by Lola Dodge
Blazing orange eyes. Quan’s thighs straddling my waist, his weight pressing down on my belly. The answering heat inside me.
He was taller than his brother and broader through the shoulders. His skin a deep, dark brown.
A vision of pure lust.
I’d let my guard down too much and I was going to pay for it. Given, there were worse things I could remember, but I doubted anything else could be so distracting. I could already foresee myself flashing back to this every thirty seconds for months. Years.
Because I’d liked it more than I should.
Quan’s face so close to mine, his vivid orange eyes staring into my soul, hot breath on my cheek—
Taking down my walls a little was one thing, but Quan was like a battering ram. If I let myself indulge in moments like that, how long would it be until he filled my head completely? Until he was all I could think about?
I’d be useless for anything but daydreaming of Quan’s abs.
A second knock sounded, and I quickly opened the door, reciting multiplication tables in a few different languages to keep my mind on task. “Just put the cart anywhere.”
Two men in hotel uniforms—both of whom had helped haul up the crate—rolled the heavy load of food in. Raoul was the first to eye the open crate. “Should we, uh…take that away for you, ma’am?”
“You can leave it for now.” This time, I slipped them each a twenty-dollar bill for their trouble. “Thanks for your help.”
They both nodded and hustled out of the room.
I sighed as I buttoned my purse. This couldn’t continue.
Quan’s body weight pressing me into the carpet, his arms pinning me down—
This absolutely could not continue.
I refused to give Quan so much power over me, especially when I knew next nothing about him.
I grabbed my cell, but didn’t dare retreat from the sitting room. Quan’s eyes had given away how much he wanted to run—and I understood why he’d be uneasy in this environment, but that didn’t mean I could cut him slack. It was my job to keep track of him. Not to trace the lines of his shoulders in my mind.
Panther picked up Ivory’s cell. “Angel? Is he giving you trouble?”
Quan stares down at me with intense orange eyes and my gaze slides down his body to the tight muscles and—
I fanned myself with my free hand. “You have no idea.”
And I had no idea how I was going to get the image of the man out of my head.
Quan
I belted a tiny-ass robe around me and fell back on the king-sized bed. Angel was on the phone, and she knocked after a few minutes.
She opened the door just wide enough to hold the phone through the gap. “Your brother wants to speak with you.”
“Fine.”
Instead of opening the door, she tossed her cell. I snagged it before it crashed into the empty nightstand. Was I supposed to have a lamp?
“You rang?”
Balam let loose a few juicy curses in Spanish, Portuguese and Nahuatl for extra effect. “No. Angel rang me. The fuck are you doing out there?”
“I was visiting.”
“No shit. I mean, why are you shifting in the middle of the airport? Did the metal detectors fry your brain?”
“How else was I supposed to get them to back off?”
“Them, being security? You probably looked suspicious as hell and I bet you deserved what they gave you. Have a little common sense, bro.”
I bit back a growl. Fucking Balam. He could charm his way out of anything, but I was missing the gene for getting along with norms.
“How do you stand it here?” Even in the comfortable bed, the strong scent of laundry detergent made my nose wrinkle.
“You get used to it. And it helps if you don’t alienate every person who could help you.”
“Easy for you to say.” Balam loved his life as Panther the superhero. He had fucking action figures.
Good for him. That didn’t make the same life right for me.
“Here’s the deal. You stay tight to Angel and she’ll take care of everything until you both make it to New York.”
“You can’t come here?” I was a grown-ass man and I didn’t need an android telling me how to live my life.
“Nope. I’d be on a plane, but Ivory and I have to be in court. You’re legally obligated to stay in Angel’s custody until she hands you off.”
“Fantastic.”
“My advice? Don’t piss her off.”
“Why?” It sounded like that was the only fun I’d get out of this trip. “She’s no fighter.” Not with those soft arms and that smooth skin of hers.
Balam gave a wry chuckle. “You don’t think so? Dare you to try messing with her.”
I just might, especially if Angel was hiding something interesting.
“Hold on—Ivory wants to talk to you.”
Static rumbled and Ivory’s firm voice came on the line. “Tequani?”
“Ola, hermana.” I wished she could’ve been the one bailing me out—I was itching for another battle with the warrior woman from the tundra.
“I understand how you feel—I was always on edge in my first big city. But…” Her voice hardened like ice. “If you hurt Angel, I will kill you, and I’ll enjoy doing it. Your brother won’t stop me.”
“I’ll probably help,” he called from the background.
A growl rose in my throat. “That’s how you feel about your family?”
“She’s also our family, Quan,” Ivory said. “Please treat her that way.”
“I’ll be nice.” At least I’d sound Angel out a bit more. “But I’d rather skip this shit and head to New York.”
“You’d get apprehended and deported,” Ivory said. “Just thank Angel for pulling strings or that would’ve happened already.”
Like the woman was single-handedly in charge of my life now?
“Then I guess I’ll see you when I see you. You ready for a rematch?”
“Always.” Her voice finally warmed. “I haven’t had a decent fight since I saw you last.”
I could say the same.
“Plan on it, hermana.” I clicked off the phone and went to search for its owner.
Angel was in the sitting room. She’d kicked off her high-heels and sat with her legs folded on the couch, surrounded by piles of papers as she nibbled at a salad. “Good talk with your brother?” Her gaze didn’t lift from the paperwork.
“Great.” I tossed the phone into the cushions at her side. “What’s the plan now that you’ve rescued me?” And apparently owned me. I’d play at cooperation, but I wasn’t getting her name tattooed on my ass yet. Just feeling her out. If Ivory and B really respected her, I’d be nice.
At least my version of nice.
“You’re going to have to accompany me this week.” Angel hadn’t taken off her makeup—not that she wore much of it—but the circles under her eyes were looking darker. Maybe not a robot after all?
Something to remember for later. “Accompany you to what?”
“A recruiting event at UCLA. The Manhattan Ten is looking to bring on a new hero, so you’re going to be joining me for the sessions on campus.”
I nosed my way over to the room service cart and lifted one of the silver-lidded trays. The large steak still steamed, but I could smell the blood underneath the light sear. The other lids hid more cuts of meat. “These are mine?”
“Of course.” Angel picked up her phone and started rattling off a message—typing with her thumbs. “It’s going to be a boring few days, so I’ll keep you well-fed, at least.”
Lazy, I could do, but boring? I’d have to spice things up.
First, the steak needed my attention. I stabbed through the cool, pink middle with a steak knife and tore in.
Like butter.
Angel piled her papers into a neat stack that she slid into an equally neat folder. “Be ready at eight tomorrow? We’ll have breakfast here, then head to campus.”
“Sure.” I’d rather sleep ’til noon, but it wasn’t like I needed to be alert all day. If there was no fun to be had, I planned to snore through this shit until I could pick a fight with one of the heroes.
“Good night.” Angel gave me a pleasant nod and slipped into her room. The bolt clicked firmly into place.
Guess I wasn’t sneaking into her room tonight. Not that I’d planned to.
It would be easy enough to slip downstairs, but I’d rather spend some quality time with the rest of my steaks. Plus, leaving would make trouble for Balam and Ivory.
If I wanted, I could make trouble here.
And I was curious about this Angel. Why did she qualify as one of the family?
I’ll find out tomorrow.
Chapter Five
Angel
I slept with my door locked, although a flimsy deadbolt wouldn’t slow Quan if he wanted to punch through. Realistically, I should’ve slept on the ground in front of the main doors, but by the time he’d started eating his steaks, Quan wasn’t giving off as much of a flight vibe.
I’d scheduled a wake-up call for seven, but I was wide-awake by four and had plenty to accomplish before breakfast.
A soft knock sounded at the main door by six.
The maid holding a stack of plastic-wrapped hangers was the best possible sight in the morning. “Your tailoring, ma’am.”
“Thank you.” I handed her a well-deserved tip and flipped through the pieces. Two suit sets cut to Quan’s massive size, two casual outfits and one pair of lounge clothes. I managed not to wince at the bill stapled to the hangers—the price was worth it. Quan couldn’t follow me around in that teensy bathrobe. “And the other things?”
“Right here.” She handed over a zippered toiletry case. “Is there anything else you need?”
“That should be everything. Thank you.” I hung Quan’s clothes on his doorknob. The toiletry kit held everything I’d requested—toothbrush, shaving kit and a few other items Quan might need. Even if he was used to living light, a panther shifter needed toothpaste.
I retreated to my room to finish dressing and was ready to go by seven. Instead of twiddling my thumbs and ticking through the day’s itinerary over and over again, I braved the sitting room.
Quan stood facing the mirror, his back to me as he fiddled with his tie. He wore one of the perfectly fitted black suits. It made his shoulders impossibly broad, and him impossibly imposing.
The heat of Quan’s breath on my cheek—
I shook myself. I refused to flash back to his nudity every time I looked at the man. I was a grown woman. Even if I couldn’t stop the memories from coming back, I didn’t have to be flustered. “Can I help with your tie?”
“I fucking hate ties.” Quan tossed me the length of orange-and-black striped silk. “But I dig the suit. How’d you find one in my size?”
I had to stand on tiptoes to loop the tie around his collar. Up-close, Quan had the stature of an NBA player—except I doubted they smelled wild like the wind and grass. “You’d be surprised what you can get when you’re willing to pay tailors to work through the night.”
I quickly looped and knotted the tie. The colors I’d chosen made the orange in his eyes pop. An Eldredge knot would definitely suit him. “Do you need anything else?”
Quan shrugged. “I had a bag, but I like the new stuff better.”
Finally, the man was being reasonable. My outlook for the day was already infinitely improved. “I’ll call the airport and see if the staff can find it.”
His orange-brown eyes narrowed. “I don’t get why you’re going this far to help. I almost tore into you last night, and not in the fun way.”
“It’s my job.” I suppressed a shiver as I looped the final knot of his tie. “And because Panther and Ivory are important to me. There’s not much I wouldn’t do for them.” That included rescuing Pan’s loose-cannon brother from the airport and dragging him around for a few days. As long as we didn’t have a repeat performance.
Quan blew out a breath, but kept silent.
Silent, I could handle.
“There.” I smoothed down his tie, trying to ignore the firmness of his chest under the fabric, but that was another detail permanently filed away. “Should we head down early?”
“I’m already starving.”
After all those steaks last night? I’d have to order extra portions for him at lunch. I had a feeling keeping Quan’s belly full would help his mood stay more pleasant and less shift-and-tear-through-public-places.
Quan stayed quiet on the way down to the lobby. I made one last stop at the concierge desk, then we both tucked into the breakfast buffet. By the time Quan was polishing off plate number five, an attendant dropped off a black box tied in black ribbon.
I pushed it across the table to Quan. “One more addition to your outfit. I registered you as my bodyguard to get your security passes, so you may as well look the part.”
Quan pulled the ribbon apart and lifted out a pair of reflective sunglasses. He twisted the frames in his hands. “For indoors?”
“Trust me.”
He shrugged and slipped the glasses on. “Do I look like a bodyguard now?”
With his solid muscle, that suit, and those shades? More like a hit man. But that would work. I needed people to keep their distance from the testy panther, and no one was going to come close when he looked perfectly capable of masterminding a mob hit. “It works.”
“Maybe I’ll have some fun after all.” A sly smile turned the corners of his lips.
It was another one of his brother’s trouble expressions, but that was where the similarities ended. Panther was wrapped in jokes and mischief. Quan had an intensity about him, and I had yet to guess what was inside that shell of his.
I suppressed a jolt of nervous anticipation. Do I really want to know?
Part of me was curious how Quan ticked, but I knew that road was better left untraveled. I couldn’t give him any more of my headspace.
With today’s schedule, I wouldn’t have time to ponder. I took a deep breath and pushed back my chair. “Let’s get started.”
I was already heading for the door when I realized Quan was trailing behind. About five steps behind. He stopped when I stopped.
“Isn’t this what bodyguards do?” Again, he gave the hint of a smile.
I wasn’t sure what to do with that smile, so I whirled and started walking. “Just don’t get separated.” If he enjoyed playing the role, so much the better. Maybe we’d get through the day unscathed.
Quan followed me into our waiting car. He sat far away from me in the limo and lifted his shades to stare out the window. Rather than stress about the day, I let myself scan the hauntingly familiar streets. When we pulled onto campus, I couldn’t stop the waves of nostalgic memories.
The first time Mom and I drove through the gates. “You’re going to make great friends here, baby.” Moving in with Pixie, who carried our mini fridge upstairs in one super-strong hand. My first class with Tank and Ruin—8:30 a.m. Ethics that Ruin mostly slept through. Watching martial arts movies in their dorm room. Sneaking into the off-campus bar for dollar draught night. Tank piggybacking me to my room after one too many. Afternoon brunches with Pixie’s hilarious stories and our ever-expanding circle of wannabe-hero friends with big, world-saving dreams.
Every image in my mind sparked another pang of bittersweet happiness. It had been a long time since my student days, and today wasn’t about memory lane. We fell into line behind the other cars dropping off guests at the Heroic Studies Department. This building was
new to me, but the Manhattan Ten had made a hefty donation to its construction, and everything about it was supposed to be state-of-the-art. A few sporadic green terraces broke the flawless glass exterior.
And the steps—
A crowd was already waiting. As each new car approached, students and photographers craned their necks to see who would exit. I’d expected the photographers with representatives from every hero organization in the country flying in for this event, but the students were a surprise before 10 a.m. If I was remembering my college days accurately—and I was—they should be sleeping at this hour.
I had strong suspicion who they’d woken up to see: the Manhattan Ten’s Angel, with surprise panther guest. That rumor would be well along the grapevine, but at least my PR team had kept the LAX security footage from leaking to the press.
Now that I saw the reality—could Quan handle this?
He’d lowered his shades, so I couldn’t read his expression. “I’m sorry this is looking like such a circus. I would’ve warned you if I’d expected it.”
“This might be more fun than expected.” Quan smoothed his tie. “Besides, they’re here to see you, right?”
Unfortunately, he was right. I wished I had Thunder or Steel at my side to draw away the attention. I could go anonymous on my own, but not when I was here as an official representative of the M10. And for the next few days, I was the one person who could make the students’ dreams come true.
The car in front of us slipped away and it was our turn to shine. “Just tell me if you start to feel overwhelmed. We’ll try to make this as painless as possible.”
“Same to you.” He flashed the same almost-smile and pushed ahead of me to exit the car first.
As he unfolded from the limo, a moment of stunned silence hushed the crowd before the cameras started flashing. Nerves fluttering, I started to slide out, but Quan offered me a hand. His skin was surprisingly warm, and more comforting than it should’ve been.
“Thanks.” I doubted he could hear over the exploding cheers.
“Angel!”
“That’s Angel!”
“She’s really here!”