Logan stood as she approached, a smile on his lips.

“Zara…you look beautiful.”

“Thank you.” She rested her hand against his chest as he leaned in to plant a gentle kiss on her lips. Looking up at him, she blurted out, “Did you make them close the restaurant tonight?”

He chuckled, moving around her to pull her chair out and seat her. “Yes, I did.”

Tilting her head back, she looked up at him. “Why? Do you know how much money they’ll lose by shutting?”

He was still smiling as he took his seat opposite. “Don’t worry. They’ve been more than compensated.”

Okay, that hadn’t been the answer she’d expected. “Why? Why do that when it’s just us?”

He leaned back in his chair, watching her. The look made her shiver. Most of the time it was easy to forget what he was, that he was a werelion and beneath the handsome man lay a primal beast, a predator, but not now. Now, the lion watched her, making no pretense about was she was.

His prey.

“I wanted to make sure we weren’t interrupted.”

She froze and watched him just as carefully. “Why?”

This evening had already taken a sharp turn left from what she’d expected. Before, they’d always been part of a group, his attention on matters other than her…until it came time to leave and they were on their own, of course. Then it was all raw passion and fucking on any hard surface at hand.

But this had all the hallmarks of…a date? She blinked, still holding his gaze and ran through their surroundings in her mind. Romantic location, check. Soft lighting, check. Solitude, check.

He moved and put a file on the table in front of her. Recognition filled her immediately. Shit, it was the file she’d taken to Tony’s and stupidly left there.

“Want to explain this, Zara?”

His expression was hard and unyielding as he pushed the file over to her. Crap, crap, crap. Why hadn’t she thought to pick the damn thing up when she’d left his office? Her gaze flicked from him to the file and back again as dread wove its way down her spine. This was it, this was the point when the bubble burst, he lost his temper, and their tenuous arrangement ended. She’d known it was too good to be true… Men like him did not go after women like her. Ever.

Shit, where were his men? Cold sweat rolled over her skin. Would he have her and Ky killed off now? Strange, she knew he could…that he should…but still she couldn’t see him as that kind of man.

“It’s nothing.” She scooped the file off the desk and tucked it down between her leg and the side of the chair. “Just me being silly.”

“You’re lying.” His expression softened a little, a smile flirting with the corner of his lips. “Take a look at it.”

“No need.” She shook her head, reaching for the filled water glass on her side of the table. “Like I said, it was just me being silly. Forget it.”

The smile gave her hope. Perhaps she could convince him to forget about the file and its contents and they could continue as they were. Because she didn’t want what they had to end. Even if it was a fantasy romance based on smoke and mirrors…a girl could pretend, right?

He moved, levering himself up out of the chair in a move so full of feline grace that she couldn’t help but watch mesmerized. Walking around the table, he leaned one hand on it and tucked two fingers under her chin to make her look up at him. He held her gaze with his own.

“Zara, look at the file.”

It was an order. Out of options, she reached for the file and put it on the table in front of her. Her hands shook as she opened it and spread out the documents within. A small murmur escaped her lips. There were corrections all over her figures in bold, red pen.

“But this…” Her eyes widened as she realized what the adjustments were. “No, that’s not right. This—”

“Cancels your debt to me.” His deep voice sounded next to her as he reached over and took her hand, making her turn in her seat. “On one condition.”

She was dreaming. She had to be. Her breathing came hard and fast, somewhere between panic and relief as he reached in his pocket and took something out.

“Which is?” she asked in confusion. What more did he want from her? He already had her body…

A cold band slipped over her ring finger, sliding past the first knuckle. He twisted it to reveal a sparkling diamond.

“That you marry me.”

Ho…lee crap.

Her free hand leapt up to cover her mouth, her ability to speak removed. Instantly, her eyes locked with his, seeking confirmation he’d really said what she thought he’d said.

“Public relations says I need a wife.” He pushed the ring past the second knuckle and onto her finger, holding her hand out as though to admire the way it sparkled in the light. “Said it’ll make me more respectable for the viewing public. So… marry me and your debt is canceled.”

He wanted to marry her… At first her heart leapt, but then it quickly came down as she processed what he’d said. He wanted to marry her because she owed him and he needed a wife. Lifting her chin, she kept her expression neutral.

“And if I say no?”

He blinked as he resumed his seat, surprise showing on his features for a moment. He obviously hadn’t expected her to say no. “Why the fuck would you refuse? Surely being my wife is better than being my whore?”

* * *

Oh my god, had that just happened?

Zara stood on the sidewalk in a daze, watching as the limo pulled away. Dragging her gaze from the retreating taillights, she looked down at her hand. The diamond solitaire on her ring finger twinkled back at her merrily. Yeah, it had. She was engaged to Logan Reese.

Engaged. To be married.

Married. As in until-death-do-us-part.

She shivered but couldn’t help stretching out her hand to admire the ring. Surprisingly, it was delicate and beautiful with floral scrollwork surrounding the solitaire in the center. Not overly large, it was obviously extremely expensive, but not the loud, brash sort of thing she’d have expected from a man like Logan. It was more the sort of thing she’d have picked herself. Perhaps he did know her better than she’d thought.

But…engaged? Shit. She never thought she’d get engaged. Hell, she’d never been in a relationship long enough to consider it as even a remote possibility. After all, who wanted a hard-nosed fight club promoter who couldn’t even shift?

Logan Reese. Apparently.

She shook her head. She was going to wake up in a moment to find she’d fallen asleep waiting for Logan and this was all a dream, surely? A dull thump at the back of her skull added to the dazedness. Great, a headache. Just what she needed on top of all of this.

Sighing to herself, she started up the path to her building. Thankfully, she was alone tonight. Which was good. After his surprise proposal, she wouldn’t have known what to say to Logan. If he’d let her talk…their time alone didn’t consist of much conversation unless it was the physical kind. After asking her to marry him, she wasn’t sure she could keep her emotions out of the bedroom. Which she needed to. Holy fuck she needed to, especially if the whole thing was for PR reasons.

No, it was a good thing he’d had a call and rushed off to deal with some business or other. She hadn’t asked what it was. The hard look on his face made it clear it was business on the shadier side of the fight club scene, and she just didn’t want to think about it. About him doing the things that she knew he had to…

Groaning, she tipped her head back as she approached the doors to the building. What did that say about her though? For years she’d poked fun at the fighters’ wives desperate to believe the best of their men despite the evidence. She’d thought she was better, that after all her years seeing the very worst of the club scene she knew better. Yet here she was, purposely not thinking of what Logan was doing this evening… even though when they’d met she’d fully expected to end up dead because she owed him money.

Her head thumped again, a savage ache she knew wouldn’t let go without painkillers and at least twelve hours of sleep. It was all too much to process at the moment, so she’d think about it in the morning. For now…she looked at her hand again and allowed a little smile to spread over her lips.

For now, she’d let herself to buy into the fantasy. Pretend that she and Logan were a normal couple, in love, and that this was a normal engagement. Which meant that right now, she should have been thinking about wedding dresses and flowers and all that.

What kind of wedding would they plan? Large and extravagant or low-key and classy? She smiled as she slid her key into the lock. Logan would probably go for larg—

There was someone behind her. As soon as she registered the presence, she dropped her hand and tried to slide to the side to avoid being cornered, but she wasn’t quick enough. A hand closed over her mouth, cutting off her scream, and she was hauled up against a big body.

Breathing in, she struggled wildly. The scent was unmistakable. Her attacker was male, large and a shifter. She felt the shift energy, like static electricity, crawling over her skin at his touch. He gave a grunt when she stomped heavily on his foot, grinding her heel down, but didn’t let go.

Fear filled her and she bared her teeth, opening her mouth to bite down hard on his hand. He roared, letting go and spinning her around in the same movement. She had a split second glimpse of a man-mountain before his fist lashed out. Pain exploded across her face, the hot copper taste of blood in her mouth following it, and then there was nothing but blackness.

* * *

“Wakey, wakey, princess. We haven’t got all fucking day.”

The harsh voice jerked Zara out of sleep. She sat bolt upright and then groaned as pain arced through her head. Why the hell did her head hurt so much and why the fuck was Niko in her bedroom?

“Ahh, we’ve rejoined the land of the living, have we? I was getting worried that Brad had hit you too hard when he picked you up.”

Her memory played catch-up, dumping the events after the limo had dropped her off into her brain in one go. Another groan escaped her, one quickly smothered as she opened her eyes and winced. Sure enough, Niko leered down at her, leaning on what looked like bars. Blinking to clear her vision, she looked around. Bars… because she was in an honest to god cage.

“What the fuck is this shit?” she demanded, standing up so she could look him in the eye rather than up at him. Well, he was over six foot so she had to look up anyway, but at least it was less up than from the damn floor.

He glowered. “Language, bitch. A lady shouldn’t swear.”

“Show me a lady and I’ll fucking tell her then.” She snorted, looking around the room. They were in what looked like an old club. One even seedier than the Scarlet Moon, if that was possible. It looked like it had been abandoned for years, the carpets ripped and the upholstery on the furniture ragged. The moldy chairs and half decent tables had been arranged around the only new thing in the room, a ring, in a mockery of a fight club.

Her mocking smile disappeared. “What the hell is going on?”

The words fell into silence as Niko just looked at her. He watched with a smile as all the pieces fell into place in her head. This was the underground fight group she’d heard rumors about, the one Logan had taken a call about at the restaurant.

She laughed at Niko, the sound harsh.

“Oh boy, you are so fucking dead, you know that? I knew you were dumb, but I didn’t think you were this fucking stupid.”

Anger flashed in his dark eyes and he folded his arms. “Yeah? You know what I think?”

“Sure you’re going to tell me.”

He leaned forward, face almost against the bars of her cage. “I think by the end of the night I’ll have wiped the smug grin off your face and you’ll come crawling to me.”

Her eyebrow winged up. “Really? You think winning the bit change a crapshoot fight like this’ll get you will have me falling all over you like a cheap hooker? Got news for you, pal. Not happening.”

“Oh, it ain’t change I’ll be winning tonight.” He swept her figure with a look that sent shivers up her spine, and not in a good way. “We don’t fight for money but for something more…valuable.”

He stepped back a little so she could see the rest of the room. On the other side of the ring, two men dragged a kicking and fighting woman across the floor to throw her into a cage similar to Zara’s. She followed the line of the ropes to see more cages, all occupied. And not just with humans; one contained a fairy complete with butterfly wings and another…her eyes widened… they even had a damn unicorn.

“Holy crap…” she breathed. “You dumb fuckers. Never mind Logan and Veyr…when that girl’s herd finds you, you’re all dead men walking.”

“Says the woman who’ll be riding my cock later.” The big werebear laughed, pushing away from the bars. “Hold on, doll…there’s someone who wants to see you.”

He moved aside and for a second Zara looked at the man approaching blankly. The tall, broad-shouldered figure was familiar, as were the clean-cut, still handsome features she saw a copy of on her brother every day, but she couldn’t seem to make her brain function and make sense of what she saw.

“Hello, Zara,” said her father, smiling down at her, whiskey in hand. “Nice to see you.”

“James.” She nodded, her expression locked down tight. “What are you doing here? I thought you were out in Hawaii with your bimbo.”

How the hell her father was here, she didn’t know. Niko must have found him. Brought him back. Why though? He had to know that Logan would kill him if he found out he was in the city. Her gaze flicked over her dad quickly. He was dressed too finely to be on the run, the whiskey accompanied by a fat cigar in the other hand. He didn’t have the manner or bearing of someone who’d been dragged back against his will.

“No, Hawaii wasn’t my scene.” James shrugged and leaned one elbow on the ropes, looking around. “So what do you think of my new venture?”

Fuck. Ing. Hell. Realization hit hard and fast, everything making horrible sense all at once. James was behind the illegal fight clubs.

“That’s why you stole the king’s money? To fund this?” She flicked a glance at her cage and the others. “And rather than pay out your fighters, you kidnap women?”

“Oh no,” James was quick to reassure her, nodding to a cage she hadn’t noticed over on the other side of the room. A man lay in it, unmoving, his back to them. “We offer equal opportunities when it comes to our prizes. Our fighters can list their preferences…age, gender…identity.”

She sucked a hard breath. Fury rolled through her as she moved to the front of the cage.

“You mean you kidnap to order.”

“Very good.” He tipped his glass toward her, as though she’d scored a point. “Gives the fighters more incentive if we can offer them exactly what they want. Like young Niko here… listed you.”

“Fuck Niko,” she snarled, slamming her hands into the bars. Her father was lucky there was a barrier between them because right at the moment, she wanted nothing more than to rip his throat out with her bare hands.

James beamed. “That’s the spirit! And I wanted to thank you, by the way.”

She gave him a blank look. What he had to thank her for, she didn’t know. Her expression must have given it away because he continued.

“For dealing with my…debt to the king. I heard he’d wiped the debt in return for you fucking him.”

“Thank me?”

She couldn’t help it. She burst out laughing. The sound was so loud and abrupt that others in the room turned to look at their little group in surprise. Tears of mirth rolled down her cheeks as both Niko and her father looked at her in bemusement.

“Oh, don’t thank me,” she finally got it together enough to get out. “You think the King doesn’t know exactly what’s going on in his kingdom? Don’t thank me because when he gets here you two assholes are fucking toast. And you know what? I’ll laugh as he takes you both apart, piece by fucking piece.”