I pinched my eyebrows together. “What did he say?” Iwascurious.
Jordyn tugged on the sleeves of her sweater so that they covered half of her hands. “Steven knows how good our family is at hunting them. He wanted Dad to join his team to help his government police their kind. Maybe be a scout or representative for them. Steven feels that a human might be better to talk to those within our government who are privy to vampires.”
“Obviously, Dad didn’t take him up on his offer,” Rianne said. “Why?”
“According to Steven,” Jordyn said, “Dad felt his brothers would disown him and that would put us”—she circled her finger among us—“in a bad predicament. But Steven did say Dad had really considered it because the money was great.”
“It is suicide,” Rianne said. “I’m not exactly a fan of Uncle Jack, but he and the others—cousins, uncles, aunts—they’re still our kin.”
“It was also suicide to team up with a former CIA agent to turn Sam Mason over to the CIA,” I said. “Think about the ramifications if a human government got ahold of Sam. They would try everything in their power to build super soldiers or highly engineered vampires who could be stronger than Sam. Dad would’ve been adding more of them to the population. That goes against the family ethos.”
“He wanted the money, and that plan was better than betraying family,” Rianne said.
The lesser of two evils, I supposed.
Jordyn sipped her coffee. “If we work for Steven, we can protect humanity and help to ensure no one like the CIA can build armies of vampires. I think we should meet with Steven. He had to cut me off for another meeting, so I didn’t have a chance to broach the subject of us working for him.”
Rianne shook her head as the color drained from her cheeks. “No.” She climbed off the stool. “I don’t want anything to do with vampires.” She checked her phone. “I need to go. Noah is driving me to Bozeman.”
Speaking of the obnoxious cousin, Noah waltzed in. “I heard my name.”
Fuck.I pinned a horrified look at Jordyn then at Rianne.
Rianne didn’t seem fazed, but Jordyn appeared to be sweating bullets.
Horror gelled my blood. “Eavesdropping?”
He smirked, dragging his fingers through the unkempt blackish-brown hair curling around his ears. He resembled his mom, Aunt Tab, with his dark hair and eyes, although he had a light dusting of freckles on his face like his father. “Now, why would I listen to a bunch of women?” He strutted over to the pantry, his cowboy boots clicking along the weathered wooden floor.
True.He didn’t listen well—not to anyone, in fact.
He ducked into the pantry.
“I’ll take care of him,” Rianne whispered.
Noah came out with a protein bar. “So, Layla, I see you’re over your vampire sickness.” His tone held too much derision.
I was tempted to flip him off but decided not to expend too much energy on him. “I see you’re still an asshole.”
His lips tightened as his biceps bulged. At twenty-two, he was in great shape, tall like his father, with a broad chest and slim waist, and I had no doubt he didn’t have any trouble snagging a lady. What turned me off about my cousin was his crass and obnoxious attitude. He had three younger brothers, a younger sister, and one older brother. Of the clan, he was the biggest jerk aside from his father.
Rianne grabbed her canvas messenger bag from the desk near the arched doorway. “Let’s go, Noah. I don’t want to be late.”
Noah walked over to me, leaned down, and whispered in my ear, “So did you fuck one of the bloodsuckers? I bet you did. That was the reason you were sick. You’re going to hell, cousin.”
“If you don’t get your disgusting breath off me, I might kick you in the nuts.” Digging my nails into my jean-clad legs, I jerked my head at Rianne. Surely, she hadn’t told Noah.
Without looking at me, Rianne rushed over and grabbed Noah’s arm. “Stop it, Noah, orIwill ruin your chances of ever getting laid. I’m sure the ladies won’t appreciate you not being able to please them.”
He muttered a swear word. “I’ll be in the truck, Rianne.” Then he marched out.
“Find out if he heard anything before he came in,” Jordyn said.
Rianne hiked her bag over her shoulder. “Don’t worry. How about we meet at the Deer and Elk around five for dinner? I’ll check in when I’m done with the recruiter.”
“Whatever you do, don’t invite Noah,” I replied.
“He’s not that bad,” she returned.
