Coco shook her head and shoved her hands in her pockets. "I keep thinking the director of Mlilo is going to fire me. Now I find out she recommends me."Paxton rolled her words around. He'd been there, certain that the guys in his unit didn't like him, that he was alone despite being part of a team. Even joining Aegis Group had taken some convincing because he just wasn't their type of guy and he knew it. Or he'd thought he'd known it until he accepted the job offer and really got to know the guys."When you grow up apart from everyone, it's hard to see how you fit in." He turned, and they strolled up the lane toward her house."What do you mean?""You said you spent a lot of your years growing up alone because you didn't fit anywhere, right?""Yeah. But some of that was intentional. When we were kids and Mom left Dad, it was still illegal for us to be her kids." She tipped her chin up and stared at the sky. "When we were really little, she split a flat with this prostitute who had

PAXTON GAVE COCO'S hand one last squeeze before reaching for the tent flap and pulling it back. She let go of his hand and stepped past him, into the tent with its combined audience of Aegis Group and Mlilo's anti-poaching team.He wasn't sure how today was going to go. He'd lain in bed this morning mulling the problem over with no solutions.Now what?Zain stood in the corner with Shane and Daluxolo. Zain glanced toward Paxton, catching his eye and jerked his head. Paxton changed directions and strode across, joining the three men already in discussion."What's up?" Paxton asked.Zain's gaze was serious, all business. "I just want to confirm that you didn't see anything last night that proves Utata's death?"Paxton hooked his thumbs in his pockets and glanced at Shane. "I thought you didn't want to know about last night.""Did you find any of the darts?" Zain asked."No." Paxton grimaced. "We looked. I brought Coco in and we didn't see the horn. Then the fire started up and ou

COCO COULDN'T ACTUALLY believe she was here.Johannesburg was such a world away from her daily life at Mlilo. Concrete buildings rose into the sky. Sleek cars went on their way with little to no dust covering the exterior. Purple Jacaranda trees were in bloom here and there. Tall, digital billboards of chocolate skinned goddesses advertised products Coco had never heard of.She took a deep breath, and it was as though she couldn't get enough air. There were too many people, too much noise.A warm hand wrapped around hers.She glanced at Paxton, grateful he'd offered to drive her into the city. Lacey and Shane were in the back seat, and Coco knew her best friend would offer the same comfort, but it was Paxton she wanted. She focused on his profile, the bumps in his nose, those tiny scars at his temple, rather than the world passing them by.How was it they'd found each other?There'd never been a man in her life who she wanted to be with all the time. Until Paxton. She was beginni

COCO STARED AT EBRAHIM. She knew his name and had seen his handiwork, but this was the first time they'd locked eyes. Or at least that's what she'd have expected.She knew this man, but not by the name Ebrahim.It wasn't uncommon for the larger poaching operations to get someone hired on at a place like Mlilo. They'd get an inside view on security, a leg up. She remembered working with Ebrahim, even if he hadn't been there long."Decided you didn't like the name Isaac anymore?" She crossed her arms over her chest and swallowed down the burning sensation in her chest.Ebrahim wrinkled his nose, a smile curling his lips. "It didn't fit."Someone across the room shifted and their foot scraped. Coco glanced at the person and her heart fell.The boy, Cameron, the one she'd run down on her motorcycle for taking Sushi Roll, stood holding a backpack, staring at her. So much for their bargain over groceries."Is this what you do? Groom people so you can murder a whole species?" She ges

COCO STARED OUT at the private pool outside Lacey's honeymoon villa. Guilt ate at Coco for begging off the spa treatment. She couldn't relax and the thought of someone leaning into her personal space made her want to crawl under a table and never come out."Here." Lacey pushed a cold bottle of water at her."I'm really sorry," Coco mumbled."Stop." Lacey grasped her by both shoulders and turned Coco to face her. "Do not apologize, got it?"Coco stared miserably at her best friend."Talk to me. Tell me what's going on." Lacey nudged Coco toward the sofa. "Lunch will be here any minute."She retreated, sinking onto the cushions and curling her legs under her.Where did she start?"How can I be mad at people like Ebrahim for poaching when what happened to them was equally bad?" Coco asked."Two wrongs don't make a right. Before you say anything else, yes, I realize this is a complicated situation. We've been over that. The darts were there. That means Ebrahim is probably also beh