Chapter 5
Thunder rolled outside while rain pounded from an angry sky. Abby trudged into the anger management group meeting, pausing at seeing a guy with bruise marks around his neck rushing for the stairs leading down. “Excuse me. Is the meeting still downstairs?” she asked.
The man, a portly guy dressed in a faded button-down and wrinkled slacks, paused. “Um, which one?”
“Anger-management,” she said.
He winced. “No. Your group is back upstairs. I’m Dr. Meletoni, and I run the Gamblers Anonymous group. We’re downstairs now.” His gaze darted all around the hallway, and then he scurried off like a scared mouse.
Well. That was weird. Abby looked down the hallway with rusting lockers on either side before turning into the first and only open door.
“Hi,” she said to Mariana before noting the wide windows looking out at the vacant playground.
A swing haphazardly hung from rusted chains and moved mildly in the cold breeze.
“Hi,” Mariana said, setting papers on each large wooden chair already put in a circle. Today the shrink wore a pretty pink suit with turquoise jewelry.
Abby moved for a chair by the window, took the papers, and sat. “How did you get us back upstairs?”
Mariana shrugged and took her seat. “Dr. Meletoni just dropped in and apologized for taking our spot on Tuesday. Maybe he had a change of heart.”
“Hmm.” Abby stacked the papers on her lap. The guy had looked terrified. But who would scare a psychiatrist over a room? It didn’t make sense. Though lately, who the heck knew?
The men in the group had seemed a little prone to action, especially Noah.
It had been an entire day since she’d seen him at the restaurant where she used to work. Yeah, she’d been fired after her shift that night. The manager had blushed and stammered an apology, but there wasn’t much he could do, since he didn’t own the restaurant.
She’d spent the entire day going through the want ads looking for a job. She’d qualified for a couple, but upon making inquiries, she’d been turned down. Instantly.
Monte had powerful friends in town, and there was no way she’d find a job. So she’d started looking online, but nothing had panned out.
Heavy footsteps echoed down the wooden floors outside. She felt him before she saw him. The air somehow changed, becoming heavy and electrified. Noah strode inside with Ivar on his heels.
Everything inside her calmed for a second and then roared into action. Her heartrate picked up, her breath quickened, and her attention focused and narrowed. Right to the man dressed today in a gray T-shirt and faded jeans with a worn black leather jacket. Her mouth began to salivate.
It just wasn’t fair. Nobody should be that good looking. If they were, they should be an off-limits pastor or something. Not a guy in anger-management classes.
He looked around the room and zeroed in on her.
No. Definitely no, no, no . But he walked through the circle and instantly sat by her side, warming her entire body like he’d tossed an electric blanket over her.
Ivar watched him, shrugged, and then followed to sit on his other side. He leaned over and whispered loudly. “Want me to flank her?”
Heat burst into her face. They were talking about her?
“No. Just be quiet,” Noah snapped, his big hands wrinkling the papers he’d gathered from his seat.
Ivar’s chuckle was a surprise from the serious guy.
Noah looked at her. “Did you get fired?”
She blinked, her eyes widening. “How did you know that?”
Before he could answer, Tabitha and Raine strode into the room and took their seats. The stunning woman was dressed in black slacks with a green designer sweater, and the tough looking soldier was more dressed up today in dark slacks and a button-down shirt.
“You came back,” Noah said darkly.
Abby shivered. What was that tone about?
The shrink cleared her throat. “You’ve all been ordered to appear here twice a week for the next month. Of course he returned.” She smiled at Raine, her gaze more cautious than pleased.
The dark-haired guy looked directly at Ivar. “My job isn’t done here.”
Abby swallowed and looked past Noah to Ivar. “I think you guys should tell us what’s going on. It seems like there are odd undercurrents here.”
Noah’s eyebrows lifted. “Aren’t you a brave one today?”
Well, yeah . She shrugged. “It just feels off.”
“Yeah?” Noah asked. “Tell me about it. In fact, why don’t you tell all of us why you were fired the day before last?” His masculine voice was all grit.
Mariana’s eyes widened. “You were fired? Wasn’t staying employed a condition of your probation?”
Nausea ticked through Abby’s stomach. “Yes,” she sighed. “The manager said the owner had gotten complaints about me, about my being forgetful with orders and rude with customers.”
“Who complained?” Noah growled.
Growled. It actually sounded like a growl.
Was it because his voice was so hoarse? Abby licked her lips and ignored the heat springing through her belly from the rough tone.
“I don’t know. He wouldn’t tell me who complained, not that it matters.
” She already knew but couldn’t prove it, and who cared?
If the owner wanted her fired, she was fired.
Mariana flipped open the top file on her lap. “Have you tried to find another job? It looks like you only have a week, or your probation gets violated.”
Bile now rose up to Abby’s throat, and she swallowed it down. Her head ached. She would not cry in front of these people. In front of anybody. Worst case scenario, she could handle jail for a year. Right? “Yes, but I haven’t found anything,” she murmured.
Noah straightened. “If you ask me, your ex-husband got you fired and has some sort of hold on the town. What does he do, anyway?”
“He’s a lawyer,” she said, holding her papers tighter. “I’ll find a job. I have to.”
Tabitha leaned forward, her black eyes sparkling. “Tell the truth, just for one second. Did your ex get you fired?”
“Yes,” Abby said instantly. Who cared if they didn’t believe her?
Tabitha looked beyond tiny next to the large Raine. “I’ll hire you.”
Abby jerked and sat back. What? “You will?”
“Sure. I’m trying to get that plant back to operation, and I could use an assistant. You’re hired.” Tabitha smiled. “I don’t suppose you have any sort of connection with the manager at the First Pine Bank in town, do you?”
Noah sat back, not sure he liked the new developments taking place. “She is not helping you rob a bank,” he snapped.
Abby laughed instantly, the sound melodious. Soft and soothing and sweet. “You’re funny.”
Funny? Nobody had ever called him funny. Or anything nice, really. He gave the demoness a hard glare that promised retribution if she got Abby into danger.
Tabi cocked her head. “You making a claim, male?”
“No,” he gritted out.
“Fine,” Tabi murmured. “No, we’re not robbing the bank. Work on your sense of humor.” Delight and challenge filled her dark eyes. “In fact, let’s start with you today, Noah. You seem angrier than necessary.”
Oh, the little shit.
The shrink leaned forward. “You actually do, Noah. Let’s talk. What is making you angry?”
He forced a smile to curve his lips to keep from throwing his shoe at the demoness. “Well?—”
His words caught in his throat when Benny dodged into the room, his shoulders barely clearing the door frame. The massive vampire looked around, spotted Mariana, and shoved between two chairs to hand over an envelope to her. “You look like you’re in charge.”
She stared at him, her mouth open.
Yeah, most humans reacted the same way to Benjamin Reese. Noah stood. “Benny? What the hell?”
Ivar stood, his entire body on full alert and nearly vibrating. “We going?”
“Yep. Found the woman and you need to take her before they do.” Benny turned toward Noah. “Thanks for the help, but we’ve had a development, and the Viking has to get to work.”
Mariana sputtered. “Wait a minute.” She opened the envelope and quickly read. “Charges were dropped against you, and you’re free to go, Ivar?” She looked up, her gaze bewildered.
Noah pushed a snarl down. “I don’t suppose I have papers?”
Benny blanched. “No.” He leaned in. “Ivar said you might want to stay. Something about a chick with problems.” He whispered it low enough only the immortals in the room could hear.
Tabitha chuckled. “Oh, this is cute.”
Noah grabbed Benny’s arm. “I’m going to kill you for this, Ben.”
Mariana clapped her hands sharply. “Noah. That is exactly the type of language and action we wish to avoid here. You know that.”
Oh, Noah really was going to kill Benny.
Amusement filled Benny’s eyes, the asshole, and he quickly backed away. “My guys are still looking for information for you. Nothing yet.”
“I have something,” Raine murmured, his body still oddly relaxed in the wooden chair. “But I want information in return.”
Benny clapped him on the arm. “I know. I left you a treat in your truck.”
Wonderful. Hopefully it wasn’t a bomb.
Ivar turned and held out a hand. “Thank you, friend. Happy hunting.”
Noah shook it, oddly sorry to see the Viking go. “Ditto. I hope you find what you need.”
Ivar nodded at the other occupants and then strolled after Benny. The air lightened in their wake.
Raine began to stand.
“Oh, no, you don’t,” Noah said, grabbing the vampire’s arm and yanking him toward Ivar’s vacant seat. He’d give his friends a head start, if nothing else. “Why don’t you tell the doc here if you’re doing better with anger?”
Raine jerked away. “I’m out of here.”
“No, you can’t go,” Mariana said, reaching for another file. “You’re supposed to be here.”
The vampire paused, looking at the brown-eyed woman.
Yeah, Noah had felt something between them. Oh, Raine could just leave and disappear, and the humans wouldn’t be able to do a damn thing.
Tabitha cleared her throat. “I, ah, really need to keep this group going.” In other words, she needed her cover protected. “I’d owe you one if you stay, Raine.”
A favor from a demoness, and one of her lineage, wasn’t something easily passed up.
Raine growled and looked at the empty doorway. Then he glanced at the ancient clock on the wall. They only had thirty minutes left. “Fine.” He took Ivar’s vacated seat.
“So, Raine,” Mariana started, “Why don’t you tell us what makes you angry? If we can identify your triggers, that might help you in the future.”
The vampire lifted one jet-black eyebrow. “My triggers? What the hell is a trigger?”
Abby turned toward him. “It’s something that makes you mad. That triggers you into anger or any emotion, really.”
Raine’s expression softened a fraction. “All right. Let’s see. A trigger for me would be somebody being a selfish bastard who’s going to hurt other people. Like a lot of other people.”
Okay. Not unfair, considering Noah had the same concern regarding Ivar, the Seven, and their plans.
Mariana frowned. “So your fight with a landlord and with a former client? They were going to hurt people?”
Raine blinked, obviously trying to remember his cover story. “Yeah. The landlord was trying to evict an elderly woman who couldn’t pay but had paid faithfully for years, and my former client was his lawyer, who is no longer mine. Not a nice guy.” The vampire then smiled, almost angelically.
Noah nodded out of acknowledgment. Very nice cover. The guy was quick.
“That’s awful,” Abby whispered, looking around Noah. “I’m so sorry.”
Noah stiffened.
Raine patted his heart. “I know, right? What was I supposed to do? Somebody had to help the elderly woman. I mean, her husband, God rest his soul, was a veteran, and she sews scarves for the local children when it gets cold.”
Scarves? Seriously? Okay, now he was pouring it on way too thick. Noah shifted his weight in case he needed to punch the guy. Were the humans really falling for this?
Abby’s eyes had softened, and she nodded. A quick look at the shrink showed a different story somehow. Her brown eyes had narrowed, and she studied Raine as if he were a case subject. Good. At least somebody was seeing through the nonsense.
Mariana cleared her throat. “I see, but none of that excuses violence. Maybe we should play-act a better way to work through problems.”
Was she joking? Or teaching Raine a lesson? Noah bit down a grin and sat back in his chair. “You know, doc, I think you’re on to something. It’d help the rest of us if you play-acted with Raine and showed us what he should’ve done.”
Raine coughed. “You’re going to pay for that, hybrid,” he muttered, only loud enough for Noah to hear.
“Looking forward to it,” Noah returned, just as quietly.