“What’s your gut saying?”
“That there’s only a handful of people who know my history, and even less who would class me as a Daemon.” His chest clenched at the name, a sour taste coating his tongue.
Riley swore, the word more of a growl.“You think one of us leaked the information?”
Titus heard the strain in his voice. “No.” He’d lay his life down on that fact. “But I don’t trust this. The Order’s behind the hit, I’m sure, but I don’t believe Edwards signed it himself. Not under his name, anyway, and definitely not as the Archdruid.” Edwards was smart enough to have not left a trail.
“There may be more people behind it than simply him, which means we need to figure out who, and take them out,”he said.“What would’ve happened when the hit against you expired?”
“Someone else would’ve been assigned to kill me.”
“And what would’ve happened to your assassin in that situation?”
Titus turned towards the open door, listening out for Rae. “It doesn’t matter, because I won’t let it happen.”
“Ti –”
“Sire,” he interrupted, using the title knowing it pissed Riley off. He didn’t like to be reminded of the hierarchy, one that was forced on him. “I’ll deal with whatever happens.”
A grunt.“You bonded yet?”
“Does it matter?”
A heavy pause.“He’ll be at a charity event tomorrow night,”Riley said, allowing the subject to drop.“Storm Enterprise’s still a patron from when my father was the Archdruid. I’ll get us in, including your assassin.”
“Good.” Titus closed his eyes. “Ri, when you first met Alice, what was it like?”
“It felt like I’d been hit by a truck, and that was before I’d tied her to a chair.”
Titus smiled.
“I accused her of putting a spell on me, because no way could my beast be so enamoured by this bloody witch who couldn’t even control her own powers.”Another taut pause.“Sometimes we aren’t even aware we’re looking for something, not until we find it.”
Titus opened his eyes to see Rae there, her hair damp, loose around her shoulders. She’d put on her bra, but it dipped low enough at the front that he could just make out the moon mark peeking above the fabric, the colour almost full.
“Do I have permission to take Edwards out?” he asked Riley, but never taking his eyes off her.
“Do not touch him without speaking to me first. Being a Councilman complicates things.”
Titus swallowed his frustrated growl.
“I’m not saying no,”Riley continued.“I’m saying not yet. We need to find his accomplices, if any.”
Rae looked up, a flush darkening her skin at his attention.
“Fine,” Titus bit out. “I’ll update you soon.” He said goodbye, throwing his phone onto the desk as he waited, knowing from the way Rae nibbled her bottom lip she was about to share her opinion.
“You’re an open book, you know,” he said, taking his time to study the dark lace that cupped her breasts, matching the sliver of underwear between her legs. She’d added her thigh sheath and holster, and the image of an almost naked Rae armed with the same gun he’d made her come with was one of the hottest things he’d ever seen.
“If you know who hired me, why aren’t we killing them?” she asked, reaching up to tie her hair in its usual ponytail.
“Because it’s complicated.”
“How?” She frowned. “A bullet between the eyes will nullify the assignment, surely? No guild will carry out a hit when there’s no money involved.”
“Not when it’s a Councilman.”
Rae’s eyes widened slightly. “Fuck, like from the actual Council?”
