Eye of the Tiger Read Free Page B

with.”
    Snarling, he put his blinker on before slowing down to stop off on the side of the road. He kept his gaze on the side mirror as a Lake Worth Sheriff deputy stepped out of his cruiser.
    Zak had to manually roll down the window of the old truck and he smiled as the law approached. “Afternoon, deputy, was I speeding?”
    “Please step out of the vehicle, sir,” he ordered.
    “What?” Zak asked, not moving. “What did I do?”
    The deputy—a human, his senses told him—placed his hand over the gun at his side. “Step out of the vehicle, slowly.”
    Shit, he didn’t need this hassle. Peeking quickly at Luca, he noted the same confusion on Luca’s face. Since he really didn’t want to get shot, he carefully followed orders.
    “You too,” the deputy said to Luca.
    Luca was cursing under his breath, but the human probably couldn’t pick up on it like Zak. Once he stood next to the truck, the deputy pushed his shoulder. “Turn around and put your hands on the back of your neck.”
    Fuming, he complied. He wished he was alone and could tell this stupid hick exactly who he’d pulled over. After he finished this mission, he was going to come back with a few of his co-workers and find out what the guy’s issue was.
    The deputy patted him down before yanking his arms back and handcuffing him. Zak held in his wince as the metal pinched his flesh.
    “He’s clean,” the deputy hollered to someone Zak couldn’t see.
    “Thank you, Deputy Johnson,” a soft feminine voice answered. “Check the passenger please.”
    When the deputy had walked away from him, Zak leaned back to see if he could spot the woman. Her sexy southern drawl was enough to have his body taking interest.
    “Please turn around, Mr. Lewis.”
    He startled, not realizing she’d moved behind him. Spinning around, Zak almost bit his tongue. The woman before him was beautiful. She was a good four or five inches shorter than him, so she had to tilt her head back to meet his gaze.
    Curly brown hair fell in soft waves around light brown eyes and a dimpled chin. She wore black slacks with a tight gray button-down shirt. He looked her over from head to toe, knowing he was coming off obnoxious but he had to stay in character. “What can I help you with, darling?” he asked seductively.
    She frowned, which caused lines in her forehead and around her eyes. “Drop the act, Mr. Lewis,” she spoke quietly but firmly. “I’m Special Agent Fox with the ATF.”
    She held up a badge showing that she did indeed work for the government agency Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. If they were watching the farm, Zak had more problems than he’d thought. Any investigation the human organization was running would interfere with his entire mission.
    He hadn’t sacrificed three months of his life for nothing. “Fox, huh? I’ll agree to that.”
    The pinched look on her face wasn’t unexpected. Normally Zak would have been respectful to another in law enforcement even if she was going to fuck up his investigation, but his cover wouldn’t.
    Taking a step forward, she pointed at him. He caught a whiff of an unexpected scent as she moved closer. This wasn’t just any agent. No, this was a feline shifter like him.
    “I have some questions, Mr. Lewis, and it would be best if you answered.”
    Since she was so hostile toward him, Zak doubted that she knew he was with the Coalition. Any check she would have done on him would have just given her what his cover had been set up as.
    “I’m not talking to an agent,” he said in his most offended tone. “How do you know who I am anyway?”
    “I know more than you think. You all really believe you’re hidden out on that property? We’re closing in and this is your only chance to help yourself. If you cooperate, I may get you out of some serious charges. If you don’t, you’ll find yourself behind bars for a very long time.”
    Why this agent’s threat was turning him on Zak didn’t know, but damn his