He shrugged. “Frankly, no, I didn’t. The outcome would have been exactly the same with or without you.”
She paused, thinking about it. Considering the vamp had staked himself, she supposed he was right. “Maybe”—she held up one finger—“but things could have gone differently. I might have saved your butt. Anyway, I thought we resolved this last night. You admitted I belonged on this case. I want to find Alex as much as you do. It’s not fair for you to deny me this.”
He frowned. “I’m taking the night off from Alex-hunting.”
“Then why are you standing next to the Family Truckster?” She tapped the side of her fist against the Ford Transit. “I have to warn you. Every time you drive this thing your sperm count drops. You’re flirting with disaster here.”
The corner of Silas’s mouth twitched. The guy had perpetual stubble thanks to his werewolf genes, and the effect was annoyingly sexy. She internally slapped herself for noticing.
“I’m following up on a long shot. Trust me, you don’t want to get involved,” he said.
Meredith crossed her arms over her chest. “Does this have to do with why Grateful Knight came to visit you today?”
Silas squinted. “Were you listening outside the door?”
“A lot of good it did me. She must have used an enchantment. I couldn’t hear a thing.”
He snorted.Good one, Grateful. “This doesn’t concern you. It isn’t even police business, to be honest.”
“Listen, if you’re doing something shady to find Alex—”
“It’s not shady—”
“Whatever it is, I’m in. This is more important than the law. We’ve got to try everything.” She blocked the door to the Ford with her body and tapped her foot.
Silas glanced at his watch, apparently calculating how long it would take to get rid of her against how much time he had to waste. She glared at him as if to say she didn’t plan to make it quick. “Okay. Get in.”
With a tempered squeal, she danced around the car and jumped into the passenger’s seat. Silas climbed behind the wheel and started the engine, wasting no time exiting the lot.
“So… who are we staking out if not Alex?” she asked.
“The bordello.”
“Maison des Étoilles?”
He hummed in affirmation.
“You’re checking up on your ex-girlfriend!”
Knuckles whitening atop the steering wheel, he said, “Additional information came to light that makes me believe my source may have been compromised. Tonight, I’m attempting to verify or disprove that theory.” He sounded defensive. Why was he defensive?
“Right.” Meredith leaned back in her chair and fumbled with the edge of her blazer for a moment. “I could see this coming a mile away. Last night, Alex knew we were coming.”
Silas groaned. “Yes, Meredith. My ex-girlfriend may have given me tainted info, and yes I should have suspected it earlier. ’Kay?”
She smiled smugly, then fought the wave of guilt that flooded her. Way to kick him while he was down. Goddess, she could be a pain in the ass.
“Sorry,” she said. “That’s a tough thing.”
Silas leaned an elbow against his window. They drove the rest of the way in silence. He parked around the corner from the bordello and was quick to get out of sight. Meredith followed his lead and climbed into the back.
“How did you meet this chick anyway?”
“I investigated an attempted murder in the alley behind the bordello. Part of the investigation required me to interview the madam. The attraction was… well… stellar.” He laughed at his own joke. She did not. “You know, because they’re celestial fae.”
“Oh, like the source of their power is the planets and stars and such? Mansion of the stars. Huh.”
“Right. Soleil draws her power from the sun, so my attraction to her was inevitable.”
