“Where is Cassie? I mean Ms. Miller-Pope.”
“Inside,” Jack said.
“I’d like to speak with her.”
“I’ll get her,” Hone said.
Before he could go to the woman his dragon had claimed, the woman he’d come to love and admire, she appeared in the doorway.
Cassie’s hair was wet, and she wore a different dress with a lightweight cardigan covering her arms. Smart lady.
“Hi. Is there a problem?”
“A neighbor reported gunshots. I was worried the owner of the drugs had returned.”
“No, no problems,” Cassie said. “We did have a fire.” She frowned, and Hone saw some of her tension recede. “A barbecue.”
Hone smothered his flash of dark humor. A barbecue.Right.
The cop hesitated. “Okay. If there are any repercussions pertaining to the drugs, I’m a call away.”
“Thank you,” Cassie said. “I appreciate that.”
The strained atmosphere remained until the cop car disappeared.
“You can come out of hiding now,” Manu called.
His two brothers emerged from behind a clump of bushes, dragging Samuel with them.
“Murderer,” Samuel spat. “You’ve brainwashed your brothers. No one in the tribe will accept you as leader.”
“They already have. Ma had become unstable. You know it. You just don’t want to admit the truth.”
“No, it was that human’s fault.”
“Take him away,” Manu ordered. “Take Hone’s vehicle. Leave me a unit.”
Kahurangi plucked a unit from his wrist and tossed it to Manu.
“Keys are inside,” Hone said.
“You’d better sleep with one eye open,” Samuel roared as Kahurangi and Tane led him away.
Manu stood strong, his chin up and shoulders straight until Hone’s vehicle disappeared from sight and the engine noise faded. Then, he crumpled, his shoulders rounding, his head bowing in misery. “I had no choice. Ma had lost it.”
Hone strode to him, wrapped his cousin in his arms and gave comfort in the only way he knew how. Manu would forever have his support because his cousin’s actions had saved Cassie. Jack and Emma had put their lives on the line to save her too. He owed them big time.
A soft hand touched his arm. “Bring Manu inside. He needs rest.”
Cassie. Hell, he’d thought she’d run from him after the ferocity she’d witnessed. She stepped back, and instantly, he missed the physical contact. Was she okay with his otherness? He couldn’t tell. If he lost her after all this, he wouldn’t function.
“Manu can take the couch. It’s man-size and should be comfortable enough.”
“Thanks.” Hone waited until Cassie disappeared inside before half-guiding, half-manhandling Manu.
“I need a shower,” Manu said in a low voice.
So did he since blood and gore irritated his skin as it dried.
