“It isn’t any different for me. No other woman would be accepted by my cat. When you slapped me you left your mark in my skin, on my bones. Your cat claimed me whether you knew what you were doing or not. I can’t sleep. I can barely function. I’m edgy and moody and two breaths away from fighting every moment of the day. That’s the reality, Isabeau. I have to accept it just as you do.”

He was telling the truth. She saw it in his eyes. Heard it in his voice. She shouldn’t have felt satisfaction, but it was there, as petty as that was. One more thing to hate about herself, but if she spent her life craving a man she could never be with, he could damn well pine away for her. She let her breath out and some of the tension eased from her taut muscles.

“I didn’t know. About the mark. I didn’t know.”

“I know. Your cat knew. She was angry and she had every right to be. Let’s call a truce until we get the children home safe. We’ll sort this out later.”

“You’ll still help us then?”

“Yes.” Conner spoke tersely, aware he could never walk away from her. She still didn’t know just how strong the pull between their cats would be. He knew how strong the pull between the man and woman was, but she had every right to reject him. He had to find a way to redeem himself and if that meant he had to seduce another woman, as abhorrent as it would be for him—and for his cat—he would do whatever it took to convince her he was serious about atoning. Words weren’t going to convince her, only action. And action was something he was good at.

“Can you teach me more things like climbing the tree?”

He nodded. “You’ve learned martial arts, and you’re not bad, but you aren’t utilizing your reflexes. You need to be more confident. We can work on that as well.” He flashed her a faint grin. “Of course I’m not certain I want you to learn to be a better fighter. You have a penchant for using your skills on me.”

She managed a slight smile, her stomach settling. “I liked being in the canopy,” she admitted, striving for civility. She’d summoned him to her and now it was a case of “being careful what she wished for.” She had to live with her decision and apparently so did he. Finding she wasn’t alone in her desperate, clawing need, made dealing with it much easier.

“I do too.” He stepped away from her and gathered the fallen man’s weapons along with the gun she’d left on the ground. “Let’s rendezvous with the others and make our plans. We’ve got a lot to do before the party if we’re going to pull this off. And we have to find a way to safeguard Adan’s grandson.”

Relief flooded her body. “Do you think there’s a way? Or do you think she’s already had him killed?”

“It wouldn’t make sense for her to kill him until she’s disposed of Adan. She’d want to make a point, but if Adan capitulates, by some miracle, it would be a huge victory for her. He’s the most respected elder the tribes have. If he caves, so will the others.”

“So she sent these men out after him knowing they might fail?”

“This is his turf. He’s at home in the rain forest; these men aren’t. She has two rogue leopards on her payroll. She would have sent them if she wanted to make certain Adan died. He trains Special Forces from all over the world in survival. She knew he might survive and she’s hoping if he does, he will have gotten the message she’s willing to play hardball with him.”

“He won’t open her routes for her. He feels very strongly on the subject.”

“I imagine he does,” Conner agreed. “She’s murdering his people, forcing them into servitude. He’s a proud man who managed to bring his people into this century, yet still keep his culture intact. He’ll fight her with every breath in his body.”

“Then how?”

“We just need him to buy us some time. She doesn’t know, or care anything about the tribe, so Adan can make up ceremonies that have to be done before he leaves and buy us a couple of days there. She’ll be gloating, figuring now that she’s bent the will of the most influential tribe elder, everyone will fall in with her plans. Once he’s in the forest, she’ll have to send her rogues to watch him. She’ll have no choice. None of her other men would have a chance of staying up with him and she’ll need to know he’s complying with her orders.”

Isabeau was horrified. “Conner, he won’t deliver the drugs and they’ll kill him.”

“Adan doesn’t die so easy. And we want the rogues to trail him. We need them out of the compound.”

“Dead. You mean you want the rogues dead.” Her eyes met his steadily.

“What did you think we were going to do? Smile and ask pretty please? You sent for me because I’m a bastard. The biggest bastard you know. That’s what you need to get those kids back and to make certain it doesn’t happen again. She’ll tear those villages apart once we leave if she’s alive. You wanted me here because I’m the one you know who can get them back. You knew exactly what you were getting, so don’t act shocked. Anyone who hires us knows what has to be done, they just don’t have the guts to do it themselves.”

She ignored the bitterness and glimpse of hurt in his normally expressionless voice. “I have the guts. Adan said no. And for your information, I wasn’t putting judgment on you.”

His eyebrow shot up. “You accused me of killing your father. I stood there like a damned idiot and almost got shot for you.”