Beau nodded. “That’s somethin’ everyone has to look at when they hit my age. I put some away, but not near enough. Gilbert and I have been tryin’ to figure out how to make more money fast before we hang it up.” He turned his gaze back on his daughter. “I did my share of fishin’ and huntin’ to keep you kids fed. I’m willin’ to do the work, gettin’ Ambroise to set up the website and then fillin’ the orders. Don’ think that’s askin’ too much in return for what I did when you were young.”
“What did you do, Beau?” Fyodor asked. “Because my understanding is, you put your daughter out in the swamp and left her there.”
Beau narrowed his eyes, glaring at Evangeline. “Is that what you told him? I saved you, girl. I saved you from your grandfather. He was a mean, vicious killer and he liked to get his hands on females. Age didn’t matter to him.”
“What did your wife think of him?” Timur asked, turning the attention back to him.
“My wife?” Beau sat up straight, alarm skittering over his face and then, there it was, for just that few seconds, distaste, rage even. Then he had control and he looked sorrowful. Very sad. “She was afraid of him. She begged me to hide Evangeline from the old man. I did as she asked, although it was difficult to leave a child under those circumstances.”
Ashe leaned into Timur, and he knew he had to get her out of there. She’d done as he’d asked and held out for as long as she possibly could. “I hate to break up the dinner party, particularly before dessert, but we have to go. It was nice to meet all of you. Ambroise, I’d definitely like to see your work. Perhaps we’ll have an opportunity to talk later. And Christophe, leave your resume and make certain your number is on it, I’ll call you in the next day or so and set up an interview. Beau, it was very nice to finally get to meet you.”
Timur rose and drew Ashe up as well, pulling her to his side, tucking her beneath his shoulder. He wrapped his arm around her, trying to shelter her, to keep Beau and the others from seeing her distress.
She waved toward Fyodor and Evangeline. Timur hated to leave his brother and sister-in-law alone with her family, but he knew they would both understand. He’d already texted the guards and Rodion and Kyanite had slipped into the room, each standing by a door. Beau couldn’t fail to notice them, but he didn’t say anything. Christophe had glanced up as they came in and then looked over to Timur, but he hadn’t said anything either. Ambroise appeared not to notice, but Timur wasn’t buying it. The man saw every detail and was able to sketch from memory. He would definitely notice two men entering the dining room at his sister’s dinner party.
Timur shook his head as he ushered Ashe out. Intrigue wasn’t his specialty. He didn’t like games or pretense. He got to the truth in a much more direct way, one that assured him he knew who was selling them out and who was loyal.15“I CAN'T stand my clothes on one more minute,” Ashe whispered.
Timur couldn’t stand his either. His cock was raging. His leopard was raging. The grounds were crawling with leopards, all male. The last thing he needed was to turn a female in heat loose in the middle of so many. There was also a large human security force moving through the grounds. One glimpse of a leopard and panic would ensue.
“We have to get to the house, baby. You can do it.” He poured confidence into his voice, when he wasn’t feeling it. He’d waited too long. He’d gotten more information, but it was all speculation, not fact. His conclusions might be based on experience, but he still didn’t have enough in the way of proof to eliminate any threat to Fyodor or Evangeline.
Ashe made a small sound of distress and began to move away from him, in the direction of the forest and tea garden with its high walls. No way was he trusting the other males to remain away from a female in heat, especially one throwing off such potent pheromones. Controlling leopards under those circumstances would be nearly impossible.
He caught her up, tossed her over his shoulder and began to jog toward the guesthouse. Every step hurt, and he knew by the way she clutched his shirt, dragging it up to expose the skin of his back, that she was in dire straits. He felt her tongue lapping at him. The pads of her fingers reached down the waistband of the trousers he wore. Each touch was pure fire dancing over his skin. He wanted her with every cell in his body. He was so completely tuned to her, he nearly missed the scent of the leopard stalking them.