Page 109 of Hell’s Half Acre

“Faro Bellamy.”

Grateful Sorcha’d been paying attention, he nodded. “Yeah. Him. Is he home?”

For an obvious reason, the woman wasn’t too sure about letting them into her house. “Do you have a badge, too?” she asked Sorcha.

“I do.” Sorcha pulled it out and showed it to her.

“We also have guns.” He sent the woman a wicked smile.

That caused the woman’s brown eyes to flare. “Pardon?”

Sorcha elbowed him. “Forgive my partner. He has a warped sense of humor.”

“I do. I really, really do.”

The woman scowled at Sorcha’s badge. “Never heard of Infernal Affairs. Is this some Sam and Dean scam? What are you trying to pull?”

Luke let out a tired sigh and gave Sorcha a stern frown. “Did you leave your Bikini Inspector badge in the car?”

Before she could answer, he leaned down toward the woman. “Look, Tiffany, I know you’re a werewolf and so is Faro. We’re here about his attack and I need to speak with him. Okay?”

Her face lost all color. “Excuse me?”

“Don’t. Just don’t. We’ve had two Alphas lose their heads. And we were told that Faro almost lost his. Now, you can let us talk to him, or take your chances with whatever is hunting him. I really have no vested interest if Faro lives or dies, but I’m guessing you might.”

“Yes! Sorry. Please, come in.” She stepped back and opened the door.

Luke entered first, then turned back toward her. “For the record, we could have been his attackers. Letting someone in your house unannounced is never a good thing.”

“But you said⁠—”

“You’re safe with us,” Sorcha said quickly before Luke could do any more damage. “He’s just trying to make a point.”

The woman swallowed hard. “A scary one.”

“Sorry.” Luke shrugged. “Sometimes the devil gets the better of me and I just can’t help myself.” He offered her a smile, but she wasn’t buying it.

Sometimes even his charm failed. Though to be honest, the only person it’d ever truly failed with had been Sorcha.

“May we speak with Faro?” Sorcha asked in that soothing tone.

“Yes. Um…please follow me.” Her uncomfortable gaze went to Luke.

“I don’t bite. Promise.”

That only seemed to make her nervous and garnered him another elbow from Sorcha.

Rubbing the spot, he grimaced at her. “You keep doing that and I’m going to make you kiss my boo-boos later.”

Her face turned a becoming shade of red before she quickened her steps to follow after the woman who went down the hallway and opened a door to a very white room. It was so bright, Luke wanted to pull out a pair of sunglasses.

Sparsely furnished with a queen-sized bed, a white nightstand, and gray chest of drawers, it reminded him more of old Colonial Savannah.

As in the Savannah he once visited to barter souls with pirates, privateers, and planters who were trying to make it rich in the lush port town.

The only thing that made the room exquisite and special was the floor-to-ceiling windows that looked out onto the water. The palmetto trees were beautiful and haunting.

A man who appeared a couple of years older than the woman immediately clutched blankets higher on his chest. “Tiffany! What are you doing?”