Leopard 03 - Burning Wild

hovering over her. Their eyes were hard, calculating, and she knew they were every bit the predator that Jake was.
    Her breath caught in her lungs. She had the urge to run while she could. This was a society she didn’t want to understand or want to be part of. “You were looking for me?” she murmured softly, an encouragement to tell her more.
    Trent shifted position just enough to block her view of Jake—or to block Jake’s view of her. The movement was subtle, but with Emma’s heightened awareness, she caught it.
    “Long before you were born, Bradley, your father, was quite the ladies’ man. He was very good-looking and charming, and few women could resist him. We wanted a particular woman in our family.
    One . . .” He smiled, baring his teeth as a shiver went through her. “One of a breeding and bloodline befitting our family. I paid Bradley a great deal of money to find and bring this woman to me.”
    “We have the contract he signed, dear,” Cathy said, leaning close. “Perhaps you would like to see it? It has some particular significance to you.”
    Emma felt trapped, caged in, and something inside of her shifted, going from fear to survival mode.
    Very carefully she set the wineglass on the table next to her and looked up at Cathy. “Why would a contract my father signed before I was born have any significance to me?”
    Trent’s body swayed slightly, his head moving but his eyes still. “He owes me still.”
    Emma’s eyebrow shot up. “What does he owe you? And as he’s dead, how can that in any way impact me?”
    “You’re what he owes me.” Trent smiled and leaned down slightly, running his hand over her cloth-covered arm again.
    Her eyebrow shot up again. “My father owes you his child?”
    “His wife, actually. I financed his trip to the rain forest and he was to bring me a suitable young woman. Instead, he betrayed us and married her. He took the money and went on the run with her. He stole from me, both the woman and the money.”
    Emma knew, with the strange sixth sense she had, that he was telling her the truth. Her childhood had been spent on the run, never staying in one place long, never permanently buying a home and going to school like other children. There were weeks in a place, then abruptly they left with no explanation.
    And perhaps, a little chilling voice rose up, it explained why someone had tortured her father.
    Someone looking for her? Or perhaps someone punishing him. Was she looking at the man who had murdered her parents?
    “I see.” What could she say? The revelation that she was related to Josiah Trent sickened her. She now knew a little of how Jake must feel with tainted blood flowing in his veins. And her beloved father had gone to the rain forest and seduced her mother with the intent of selling her to Trent. To say that she was shocked at her father was an understatement.
    “Jake is the same ruthless type of man. I feel responsible for you,” Trent said, his voice softening, almost hypnotic. “He’s very dangerous. We’ve tried to minimize the damage he does to others, but I’m sure you’ve seen him in action. Very few can stand up to him. He knew about you and your parents after finding the contract and he decided to have you for himself. After he dumped my . . .” Trent’s throat tightened, he choked, his voice coming out clogged and grief-stricken. “My daughter, she never recovered, turning to alcohol to drown her sorrows.”
    Cathy laid her hand on Trent’s arm to comfort him.
    It was all very plausible, but Emma had every sense alert, and the part of her that ferreted out lies was heightened to the point of screaming at her. Neither Trent nor Cathy cared in the least about Shaina’s death. She shifted position slightly, with every intention of getting up. Her head spun and her mind refused to react. Her heart began to pound as she realized she’d definitely been drugged. Either the wine or . . . She tore the cloth from the open scratch and dropped it onto the floor.
    “He’s my son,” Cathy said, one hand fluttering to her throat. “But he was born with a streak of cruelty.
    He has plans for you. I only want to protect you.”

    Emma’s gaze fixed on the long, sharpened nails as each pressed again and again against Cathy’s bare throat. The movement fascinated her, mesmerized her, so that she couldn’t look around, her arms feeling tired, hanging heavy at her sides. Had she poisoned Emma with those long nails? Was that