Free Therian Prisoner: 3 (Therian Heat) by Cyndi Friberg Friberg

issue is another minute Dhane’s in danger. Is Lexxie at the Clubhouse tonight or not?”
    “She is.”
    “Will you convince her to go for a ride with you?”
    “If I drive her out to the cat sanctuary, she’ll be on the phone with Dad before I can pull the parking brake.”
    “We’re at a house, not the sanctuary. If you bring her in on 52, she might not even make the connection.” Landon sighed then added, “If you don’t do this for me, I’m going to have to drive all the way to Silverthorne and then back out here. That’s four hours Dhane doesn’t have.”
    “You’re a bastard to put me in this position. Why don’t you bring Dhane home, where he belongs?”
    “He’s too weak to move. Heather, I’m not screwing with you. This is serious.”
    “Text me an address. I’ll go get Lexxie.”
    * * * * *
     
    Devon held her breath as she waited for Ian to respond to her request. Firelight gleamed in his hair, but his face was mostly in shadow. His eyes, however, simmered with warmth and compassion. Would he reject her as he’d done so many times before? He didn’t have to sleep with her to trigger her definition. Surely he realized what had motivated her request. If she’d been able to shift like Dhane, she would have been able to fight her captors. Instead, she’d been powerless, useless, completely at their mercy.
    Ian hadn’t laughed or immediately turned her down. Was he thinking about it or just trying to figure out how to say “hell no” without upsetting her? She slowly exhaled, trying to relax. It didn’t help. Tension escalated along with the silence.
    “I can’t define you, sweetheart. Definition is forever. You need to be calm and—”
    “I am calm,” she stressed, annoyed more by his condescending tone than by his refusal. His rejections always made sense on the surface. She’d been way too young for a flirtation the first time he pushed her away. He’d been protecting her from her own hormones and the temptation of unexplored pleasures. That was noble, understandable. This was different, much harder to justify. “You’re one of, if not the most, powerful Therians alive. Why should I settle for anything less?”
    His mouth curved with a reluctant smile and he glanced into the fire. “Rocky Mountain Feline Network is the largest and most powerful Therian network in existence. Your brother is network Prime. That means he’ll want you to—”
    “I don’t give a damn what Kyle wants. This is about what I want, what I need.” She sat up and moved far enough away so she could fold her legs in front of her. “I will never be that helpless again. I don’t care what it takes. I will find someone to define me in the next few days. I’d like it to be you, but if you won’t, I’ll keep looking.”
    He sat as well. His broad shoulders and muscular chest were outlined by the clingy t-shirt. He was careful to keep himself clothed whenever she was around. Tonight had been an exception. Necessity had trumped his modesty and left her with an unobstructed view of his fabulous body. Unfortunately, she’d been too upset to take advantage of the opportunity and now he was dressed again. Her fingertips tingled, itching to slip beneath his shirt and explore.
    Curving his index finger beneath her chin, he raised her face until she looked into his eyes. “I belong to the weakest network.” She’d almost forgotten what they were talking about. “We’re a ragtag group of nearly extinct species. We had to form our own network because none of the thriving clans wanted us.”
    She smiled, holding still as she savored his touch. “Are you trying to convince me you’re weak and unwanted? I know better.”
    His fingers drifted down her neck then he raised his other hand and cupped her shoulders. The heat of his palms penetrated the fabric separating his skin from hers. She wanted to tear off their t-shirts and press against him skin to skin. She wanted to climb into his lap and wrap her legs