With a grunt, she murmured under her breath to Ryan, “This is a waste of time.”
His head cut to the side, but that was his sole reaction to her words.“Were you behind the Pantera abduction on El?”
Luis scowled at them.“No.I’ve already told the cops this twice, and the last leader had to justify himself too.There’s been no abduction planned for months.”He pointed at El.“Plus, if she’s been targeted and you’re trying to make out it’s because we knew of her existence, then that’s BS.I was a high-ranking Councilmember under Enrique and the last dumbass leader.I’d have heard.”
“So, why did two of her Pantera guards take it upon themselves to attempt to kidnap her?”
Luis narrowed his eyes.“Jaime Pantera, no?And his friend, Enrique?”
Ryan nodded.“They attempted to abduct her nearly two months ago.”
“They’d gone rogue then because that wasn’t issued from the Council.”
Marc gritted his teeth.“And we can believe that, why?”
“Because we don’t just want fucking chaos.Our kidnapping plots are well organized.We don’t just kidnap any Tom, Dick, or fucking Harry.”
That alone told her Jaime and Enrique had gone rogue, as he’d called it.
He didn’t know who she was.
Didn’t realize that she could buy and sell the Pride and the Pantera without even batting an eye.
Ryan’s shoulders drooped, and she knew he figured the same.A quick glance at all her mates told her the same thing—they knew Luis, by his own words, had been in the Council and would have been aware of such a plot.That he wasn’t, said Jaime and Enrique had decided one way to get rid of their debts was to abduct her and ransom her off.
They’d known that her family would pay.After all, they’d been part of the security protocol, and though the family tended to deal minimally with their kidnappers, they always paid out.Well, they had in the three times it had happened in the last forty years, at any rate.
And three abductions was three abductions too many if you asked her.
With a grunt, Luis demanded, “Is that all?Because you can feel free to fuck off any time you want.I have better things to do with my time than stand around sniffing the daisies with you.”
“Have there been any Council sanctioned attacks on the Pride?”
Luis scowled.“Why the fuck would we lock horns with you?”
“You were pissed at losing out on that land deal,” Trip pointed out.
“That was two years ago.We found another tract and it’s better for our needs.”
“How did you fund that?The Pantera’s coffers usually run dry, and it’s not like the boom or bust has done a number on LA real estate.”
Luis just curled his top lip.“We had a good year last year.”
“That means your hostages’ families paid out.”Marc shook his head, his disgust evident.
Luis didn’t say anything—neither confirming nor denying Marc’s statement.There was a smugness about him though that told her Marc was bang on the money.
“You’re certain,” Ryan interrupted, his expression blank, “that no one has a grudge against the Pride?”
“Of course, we do.There’s always a grudge between us, but no reason to outright attack.Hell no.We’re not suicidal.”
Ryan’s nostrils flared, and she realized he was scenting the air.Because she saw him do it, she did so too.A welter of scents came to her, but she couldn’t discern a difference between them.
Sure, she could smell prey in the distance, as well as the fact that Luis had some weird body odor issues going down, but apart from that?
Butt kiss.
Deciding that she needed to figure out how to scent the truth, she watched as Ryan nodded.“Fine.”He strode forward, leaving her side and putting her nerves on edge—so much so, Trip held out a hand, curved it around her waist, and grounded her to that spot.Her instincts told her to go with him, to defend his back, but Trip wasn’t allowing her.Only because he was her mate did her cats behave and not snarl at him.
