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“Let me call Damon,” my father said, grabbing his phone. “I know you said he hadn’t seen her, but perhaps he noticed someone casing the building, or something to that effect.”
I paused for a moment and gave a nod. “Even if he didn’t see her, her car has a squeal,” I muttered. I didn’t know much about cars (certainly not like Remus), but Iris assured me it wasn’t a major issue. Annoying, but nothing major or dangerous. I hadn’t been particularly convinced by the argument, given that her car sounded like it was screaming for help every time she started it.
Remus snorted. “Sounds like a bad bearing,” he said, like the annoying gearhead he was. “It wouldn’t have gone away until her car warmed up, so yes — anyone on the street should have heard that, especially if it was a quieter part of the evening.”
My father nodded slowly. “I think I’d like to speak to Damon face to face,” he decided, expression darkening. “I’m still concerned that he was lying to others about what I did and didn’t say. I’d like to get to the bottom of it.”
I grimaced. Damon was not high on my list of people I wanted to see right now, even if I did want some answers. I just wanted to be able to get Iris back without having to see the man. I wanted, too, to tell fate to go to hell, as Remus’ questions in the car kept bubbling up in the back of my mind like a pot left on the burner too long. Every time someone brought up Iris, that annoying voice added,Fated mate?
Bullshit.
The entire thing was bullshit, and I was certain I wasn’t all worked up because ofthatstupid myth. “Fate” had convinced my mother to leave my father for Brock, who was a piece of shit wrapped in wolf’s skin. “Fate” had taken Fiona away from my father, resulting in whatever Remus was.
“Fate” could kiss my ass. I wasn’t feeling this way because fate was telling me that I was separate from my mate. That was ridiculous.
Really, I was feeling unsettled because we had stumbled onto some huge conspiracy, and now, the private detective was missing.Theyshould be alarmed, too. I was starting to get agitated all over again, wondering why I was the only one who was acting worried at all.
“Why don’t you go take a shower?” my father suggested to me.
“What?”That’s completely out of the blue.
He shrugged. “The hot water will help with the tension in your muscles. Sometimes the stress won’t leave on its own. I found showers to be useful when I used to give myself tension headaches.”
“I’m not tense.”
My father fixed me with a look that clearly said, “Do I look stupid?” “Your shoulders are practically attached to your ears, Eli. Anxiety causes tension. It’s not a hard gap to bridge.”
I blinked, momentarily taken aback that Nic Archer had even noticed what was going on, much less had a suggestion for it. If he knew what it looked like when I got anxious, why had he never said anything before? I was way less anxiousnowthan I had been as a kid, and he’d what…just noticed and ignored it?
Did he know? Did he fucking know, all this time, and he just sent me? He… how…
I shook myself and stood. If I didn’t leave right now, I’d start yelling, and I didn’t have time for that. Not while Iris was missing. “I’m going to take a shower,” I muttered, storming towards my bedroom without another word.
I’d never admitit to my father, but I did feel better once I’d finished toweling off. Unfortunately, as I walked down the hall and spotted Damon sitting at the table with my father and Remus, all that cool began to evaporate. I could practically feel my shoulders start to bunch back up.
“We were waiting for you,” my father said, motioning to my seat. As I took it, he turned his gaze back to Damon, his expression ice-cold. “Eli has some questions for you,” he rumbled, the alpha power practically vibrating in his voice. “You will answer him.”
Damon said nothing, but inclined his head in my direction.
I paused briefly, surprised my father was giving me the lead on this. I cleared my throat, staring the man down. “How did you not see Iris leave last night?”
The large man shrugged. “She did not come out the front door of the building.”
I snorted quietly. “Obviously. She took her car. It’s gone. It makes a loud squealing noise before it warms up, and the parking garage is on the same side of the building as the front door, Damon. You should have heard it.”
Damon said nothing, staring back at me.
I bared my teeth. “This is your last chance to answer me honestly,” I growled. “Otherwise, you can look forward to returning to London and spending the next six months in the Longbow Penitentiary.”
That finally got a response out of the older man. “You aren’t my alpha, Eli,” he murmured, eyes flashing. “You don’t get to assign any sort of punishment to me.”
My father growled. “Whatever Eli decides, I will back up.”
It took a lot of my self-control not to smirk.
It turned out my father wasn’t done yet. “You should be pleased for the offer of six months, Damon. I would give you at least a year for whatever game you are playing right now.” He smiled, but there was no warmth in it.
Damon frowned, working his jaw for several moments before he finally spoke. “I saw Iris leave the parking garage last night around midnight.”
