He stood up and moved around the room, hands in his pockets, but his gaze was on the knickknacks and artwork Evangeline had placed in the sitting room—as if it might all be stolen. Timur found himself resenting the cops, and the fact that they seemed to think they could show up at any time and interrupt their day.

  “Are you looking for something in particular?”

  Jeff turned his head, his gaze on Ashe. “I was just wondering how you do it. Your brother with Evangeline, and now you’ve got her.” He jerked his chin toward Ashe.

  Timur instantly went on alert. Jeff might be the most annoying man in the world, but he was always respectful.

  “Jeff,” Ray said, standing, as if that might deter his partner. “It’s not worth it.”

  Jeff shook his head, holding up his hand to stop whatever Ray was about to say. “They’re good women. Both of them. You know that, don’t you?”

  Timur pulled his hand free of Ashe’s skirt, the blanket and the warmth of her skin. “I’m very aware of that, yes.” He kept his gaze steady on Jeff.

  “They could get killed living with you.”

  For the first time, Timur allowed himself to look at Jeff as a human being, rather than an enemy out to get them. “We have protection in place,” he supplied quietly. “You know I carry a weapon, as does every man on my security force. The women come first at all times.”

  “Even before your brother?” Jeff jerked his thumb toward Fyodor, his voice bitter.

  “Evangeline and Ashe are always first,” Fyodor answered. “These men from that motel. Do you believe they are somehow a threat to our women?” There was a rumble of menace in his voice.

  Timur sat up straighter. Did Jeff know the missing men were hit men?

  “We found several other cameras in cafés and stores across the street from the motel with photographs of the men. Two were recognized as hit men. Interpol is sending what they have on them. We’re searching for them now, but they haven’t returned to the cars they rented. We did trace them to this man …” It was again Finn Moran who spoke. He passed a photograph to Timur. “Do you recognize him?”

  It was Apostol Delov. Timur nodded slowly. “He’s known in our world as the messenger. Apostol Delov isn’t his real name. He isn’t the only one using that identity, but they’re all from the same family. They’re the trackers. They’re hired to hunt down a particular person and when they find them, they send for the hit team.”

  “He’s renting a house just one block over from Evangeline’s home,” Jeff said.

  “This is Evangeline’s home,” Fyodor said. “She’s my wife. She lives here with me and she’s protected.”

  “He meant,” Ray said, glaring at his partner, “to say that he’s staying one block from the house your wife owns and where Ashe is living now. That’s an awful big coincidence.”

  The stranger, Anton Lipin, stood up and wandered over to Jeff as if to calm him, or to show solidarity. He was a big man, his size dwarfing Jeff just a little. He leaned against the fireplace, running one hand along the mantel, giving the impression of a man very much at ease.

  “Delov was identified as the man who originally rented the rooms and was there on at least two occasions with these other men,” Moran continued.

  “Ashe,” Ray said, ignoring Timur’s instant scowl. “Do you know any of these men?”

  Ashe had looked at the photographs when Timur had. “I’ve got a fairly good memory and I think this man was in the bakery a couple of times.” She pointed to the picture Fyodor was handing back to the uniformed policemen. “He didn’t cause any trouble. He just got coffee and a pastry. I didn’t see any of the others, at least that I can recall.”

  The photographs through the café’s security cameras were grainy. Even if later it could be proved that one or more of the men had been in the bakery, she could always claim the pictures weren’t clear.

  “Is there a reason a hit might be taken out on you?” Ray asked.

  Ashe sank deeper into Timur’s body. She shook her head, one hand going defensively to her throat. “No. I mean, what could I have done to someone to make them pay to have me killed?” She looked at Timur as if he might have the answer.

  He could see she was very nervous. He leaned forward and took her mouth. Beneath his, her lips trembled, but she didn’t hold back. She gave herself to him. He wrapped his arms around her. “Is it necessary to scare the crap out of her? She’s safe here.”

  “She doesn’t live here,” Ray pointed out. “You all live here. She lives in Evangeline’s house, the house one block from the one Delov is renting.”

  “Pick him up and ask him what the fuck he’s doing here,” Fyodor snapped.

  “He’s missing too. All of them have disappeared. They could be anywhere,” Jeff said.

  “And now they won’t go near the motel again, or Delov’s rented house,” Timur pointed out. He sighed. “I guess I should thank you for the warning, but it always seems that every time any of you come around, you bring trouble with you.”

  “The trouble was already here,” Jeff said. “Where is Evangeline?”

  Timur glanced at his brother. Fyodor didn’t have much more patience when it came to Jeff’s lovesick infatuation.

  “She’s feeling under the weather,” Ashe said, unexpectedly. “The flu’s going around big-time and being in the shop, we get exposed to everything. I told her I’d hold down the fort for the next couple of days for her.”

  “Not ,” Fyodor said, “that it’s any of your business.”

  Jeff didn’t answer him. He just shook his head, jammed his hands in his pockets and looked into the fireplace. Anton Lipin awkwardly patted his shoulder.

  “I think we’re finished here,” the uniformed officer said.

  Timur studied his face. He looked to be about forty. Tough. The others clearly respected him. The stranger in street clothes hadn’t said one word. He’d nodded when he was introduced, but that was about it. Timur took another look at him. His features were definitely Russian. His name certainly could have been. Was there a reason he didn’t speak? It stood to reason they might bring in an expert on Russian mobsters.

  The cops stood as soon as the uniformed officer made his statement. Timur set Ashe aside so he could stand with his brother.

  “Thank you for the warning,” Fyodor said.

  Timur deliberately went up to Anton Lipin and held out his hand. There was the briefest of hesitations and then Anton took his hand and shook it. Timur smiled at him. “I really appreciate you coming to warn us. Have you been to the bakery yet?” He was certain the cop hadn’t. He would have recognized the policeman.

  “No.” The briefest of answers.

  “You’ll have to come in. Evangeline is an amazing baker.”

  The man just nodded. He might not be from Russia, but if not, his parents were. Timur would stake his life on that.

  13

  TIMUR closed the door on the cops and turned to face his brother, his finger to his lips. He mouthed, house bugged.

  “I despise that arrogan
t prick, Jeff,” Fyodor said aloud. “He’s after my wife.”

  “She’s in love with you ,” Timur said. He pulled out his phone and texted Gorya to bring equipment to find any bugs the cops might have left in the house.

  Fyodor caught his arm and pointed toward the kitchen. The police hadn’t been there. Still, Timur didn’t like it. He went to the door of the sitting room, put his finger to his lips again and then indicated for Ashe to come to him.

  He circled her shoulders with one arm. “Check on Evangeline, baby. Make certain she’s resting.”

  “She needs to drink plenty of water,” Fyodor added. “She gets snippy if I tell her to drink it, but if you do, she’ll be good about it.”

  Ashe sent him a reassuring smile. “No worries. Where is she?”

  “She’s in the master bedroom right now. She’s up, resting on the lounge, reading, but I know she’ll want your company and I want her down as much as possible,” Fyodor said.

  Ashe went up on her toes to brush a kiss along Timur’s jaw. “I’m on it, Fyodor, don’t worry about a thing.”

  Timur and Fyodor watched her walk down the hall and then both went in the opposite direction to the kitchen. Just to be certain whatever bug the cops had placed wasn’t capable of hearing them, he flipped the switch on the audio jammer. They had them in every room throughout the house and switching one on in one room would activate them in every room. The jammer emitted a random masking sound that desensitized microphones. That would render them unable to record.

  “Did you place Lipin? He’s got to be their Russian expert. He was the one who had to tell them about Apostol Delov.”

  Fyodor shook his head. “I’ve never seen him before. I didn’t get it at first. I was too busy wanting to rip Jeff’s head off.”

  “Jeff was their distraction. He never would have behaved that way in front of a superior officer if it wasn’t planned.” Timur had studied Jeff Meyers for a while, assessing the threat to his brother. Jeff was a cop through and through, a man with principles. He’d acted totally out of character.