Total pages in book: 158
Estimated words: 145729 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 729(@200wpm)___ 583(@250wpm)___ 486(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 145729 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 729(@200wpm)___ 583(@250wpm)___ 486(@300wpm)
He shook his head. “Elijah and Alonzo are counting on me. I’ve worked hard on this and I know every detail from start to finish. I’m going to see it through.” But first, there was the biggest deal of his life waiting to be brokered. Sonia Lopez. He’d already called Drake Donovan and Jake Bannaconni, two friends who would be able to learn every secret the woman had. He didn’t like setting them on her, but he had no choice. She wasn’t going to talk, and he needed information fast.
He took a deep breath, breathing in the swamp, listening to the insects and frogs dominating the night’s sounds. He heard the plop of snakes in the water. The jump of a fish. The rush of wings as an owl flew close. He loved the swamp. He’d been born in Louisiana. It was home and always would feel like home to him.
The swamp wasn’t for everyone, but Sonia had been fearless yet respectful, making her home there. She’d been careful not to disturb the animals and plants any more than necessary. He could see that she was trying to restore her home to its once-elegant beauty while keeping the grounds covered in native plants.
“You’re good with women, Joshua. They’re all over you.”
“Not good with the one who counts.” He sighed. “I can’t stay here knowing she’s over there. I’m going to her. You might want to cross your fingers she doesn’t shoot me.”
“She have a gun?” Evan was mildly worried.
“I wouldn’t put it past her,” he said and bent to remove his boots. “Can you find me a pack? I’ll just take a T-shirt and pair of jeans.”
“I’ll leave you a pair of boots and socks at the corner of her property. The old tree where we stash clothes.” He pulled a small pack from under his chair and handed it to Joshua.
“Thanks, Evan.” He rolled his shirt and put it in the pack. Jeans were more difficult, they had to be rolled tightly to fit the smaller packs. The packs were fitted around their necks so when they shifted, they carried their clothes with them. They also made it a practice to stash clothing and shoes at various sites around the property just to be safe.
Joshua was relatively new as leader to the lair, having taken leadership from the leopard who’d claimed it when Rafe Cordeau disappeared. Joshua’s leopard fought and killed the leader, and the remaining leopards opted to stay and swear allegiance. The first thing he’d done was decree that his men would befriend their neighbors and the townspeople. No business paid protection money. No one was shaken down or made to feel afraid. He’d set the example of buying locally and using local talent to help put the property back together.
Drake had sent him several leopards from Borneo, men Drake had worked with and trusted. Joshua knew them, and had fought alongside of them. All had volunteered to help him when Drake had laid the problems in the lair out for them. They knew the danger and were willing, as usual, to assume the risks.
He didn’t wait. The moment he’d secured the pack around his neck, he shifted with blurring speed. Drake Donovan had drilled it into all of them that speed counted, and they’d practiced, knowing one second could be the difference between life and death. Most of the time their clothing and footwear were easily gotten rid of so they weren’t slowed down by stripping.
His leopard was a big, fearless male. In a fight, he was fast and deadly. It was Joshua who held him back, tempering dominance with compassion and mercy. That wasn’t always the best thing, not in a fight to the death, but it made for a good balance as a leader of a lair.
Shadow ran along the branches, above ground, leaping easily from tree to tree on the twisted, outstretched limbs. Each branch was solid and thick, making them perfect perches for the leopard to move fast through the swamp. Joshua had run the swamp night after night, familiarizing himself with every inch of the territory. He had explored above ground, in the trees, and ground level. He’d seen Sonia’s home many times, never once imagining that his own mate resided there.
The big leopard caught Sonia’s scent and moved faster, knowing he was close to his mate. He leapt to the tree that would take him around to the back of her house looking out over the swamp. Music filled the night. Not just the cacophony of insects, frogs and alligators, but actual musical notes.
The leopard paused in the tree that had one branch extended toward the top balcony and another bowing down toward the ground, leading straight to the lower verandah. Joshua took over, pushing to shift again. The leopard instantly retreated to the background, leaving Joshua in the crook of the tree, naked with a pack around his neck.