“Our orders were to take her alive. No such orders for you, bitch.” He flexed his fingers, revealing wolf claws.
Cara huffed and flicked her fingers, releasing curved feline claws an inch longer than his.
The man’s eyes flickered in an Oh shit moment. Then he scowled, daring her to attack.
She hesitated, knowing her strengths — and weaknesses. When it came to repelling attacks and making a quick escape, she knew every trick in the book. But going on the offensive — especially against a man twice her size? Not her thing.
Still, part of her almost burned to fight. Or was that the itch at her neck? Either way, she didn’t have much choice — not while Fiorina was being dragged toward the window. An accomplice appeared there — the boat operator, ready to make off with their prize.
That created enough of a distraction for Cara to duck past her foe, race around, and karate-kick the man at the window. He fell out of sight with a sharp cry that ended with a loud splash.
“Hey,” the man holding Fiorina protested.
Cara huffed. Did he really think she was going to stand around and let them kidnap Fiorina?
But a heavy weight thumped into her from behind, knocking her breath away.
“Got you,” a man growled in her ear, pinning her arms to her sides.
She grimaced at his bad breath and wiggled weakly, letting him believe she would be easy to subdue. Then she executed the standard three-step evasion plan she’d taught to dozens of women in self-defense classes at her uncle’s martial arts studio.
Nothing to it, she’d always led off by saying. One — jerk down to create space.
She bent at the waist, making the man mutter in surprise.
Two — jab your elbow into your attacker’s ribs.
The man grunted, and his grip loosened.
Three — stomp on the arch of his foot. Hard.
“Oof!” The man howled when her foot came down.
Then she added the advanced part. Spin around, wait for him to look up, then drive your palm upward against his nose.
Right on cue, the intruder looked up.
Cara shot out her right hand, aiming for his nose.
Bam! The man reeled back, moaning as blood gushed from his nose. The others were still fighting fiercely. Meanwhile, fists pounded on the door from outside.
“Fiorina! Hang in there! We’re coming!”
Cara rolled her eyes. Some help Fiorina’s bodyguards were. If it weren’t for her and the lion shifter…
She turned back to Fiorina. That lion shifter could fend for himself. She had to deal with the last intruder.
Last two intruders, her lioness corrected when the boat operator appeared at the window again.
His hair was plastered to his skull, his sleeves soaked. Cara pinned him with her fiercest glare and let her lion fangs extend. After one look, the man paled and ducked out of sight.
She snorted. Either she was scarier than she thought, or these intruders weren’t pros.
The man holding Fiorina paused, considered his dwindling options, and tried a different tack. He whirled Fiorina around and clamped his arm around her neck.
“Come any closer, and she’s dead.”
Cara tut-tutted, faking a casual tone. “I thought you wanted her alive.”
“I mean it!” the man insisted.
A heavy thump sounded as the bear shifter slammed against a wall and slumped to the floor. Mystery Man dusted off his hands and gave Cara a little nod.
She nodded back. For some reason, it felt as if they were a team that had completed dozens of missions together and this was just another little victory.
Which was crazy, because she didn’t even know him…
Yet, her inner lion swiped its tail.
…but she trusted him. Implicitly.
His mask had fallen off in the fight, revealing a dark, neatly trimmed beard, a sharp jawline, and perfectly shaped lips. The kind a girl might be tempted to brush her finger over — or better yet, her lips. When their eyes locked, the topaz on her necklace warmed, and her heart did a happy flip.
The man stepped to her side and growled at the last intruder. “Did I hear something about dead or alive?”
The man holding Fiorina gulped.
Cara folded her arms. “How about, you let her go, and we let you live.”
Mystery Man shook his head, playing bad cop to her good cop. “Why let him go? I prefer him dead and the girl alive.”
“Don’t we prefer no one dead?” Fiorina squeaked.
In spite of everything, Cara nearly smiled. Fiorina might not be much of a fighter, but she had a heart of gold. If only the world were a kinder, gentler place.
The kidnapper slowly cocked his head, and his jaw went slack. “Tony?”
Cara glanced at the lion shifter, who scowled back. “Matteo.” He practically spat out the name. “You couldn’t find a better line of work?”
The intruder shook his head in awe. “You’re back. Are you mad?”
“Just visiting,” the man at Cara’s side — Tony — growled.
The intruder raised his eyebrows. “You’ll be visiting a cell soon.”
“Says the man in the midst of a kidnapping,” Tony pointed out coolly.
Cara had no idea what they were on about, but the longer they talked, the more Matteo’s grip on Fiorina loosened. Cara flexed her fingers, ready to pounce.
Fists pounded on the locked door. “Let us in!”
Matteo glanced at the door, then at the window, weighing his options.
“Don’t make this worse,” Cara warned him. At the same time, she whispered into Fiorina’s mind. Now’s your chance. Jab an elbow in his ribs and twist free.
But all the terrified girl managed was a meek wiggle that made Matteo tighten his grip. Sweat rolled down his brow as the pounding on the door increased.
“Do you really want to be around when they come in?” Tony asked.
Matteo went a little pale, but he managed to retort, “Do you?”
Tony’s gaze flickered, but he didn’t move. “Not going anywhere until you let her go.”
Everything about him announced honor and sacrifice. Did he know Fiorina, or was he one of those rare knights in shining armor who did the right thing, no matter the risk?
The door creaked, then splintered under the pounding, and Fiorina’s bodyguards tumbled in.
Finally. Cara would have snorted if she hadn’t been jumping toward Fiorina. Matteo flung the girl at Cara and raced for the window to escape. But Tony was faster. In one smooth move, he vaulted over the piano and pinned Matteo to the floor.
Cara yanked Florina back, just in case. A moment later, bodyguards surrounded them, and she exhaled. It was over. Fiorina was safe, the intruder was apprehended, and justice would prevail.
She couldn’t help grinning at Tony, who smiled back. A full-out, We did it! smile that made her warm all over. Even her eyes warmed — a sure sign they were glowing, like his.
Her heart thumped a few times before it hit her. That wasn’t the red glow of anger or the pulsing glow of triumph. It was a steady, golden glow of…of…
She gulped. Amore. Even a little spike of arousal — the kind that could strike out of nowhere if the chemistry between two people was just right.
Her nerves tingled, and her heart thumped.
Destiny, a faint, earthy voice whispered in her mind.
She moved her lips, but no sound came out. Of course, she’d heard the stories. Stories of love-at-first-sight, done-deal affairs that ignited in an instant and lasted a lifetime. Of destiny bringing two strangers together and fanning intense flames that never, ever faded.