Maisie watched cautiously from a safe distance, her heart slowly but surely starting to return to a normal rhythm. Rhys was battered, but alive – which was the only thing she really cared about.
“Rhys!” gasped James. “Pull me back up – it was all a test of your loyalty, I swear! And you passed! With flying colors!”
MaisieknewRhys wouldn’t buy that – and he didn’t. The griffin only screeched again, its voice full of rage, and James’s face grew whiter by the second.
“Rhys – Rhys – what can I say – do you want money? I can get it – I’ll pave the way for you to be promoted to any position you want –”
But Maisie watched as Rhys’s massive griffin’s body shimmered, and then he returned to his human form – blood dripped from his back, where his wounded wing would have been if he’d still had it, and even though his talons had become hands once more, they still gripped James tightly, stopping him from falling.
“That’ll do, pig,” Rhys snarled into his face – just as the door leading up from the stairwell to the roof burst open behind them, and several men and women charged through it.
Fuck,Maisie thought, her heart sinking.
She wanted to scream – it wasn’t fair. They’d only just won and Rhys had fought so hard.
Is it now going to get snatched away from us? We were so close…
But now, James’s goons were here, and they’d probably both end up as pig feed after all, or whatever creatures these guys turned into.
She knew Rhys was too injured to fight them all off – and there were so many of them that he probably would have had a hard time of it even if he’d been in peak condition.
But I don’t care,Maisie thought furiously as she burst out from behind the air conditioning unit.If they want to get to him, they’ll have to go through me.
She knew she didn’t stand a chance. But she couldn’t do anything else.
Putting herself between Rhys and the suited men and women who’d just charged up the stairwell, she spread her arms wide.
“You can’t have him,” she yelled, raising her chin defiantly. “I don’t care if youareshifters, orwhatyou turn into, he’s my mate, and I won’t let you near him!”
She stood, staring them down, fury boiling inside her. In that moment, she truly believed shecouldhave taken them all on, shifters or not.
But, she realized after a moment, they weren’t coming. None of them were charging her with rage in their eyes – none of them were even shifting. Instead, they were glancing at each other in mild surprise and confusion.
Well, what’re you waiting for?!Maisie thought furiously.Come and try!
As she watched, however, the group slowly parted, and one man, tall and dark haired with gray temples, emerged from the back.
Robb,Maisie remembered his name was – he’d been in the room with her, James and Rhys as they’d been debriefed, and Rhys had introduced him as his direct superior.
Is he in on this too?Maisie wondered.Just how rottenisthis place?
But Robb didn’t seem too interested in pushing her aside, or shifting, or turning her into mincemeat to feed to a raging boar. He just cocked his head, looking past her.
“Robb?” Maisie heard Rhys’s voice from behind her, and she chanced a glance in his direction. She swallowed heavily. She had to admit, Rhys wasn’t exactly making the best impression right now – he was still holding a badly bleeding James over the edge of the building, his fists bloody, his face flushed with rage. “I swear, this isn’t what it looks like.”
“It is! It’sexactlywhat it looks like!” James squealed. “Robb, this lunatic tried to kill me – he’s corrupt as they come, look at the proof –”
Robb was silent for a long moment, before he finally cocked an eyebrow. “I know.”
Maisie’s heart sank, for what seemed like the tenth time that day.
Does Rhys’s superior officerreallythink he’s capable of something like this?
“I mean, I know whatRhysis saying is true,” Robb said after a moment, and Maisie wondered if there was just the ghost of a smile on his face. “James, I’ve known whatyouare for years now. But you’re one slippery bastard, and I never could get any proof. Until now.”
Maisie’s eyes widened. For a moment, she wondered if perhaps she’d passed out and was dreaming. Had Robbreallyjust said what she thought he’d said?
He believes Rhys? And he knows that James is guilty?He’s known for years?!
