Sorry, I’m working. But you go out, and have fun.
“Everything okay?” Denopoulos stood in front of him, angling his head at his phone.
“Yeah, all good.”
“I believe you were telling me about this demon plane.”
“Well, Arcadia doesn’t exist anymore. This all took place long before I became a vampire. I’m surprised Teague never told you about that period in history.” Garrett inclined his head in the direction of the conference room. “After losing the war, his people became enslaved by the Coterie, a cadre of ruthless vampires.”
Denopoulos finished the last of his coffee and set his mug in the sink. “It certainly explains why he's giving your partner a hard time, but it’s no excuse. He never talks much about his past. He’s always been treated like a friggin’ rock star for putting a bunch of vampires convicted of some heinous shit in Hellios, long before I came to work for the agency. You’re saying you think it’s related to this battle on Arcadia?”
“It’s just a guess.” Garrett hoped this wouldn’t have any impact on their ongoing investigation. They had enough to deal with. There was no room for ancient rifts to get in the way. Talking about the past made him think of the similarities to his own.
“I’m curious, how come Teague’s never given you a hard time?” Denopoulos asked, pushing Garrett back to the present. “You may not have been around back during this vampire-demon war, but you’re one of them.”
“I’m considered a young vampire in the grand scheme, especially in comparison to the Dubrosky family. They’ve been around for generations.” Garrett took a sip of his coffee and made a face. The stuff really was awful. “She comes from an ancient line. Hell, they’re practically royalty.”
“In other words, she could’ve had family members who messed with his people?”
“It’s certainly a possibility, but he’s taking this a bit too far. Teague needs to find another outlet to work through his anger.” Yeah, like Garrett was one to talk. He’d been searching for Malcom Von Scrivner for nearly a century to enact his revenge. Garrett shook his head, forcing his mind back to the present and set his mug on the counter.
“What do you say we break upGrudge Matchin there?” Denopoulos pointed to the conference room.
Garrett chuckled. “My money would be on Dubrosky all the way. She might be petite, but she’s a serious badass, not to mention she has a mean right hook.”
When they walked back into the room, Teague and Dubrosky didn’t exactly stand nose to nose, since Teague easily stood over seven feet and Dubrosky was five-two on a good day. But from the way they glared at each other, Garrett wasn’t sure if they were going to kill each other or kiss.
“Break it up, you two and take a seat,” Denopoulos commanded and shot a warning look at his partner. “Take it easy, Thor. Put the hammer down. Let’s get back to the reason we’re here today, the Lawrence case, remember?”
With a huff, Teague plopped down in his chair. “Of course. My apologies. You could always switch it up and take Gillian back to the coven. Who knows, it might draw Lawrence out. Either way, it’s only a matter of time before he takes the bait and sends one of his minions after her.”
Garrett would be ready when the vampire did. He wouldn’t hesitate to rip him apart. “If I go to the coven, the other girls would intrude and put themselves in danger, which is why it makes sense for her to stay put for now. I’m sticking with the cover.”
“As long as you’re okay with the arrangement?” Denopoulos asked, giving him a sidelong glance. It was clear from the curious look on his face, and their conversation at the diner a few months back, he suspected Garrett’s interest in Gillian wasn’t purely professional.
“I’m making the best of the situation,” Garrett muttered under his breath, trying not to draw attention to himself.
“I bet. I’m sure it’s a real hardship playing house with a beautiful woman. All jokes aside, what are you planning to tell everyone?” Teague asked, folding his arms across his massive chest.
Garrett rubbed the back of his neck. “We’ve already come up with a cover. We stayed in touch after I finished the investigation on the coven and started dating recently. It made sense to keep our relationship a secret until we knew where it was going. Things moved quickly from there, and I asked her to move in with me. It might not be ideal, but this cover is for everyone’s safety.”
“What about the engagement party?” Dubrosky asked, glancing at Garrett with an expectant look on her face.
“It might raise suspicion if we both don’t show.” Garrett shot back, shifting in his seat. It would be one thing to pretend in front of a few people at Gillian’s shop, but it was quite another to do it in front of a whole room full of friends and family. “It’s your decision, Denopoulos.”
“There will be questions if you both don’t show. I’ll tell Willow of course. She knows how to keep a secret. Besides, it will serve as a perfect time to convince everyone of your relationship,” Denopoulos said with a wink. He’d met Willow while undercover, and their relationship had created quite a stir.
“The party’s at Amanda’s in Hoboken?” Teague glanced between them. “Don’t you think it’s a little too out in the open? It’ll be one hell of a challenge to keep it secure.”
“I’m friendly with the owners.” Garrett smiled. “I eat at their other restaurant, the Elysian Café, every day for lunch.”
Denopoulos pulled out his phone and began typing. “Funny, I heard the place was a speakeasy during prohibition.”
Garrett nodded. “I used to go there when it was a speakeasy. It has an interesting history, not to mention the best sirloin steak salad in town.” He grabbed his pad and pen and made a note to talk with them about security. “I’ll make sure the entrances and exits are guarded at all times.”
“I’m happy to help out,” Dubrosky added, refusing to look in Teague’s direction, which at this point was probably a blessing. They didn’t need to go for round two. The conference table looked like it was made of solid mahogany. It would be a shame to see it turned into a pile of splintered wood.
“You’ll have to make this fake relationship look convincing,” Denopoulos insisted, getting to his feet. “Maybe you two should practice acting like you’re in love.”
