Eli accepted the cold beer Jake held out to him. “Mine’s got one too. Didn’t know that, but I have to say, I like it. She’s got attitude, and it comes unexpectedly.”

“I intimidate powerful men and other shifters,” Jake lamented. “But not my wife. She rolls her eyes at me.”

Eli smiled. “Catarina’s not there yet. She’s still finding out she doesn’t have to hide who she is, but it’s coming.” He took a long pull on the beer, his eyes still on his woman, on the child and the way the two laughed together.

Catarina straightened abruptly and indicated that the child should move away from the stove. She picked up the heavier bowls and took them to the table, preventing Emma from lifting them. She did it smoothly, so Emma wouldn’t notice. He glanced at Jake. Jake noticed.

“Your woman is observant,” Jake mused.

“Yeah. She pays attention to detail.”

“Do you think she paid attention to detail in Cordeau’s house while she was growing up?”

“That’s the crazy thing. As intelligent as I know she is, as resourceful, it wasn’t until a couple of weeks ago when we ran into your crew at the fence line and we were talking with Elijah that I realized she probably knows everything about his business and the people he does business with. Before, under Cordeau’s roof, she was off limits, and they all thought she was just an uneducated mouse. Now, they’re most likely thinking she’s a threat to them.”

“She is a threat to them if she can name names and pinpoint who’s dealing what. There’s a trail, Eli. She might just be the key to that trail.”

“I’m not using her to get Cordeau. I quit my job over that shit and it isn’t happening again.” There was a hard edge to his voice. He liked Jake, but he wasn’t going to back down. He didn’t have that in him. He’d protect Catarina even at the risk of his friendship with Jake and the other shifters.

Jake laughed. “You’re too much like me. That’s not what I meant. You’re still thinking like a DEA agent. You have to think like a shifter.”

“I’ll kill Cordeau when he comes after Catarina. Won’t lose any sleep over it and won’t hesitate.”

“I get that. Any of my boys or me would do the same. He’s rogue. He’s got to go. Probably have a couple of lieutenants that are rogue as well. We’ll have to find out which ones. I’m a businessman. I go after wealth and businesses and take my enemies down that way. If your woman knows bank accounts and partners, if she knows the kinds of deals going down, Elijah, you and I can take Cordeau’s empire apart bit by bit. The men he’s in bed with won’t see it coming and won’t know what hit them until it’s too late. They’ll turn on one another. They always do when suddenly irrefutable evidence of their guilt is all over the papers and agents are on their doorsteps.”

Jake leaned toward Eli, his eyes suddenly intent. Serious. Burning. “We hunt, Eli, just as you’ve done, but we do it our way. Join us. Let’s start with Cordeau and his partners. You can sound Catarina out, see if she’s comfortable helping. If she isn’t, we’ll still take them down. It will take a little longer, but we’ll do it. You aren’t going to sit on your ass in that ranch house, it will make you crazy.”

“You offering me a job?”

Jake grinned and settled back. “As such. It’s really Drake’s operation. I’m the information man.”

Eli knew Jake Bannaconni was far more than an information man. He was a wheeler and dealer. He was well known in business circles, and grown men cried when he turned his sights on them.

“I’ll talk to Cat, but I’m not pressuring her. She has to make up her own mind. I promised her I’d never put her in that position and I intend to keep that promise.”

Jake nodded and both men put down their beers when Emma opened the sliding glass door. Jake’s gaze was on her face immediately.

She went right to him, leaned down and brushed a soft kiss across his mouth. “Dinner’s ready. Cat fixed a couple of surprises. We exchanged recipes. I had so much fun.” Her tone was honest and clearly she was conveying something to Jake.

Eli had the feeling she wanted him to take extra care with their guest. Jake was right when he said Emma was very astute. She had sensed how uncomfortable Catarina was and set about putting her at ease.

Eli rose and went straight to Catarina. Her gaze jumped to his as he stalked across the room to her, moving in close. Possessively. He hadn’t been away from her for so long since he’d brought her to his ranch. His hand cupped her face, thumb sliding over her warm, satin skin.

“Missed you. Got used to having you right next to me.”

She smiled at him and leaned into him. Giving him her closeness. Her fingers curled in the hair at the back of his neck and he was suddenly very glad that leopard’s hair grew so much that most of the time his was a little too long. He liked feeling her fingers there.

“I’m having fun, Eli. Thank you for convincing me to come. Emma’s… great.”

“I want your mouth.”

“We’re not alone,” she reminded softly, her gaze going from amazing blue to more blue violet.

“I want your mouth, and I don’t give a damn who’s around,” he growled, just as softly.

Her mouth curved and she turned her face up to his. He was gentle, his lips brushing hers tenderly, his tongue teasing for just a moment before he pulled back, pleased with her. She gave him what he needed, in public or not. She let others know he was her man and that meant everything to him, although he was convinced he’d almost gotten the eye roll from her.