Falke’s Captive by Madison Layle & Anna Leigh Keaton Read Free Book Online Page B

cat.
    She fired.
    Reidar saw a flash of auburn and heard a woman’s shout, but he was not as close to Gunnar as Kelan was, and not as quick to react.
    Kelan turned and leaped to block Gunnar before the woman finished her warning cry. And then he was stumbling back toward the counter.
    “What the hell?” Reidar raced to his brother’s side in time to break his fall, help guide him to the floor and hear Kelan mumble, “Not again.” His lids closed, and his body became dead weight.
    Gunnar growled with full, pissed off puma ferocity.
    A scuffle ensued behind Reidar as someone tangled with the shooter. Reidar pulled the tranquilizer dart from Kelan’s shoulder and allowed himself a sigh of relief.
    Just knocked out, not —No, he didn’t even want to think the words.
    “No, please, you don’t understand,” a woman cried.
    That voice was familiar. He looked up and turned to see her.
    “I understand you just shot my brother, lady,” Axel damn near snarled, refusing to let go of the woman’s wrists. He’d already knocked the pistol to the floor. Dakota picked it up gingerly, as if it would bite her.
    Beth…
    “Oh, God! Is he?” Heidi knelt beside them. “Let me see.”
    “Stop…Let me go. That cat’s dangerous!” The auburn-haired shooter, teeth bared, continued to struggle with Axel to no avail. The Falke men were stronger than the average human, so she could fight all she wanted.
    Axel gritted out, “The only thing dangerous around here is you.”
    “He’s okay,” Reidar said to his worried sister who was busy checking Kelan’s pulse. Reidar held up the tiny dart. “He’s just tranq’d.”
    Heidi glanced at the dart, gave a quick nod and lifted an eyelid to see Kelan’s pupil.
    Despite the chaos—Gunnar hissing, Dakota holding the gun, Axel holding a trigger-happy and squirmy Beth, Torsten and Sindre showing up with the typical, “What’s going on?” and “Who’s she?” questions, and Heidi telling anyone to call 9-1-1—Reidar suddenly found the whole situation hilarious.
    And there Kelan lay, out like a light, missing the whole damn thing.
    Reidar’s sudden burst of laughter silenced everyone around him. All gazes—human and catamount alike—turned toward him. His, on the other hand, targeted the auburn beauty caged within Axel’s bear hug.
    So this was the scientist that downed Kel? Twice.
    He chuckled again. She was still damn cute. Creamy long legs and rounded hips encased in khaki shorts today, a nice-sized chest beneath a double layer of pastel tank tops, and waves of ginger around the unblemished face of a pixie topped off with those adorable glasses, now askew on her nose from her struggles. Reidar shook his head and grinned.
    “What’s so amusing?” Axel demanded. He didn’t release the squirmy firebrand.
    Reidar ignored the question and climbed to his feet, placing a hand on Gunnar’s neck as if to pet the cat.
    The woman’s eyes widened even more as she looked at him, really looked at him, and watched him reach out toward the cougar without losing his hand in the process. Her lips parted, and her gaze collided with his, recognition now obvious in her expression.
    Shh, he told his family. I think I can explain. He glanced at Sindre, who’d retrieved a cell phone from his pants pocket. Wait on that call to 9-1-1. Just hear me out.
    “Let her go, Ax,” he said aloud.
    “I don’t think—”
    Please. “Beth’s unarmed now. I don’t think she’ll hurt anyone else, will you?” Reidar stared at the flustered woman, waiting for a response.
    After an almost imperceptible pause, she shook her head. “Reidar?”
    He nodded, pleased she’d recognized him amid his look-alike siblings.
    “You know this woman?” Axel asked, his voice full of fury.
    “Yes. She’s Beth Coldwell. Kelan and I met her at the Tap ’n Tine the other night.” He glanced at his younger brothers who were now grinning like loons as they realized who she was. “Kelan’ll be fine,” Reidar