Angela Knight - Burning Up

Table of Contents

FIVE

S imon cleared his throat. Mother, he said, his tone that of a man who knows hes done for, is that true?

You think Im lying?

I think youd do anything for your favorite granddaughter.

Leaning back, Miaoling actually cackled. This time, I dont have to. Wait. She got up and headed toward her room.

Ria shrugged when all eyes turned to her. Dont look at me.

Eat some tofu, Alex said when they just sat there. Itll go bad if we dont finish it tonight.

Everyone ate. But the instant Miaoling walked back into the room, all implements were abandoned, food forgotten. Wearing the same smile she always displayed when she came out of Mr. Wongs, Miaoling sat down and opened an envelope. Rias eyes went wide when she saw the photograph in her grandmothers handToms father with his tongue down the throat of the woman everyone knew as his secretary. Oh, my, God.

Dont show me, Alex said, slapping her hands over her eyes. I cant bear it. Essies one of my best friends!

Miaoling waved off the objection. She knows. Doesnt careit keeps Tom Sr. from interrupting her hobbies. Shes making lanterns this year.

Popo , Ria said, choking, how did you

What do you think Mr. Wong and I talk about? She turned her gaze to Rias parents. Want to know about the apartment Tom bought his mistress?

Alex looked like she was about to keel over. Mistress? It was a thin sound.

A sense of fair play induced Ria to attempt to defend Tom. After all, she was now involved with Emmett. Grandmother, no one has mistresses anymore. Tom was probably just waiting for the right time to tell me hed fallen for someone else. Yes, he shouldve been man enough to stop the charade of their non-engagement soon as he met his girlfriend, but Ria wasnt going to beat him up about that. Chances were, hed needed time to work up the strength to stand firm against familial pressure.

I talked to her.

Jet whooped at Miaolings words, while Amber shushed him and said, How, Nana?

Im a weak old lady, always need so much help. Miaolings eyes gleamed. Nice girl, too nice for Tom. Shes so sad for him because he has to marry some plain, fat girl

That snake! Alexs hand clenched on a sharp knife as Rias sympathy for Tom died a quick and permanent death.

but nothings going to change between them after the wedding. Toms set it all up so he can visit her on his way home every night. Hes even promised to take her to Paris after he explains how things are to his wife.

Simon looked at Ria, a tic in his jaw. If you even think about marrying Tom, Ill hogtie you and send you to live with my parents in Idaho.

Yes, Dad. Grinning, Ria walked around to hug her parents. But she waited until she was alone with her grandmother to ask, Was that in case I didnt get up the guts to pull myself out?

No, it was just backup. Miaolings wrinkled hand was a touch of love against her cheek. I always knew youd find your voice. Dont ever let anyone take it away from you.

P leased and frustrated in equal measures by his earlier encounter with Ria, Emmett forced himself to focus as he ran his early-evening class through some hand-to-hand combat moves. There were only four in this grouphe preferred to spend more one-on-one time with the older, higher-level students.

Jazz, he said, when the sole girl in the group smiled slowly at one of the boys before blowing him a flirtatious kissthe poor kid lost his rhythm completely.

Emmetts cat found her little tricks amusing, but he put on a stern face, knowing if he didnt, shed keep on doing exactly as she wanted. Female leopards were a handfulthrow teenage hormones into the mix, and no wonder half the pack had sent him sympathy cards when Lucas put him in charge of this lot. The other half had offered to take him drinking.

Yes, sir? An innocent look.

Unless you plan to beat your opponents with nothing but a smile and a hip wiggle, he said, I suggest you work on your hand to eye coordination. Its off.

It is not. Her back went ramrod straight. I can move smoother than anyone else in this class.

He met her militant gaze. Ten laps. Now .

Swallowing at his unusually harsh tone, the ebony-skinned girl took off to do the required laps. Emmett turned back to the three boys who remained. Gentlemen, you have something to say?

One of them, a slender kid named Aaron, stepped forward. Shes rightshe is better than all of us at the hand to eye stuff.

Not todayshes too busy playing head games. Sending them back to their training, he waited for Jazz to return.

Grab a drink and a seat, he said when she did, red-faced from having done the laps at full changeling speed as required. After making sure the boys had enough to carry on with, he walked over to hunker down in front of her. Why do you think I made you do that?

A shrug. I was mouthing off.

Yeah. And because he knew something of young female pride, he reached out to tug on one of her braids. You are top of the class.

A small smile peeked out.

But, kitten, he said, meeting her gaze, that wont get you far if you cant hold your temper. You can still be Jazz, still be a smart-ass, too, if you wantthat got him another small smilebut you need to learn to work within a hierarchy. Because that was how changeling packs stayed strong, though they were often far fewer in number than either of the two other races. And if his mother was correct in her predictions, that internal strength would become even more important in the years to come. These kids were all highly independent predatory changelingshis job was to start teaching them to work as a unit.

I think I understand, Jazz said after a thoughtful pause. Its how the sentinels and soldiers work to protect the alphathey know they can always rely on each other.

Exactly. Rising, he tugged her to her feet, Go on, finish your training routine, and then well do some one-on-one combat.

A sharp grin. Im going to kick the boys butts tonight.

Chuckling as he watched her slide easily into the graceful rhythm of combat, he wondered what Ria would think of the measures DarkRiver was taking to protect its future. Would she understand, or would she be repelled by the threat of violence, by the aggressiveness that was an inherent part of a predatory changelings nature? Not that he had any intention of discussing those things with hernot as long as he could avoid it. Shed clearly been brought up in a sheltered environmentwhy ask her to worry about things she didnt have to? Protection was his job. His plans for Ria Wembley were all about pleasure... of the most decadent, delicious kind.

His entire body thrummed in anticipation.

R ia stayed home for two days after the explosive events in the gym, seeing Emmett only to say hi.

He scowled at her when she looked out the window on the second day. She had a good feeling she knew what he was thinkingthat she was running scared after coming apart in his armsbut tempting as it was to head out and put him straight, she stayed in.

Of course, that temptation wasnt the sole one where Emmett was concernedher body wasnt letting her get much sleep. Now that it had had a taste of real pleasure, it wanted more. The sleepless nights left her frustrated in more ways than one, and she intended to punish the damn cat for it.

But first, she had to do something.

On the third day after hed crushed her up against the basement door and kissed her senseless, she walked out dressed in a deep peach skirt suit teamed with a white silk shell. Emmett looked her up and down, then did it again... slow. Her cheeks felt like they matched her suit by the time he finished.