Chapter 5

She would be the death of him.

Graeme had always sworn she would be the death of him. From the moment she’d begun crawling, he’d known that woman was going to be more trouble than he would know how to deal with.

Moving quickly through the tunnels between the small rental and the Reever estate, Graeme remembered how tiny she had been even then, and how she seemed to find trouble no matter the effort made to ensure she was safe.

He’d been only eleven when Brandenmore had placed her in his arms, giving the responsibility of her care to him. Her survival was up to him; he’d known it in such a heartbeat of realization that it had been shocking.

Until that moment he’d never really known a point of time when he could designate that he’d felt his animal genetics in such a separate, fierce flow of energy. It had happened in that moment, though. The boy and the immature Bengal had stood side by side inside him. The boy staring at the child, bemused by how to care for such a sickly creature. In that moment, the feral displacement between Breed genetics and human had disappeared, the animal bonding with him completely to claim that child.

He’d known she was his. The animal, as immature as it had been, had claimed her instantly. At first he’d excused it as claiming her as part of the Pride he’d always sworn he’d have. Yet he’d known better.

Judd was his brother, his twin, and though the bond of twins was always there, his affection for Cat had still been different. She would belong to him once she reached maturity. In a blink, boy and animal had known that. It hadn’t been a sexual knowledge, it had been instinct. He’d found his other half, if he could ensure her survival.

His intelligence even then had been far superior to anyone he’d come in contact with. The depth of knowledge he could amass had been driving him insane, tearing his mind apart as his humanity fought the animal merged with it.

Staring into her weak, pain-ridden eyes, the bonding of the often volatile parts of all he was happened in an instant. And very little of it was actually human.

His intelligence, both human and animal, would have torn him apart if it hadn’t been for that moment. Cat had centered him, had given all those jagged pieces a place to fit.

A job to complete. Her survival.

Her survival meant not just curing the genetic malfunction in her body, which he’d immediately sensed, but also ensuring such a human frailty never weakened her again.

He and Dr. Foster had isolated the genetic function of the serum created before Dr. Foster was assigned to the project. The doctor and Graeme had known that part of it could never be revealed, and they’d fought to keep it hidden. It would cure Cat, just as it was curing Honor, but with Cat the genetic virus, isolated and for the most part taken from the serum, would be added back in once Foster coded in the Breed genetics needed to activate it.

Bengal genetics.

Entering the large main cavern beneath the estate, he strode to the desk and bank of computers set up in the nearest corner. She’d managed to find most of the cameras, but he’d known she would. There were still enough left to monitor her, to ensure her security.

The grounds were heavily covered with cameras, electronic sensors and alarms. He wouldn’t take her safety for granted.

Checking each level of the security he’d installed, he was aware of the scent of the approaching distraction.

Lobo Reever rarely visited the caverns beneath his home that he’d turned over to Graeme. They were Graeme’s domain, it had been agreed. And now, he was visiting twice in once week.

Stepping from the rough-hewn stone staircase, the Wolf Breed moved silently into the main cavern before striding to the security monitors located on the wall to Graeme’s side. Those monitors, nearly two dozen in all, encompassed the estate as a whole. His gaze lingered on one displaying the pool area and the young woman stretched out beneath the rays of the sun with lazy abandon.

“Need something?” Graeme questioned, his attention on the monitor displaying the status of the various security measures on the rental.

“Jonas was here.” Lobo’s attention remained on the pool area, his gaze brooding as he answered the question. “He wanted to speak to you, but it seems you weren’t in.”

“I had something to take care of at the rental,” Graeme informed him. “Sucks to be Jonas.”

Lobo’s mocking grunt was more an agreement than anything else.

“Aren’t you curious what he wanted?” the Wolf Breed asked after several seconds.

Was he?

“Not really.” He was more intent on isolating a particular anomaly that appeared in the security programming. “Jonas rarely concerns me and what he wants is never in line with what I seem to want at the time, so I normally don’t worry about it.”

Amusement flickered around the other Breed.

Lobo had an odd sense of humor, though. Graeme had learned to tolerate it. After all, the Wolf Breed tolerated his often bloody hobby of interrogating Council Coyotes, so they tried to agree to disagree on such subjects.

“He’s insistent I allow two of his enforcers to watch the rental,” Lobo revealed. “So insistent, actually, that he’s making it a Bureau request. I do have an agreement with the Bureau, Graeme. One I’d prefer not to break.”

The statement wasn’t a request of any sort. He was informing Graeme that, in this case, the Bureau could take precedence over Graeme’s disagreement.

An irritated growl slipped past his throat. “That Lion is going to push me too far,” he murmured as he set the security program to isolate and eradicate the anomaly in the security protocols he was evaluating. “Keep him away from her.”

“Graeme, as much as I rarely give a damn about your various little projects in my caverns, I must point out that I don’t answer to you. The favor you’ve extended in giving Khi this small period of time to consider her options is greatly appreciated. But I won’t go to war with the Bureau of Breed Affairs for it.”

Graeme lifted his lashes, staring up at him for long moments.

“At least not easily.” The Wolf Breed exhaled in frustration. “That woman will be the death of me.”

“It would seem we face similar ends, then,” Graeme pointed out in self-disgust before pushing back from the holo-board and deactivating it. “What’s Jonas’s argument?”

He’d rather just rip the Bureau director’s throat out, but that might upset his daughter a bit and Graeme had become fond of the toddler over the months that he’d secretly given her the serum needed to save her life. Brandenmore had found a way to initially inject the infant in an attempt to force Jonas and the Breeds to find a cure for the destruction of his own body that the serum he’d injected himself with was creating. He’d convinced Jonas the same would happen to Amber.

Lobo lowered his gaze as Graeme slid his chair from the desk and tilted the back to rest against the wall behind him before propping his feet on top of the desk. Lacing his fingers behind his head, he watched the Wolf with narrowed eyes.

“Your level of disrespect astounds me,” Lobo pointed out with lazy humor.

“Your level of supposed superiority often amuses me,” Graeme assured him. “But I rarely hold it against you. So what does our esteemed director want?”

The Wolf almost let a mocking grin of acknowledgment curl at his lips but held it back at the last second.

“Besides your hide?” Lobo asked.

“Well, yes.” Graeme nodded. “Besides that. I’m aware it rates fairly high on his list, though.”

“I’d say it tops his list,” Lobo grunted. “But other than that, he’s demanding that I allow Bureau surveillance of the grounds surrounding the house. He seems a bit put out that his satellites are having trouble zooming in on it. Seems there’s some atmospheric or magnetic interference.”

Graeme smiled, he couldn’t help it. Satisfaction could be a wonderful thing.

“I’m quite pleased with the interference as well as its cloaking.” The Wolf’s gray eyes mirrored Graeme’s own satisfaction. “I’m especially pleased that it’s untraceable. So far.”

“The algorithm only kicks in when satellite detection is intercepted and it’s changing constantly.” Graeme shrugged. There were also protocols that helped detect any attempts to trace it. It was one of his most ingenious programs yet. He loved it.

“I consider myself quite lucky to have acquired your loyalty for the time being.” Lobo sighed. “But Wyatt has the potential to become a problem, Graeme. On-the-ground surveillance could also pinpoint the location of the satellite interference.”

Graeme restrained the urge to roll his eyes.

“On-the-ground surveillance won’t pinpoint the problem, Lobo,” he assured him. “I told you that.”

“But you haven’t told me why.” Ice coated his voice.

No, he hadn’t told him why. He hadn’t explained to either Lobo or his head of security how it worked, and he wasn’t about to. But tracing it would be impossible where Jonas was concerned.

Dropping the chair to all four legs, Graeme rose to his feet and moved away from the monitors as he kept Lobo in sight.

“Why doesn’t matter,” he reminded the other Breed. “It works.”

“It’s not magic, therefore, it’s vulnerable,” Lobo argued.

“Is this becoming an issue, Reever?” Facing him fully, Graeme narrowed his eyes on the Wolf and waited.

Losing Reever’s loyalty would be a problem, but it wasn’t insurmountable.

“Not an issue.” Lobo shook his head, not at all concerned by Graeme’s stance. “Simply an observation. At the moment, my only issue is Wyatt. As I said, a war with the Bureau would be a problem at this time. I’d prefer to stay on the friendly side, if you don’t mind. But I’d also prefer not to have enforcers lurking around my property.”

In that, Graeme didn’t blame him a bit.

“Tell them they can watch the house all they like from the property line,” he suggested, unconcerned with the problem. “Your agreement with the Bureau does not arbitrarily allow for Bureau surveillance on the grounds itself.”

“Graeme, they’re already watching from the property line.” Reever sighed, crossing his arms over his chest, likely wrinkling the pristine white silk shirt he wore.

Lobo didn’t like wrinkles, Graeme remembered in amusement.

Damn. If he had to make this a personal favor, then he was going to lose one of the debts he’d gathered over the years. Likely several of them. He didn’t like the thought of that.

“Doesn’t the new division director of this area owe you a favor?” Graeme asked then, his eyes narrowing on the Wolf. “You allowed the use of this cavern to take care of a little problem he had not long ago.”

The execution of the man who had betrayed Rule Breaker’s mate wasn’t exactly a nominal debt. Reever had given the use of the caverns, supposedly, as well as a promise to keep the location and Breaker’s part in it secret.

“That’s the only debt Breaker owes me,” Lobo growled. “I’d prefer not to use it.”

Graeme stared back at him in surprise. “You want me to use my brownie points?”

“You have far more than I do in this instance,” Lobo drawled knowingly. “It seems only fair you use one from what appears to be an abundance of points rather than using the only one I’ve acquired with the new division director.”

“I’ve an abundance because I don’t spend them without thought or give them away like fucking candy, Reever,” he growled, irritated at the thought of spending one of the precious debts he’d managed to acquire.

“I want this to go away, Graeme.” Smooth, without command but definitely a warning, Lobo gave a brief inclination of his head as a farewell before turning and walking away.

“Yeah, well, and I want to let the freak loose, but I keep him contained,” he muttered, striding furiously back to the computers and throwing himself back in his chair.

Dammit, he didn’t have time for what Lobo wanted.

Glaring at the computer screen, his eyes narrowed at the program’s response to his earlier command. The anomaly wasn’t part of the programming, but neither was it identified or located.

Pulling up the holo-board he went back to work.

Jonas would have to wait until later.

• • •

She’d been certain she could find at least some measure of peace at the small Reever guest estate, Cat thought as she opened her eyes the next afternoon and stared across the pool at Graeme. She’d sensed him watching her, known before she even opened her eyes that he was there.

Drifting lazily in the pool behind the house, dressed in nothing but a miniscule bikini, Cat admitted that the urge to enjoy the water might have been a mistake. The Bengal was watching her like an afternoon snack after missing breakfast.

“What do you want?” she muttered.

Pushing the inflatable lounger to the steps leading into the water, she slid from the float and stepped warily onto the rock patio.

Graeme was prowling closer, his gaze flickering over her body as water dripped down her tanned flesh. The look was so intent she wondered that she couldn’t feel the touch of it like a physical caress.

“Stop undressing me with your eyes,” she demanded as she moved to the umbrella-shaded table and the bottle of water resting in the ice bucket there.

“You’re already undressed,” he assured her, his voice smooth seduction. “I was merely enjoying the view.”

“Then stop enjoying the view.” Not that the retort fazed him.

His lips quirked in the beginnings of a far too appealing hint of humor. And was still watching her, still stroking her with his gaze, caressing her. And she found herself far too responsive to it.

She reached for the light robe she’d brought out with her.

“Please don’t, Cat.” It wasn’t a demand.

Turning, she met his gaze, the hunger and need in it blistering, the demand clear, but his tone was gentle, requesting. He was asking her not to put the robe on, not demanding it. At least not demanding it vocally.

“Why?” She had to turn away from him, the need she glimpsed in his gaze weakened her, made her want to forget the past thirteen years, and she didn’t dare forget.

“Because you’re the most beautiful vision I’ve ever had.” His voice was rough now, the sound of it flooding her senses and her body with the most incredible weakness. The pleasure that flooded her entire being shortened her breath while causing her heart to race in excitement.

How did he do this to her? Why had her entire life been consumed by this one Breed and all the conflicting, pain-filled emotions he inspired in her?

“Why are you doing this to me, Graeme? Why are you trying to destroy me?” He’d been her world then he’d destroyed it. She’d been a child. Nothing had mattered to her but him, and he’d destroyed her.

“Destroying you was never my intent.” He moved behind her, stopping only when he was within a breath of touching her. Gently, firmly, his fingers curled around her hips as his head lowered to her bare shoulder. “Hurting you was never my intent, Cat.”

“Then what was your intent?” Fists clenched, she fought the lure of his body, the memory of the incredible sensations his lips could create against her flesh. “Because for something you didn’t intend, you’re doing a damned good job of it.”

He was destroying her senses, her determination to remain aloof, her promise to herself that she would never allow him to shred her heart again. Or what still remained of her heart.

Callused fingers clenched at her hips, holding her in place when she would have eased away from him.

She couldn’t do this. If she continued to stand here, to let him hold her against him, then she would cave and she would beg him to take her, to continue ripping her apart. One hand slid from her hip to her stomach where it flattened against the clenched muscles of her lower abdomen. Her eyes closed, the sensual weakness building, making a mockery of her determination to withhold herself from him.

“I can smell your need, soft and heated,” he whispered at her ear. “An addictive scent I find myself longing for at the oddest moments.”

“I’m sure there’s a twelve-step program for that somewhere. I bet Jonas Wyatt could point you in the right direction,” she assured him, forcing the sarcasm into her voice rather than the breathless need she couldn’t hide from him.

The feel of his teeth raking against her neck was followed by a low, warning growl in reply to the suggestion.

“Bad girl,” he berated her. “I’m sure I don’t need Jonas’s help in any way.”

“You need help period,” she assured him before gasping and finding herself turned so quickly she barely registered the move.

One second she was staring away from him, in the next she was staring up at him, her breasts pressed into his cheek, his erection, restrained only by the denim he wore, pressed into her lower stomach.

“When I found you, I was completely maddened,” he growled, staring down at her with a hungry demand that flickered in the gold flecks of jungle green eyes. “I was instinct and intellect only. No mercy, no compassion.” One hand threaded into the back of her damp hair, clenching there as his gaze flickered over her face. “The last time I was in this desert searching for you, only the scent of Claire Martinez surrounded your body. There was no hint of my Cat, no matter how similar you were in looks, I was fooled. When I returned, there was no hint of Claire, only my Cat, and her pain. Her loneliness.” His voice dropped, his head lowering as his lips brushed against the corner of hers. “All the madness that had driven me for so long eased away and the monster I’d been settled back. What little sanity remained snapped into place and I knew why the monster existed to begin with.” He paused, his lips whispering over hers, but refusing to initiate the kiss she was suddenly hungry for. “Do you know why it existed, Cat?”

She shook her head, fighting to breathe, fighting not to take the kiss she needed.

“Why?” She forced the question out, wishing he’d just hurry and give her what she needed.

“For you,” he breathed. “It lived for you, Cat. To protect you. To hold back the horror of the risk of Bennett finding you and dragging you back to the center. It existed, to ensure you lived.”

The monster everyone spoke of in the past months had existed for blood . . . And each time it had taken blood it had been someone that threatened her, or those she cared for.

“You swore to kill me.” It was all she could do to force the words past her lips. “To kill me and Judd. You knew what you were saying.”

She remembered that clearly. Cold, deadly purpose had filled his eyes, his expression.

“I was a child, G,” she whispered, remembered pain slicing at her heart again. “You were all I had to depend on. All I knew of love.”

I never loved you . . . You were my experiment.

She pressed her forehead to his chest, wishing she could wipe the memory from her mind, from her heart.

“I needed you.” The fingers gripping his shoulders curled into fists. “Years, Graeme. For years I worried, I cried, I searched for you.” Shudders tore through her body as aching, furious rage tore through her. “I needed you.” It was a snarl, a deep female rasp of overwhelming pain as she tore from him, memories and so many nights of unrelenting hunger to just see him. “Damn you, G. Damn you. I survived without you for the past thirteen years and I’ll survive without you now. Get the hell away from me.”

She felt as though she was going crazy now. Rage and hunger. The need to push him away, the need to hold to him so tight she was never without him ever again. The conflicting emotions were tearing her apart.

“You survived?” Catching her arm he swung her around again, his lips pulled back from his teeth in a grimace of anger. “Is that what you call it? Hiding? Pretending to be Claire Martinez? You took her personality as well as her identity and hid everything you were, every part of you, when you could have been who you were, who you were intended to be.”

Mockery shot through her. “Who was I intended to be, Graeme?” she questioned with such false sweetness she nearly gagged on it. “It seems only you know that answer. What did you think you created when you shot that shit inside me with those therapies? Did you justify it each time I screamed and cried and then lay wasted for days begging you to let me die?” she screamed that question at him. A question she hadn’t even known tormented her until that moment. “What was I supposed to be, G?”

Tears filled her eyes. She hated that. Hated the weakness and the emotions that tore her apart each time she remembered that she had been his experiment.

His experiment.

“You were supposed to live,” he growled furiously, gripping her arms and hauling her back to his chest, glaring down at her as the pupils of his eyes became obliterated by the green. “You had to live and there was only one way to ensure that, with Breed DNA. There was no other way to wipe that fucking disease out of your body and I wasn’t going to let you die. You were mine.”

“I was your experiment,” she cried out. “You said it yourself, you never loved me.” A sob tore from her throat, knowing that wound had never healed. “Do you know what you did to me that night? Do you have any idea what you did when you told me that?”

“Do you have any idea what it did to me?” Before she could answer him, before she could do more than recognize the animalistic rasp of pain in his voice as his lips suddenly covered hers.

Hard. Possessive.

His tongue pushed past her lips, determined and hungry and spilling the most alluring hint of spice. That hint of taste captivated her, left her wanting more and had her lips closing around his tongue, some primal impulse demanding she draw on it, to pull more of that elusive taste into her senses. Moaning, clutching at his shoulders once again, Cat reveled in the pleasure, losing herself in it.

She should be fighting him and she knew it. She should be fighting this overwhelming need, and she couldn’t, had no desire to now that she was being consumed by his kiss. All she could do was hold on to him, hold him to her and relish in the fact that he was here now. That the lost, agonized part of her soul found solace.

When his head jerked back, his lips pulling from hers, Cat could only stare up at him, dazed and uncertain. Blinking in shock at the abrupt withdrawal it took a moment to realize what had disturbed the chaotic hunger he’d unleashed on her. The Wolf Breed scent was vaguely familiar though she couldn’t quite place it until he spoke.

“Sorry, Graeme,” the Breed cleared his throat uncomfortably. “We have a situation at the estate. Alpha Reever asked that you be found immediately.”

Cat moved to turn and face the Breed, uncomfortable with her back turned to him.

“Don’t.” Graeme held her still with a growl as his hand jerked out and returned with the robe discarded on the back of the patio chair.

Staring up at him she let him help her into it, remaining silent as she pulled the front edges together and belted them snugly.

The disturbance was for the best, she thought. No good could come of the trust she wanted so desperately to give him, or the emotions burning in her chest. He’d already betrayed her once, he would betray her again.

“This isn’t over,” he warned her as she stepped away from him. “Don’t imagine it is.”

Cat could only shake her head. “It was over a long time ago, you just refuse to accept it.”

Without turning to face the Breed that came for Graeme, Cat escaped back into the house and the realization that nothing would ever be easy, or simple, where Graeme was concerned. And what was left of her heart had no escape from the destruction he’d wreak in it.