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"Mm," she murmured.
But it seemed to be loud enough for Brice to hear. "Are you in bed with her right now?"
"Yeah," Thane said. "Woke up and saw the messages from my brother, and he said to call you. She's also not really awake yet."
But Dahlia cracked one eye open and looked up at him. "Who's that?"
"It's Brice," Thane said.
"Shirt guy?"
"Mhm," he agreed.
Brice just chuckled. "Tell Valerie I said hi. And please tell me things are good up there? Because they haven't forgotten about her down here."
"Brice says hi," Thane repeated before asking, "and what are they doing? How are the guys? Most importantly, what do people think about my vacation?"
"Dale says she's probably married and using you as a side fling. The Cardinal has us split back up into two teams now, with one of the new guys, Lorenzo, leading the other team. We're all given a list of police reports to check up on every day, but we've got nothing. Seems the monster got away. So, how is the monster doing?"
"Monsters," Thane corrected. "There's a lot more than one, they live off our life, and they're doing just fine. So, you need to think really hard about what you're willing to do to get out, Brice."
"Already have," Brice promised. "Tell your little girlfriend there that when they call her back, I'm gonna open the cage. I'd prefer she doesn't eat me."
"That name won't work," Thane said.
"Thane, they figured out the problem." Brice said that like he was waiting for a tirade to follow. "The Bishop wants to talk to me after lunch. They're going to make me do it again, and I'm pretty damned sure they have the right name this time. She's a daughter, not a son."
Thane just chuckled. "I knew they'd get it eventually. It's ok. That's not her name anymore. Thankfully, there's an easy way for a woman to change her name. You're fine, Brice. She won't come."
"Well, tell her anyway," Brice insisted. "And I'll keep tabs on Laird. If things go bad, I'll call you. If something happens, I'll call you. So, yeah, I guess what I'm saying is expect me to call you. Stay safe, Thane. I have a bad feeling that shit's gonna hit the fan here."
"When it does, you grab my brother and get him out," Thane said. "Fuck, I'd rather you grabbed him now."
"He says he needs to know what's going on," Brice grumbled. "Your fucking brother is as crazy as you are, man. My plan was to bail tomorrow, but he wants to finish this test and see how much shit they're hiding from the rest of us. He says you need to know what you're up against if you're going to be on the run. Sad thing? I kinda think he's right."
"Yeah," Thane said, "but - "
"I'll drag his ass out if I have to," Brice cut in. "Promise. Tell Valerie that I figure a shirt wasn't enough, so I'm bringing her a priest as my bribe."
Thane chuckled. "Will do. Now get back to work."
"Get back to that woman," Brice teased. "Glad to hear you're safe. I'll let the team know that you're balls deep in some blonde."
"No, something else," Thane said. "Brunette, I think. Do not mention any blondes. Not to them."
"Ok, balls deep in a brunette," Brice agreed. "Thanks for trusting me." And then he was gone.
Thane tossed his phone back on the night stand and slipped lower in the bed. Dahlia shifted to press her head against his shoulder, somehow managing it while lying on her belly. Granted, that put her breasts right against his ribs, her arm across his waist, and his dick woke right up.
"Brice said they want him to summon you again, and that they figured out your name," he said, curling his arm around her back to trace the line of her spine. "You're going to be ok if that happens, right?"
"I'll probably feel it," she admitted, "but it won't compel me. More like a ringing in my ears that fades once they stop."
"Good," he breathed, turning his body towards her even as he continued to trace her spine below the covers, loving the way it curved just above her ass. "So what do we need to do today, my beautiful valkyrie?" he asked, aware that his voice had just gotten a little deeper.
But instead of lifting her face to his, Dahlia turned on her side, distancing herself just enough so their skin was no longer pressed together. It was a very clear "no" if he'd ever seen one, so Thane lifted both hands, making it obvious he wasn't trying to grope her.
"Sorry," he grumbled, feeling the refusal like a kick in the balls.
