Gage's jaw tightened. "Are you certain she's your mate?"
"You keep askin' me that, Gage, what do you think?"
Gage swore under his breath. "Then it's war, Remy. She's one of ours, and if they come at one of us, they're goin' to have to take us all on. I'll call the boys."
"Have one of them stay on her manager and that jackass who keeps starin' at her. I don' like his expression. It isn't admiration," Remy pointed out.
Gage turned to observe Durang and Butterfield. They kept putting their heads together whispering, all the while watching Bijou perform. The crowd had gone wild with her last song and now was eerily silent, as she sang a weeping, bluesy ballad that was heartrending. There was something about her voice that crawled under the skin, sank deep into bones and stayed there, making anyone hearing her feel every emotion as she poured her heart out.
Clearly her manager and Durang had heard her many times and weren't quite as enamored with her as the rest of the crowd. Butterfield stared at her with an ugly expression on his face, one that had Remy's leopard snarling and raking at him all over again.
"I'm goin' to have Angelina dig around a little into both of their backgrounds and see what she can uncover," Remy said. "Butterfield doesn't want Bijoux doing this, but he can't exactly kill the golden goose."
"Do managers take out insurance policies on their big-name clients?" Gage asked.
Remy turned his head slowly to look at his brother. Their eyes met. Remy swore and stepped out of the club to use his cell phone. He wanted the information fast. He needed it. Bijou's life could very well depend on it. Angelina was very good at her job, and he had no doubt he'd know a lot more about Bijou's manager and his shadowy friend within the hour.
Remy stepped back into the club just as the band swang into a sultry, steamy number. Bijou's voice seduced the crowd until they appeared almost mesmerized. He'd seen her do the same thing at a concert, a few years back when he couldn't stop himself from going to see her perform. Curiosity, nothing more, he'd assured himself.
She stood on the stage and looked ethereal, beautiful and so not of the world, Remy hadn't believed it was actually Bijou. Her hair fell to her waist, thick and glossy, the kind of hair a man got lost in. She'd been far too seductive to equate her with the gawky teen he'd caught glimpses of when she hung out with his sister. She was even more beautiful now.
Remy found he didn't dare look at her, not if he was going to protect her. There was an undercurrent in the room his leopard sensed that kept the cat prowling close to the surface. It was an expectation, an awareness of danger. His belly was in knots, his muscles coiled and ready. He didn't know for certain where the threat would come from, but it was safe to say, it would come.
Remy frowned as two of Drake's men shifted positions. They were acting as bodyguards for Bijou, and he wasn't entirely happy about it. Joshua Tregre had shaggy sun-bleached hair and piercing green-blue eyes. He was a man with a strong build, carrying the heavy muscles of their kind--a leopard--and he was fast. Very fast. Remy appreciated that trait, but he knew how dangerous the emerging of a female leopard could be, and just how difficult it could be on any male in the vicinity.
Elijah Lospostos was a steely-eyed, far too handsome man, with a wealth of gleaming black hair spilling into eyes the color of mercury one moment and as dark as night the next. He was tough and extremely dangerous, a good man to have on Bijou's side--but he also was an unmated leopard. Drake had chosen both men to work at Bijou's club on her nights to perform because they were dangerous and fast and could protect. The leader of the lair hadn't known Bijou was leopard as well and that she was entering the Han Vol Dan.
Remy gritted his teeth and took a long, slow look around the room. What had the two leopards up front, close to Bijou, seen that he hadn't from his position in the back of the room? He shifted, his gaze scanning the large overcrowded club. He spotted several male leopards in the room, not surprising because their lair was small, but most of the males were unmated and that added to the undercurrent of danger.
The song ended and the crowd went wild, clapping and stomping feet. Bijou smiled and gracefully made her way to Arnaud's table as the band went into an upbeat, dance melody. A few couples bravely took to the dance floor while others sipped at their drinks and tried to work up the courage to ask for Bijou's autograph.
Remy frowned as Arnaud rose to hold her chair for her. She shouldn't be sitting with him, she should be with Remy--under Remy's protection.
"You're rumbling," Gage cautioned. "Remy, this is turning into a bad situation. Have you thought about asking her to leave with you?"
He'd thought about throwing her over his shoulder and just taking her out whether she liked it or not, but it wouldn't earn him any points with her. No way was she going to be reasonable if he said he needed to talk to her. The time to talk had been when she woke up.
"She's only got one more set and she's done," Remy said. "If we're lucky we can get through that, and I'll get her out of here and have the talk with her."
Gage snorted. "Yeah, I'm sure you'll be talkin' to her."
"I have to tell her about her leopard."
"And if for some reason her female never emerges?"
Remy took a deep breath. "Then she'll think I'm crazy, and I'll have to prove to her I'm not. Either way, she's mine and I'm goin' to tell her the truth about what I am and what she is."
Gage's gaze shifted to Bijou. Her profile was to him and she was laughing. Lights shifted over her face as she leaned toward Arnaud and said something. "Are you certain she's your mate? This isn't about sex? Because she's beautiful, Remy, and it would be easy enough to get things mixed up."
"Damn it, Gage." Remy's frustration nearly exploded at his brother. "Quit askin' the same damn thing every few minutes. Nothin' has changed and nothin' can change. I've marked her as mine. She is mine. There's just a little matter of persuadin' her, and it's done. I don' care if her leopard emerges or not, she belongs to me and no one and nothin' is goin' to stand in my way. Is that clear enough?"
Gage shrugged, hiding his grin and deliberately goading his brother further. "Lust has a funny way of colorin' a man's perspective, brother, but since you're so certain and all, I've got a text from the boys sayin' they're on the way, so we should have reinforcements soon."
"Good. The feelin' of impendin' doom is not goin' away." And if his brother kept asking him the same question over and over, doomsday was going to start with Gage.
Remy spotted the older couple, Mr. and Mrs. Chambridge, from the cafe in the crowd seated at one of the tables in the middle of the room. Emile and Thereze were there as well, Emile looking mesmerized.
Cooper's table was growing louder and more obnoxious by the moment. He knew if Bijou was singing, the bouncers would likely throw the men out, but she was on a break and they were getting away with their noise. He ground his teeth together and held on to his foul temper with every bit of discipline he had, commanding his leopard to back off and let him handle things.
His jaw ached permanently now. He could feel the roped muscles coiled and ready. Fur itched beneath his skin and the tips of his fingers and toes burned. He tried breathing away the fire, but the more he tried not to look at Bijou, the more his gaze was pulled in her direction and his body hardened beyond his comprehension. He didn't have that kind of gut-wrenching reaction to a woman, ever, not until now.
He was the kind of man who could walk away any time he needed to--fully intact. Until Bijou. That was how he knew the leopard mating ritual was real. He had become fixated on her, his body reacting almost before he scented her or saw her. Having other men around her was torture, but knowing other male leopards were close to her was worse. Yeah, Gage had it right when he said Remy had it bad.
His phone vibrated and he pulled it out to check it. There was nothing like an ongoing investigation running through the night, but his sense of urgency kept increasing and he always trusted his gut instincts. Angelina had sent him information on both R
ob Butterfield and Jason Durang. She hadn't found out yet if there was an insurance policy on Bijou taken out by her manager or his company, but even in that short period of time, she'd uncovered quite a bit on both men.
Ron Butterfield had a gambling habit that over the years had caused him grief. Twice his home had been broken into and everything destroyed because he'd failed to pay back a loan he'd taken out from the wrong person. Once he'd been beaten senseless, and several times over the years he'd been accused of embezzling from his own company.
Butterfield's friend Jason Durang had a long record of assault. He'd come in contact with Butterfield when Butterfield briefly served time in prison for embezzlement. Butterfield hired Durang the moment Durang was out of prison, but no one seemed to know what the man actually did for him. He had a reputation for being an enforcer, and he'd been hanging around Butterfield for the past four years.
Remy handed his phone to his brother and let him read the data Angelina had provided. "She's still diggin', but I don' think there's much doubt that Butterfield has an insurance policy on Bijou."
Remy took a deep breath. He didn't want to say it aloud and breathe life into the idea, but it was a perfect time for a copycat killer to dispose of someone who was in their way. If Bijou was considering firing Butterfield, and if he continued to push her to do something she didn't want to do, she had to be considering it, then his money train was over and she was of no more use to him alive.
Gage's eyes met his. Remy read the same thought. He shook his head. Things were getting worse by the minute. Bijou's life hadn't improved much even after her father had died. He tried not to snarl as he turned his head to look at her. She lifted her head. The impact of her amazing eyes on him was frightening. He could fall into her eyes and stay there forever. She smiled at him and nodded, and just like that his breath slammed out of his lungs and his blood surged hot and wild through his veins. She stood up with her fluid grace, looking more sensual than ever and began her rounds through the club before she took the stage again. She spoke briefly to the people at each table, smiling and listening to the various comments and greetings. She was gracious, royal even, occasionally signing autographs before moving on.
"I have to hand it to you, brother," Gage said, "the woman is gorgeous. A handful, but gorgeous. I can see why none of the girls in school liked her. Saria said that to me once, but I put it down to her daddy's money and how privileged she was."
"Yeah, she was privileged all right," Remy said, anger welling up out of nowhere, remembering that little eight-year-old girl with the solemn eyes telling him she didn't expect to make it through the night. Bringing her home and finding naked men and women scattered throughout her house, so causally doing drugs and in alcohol stupors. "No doubt about it, Gage, Bijou had a very privileged childhood."
"I can do without the sarcasm, bro," Gage said, handing back Remy's phone. "I'm not as dense as you think I am. Clearly her childhood wasn't great, and she isn't the stuck-up bitch I always thought she was." He turned and looked at the woman who, if Remy had his way, would be his sister-in-law. "She does look . . . unreachable. A dream or fantasy, but definitely untouchable. And a little haughty. She has an attitude, Remy, distant and beautiful and so very far above us."
"She damn well better be unreachable or untouchable," Remy snapped.
Gage laughed at him. "I've never seen you so messed up in my life. Wait until the boys get here and see you like this."
"I've got a gun, Gage, and I'm not afraid to use it," Remy warned his brother.
The smile faded from Gage's face. "You already stuck me with a knife. And I've got about a million scars from your leopard beatin' the crap out of me for some silly indiscretion when our leopards were just playin' around. There's no shootin' me. I'd be damned mad if you did."
"Quit bein' such a baby. It was just a little slice and you should have been payin' more attention. I told you a million times you weren't judgin' the distance correctly and don' be gettin' into a knife fight until you practice a whole hell of a lot more. You didn't believe me so I made my point." Remy deliberately sounded self-righteous. He was the older brother just helping his younger brother out and making certain he stayed alive. "That leopard of yours doesn't take anythin' seriously, not even trainin'. I'm savin' your life whether you like it or not."
"I don' have to like your methods. Your leopard is a tyrant and must be obeyed in all things." Gage made a face. "Oh, wait. That would be his human counterpart."
Bijou had reached the tables at the rear of the club and moved around them laughing softly at something someone said before approaching the two of them. "Are you all right, Remy? You look . . . upset."
It was her voice, that sensual, sexy, voice of hers, there was no blaming his leopard--or even himself. Later he would swear it had to have been her voice that turned him into a complete idiot. Remy circled the nape of her neck with his palm, his fingers nearly wrapping around her throat. He pulled her to him, savoring the feel of her body so close to his--savoring the fire burning hot in his veins. The moment he touched her, the moment her breasts brushed his chest and the scent of lavender surrounded him, sinking into his lungs, the world faded until there was only Bijou.
His eyes met hers. He felt her body melt into his as her breasts rose and fell, her breathing ragged. Those amazing eyes, that deep cornflower blue, began to take on a glow. He bent his head to hers, holding her gaze as his head slowly descended toward hers. Her long lashes fluttered.
"Remy," she whispered his name.
A protest? Consent? She didn't pull away. Her eyes closed and his mouth found hers. Flames raced over his skin, through his body and lodged like a roaring fire in his groin. His cock lengthened and hardened until he was so thick he was afraid he might burst the material of his jeans. His leopard roared and raked his belly in an effort to call to his mate.
Bijou gasped and pushed at him, her eyes glittering, her face flushed. She made a small sound of distress and stepped back, shaking her head. He could see her leopard had risen and was close to the surface. She didn't understand what was happening and she was afraid, probably equating the unfamiliar feelings and body pains with their intense and rather brutal sexual encounter.
"Come with me," he whispered, trying to entice her. Seduce her. Hell, whatever it took. He just needed her to stop looking at him with fear. "Chere, let me explain what's happenin'."
She took another step back, shaking her head, one hand going defensively to her throat. "I'm workin', Remy. This isn't the time."
"It might be too late in another half hour or so," he pleaded. Her eyes definitely had turned cat.
She was afraid of him--or herself. Either way, she was retreating, and he couldn't blame her. She had every reason to be frightened. Her body no longer belonged to her. She ached. She hurt. She had no one to turn to. Remy knew he threatened her on an elemental level. He should have stayed, not taken the chance, and explained everything to her.
He swore under his breath as she retreated farther from him. Every male leopard in the room would scent the rise of the female. They would know she was close to the emerging and their leopards would be ready to fight for her. She had no way of knowing the havoc she would cause, or the danger she was in--because he hadn't told her. He hadn't explained.
"It's too late," Gage whispered as Bijou turned and made her way through the crowded club back toward the stage. "We'll just have to trust that if any of the others get near her, they'll catch your scent and it will be sufficient to warn them off."
"At least every leopard in here will protect her if anyone tries to harm her," Remy consoled himself.
Remy didn't take his eyes off of Bijou as she moved closer to the front of the room. He knew the exact moment both bodyguards realized she was a female leopard. Joshua swung around abruptly, shock on his face. Elijah was expressionless, only a small tick in his jaw giving his surprise away. The two men exchanged a long look.
Remy's vision went cat. He was aware of every rust
le, murmur and clink of ice in the room. The smells were difficult to sort out, but he breathed in lavender, fear and the intoxicating scent of a female close to her time.
"What's up?" Lojos Boudreaux, the youngest of his brothers entered, followed closely by Mahieu and Dash.
The three brothers inhaled and swung around, shocked, staring at Bijou. She had reached Ryan Cooper's table and was moving past it when Cooper reached out and caught her wrist, stopping her.
"If you're giving out kisses, you little whore, I'll be happy to oblige." He jerked her down, trying to put her across his lap.
Bob Carson leapt up, camera in hand.
Jean and Juste Rousseau both laughed uproariously, snapping pictures with their cell phones. Robert Lanoux and Brent Underwood moved back in their chairs as if distancing themselves, while Tom Berlander grinned like an ape.
"Plant one on her, Ryan," Juste yelled. "We'll have the proof."
"We can sell it to a magazine," Jean encouraged. "Make thousands."
Both laughed again as Bijou fought Ryan's hold on her wrist.
Remy leapt over a table and sprinted toward the front of the club. Joshua and Elijah got there first. Elijah caught Ryan's head and slammed it down on the tabletop as Joshua pulled Bijou to safety, thrusting her to the other side of him to keep his body between her and trouble.
The male leopards in the room came to their feet, rushing to the front of the club to form a loose, protective circle around one of their females. Lojos and Dash hit Bob Carson from the back, driving him to the ground, Lojos holding him still with one knee planted in his back. Remy made it to the circle and snarled. Instantly the two male leopards facing him opened a path for him. Remy noted the only leopard from his lair not to stand for Bijou was Robert.
Remy caught Bijou's wrists. "You're comin' with me, now. No arguin'. You can see it isn't safe."
Bijou pressed her lips together. He could feel her trembling, her eyes searching his. She nodded slowly, and relief poured through him. At least she wasn't going to fight him on this issue. The club was a powder keg ready to blow at any moment and the human counterparts of the male leopards were holding on to their human forms by a thread. He couldn't imagine what it would be like if even one leopard succeeded in shifting.
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