Chapter 17
Sam woke to golden Mediterranean sunlight streaming through the windows and the warm weight of Claudia in his arms. For a moment, he simply lay there, savoring the feel of her soft curves pressed against him, her dark hair spilling across his chest, and the peaceful rise and fall of her breathing.
Last night had changed everything. He’d known it would, but the reality was even more profound than he’d expected. The way their magic had intertwined, the way his lion had settled so completely in her presence went beyond physical intimacy. It was recognition on the deepest level.
Mine, his lion rumbled contentedly.
Sam pressed a kiss to the top of Claudia’s head, and she stirred, making a soft sound of contentment that made him want to keep her in this bed for the rest of the day. Unfortunately, the universe had other plans.
His phone buzzed on the nightstand. The alarm he’d set before everything had spiraled into passion and magic and promises was reminding him they had things to do. They had a business breakfast at eight-thirty, which meant they needed to get moving.
Sam silenced the alarm and tightened his arms around Claudia, stealing one more moment of peace before reality intruded.
“Morning,” Claudia mumbled against his chest, her voice sleep-rough and adorable.
“Morning.” He ran his hand down her spine, feeling her arch into the touch. “We need to get up.”
“No, we don’t.” She burrowed closer. “We could just stay here forever.”
“Tempting. But I have a breakfast meeting at eight-thirty with some investors from London. Old business contacts I can’t blow off.” Sam felt her stiffen in his arms. “Hey. What’s wrong?”
“Nothing. I just—” She pulled back enough to look at him, and he saw uncertainty in her eyes. “Do you want me to go with you? Or would you rather keep business separate from…whatever this is now?”
Sam cupped her face in his hands. “I want you with me. Always. And what this is, is us being together. No more pretending, remember?”
“Right. No more pretending.” Her smile was tentative but genuine. “So, a business breakfast. What’s the protocol?”
“You be yourself, look beautiful, and let me do most of the talking.” He kissed her softly. “These are people I’ve dealt with for years. Nothing controversial, just portfolio discussions and market analysis. Probably boring, honestly.”
“As long as no one expects me to have opinions on international finance, I’ll be fine.” Claudia sat up, the sheet pooling around her waist, and Sam had to force himself not to pull her back down to the bed so he could ravish her all over again. “I should get ready. What am I wearing to this thing?”
“Didn’t Maurice give you a list? He usually labels everything.” Sam reluctantly released her and climbed out of bed. “I’m going to shower. Want to join me?”
The look Claudia gave him was equal parts interested and regretful. “If I do that, we’ll definitely be late.”
“Fair point.” He grabbed his phone and headed for his bathroom. “Separate showers it is. For now.”
“For now,” she agreed, and the promise in those words made his lion rumble happily.
Twenty minutes later, Sam emerged from his room, fully dressed in a charcoal gray suit, to find Claudia standing in the living area, looking panicked.
“Maurice left instructions,” she said, holding up a tablet. “But I’m not entirely sure I’m interpreting them correctly. He wrote ‘Saturday morning business casual’ with three question marks, which seems like he wasn’t sure either.”
Sam crossed to her and looked at the tablet. Maurice had indeed left detailed instructions for each event, but the breakfast apparently hadn’t been on the original schedule. “What did you pick?”
“The cream silk blouse and navy slacks. Is that too casual? Not casual enough?” She bit her lip. “I don’t want to embarrass you.”
“You could never embarrass me.” Sam tilted her chin up. “And that sounds perfect. These are British bankers. They appreciate understated elegance.”
Claudia nodded and disappeared into her room. Sam used the time to check his email and review the files Gavin had sent on the people they’d be meeting with. Nothing alarming. Two venture capitalists and a hedge fund manager, all above board, all people he’d worked with successfully in the past.
When Claudia emerged from her room ten minutes later, Sam’s breath caught. The outfit was simple. She wore tailored navy pants and a cream blouse with subtle gold buttons, and she looked polished and professional. She’d pulled her hair back in a low ponytail and applied minimal makeup.
“Is this okay?” she asked.
“It’s perfect.” He offered his arm. “Ready to be charming?”
“Ready to fake being charming while you do all the work.” She took his arm, and they headed for the door.
The breakfast was held in one of the hotel’s private dining rooms. It was a small, elegant space with a table set for six. The three British bankers were already there when Sam and Claudia arrived, and Sam made the introductions smoothly.
“Gentlemen, this is Claudia. She’s been consulting with Kinkaid Industries on some maritime expansion opportunities.”
“Pleasure,” said Edmund Hartley, the senior partner of the group. His eyes were sharp and assessing. “Maritime, you say? Interesting pivot for Kinkaid Industries.”
“Expansion of something we’re already doing in Texas,” Sam said smoothly, holding out Claudia’s chair. “One of my cousins in the UK saw an opportunity to expand on an existing line of business.”
The breakfast proceeded exactly as Sam had predicted.
There was discussion of portfolios, market trends, and potential investment opportunities.
Claudia listened attentively, asking an occasional intelligent question but mostly letting Sam lead the conversation.
She was good at this, he realized. Reading the room, knowing when to engage and when to simply be a gracious presence.
About halfway through breakfast, Edmund turned his attention more fully to Claudia. “Sam tells us you have family in the maritime industry. What’s your take on the Gulf market these days?”
Sam felt Claudia’s slight tension, but her voice was steady when she answered.
“It’s competitive, but there’s still room for growth if you’re willing to specialize.
My father’s business was not a major player, but I learned enough growing up crewing on his boat, and from my other jobs in the area, to understand the market dynamics. The key is reputation and reliability.”
“Sound advice.” Edmund nodded approvingly. “Sam, you’ve chosen your consultants well.”
By the time they finished breakfast and returned to the suite, it was nearly ten-thirty. The luncheon started at noon, which gave them just over an hour to regroup and prepare.
Sam loosened his tie as soon as they were through the door. “That went well. Edmund seemed impressed.”
“Did I do okay?” Claudia kicked off her shoes with obvious relief. “I felt like I was walking a tightrope the whole time.”
“You were perfect.” Sam pulled her close and kissed her thoroughly. “Have I mentioned how amazing you are?”
“Not in the last hour.” She smiled against his lips. “You could mention it more often.”
“I’ll make a note.” He reluctantly released her. “We should talk about the luncheon. It’s at Mark’s yacht again, right?”
“Yes, but a different group this time.” Claudia pulled out her tablet. “According to the schedule, it’s mostly European business contacts of Mark’s. Some overlap with last night’s ball, but several new faces.”
“And Kettering?”
“Not on the guest list, as far as we know.” She scrolled through the information Nick had sent. “Though with the Venifucus involved, we can’t assume anything.”
Sam moved to the windows, looking out at the harbor where Mark’s yacht was likely already prepared. “The fact that Kettering left the ball so early bothers me. He made his challenge, but then he didn’t follow through.”
“Maybe he was just sizing us up.” Claudia joined him at the window. “Seeing how we’d react to his presence and his little mage friends.”
“Or maybe he’s planning something for tonight’s ball.” Sam’s lion stirred uneasily. “The second ball is always less formal and more intimate. Easier to arrange a private confrontation.”
“Then we’ll be ready.” Claudia’s hand found his. “We have Mark and Nick backing us up, and Shelly’s not to be trifled with either.”
“I know.” Sam squeezed her hand. “I just don’t like putting you in danger.”
“I can handle myself.”
“I know that too.” He turned to face her fully. “But you’re mine now. That makes my protective instincts go into overdrive.”
Claudia’s expression softened. “I’m still the same mage who put wards on all your properties and made you those protective items. The same woman who agreed to come on this mission. Last night didn’t change my abilities, Sam. Just our relationship.”
“I know. Logically, I know that.” He ran a hand through his hair. “But my lion doesn’t care about logic. It just knows that my mate is potentially in the crosshairs of dangerous dark mages, and it wants to lock you somewhere safe until this is over.”
“It’s okay.” She reached up and cupped his face.
“I know a bit about what mating means for shifters. Granny explained some of it when she sent me to work with your Clan. But you have to trust that I know what I’m doing.
Maybe we should table the deep relationship discussions until after we’ve dealt with Kettering and his mage friends?
I find it hard to focus on emotions when there are people who might try to kill us running around nearby. ”
Sam laughed despite himself. “Fair point. Survival first, feelings later.”
“Exactly.” She glanced at her watch. “And speaking of survival, I need to change for lunch. Maurice specified the pale green sundress with the white sandals. Apparently, it says ‘sophisticated but approachable’.”
“Maurice thinks of everything.”
“He does. It’s slightly scary.” Claudia headed for her bedroom, then paused. “Sam? Last night was amazing. I just wanted you to know that.”
“For me too.” He watched her disappear into her room, and his lion settled, content despite the lingering danger to his mate.
Sam used the time while Claudia changed to call Gavin for a security update.
Nothing new had popped up, but Gavin confirmed that Kettering had returned to his own yacht after leaving the ball.
There was video of his movements on various paparazzi sites and social media outlets.
Almost everyone at the gala was being tracked when they set foot outside the official venues.
It didn’t look like Kettering was trying to hide his movements, either.
Which somehow made Sam more nervous, not less.
When Claudia emerged from her room fifteen minutes later, she looked fresh and elegant in the pale green dress Maurice had selected. It was simpler than last night’s gown, more suited to an afternoon on a yacht, but no less flattering.
“Hair and makeup?” Sam asked.
“Genevieve is coming at eleven-fifteen. She said this look is less formal, so it won’t take as long.” Claudia did a little turn. “Will this work?”
“You look beautiful.” Sam crossed to her. “Though I have to say, I prefer you in nothing at all.”
She blushed prettily. “Save that thought for after we survive the day.”
“Planning to seduce me later?” He almost salivated at the thought.
“Absolutely.” She went up on her toes and kissed him. “Now stop distracting me. I need to review the guest list for lunch one more time.”
A knock at the door announced Genevieve’s arrival. Sam retreated to his room to give them space, using the time to mentally prepare for the afternoon ahead.
The luncheon would be more casual than the breakfast, more social than business. But it was still an opportunity to observe, to gather intelligence, and to see who aligned with whom in this rarefied world of wealth and power.
Tonight, at the second ball, he expected Kettering to make a move. Whatever game the arms dealer was playing, whatever his Venifucus handlers had planned, it would likely come to a head at, or just after, the evening’s event.
Sam just hoped they were ready for it.
When Genevieve finally left and Claudia emerged with her hair styled in loose waves and her makeup subtle and fresh, Sam felt that now-familiar pull of attraction mixed with something deeper.
He offered his arm, and they headed out to face whatever the afternoon would bring.