A muscle twitches on his face. “I’m a lone wolf now. Let’s get back on topic.”
"Sure, sure," Josh laughs, the sound a bit strangled. "Where were we?"
The detective glances to his notebook, taking a moment to gather his thoughts. "Pretty big coincidence, don’t you think? Wynn has the most contact with a fugitive who escapes justice, and when the man disappears your cousin just happens to go on vacation at the same time."
So much for them calling a truce. The intensity ratchets back up instantly.
"Are you calling my cousin a liar?" Bane asks tightly.
"No, I follow the evidence. This is just one box I need to check."
"And you can, as soon as he’s back from vacation," Josh says. “Coincidences happen, right?”
“Not in my line of work,” Harper replies instantly.
"It all makes sense to me. Your fugitive already broke out of one cell and then he broke out of another. Didn’t need a werewolf’s help the first time. Why would he the second time?" Josh wonders casually.
The other two shouldn't have even tried. Between calling out their silent battle of wills and shutting things down now, Josh is totally the baddest Alpha in the room, even if he mated into it. Mental note: buy Josh an entire cupboard’s worth of cutsey ovenmitts that Bane will find ridiculous and wear anyway because of love.
Bane grins, smug. “You guys must not know as much about this fugitive as you think. What's his name, Marlin?"
"Certainly a possibility,” the detective says, flipping his notebook closed.
It's hard to say if anything said has swayed him in a particular direction. When he's not giving into his instincts, his poker face would make professional card players jealous.
“Guess I've taken up enough of your time." Harper hands them his card. "If you do speak to your cousin, can you pass along that I'd like to get in touch?"
"Sure," Bane says. No chance in hell, he means. "If he calls."
The detective takes one final look around the living room as he stands. Only because I've grown up around alphas do I notice the slight darkening of his golden eyes as he subtly sniffs, expanding his senses.
I hold my breath and feel Marlow do the same beside me. The detective looks towards the kitchen. We don't lock eyes, he’s looking somewhere just below my face, but my stomach still drops and every instinct screams that I’ve been caught. But I stay still another heart-stopping moment and his gaze moves away. Whatever magic Josh used keeps us safe.
Josh and Bane see the detective out and I breathe a sigh of relief when the door closes behind him.
The wolf sent to capture a fugitive didn’t catch Marlow. The demon is still free. For now.
20.The Trouble with Always Doing the Wrong Thing
Marlow
"Get the hell away from that window," Bane barks at me.
I pause mid-peek through the curtains, one finger still holding the fabric aside. "Why? Do you think Detective Harper will come back to borrow a cup of sugar?"
Even without being a werewolf, I can hear how my sarcastic reply has the Alpha grinding his teeth. "I think we've had enough close calls for one day."
My jaw tightens involuntarily. Ugh, the overgrown fleabag has a point. I let the curtain fall back into place and stalk over to the couch, dropping down with more force than necessary. Now I know how the two Alpha wolves felt earlier when they were challenging each other—ridiculous, silly, and oh so small when having to back down.
Harper’s little visit was entirely too close for comfort and we’re all on edge.
“What should we do now?” Josh voices quietly.
“Open to suggestions,” I say, before thinking better of it. “Well, from most of you.”
Bane snorts, looking more proud than offended that he’s the exception. He opens his big mouth—all the better to stick my fist in, like the old nursery rhyme—then Josh puts a hand on his mate’s knee and ends the impending argument before it begins. He gets up and moves behind Bane's chair, his hands finding the Alpha's shoulders. The gentle massage he starts working into the tense muscles there makes something twist uncomfortably in my chest.
I’d like to know what Wynn’s thinking. He’s leaning against the wall near the kitchen, arms crossed and being awfully quiet. I must stare too long because he eventually notices.
