Catalina was losing her damned mind. What had she been thinking? Mating with Cooper without talking to him first had been a reckless and selfish move. Yes, they’d talked about it in generalities, but she’d gotten carried away when his scent ignited a soul-deep instinct she hadn’t known existed until it crashed over her.
The man had studied shifters like it was his damned job, and at this point, he might well know more about her kind than she did. The moment her elongated canines pierced his skin, she’d felt their souls meld together. His words drifted through her mind as soon as his eyes opened, and their gazes met. Hearing his reassurances, their mating was something he’d wanted, eased her guilt.
When he pulled back, putting space between them, she felt the loss of his warmth and shivered. As a shifter, Catalina was rarely cold, but this was an entirely different kind of chill—this was the absence of a touch she craved like a drug. Cooper Hicks was her personal brand of heroin, addictive as hell and the basis of more bad decisions than she wanted to think about. As he walked around behind her, Catalina started to worry about what he planned to do.
“Stop worrying, Princess. I’ll undo the restraints before your muscles seize from being in the same awkward position for too long. We’ll take a nice long bath and talk. I have questions, and now that your thoughts are open to me, our conversations will be much more interesting.”
Oh, yippee, there’s news worth celebrating… not!
He disappeared down the hall, giving her instructions to start the bath and use plenty of bubbles. She laughed when he returned with the two glasses filled to the brim and a bottle tucked under his arm.
“Planning to drink it all, are we?” Hopefully, a bit of teasing would ease some of the tension she was feeling.
“Shifters metabolize alcohol much faster than nonmagicals, or so I’m told. I think we should test the theory.” His unrepentant grin made him look much younger than she knew he was. The laugh lines at the corners of his eyes made her wish they were deeper. The man was so damned handsome, he made her eyes hurt, but sadly, he didn’t smile nearly enough.
In the years she’d known him, Catalina had watched him walk through everything from sleazy bars to high-end eateries catering to the rich and tanned, and the reaction was always the same. Men and women stopped speaking mid-sentence to stare, waiters walked into walls, and dancers fell off stages as their attention was pulled in his direction. The most amazing part was how oblivious he seemed to the attention.
Settling down in the steaming water, Catalina moaned as her muscles started to relax. Hell, she hadn’t realized how tight her thigh muscles were until she stretched them out. Cooper handed her one of the glasses, grinning when she drained it. Refilling her glass before climbing in behind her, she saw him drain most of his own drink before pulling her against him until her back rested against his chest.
“Before you dig yourself into a pit of worry and despair, I want to tell you how pleased I am with what happened a few minutes ago.” Cooper’s words were spoken quietly against the shell of her ear, the warmth of his breath as reassuring as what he’d said. She knew her brothers had struggled with the same issue, but being in good company didn’t justify her actions. “Let it go, Catalina.” Cooper’s voice was sharper this time, the commanding tone putting her on alert—he wasn’t going to tolerate her feeling guilt when he’d gotten exactly what he wanted.
“I should have given you a choice. There isn’t any excuse for my lack of self-control, but I don’t regret it either—does that make any sense?”
“Princess, I’ve wanted you as my own since the first time I saw you.” She felt his chest vibrate as he chuckled and cupped her breasts in his large hands. The pads of his index fingers found their way to her nipples, the calloused pads of his fingertips tracing around the areolas sending heat surging through her system. “That isn’t to say I haven’t wanted to throttle you a time or two—but something tells me that sentiment is one you’ve shared more often than not.”
Cooper was right. The first year they’d known one another, they’d butted heads on everything. It was her sister, Asia, who’d pointed out their bickering was little more than a type of foreplay. At the time, Catalina scoffed at the claim, but her denial had fallen on deaf ears. One of Asia’s many remarkable gifts was her uncanny ability to read people. As the second oldest, Asia had often been a surrogate mother to her younger brothers and sisters, and the experience taught her to cut to the chase like a damned surgeon.
“Asia was right. It was foreplay, even though we might not have recognized it right away. Truthfully, I thought you were annoying me deliberately. Cam was the one who assured me that wasn’t the case. As disbelieving as you were with Asia’s spot-on assessment, it pales in comparison to how pissed I was when Cam called me an arrogant putz.” Catalina couldn’t hold back her laughter. She had no trouble believing Cameron Barnes had said exactly that. “Cam and Asia are cut from the same cloth—their view of the world centers around the theory it was best to run to the roar.” Before she could argue the point, Cooper continued.
“Cam was the one who told me what that expression meant. I’d heard people use it but hadn’t understood the significance. Hearing his explanation about the way lions tricked their prey into running to the strongest and most aggressive among them fit perfectly into so many of our operations. Putting the oldest lion on one side, his fierce roar frighting prey, sending them running opposite direction was a great analogy for covert operations. So often, the success or failure of our missions hinged on an agent’s ability to distract their mark.”
“I know I can’t go back.” Cat wasn’t sure why she’d spoken the words out loud. Hell, she’d barely admitted them to herself. There wasn’t an agency in the world that would hire her now. Everything about her last job had gone from sunshine to shit so quickly, the assignment probably set some kind of land speed record. It didn’t matter how small or insignificant the job, there was no room for an agent who many considered unstable. The intelligence community wasn’t as large as most people believed, and people talked. Cripes, in Cat’s opinion, the male agents she had worked with were among the biggest gossips in the world. There wasn’t a chance in hell they didn’t all know what happened to her and how she was still struggling to pull the last names from the depths of her memory.
“No, you can’t. You’ve been compromised, but if I’m not mistaken, you wanted out anyway.”
Cooper was right. She’d been ready to walk away before she’d agreed to the last job because the money had been too good to pass up. Her instincts had shouted at her how important it was to get her hands on that list. Pain lanced through her head, making her groan as she held her breath, trying to stay as still as possible until it passed. Cooper’s arms encircled her, the heat of his body so much more intense now that their DNA was coursing through one another’s veins.
“I did, but no one wants to leave with a cloud hanging over their head.” Cat wasn’t naïve. She knew people would question whether or not she was faking. Hell, if the circumstances were different, she’d be wondering the same thing about a fellow agent. Many of them had to be asking who she was protecting. Another stab of pain beneath her forehead made her drop the empty wine glass, and it shattered on the tile floor, the tinkling sound of breaking glass making her curse.
“Watch your language, Princess. You are too smart to fill your mouth with filth.” He’d warned her about her language before, paddling her ass when she’d forgotten and rehearsed every foul word she knew. She’d likely get another spanking for her latest outburst once they cleaned up the mess she’d made. Right now, she’d welcome the distraction.
Cooper needed to get Catalina’s mind off the damned list. The longer this fiasco continued, the more convinced Cooper was he knew who she was protecting. He needed to talk to Cam, but first, he had a mate to care for. Stepping carefully from the tub, Cooper swept the glass aside with a towel before lifting Catalina from the water, not setting her down until she was safely inside her walk-in closet.
“Find a robe and sturdy shoes. We’ll clean up the glass before we chat about your language.” He almost laughed out loud at the look on her face. If he didn’t know how much she enjoyed being draped over his lap, her beautiful ass peaked perfectly for his hand, Cooper might have fallen for the stricken expression. It only took them a few minutes to clear the bathroom of broken glass. Cooper shook his head slowly when Catalina would have walked past where he sat in the living room.
“Come here, Princess. We have something to discuss.” Standing in front of him, she shifted one foot to the other, fidgeting nervously. He enjoyed watching her squirm but also suspected she was a hot second away from flipping from nervous anticipation to deliberate defiance—the second wouldn’t get either of them what they wanted. “Over my lap, Catalina. Last time, I gave you ten for your foul language. Since that doesn’t appear to have been sufficient, we’ll double that number tonight.” When her eyes widened and she started to speak, he shook his head.
“Do you trust me, Catalina?” It wasn’t as simple a question as it first appeared. Her subconscious was struggling, but he hoped she would mitigate her immediate response enough to let her confidence return to the surface. In the end, he wanted to distract her enough that the memories she was trying to suppress would have a chance to return.
“Yes. I’ve trusted you with my life just as you have trusted me with yours.” Cat’s answer was perfect and spoken without any hesitation. He had no idea how much he valued her trust. Once she was in position, he didn’t give her time to fall into fear. The swats dropped quickly, and he made certain to spread them out over both cheeks, with emphasis on the tender crease at the top of her thighs. Sitting would be uncomfortable for several days, and he hoped the reminder was more effective this time.
Cooper realized his hearing was sharper and his sense of smell more acute as her gasps caught his attention and the scent of her arousal surrounded him. By the time he finished, Catalina’s entire body was shaking in anticipation. Slipping his fingers into the gap at the top of her thighs, he was pleased to feel her slick cream. Hell, she was so wet, his jeans were already damp, and more honey clung to the inside of her thighs.
“Ask for what you want, Princess.”
“Please, Sir, I need to come.” Whispered between shallow breaths, it wasn’t eloquent, but it was enough.
“Who do you belong to, Catalina?”
“You. Only you.” Her words set his soul on fire, and all he could think about was fucking her with his fingers until she screamed his name as her honey coated his fingers. Her entire body arched before deflating over his knees. Pulling his fingers from her after he milked the final spasms from her sex, Cooper took several seconds to appreciate the view before rolling her over to cradle her in his arms.
Knowing he and Catalina would be staying in Cam and CeCe’s small guest house during the renovations, he’d worried she wouldn’t be comfortable outside the small bubble of Adler Oil. Hearing her declaration of trust put his mind at ease. The small structure, which was attached to the family’s palatial lakefront home, had a separate entrance and a safe room. Cam offered to let them use the space after their beloved nanny moved into one of the lower-level Adler Oil suites.
Lindy Timish recently passed the bar exam and accepted a position with one of the most prestigious law firms in Austin. Having worked for the Wests and Barnes, as well as Austin and Charlotte Adler, Lindy had acquired four powerful and wildly overprotective guardians. Cooper had shaken his head as he’d listened to the strategic planning session the four men held at the Wests’ office a few weeks ago. You’d have thought they were plotting the takeover of the free world.
Three weeks earlier
Cooper and Israel stood together, leaning against the back wall of the spacious office, watching in dismay.
“If they think they’re fooling Lindy, they are the most naïve bastards to ever grace the damned planet.” Israel’s observation was as amusing as it was accurate. As gifted as Israel Adler was, Cooper knew he’d likely been listening in on the young woman’s thoughts. Israel’s quick nod confirmed Cooper’s suspicion. “Lindy knows the Fearsome Four plan to railroad her into choosing an apartment that meets their ridiculous criteria for approval.”
“Why do I think Lindy’s being coached by CeCe, Tobi, and Charlotte?” Cooper knew all three women were fond of the younger woman who’d helped them raise their children. When Cam and Dr. Cecelia Barnes’ children no longer needed a nanny, Lindy had seamlessly transitioned to household manager and occasionally worked for the Wests. Most recently, she pinch-hit as a nanny for Austin and Charlotte until theirs arrived. She’d helped train the new caregiver, making certain Marshall had the best possible care.
“Don’t forget Asia. She’s had her fingers so deep in this pie, her elbows are sticky sweet. Franklin warned her to stay out of it. I’m sure you can imagine how that went over.” Cooper wanted to laugh at Israel’s observation about his sister.
“Franklin seems more than capable of managing his lovely bride.” Cooper’s respect for Franklin Cordesi had grown by leaps and bounds since they met several years earlier. People didn’t surprise Cooper very often, but Cordesi hadn’t been the criminal everyone assumed he was. “I assume Cordesi has been doing what he does best, working quietly behind the scenes.
“It’s a given. If you ask me, Audric is mentoring Franklin. Austin mentioned there are well-sourced rumors floating around that my new brother-in-law has already taken a seat on the Magic Council.” Israel’s information matched what Cooper heard earlier from Cam, but it still surprised him the man had flown so far under all their radars. The energy in the room shifted, pulling Israel and Cooper’s attention back to the meeting.
Kyle West leaned back in his well-worn leather wingback office chair, studying his friend and neighbor. Ordinarily, Kyle wasn’t an easy man to read, but the expression he leveled in Cam Barnes’ direction was crystal clear. None of them had ever seen Cam flustered, but it was easy to see he was slipping damned close to the end of his rope. Before Cooper could step forward, Israel’s hand wrapped firmly around his forearm as he gave an almost imperceptible shake of his head.
“Cut to the chase, Cam. We all know you and Cooper are the names Catalina has blocked out. Why don’t you level with Lindy? Tell her the real reason she needs to take the apartment at Adler Oil.” Fuck, Cooper should have known the Wests were too well connected to fool. Unfortunately, the more people who knew, the more difficult it was going to be to protect Catalina from the memories haunting her.
“I can’t prove it, and Cooper hasn’t been able to find any corroborating evidence, but that’s our best guess. At this point, I don’t think it matters if she remembers or not. Lindy is connected to us—all of us—in too many ways. I want her to be safe. She’s important.” Cam’s shoulders sagged as if he’d been carrying the weight of the world.
“Ladies, let’s move this to the kitchen where we have wine. This conversation is about to go off-rails.” Tobi led the women out, closing the door behind them. Silence filled the room, and Cooper frowned. Of course, it mattered if Catalina confirmed their names were on that damned double agent list. If anything happened to him or to Cam, Cat would be forced to live with the guilt once the memories came flooding back—and Cooper didn’t doubt for a moment they would return in an avalanche of emotion.
“I agree it would be nice to have confirmation, but I’m not convinced it’s critical to our mission, which is keeping the three of you alive.” Turning to Cooper, Kyle asked, “Does Cat know you are home?”
Fuck, straight to the heart of it.
“Not yet. She didn’t need to be here for this meeting. I know she is looking for me, and she’s been closing in fast. I wish she would take some time and recover. Hell, I’d prefer she stay inside the damned Adler Oil building, but I don’t believe that’s a reasonable expectation.” The other men around the room chuckled, knowing full well, Cat wasn’t bound by logic. Cooper stepped closer to Kyle’s desk—it was time to get everything out on the table. “We don’t know for sure how many names were on the list she was given. If there are other names, we need to know what their connection is to Cat.”
A silver thread of smoke appeared out of nowhere, circling until the spiral suddenly vanished, revealing Audric Stafford seated in a chair in front of Kyle’s desk—an ornate chair that hadn’t been there a few seconds earlier. Cooper had to give the man credit—he knew how to make an entrance.
“Personally, I think you have… what is that expression about fish you Americans are so very fond of?” Audric was dressed in a morning coat, crisply pressed matching pants, tie, and spats.
Fucking hell, spats? Really? Where in the hell had the man been before his dramatic arrival?
“It was theatrical, wasn’t it? In my position, I don’t get to have much fun, but I’m thoroughly enjoying Texas. The people here live large—it’s refreshing. Coming here gives me a chance to enjoy a bit of flair. Now about that saying…”
“Bigger fish to fry?” Lilly West sauntered into the room as if she had every right to be there, her husbands grinning when they stepped in the door behind her. Kyle groaned, but his brother had the good sense to temper his reaction. “I heard that, Kyle.” Lilly cast her son a dark look. From the chagrined look on Kyle’s face, it didn’t matter how old a man was—his mother’s glare still had the power to make him cringe.
Audric stood, giving Lilly an appreciative nod, and winked before returning to his seat. Kent chuckled when his fathers both rolled their eyes. The elderly wizard was a shameless… and unrepentant flirt.
“Audric, care to enlighten us? I’m sure I speak for the entire team when I tell you I’m wondering about those bigger fish.” Kent was the more tactful of the two West brothers, but contrary to what most people believed, he was as impatient as his twin. Cooper had heard members of Kent’s former SEAL team refer to him as silent but deadly. He was one of those operators who sat back, watching and waiting in silence, ready to strike at precisely the right moment. Kent appeared more affable, but it was a ruse, a fact Audric Stafford would not miss.
“We have people on the inside, and they are convinced the Agency was testing Catalina. The entire mission was a sham.” Cooper felt every muscle in his body tense in response. For a few seconds, a red haze blurred his vision, a clear indicator his blood pressure had just jumped off the chart. He’d never had a problem controlling his anger until Catalina—she was his weakness, his Achilles heel.
During the first couple of years they worked together, Cooper did everything in his power to keep away from Catalina, knowing it would be impossible to hide his attraction to her. Something at her very core called to him in a way he couldn’t understand. It wasn’t until he learned more about her kind and the soul-centered pull of mates, it began to make sense.
“I think you are a man of many talents, Audric—master magician, skilled negotiator, devoted father, and grandfather. All of those are valuable traits, but what I believe you are missing is a chance to remember how it feels to be young and in love. Everyone in this room saw Cooper’s reaction to your comment about Catalina. Painting someone into a corner during a rare moment of emotional vulnerability is beneath you, Mr. Stafford.”
Cooper was stunned. He’d heard Southern women could cut you off at the knees without out blinking, burying you so deep in sugar it became quicksand. This was the first time he’d seen this side of Lilly West, and his heart squeezed, knowing she’d taken up for him against the most powerful and politically connected wizard in the world.
“Well-made point, Mrs. West.” The man turned to Cooper, his expression filled with remorse. “I’m sorry, Cooper, you didn’t deserve that. I don’t know why I tossed you under the… rail… no, subway… drat.”
“Threw you under the bus. Father, we’re going to have a long chat about your obsession with American slang.” Brigitte Stafford walked into the center of the room, sparkles of light floating from the hem of her flowing dress. Turning to Cooper, she shook her head. “What are you doing here? Fucking fudge-covered frogs, I just finished redirecting Catalina… again. She’s going to strangle her contact for sending her from one continent to another, looking for you. She thinks you’re in danger, and here you are, sitting in Kent and Kyle’s throne room, watching their sweet mama tear off a piece of my father’s hide.” Soft laughter filled the room, and Lilly’s cheeks blushed a delicious shade of baby pink.
“Catalina is so desperate to find you, she isn’t being careful. Her carelessness is much too dangerous.” The room erupted into action, every voice offering a solution. The noise was deafening before a loud whoosh of air brought blessed silence. It took Cooper several seconds to realize he was sliding feet first through a clear tube surrounded by the most vivid swirls of color he’d ever seen.
The movement of the swirling color was disorienting, but the longer it lasted, the more accustomed he became to the sensation. He’d felt the hair on his arms standing on end a fraction of a second before being surrounded by light. The shift in the energy surrounding him was unmistakable, easily recognized after spending time with magicals. There weren’t a lot of common elements among the magicals he’d met, but their ability to channel the power surrounding them was always present. There were times Cooper was damned envious of their magical abilities, despite recognizing the crushing responsibility that accompanied the skills.
With a resounding thud, Cooper found himself standing in front of the hotel where he’d been staying before Audric whisked him back to Texas. Now that he thought about it, he was getting damned tired of being launched around the globe like one of the pneumatic bullets banks used for their drive-in facilities. I feel like I’ve just been turned into one of those freebie mini suckers the bank tellers send to kids after you make a deposit—Audric deposited me in Texas, and Gigi sent the sucker back to BFE.