by T. A. Grey
She grabbed the edge of the seat for something to hold on to as they sped way over the speed limit. “What would that be?”
“My brother’s mate has been attacked.” His hands twisted on the steering wheel like he wanted to crush it.
“Is it because of me?”
He gave a bitter laugh as he began rummaging around his pockets. Probably looking for another smoke. “Sweetheart, it has nothing to do with you and everything to do with me and the Donatos.”
Feeling nervous at his intensity, Arabella offered, “Can I help you find something?” She was afraid he’d erupt like a ticking time bomb ready to detonate at any moment.
He smiled sardonically. “Can you track down my pack of cigarettes?”
She didn’t bother answering since they both knew how stupid the question was. “You really shouldn’t smoke.”
He grimaced, like something tasted bad. “You’re one of them, aren’t you?”
“One of who?” she asked sweetly. Did he have any idea how hard it was for her not to reach over and just take his hand? She doubted it. The man needed comfort. Needed time to heal from his bruid’s death, not to be out here hunting down killers. Or, driving down the highway at dangerous speeds that made her heart skip a beat.
“One of those nags who doesn’t believe anyone should smoke just because you don’t,” he said. Hostility rang in every one of his words.
“You, vampire, might live long and prosper with your undead lungs. I, on the other hand, am still susceptible to the smoke.” She threw in a few fake coughs for good measure which only earned her a glare. If only he knew that every time he looked at her, her stomach fluttered.
“You are not.” He started rummaging in the console for a pack, growing angrier by the second. “I always keep a spare smoke in here somewhere.” He swerved hard to the right as a car pulled in front of them. Ara held her breath as her body jerked side-to-side and she saw her life flash before her eyes.
“Will you slow down?” she asked between terrified breaths.
Something close to madness glittered in his eyes. “Are you scared? Tell me, Arabella, what frightens you?”
“People who speed.”
Reaching across her lap, Grayson fished around in the glove compartment—while speeding. Her white-knuckle grip on the seat did little to assuage her panic. Plastic crinkled as he pulled away with a pack. However, when he fished his fingers around inside he suddenly cursed loudly, making her scream too.
He threw the empty pack against the window, his jaw grinding side-to-side. For a moment his teeth bared. Then, he seemed to purposely collect himself. He slowed his movements and his heavy breathing as he reached into the car’s ashtray. In it sat a mangled butt. He stuck the old thing between clamped lips and lit up.
“How old is that cigarette? That can’t be sanitary at all,” she said.
“Old enough,” he said in answer.
As they neared the Blackmoore Estate, he finally slowed enough for her to catch her breath.
“Still, doesn’t that seem gross?”
He just looked at her. Heavy circles lined beneath his eyes and wrinkles crinkled at the corners from where he always looked like he was squinting. He looked ragged and tired. “Do you really think I care?”
“No, no I don’t. Grayson, I—”
“What?” he interrupted, his hard gaze pressing her to say something spectacular.
“I just wanted to say—”
Dammit, girl, just do it. You’ve wanted to do it from the moment you saw him.
“Can’t wait to hear this,” he grumbled.
Arabella narrowed her eyes. “You know, I’ve done nothing to you.”
“What?” he asked. He looked truly surprised.
“That’s right. I’ve done nothing to you, and in fact, you’ve been nothing but awful to me. What’s to even keep me here?”
“The millions of dollars I paid for your services,” he reminded her sharply.
“There’s that, true. But your attitude has been off the charts hostile. You’re dealing with some really painful times right now. I get it. I do. But it isn’t okay for you to keep this up.” Now that she’d started being honest, she let the gates open all the way. “On top of that, I think I know the real reason.”
He looked more intrigued and less angry. “The reason for what?” he asked in that accented voice of his.
She leaned in close, smug grin in place. “I know the real reason you don’t like me.”
His eyes widened, again, with surprise. “Now you have my attention, Were. Do tell me the real reason why I don’t like you. As you have claimed.”
“Because we’ve kissed.”
Apparently that must have been the last thing he thought she’d say, because the car swerved hard and this time there wasn’t another car cutting them off. This was all him. He righted the vehicle and she could see the cogs turning in his head.
“One would think that since we’ve kissed I’d be inclined to like you, not dislike you,” he said at length, as if he too was contemplating why he didn’t like her.
“Maybe so. However, you are not just anyone. You are Grayson Blackmoore. And I think you don’t like me because we’ve kissed,” she said. She was having a good time now, smiling and leaning close to him with her teasing. She could smell clove from his cigarette mixed with his own masculine scent—it created a heady concoction that a woman could grow used to.
“That still doesn’t explain it.”
“It does when you think about it like this. You’re a very honor-bound male. It is in everything you do. Even when I first met you when we were young. You were so rigid and worried. It was obvious in the way you held yourself that you wanted to do every little thing right.”
“Seems perfectly natural to me considering the situation,” he said.
“Perhaps, or maybe it shows just how regimented you are,” she countered.
“You still have yet to explain what this has to do with kissing.” He cast her a glance, his golden brown Blackmoore eyes flitting to her mouth before darting away. But, for that single moment he looked at her mouth, a rush of answering heat grew inside her.
“What I’m trying to say, Grayson Blackmoore,” she began impatiently, “is that after we kissed, we never properly addressed it. In any way. We never saw each other again until the other day. So that kiss is still in there air between us. Like unfinished business,” she said as an afterthought. “There. That’s what I’m saying.”
Finally they pulled up the long drive to the Blackmoore Estate. Encased in a black gate, the opulent mansion sat high upon a green hill with an immaculate lawn and a marble fountain out front deep in the heart of St. Louis, Missouri. They stopped and a valet rushed to open Grayson’s door—not hers, she noted—though, she wasn’t a Blackmoore. However, Gray held up his hand and the valet retracted himself back to a safe distance.
Then he turned to her. “Like unfinished business?” His gaze felt entirely too warm as he looked at her. The temperature must be rising because she flushed.
The need to lean in and press her lips to his nearly overwhelmed her. She found herself squirming in her seat, biting her lip as the most maddening thought came to mind. It came suddenly, taking her by surprise—the memory of that kiss. In her mind she stood in his arms again, enclosed by rocks as the others tried to free them. She hadn’t known who he was, but when he told her his real name she’d experienced disappointment like no other. And now he sat before her looking sad but devastatingly handsome with a mocking, cold smile on his face. It didn’t make her mad or some other nonsense; it made her hot.
With brazen forwardness, Arabella pulled a move her friend Sissy would appreciate—she leaned forward and kissed Grayson Blackmoore. A sharp intake of breath greeted her at the first warm caress. She pulled back a scant inch, her eyes locked with his, and kissed him again. Her body nearly swayed at the power of that touch. She craved more of his kisses and leaned in once more. Kissing was no longer enough. Her b
ody needed to be closer to his. Without even thinking about it, she cupped his cheek and kissed him harder—not tongue; just simply feeling his warm mouth made her tingle all over. The need to take so much more was great so when he removed himself from her grasp and returned to his side of the SUV, not facing her, a crashing wave of disappointment slammed through her. It tasted bitter and hollow and it hurt.
He shook his head once as if answering an unasked question—no.
CHAPTER 15
When Grayson crashed into the antique pine bookcase it didn’t hurt so much as irritate him. Wood splintered and precious books older than he was thudded to the floor carelessly. His older brother, Dom, held him by the lapels of his leather jacket as the room became deadly silent.
He and Dom had always been close in their own way. They hadn’t shared many personal conversations over the years, but that was only because it wasn’t necessary. Dom was only thirteen months older than Gray. Their father had gotten Diane, his bruid, pregnant for the first time. That son would bear the name Dominic. Four months after Dominic was born, some business took his father, Argonzo, out to Turkey where he quickly thought himself in love with a peasant vampire named Aysel. He’d bedded her, gotten her pregnant with Gray. Only the oldest and the youngest brother were born from Diane—Dominic and Lucas.
“You said you’d take care of this. Now my mate has a broken arm and half of her guard is dead.” Dom visibly struggled to rein in his temper.
“I am taking care of it. Now let go of me, kardesh.” Kardesh. It meant brother in their native Turkish tongue.
Dom bared his teeth in a snarl. He looked about ready to snap. Gray stood still, just waiting. A part of him wanted Dom to snap. If only so that he could unleash some of the frustrated fury smoldering inside himself. “If you don’t have this matter under control then tell me. Because this Donato motherfucker attacked my mate today and if I don’t see his blood soon, I’m going to take him down myself.”
“The tracker’s here. She’s already found a casino tied to the Donatos. I promise you, it will not be much longer,” Gray said. He didn’t bother mentioning that Dom would not be able to find the Donatos. Many people had tried over the years, or so Gray had found in his research of the family. They kept their location hidden, moved often, and trusted no one. There was only one way to find the Donatos and Grayson had the key waiting in the guest bedroom upstairs.
Dom released him and everyone sighed as the tension eased. That was until the door swung open. Out of all people to appear, Alpha Zeke Hunter strolled into the library with a saunter that would make any cowboy proud. “Whya hey, fellas, my lady—” he tipped a hat he was not wearing to the ladies.
“What is he doing here?” Dom growled. The Blackmoore family didn’t like the alpha. Not after he won the presidency over Dom. On top of that, he was just nuts and had sort of kidnapped Felicity—though she’d agreed to it at the time. It was a long story.
“I called him.” Everyone spun to stare at Diane as if she’d grown two heads.
“Why did you do that?” Grayson asked, his own voice a growl. He had to resist the need to pace. His blood began pumping faster, jacking him up, muscles twitching to move and strike. Too much was happening in his life, to him, and to his family. And after that kiss with Arabella… What the fuck was that? He needed time to unwind. The burning sting of guilt hung over him like demonic possession. God only knew if he could purge it from himself.
He was such a bastard. His mate was dead, not even a week and already he kissed another.
I didn’t kiss her. She kissed me.
Or was it the other way around? Hell, he didn’t know. That’s why he wanted to get out of here. The last thing he wanted was to be stuck around his family and have to listen to their awkward condolences, or worse, their heartfelt ones. And the questions—that was worse than that condolences. The how are you doing, honeys and the thoughtless words such as it’ll get better with time. He knew his family only wanted to comfort him but couldn’t they see that the gaping wound was too fresh? After he put the Donatos down, then he could properly mourn Anita. Maybe.
“I asked Mr. Hunter here because he should be a part of this conversation,” Diane said. “He has invaluable resources at his disposal and with so much misery lately I want as much help as possible.”
“But from the alpha?” sputtered Dom.
“Yes,” she answered bitingly, “even from him.”
The room stilled with silence. Then Zeke clapped his hands loudly breaking the spell. “Whelp, y’all might not have shit to do but I do. President and all—it’s part of the job. Busy, busy and all that. What do you want?” He grinned, but behind his eyes was a calculating intelligence.
The door swung open again and this time Felicity, Dom’s mate, came in. Her right arm was in a cast. When Dom saw her his gaze seemed to gravitate to that injury. He looked like he wanted to explode. Felicity’s feet stopped suddenly as she spotted Zeke.
“What the heck is he doing here?” she asked. Dom went over to his mate and placed a protective arm around her waist.
“I was wondering the same thing,” Dom said.
Zeke threw up his hands. “Hey now, I was invited.”
Felicity looked like steam was about to come spewing out of her ears. “You left me tied to a tree in the middle of a forest!”
Zeke shrugged as if to say—shit happens.
Then it started—the fighting. The arguing. One voice being raised over another and another. Grayson didn’t have a word to say. He knew it didn’t matter how worried they were or how much they wanted to help. He’d carefully planned this in the hours after Anita’s body had burned to ash.
He kept himself at a distance from the rest both emotionally and physically. None of them could help him now. All he needed was Arabella and her tracking skills. Day two into the investigation and she already found what might be one of the secret Donato locations. At this rate he’d have the Donato line slaughtered by the end of the week.
And then what?
Thickness in his throat made it hard to swallow. He pushed the question out of mind, unable to bear giving it a single thought right now. When Grayson lifted his gaze to tune back into the conversation he realized they were all still fighting. Everyone except Vas who was doing something on his phone. Even Lucas was up in arms in Grayson’s defense but Gray wanted to tell him that he could see the redness to his eyes. He’s been using again.
Someone said something and Dom growled loud enough to bring order like a judge banging his gavel. “My mate is here with bones broken in her arm. I am thankful it was such a minor wound which will heal quickly. We all know how lucky she was to have escaped. Her guards weren’t so lucky in the ambush. From now on, everyone in this family or connected to it, is under high protection.”
“I want to bring my friend Beth here. She might be in danger too,” Felicity said. Beth was her human best friend. She was allowed around because Felicity ordered it so and Dom would do anything for her.
“Of course,” Dom said. The love for his mate shown clearly in his eyes as he looked down at Felicity. The sight made Grayson’s stomach roll. He patted his jacket, then silently cursed when he didn’t find a cigarette. Just great.
The conversation finally ended when no one could seem to agree on much. Which left them where they were now—with Gray and Arabella hunting down the Donatos.
A hesitant knock sounded at the library door a moment before a round, pretty face with a pile of blonde, wavy hair came into the room. “Hi,” Arabella said, waving. She caught sight of Zeke and smiled—she was the only person who was happy to see Zeke. “Alpha Zeke! What’s brought you here?”
He shrugged. “Just checking in on the case, I guess. How are things going?”
She related the events of the catacombs and before she could bring up the Were attack—Grayson grabbed her hand and tugged. She was so startled she jerked her gaze up to his, her mouth open in surprise. “The case is between Arabella and me. If you nee
d to know something you can ask me.”
Arabella retracted her hand viciously. “Excuse me, but I am perfectly capable of answering questions.”
Grayson gave a tight-lipped smile, more like a grimace. “I’m sure you are. We have work to do. For now, I need you all to be safe. Which means everyone needs to stay at the estate until this is over. It’s not safe otherwise.” Not waiting around to hear the replies, Grayson pulled Arabella out of the room.
She protested every step of the way. His eye twitched, not the first time he’d noticed the new habit. She acted as if he was taking her to the gallows. “Relax,” he finally turned to tell her. She stopped, stunned, then glared at him.
“Fine.”
“Good, fine,” he said and continued through the house. He stopped them outside the guest bedroom she’d be using. “Stay here tonight. We’ll leave tomorrow night to go to the casino.”
However, instead of going inside her room nice and quietly as he’d like, she turned and crossed her arms. “How are we supposed to do that?”
“You know how to get there, right?” She nodded. “Well, there you go.” He couldn’t hold back the sarcasm.
“And the fact that we know they saw me yesterday and are currently hunting the city for you right this very moment doesn’t bother you at all?” she asked.
“I’ll sort out all the details you—”
“No, that’s not how this works. This is a fifty-fifty split between you and me. If you want to work together then we have to plan together. I’ll need a disguise and you probably will too.” She pulled her hair over one shoulder and stroked it idly. The ends curled reaching as low as her waist. So much hair, so pretty that he wanted to reach out and touch it. Stop thinking like that.
“You work for me not the other way around. You have no say in this. I do.”
Blinking slowly, she waited patiently. When he said nothing else, she merely raised an eyebrow and continued to wait.
“Fine, we’ll discuss it later.”
Her gaze widened. “But I thought—”
