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“Maybe, but I doubt it. Especially with the needy part.” Arden snorted. “He used to try to flirt with me in the most passive way possible all the damn time. It was so annoying.”
“He did what?” Jagger’s eyes were flat with irritation. “I’ll kill him.”
Flint didn’t say anything, but he had the same look.
“Did he harass you?” I asked. “Because if he did, he has another big problem coming his way.”
“Relax, guys. It was a long time ago.” Arden waved her hands around, as if it would calm us down. It didn’t. I’d hated this shithead before, and now I hated him more than I thought possible. “And I shut him down so hard that he never tried again.”
I still hated him.
“Anyway, he’s gotten me jobs in the past, and I think he manages all the other people who do one-off gigs for the group,” Arden went on. “I wouldn’t say we’re friends, but we’re friendly enough.”
“Besides the flirting thing,” Jagger said.
“Besides the flirting thing, yes.” She gave him a look that shot heat through my veins. “Flirting with you all is much more satisfying.”
I grinned, resting my forearms on the table to get closer to her. “Is it? I’m not the most fun?”
“The most fun? Maybe. But I like all three of you for different reasons,” she said.
“I still don’t want to share,” Flint mumbled, his hand closing into a fist on the table. His tone darkened the atmosphere in the room. “We’re getting off track. We need to figure out how to get Tommy. He could help us take down the Forsaken Lunars.”
“Right.” Arden cleared her throat. “I’m friendly enough with Tommy, and I see him at the coffee shop pretty regularly. But I don’t know where he lives or if he has roommates.”
“We can find out where he lives. Or at least where he claims to live,” I assured her.
“Should we send a bunch of enforcers there?” Jagger leaned back and rested his ankle on his knee.
“No.” Flint tapped a finger on the table. “I think we should be more subtle about it. If we get to Tommy, but not to the rest of the Forsaken Lunars, we might send them more underground.”
“True.” Jagger thought it over more. “We’re the best ones to find him, then.”
“Do you think he’ll come into the shop any time soon, Kitten?” I asked.
“I’m not sure. He might be laying low, since the kids were rescued.” Arden bit her bottom lip. “You really think the Forsaken Lunars would get tipped off that we’re after all of them?”
“We shouldn’t risk it.” Flint shook his head. “Tommy’s our first target. Once we get him, we can get information on the Forsaken Lunars. Arden, you should take on more shifts at work to see if you can catch him. Ask him what he’s up to. Do you think he’d be suspicious?”
“I don’t think so. It would depend on the time of day. If he came in during the morning rush? Yeah. But if he came in the afternoon, which is usually when I see him, no.” Arden sat up straighter. “My coworkers might know where he is, too.”
“Okay. We’ll try to get Tommy this way. If it doesn’t work, we can pivot,” Flint said. The tension in his shoulders eased away.
“And the kids? What if the Forsaken Lunars strike while we’re waiting for Tommy? I have no idea when he’ll come in, if he even does,” Arden said.
“We’ll increase security around wherever kids might be.” I reached across the table for her hand, taking it and stroking my thumb across the top. “Orphanages, schools, smaller group homes. We won’t let anything happen to anyone else. I promise.”
Arden smiled, squeezing my hand. We were going to take care of the Forsaken Lunars for everyone’s sake, but I wanted to do it for her the most.
Chapter25
Jagger
Iwatched Arden through the window of Muddy Mugs, hidden behind a cloaking spell alongside an enforcer who had watched her all day.
She was fucking adorable at work. She still didn’t take anyone’s shit, but the way she smiled and laughed with customers made me warm inside. I hated that she wanted to work, so she didn’t have to depend on us, but seeing her happy making drinks made me less upset about it.
Arden said something to the blond man who had hovered around the counter all day. He laughed, the grating noise of it trickling through the propped-open door. I assumed he was her boss. His apron was green instead of blue like Arden’s, and he mostly stood around, giving orders, talking to a young woman who appeared to be his girlfriend, and disappearing into the back.
