Christian heard the light footfalls of Gem in sneakers. He’d gotten to know the unique sound of everyone’s movements around the mansion. The types of shoes they wore, how quick or slow their gait, how light or heavy their tread.
Gem bounded down the stairs in a teal romper, her shoulder-length hair bouncing with every step. Her whimsical spirit made it impossible to dislike her. “He’s not up there. Oh, Christian’s here! Maybe he knows. Have you seen Viktor?”
“Did you try calling?” He looked at Crush. “It’s a big house. We can’t exactly go around yelling for each other.”
Gem slowed her pace until she reached the last step. “I’m sorry, Mr. Graves. We can’t talk about where Raven is unless Viktor’s here, and I can’t find him.”
Grumbling obscenities under his breath, Crush put his hands on his hips and turned away.
Switch appeared from behind the stairs, Hunter dawdling beside him with a picture book in his hand. The long-haired Shifter stopped at the staircase and rested his arm on the newel. “Hey, old man. What are you doing in this neck of the woods?”
“Looking for Raven. Have you seen her? Seems to be a mystery around here, and it’s pissing me off.”
“Not my job.” Switch pulled an elastic band from his jeans pocket and tied his hair at the nape. He gave Christian a cursory glance. “Working on your tan?”
Gem giggled and leaned against the railing. “I think he just likes showing off his big ole tattoo.”
“Maybe you should get one,” Switch suggested, smiling up at her.
“Alas, I’ve got enough pizzazz. A tattoo would only detract.”
Crush approached Christian and lowered his voice. “Where is she?”
“Is this an emergency?”
“She’s not answering her phone, and no one here is answering my questions.”
“Maybe if you tell us what you’re doing here…”
Crush’s blue eyes narrowed, and Christian flicked a glance downward to see if the man was holding an impalement stake. He wouldn’t put it past him. “Tell me where she is, Vamp.”
“Now, there’s no need to get hostile.”
“Raven!” he bellowed, turning on his heel. Crush moved swiftly past Gem, up the stairs.
Her eyes widened. “He can’t go up there. He can’t!”
“Worry not,” Christian assured her. “I’ll take care of the old gobshite.”
She gave him an admonishing look. “You shouldn’t talk that way about Raven’s dad.”
“Yeah,” Switch agreed, his voice a threatening growl. “You shouldn’t say that about—”
“Jaysus.One more word and I’ll drain you. Stay here and I’ll bring him down.”
Christian jogged up the stairs and followed the sound of Crush’s shouts on the second floor. Wyatt came out of his office, a green beanie on his head and a bag of pretzels in his hand. “What the immortal hell is going on around here?”
“Where’s Raven?” Crush sounded like a motorcycle getting fired up.
When Wyatt noticed him heading toward his office, he backed up, dropped the snacks, and blocked the door with his arms. “You can’t come in here. I mean it.”
Christian jogged toward them and grabbed the back of Crush’s shirt before he plowed right over Wyatt and got an eyeful of sensitive data that was surely on the computer.
Crush turned and threw a hard right, socking Christian in the eye.
Christian didn’t flinch. “That’ll hurt you more than it does me.”
“I’ve got personal stuff pulled up on the computer,” Wyatt said. “If you come in here, Christian will have to scrub you.”
