A Cougar's Claim (Charmed in Vegas Book 7) Read Online Free Page B

out of Inila’s throat. “Keep your hands to yourself shifter, or I’ll rip them off and eat them.”
    Sparks rose and fell in Inila’s irises, a sign of her magic awakening. Not good. She didn’t want Kit to die, even if he had broken her heart and then thought he could randomly show up out of nowhere and molest her with his mouth. If Inila decided to shift and fry Kit, there wasn’t much anyone could do. Dragons were nearly impossible to kill—rumored to only be vulnerable to weapons made from dragon bones and scales.
    Rhiannon doubted those weapons even existed. If dragons ever died, they slunk off alone in the night and hid their body like a sick pet cat.
    Rhiannon cleared her throat. A messy ball of hurt and confusion crawled up her throat. “It’s fine Inila, don’t worry about it. He’s made it clear he’s not into being with me for anything other than a one and done.”
    “Rhiannon—” Kit’s voice was a snarl she felt more than heard.
    “Look Kit, I’m trying to find my...friend Jase. The desk clerk told me he rented this room.” Inching away, she wriggled her hands free and tucked them behind her back. Anything to keep her stupid hands from reaching for him. “How’d you get in here? Do you have a key? Are you here with Jase?”
    Deep wrinkles formed between Kit’s eyebrows and bracketed his mouth. A muscle near his eye twitched. “I’m not here with Jase.”
    “Well, do you know where he is? I have to find him.” A tiny spurt of hope ignited in Rhiannon’s chest. Finally, she was getting somewhere with this search that’d taken her into almost every bar and club on and off the Strip.
    “He’s not here. And I’m not sorry about the kiss, in fact, I’m going to fucking kiss you again.” He crowded in closer.
    “Back off pussy cat.” Inila sidestepped between them and elbowed him in the gut hard enough to force him into the middle of the hallway. “The clock’s ticking. Every minute you waste out here in the hallway is going to cost you.”
    “What the—? I told you, I didn’t call you.” Kit tried to get around Inila, a scowl turning his lips down and the reflective gold of his cougar’s eyes glinting. “Damn it dragon, get out of my way.”
    “I don’t think so.” Inila crossed her arms over her chest and popped a hip out. “Rhia, if you’re going, it’s a good time to get gone.”
    God, her friend was right. She had to leave, now, before Kit touched her again. Each moment of skin-on-skin contact made it more difficult to leave him. If he kissed her again, she’d lose control and give zero fucks about the consequences. Rhiannon shook her head and turned on her heel. Deciding to let Inila play guard dragon with Kit, she stuffed all the hurt and confusion inside down deep where she’d hopefully be able to forget about them until she’d found Jase and the money.
    She didn’t need men like Kit Barrientos in her life. Tossing her hair out and over her shoulder, she put some serious sway into stomping down the hallway like she’d just destroyed the runway.
    Maybe one of the staff members had seen Jase sneak out. Desperation threatened to overwhelm her, gobble her up like the ogre she’d taken the loan from. Mancini had been happier than hell when she’d begged for an extension to get the money because he thought he had her backed into the perfect trap with no way out.
    She’d be held captive in his lair underground for five years, forced to dance at his whim.
    To perform the...duties of his personal harem.
    Bile burned her esophagus.
    Fucking shifters. If she shaved Jase and Kit bald while they slept, would they shift and look like one of those creepy furless house cats?
    Oh, they deserved that and so, so much more.
    Ignoring the ruckus of her friend tussling with the only man she’d ever loved, she refused to resign herself to defeat. She’d find Jase, she’d find the money, and then she’d get the hell out of Vegas.
    “Rhiannon.” Kit called her name, and