No wonder he needed the lethaphyll. Ronin could relate.
The thought made him instantly, and uncomfortably, aware of how long it had been since he’d had his own fix. He pressed a button on the table to call over a waitress, and Mireille shot him an annoyed look.
She scooted out of his lap, her ass brushing over his cock far too briefly, and settled herself next to Mattias.
“I’m so sorry.” She grasped the male’s hand, her voice laced with an empathy Ronin had never heard her use. Like she recognized Mattias’s loss, had felt a similar one herself. That missing father she refused to talk to him about, perhaps?
Mattias sighed. “Sorry, I haven’t been much help.”
Again surprising Ronin with her gentleness, Mireille placed a hand on Mattias’s thigh. Ronin’s wolf emitted a low growl. “Every little piece of information we can gather before we go up there will help. And if we find any trace of Larissa, if we figure out what happened to her, we’ll let you know.”
“Thank you.” The pained, grateful expression on Mattias’s face had Ronin’s chest clenching. “Fuck, stunningandthoughtful? Again, I’ll ask… how didthisguy score you?”
Mireille aimed a cheeky little smile at Ronin over her shoulder, and winked. “He’s not so bad.”
And even though he knew it was all for show, goosebumps shivered down his neck.
Mattias pushed up from the banquette and handed the pack of lethaphyll cigarettes to Ronin. “You might need this up thereto chill yourself out. That estate is a fucking viper’s nest. Watch out you don’t get bitten.”
Ronin stuffed the pack into his pocket, then stood and shook his friend’s hand. “We will. Thanks, Mattias. Take care of yourself.”
Mattias shuffled out of the alcove, swallowed by the droning music and throbbing lights.
Ronin crashed back against the banquette. “Well, that was…interesting.”
“You’re telling me. Did you know about Mattias’s fire power?”
Ronin nodded. “He mentioned it to me when I contacted him to arrange this meeting and told him about our assignment. I promised him we wouldn’t tell Skanisse.”
“What are the chances his sister is still alive?” Mireille shot him a pleading look.
He was about to answer when the waitress he’d summoned finally bustled up to the table, her golden wings flowing behind her. Her mouth formed an excited O before she noticed Mireille and her lips pressed together.
“Can I get you two something?” Her gaze bobbed between them.
Ronin grimaced. “Oh, hey, uh…”
Sharae, his wolf supplied with a laugh.
“…Sharae. Nice to see you again.”
“Sure it is,” Sharae answered flatly. “Last call. What do you want?”
“I’ll take a Delirium. You want anything, Mireille?”
“Aquaver,” she said to Sharae, no trace of the previous empathy she’d shown to Mattias. “Straight up with a twist of lime. Atwist, not a peel. Make sure the bartender doesn’t fuck that up.”
“Of course.” Sharae aimed a saccharine smile at Mireille, then huffed down the mezzanine, wings bouncing.
Ronin loosed a chuckle. “She’s gonna spit in your drink.”
“What was that all about? She looked like she wanted to use her wind to choke the life out of me.”
“Nothing. Had a little fun with her last weekend and haven’t seen her since.”
“Ronin Matakos, Butcher of hearts,” Mireille teased. “Sounds like she’d be better off spitting inyourdrink. Though based on what I saw earlier, you might be into that.”
Ronin leaned back against the banquette, crossing an ankle over his knee, and spread an arm along the back, tracing circles on the plush velvet. Mireille’s eyes darted right to his fingers. “Curious, little she-wolf? You never let me tell you what my kinks are.”
