“The criminal?” I ask hesitantly.
“Let’s hope so. It’s the student who was taken off the project,” she says triumphantly.
The probable-werewolf? “We should definitely talk to him.” A technology that harms werewolves is discovered, and someone close to a werewolf just so happens to be around the day it was stolen. Sadly, we don’t live in a world where that can be a random coincidence. “Let’s also check if the guy used his own ID or if our friend borrowed it to avoid suspicion.”
Serena nods. “I’ll check the camera near the door.”
Twenty minutes later, we had a suspect who was MIA. Lucas Hall moved out of his dorm last week and hasn’t been seen since. This just turned more complicated than we’d anticipated. But that’s a problem for tomorrow.
I stand up and give my stiff muscles a long stretch. Spending hours folded into a tiny chair was its own special kind of torture for a werewolf. I need to go for a nice long run soon.
The bullpen is bustling and lively around us, like it always is. With the night shift already clocking in, the chaos will dry up soon enough.
I glance down at my phone on my desk. “Shit, I was supposed to meet Elliot and my friends for dinner ten minutes ago.” Elliot must be freaking out. Why didn’t anyone text me? I pick up my phone to find three missed calls and two texts from Elliot. Shit, he’sangryif he double-texted. Ihurriedly start packing my shit.
Serena looks up from her laptop. “Is it far from here?”
“Not really. They picked the place because it’s pretty close to Sloan and me. Bree had to drive a bit, though.”
“Uh… I haven’t had dinner yet either,” she says for some reason.
I blink at her. “Okay?”
“I was planning to eat alone in my home,” she continues.
I frown. I don’t know what’s happening right now, but I’ll bite. It can turn out to be fun. “Serena, do you want to come to dinner with us?”
“Yes.” She jumps up and shuts off the laptop.
I shrug, closing the last file and adding it to the future Nick’s problem pile. “I’m blaming you for the delay, just so you know. That’s the condition.”
Serena shrugs like she isn’t afraid of Elliot. That innocent, sweet little thing has so much to learn.
We drive in our separate cars and make it to the restaurant in ten minutes, just over twenty minutes late. Not bad considering how long Serena took in the bathroom after she invited herself. She came out looking very un-Serena, so at least it wasn’t for nothing.
I practically sprint inside, knowing Serena is right behind me. I spot them quickly. They’re at the corner booth. The bar isn’t big enough to hide two tall werewolves and a cute tiny human with a distinct dark cloud over him.
I weave through the rows of booths on one side and small tables with a few chairs on the other. A low rock song hums beneath the chatter, and the air smells like fried food and something citrusy from the cocktails. At eight p.m., the bar isn’t as packed as I expected. Or maybe I’m just old, and most people don’t go to bars before eleven p.m.
Sloan spots me first, followed by Bree. Elliot turns to glare at me, and my face breaks into a smile. His face is like a trigger. It couldn’t be healthy to love someone so much that a glimpse of them, even one filled with anger, is the best part of my day.
Before I know it, I'm crossing the distance between us. “Hey,” I sigh when I reach the booth. No wonder he calls me a dork.
He’s the only man I’ve ever known who can maintain a mean glare while he’s looking up. And it looks just as hot as his normal glare. Not his smile, though. That’s a rare treat I have to work hard for, and it's the hottest and cutest thing about him.
I slide down the booth to make it easy for him to incinerate me with his gaze. The glare gets more vicious.
“We drove all the way here, andyouare late?” Sloan complains loudly from across the table.
I turn my attention to her. “Your office is closer to here than mine,” I remind her.
“Still. Poor Elliot has been sitting here all spooked for half an hour. So tardy, Nick.” She shakes her head in disappointment.
Elliot turns his glare towards her. “Didn’t you just confessyou’rescared ofme?”
“I didn’t say I wasscared. Besides, we’re angry at Nick. Direct all that scariness towards him.”
“She did say scared,” Bree nods.
