“Come.” The simple, one-word command was enough to snap her out of the zone she’d fallen into.
“There is so much to take in.” It was true but in the best possible way. Having spent a lot of time at friends’ homes along the Gulf coast, Asia had seen many outdoor showers, but she’d never seen one as opulent as Franklin’s. Lush, flowering plants decorated the natural rock walls, and the shower heads were concealed, giving the impression you were standing under a natural waterfall. As the sweet scent of the hyacinths and honeysuckle floated around her, Asia wanted nothing more than to step under the falling water and lose herself in the experience.
“Strip, Cara. I want to see every inch of you. We have a lot to discuss, but first, I need to see for myself that you are all right. I’ve been going out of my mind worrying about you.” Asia watched as Franklin ran his hand through ink-black hair, frustration practically radiated around him. “Hell, I was even pissed you shot Braun, denying me the opportunity to kill the bastard.” She stepped close, wrapping her arms around him, relieved when his strong arms surrounded her.
“I remember pulling the trigger. I wasn’t thinking about the backwash of negative energy taking a life would cause. I’ve heard people talk about it, Catalina has mentioned it several times, but I wasn’t prepared for the sheer force of the darkness.” She’d already been tipping over the edge of reason, her thinking so clouded by the drug, she’d barely been functional. Before she’d made the decision to eliminate the threat Braun presented to her family, she’d been teetering on the edge of rational, but she didn’t regret her decision.
“I want you to work through those emotions and retain the lesson.” Franklin had once told her he knew the path set out for her, but he’d declined to share any of the details. That conversation skittered at the edge of her mind, and Asia couldn’t help but wonder if there was a connection between that moment and this one. Pulling back enough he could look into her eyes, Franklin nodded.
“Yes, the moments are connected. You are a successful woman, a shifter, and a role model for young magicals. Your experiences, your reactions, and what you take away from each one are all life lessons for you to share. We’re going to be a mighty force in the magical world, Cara.”
Asia’s mind was spinning with possibilities. She’d always wanted to work with young people, but her position at Adler Oil was so all-consuming, there had never an opportunity for her to explore what was available. She wouldn’t ever give up her association with her family’s company, but she knew in her heart how much she needed personal growth to thrive.
“You’re still dressed. Are you testing me, Cara?” It wasn’t until she’d started to strip that she noticed what she was wearing. Shaking her head, Asia started to giggle. “What’s so funny, sweet sub?”
“These must be London’s clothes. We’re the same size in every way but height.” The lightweight knit yoga pants were at least four inches too short. “It looks like… well, it looks exactly like what it is… a big sister wearing her younger sister’s clothes.”
“The pants might be shorter than you consider appropriate, but I have to tell you—the top is spot on. I could see the ridges of your tight nipples as they peaked in the breeze as the cart moved along the path. The shirt may cover what is mine, but it conceals very little. I can see your pulse pounding at the base of your throat, and watching the flush of arousal spreading over your chest, tempts me to press my lips against your skin to see if you’re as hot as you look.” He grasped the hem of the tank and slowly pulled it over her head. The heat in his eyes scorched her, desire so clearly written in his expression, Asia felt her body’s vicarious reaction as it prepared itself for his possession. Before she could peel off the knit pants, they disappeared into a smoky mist.
“Too slow. You owe your sister a pair of pants, Cara.”
Chapter Fourteen
One Month Later
Asia looked over the paperwork spread out on the conference room table and smiled. The deal the Magic Council and Templars presented Vienna was sweeter than anyone expected. When Vivi first learned the estimated value of the gold beneath her grandparents’ home, she’d sagged into a chair, shaking her head at the enormity of the treasure.
Looking up at the young woman standing near the floor to ceiling windows, Asia wondered what Roslyn Laurent was thinking. Franklin may have been the one assigned to mentor her, but it was Asia she gravitated to.
“I was wondering how I’m ever going to sit still long enough to take classes.” Turning away from the window was the young woman Asia’s new husband was mentoring.
“Keep your eyes on the goal, Roslyn. You may be surprised. There is a lot more to college than sitting in a classroom. Learning to budget your time and money, setting long-term goals, and implementing the steps to achieve them, making friends—some things are more valuable than the minutia of academic excellence.” Asia understood Roslyn’s unease, but there wasn’t much anyone could do to allay her fears—she’d find out for herself soon enough.
“Tell me about your apartment.” Asia knew Israel’s team had vetoed several before finally approving one in the building where several of the Dark Desires employees lived.
“Your brother and husband are insane, but you know what’s worse? Their friends. Holy Monastery. The floor I’m on has four apartments. Two Doms, one Domme, and me. There are cameras in the lobby, the elevator, and the hall. I started taking tennis lessons last week and ended up with a bruise on my arm. A bruise for Goddess’ sake. Do you know I got three phone calls about that blasted bruise? Israel and Cam threatened to send one of the boys—their words, not mine—with me next time. My tennis coach is barely five feet tall, working her way through college at the gym, and so shy, I’m shocked she can bring herself to smack the damned ball. They are going to scare her to death. You have to do something—please.”
“Franklin will be home tonight. I’ll ask him to talk to Cam. I’ll talk to Israel, but I suspect he is just the frontman.” Unfortunately for Roz, as she’d been nicknamed, she’d been adopted by everyone.
“Frontman? What does that mean? Oh wait, let me see if I can figure it out, Americans have the strangest way of saying things.” Asia grinned as Roz started pacing. “Frontman. Hmmm. He’s the man in front of… in front of what? Or who?” She stopped, the frown of concentration clearing as the light of understanding shined bright in her eyes. “He is the spokesperson for the others? But since Cam is… well, Cam, he doesn’t let anyone speak for him, so I have the two of them to deal with.” Asia nodded, and Roz slid into a chair.
“You know, when you left the Quan estate, you took their sanity with you. Franklin was mad with worry, but in the end, it made him more focused on getting through the magic. But Cam and Israel seemed to set all concern for safety aside after you left. You should have seen them fix up that nasty attorney.”
“Eden? Whatever happened to her?” Asia knew the other woman had been trying to needle her, happily dismissing her as unimportant before she’d even left the estate.