“You don’t want them in the Adler Oil safe?” Cooper asked the question Asia had been preparing to ask. In the blink of an eye, Franklin’s thoughts streamed through her head.
I want them in a place designed to secure objects of enormous historical significance, created using magic most people can’t even imagine exists. Princess, I won’t place these in the same building where you live.
Turning to Cooper, Franklin shook his head before responding. “It wouldn’t be a good idea, no. Remember, this group is no longer as powerful magically, but their political power is nearly limitless. They won’t think twice about eliminating anyone or anything standing between them and something they want. If they believe these pieces hold some particularly significant power, getting them back won’t be enough.”
“What do you mean, enough?” Catalina pushed away from the fireplace mantle she’d been leaning against. Crossing her arms beneath her generous bust, Asia had to bite her tongue to keep from laughing at the way Cooper’s gaze drifted south. Damn, the man was practically drooling.
“The Knights didn’t become the powerful organization they’ve always been by flaunting their influence publicly. They know how to keep secrets, and they know the error of leaving witnesses they can’t leverage.” Franklin’s arm tightened around her waist, making her suspect he wasn’t sharing everything he knew. “Your family, specifically the woman I consider mine, is important to me. I want you to be as safe as possible while this is sorted out.”
“It seems damned odd this stuff was sitting out in the open for anyone to see. So many of the significant items are on Vienna’s list; it seems they must have been out for a long time. If they were stolen, why weren’t they hidden?”
Once again, Cooper had asked a question rolling around in Asia’s head, one she would have eventually asked. She was starting to understand why he’d been such a good operative—his mind was a half-step ahead of everyone else. Holy shit, maybe I should try my hand at espionage, might be a nice change from contracts and courtrooms.
Oh, no, my lovely pet. I don’t think that’s a good idea. I’ve been waiting for you far too long to risk losing you now.
“I don’t know about the rest of you, but I’m toast. I need a bubble bath, some wine, and a little downtime. We’ll help again tomorrow with the inventory, but then I have to head back to Austin. I want to check on the construction progress; my grand opening is only a few weeks away.” Cooper pulled Catalina against his side to press a kiss against her temple before releasing her.
“I’ll be right behind you, Princess. I want to call Cam about a secure location for storing the artifacts. If I remember correctly, he’s a bit of a Knights history buff. I think he’ll jump at the chance to help out.”
Asia didn’t know Cameron Barnes well, but she knew enough to be unsurprised by anything related to him. It seemed the only thing predictable about the man was his unpredictability.
Watching Catalina walk to the door, Asia wondered if her sister knew how much easier her life would be once she finally admitted she was in love with Cooper. Her constant state of denial had to be exhausting. A sudden rush of realization hit Asia with a force that would have knocked her off her feet if Franklin hadn’t been holding her close. Sucking in a deep breath, she tried to give Cat a reassuring smile when her younger sister paused, a look of concern suddenly clouding her expression. It wasn’t an easy sell with her heart pounding so loud in her ears, it sounded eerily like the tribal celebrations she attended in Oklahoma a few years ago. She felt Franklin chuckling beside her.
“Breathe, Cara. It’s okay, you know. Self-awareness is the hallmark of a brilliant mind.”
She certainly didn’t feel brilliant, she felt like an idiot. How had she let this happen? Damn it, she’d promised herself she wouldn’t ever fall in love. She’d loved her parents with her whole heart, then one day, they’d simply been gone. As shifters, they were supposed to live two or three times as long as non-shifters. Instead, they’d been taken far too young, leaving all of their children devasted.
Why had she let her guard down? What on earth had she been thinking? If she loved Franklin and something happened to him, Asia didn’t think she’d recover. Black dots began dancing in her vision, growing larger so quickly, she didn’t have time to wonder where they’d come from before she felt herself falling. The last thing she remembered was hearing Franklin’s voice fading into the background as the sound of rushing air drowned out everything else.
Franklin was grateful he already had one arm wrapped around Asia when she fell headfirst into mind-numbing panic, realizing she’d fallen in love with him. His relief was quickly replaced by concern when he recognized she was on the cusp of a full-blown anxiety attack. It was a relief to know her reluctance wasn’t about him personally, rather a residual fear of losing someone.
London had once told him of all her siblings, Asia had been the one who’d suffered the most when a drunk driver killed their parents. As the oldest daughter, she and her mother had always been particularly close, and their dad had referred to her as his secret weapon when it came to managing such a large family.
Franklin’s softly whispered, “Breathe” hadn’t worked, so he’d barked the next command, but it was already too late. She’d melted into his arms as Cooper stared in shock from the other side of the room. When Hicks started to speak, Franklin shook his head; there would be plenty of time for explanations later. Cradling Asia in his arms, he smiled down at her. She was the tallest of the Adler girls, filling his arms perfectly. Feeling her warmth against his chest, knowing she loved him, brought on a wave of contentment stronger than any he’d ever known.
His sleeping beauty roused as he carried her up a sweeping, curved staircase, wide enough for several people to walk down shoulder to shoulder. The Quans’ architect had certainly had a flair for the dramatic, not to mention gold gilt. Giving Asia a quick squeeze to keep her from wiggling out of his hold, he pressed a quick kiss against her hair.
“Stay still, Cara, I don’t want you tumbling out of my arms—I’m quite happy holding you.” He didn’t have to listen in on her thoughts to know what she was thinking. Almost every woman he had ever topped and certainly the few he’d been in long-term relationships with had some sort of body issue. It was remarkable; during the past century, he’d seen the problem grow exponentially worse. It seemed mankind advanced in some areas while regressing in others. He sensed when she started to argue and cut her off before she uttered a word.
“If you say you are too heavy, I’m going to give you the spanking you deserve for spouting negativity about what belongs to me. I won’t tolerate it, Cara.” He knew Doms who pretended to accept their submissives as they were, then subtly encouraged changes, the mixed message playing havoc with their relationship. He’d been a Dom for many years and knew the only thing more important than communication was consistency. Franklin was willing to negotiate on the smaller things, but speaking negatively about herself was not something he’d ever overlook.
“I’ll join you in the bath as soon as I get a couple of things ready in the bedroom. We’re going to follow Catalina’s lead and relax a bit this evening. All work and no play makes Asia cranky.”