Free Mated to War by Emma Anderson Page A

business with
you and was rewarded with a bonus.” Jonah sneered down at Charli.
    “You have no business here!”
Judge stated, moving into Jonah’s line of sight.
    Move
now! came the
voice in her head.
    “Excuse me,” she said, standing.
    “Where are you going?” Judge
asked, grabbing her arm.
    “The ladies’.”
    Leaning forward, he whispered in
her ear, “No more running, kitten.”
    “Please, Judge. I need to use
the restroom,” Charli pleaded. “I’ll come straight back, I promise.”
    Judge turned and nodded to two
of the suited men behind her. “I don’t care if everyone else has to wait, no
one is allowed to enter while she’s in the ladies’. Do you understand?”
    With a nod, they came to stand
behind her. Judge returned his gaze to hers, silently pleading with her.
Releasing her arm, Judge brought his mouth down on hers. His lips moved over
hers, adding the perfect amount of pressure. Instinctively she opened for him,
inviting his tongue into her dark, warm cavern. He didn’t oblige. Instead he
pulled back on a groan. Desire had replaced his concern.
    “Stay with the guys,” he said,
turning her. “And we’ll see you in a few minutes.”
    On a nod, she began moving in
the direction he’d pointed her, momentarily lost in where she was meant to be
heading. Turning back to Judge, her gaze fell on someone other than her mate.
Jonah Biesterman sent her a knowing smile. She would have been embarrassed by
what had just taken place between her and Judge in front of these strangers had
they not represented trouble for her and Emily. The same trouble she had been
avoiding bringing to Judge’s doorstep when she’d run from him. Instead it was
Devil who had attracted Jonah Biesterman to the hotel and casino, not her.
    Jonah Biesterman knew of her
tormentor. Delgado had forced her to do his bidding while she lived under her
father’s roof. He was the cousin of her father’s boss, whose links to the mafia
made him an extremely dangerous man.
    Her gifts were what he sought,
and she had denied him them by going to college. She’d chosen her college for
many reasons, but the main one was the high level of organized crime present
within the area. The fact that the city in which she studied was run by a crime
boss was her saving grace.
    Delgado couldn’t have crossed
territories without inciting a war. Especially not for some insignificant girl.
Because Delgado wouldn’t have freely divulged Charli’s ability to anyone
through fear of losing control over her. He had just planned on waiting until
she returned home, which she didn’t do until Emily’s mother was murdered.
    Forcing her mind onto the job at
hand, she continued to walk, looking around for the bathroom sign. Had she
somehow missed it? There was nothing lit up highlighting which way she needed
to go. Thankfully one of the men behind her tapped her on the shoulder and
pointed toward the far corner. Following his direction, she came across a
wooden door. Upon it was painted the universal symbol for the female and male.
They would have been barely larger than her hand, positioned beside the handle
that blended in with the dark wood. How was someone of her height supposed to
see that over the significant crowd?
    Twisting the handle and pushing
her way through the door, she entered a narrow corridor. Her guards continued
to follow her until she reached the door that held the female symbol. Forcing
the heavy door to give way, she moved in through it before letting it swing
back into place. Only it didn’t. One of the guards held it open.
    “The boss wants you safe,” he
said. “If you’re not out in three minutes, we’ll be coming in.”
    Nodding, she continued into the
large, marble bathroom. Waiting until she heard the soft click of the door
closing, she began to search for the telepath. All the stall doors were open
bar one, and the wash area was vacant. Unsure whether the stall held her and
unwilling to disturb a patron going about their