Alonzo had told her Jake and his wife, Emma, would be there. Also, Eli and Catarina Perez would be present. She would be meeting Siena for the first time. Siena was pregnant with triplets and, although it was early in the pregnancy, they were taking precautions, so everyone thought it best to meet at the Lospostos home.
She glanced back at the men surrounding them--the men she thought of as her "boys." Timur, Gorya, Sevastyan and Mitya. Mitya had no business being there, but for some reason Alonzo had insisted he come. He hadn't been out of the hospital that long, or for that matter, up. He was pale and still walked as though something hurt, but he would never admit it, at least not in front of her. He'd told her to quit fussing over him, but she ignored his order and just did it anyway. Timur, Gorya and Sevastyan laughed at him and told him he'd just have to live with it. They'd called her little sister in Russian and she hugged that to her as she stood there on the wide verandah wanting to run.
Alonzo bent down toward her, shifting his body slightly to put himself between her and the bodyguards. "You don't have to do this, Evangeline. If you're doing it for me, don't. You don't ever have to do anything you prefer not to."
She heard the ring of sincerity in his voice and her heart turned over. Just like that her nerves settled. If she could slip through the swamp, hunted by a dangerous male leopard and survive, she could do this. These women were extending the hand of friendship toward her, just as Saria had all those years ago when she was just a child. She'd been equally as afraid, but she'd let Saria into her life and it had proven to be one of the best things she'd ever done. She'd let Alonzo into her life, and it was the best thing she'd ever done.
"I'm doin' this for me, honey," she assured.
Timur snorted. "She calls him honey," he whispered overly loud to Gorya.
Alonzo turned and cuffed his brother hard, all in one motion, his leopard leaping to the foreground to reprimand his sibling. Timur tried to get out of the way, but Alonzo was too fast. The huge paw hit him on the side of his head. Claws were sheathed, but the strike was a hard blow, making Timur stagger back.
Gorya, Sevastyan and Mitya snickered. Timur grinned even as he got his legs under him and shook his head to clear it. "Fuckin' maniac," he said.
Evangeline kicked Alonzo in the shins hard just as Elijah Lospostos opened his door. "I see you two are getting along," he greeted. He opened the door wider and waved them through, his gaze on Mitya.
The humor receded from Timur's face and he stepped through the door in front of his brother and Evangeline, on high alert, making certain it was safe before he allowed them inside.
Elijah shook his head, ignoring the fact that Timur insisted on inspecting the room before he allowed the couple in. "Evangeline, so good to see you again. Are you fully recovered?"
She nodded. "The doctor gave his okay for me to be workin' and I've been back for the last two weeks. Business has doubled, so I'm grateful for the cleanin' crew Alonzo hired. I've got a new employee, Jeremiah Wheating. I believe you recommended him." She kept the sarcasm out of her voice. Jeremiah Wheating was no baker or barista. He was leopard and already chafing a little at his assignment. She felt a little sorry for the boy. He wanted to be where the action was, not working behind a counter in a bakery.
"Jeremiah needs to learn patience," Elijah said. "He's young and he's had a few bad experiences. He's eager to prove himself. He'll be a good man if he can learn patience."
"Lovely that I'm the one teachin' him." The sarcasm slipped right out in spite of her determination to behave.
"Who better? You learned patience as a child. That trait is invaluable, especially in a shifter. The women are going to be in the far wing of the house, and we'd prefer you stay there because there's a meeting here today and not everyone coming is part of our alliance. It would be best, Evangeline, if you stay with my wife."
It was a subtle order. Something big was going on. She sent her man a look that told him she wasn't very happy with his subterfuge. He could have just told her. Her gaze fell on Mitya speculatively. Why had they brought him when he really needed to be resting? She was fairly certain it had something to do with their meeting.
"I thought this was a family get-together," she said, staring Alonzo straight in the eye. If the men were having some big secretive meeting, that meant she'd be alone with the other wives. It was silly to think she had to have him with her, but on the other hand, he'd implied that they were going to a barbecue. She'd brought dessert with her.
"The meeting won't be long," Alonzo assured. "Let's introduce you. I want you to meet Siena."
"She thinks she's as big as a house. Catarina is a little further along than she is and she's way smaller. I keep telling her that she's got three inside of her, but she doesn't listen." Elijah shook his head in exasperation.
He indicated for them to follow him down the wide hall to the opposite end of the house. There were three women in the large room and all three went silent and turned as they entered. Evangeline recognized both Emma Bannaconni and Siena Lospostos from pictures in magazines. She thought they were both beautiful. Emma held her baby, a boy a little over a month old. Siena was clearly very pregnant. She looked as if she might have swallowed a small beach ball. Catarina barely showed.
Siena smiled immediately. "Alonzo, you brought her. I didn't think you ever would and I threatened Elijah. If you didn't show up today, I was going to come to your house."
Evangeline had been living for just over four weeks on the Arnotto property and already she thought of it as her home. In that moment she realized the house, the entire estate, actually belonged to Siena. She'd known, but she'd thought of it as her home.
"I brought her," Alonzo assured, taking Evangeline's hand and walking her forward. "Solnyshko moyo, this is Siena. She is family to me. Siena, my Evangeline."
It was his voice that was nearly her undoing. The way he said my Evangeline. She would have done anything for him to hear that tone. To hear him say her name that way and claim her for his own.
"Evangeline, Siena. And that's Emma Bannaconni and Catarina Perez."
Evangeline forced a smile. Her belly was tied up in tight little knots. Emma Bannaconni was a gorgeous woman. Her hair was flaming red and very thick. She had enormous almond-shaped aquamarine eyes. She was very small, which surprised Evangeline because she didn't look that petite in her photographs.
Emma smiled sweetly at Evangeline all the while holding her sleeping son with expert hands. "So good to meet you. I wondered who would be melting Alonzo's heart."
Evangeline glanced up at her man. He didn't change expression, but she felt him wince. He didn't want anyone to know she'd melted his heart. She stepped a little away from him, trying not to feel abandoned.
Elijah took the two dessert carriers out of her hands and put them on the table. "Looks good, Evangeline. You women can't eat all this. How about letting me have one of these for our meeting? I can serve them with coffee." He lifted one of the cases and peered through the transparent plastic.
"It's good to finally meet you as well," Evangeline said, ignoring Elijah. "Alonzo told me you were in the hospital the same time I was."
Emma nodded. "Yes. I had a little trouble with this one, but it all came out right in the end. I have two more, a daughter and another son, but I left them with the nanny at home. I thought it would be nice to have a little time with friends."
"I'm so glad you agreed to come visit us," Catarina said. Her dark hair was long and wavy, falling in a waterfall of shimmering silk down her back. She had very unusual cobalt blue eyes surrounded by long dark lashes. Her full lips turned up at the corners just slightly. She was very curvy and had a little pouch where her baby hid. "I love to bake or cook and I'm so happy to have another person to share recipes with. Emma loves cooking as well. We're always comparing recipes."
"Did you notice the absence of a name when they're talking about cooking abilities?" Siena said, laughing softly. "I can't cook or bake. Elijah does most of it for us."
She smiled up at him with her generous mouth. She had perfect Italian skin, large cat-shaped brilliant green eyes with lush, thick black lashes. If that wasn't enough, she had a straight nose, high cheekbones, beautiful teeth and rich dark hair, very thick.
Elijah instantly was beside her, reaching down for her hand and threading his fingers through hers. "I like to cook. It relaxes me. I also like you sitting in that chair in the kitchen talking to me while I cook. That relaxes me too."
Siena laughed. "He means the lounge chair he paid a fortune for. It's super comfortable and is supposed to have back support and all kinds of other benefits. Elijah researched for weeks and then tested it out so it would be perfect, and it is."
Evangeline found she liked Elijah Lospostos just for buying his pregnant wife a comfortable chair to sit in while he cooked. That was sweet. She also liked that he didn't mind showing them all how much he loved her.
"I am not a good cook," Alonzo said. "I'm very thankful Evangeline is."
"Did your mother love cooking?" Emma asked.
Evangeline's heart accelerated. She hadn't considered that the women would be curious about her and ask questions. They weren't prying so much as being friendly, trying to get to know her. She was so closed off to others that it hadn't occurred to her exactly what would transpire.
Alonzo moved closer to her again, close enough that she could feel his body heat. She shook her head, her chin going up a fraction. "No, I didn't know my mother, but a friend of mine, Saria Donovan, introduced me to Pauline Lafont. She owned the inn Saria has now. Pauline taught me to cook and to bake. I didn't talk a lot and it was somethin' we could do together that didn't require a lot of talkin'."
"Saria is married to Drake Donovan," Emma said. "Drake is a dear friend of ours. You'll meet Jake in just a few minutes. He's around here somewhere, talking to Eli and Joshua. I haven't met Saria yet, but I heard she was planning to visit soon. She's expecting as well."
Catarina nodded. "Look out, Evangeline, shifters don' fool around when it comes to gettin' their woman in the family way."
Evangeline could hear the bayou in her voice and immediately identified with her. The accent was strong, as was hers. She couldn't help smiling. "He knows better." Deliberately she put a threat into her voice and glared up at him.
He held up both hands in surrender. "It isn't my fault if you can't resist me. I peel you off of me every night, but you don't stay on your side of the bed." Even teasing, there was little inflection in his voice, as if he had forgotten how to talk with any kind of expression. His voice was always low and compelling, but without a single teasing note.
The women laughed anyway, Siena especially. "That's the most I've ever heard you say, Alonzo," she said. "Ever. I didn't know you knew how to talk."
Evangeline liked knowing she got Alonzo's words. That she got his real past and therefore his real name.
He swept his arm around her and took her with him to the door. Bending down, he cupped her face in his hands. "I've got to go, malyutka, but I'm assured this won't take very long. Jake and Eli will be in here with you. There will be two of my men just outside the door. If you need me for anything at all, you tell them and one will come get me."
His blue eyes moved over her face, and her heart clenched. He was certainly giving away the fact that he cared about her now. He kept his voice very low, but there was no mistaking body language.
"I mean what I say, Evangeline. Any reason at all. You're uncomfortable, you need to send for me. Understand?"
She knew she would be all right. Just knowing he was leaving two men behind in case she needed him meant the world. She'd wondered why he'd brought along Kirill and Matvei. She was getting to know them. She knew Kirill and Sevastyan had been childhood friends. Matvei was also from the same lair. He'd followed Kirill and Sevastyan to the United States and then to San Antonio.
"I will," she agreed.
"Kiss me."
His order shocked her. If he was trying to play it cool, he wasn't succeeding. She didn't hesitate. Her arms went around his neck, she leaned her body into his and brought his head down even as she went up on her toes. He tasted like love to her. Like everything sensual. Dark, dangerous and wholly wonderful. Her tongue tangled and danced with his, and then he took over, the way he often did when he was kissing her, sweeping every sane thought away until there was only feeling. Only Alonzo.
"I'll hurry," he said, lifting his head slowly, taking his time in the same way he had with his kisses. "Enjoy yourself."
"I will." She watched him leave with Elijah. He was so beautiful, that fluid, easy way he moved in silence. When she turned back, all three women were staring at her.
"Oh. My. God." Siena immediately was out of her chair and coming across the room toward Evangeline. "That was so beautiful. The way he looked at you. The way he touched you. I wanted that for him." She kept coming until she had Evangeline enveloped in her arms. "I think of him like my brother. I never had any siblings, so I've claimed Alonzo. Thank you. Thank you for giving him that."
Evangeline was terrified Siena would get hurt just walking around. "Are you supposed to be up?"
Siena laughed and held her at arm's length. "Of course I can be up. Just not for long periods of time. Doc doesn't want me to take any chances. I'm not exactly running races. He said I can be in the swimming pool lazing around. And I can go for short walks. No shifting. My poor girl can't go running at night, but she understands we have to protect the babies. I haven't told Elijah yet, but she says they're females."
Emma burst out laughing. "Jake is going to have a field day giving him a bad time. He thinks one daughter is bad enough."
Evangeline wanted to help Siena back to her chair but didn't know how to make her go without acting bossy. "Do you know what you're having yet, Catarina?" She tried not to sound desperate for conversation, and in any case she genuinely wanted to know.
"We're havin' a boy. Eli's all happy about that because he says a girl should have an older brother to look out for her. He's not exactly hip to this century."
"None of them are," Emma said. "Come sit down, Evangeline. Really, it's so nice to have another woman to join us. We're in our own little world here, and we have to be. Having friends and knowing our children will have friends is such a bonus. I wouldn't trade Jake or our life for anything, but it did get lonely before Catarina and Siena came along."
Siena put her arm around Evangeline's waist and walked her back to the others. The couches and chairs looked very comfortable. Evangeline took the chair between where Siena had been sitting and Catarina.
"Elijah said you and Joshua are first cousins. Joshua doesn't say much. Emma knows him better than Catarina and I," Siena said. "He worked for Jake for a long time before he took over Rafe Cordeau's territory."
Evangeline tried not to think about that too much. She knew there was far more to Alonzo's business than met the eye but she didn't know the entire story and she didn't want the other women to know that.
"Joshua was raised in Borneo. I was raised in Louisiana. We actually don' really know each other."
"He's always been really quiet. Not like Alonzo," Emma said. "I never heard Alonzo talk until he did here in this room."
Siena laughed. "He was my bodyguard ever since I was fifteen, and I don't think I heard him say more than three sentences. But if he looked at one of the men they did exactly what he wanted them to do. I guess he didn't need to actually talk."
Jake and Eli walked in and closed the door behind them. Both men went straight to their respective wives and kissed them before turning to Evangeline. Siena made the introductions.
Jake Bannaconni was an imposing man. It wasn't just about his looks. He clearly was leopard and had the added advantage of muscle and power clinging to him. He was highly intelligent and that showed in the burn of his golden eyes. He owned several oil fields and was renowned for discovering new pockets of oil. More, he acquired companies and often took them apart.
Eli Perez was a v
ery scary-looking man. Like Alonzo, danger clung to him, but he looked rough and scarred. He had tattoos everywhere and his muscles were the roped, powerful muscles of a leopard. He moved with fluid grace and had eyes for one person--Catarina. He smiled at Evangeline and devoured the baked goods along with Jake, but mostly he watched his wife and saw to her every need. It was a little shocking to see the man wait on her. He didn't seem the type, but then neither did Alonzo. When she'd been laid up in bed, he'd been the one to bring her everything she could possibly want.
"Why did Alonzo bring Mitya?" The question slipped out before she could stop herself.
Jake smiled at her. "Your man will no doubt tell you that, and you won't be happy with him." He took another bite of her cannoli. "This is heaven. You know how to bake. I thought our Catarina was the number-one baker but you just might give her a run for her money."
"What are they up to?" She wasn't going to be distracted by compliments.
"You'll know soon enough," Jake said, making it clear he wasn't about to give her information if Alonzo didn't want her to have it.
She made a mental note to tell Alonzo she wanted to be informed of everything that had to do with her family, and that included her boys. If he didn't like it, he would have to learn to live with it. He knew when he'd chosen her that she wasn't a woman to be pushed aside easily.
*
ALONZO and Joshua were seated at the table to Elijah's right. Elijah's bodyguard, Joaquin, brought in Emilio and two other men Alonzo had never met. One was introduced as Fredo Lombardi and the other was Ulisse Mancini. Alonzo had heard of both.
Ulisse ran a counterfeiting ring that was very successful. Mitya's father had wanted in on it in a bad way. Ulisse was a shark, always hungry for more territory and power. From what Elijah had said, the other bosses were leery of Ulisse.
Fredo Lombardi was clearly an ally of Elijah's. He was younger than Ulisse and a bit older than Elijah. He'd taken over the reins of his father's business a few years earlier, and was someone who was considered very steady. He had few enemies, because he didn't appear greedy. He conducted his business quietly and seemed a company player, although Elijah had told Alonzo that the man was no one to mess with. He was genial because he could afford to be.