Remy’s vision went cat. He was aware of every rustle, murmur and clink of ice in the room. The smells were difficult to sort out, but he breathed in lavender, fear and the intoxicating scent of a female close to her time.
“What’s up?” Lojos Boudreaux, the youngest of his brothers entered, followed closely by Mahieu and Dash.
The three brothers inhaled and swung around, shocked, staring at Bijou. She had reached Ryan Cooper’s table and was moving past it when Cooper reached out and caught her wrist, stopping her.
“If you’re giving out kisses, you little whore, I’ll be happy to oblige.” He jerked her down, trying to put her across his lap.
Bob Carson leapt up, camera in hand.
Jean and Juste Rousseau both laughed uproariously, snapping pictures with their cell phones. Robert Lanoux and Brent Underwood moved back in their chairs as if distancing themselves, while Tom Berlander grinned like an ape.
“Plant one on her, Ryan,” Juste yelled. “We’ll have the proof.”
“We can sell it to a magazine,” Jean encouraged. “Make thousands.”
Both laughed again as Bijou fought Ryan’s hold on her wrist.
Remy leapt over a table and sprinted toward the front of the club. Joshua and Elijah got there first. Elijah caught Ryan’s head and slammed it down on the tabletop as Joshua pulled Bijou to safety, thrusting her to the other side of him to keep his body between her and trouble.
The male leopards in the room came to their feet, rushing to the front of the club to form a loose, protective circle around one of their females. Lojos and Dash hit Bob Carson from the back, driving him to the ground, Lojos holding him still with one knee planted in his back. Remy made it to the circle and snarled. Instantly the two male leopards facing him opened a path for him. Remy noted the only leopard from his lair not to stand for Bijou was Robert.
Remy caught Bijou’s wrists. “You’re comin’ with me, now. No arguin’. You can see it isn’t safe.”
Bijou pressed her lips together. He could feel her trembling, her eyes searching his. She nodded slowly, and relief poured through him. At least she wasn’t going to fight him on this issue. The club was a powder keg ready to blow at any moment and the human counterparts of the male leopards were holding on to their human forms by a thread. He couldn’t imagine what it would be like if even one leopard succeeded in shifting.
He knew to those in the club it would simply look like her protection stepped in and removed her. “We’re goin’ out the back way, behind the stage. I’m not takin’ you through the club. The boys will hold everyone while we make our escape.”
Her teeth chewed on her lower lip. “I think Joshua and Elijah took care of the real threat.”
He wasn’t convinced that Ryan Cooper was the real threat to Bijou but he wasn’t going to argue the point. He swung her around, drawing her beneath the protection of his shoulder, his arm circling her waist, the other hand on his gun. He moved fast, relying on his leopard’s radar to tell him what was ahead, behind or to either side of them.
Bijou hurried to keep up with his fast pace. “Remy, no one’s after us, there was a wall between us and anyone else. No one would ever be so stupid as to challenge all those men. What’s goin’ on? This isn’t about those drunken idiots is it? Somethin’ else is goin’ on.”
“Yes, but I need somewhere far away from here to tell you. Somewhere safe where we can be alone.”
Bijou shook her head. “Nowhere is safe if we’re alone.” She looked up at him, her eyes meeting his. “Is it?”
If she was seeking reassurance, he couldn’t give it to her. His body was already on fire, his leopard almost mad with the need for hers. He knew her body was reacting to his, and her leopard was so close he doubted if they would make it too far before she began to insist on emerging. He didn’t have a lot of time to get Bijou back to the privacy of the swamp.
“My car’s straight ahead. Keep movin’.”
“I feel sick, Remy,” she admitted, pressing a hand to her stomach. “And hot.” She pushed at her hair, her hand coming away damp. “I’m so hot. I feel like I’m runnin’ a high fever.”
“I know. Just get in the car.” He yanked open the passenger door for her.
She slipped inside and he rushed around to the driver’s side. He jumped inside and kicked off his shoes. She didn’t notice. She was too uncomfortable, squirming, her female leopard in a frenzy after the close proximity of all the male leopards.
Bijou continually rubbed her hands and knuckles. He knew how bad it hurt that first time, the terrible, brutal, yet wonderful gift of shifting. Every joint, her jaw and mouth would be painful, while the tips of her fingers and toes burned as if she was touching flames. Worse than all of it was the ferocious drive to have sex.
“Remy.” Bijou cleared her throat repeatedly in an effort to talk. “Why does this happen to me every time I’m with you?”
“I’ll explain everythin’ to you, chere, but you have to trust me. It’s all goin’ to sound like somethin’ out of a movie. Right now, the only thing that matters is to strip. And do it fast.”
She frowned at him. “I’m not havin’ sex with you in the car, Remy.” She breathed deep, put her head down as if to keep from fainting and then sat back up, glaring at him as she touched her breasts through the material of her dress as if they were hurting. “I’m not.” But she didn’t sound as certain as she wanted.
Remy put his foot on the gas pedal and floored it, racing for the swamp. “Take off your clothes. Right now, Bijou.” He used his most commanding voice. “Hurry. Kick off your shoes and get out of that gown. Now.”
11