He shifted back into his human form and rushed toward Ember, who had somehow managed to untie herself.
“I did it while you were fighting him off. I had to do something to keep my head busy. That was not something I wanted to see. Two huge creatures tearing at each other in a small basement? I thought the bakery was going to come down on us.”
Kai shook his head. “You’re something else, Ember Brady.”
She shrugged. “I almost peed my pants when Ciro burst into a bear, and then a lion came pouncing down the stairs like an avenging kitty. I knew it was you, Kai.”
“Don’t call me an avenging kitty,” he mumbled, but the pride and love in Ember’s face softened him.
“I have to because that was so scary. I basically just witnessed two wild animals trying to kill each other over me. One of those beasts being my boyfriend. I need to see you as something less terrifying for the next minute. Especially while he is lying there, naked and bleeding.” She huddled into his arms, kissing his neck.
“I should’ve shown you my lion before. You wouldn’t have been as scared.”
“It’s okay. I just really thought we would all die if the ceiling collapsed.”
“I would never let anything happen to you,” he vowed.
“I know.” Her eyes lined with tears. “You came for me,” she whispered. “I can’t believe you found me. You’re quite an amazing man, Kai Mason. Thanks for being mine.”
“I’m sorry it took so long.”
“It’s okay. I should never have left your parents’ place. Can we leave now?” her eyes were purposefully not looking in Ciro’s direction.
“Yeah. Just let me deal with this.”
Kai took Ember into his arms. Not because she couldn’t climb the stairs by herself, but because he needed to touch her. He needed to show to his lion, and to himself, that she was okay. She was safe.
Their mate was going to be just fine.
He settled her at one of the small tables in the bakery before he searched for his forgotten clothes and grabbed his phone. Kai called the Detective he had spoken with earlier that day. Kai had just enough time to redress before the Officer got down to the bakery. Ten cruisers drove up to the shop, sirens and lights blazing. A few cops went down to the basement, where they would find a very naked and very unconscious Ciro. The Detective took their statement, but Kai was adamant that they wouldn’t keep them long. If they had more questions or needed more information, they could wait until he had Ember back home, safe and away from Ciro.
The Detective had clearly wanted to argue, but Kai was in no mood. That was made abundantly clear when he growled at this Officer.
“We’re leaving.”
“Sorry,” Ember told the Officer. “He’s a bit testy. You would think he was the one tied up in a basement.” She waved her fingers at the cop and led Kai away. “Before you start on the lecture, I just want to say that I’m sorry. I had no idea Ciro was responsible. He called about a fire, and I panicked. I completely forgot about everything else. This bakery was my whole world for years, you see? I was devastated. I’m sorry you had to come to save me again.”
“I have a handful of new gray hairs because of you, Ember.” He took her in his arms, held her close, and kissed the top of her head. “You don’t have to apologize. Just don’t rush off next time you get a call while being stalked.”
“Next time?” she asked, poking his rib.
“Please, god, don’t let there be a next time. I can’t lose you, Ember. I love you too damn much.”
“I love you too, Kai. Take me home, please. Your home.”
“Our home,” he corrected. “And you’re not leaving the house until Ciro is in jail.”
Ember rolled her eyes. “Fine by me. I got plans anyway. It involves chocolate icing and you. As a way to apologize for putting myself in danger again and I want to see my mate in lion form when he isn’t attacking another shifter.”
This time, when he drove, Kai only committed two-hundred-fifty-two traffic violations.
Chapter Twenty
Two Weeks Later
Is it possible to sweat to death?
Ember tried to ignore the voice in her head, running a constant commentary. No, so far as she knew, it wasn’t possible to die from sweating too much. Though, if it ever were to happen? It would definitely happen at this precise moment, because sweet heavens above, they were taking their sweet ass time as if they weren’t holding all of her dreams in the palms of their hands.
Think about something else Ember.
The first thought that came rushing to mind was when Kai had brought her home after her former psycho boss had tried to kill her. Kai had gently laid her on the bed, knelt on the floor and took her shoes off then lifted her legs onto the bed. She had felt so treasured and cared for, but she still needed to see her lion. After asking for him to shift, he seemed hesitant but slowly took off his clothes and placed them at the foot of the bed.
She wondered if this would be painful to watch but all she could do was stare at him as his human form began to disappear into what could only be said as the most beautiful red lion known to mankind. His body was huge, his paws the size of her face and his fur was shiny and red, with a dominate flair around his face, but what stole her heart was his golden eyes. Sitting on the edge of the bed she reached out for him and the lion slowly walked to her and placed his head in her hand. She swore she could hear him purring, but do lions purr?
Pulling back her hand she scooted up on the bed and motioned for him to jump up next to her. Gracefully he walked to the bed, put his front two paws on the comforter and literally walked the rest of the way till he was on his side and he laid down with his head on his pillow. He turned on his back in a submissive manner to let her know she was safe and he would love to have her hands in his fur.
She looked at his underside, amazed that the injury he had gotten from the bear was already healed. She began to pet him as she murmured soft words about how strong and beautiful he is. She then curled up next to him and he put his paw on her stomach as if to say he would protect her for the rest of his life.
While those are the thoughts she would love to be thinking about, she realized thinking about Kai was causing a different kind of sweat and a longing that was going to be evident to the public if she didn’t redirect her thoughts immediately.
The overly bright lights were beaming down on her, making beads of sweat roll down her back. Ember didn’t even want to shiver from the perspiration soaking her clothes. That would show weakness. It would show that she was nervous as hell.
And a pastry chef should not be a blubbering, shaking mess while being assessed for talent.
That wouldn’t look good.
Ember discretely rolled her shoulders back.
I think I’m going to dehydrate while standing on my feet, right here.
She swallowed, her mouth and throat were dry. Was that a tremble starting in her knees? No, stop that.
There is sweat rolling down the crack of my ass.
For fuck’s sake, this was pure torture.
The three judges each took another bite from the creme brulee she had made. Her fresh peach ice cream had already been sampled with no indication as to its success or failure. Ember watched as Marianna Mumford brought another dainty bite up to her pinched lips. The woman ran a baking magazine, a vlog, and had storefronts in Times Square, London, and Paris. This was a woman who knew her creme brulee.