to hers she saw something she’d never seen before. No, she’d seen it before and had taken that warning by running so fast she didn’t even know where she’d finally stopped. Today she had no place to run. X stood in front of the door he’d broken into. There were two windows on the opposite side of the room but they looked like they belonged in a mental institution—too slim for any human or shifter to slip through, but just big enough to offer some sunshine and fresh air.
No, this time, Caprise realized she’d have to stand and face the beast staring back at her.
“If you know who that is that keeps calling and texting you I’d advise you to tell me right now,” he said in a tone so tight, so lethal she actually shivered before straightening her back.
“No,” she said, taking a nervous step toward him. “That’s my phone and whoever calls or texts me is my business.”
“Don’t play with me, Caprise. This is serious.”
“It’s my business, Xavier. I didn’t ask you to get involved and I’d actually prefer if you didn’t.” She reached out a hand for the phone.
Her limbs didn’t shake although she felt like she wanted to. Inside her cat paced, watching to see what would come next. It was eerily drawn to the cat within X, the beast that had warranted his swift eye-color change. Caprise pushed back, daring her cat to make a move. She’d kept her other half on a tight rein all these years; she wasn’t about to stop now just because he was around.
“Someone is threatening you,” he said, his voice a lower timbre than it had been before. “I don’t like it.”
“It’s not your concern,” she replied quickly.
He took a step toward her and she had to demand her feet remain still. Lifting her head to stare up at him she said, her voice just a tad lower in compromise, “It’s no big deal. I can handle it.”
His gaze searched hers for what seemed like endless moments. Then he did something that shocked and confused her. X extended a hand, touching the edge of her chin softly with one finger. The very motion looked awkward on him, yet felt surprisingly soft and whimsical to her. Then he spoke and awkward took another turn.
“I’m leaving for Sedona in three hours. Come with me.”
* * *
Why had he asked her that?
His conversation with Bas had ended with the Mountain Faction Leader mentioning that Felipe Hernandez, a former lieutenant in the Cortez Cartel, had clammed up tight and wasn’t talking to anyone. Bas and his guards had captured the drug runner while he was overseeing a shipment in New Mexico. Rome and Nick were both sure Hernandez could tell them how their parents had been in contact with Julio Cortez years ago. And if that contact had led to the betrayal of the shifters.
“Maybe you could persuade him to talk,” Bas had said after explaining that Hernandez was basically choosing to die of hunger and deprivation instead of telling Bas and his team what they wanted to know.
There was a hint of sarcasm in the man’s voice when he’d made the suggestion, and everyone knew sarcasm was Bas’s first language. But in the prickly mood X was in he’d taken it as an instant challenge.
“I think I’ll do just that.”
After a brief hesitation Bas had chuckled. “I’ll have a room ready for you.”
“Make that a suite. If that bastard Hernandez is staying in luxury, I can, too.”
“Whatever, man,” Bas said, still chuckling as if he didn’t really expect X to fly to Sedona to question the drug dealer.
Even when he’d hung up X wondered why he’d been so eager to get on a plane and go himself. That reason came to him the moment he closed his eyes. Her eyes stared back at him, dark, mysterious, enthralling. In the recesses of his mind he could hear her voice, whispering his name. Just a whisper; she didn’t scream it out loud at the moment of her climax as so many women had done before her. No, Caprise wouldn’t give in that easily. She’d said it but
No, this time, Caprise realized she’d have to stand and face the beast staring back at her.
“If you know who that is that keeps calling and texting you I’d advise you to tell me right now,” he said in a tone so tight, so lethal she actually shivered before straightening her back.
“No,” she said, taking a nervous step toward him. “That’s my phone and whoever calls or texts me is my business.”
“Don’t play with me, Caprise. This is serious.”
“It’s my business, Xavier. I didn’t ask you to get involved and I’d actually prefer if you didn’t.” She reached out a hand for the phone.
Her limbs didn’t shake although she felt like she wanted to. Inside her cat paced, watching to see what would come next. It was eerily drawn to the cat within X, the beast that had warranted his swift eye-color change. Caprise pushed back, daring her cat to make a move. She’d kept her other half on a tight rein all these years; she wasn’t about to stop now just because he was around.
“Someone is threatening you,” he said, his voice a lower timbre than it had been before. “I don’t like it.”
“It’s not your concern,” she replied quickly.
He took a step toward her and she had to demand her feet remain still. Lifting her head to stare up at him she said, her voice just a tad lower in compromise, “It’s no big deal. I can handle it.”
His gaze searched hers for what seemed like endless moments. Then he did something that shocked and confused her. X extended a hand, touching the edge of her chin softly with one finger. The very motion looked awkward on him, yet felt surprisingly soft and whimsical to her. Then he spoke and awkward took another turn.
“I’m leaving for Sedona in three hours. Come with me.”
* * *
Why had he asked her that?
His conversation with Bas had ended with the Mountain Faction Leader mentioning that Felipe Hernandez, a former lieutenant in the Cortez Cartel, had clammed up tight and wasn’t talking to anyone. Bas and his guards had captured the drug runner while he was overseeing a shipment in New Mexico. Rome and Nick were both sure Hernandez could tell them how their parents had been in contact with Julio Cortez years ago. And if that contact had led to the betrayal of the shifters.
“Maybe you could persuade him to talk,” Bas had said after explaining that Hernandez was basically choosing to die of hunger and deprivation instead of telling Bas and his team what they wanted to know.
There was a hint of sarcasm in the man’s voice when he’d made the suggestion, and everyone knew sarcasm was Bas’s first language. But in the prickly mood X was in he’d taken it as an instant challenge.
“I think I’ll do just that.”
After a brief hesitation Bas had chuckled. “I’ll have a room ready for you.”
“Make that a suite. If that bastard Hernandez is staying in luxury, I can, too.”
“Whatever, man,” Bas said, still chuckling as if he didn’t really expect X to fly to Sedona to question the drug dealer.
Even when he’d hung up X wondered why he’d been so eager to get on a plane and go himself. That reason came to him the moment he closed his eyes. Her eyes stared back at him, dark, mysterious, enthralling. In the recesses of his mind he could hear her voice, whispering his name. Just a whisper; she didn’t scream it out loud at the moment of her climax as so many women had done before her. No, Caprise wouldn’t give in that easily. She’d said it but
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