His fangs responded even now, the points digging into his tongue.
It hadn’t been long since he last fed, so he knew he couldn’t blame his thirst on simple lack of sustenance.
He couldn’t blame any of what he was feeling for her on basic biology. Not even the way his cock roused at the thought of her now, despite the fact that he’d barely given it a rest since he stepped into Devony’s house the night before.
On a frustrated groan, he cranked the spigot as far as it would go into the cold zone and let the icy water douse him.
It hadn’t really helped. When he finally stepped out to towel off, all he’d done was add freezing and irritated to his foul mood.
He didn’t expect his check-in with the Order was going to be any improvement on that front, but he needed to bring them up to speed. He could only imagine what his commanders were thinking now that they’d had a chance to talk to Nathan and hear about the near-disaster at the museum.
Throwing on a pair of jeans, Rafe headed out to the computer workstation and initiated the video link. He expected to find Gideon at the other end of the call.
Instead, it was Lucan.
“Sir,” Rafe greeted with a nod of respect.
“I hope you’re calling with some good news.”
He didn’t think getting naked with Devony Winters was going to qualify as that to the Order’s leader. Then again, it wasn’t exactly good news that he’d participated in a vault robbery of millions’ worth of priceless art, either.
He probably ought to begin with the least fucked-up aspect of his mission so far.
“I’m in with the gang. Cruz and I aren’t going to be best friends, but I think he trusts me. There’s been talk of something big coming down the pike soon. I’ll make sure I’m in on it. I’m confident we’ve found a solid link in LaSalle, one that’s going to eventually lead us to someone in Opus.”
Lucan grunted. “Glad to hear it. After that shit-show over at the MFA, I had my doubts.”
“Yeah, about that,” Rafe hedged. “How’s Jordana?”
“She’s fine. A little shaken, but that’s understandable considering the circumstances.”
“And Nathan?”
Lucan arched a black brow. “Fit to be tied, and I mean that almost literally. He was ready to kill you even after Chase informed him that you’re covert and operating with the Order’s full support.”
“So, he knows now.” Rafe nodded. “How’d he take that news?”
“You know your team captain, he’s an emotionless machine most of the time. No shock, given the way he was raised in the Hunter program. Nathan may not have said as much, but I know he’s got to be relieved. That’s not to say you won’t have to answer to him about what happened in that museum vault.”
Rafe frowned. “I didn’t know Jordana was going to be there. Hell, I didn’t even know about the heist until I was in the van and rolling with Cruz and the rest of the gang.”
Lucan nodded. “They had to test you.”
“That’s right. If I’d thought there was any chance Jordana or Carys might end up in harm’s way, I would’ve aborted the mission.”
“I know, son. When all of this is over, you’ll have to work on convincing Nathan of that.”
Rafe welcomed the chance. He had a lot of bridges to rebuild on the other side of his mission. Now, he had to add Devony’s name to that list too.
“Are you going to tell me about the woman?” Lucan’s gray gaze bore into him. “Nathan and Jordana told quite a story in their debriefing. They said she’s Breed. This daywalker, is she the female you reported on the other day, the one you said they call Brinks?”
“Her name is Devony,” Rafe said. “Devony Winters. Her father is—”
“Ah, Christ. Roland Winters,” Lucan muttered, his scowl deepening. “Why am I just now hearing from you that a goddamn JUSTIS director’s daughter is involved in this?”
“I only discovered her name last night, sir.”
“She fucking Cruz?”
