“I wondered if it was ‘take your kid to work day’ but mom or dad got lost en route,” Bryce said.
“He’s one of Cheung’s protégés,” Tom said, sitting down opposite Bryce. “He’s got potential, apparently.”
“Or a daddy with deep pockets to contribute to a re-election campaign,” Bryce said.
Tom raised his eyebrows slightly but kept silent. Possibly as if he didn’t disagree with Bryce’s conclusion but wasn’t going to be disloyal enough to admit it.
“So, what do you need to know?” Bryce asked, all business again.
It turned out to be pretty much what he’d expected. Tom broke out a tablet on which he already had a list of pack members’ names. Bryce caught a glimpse of the screen, with Colby’s name highlighted. His jaw tightened. Nope. Not happening.
Tom jotted down the brief additional details Bryce offered and asked some open-ended questions, which Bryce answered in a meandering way that sounded cooperative but gave away precisely nothing. Then Tom wanted to examine for himself the potential hostile zone.
“You mean the house and land?”
Tom’s lips curved again into that grin. It did something quite remarkable to what was otherwise a serious-looking face, and Bryce found he wanted to keep seeing it.
“Sorry,” Tom said. “Jargon’s an occupational hazard.”
“I hear you,” Bryce said. “Like when I exit the vehicle in the vicinity of the building, rather than get out of my car at home.”
The grin widened. “Is it okay if I take a look around?”
Even though Bryce found himself smiling back, he was aware that there was a lively intelligence in those brown eyes. They might be smiling, but Tom’s focus on what he was here for hadn’t faltered in the slightest. Given the secret the pack was guarding, that made him a little dangerous.
“I’ll come with you,” he said. “Show you the lay of the land.”
“Thanks,” Tom said, then hesitated. “I think Tristan said he might help with that. Him and Colby.”
Well, yeah, but Bryce had given in to Tristan’s begging before he’d found out just how sharp Tom’s brain was. And before he’d clocked Tom’s interest in Colby.
Someone this perceptive wasn’t getting near Colby. There was no way he could answer questions about his recent past without making a connection between them and Cale’s pack—a connection that no one could ever know about. If the person responsible for the slaughter found out they knew, that they could point fingers… They’d be dead before they knew it, based on the ease with which Cale’s larger, violent pack had been murdered.
So Bryce leaned back in his chair and let his gaze sweep over Tom, slow and appreciative.
“Yeah, but I can show you things Tristan can’t,” he said, bouncing his eyebrows in a deliberately goofy way.
He knew exactly how it came across—corny, shameless, maybe even embarrassing. That was the point. Better to be the guy who made people roll their eyes than the one who pushed when he shouldn’t. He’d rather look ridiculous than make someone uncomfortable.
Tom certainly didn’t look uncomfortable. His smile broke loose, completely genuine with no hint of caution. As if he were actually amused. “Bet you say that to all the National Council aides.”
“I’m going to have to find out,” Bryce said. “You’re the first one I’ve met.”
Tom laughed, but it seemed he didn’t miss the way Bryce had subtly redirected the conversation from Colby and Tristan. His eyes narrowed just slightly, like he was filing the change away for later. Damn it. Bryce better give him a reason for the change in plans, so he didn’t realize what Bryce was up to.
“Also,” Bryce added, more seriously now, “Colby’s still settling. He came out of a really rough situation a few weeks back, then he met Tristan, found out they’re mates, and… let’s just say they could use the time alone.”
Something in Tom’s expression softened. That made two things Bryce liked about the guy—the looks, and the empathy. And the way he took up space without apologizing for it yet without arrogance, either. Then there was the ass. Okay, maybe there were afewthings he liked.
“Appreciate the heads-up,” Tom said, and he sounded like he meant it.
“You want to look around shifted? Can cover more ground that way.”
Tom nodded once, businesslike. But as he stood, his eyes lingered a moment too long.
Bryce didn’t let himself react. Instead, he opened the back door, letting in the scent of sun-warmed earth, and stepped out into the sunshine.
When Tom shifted beside him, Bryce’s wolf didn’t respond with the usual flash of territorial instinct around a strange wolf. No raised hackles, no warning growl. If anything, there was aquiet recognition—wordless and ancient, settling in his chest, like this presence had always belonged.
