Free Prymal Lust by Jianne Carlo

appeared, the game would be up.
    “Yes.” She smoothed her skirt.
    “Count twenty seconds.”
    She peered at him, but nodded and kept her gaze fixed on him when he exited the greenhouse. It took him less than five seconds to leap to stadium’s side entrance.
    Axe opened the door to find Mishe three feet away. He lifted a brow. “Nicotine break?”
    “Don’t smoke. I’m looking for my sister.”
    “She went to the Ladies’.” Axe pointed back down the hall. “It’s at the other end.”
    The other man drew in a deep breath. He stared at Axe. “Just so there’s no chance of any misunderstanding. My sister’s off limits.”
    “In general? Or just to me?” Axe straightened his bow tie as he stalked past Tania’s brother.
    “In general. She’s about to be engaged.” Mishe fell into step with him.
    Axe stifled the desperate urge to clip Mishe’s jaw. “Who’s the lucky man?”
    “Lionel Rath. He’s a close friend of the family.”
    Axe turned a snort into a whistle. As if. Lionel Rath was in his seventies. “The billionaire banker? Isn’t he more your father’s generation?”
    “His son. Lionel Rath II.”
    White hot rage seeped from Axe’s pores.
    If Lionel Rath II so much as grazed Tania’s pinky, he was dead meat. Axe worked his jaw and searched his memory for any shred of information linking Rath and Tania. As far as he knew her name hadn’t even been entered in the Mate Alliance Registry.
    “I’ll offer her my congratulations when we dance again.” Axe waited for the other boot to drop.
    “Tania hates dancing. You’ll be doing her a favor by not asking her again.”
    “Really? I’d bet lottery odds that she enjoyed our dance.” Axe relaxed when he heard the soft thud of the far door closing.
    The other wolf heard the sound too and glanced back.
    A waiter pushed a trolley cart laden with dirty dishes down the hallway. The packed china dishes rattled.
    “After you.” Axe waved Mishe through the open doors leading to the dining hall.
    Mishe shot him a narrow-eyed glare, but strode into the room.
    Axe bent as if picking up something from the floor and checked the hallway. Tania was sprinting to the Ladies’. She gave him a thumbs up and shoved open the door to the bathroom.
    Axe needed another drink. After ensuring Mishe had returned to his seat at the table, he smoothed his blues and wound his way to the bar.
    He ordered another scotch and downed it. The fierce burn of the alcohol didn’t take the edge off his anger. He wanted to shake his mate silly. Jackhammer Lionel Rath II into the next century.
    Axe signaled the waiter for another round. He nursed the drink until Tania made her way back to her seat. He traced the saucy sway of her ass, now naked under the thin silk skirt. Envisioned her cheeks reddened by his palms. Not that he’d ever hurt a hair on her head.
    By the time he returned to the table, the chowder had been served. He slipped into the seat next to Tania’s, draped a napkin over his lap, and sipped the thick soup. Aware Mishe watched his every move, Axe didn’t say a word, but finished the chowder, which had to have been flavored with chicken shit.
    Lycus must have noticed Axe’s tension for he hissed their heads up signal.
    Axe met Lycus’s glance above Tania’s head.
    Lycus frowned and crossed his eyes in Mishe’s direction.
    Axe gave him a surreptitious yes-nudge of his head.
    Lycus understood immediately. Engage and distract Mishe.
    “Jaz tells me you’re with Wasserman and Litchfield. Do you by chance have an international contract specialist?” Lycus asked Mishe.
    When Lycus and Axe had first been approached by Jazshuka Prakov, they had researched the entire pack. But, until Jaz joined Prymal, the dossiers on Mishe and Breede had been reed thin.
    “Yes. Why? You in need of one?” Mishe sat forward and his forearms crowded the empty soup bowl. If the inherent hostility and aggression wasn’t evident in his voice, it was in Mishe’s body language.
    “A