Total pages in book: 131
Estimated words: 118860 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 594(@200wpm)___ 475(@250wpm)___ 396(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 118860 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 594(@200wpm)___ 475(@250wpm)___ 396(@300wpm)
“I have gone by the name of Silva,” the voice informed her.
She blew out an exasperated breath. He could have just said that in the first place and not tried intimidating her with the De La Cruz name. Okay, he’d succeeded in intimidating her, which just annoyed the holy hell out of her.
“Seriously? You couldn’t have led with that?” After all, if he was telling the truth and his name was really Luiz Silva, he was her cousin. She might be intimidated by the name De La Cruz and even a wild jaguar, but if he was her cousin, she wasn’t going to allow him to scare her into submission. She wasn’t that easily intimidated.
There was no real sound to warn her, not even the whisper of boots on leaves, but Luiz De La Cruz was suddenly standing in front of her, almost as if he had teleported, like in some science fiction movie. What was wrong with her? She should have been better prepared. She didn’t like using a weapon, but she knew how and always carried something on her to protect herself. She’d traveled all over the world, studying in many different, very dangerous environments. Being a conservationist had taken her into many situations such as this one, and she’d always gone prepared.
Around her waist, she had her belt with a sheath containing a very sharp knife. While she was proficient in the use of it, the blade was her fail-safe, the last resort, should she be attacked by human, shifter or wild predator.
His eyebrow raised. “If you were going to use that, you should have already been prepared. What possessed you to come all this way and meet me alone?”
She didn’t need him to ask her that question; she was already asking herself. She decided to be casual. “I travel alone to many countries and meet guides.”
He studied her face, feature by feature, with a predator’s stare. His eyes were intense, a vivid green flecked with gold, the irises ringed with amber. He had presence, appeared rugged, but there was something about him that was charismatic. Some quality that drew her to him, and she knew that same magic would work on others, male or female, he was around. At the same time, the predator in him was so strong that she knew he was far more than a man standing in front of her.
Luiz De La Cruz was mesmerizing, and that was scary. She felt almost frozen, the way one did when looking into the eyes of a large cat hunting. Her body reacted on its own, recognizing the extreme danger, yet couldn’t move. Every hair on her body reacted; goose bumps rose. She had to work to keep her heart and lungs under control. A predator smelled fear. Hearing was acute. He would know she feared him; he most likely already did.
“Do you think that’s such a good idea?”
She tried a brief smile, hoping to connect with her cousin. She was certain he was her uncle’s son. She’d never met his father or this man, but it wasn’t like she had much in the way of family. As far as she knew, Luiz was all that was left after the deaths of her adoptive parents. “Not at this precise moment.”
“You’re safer with me than you’ve ever been in your life.”
Arrogant much? She didn’t say it aloud. And she almost believed he could make her safer than anyone else she’d ever been around—unless he changed his mind and decided she was a threat. Then, all bets were off.
“You were raised by Uncle Alois, my father’s oldest brother, and his wife, Gemma. I’m very sorry for your loss.”
For some reason, that simple sentiment had a lump rising in her throat. She choked it down. It was an odd way of expressing sympathy. Other than her, Alois and Gemma had been his only relatives. She decided to address the issue immediately.
“Yes, my father sent me away when I was not yet a year.”
“You were happy?” He sounded as if he really wanted to know.
“I have absolutely no regrets, although it would have been wonderful to meet my father and brother. I have always been extremely happy in my life with my aunt and uncle. They surrounded me with love, even during my rebellious teenage years. They allowed me to pursue all my interests and get an excellent education, and gave me as many advantages as they could.”
“Perhaps they should have instilled a deeper sense of self-preservation in you.”
There was no reprimand in his tone, but she took great exception to his critique of her aunt and uncle. She narrowed her eyes at him. “They took me in when my father didn’t want to keep me. I was surrounded by love. They gave me everything. Don’t you dare say one word against them.”