Leopard 03 - Burning Wild

team was in place—her security team—and if Emma wanted to go dress shopping rather than have dresses sent to the ranch for her to try on, she was going to have to accept what Drake was saying to her. Things had changed significantly since he put that ring on her finger, although she wasn’t going to like how. He sighed, wishing his life weren’t so complicated. This would be one more added pressure, one more thing Emma would balk over.
    Emma said nothing, dropping back into her chair, drawing out the silence until Drake arrived along with Joshua. Drake came in and took the chair opposite Emma. Joshua closed the door and stood by it.
    Emma tilted her chin and shifted her gaze from Drake’s stern face back to Jake. She didn’t look as if she was going to be blaming anything on Drake.
    “You want to go shopping today?” Drake asked.
    “Yes.” Her voice was firmer than ever. “If I don’t get out of here, I swear I’m going to lose my mind and there will be bloodshed—preferably Jake’s.” Her skin crawled with a thousand little ants, and it took every ounce of self-control she had to remain seated and not fly at someone and rake them with claws until they just got out of her face. She had the waves of heat that seemed to rush over her, until she was so hot she needed to tear off her clothes and stand outside in the cool air. “I’m getting snappy with the children and more than once I’ve thought about clawing out someone’s eyes.” Again she looked at Jake.
    Drake’s eyebrow shot up and he flicked a quick glance at Joshua and then Jake.
    Jake shrugged. “Just a minute ago she was being really sweet, Drake. I didn’t do anything.”
    “If the doctor has okayed you leaving . . .”
    “I swear, Drake, if one more person says that to me,” Emma snapped, “I’m going to hit him over the head. I don’t care what the stupid doctor says. I’m not staying in this room another minute. No one else is going to take care of my children. And everyone is going to stop telling me what to do.” She was beginning to feel like a child herself, with parents standing over her telling her what she could and couldn’t do. “And, Joshua, you can get away from the damned door before I throw something at you.”
    She could hear her voice swinging out of control, but she felt caged, the three men looming over her, intimidating her.

    “Baby,” Jake spoke quietly, “I’m your target, not him.”
    That made her ashamed. A reprimanded child throwing a tantrum. She just wanted . . . out. Away.
    Gone.
    “Emma.” Drake’s voice was utterly low, but held that same commanding note Jake often got when he meant what he said. “You’re engaged to Jake. That makes you a target. You don’t have to like it, no one likes it, but it is reality. Jake doesn’t leave the house without a bodyguard, and you can’t either. If you want to go shopping, we’ll go, but we have to make certain it’s safe. I never want you to feel as if you’re a prisoner here.”
    “I’m used to you going with me, Drake, and I’ve never objected. I know you have to be there if we’re taking the children, but I thought Susan and I would go out together. If you want to come, I certainly haven’t objected.”
    He shook his head. “Not Susan. It’s too risky. She’s a kid, unpredictable, and she’s a senator’s daughter.
    If Jake’s enemies make a try for you, she’ll be in the line of fire, and you wouldn’t want that.”
    “This is silly.” She pushed both hands through her hair. “No one knows. Nothing’s changed. I just want to get out of here.” She wanted to cry. She felt like she could barely breathe, and now, if she insisted, she’d feel childish putting everyone to the trouble of protecting her. The whole thing was ridiculous.
    “I’ll take off the ring.”
    “You’ll keep the fucking ring on your finger, Emma,” Jake snapped, his eyes glittering at her. He straightened, the lazy facade gone. “You can keep your ass home.”
    “Then I’m not going to the party,” Emma said, pushing herself out of the chair.
    Before Jake could say anything, Drake intervened, sending a warning glance to his friend. “Emma, I have no problem taking you shopping. Jake, I can handle it from here.”
    It was a dismissal, and one Jake wouldn’t have taken from anyone but Drake. He knew the man was trying to help him, to save him from himself. Jake tried not to react to the thought of leaving Emma alone in the room with two male