And that spoke volumes of the woman she was.
But it also scared him because, after today, she mattered very, very much to him. His inner lion couldn’t take his attention away from her for even a second.
Beautiful Emerald. She was tough. Tougher than she gave herself credit for. And selfless.
Her dad had told her to run, and here she was, climbing into the cab of Ronin’s truck, somber and quiet, but with a determined set to her mouth. How many people would’ve saved themselves instead of trading themselves for someone they cared for?
He buckled her in. Did she need him to? Fuck no, she could take care of herself, but he wanted the excuse to lean over her lap and steal one last kiss. He let his lips linger on hers. They were late to the meeting with Cassius, but he was finding it hard to care.
She tasted so sweet. Like the honey she’d just smeared on her toast a few minutes ago. She hadn’t been hungry for the huge meal he’d brought to the park, but she’d agreed to him making her a piece of honey toast before she went back to the Old Tarian Pride.
Her eyes had little blue specks when he studied them up close like this. Had anyone else ever noticed? He hoped not. He hoped he was the only one who knew about the blue. “I wish…” You could be mine. I could take you out. I could make you queen. I could protect you. I could fix this fucked-up situation we’re in. I wish you could stay here with me.
“I know,” she murmured. Her lip trembled. and she bit down and then forced a little smile. Brave Em.
She didn’t know it yet, but he was going to figure out a way to go back for her after her father was safe. He wished he would’ve known last night, and he would’ve rescued him, too. Now, the Old Tarian Pride would be ready for a rescue mission, and that put her dad in even more danger. He wasn’t going to worry her with that knowledge, though.
“Hand me your phone.”
Emerald put her hand on her chest dramatically and inhaled. “Are you asking for my number?”
Ronin chuckled. “I’m giving you mine.” He punched it in and sent a text to himself. “And now I have your number.”
Before she could say anything clever, he inhaled deeply and shut the passenger door, strode around the front, frozen air chugging in front of him. He slid in behind the wheel and sighed, gripping the steering wheel. “Zeke always told me if you like a woman, don’t beat around the bush about it. Let her know. There’s my number,” he said, flickering his fingers toward her phone. “I want to talk to you again. I like you.” He nodded once and held her pretty green gaze. “Now you know.”
And he got to see it there. She melted. Her eyes went all soft, and her smile turned tender and her cheeks turned the prettiest shade of pink. God, she was a stunner.
“I like you, too. I thought I should say that now, just in case…”
“You’ll see me again, Em. I swear it on my life.”
Her smile turned so sad it hollowed out his chest. “And if I see you again, I’ll be an Old Tarian queen, and you’ll be paired up. You’ll be an amazing mate for one of those strangers, and I’ll have to smile at you and pretend I’m okay.”
Ronin shook his head and stared out the front window of the woods. He squeezed her thigh. “Em, the only seer I ever knew was named Beaston. You ain’t him. You can’t see what the future will be like. Everything will be okay. I’ll fix it.” He edited his number in her phone and entered his name as Jenny. When she frowned at it, he grinned and handed it back to her. “In case the Pride watches your phone.”
“Very clever,” she said with a tinkling giggle. Good God, he hoped he could hear that laugh again soon. It was infectious.
He started the truck. “Just so you know,” he said over the sound of the engine roaring to life, “the Pride doesn’t Change together very much.”
Emerald tucked her legs under her and rested her cheek against the seat. “What do you mean?”
Ronin hit the gas and eased onto the road that led away from the cabin. “I mean you attracted them. Something about you. Something good. We’ve been pretty stale and frustrated around here, but today was different. You’re a bright spot, Em.”
“Me?” she asked softly. Why were her eyes so hopeful? Did she really not understand how special she was? “Well…Terrence doesn’t like me.”
Ronin snorted. “Terrence can eat a dick. He just wants me to focus on my duties.”
Emerald snorted, and he could’ve sworn she murmured, “You said doody.”
He was about to laugh, but movement in the rearview caught his attention. Kannon was pulling up behind them, driving his old rusted-out, beat-up Bronco. “What the hell?” he muttered, slowing down.
He began rolling down his window to tell all the lions piled in Kannon’s rig to “piss off,” but Emerald slid her hand over his leg and stopped him. “They’re being a good Pride, having their Alpha’s back. They choose to be here, Ronin. Let them.”
She was right. Smart kitty. He was being too careful trying to protect everyone and was stunting their ability to bond as a Pride.
Emerald was texting someone on her phone as he pulled through the security checkpoint. Gray was working it today.
“Anything?” Ronin asked Gray.
“Not a peep,” he murmured. “ I keep doing perimeter searches, and I’m watching the monitors like a hawk, but nothing. Birds aren’t even setting off the motion sensors today. It’s too quiet.” He cast a frown at the Bronco behind him. “Is everyone going to the drop-off?”
“None of them are,” Emerald said suddenly. She shoved open her door and turned. “It was nice to meet you, Ronin. I hope to see you again someday.” The way she spoke was so formal, as if she’d already shut down.
“What are you doing?” he asked.
“I’m protecting you.” She lifted her chin higher. “You and I both know they’re waiting somewhere close. I’ve texted Derek that I’m headed toward them and to pick me up.”
“It’s freezing, Em. Get back in the truck.”
“This is my choice.” She moved to shut the door but hesitated. Her eyes roiling with determination, she told him, “Thank you. For today. It’s a memory they can’t take away from me.” She ghosted him a sad smile and said it again, “This is my choice.”
She shut the door and made her way on the snowy road past the fence. And this memory right here would be one he would never forget for the rest of his life.
A determined lioness with a protective streak a mile wide, walking a snowy road alone to an uncertain future.
“I should follow her, right?” he asked Gray.
“No,” Gray rumbled. “She made her choice, and look.” He turned one of the video monitors toward Ronin. Half a mile down the road, a black snowmobile was speeding toward them. It was dragging something heavy through the snow. Ronin squinted his eyes, but the snow was creating a rooster tail over whatever was tied behind.
“That’s Derek driving,” Gray murmured, biting his thumbnail as he studied the screen.
“Hmm,” Ronin muttered, shoving open the door. Why wasn’t Cassius here to pick up Emerald himself?
“Em!” he called, jogging after her, but she’d made ground. She was running toward the snowmobile at full speed, screaming something he couldn’t understand.
“Aw, fuck!” Gray yelled. “Ronin! Derek’s dragging a body!”
Chapter Eleven
Emerald could tell it was her father way before she got a clear view of him. Derek’s smile gave it away. “Stop! Stop!” she shrieked, sprinting for the snowmobile that was blasting toward her, spewing snow on both sides. “You’re hurting him!”
Please don’t let him be dead. Please, God, don’t let him be dead.
Her legs burned from running, and every muscle in her body was protesting the cold and the strain, but she didn’t care. Nothing mattered except for Derek stopping his damn snowmobile. He was playing chicken, his laughter echoing through the mountains. He wasn’t slowing down at all.
Tears blurred her vision, and a snarl ripped through her chest. She hated him. She hated all of the Old Tarian Pride. Hated that they thought they could take whatever they wanted and hurt whoever got in their way.
Something broke inside of her as she watched the snow trailing from the blades of the snowmobile onto her limp and lifeless father. Something awful happened to her. Something that hurt. Maybe her heart was breaking.
Closer and closer, Derek rode until she could smell the stink of blood and oil. She wasn’t going to slow down. Her fury wouldn’t allow it. She leaped right as Derek was feet away from clipping her legs out from under her. She catapulted through the air and slammed into him hard, held on and tucked her thumb like Ronin and showed her and hit him as hard as she could. The crack of his nose rattled up her fist and through her entire body. The force hurt her hand and took the wind from her lungs for a moment.
Derek shoved her off of him by her neck, and she hit the ice hard and skidded several yards before she came to a stop. Heart pounding, she forced herself up, ignoring the pain in her shoulder from when she’d hit the ground, and ran for the slowing snowmobile the instant the traction on her boots allowed.