Wild Cat by Christine Feehan Page A

no controlling what happened this night and still you said those awful things.”
    â€œMy leopard reacted—” Paolo started.
    She shook her head. “Don’t. If you can’t control it better than that, I would be terrified for our children. You were thinking of yourself. Only you. It didn’t occur to you I would be scared and humiliated and needing reassurance and someone to hold and comfort me. You knew what washappening to me and I didn’t. Still, you felt the need to use me for a punching bag.”
    â€œYou don’t know what you’re saying, Siena,” her grandfather said softly. “Sleep on it. Think about it before you make a decision.”
    She shook her head. “
You
need to think about it, Nonno. You had better reconsider if you truly believe that this man would be good to me. Protect me. Put me first. He’s going to have affairs, beat me and force me to do whatever he wishes. Is that what you want for me? A man who wants my money and estates, not one who loves and cherishes me?”
    â€œThat is not true,” Paolo hissed. “Tonio, you know it has always been Siena.”
    She shook her head. “I will never accept you, a coward who beats on women.
Never
, Paolo.
Never.
”
    She looked into his eyes and what she saw made her heart nearly stop beating. Rage was gathered there. A kind of killing wrath she’d never seen before. She turned and stalked out of the room as best she could when her ribs hurt with every step she took. As best she could when every single cell in her body urged her to run for her life. She walked, keeping her shoulders as straight as possible. She didn’t look back. Not at her grandfather and not at Paolo.
    Once in her room, she closed and locked the door and then put the back of a chair beneath the doorknob. She collapsed on her bed, running her hand lovingly over the ruined quilt, wishing her grandmother were there to comfort her. To talk to. She had no one at all. Leopard? She had a leopard inside of her, and when she came out, she would desperately need a man? Who could she possibly tell anyway? Who would believe her? Because she was getting so hot again, her temperature soaring and her joints hurting, she got up and moved the dresser in front of the door before she sat on the edge of the bed and tried to determine what to do.
    She had blood on her hands. If she went to the police, they’d probably arrest her. In any case, her grandfather entertainedthe district attorney, a councilman and even the senator. She knew he was very connected to the governor. She had no idea if any of those officials were dirty, but she couldn’t take a chance. Still, she had money and that would allow her escape. She could leave. Go to Europe. Disappear.
    She wasn’t naïve. She knew her grandfather would send an army after her. He’d always kept a close watch on her. She’d believed it was to keep her safe. Now, she wasn’t so certain.
    Siena shivered in spite of the fact that her temperature seemed to be soaring. Beneath her skin, that itch came back in waves. She glanced down at her arm and saw the skin was actually raised as if something moved, pushing hard from the inside out. She bit back a scream and flung herself backward.
    Her joints popped. Her jaw hurt. Her fingers curved downward as if she were convulsing. Her ribs, so sore from Paolo’s fists and shoes, flashed with pain so that she found herself on the floor. Tears streaked down her face because it hurt so much. She was terrified. Absolutely terrified. A part of her had denied what was happening to her even after she saw the proof of Paolo’s leopard. Now, there was no denying anything.
    Resolutely, in complete silence, Siena removed her clothes. She wished she’d asked more questions, but she’d been in shock ever since she’d been with Elijah. She closed her eyes, feeling the burn along her ribs again, something pushing,