“I was only eight at the time. I remember fighting, but the Tryah were scapegoats.” He gave her a tight smile. “At least that’s my opinion. But you’re not here to discuss Lucifera.”
No, she wasn’t. “This isn’t about the feuds.” She pressed her hand to her solar plexus. “I feel it here. Something isn’t right.”
“I think it’s probably a combination of the temperament down there, plus the unusually strong fluctuations we’ve been seeing from the impending solar storm.”
That again. “We’ve felt the effects before, and they’ve never incited anyone to murder.”
“I would suggest you weather the storm and stay out of trouble.”
He was dismissing her.
Violet’s gaze went to a map of Miami on the wall behind him. Went, in fact, to a red pin at the western edge of her clan’s territory where Arlo had died. She stepped toward it, Kade shadowing her.
“You know about the murders.” She tapped her photographic memory and pictured where the other Fringers had been killed. This map pinpointed each gruesome location with a red pin. “What are the yellow pins for?”
Ferro moved to block her view of the map with his compact muscular body. “We are investigating, Ms. Castanega. As you can see.” His words grated out. “But I cannot discuss the details of the case at this time.” This didn’t make sense. He was dismissing her, yet he knew about the murders. Why wasn’t he asking her questions? “Thank you for your concern,” he said. “I’m sure it took a lot of courage for you to come here.” He looked beyond her. “Escort her out.”
Okay, that was a dismissal. Kade put a hand on her back to guide her out the door. The prickles that zinged through her at his touch were as odd as what she’d felt when their eyes had met. She involuntarily jerked away from that electric touch. He grabbed her arms and shoved her face-first to the wall, pinning her wrists with his iron-grip hands.
“No more fast moves,” he said, his voice a growl in her ear. “Or I’ll remove you from the premises bodily.”
Bodily. Which meant, his hands on her body, carrying her right out of there. The idea crackled across her skin like the heat flush she got when she had to go into the alligator pens. Except Kade smelled a hell of a lot better. And she knew that firsthand, since all of his hard, muscular body was plastered against hers. Which should piss her off, not make her want to spin in his arms and test him on that bodily thing. Fortunately, she couldn’t budge an inch, squashing that insane temptation.
“Going for another cheap thrill?” she rasped, her cheek mashed against the wall.
“What?”
She lowered her voice to a near whisper and turned to look at him. “You grabbed my boob on our last tussle.”
“That wasn’t purposeful, and you know it. Come on, you think I need to cop a feel on a suspect to get off?”
No, she supposed not when he looked like that. Arrogant son of a bitch. “It wasn’t just an accidental brush. You lingered. And spread your hand to cover more area.” In her peripheral vision, she sensed other officers at the ready, but Kade’s body heat enveloped her, overwhelmed her senses—and had her Dragon panting.
He kept his voice low, too, his mouth close to her ear. “Interesting how you’d remember every nuance of it. You must have enjoyed it.”
She bucked, anger pulsing through her. “I should have reported you, for all the good that would have done.” Wait, was this exciting him? Ignoring the odd sense of triumph, she said, “Mmm, seems like you’re enjoying this.”
“It’s just an adrenaline reaction from a potential altercation with a troublesome Dragon.”
“If you say so. I was only moving away from you. I don’t like being touched. If I promise to be a good girl, will you let me go?”
The mist in his eyes swirled provocatively. “Can you be a good girl?”
“Try me.” She shifted her eyes to the group of officers behind him. “After all, you have plenty of backup.”
A spark of playful challenge lit his eyes. “Oh, baby, I don’t need backup.”
What were they talking about? Oh, Heathe, Dragon goddess of sensuality, were they flirting? No. Not possible. Why was heat throbbing through her body then? Why was her Dragon shivering with a lust she hadn’t felt in forever?
Enemy! I know it’s been awhile, and then only with boring ole Mundanes, but really. Have some self-respect, beast!
“I’ll be a good girl,” she said, forcing contriteness into her voice.
“Mm. We’ll see about that.” Kade released her, and she rubbed her shoulders where he’d held them. “I can find my own way out.”
“Sorry, policy.” His fingers settled on her mid-back again as he guided her toward the door. “I have to escort you.”
She heard someone whisper, “Wouldn’t want her to go bat-shit crazy in here.”
