“I need you to do some scouting for me. If he smells a wolf anywhere nearby, it’ll set him off. You can move unfettered in a way others can’t. We need to learn his plans, identify any associates, that sort of thing.”
“I don’t have a ride. Or money.” She sniffed herself. “And I need a shower. I’m absolutely rancid. I won’t make a good spy in my knackered state.”
“We’ll fetch your things and I’ll take you to my home. You can clean up there. Then we’ll take care of the rest. You’ll be sober by then, I expect?”
“I’m too feckin’ sober now and I bloody well wish I weren’t. I expect by the time yer done talkin’ at me I’m going to really wish I weren’t.”
She gave him directions to the hostel where she’d been staying just outside London and collected her things. Once she’d tossed everything into the boot and rejoined him in the car, she shook her head. “Can’t ye just ship ’em out to yer friend over in the States fer a while? Bloke who runs that big pack. What’s his name… Charlie Bleacke, innit?”
“Well, I could…if he hadn’t been murdered twenty-five years ago.”
“Oh. Well, shit. Sorry.”
Trevor shot her a grim look. “You’re a little behind in the latest news, I take it?”
“Guess my shifter newsletter and secret decoder pin got lost in the post. I was in the Army and stationed overseas in…” She thought about it. “I was in Lebanon about that time.” She wished her mind hadn’t gone there. “I was a little worried about gettin’ my own arse shot off, and several of my mates dyin’, to worry about keepin’ up with what was goin’ on wi’ wolves in the States or anywhere else, thank ye.”
Trevor winced. “Sorry.”
She shrugged. “Ye didn’t know.”
No one did. Not really. Not if they weren’t there with her.
And several of those people didn’t make it back home alive, much less in one piece.
“How angry’s me mam?” she asked.
“She’s not happy with you.”
“I’d expect not. She rarely is.”
“I lied and said you’ve been doing undercover work for me. Assured her you’re not really in trouble. Fortunately, that calmed her down. Told her your little brother didn’t even know, and I asked her to keep it to herself. She also gave me an earful about you,” he added, glancing over at her. “About how she can’t understand why you won’t settle down, get married, and have a family. I’m assuming that means she still doesn’t know?”
Aisling looked out the window. “Yeah, well, I’m not interested in havin’ the kind of family she thinks I should, so let’s just leave it at that, aye?”
“I know,” he said. “I made the right noises and got off the call as soon as possible without outing you. Give me a little credit, hmm?”
“Well, thanks fer that, at least.”
The only reason Trevor knew her secret was because of the time her mam asked him to play matchmaker for Aisling. Then she’d been forced to confess to the man that it would be a mutually frustrating and futile mission, so they came up with excuses to put her mother off the scent.
And he’d helped Aisling get an updated ID and paperwork to allow her to move over to the UK, putting her well away from her mother’s prying snout. In return, Aisling would stay out of Trevor’s way and do the occasional off-books task for him that required someone with her…skills. Someone who didn’t smell like a wolf.
Someone who didn’t mind the smell of blood.
Or didn’t mind spilling it, either.
She reclined her seat and closed her eyes. “Wake me up when we’re there, eh? I need a bit of shut-eye.”
It felt like seconds later that he poked her right shoulder. She was about to snap at him when she realized they’d come to a stop and it was nearly dark outside.
“We’re here,” he announced before getting out and walking around to the boot.
Five minutes later, she was standing under a shower in the en suite in one of Trevor’s guest rooms and letting the hot water soak her sore muscles.
I need to get my shite together.
No, she didn’t want to settle down. Not even with the right woman.
