“I do exchanges like that in my work, and I’ve never gotten a moisturizer that is this amazing.” She turned back to apply it to her face.
“Just private jets and security escorts along with perfect legal documents when you need them.”
She couldn’t help laughing. “That’s cool and all but not as kick-ass as a moisturizer that works.”
“The company has a store in New Orleans, but their main operation is just outside of the city. They have a large acreage of land where they grow most of their flowers for their perfumes. The skin care line was developed in their lab there. I could arrange a tour. One of the owners, Charisse Mercier, is a little shy but very gracious when it comes to showing off her laboratory.”
Meiling had no idea why she hesitated. She had a built-in radar when it came to leopards. She had been to NewOrleans a couple of times, but she hadn’t stayed. The place seemed overrun with leopards, and she hadn’t known Gedeon had his home base there. “Is she leopard?”
He didn’t speak for so long, she almost turned around again, but instead, she concentrated on combing out her hair. There was a blow dryer under the sink.
“Yes. Do you have a problem with leopards, Meiling? Nearly every one of the families I do the most business with are leopard families.”
“So you do know my name.” She had known all along she wouldn’t be able to hide her name from him for very long.
“Your friend Etienne called you Meiling.”
“He did, didn’t he?” She was stalling, trying to think of a reasonable answer. She finished drying off and reached for fresh clothes. “You and I both know Amur leopards are brutal, Gedeon. The males hunt and kill females. Amur leopards are nearly extinct thanks to the brutality of male shifters. Even you admitted to me that you would hunt and kill me because I had witnessed you shifting.”
He was silent so long, she couldn’t help but sneak a quick look at him. He couldn’t deny a single word she said no matter how much he might want to.
“In the forest, when you lifted the branch off my leg and then hauled me out of there on your own, you exhibited tremendous strength. I thought then you had to be leopard. You’ve said you don’t have a leopard.”
“I do come from a leopard background, but my leopard has never shown herself.”
“Lotus, you must know that doesn’t mean she isn’t there. That’s why you’re so fast and strong. You have amazing gifts that many other leopards don’t have.”
She knew that was true, but she avoided leopards whenever possible. “Most of the leopard males can be quite cruel, Gedeon, you included. Don’t bother to deny it. I’ve had plenty of time to investigate you. Your reputation withwomen is disgusting. That doesn’t begin to touch on the reputation you have with very dangerous families from Russia. I am extremely aware of why the Amur leopard has been brought to the brink of extinction. The terrible rulers of these lairs murdered their women in order to prove their loyalty to thebratya. That’s insane.”
“I was born into just such a lair,” he admitted.
She knew Gedeon Volkov was considered extremely dangerous, even by the Russianbratyafamilies. What did it say about him if they feared him?
She made her way into the master bedroom. The room was quite large. There were two wide steps leading to a sitting area in front of a fireplace. Two wide, comfortable chairs faced the fireplace with a small table between them. She sank into one of the chairs and stared at the iron grate.
“I’m serious about wanting you to work with me, Lotus,” he said.
She didn’t turn around. “If you aren’t wearing clothes, go away. I can’t have a real conversation with you if you’re going to insist on being naked.”
“I’m sorry, Meiling. I’m always alone in my home and I don’t bother with clothes. Give me a minute.”
She heard the closet door slide open. She needed to think about the pros and cons of working with him. He worked mainly with the Russianbratya. That meant leopards. The really cruel, dangerous leopards who would watch her like a hawk. Every moment in their company she would be in jeopardy. She sighed. It would be wonderful to have a place to stay and feel safe. If she were under Gedeon Volkov’s protection, she would definitely feel safer than she had since she was a child, but could she trust him? He was leopard. Admittedly Amur leopard and from a vicious lair. She’d be a fool to even consider staying. Better just see this through, wait until he had his eyesight back and then move on.
“Lotus Blossom.”
The way he said her name made her stomach do a slowroll. He had come up behind her in that silent way he had. Blind or not, he knew his way around the room. There was no stumbling on the two stairs. He found the chair unerringly and sat down, his legs sprawling out in front of him, reminding her one was still very much infected and had to hurt.
“Leopard Boy.”
“You aren’t going to give us a chance. I can feel the way you’re determined to leave. You’ve got one foot out the door, just as you’ve had since you first met me.”
That made her smile. “You can’t exactly blame me, with all your threats and your reputation. You’re a very dangerous man.”
“That should reassure you. In any case, I would venture to say you’re a very dangerous woman when you have to be. You’re also very intelligent. It would be seriously remiss to turn down a business offer without thoroughly going over it.”
“It’s an intriguing offer, Gedeon, there’s no doubt about it. I’ve been sitting here trying to figure out what the advantages would be for me, and given your clientele, I don’t see that there would be very many. In fact, if anything, working with you could put me in some very bad situations.”
“Do you want me to believe your mind doesn’t insist on dangerous situations? Intrigue? You have a body built for fast reflexes. You’re stronger than most men. In fact, I’d go as far as saying you’re as fast and as strong as many of the male leopards. You’re like me, Meiling. You think faster. Your brain demands more knowledge all the time. I know it does. You might excel more in other areas than I do, but that would be all to the good for us as partners.”
