by Tl Reeve
“Sorry,” he whispered, pulling his hand back. “You’d think—”
“You’re bad at this,” she blurted out.
He frowned at her. “What?”
“Well, for starters, my best friend in college used this wine trick on everyone other than his current girlfriend, who doesn’t drink wine. So, I know it well. I also drink a lot of wine, which means you’ll need to dig a little deeper to get me drunk,” she said flatly. “And I know you’re a spy or something, which means you know I’m not telling you everything.”
“You’re not.” He agreed, still stunned by her directness. The wine had certainly given her more confidence. And confidence looked damn good on Aubrey Dalton.
“And while I’m enjoying the wine, the conversation, and the attempts to flirt with me, I’m not an idiot,” she continued.
“Right. I know you’re not.” He felt like an idiot though. This was his boss’s niece. Dalton was a smart man and probably made sure his beautiful niece, who he’d once said was like a daughter to him, was educated and able to hold her own.
“Okay, so you know, we’re on the same page.” Her confidence appeared to be waning. Nate wondered what was going on behind those bright eyes. His gaze dropped from her eyes to her lips. Those adorable cupid lips. “Yeah, so you can stop that.”
“What?”
She snickered. “Wow, okay. I almost believe you. Summer would find this hysterical.”
“Summer?”
“Yeah, my friend Summer, she—” She fell silent.
“Oh no, go on.” He smirked. How many women were named Summer and lived near Waldenburg? He knew one, and he was willing to bet the last slice of pizza that his and Aubrey’s Summer were one and the same.
“I can’t. This is how you win.” Aubrey looked off as she thought.
“Because we’re playing a game?” He teased.
“Aren’t we?” she replied dryly.
“Blondie, I don’t play games.” He realized he was staring at that mouth again. What the hell was he thinking? And why did he sound like Davis? Apparently in upping his flirting game, he’d decided to channel his coworker, a known man-whore.
“What else would this be? You’re not being entirely trustworthy with your lusty stares and attempts to get me loose on wine.”
“We’re talking about lusty stares now?” She really didn’t want to go down that road.
Aubrey shrugged, her gaze lingering on his forearms resting on the counter. “What? You’re attractive.”
He couldn’t help but grin at that. At least the attraction was mutual and he wasn’t a complete ass. “You don’t hold back, do you?”
“I have had a few glasses of wine,” she admitted.
“Okay then.” He leaned forward until his face was inches from hers. He cupped her face in his palms. Her breath was hot on his lips, her eyelids heavy. Yeah, she wanted to him to kiss her as much as he wanted it too. But this was work. And she was his boss’s niece. “Aubrey, why were you at Festival?”
Those green eyes looked up at him as if he’d betrayed her. “I thought we weren’t playing games.” She pulled out of his grasp and grabbed the last slice of pizza. “Plus, I don’t even know you.”
Nate watched her pace while she attacked the pizza. “I can’t help you if you don’t tell me,” he said apologetically.
“I was going to sneak into Festival to talk to the Elders. That makes it sound like they didn’t know I was coming. They knew. I thought they might be able to help me,” she said. She’d stopped pacing and her eyes were clenched shut, as if she couldn’t believe what she was saying.
“That’s it?” he asked. You’d have thought she just admitted to killing a man, hacking him into tiny pieces, and hiding the body under the floorboards of his house. Aubrey nodded. “So?”
“So?” She looked appalled.
Yes, this was body hacking level shit in her world. She’s adorable.
“You were the one going off about me lying, and yeah, I lied. Friends didn’t invite me to Festival. But I didn’t know what else to do.”
Nate watched her lip quiver and he sighed. She’d gone from adorably ruffled to nearly in tears very quickly. “Hey, Blondie, calm down. Why did you need their help? What kind of trouble are you in?”
She stiffened, maybe at the nickname. He’d noticed that each time he said it, her eyes would narrow momentarily.
“It’s none of your business.”
Really? It sure felt like his business.
Before he could respond she continued, “And my name, Detective Evans, is Aubrey. Aubrey. Not blondie. Okay?”
He nodded, struggling not to grin at how easy it was to get her riled up with a little nickname.
She let out an exasperated groan. “I think I’m dying.”
“We’re all dying, gorgeous. Well, almost all of us.” He reached out to catch the tear rolling down her face and pulled away when a spark flew from her cheek to his thumb.
“No, I mean—” She let out another deep sigh and then proceeded to tell him about her headaches, her body overheating, how she’d passed out one evening and woken up in the morning shaking, cold and wet.
“I don’t understand what’s happening and the doctors can’t find anything. So I thought maybe the elder witches could help me.”
“It’s okay. You’ll be safe here.” He resisted the urge to pull her into his arms as she unraveled in front of him. That feisty anger was gone, but she seemed to be struggling through a wide range of emotions. Of course, she’d been shot at the night before, Nate reminded himself. He doubted that was a typical night out for her.
“Safe from what?” she asked with frustration in her voice. “This is all just a dumb, I don’t know, mistake.”
“Maybe, but we don’t know that yet. Let me do my job, okay? Let me keep you safe until we know no one is after you. Trust me.” He knew he was asking a lot of her. He was depending on her relationship with Dalton to buy him a little extra leeway.
“You won’t tell my uncle about what I just told you, will you? I don’t want to worry anyone.” She looked so frightened that Nate felt like he had to lie just to keep her calm, to make her feel safe. Not tell Dalton? That wasn’t an option for him.
“Not if you don’t want me to.” He’d told worse lies in the name of his job.
Her shoulders relaxed. “Thank you.”
“I’m sorry I tried to con information out of you,” he said softly. And I’m sorry I just lied to you. But he couldn’t say that, even if the way she was looking at him kicked him in the gut.
“I’m sorry I stopped you,” she replied and then winked at him. That single wink lit a flame in his gut. This woman was dangerous.
Aubrey watched Nate pace outside the safe house while he talked on his cell phone. She’d taken a bath and was drying off when she heard the back door open and shut. Since then she’d been glued to the window, watching, wishing he’d do more than mumble.
“So?” she asked when he came back inside. His gaze fell to her robe and his eyes went hard. She couldn’t read this man to save her life. Was he pissed off that she’d taken a bath? Had he expected her to sit on the couch, staring off into space?
“Get dressed, we’re leaving.”
Yep, he sounded pissed. She sighed and headed back to the bedroom to change. How could he have gotten so mad at her in such a short span of time? Who had he been talking to and what could they have possibly told him about her?
She was still brushing through her wet hair when her body began to hum. She looked up in the mirror over the sink to find him watching her from the doorway. The way her body reacted to his was unnatural. What had she done to make this happen? And how could she make it stop?
Aubrey sat quietly in the car while he locked up the house. They’d been on the road for thirty minutes when his cell rang. He eyed her cautiously and then hit a button on his dash.
“Evans.”
“Are you headed this way?” a man’s voice asked through the
car’s speakers.
“Yes.”
“Then we’ll see you shortly.”
Nate hit the button on his dash again, his gaze never leaving the road. Aubrey shifted in her seat and stared out the window, watching the city grow in the distance, the tree line thinning as the buildings came into view. She ignored the gentle buzz in the half of her body closest to him.
He pulled the car into a below ground parking structure downtown and killed the engine. Without waiting to see if he’d lost all manners, she jumped out of the car and met him at the back of the vehicle. They walked in silence to the elevator.
When the elevator doors opened on the sixth floor, her uncle was standing there, ready.
“Bree.” His arms were open and wrapped around her when she rushed into them.
“Walt.”
“You cut your hair.” Why he felt the need to comment on that, she didn’t know. It wasn’t that much shorter. In high school, she’d cut off all her hair after a huge fight with her mom. Pixie cuts weren’t fashionable then, and she had regretted it instantly. Walt had seen her the day after she’d picked up those sheers and hadn’t said a word. But six inches off her hair drew comment.
“You didn’t call Dad, did you?” she whispered into his ear.
“No, not yet. I wanted to see you first.” He pulled back from the hug and stared down at her. “You’ve grown, haven’t you?”
“It’s only been a year, Uncle Walt,” she replied with a grin.
“Too long still. I’d ask what you’re doing in town, but I need to talk to Detective Evans first.”
Aubrey nodded. She’d forgotten about Nate. He’d moved past them toward a cluster of desks where two men were perched, watching her. A petite blonde woman was with them, but she was lost in notes and hadn’t seemed to notice the commotion. Aubrey froze. She recognized one of the men watching her.
“Walt—”
“Five minutes, Bree,” her uncle replied. Nate was following him to an office, refusing to look at her.
“You must be Aubrey.”
She spun around, surprised by the voice behind her. A tall slender brunette woman eyed her suspiciously.
“Yes, hi.”
“Elizabeth Hobbs.” The woman offered her hand and Aubrey took it, nodding in response. So this is Hobbs. “Come meet the others.”
She followed Agent Hobbs. She avoided looking at Ryan, hoping he wouldn’t recognize her.
“This is Ian Finley, Madison Chadwick, and Ryan Davis.” All three gave various signals of acknowledgment. Raised voices coming from her uncle’s office shifted their attention as if pulled by one string.
“I’m sure it’s fine,” Madison muttered, offering Aubrey a warm smile.
“You’re Madison Chadwick of Wicks and Channing fame?” Aubrey asked softly. Madison authored and illustrated the very popular graphic novel. Aubrey wasn’t sure why a graphic novelist would be at Gaius Aeden.
“Oh, yes. Have you read the series?”
Aubrey tried not to full on fan girl out on the woman, but it was hard. Aubrey had been a fan for several years now, since the beginning really. “I’ve devoured it. I can’t wait for the next one.”
“Yeah, me too.” Ian winked at Madison and Aubrey grinned. Her gaze dipped to Madison’s left hand but didn’t see the engagement ring rumored to be there. She’d heard that Madison was engaged, but none of the online magazines knew to whom. She looked over to Ian and was certain he was her man. The look on his face was possessive but proud.
“What are you thinking, Aubrey? Your place or mine?” Ryan asked with a devilish grin.
“Excuse me?” Yep, this was the guy she’d heard about. He was painfully attractive, but he was also very aware of it. Aubrey had met him briefly when she and her friend were out for drinks. He’d initially tried to pick up Aubrey, but when she demurred, he’d gone for Holly. Holly had fallen hard for him, and then he’d tossed her aside after one night that was described as mind-blowing.
“Oh, well, once Evans gets done in there, your uncle is going to come out here and tell you that you don’t have to worry your beautiful head about all this drama, and that you’re going to be safe. And I’m the one making sure that happens. I’m your man.” He winked at her.
Nope. I don’t think so.
“Excuse me,” she said softly, heading for her uncle’s office. She didn’t bother to knock. She pushed the door open and found Nate standing with his arms crossed, his narrow-eyed gaze on her uncle, and Walt was glaring back with equal heat.
“Bree, please wait outside,” her uncle said firmly.
“I can’t be with Ryan Davis,” she replied. Both men turned toward her. Nate looked amused and her uncle looked annoyed. She immediately regretted the phrasing of that statement.
“Bree, five minutes,” Walt snapped.
“I don’t mean to be disrespectful, but that man—”
“Shut the door,” her uncle growled and Aubrey froze, her eyes wide. Nate moved around her to push the door shut. “Aubrey, why did you not call me?”
“Excuse me?” She looked over to Nate, but he was watching Walt.
“You’ve been ill? And you didn’t call?” Walt asked.
“The doctors couldn’t find anything. I didn’t want to worry anyone,” she said quickly; she looked at Nate again and hissed, “You promised.”
“Technically, I didn’t,” he replied.
Technically? She distinctly remembered him saying that he wouldn’t tell Walt if she didn’t want him to. Sure, he hadn’t said “I promise,” but it was still a promise.
“It’s his job to report to me. I want our doctor to look you over, to make sure you’re okay,” Walt explained.
“I’m fine. I wasn’t the one who was shot,” she said angrily. He actually told Walt? And she was surprised? She’d known him less than a day. Why did she think she knew him?
“When did this start?” Walt asked.
Aubrey took a deep breath, readying herself to try to convince Walt that he did not need to be worried, and more importantly, he didn’t need to talk to her parents about this. “Whatever he told you—”
“Bree, he didn’t heal himself.” Walt looked exhausted. That just pissed her off more. Was she exhausting him with her problems? Good. Imagine how I feel.
“Well, I didn’t heal him. Why would I do that? How would I do that?” Aubrey’s voice rose and Nate took a step toward her. She turned on him, eyes narrowing. “Don’t you dare.”
“Blondie, calm down,” he said softly.
When in the history of the world has a man telling a woman to calm down actually ended well?
“Bree, I know you don’t like doctors. I promise, our doctor is the best there is,” Walt said in what she recognized as his soothing and rational voice. He usually used this voice on her sister. Hearing it now only pissed her off more.
“I’ve got to go.” She turned for the door. This wasn’t happening. She wasn’t going to let any more doctors prod her or do more tests. She’d had them all done already. She’d spent a small fortune on medical tests with no result.
She gasped when Nate’s hand wrapped around her wrist. A jolt of electricity jumped from him through her and to the door handle. “Ow.”
“Shit,” he grumbled, pulling away.
“Aubrey Marie Dalton, sit down and stop acting like a child.” Her uncle’s voice boomed in the room. She followed his instructions and noticed that Nate also fell into a chair. “Finch will check you both. And you will have security on you for the next twenty-four hours until we have more information.”
“Sir?” she whispered. Walt frowned at her. She knew he hated it when she called him sir.
“Yes?”
“I’m not particularly thrilled about Ryan Davis acting as my security detail. An old friend knew him a few years ago and didn’t have kind things to say. Perhaps Hobbs or—”
Walt held up a hand to silence her, and then looked to Nate. “Evans, would you please escort my niece to her apart
ment following your medical examination and make sure she is safe until we have more information?”
“Is this a personal request or an order, sir?”
“I’d hoped you’d do me this favor, but—”
“Yes, sir,” Nate said quickly before rising.
Aubrey didn’t look at him as they left the office. She was too pissed. She’d saved his life. The least he could do was not be so thorough in his job. Would it have really been that hard to withhold some information from Walt? Did he really have to divulge her secrets?
4
The medical exam took less than an hour. Nate wasn’t entirely sure why he had to undergo an exam too, but Finch had seemed very interested in Nate’s new scar. Aubrey hadn’t said a word to him since they’d left headquarters.
Now at her apartment, he went in first, making a quick sweep of the living room before proceeding deeper inside, checking the half-bath in the hall, then the small extra room that had yet to be set up with a purpose, and lastly checking the master bedroom with the en suite. Aubrey followed behind him as he went, ignoring his instructions to wait for the okay before entering the apartment.
“You should work on your listening skills.”
“I heard you just fine,” she muttered. He wondered what had happened in the fifteen-minute drive from the station to her place. It certainly couldn’t have been something he’d said, because he’d made a point to not say anything.
“Hearing and listening aren’t the same.” Even Nate thought his response sounded dick-ish, but he didn’t offer her a grin to go with it. Her cool attitude was rubbing off on him. Did she think he was pleased about this arrangement? He knew she wasn’t happy with Dalton for insisting someone stay with her, but that had been Dalton’s idea, not his.
She muttered something under her breath while she walked down the hall. He rolled his eyes and followed her. When he saw she’d left the front door open, he groaned.
“Aubrey, you can’t—”
“Make a list of the things I can do. It might be shorter,” she snapped, kicking the door shut with her toe as she passed.
