Tags:
Fiction,
Romance,
Contemporary,
Urban Fantasy,
Paranormal,
Adult,
sexy,
tragedy,
Erotic,
New Orleans,
BBW,
Alpha,
Shifter,
Warriors,
Faith,
werebear,
Temptation,
bear,
Past,
mates,
Bayou,
Protect,
Forget,
Sultry,
Alpha Guardian,
Enslavement,
Mortal Danger,
Carnal,
Crumble
Cassie’s lips parted in invitation.
Gabriel leaned down and brushed his mouth over hers, a burning tease. He pulled back and hesitated before returning. When he finally kissed her, their lips found each other as if nothing could be more natural, more right.
Gabriel’s tongue touched Cassie’s, lighting a fire deep inside her, and she slid her free hand up to his neck, knotting her fingers in his hair. Gabriel made a soft, low sound that made Cassie’s knees weak, and she nipped his lower lip. Her eyes closed and she sighed, leaning into him, wanting.
A heartbeat later, Gabriel released her and stepped back, looking troubled. Cassie’s eyes snapped open, her fingers flying up to her swollen lips. She saw the fear written plain on Gabriel’s face, and it felt like a slap.
A humorless chuckle escaped her throat and Cassie shook her head.
“Okay,” she said, almost to herself. “Obviously you’re not ready for this.”
She whirled and headed for the back door, scowling when she saw that the tuxedoed servant was watching from the window.
“Cass, wait! Where are you going?” Gabriel asked, following her.
“To find my friend Alice. You guys only saved one girl out of dozens, and I don’t see you rushing to rescue the others. If you’re not going to do it, I will,” she said.
“We should talk to Rhys and Aeric, come up with a plan,” Gabriel said. “You don’t even know where she is!”
“No, but I think I know who I can ask,” Cassie said, flinging the door open and stomping inside. “I have sources. And you can quit being all manly protector man on me. I assure you, I can take care of myself. ”
She stopped dead, realizing that she didn’t know how to get out of the house. When the tuxedoed man arched a brow and pointed toward the far side of the vast living area, Cassie gave him a begrudging nod.
“You’ve been a prisoner for four years. How can you have sources ?” Gabriel demanded to know.
Cassie shot him a glare over her shoulder and headed for the Manor’s front foyer, not pausing until she was out the front door. She walked down the broad marble front steps and looked around, getting her bearings.
“Where are we, Esplanade?” she asked.
“Yes, but—” Gabriel tried.
Cassie turned and looked at him.
“Are you coming or not?” she asked.
Without waiting for an answer, she headed out to the street, intending to hail a taxi.
Chapter Four
G abriel suppressed a groan as he watched the flame-haired vixen stomp down the Manor’s front steps. He wanted nothing less than to spend time with her, let himself get closer to another woman, one more person for him to fail. Maybe it was that Cassie’s fiery temperament reminded him of his sister Caroline’s intolerance for foolishness. Maybe it was only their gender; maybe he was being sexist , an amusing new word he’d learned in one of the night classes he’d taken at Tulane University.
The concept of sexism was definitely more modern than Gabriel himself, but he understood it well enough. He supposed he didn’t have a problem with Cassie or Caroline or any other woman, exactly. He merely knew that he was never able to do right by them, so he avoided anything longer than a few hours’ pleasure.
He’d racked up many, many hours of pleasure since his arrival in New Orleans, but that was neither here nor there… Especially looking at Cassie, dressed in that alluring ankle-length sapphire skirt and tight white dress shirt, her fiery red hair spilling down her back. If Gabriel had spotted her at one of the Kith clubs, mate or no mate, he’d have done almost anything to take her home.
A Yellow Cab pulled up at the curb, and Gabriel trotted down the steps. He slammed his hand onto the door before Cassie could open it, ignoring her furious glare.
“At least let me drive you,” he said. “One of our cars is parked across the street.”
He pointed to the sleek black SUV sitting only a few hundred feet away, and to his relief
Carmen Caine, Madison Adler