Page 1 of Hers to Claim

Chapter 1

Mariana Reyes had neverwanted to be queen of anything—least of all the criminal empire her father had spent decades building. So when she walked into her office to find a confrontation in progress only two days after watching an incubus be blown to atoms, she almost turned around and walked right back out again. Saints, she hadn’t even finished her coffee.

Facing off against each other across the sunny room were Tilly, the harpy who was Mari’s best friend, and Kima, the prickly lion shifter that Tilly had admitted she wanted more than anyone else in the world. Mari had been expecting some kind of dustup between them since Kima was staying in one of their guest rooms, but that it was going down in her office was a surprise.

So far, her day was going great.

Tilly stood with her blue-feathered arms crossed over her chest, staring daggers at the equally-pissed-off object of her desire. “I told her no one was allowed in here without you, but she wouldn’t fucking listen.”

Kima was tall, dark-skinned, and had arms more muscular than any woman Mari had ever seen. She couldn’t understand how Tilly wasn’t wilting under the shifter’s malevolent gaze, because Mari absolutely wanted to hide anywhere that would get her out of Kima’s line of sight.

Mari looked around the office briefly, trying to draw strength from the familiar pattern of blue light that bathed her desk through the stained glass window. “It’s okay, Till,” Mari said as she crossed the hardwood floor, careful not to walk between them. “We haven’t been officially introduced. I’m Mariana.”

“I know who the fuck you are,” Kima spat. After a moment she seemed to relax a bit. “I’m Kima, the lady whose asshole boss you murdered a couple of nights ago. Thanks for that, by the way.”

She hadn’t actually killed Argento, but she didn’t bother to correct Kima because everyone in the room knew the story as well as Mari did. Dohal, the dangerous, powerful entity that Mari had been unknowingly sustaining for years had finally showed up, furious that the incubi in charge of Las Vegas had been keeping him captive. He had claimed to have only withdrawn his protection from Argento, but she had no idea if that was true.

Oh, and Mari was desperately trying not to think about Dohal, lest he materialize again.

Mari offered her hand and Kima shook it cautiously. That was fair enough. Kima had little reason to trust her. Her father’s casual cruelty had made everyone a bit mistrustful of her intentions.

That was a problem Mari could solve. “How is your friend? I didn’t catch his name.”

“Bren. He’s okay. Still recovering. He was pretty banged up.” Kima straightened to stand even taller. She was nearly as tall as Rio. “I wanted to come and make sure we were square.”

Mari raised an eyebrow. “How do you mean?”

“I kidnapped Rio and was a part of what happened to him. I figured you’d be mad about that and might want to exact some sort of revenge.”

“Ahh,” Mari said and turned toward the desk that had once been her mother’s. Her hand stroked one of the carved details that always reminded her of crashing waves. “It’s my understanding that wasn’t your idea.”

Kima laughed harshly. “No. That sadistic fuck made me do it, but all the same, I did it.”

“He coerced you by threatening someone you cared about?” Mari studied Kima until the lion shifter nodded in confirmation. “As you probably know, I’m pretty familiar with that style of manipulation. I wouldn’t take that out on you. Especially since Argento is already dead.”

“That’s very generous of you.” Kima bowed her head a fraction of an inch. “As soon as Bren is ready to go, we’ll be out of your way.”

Cisco entered her office with an indulgent smile, a huge wall of dark muscle and wings. “I’d like to talk to you about that, if you don’t mind.”

Rio was on his heels, taking in the tension in the room with a sweep of his eyes. The puma shifter made a gesture to Tilly, who left the room with a sigh of relief. Mari didn’t have any idea what that was about, but made a mental note to ask later.

Kima shrugged. “I didn’t figure you would want to take it out of my hide, but fair is fair.”

Cisco rolled his eyes. “We’re not doing that. I wanted to talk to you about a job offer, since you’re newly unemployed.”

Kima narrowed her gaze. “I heard you got all new folks up at the club. Not sure what you’d want me around for.”

“We need a second-in-command, and I want it to be you.”

Kima glanced from Cisco to Rio, confusion evident on her face. “I assumed you already had one.”

“Nah,” Rio chuckled, his dark eyes crinkling with mirth. “That’s an HR violation just waiting to happen.”

“Rio, Mariana, and I are partners. None of us are second to any of us. Having him be in that position would be awkward.”

“Well, just to state the obvious, I enjoy an awkward position,” Rio said with a scandalous amount of glee.

Cisco cut a look his way that was both amused and exasperated in equal measure. “See what I mean? I can’t have him sassing me like that if he’s my second-in-command.”

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