Page 37 of The Lion's Reluctant Mate

“Fair enough.I wouldn’t want you to harm mine anyway.”He winked at Nessa, who blushed.“The two of them can leave.Nessa, honey, get out of here.”

“No,” Alice wept running into his arms.Axel embraced her.He clasped her chin and forced her gaze to his.

“Trust me,” he said.“Everything is going to be okay.”He clasped her right hand.“Do you feel the strength of my fingers?Every joint, every callous.Stay grounded, Baby Girl.You’ll be holding it again in no time.I promise.”

“Axel, please.”

Nessa grabbed Alice’s forearm and pulled her away from him.Axel turned his attention back to Alastair.As soon as he heard the elevator ping shut, he grinned and stripped off his jacket.

“All right, kitty cat, let’s teach you a lesson in diplomacy.”

Chapter Twenty-Five

Alice pulled out ofNessa’s grasp as soon as they reached the bottom.Pushing her out the doors, she hit the button for the last floor.

“Alice!”Nessa screamed.She tried to fight her way back in, but the elevator was already closing.

Alice gave her another hard shove, sending her sprawling onto the polished floor.

“I thought we were friends,” she cried.

“Alice, please, don’t be silly.Don’t go back up there,” Nessa yelled.

But it was too late, the box was moving steadily up.Her heart hammered in her ears and her breath came out in spurts, and black spots danced in her vision, but she fought against the panic.She had to do something.She had to help somehow.Axel was in danger.

The doors slid open with a chime.A scream caught in her throat at the ghastly sight, and she rushed forward.The two bodyguards which had kidnapped her saw her and hurried to restrain her.She fought against them, but it was useless.Wide-eyed, she watched the scene unfold.

Two wild animals clashed violently in the middle of the office.They broke apart, crashing into bookcases and sending the contents tumbling to the floor.

Clearly heavier and larger, the lion approached the cheetah in large strides, but the smaller animal darted to one side and then the other, its speed unsurpassable.Alastair evaded every move from Axel with an agility which was difficult to follow with the naked eye.

Without warning, it lashed out, cutting through the lion’s flank with its claws.The lion roared in pain and pounced in retaliation, seizing the cheetah between in mid-stride.The cheetah struggled to get up, but the lion was too powerful, keeping it pinned down on the floor.It was over in minutes.The lion’s superior weight and strength evident.

Eventually, the two men shifted back.Axel had Alastair pinned down, the younger man bleeding profusely from claw marks on his shoulders where he’d been held.

“This is why cheetahs don’t mess with lions,” Axel said with a growl.“I will not get in your way, Alastair.Don’t you get in mine.Do the smart thing, build alliances, not enemies.When you’re ready to talk, come see me.”

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