Leopard 03 - Burning Wild

told Jerico to have Linda escorted up to the house.
    “What did Linda have to say?”
    Emma tried to keep color from spreading up her neck and into her face. Linda had said a lot of things, most of which had been downright insulting. It had only taken a minute in Linda’s company to realize that the message she’d come to deliver wasn’t from Jake but from Linda herself. The gist of it was: Emma would never have Jake because Linda had staked her claim. Kyle had unfortunately heard Linda screaming at her that no matter how many illegitimate bastard children she had with Jake, he would never stoop to marrying someone so far beneath him.
    “Emma.” Jake said her name in warning.
    Emma tilted her chin at him. “She was insulting. I handled it. It was unfortunate that Kyle overheard her yelling at me. He’s never really heard yelling before, so I think it was disturbing and he remembered it. Don’t worry, Jake. I learned my lesson. It was quite uncomfortable, and Kyle was upset afterward. I rocked him to sleep for a couple of nights before he got over it.”
    “You cried.” His throat closed unexpectedly. He hadn’t been there to comfort her when she went to sleep.
    “A little. I’m not used to people yelling at me or being insulting either. She said some pretty ugly things, but I realized she thinks we’re living together. Obviously she believes you’re Andraya’s father . . .”
    “I am Andraya’s father,” he said in a low tone.
    “Of course. I meant birth father. She feels threatened by that, and evidently so do your parents.”
    Every muscle in his body contracted. His head came up, eyes glittering dangerously, and he had to suppress the rumbling growl rising in his chest. “How did they get into the conversation?” He had never been able to acknowledge them as his parents, let alone refer to them as his mother and father. To him, they would always be his enemies.
    Emma shrugged. “Linda is apparently good friends with them and they don’t want to see you brought down by a nobody like me. They want to make certain I know that my children will never be welcome into their circle. As I wasn’t planning on joining any circles, I wasn’t too upset by it.”
    She was lying. Jake could always smell a lie. The things Linda had said had hurt. No one wanted to be told they weren’t good enough to be part of a family. Jake cupped the nape of her neck, his thumb sliding along her soft skin. “You aren’t anything like those people, Emma. You’re so far above them you can’t even imagine. They’re all cruel and vicious. I don’t want you anywhere near them, unless I’m standing right beside you. And I don’t want the children exposed to them—ever.”
    “I can take care of myself.”
    “They would eat you alive. You have no idea what they’re capable of and I don’t want you ever to find out. I protect you all for a reason. I employ bodyguards for a reason. No one comes onto the property without my permission.”
    “I understand, Jake. I really do, and I’m sorry. I should have protected the children better. It never occurred to me that Linda Rawlins would be involved in anything that could harm either of them. I don’t know her, but I’ve read about her in newspapers and magazines numerous times. She seemed a little haughty maybe, and frivolous, running from one party to another, but I honestly never thought of her as dangerous.”
    “Anyone who runs in the same crowd, anyone connected at all to the people who gave birth to me, is extremely dangerous. Given the chance, they would harm either of the children, and certainly you.”
    “I understand. It won’t happen again. I’m sorry it happened this time. I really am.”
    Jake bent his head and brushed his mouth across her temple. “I should have made the situation much clearer to you. Joshua should have stayed in that room with you every moment and Jerico should never have allowed her onto the property in the first place.”
    “Wait.” Emma caught at his arm as he turned away. “I told Jerico to send her up and Joshua was protecting the children. You told me I ran this household when you were away. If either of them gets in trouble for doing what I asked, I’ll have no authority at all. It’s my fault, not theirs.”
    He kept his expression blank. Yes, the men were to do what she said, unless it involved her safety.
    Joshua acted as Emma’s bodyguard, not the children’s, although she had no idea. Drake looked after the