Read Ivory (Manhatten ten) for Free Online

one would get close enough to notice the difference.
    The elevator dinged. Panther wouldn’t have bothered, so it couldn’t be him. My shoulders relaxed. I’d recovered my calm, but I couldn’t be too careful around him. “Yes?”
    Angel stepped out in a curve-hugging black cocktail gown. “I’m so glad you’re ready. You look stunning and…are those diamonds?” She squinted. “But the molecular structure…”
    I shouldn’t hope to fool a super brain. “Family secret.”
    “I see.” Angel grinned. Clearly, she did see. “The boys are waiting downstairs, but I wanted to give you the option. We can ride together and make a group appearance or you and I can take a private car.”
    All of them in one car would be too much to handle, but then again, I hadn’t met the whole roster. With the media frenzy an M-10 press event would stir, I didn’t want any surprises at the venue. Better to finish introductions early. “I’ll ride with your group.”
    “Perfect.” Angel ushered me into the elevator. “The boys will be on their best behavior or they’ll hear it from me.”
    I hoped she could deliver.
    We traveled into the building’s bowels and a sprawling underground garage. Fancy foreign cars and remodeled American vintages took up the closest spots. Obviously not the employee parking lot. A massive stretch Hummer idled in the aisle, and its door opened as we approached.
    Someone was already using his powers. I just hoped the night didn’t end with me using mine. I had to stay calm. Controlled. Appease the press. This would blow over and I’d be back to my apartment. Surely, I could find a job at another airline.  
    Angel climbed in first and immediately began reseating. “You can’t sit next to her, Pan. No. Cyclone, to the back. Thunder, over here. Good.” When everything was to her liking, she peeked outside. “Ready, Ivory?”
    As much as I would ever be. Though I did admire the way Angel dealt with the men.
    I took a deep breath and stepped inside. It was a smorgasbord of leather and testosterone. Big men in expensive suits set off every one of my internal alarms.  
    Not just men. Predators.  
    Heroes with deadly powers. As soon as the door closed, I was trapped with them.
    Panther caught my gaze first, his yellow eyes glowing. He whistled. “Damn.”
    “Pan!” Angel tossed her clutch at him. He caught the bag before it smacked his face, and though he smiled, his gaze never left mine.
    Suddenly I felt the breeze from the low neckline, and the ice diamonds chilled my warming skin. Stay calm.
    “Thanks for joining us.” Tank nodded from his seat. “It will be painless. Canapés, cocktails and some glad-handing the press.”
    If that was what he called painless. I shuddered.  
    “Sit here.” Angel ushered me to the empty space between her and a hero I hadn’t yet met. “This is Thunder. He won’t annoy you.”  
    “What an introduction.” The man gave a gentle eye-roll, but offered a hand. He sported neat blond curls and an impeccable green pin stripe suit that set off his eyes. “Pleasure. And stunning gown. DVF?”
    “Angel chose it for me.” And seating charts seemed to be another of her talents. This Thunder was no less a danger than the others, but a heavy shellacking of civility polished his edges.
    “Good eye, as usual.” Thunder nodded to Angel before returning his attention to me. “You haven’t met the crew?”
    “Don’t be so charming,” Panther grumbled. Cyclone was his only company in the car’s far corner, and I was glad for the space from both of them.  
    Not that I could breathe easily in such an assembly. “I haven’t been introduced.”
    “Allow me.” Thunder grinned, his green eyes bright with amusement. “Panther is our cat man, though he seems to be in the doghouse at the moment. Has anyone warned you not to piss off Angel?”
    Angel crossed her arms and muttered something in Spanish, obviously directed at Panther. I nodded. I had her measure