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“I thought they’d kicked you off whatever case you’re working,” she said, placing a drink on the table.
“You thought I would leave without taking you with me?”
She cocked an eyebrow at me, brushing a piece of silver hair behind her ear. People watched us from other tables, interested in her and her short black leather skirt. I wanted her alone, a jealous part of me wanting her out of their sight line. “As if I would let you take me against my will.”
“Sweetness, I don’t think it would be against your will. If you’re not at the point where you would beg to run away with me, I guess I haven’t been laying on enough charm.”
Freya laughed, and any tension between us was broken. She had to realize that whatever Shan said to her; I had no part of it. The topic of her was the only thing we’d ever disagreed so vehemently on. Even Emmett could sense the tension between us, my hesitance to follow our bosses’ orders when usually I fell over myself to obey. He’d asked if there was anything he could do to help, but until he got out into the field again, there wasn’t.
“I’m not there yet, lover boy. Bring on the charm. It’s cute.”
I went pink, gaze lowering to the table. She’d never used a nickname for me before. Freya didn’t seem like the type for sweet, affectionate pet names so I hadn’t held out hope. It may have been said teasingly, but being called lover boy and cute in the same breath gave me warm fuzzies.
One finger lifted my chin, and I found her leaning over the table, face close to mine. Close enough that I could lean forward and brush our lips together. The only reason I didn’t was because I didn’t want to give her a reason to be angry at me, too. Having tension with Shan was bad enough. “What?” I asked, breathless.
She shook herself, releasing me and stepping back. “Embarrassment is a good look for you. I’ll bring you another drink when you’re done with that one.”
Taking her tray, she headed back to the bar, getting back to work. I was tempted to chug the gin and tonic so I could have her close to me again, but I needed to stay clearheaded. The vamps and Mattie weren’t anywhere public on the VIP floor, but they were here somewhere and they knew what Freya was. She was in danger and the friendly neighbourhood serial killer who protected her wouldn’t be able to help in a place this public. We were her best protection right now.
Hard to protect her when I was so distracted by watching her, but I had to try.
No vampires appeared in the VIP area for quite a while, though Freya disappeared into a private room at the back once or twice. That must be where they were having their meeting. Mattie was crazy for having Freya serve them. He had a hopeless crush on the usual VIP girl, but Freya wasn’t normal. We’d figured it out in a matter of weeks, and he’d worked with her frequent week-long vacations to nowhere for years. And his emphatic rejection of answering Shan’s questions a few days ago was as good a sign as any. He knew she was in danger if people found out her secrets. Why put her in the vampire’s crosshairs?
Finally, two men appeared from that room. One walked with a sway in his step, like he was tipsy and had too much confidence for his own good. The other held himself high and when he turned his head in my direction, I recognized him. Jude, a close associate of Kylan’s, who handled some of the bar’s affairs. We’d worked on gathering information on him for a past case years ago. He looked exactly the same as he did back then, down to the dumb gelled comb-over.
He spotted me at my table and his eyes hardened into a glare, although I couldn’t imagine why. I hadn’t seen him more than once or twice. There was only a slim chance that he even remembered my name. Shan had dealt with him.
Although, come to think of it, the glare made sense now.
Anyone who had dealings with a pissed off Shan had some pent-up anger about it. He was a manipulative conman when he had to be.
“You know him?” Freya asked, appearing beside me without warning.
Eyes wide, I turned to her, biting my lip. I should lie and say that I didn’t, but I was done lying to her when asked direct questions. Fuck what Shan spouted about protecting our mission and protecting her from knowing too much. “In passing,” I admitted. “Shan knows him better. Well enough that Jude probably hates him, at least.”
“Hates him?”
“A surprising amount of people hate Shan. Usually only after they’ve pissed him off.”
“Oh, it’s not surprising. I just assumed they would be friendly.”
There was no reason for them to be friendly, and I couldn’t imagine why she would think that. Jude and his bodyguard had made their way down to the main floor of the club, pushing through crowds with the help of a bouncer. They were well on their way out when Jude spotted Shan leaning against a far wall and made a beeline for him. The two of them did not look friendly. Jude waved off his bodyguard as the man huffed and left the building.
With the club music echoing through the space and the distance between us, we couldn’t hear a word they were saying to each other. Both of us observed with apt attention, though. Near frantic, Jude was gesturing around the club, most of his movements in our general direction. Shan was impassive as usual, but when the strobe lights hit his cheek the right way, I saw the muscles tick. If he threw down with Kylan’s upper management, we would have a problem on our hands.
“They don’t seem friendly,” I said under my breath, leaving my fresh drink on the table as I stood. “I’m going to go see what’s happening.”
“So you can continue to lie to me cohesively? Have to get your story straight, of course.”
“What? No. There’s no story, Freya.”
“Really? Then tell me why you have dealings with a shady vampire.”
“I don’t currently have anything to do with him,” I said. “He was involved in a previous assignment.”
She didn’t believe me. The way her eyebrows scrunched together, face going pinched, told me that. “Involved in what capacity?”
“Sweetness, you know I can’t tell you that. I would get fired.”
