“A distraction,” he gritted.

She snorted. “He wasn’t much of a distraction considering he spent most of his time cowering in his various lairs.”

“Actually, you and your sisters were the true distractions,” he corrected. “Briggs knew that I would follow your trail anywhere in the world, and that I wouldn’t rest until I’d found you.” He scanned her beautiful face, his heart whispering it was worth every sacrifice to have at last discovered his mate, while his sense of duty rebelled at having endangered his people. “By dividing the four of you into different locations and constantly keeping on the move, he did a bang-up job of making sure I wasted my time chasing my own tail.”

“Distract you from what?” she demanded.

His lips twisted as Harley once again pounced on the most significant point.

He would be a fool to ever try to deceive this woman.

“I don’t know,” he admitted.

“What do you suspect?”

“I think I was lured from Italy to America for a very specific purpose.” He lifted a hand as her lips parted with the inevitable question. “And before you ask, I don’t have a clue what the purpose might be.”

“Inconvenient.”

His humorless laugh echoed through the room at her stunning understatement.

“A little more than inconvenient.” He shook his head, resuming his impatient pacing. Tonight he felt every one of his numerous years. “Cristo, for all I know, I’m completely wrong about everything. In the past I’ve blamed the troubles of the Weres on the gods, on the changing societies, and even on the vampires. Perhaps I’m seeking another evil force to accuse so I don’t have to admit that my people are destined for extinction.”

Silence filled the room, the distant din of Santiago’s unruly guests thankfully muffled by the heavy door.

At last Salvatore halted his pacing. He could sense Harley standing just behind him. She hadn’t tried to slip away while he was distracted. And so far she hadn’t stuck anything in the middle of his back.

Which meant she was thinking.

A dangerous activity.

Turning, he met her guarded gaze.

“Harley?”

“If there’s even a possibility you might be right, then shouldn’t you be returning to Italy?”

He was caught off guard by her abrupt words. “Trying to get rid of me, cara?”

“You don’t have to be Ken Jennings to figure out that if the bad guy wants you here, you should be there.”

Was she concerned for his safety?

Dio, the sky was surely about to fall.

Salvatore prowled forward, his blood heating as she instinctively backed away. He maneuvered her until her ass was pressed against the edge of the desk, caging her legs between his thighs.

“We’ll eventually return to my lair in Rome,” he promised her, satisfaction gripping his heart at the thought of Harley in his classically elegant home. She would add a golden warmth that was badly needed amongst the acres of marble and gilt. “But not until I’ve dealt with Briggs and whatever demon is pulling his strings.”

Her hands landed against his chest. “Very macho.”

He claimed her lips in a kiss of sheer possession. “I can be a lot more macho, if only you’d let me,” he muttered.

“Stop that.” She arched back to stab him with a worried gaze. “I’m being serious. You’re the king—you should act like one.”

His gaze lowered to appreciate the tight stretch of her tank top. “I’m trying.”

“Salvatore.”

With a sigh, he lifted his gaze. “What kingly act do you want from me?”

“Tell me what would happen if Briggs manages to kill you and take the Were throne?”

His jaw clenched. “Not going to happen.”

“Unless you’ve been covering up a special ability to read the future, you can’t know that.” Her expression was stern, unflinching. “Is your pride worth risking the future of your people?”

Salvatore met her unwavering gaze. He was a dominant. An alpha who didn’t accept having his decisions questioned.

He’d taught more than one Were that painful lesson.

But oddly, he didn’t feel the familiar urge to snarl. Harley wasn’t his subordinate. The wolf in him had accepted her as a mate. She was his partner, not one of his pack.

“Harley, Briggs is too dangerous to ignore.” His hands stroked up her bare arms to grasp her shoulders. “I can’t return to Italy until he’s destroyed.”

“You don’t have royal ass-kickers to take care of your killing for you?”

“Any number, but none who would be immune to Briggs’s ability to control their minds.”

She couldn’t dismiss his logic, but that didn’t stop her from finding a new argument.

Women were women, regardless of their species.

“Supposing you do manage to kill him…”

“Such faith.”

“How do you intend to keep him dead?”

Salvatore didn’t have an answer.

And at the moment, he had far more important matters on his mind.

Framing her face in his hands, he lowered his head to brush searing kisses over her cheek.

“A worry for tomorrow.”

Chapter Twelve

Harley forgot how to breathe as Salvatore found her lips in a slow, drugging kiss.

No big surprise.

His touch was magic.

With a soft groan, his tongue teased her lips wider, his fingers stroking down her throat. It was Harley’s turn to groan. He tasted of whiskey and wolf and wild power. A combination that ignited something untamed deep inside her soul.

A compelling, ruthless heat flowed through her blood, making her hands slip beneath the edge of his open shirt to find the satin steel of his chest.

Okay, she might be responsible for her hands doing the full-body search, but he was certainly responsible for shutting down her higher brain functions. If she’d been thinking clearly, she would have shoved him across the room, not discovered the intimate terrain of his upper body.

His hands shifted to cup her aching breasts, his thumbs circling the rigid thrust of her nipples until she was squirming against him.

“Harley…”

His husky words were cut short as Salvatore abruptly lifted his head and glanced toward the door. Harley felt a prickle of energy and the heavy bolt slid shut just as she caught Santiago’s approaching scent.

“Go away,” Salvatore barked, his muscles coiled and prepared for action.

There was a soft chuckle as Santiago halted near the door, but the vamp was smart enough not to try and enter the room.

Thank God.

“The entertainment is about to begin,” he said, his voice deliciously cool and filled with invitation. “I’m certain Harley would enjoy our modest show.”

A golden glow illuminated Salvatore’s eyes, his rich, musky scent filling the room.

“Santiago, ‘go away’ is a fairly simple command to understand. Of course, I could come out there and explain it to you.”

“I prefer you send Harley out.”

“A leech with a death wish,” Salvatore growled. “My favorite kind.”

Harley heaved the universal sigh of a woman dealing with two stupid men.

“Is this really necessary?”

Salvatore flashed a wickedly infectious grin. “No, but it’s always fun.”

“Harley, if you are able to slip from your furry leash, feel free to join me. Drinks…” Santiago deliberately paused. “And whatever else you might desire, are on the house.”

“I’ll keep your offer in mind, Santiago,” Harley said, her gaze warning Salvatore to keep his mouth shut. She wasn’t in the mood for a pissing match. “Thank you.”

“My pleasure.”

Salvatore’s tension eased as Santiago’s scent faded. “I hate vamps. Now…” His fingers lightly traced the line of her tank top, the heat of his fingers singeing her skin with pleasure. “Where were we?”

One step away from complete insanity, Harley abruptly realized.

Shoving her hands against his chest, Harley edged enough space to slip away from the desk and Salvatore’s oh-my-God touch.

“So what’s the entertainment that he’s talking about?”

Salvatore squeezed his eyes shut, as if in great pain. Then, sucking in a deep breath, he turned to lean against the desk, his arms folded over his chest.

“Have you ever been to a demon nightclub?”

She snorted at the ridiculous question. “Are you kidding? Caine never let me go anywhere I might be seen by a Were. He told me it was for my safety. Jackass.”

“Then I would suggest that your introduction to demon society wait.” His brooding gaze slid down her body, not bothering to hide his hunger. “Viper’s establishments are always over the top.”

“Let me guess—you have your own entertainment in mind.”

“Now that you mention it…”

The golden eyes flared and the power of his desire smacked into her, nearly sending her to her knees. Holy crap. Her stomach clenched as the vivid image of Salvatore bending her over the desk and roughly taking her from behind seared through her mind.