“Who are these people?” she asked.
“Computer experts as well as private detectives. Some vampires, some shifters, and probably a witch or two. They’re the best.” Jared put a dish in the dishwasher. “We’re leaving in ten minutes, packed or not.”
She gave him a look and hustled toward the bedroom. What exactly did one wear to a safe house?
Her phone buzzed, and she quickly read a group text message from Mabel. “Don’t forget we’re meeting at the lab tomorrow. I’m on to something.”
Good. Finally. “We’re taking my car,” she called out to Jared, tossing jeans into a bag. Then she added a couple of sweaters, some boots, a pocketknife, and her small gun. It was time to figure this thing out.
* * * *
Jared finished scoping out the safe house. Three stories made up the opulent house set on three acres far outside of the city. “This place is nice,” he whistled, making sure the windows on the ground floor were locked. Snow pelted against the darkened windows as the night pressed in around them.
“Uncle Benny owns it,” Chalton whispered. “Mom talked him in to letting us stay here.”
Jared winced. “Does he still want you dead?” Maybe staying there wasn’t such a great idea.
“Not sure,” Chalton said. “It wasn’t really my fault his penthouse got bombed, you know.” He rubbed his chin and leaned against the doorframe. “Okay. It was my fault. But I paid for the repairs and signed over my house in Barcelona for him as an apology.”
Yeah, but Benny was crazy. “Well, on the bright side, Benny is in Russia still. He won’t try to kill you until he’s back in the States.”
Chalton nodded, his gaze serious. “Yeah. That’s my analysis, too.” A grin slowly spread across his face. “Uh, Theo said Ronni and Ginny got in a fistfight over you?”
Jared sent him a look. “Theo’s a gossipy old woman.”
Chalton laughed and headed for the stairs. “I like that about him. Have a nice night.”
Jared followed suit, walking down a long hallway to a sprawling bedroom at the end. Veronica was already in bed, her back turned to the door. He engaged the lock and shrugged out of his clothes, leaving a gun on the bedside table.
Sleet slapped into the windows as the storm increased outside.
He lifted the covers and slid inside, pulling Veronica into his body. She was all softness and curves, sweetly relaxed in near slumber. Her smell of spices and woman surrounded him, and he breathed her in. His entire life, he’d remember her scent.
“Are you all right?” she asked sleepily. “Being thrown from that car had to hurt. I should’ve asked you that earlier.”
“You were busy engaging in fisticuffs. I’m fine.” He settled his face against her fragrant hair and allowed his body to relax. “I’m sorry I made you faint.”
“You didn’t have to kill that man,” she said softly.
He tightened his hold. “I explained that. Anybody tries to harm you, they die.” It really was that simple, and he wasn’t going to waver. “I’m not asking you to like that fact, but you are going to have to accept it.”
“You’re not a pirate any longer,” she muttered.
What did any of that have to do with being a pirate? “I know. Or I’d still walk around with my sword.” Truth be told, he missed his sword. Maybe they’d come back in style at some point.
She chuckled. “Your sword.”
He smiled and tugged her onto her back. Her dark eyes were somehow luminous in the night, and a tinge of sadness echoed in them. “What’s wrong?” he murmured, skimming his thumbs along her cheekbones.
She just shook her head.
“I can’t fix it if I don’t know what’s bothering you,” he said quietly.
“You can’t fix everything.” She reached up and brushed hair away from his face.
He studied her, trying to figure her out. It would probably take an eternity to understand the woman. “Are you injured? Hurt from the fight with Ginny?”
She rolled those eyes. “Of course not. Like I said, I was winning.”
