“When you said you sniffed out Genocide, what do you mean by that? Are you bionic or somethin’?”
He stands up from the bed and paces the length of the room as if thinking of how to answer my question.
“I’m not bionic, but it’s not something you would believe if I told you, so I’ll have to show you.”
65
Salvation
I take my kutte off and lay it across the bed by Max. “I’m going to try to explain this to you and pray you don’t panic.”
Max pulls her feet from the floor, curling her legs underneath her ass. She pulls the blanket tightly around her body and waits. She says nothing.
I pull my t-shirt off, tossing it to the floor. I unbuckle my belt, unbutton and unzip my jeans, letting them fall in a heap around my feet. My body heats, my limbs shake, and I shed my human form. I sit at Max’s feet, laying my panther head in her lap.
Please don’t be afraid of me. This is what I am.
He’s beautiful. Max runs a hand over my head and scratches me between my ears. I purr at her touch.
How could a woman who’s been seemingly fucked in the ass with a cactus be this accepting and loving? She didn’t crawl away from me; she didn’t try to run. Does this mean she loves me or could love me?
I think I could love you, Salvation. Just like your mom, you saved my life. Your name is more than fitting for who you are.
Who? Not what?
I leap onto the bed next to her and lay my body out. Her fingers glide over my fur, down around my tail and back up by my ears. As I relax, I phase back into my human self, turning to look at Max and gauge her reaction. “Did I scare you away?”
But I could hear her thoughts and already knew what she was thinking.
66
Maximus “Max”
Did I just see that? Did he just turn into a pure coal black panther with the softest fur I’ve ever touched? Hell, he’s the only panther I’ve ever touched. Within a few seconds his feline counterpart has disappeared, only to be replaced by his beautiful human form that is stretched out against me, showing me every delicious detail of his finely sculpted male body. He’s beautiful and so tame.
“I’m not tame,” Salvation says, giving me side eye, his head resting on his forearms.
“What?”
He taps my forehead playfully. “Mind, baby, I can hear you.”
“Oh.” My face heats in embarrassment. How am I supposed to control the thoughts I have? Shit!
He laughs. “You’ll have to learn to shield your mind from me, only letting me hear what you want.”
“How am I supposed to do that?”
“I don’t know. You’ll just have to learn.”
“How did you get this power?”
He grabs part of my blanket, laying it over his ass. It’s a nicely shaped ass, an ass I’d like to touch.
He laughs. “It’s just an ass, baby.”
“Crap. I’m screwed. You’re gonna know each time I picture you naked or somethin’.”
He arches a brow and grins slightly. “What’s so wrong about that?”
I cover my face, giggling. “I’ll never be able to look at you. Plus, that’s cheating.”
“It’s fun for me.”
“What about mystery? I have to maintain some sort of mystery, otherwise, you’re gonna be so bored.”
“Doubtful.” He grabs my hands pulling them away from my face. He pats the space on the bed next to him. “Lie down and let me tell you a story.”
I don’t argue or fight it. The warmth of him is better than any blanket I could ever be wrapped in. I lay down next to him, my back pressed into his chest. He crosses an arm over my shoulder, covering my breasts. I slide my fingers around his wrist and listen to his story.
“When my mother was pregnant with me, she was bitten by a panther and the bite spread into her blood stream, as well as mine. After I was born, mom noticed how quickly my strength grew and the older I got, the less control I had when shifting. My mom died when I was four, leaving me with my father. He wasn’t sure how to help me, but he did what he could. At eighteen, my father died, and I left home. I lived on my own for a long time until Lux and Ridge found me. They ended up being my salvation. I learned after a while to control my emotions because they would cause me to phase. I ruined a lot of clothes. One particular time, I got so angry at Lux, we had it out in the bar of the clubhouse, and I scratched the floor trying to get to him. The claw marks are still there.”
“So, what is your place in the club?”
“You mean my position?”
“Yes, your position.”
“I’m the Treasurer.”
“That’s surprising.”
He snorts. “Why?”
“Because of the way you handled Jim and Genocide, I figured you were like a bouncer or somethin’ for them.”
“I guess I am a little bit of that, but only when it’s necessary.”
“Like?”
“If someone doesn’t have the money they owe us, it’s my job to collect it by any means necessary, which usually means my fists.”
“Oh.” I stifle a yawn. “That was a good story.”
“It ain’t Grimm’s Fairytales, but hey.”
“I liked it,” I say, my eyelids getting heavier the more I try to stave off the longing to sleep. “Salvation?”
“Hmmm?”
I roll to my side, burying my face in the crook of his neck. “When I wake up, will you still be here?”
“Yes.”
67
Salvation
When Max opens her eyes the next morning, she greets me with a sleepy smile and then her eyes quickly flutter closed. “Max,” I say, laying a kiss on her cheek. Her skin is so warm and the last thing I want to do is get out of this bed.
“Huh?” she mutters, turning her face deeper into the pillow under her head, her hair fanning out over the
