Chapter 9
Nine
TALULLA
“Flynn,” I say, my breath catching the moment I really look at him.
His jaw is clenched, shoulders tight, his entire body pulled so taut it looks painful. His expression isn’t just angry—it’s lethal. This is the face he wears right before things get ugly.
“What the hell are you doing?”
My eyes widen noticing his expression. “Did you follow me here? How did you—”
“Cassandra called me in a panic because you haven’t checked in a while. Now do you want to tell me what the fuck you are doing in a highly secured building?”
Of course she did.
Of course she panicked.
But holy hell she knew I had half an hour, why couldn’t she wait ten freaking minutes.
“I was just helping the Drusus coven with something,” I say quickly. “It’s all good.”
Flynn growls.
Actually growls.
The sound shoots straight down my spine, primal and sharp, and my body reacts before my brain can catch up. “I should put a collar on you,” he says, fists clenched so tight his knuckles pale.
“Try and see what happens,” I reply, cocking an eyebrow, smirking.
He steps closer. “Don’t irritate me more than you already have. I’m pissed, Talulla.”
I pout, folding my arms. “I was just trying to lighten the mood.”
“Livid, Talulla.”
“I know,” I say, the humor slipping just a little. “And I’m so sorry for not telling you, but I couldn’t risk your life.”
“My life?” His laugh is sharp and humorless. “Do you think I’m mad because you didn’t tell me? I’m mad because you went into a secret agency building alone without a fucking plan.”
“Yeah, well,” I shoot back, “you left without telling me where you were going this morning too.”
“You could have died,” he snaps. “You could have fucking died, and I wouldn’t have been there to save you. Why did you go behind my back when I could have helped you?”
“You couldn’t have gone inside. The entire place is vampire-proof apparently.”
“I’ve already walked into a room where I was supposed to die from pain, haven’t I?” he growls. “Don’t underestimate me.”
“I got what Cass needed,” I insist. “And now we’re good. It’s all good.”
“Good?” His voice drops. “Are you fucking serious right now?”
“Yeah, I got in, got pictures of the file, and got out.”
“They put a tracker on you.”
“What?” My stomach drops. How? I was invisible.
“Did you really think you could outsmart the S.P.I.A?”
“Well I—”
“God,” he mutters. “Sometimes I forget you’re a fucking child.”
“Hey,” I protest. “I’m almost twenty-six.”
“And you act like a twelve-year-old.”
“Ouch.”
His nostrils flare. “Sorry.”
“I just really didn’t want to worry you.”
Flynn stares at me for a few seconds, anger slowly bleeding into something heavier. Fear. Exhaustion. Love. He sighs. “I know, little hunter. I know.”
“Wow,” I mumble. “Downgraded to little hunter. You really are pissed.”
He snorts, then pulls me into him, arms wrapping around my waist tight enough to ground me. “Extremely. God, I should have known I couldn’t leave you alone like that.”
I tiptoe and brush my lips against his—soft, gentle, a promise. “You should definitely punish me for what I did.”
He hums. “I absolutely should.”
Heat curls low in my belly. I roll my hips just enough for him to feel how badly I want him. “Then do whatever you need to do, fangs. I’m your pet after all.”
“And I have the perfect punishment already in mind.”
“Yeah?” I grin, feeling lighter, safer. He’s here. He came running the second he thought I was in danger. Whatever he was doing earlier—he’ll tell me. I know he will.
Flynn’s nostrils flare once again, and his jaw clenches. He’s now looking behind me. Past me.
“I need to get you home.” And I know exactly why.
We’re not alone anymore.
“Mr. Lancaster,” a voice says behind me, smooth and amused. “I didn’t know we had a meeting.”
My shoulders tense as Flynn pushes me behind him.
“Mr. Norton,” Flynn replies coolly. “What a pleasant surprise. We were just…admiring the architecture of your estate.”
“No need to hide the thief,” the werewolf says. “You know we would have already detained Miss Popescu if we had a reason to.”
“I’m sure you wouldn’t want to piss off Emil Popescu,” Flynn says.
The werewolf snorts at the mention of my father, and honestly I almost did as well. Mostly because we both know my dad absolutely does not care about me anymore. What we’re hoping though is that this guy hasn’t gotten the latest gossip news from my family. “Would you, Flynn?”
I step out of Flynn’s shadow. “Why do we always bring my father into conversations involving me?”
The werewolf is now finally staring at me, and as he tilts his head to the side, he says, “Because he’s the only reason why I’m not going to arrest you, Miss Popescu.”
“As if he would care,” I whisper under my breath. Flynn’s grip tightens, letting me know to keep my mouth shut.
“Listen to your mate, Talulla.”
“How do you know?”
“I’m a mated werewolf,” he says. “And I’m in the secret services. It’s my job to recognize bonds of high figures.”
“High figures?” I question, because what does that even mean?
“You’re a Popescu, and he’s Flynn Lancaster.”
“And? Are we famous or something?” This gets a chuckle from my own vampire.
“Definitely pretty well known, yes.”
“Mr. Norton,” Flynn says sharply, “if you’re not detaining my mate, we’ll be going.”
The man snorts. “You do that, Lancaster. You better keep your toys at arm’s reach. I’m sure you wouldn’t want to lose them.”
“I’m not a fucking toy.”
He smiles. “It was a pleasure meeting Emil Popescu’s famous daughter. Interesting how you’ve moved past your vampire’s old ways.”
“What is that supposed to mean?”
Flynn growls. “Mr. Norton, I’m sure you know I’m trying to stay calm.”
“Threatening a secret agent won’t get you anywhere.”
“Well, not that secret anymore, I kinda know what you look like,” I add, shrugging my shoulders.
“Very funny. Goodbye, love birds. Until we meet again.”
“We won’t.” Flynn tags me away.
“Talulla?” The man looks at me as he calls me by my first name.
“Yes?”
“Do let us know if you uncover anything important in the files you looked at today.”
The words hit like ice water.
The S.P.I.A knew I was in their building, and they know I looked at more than one file. I also know this man did not want to openly share what files I looked up, and I truly wonder why is that?
They just sat there and watched me do what I thought I was doing in secret. And I wonder if this was the first time this has happened.
“Time to go,” Flynn says, nudging me. “I think it’s time for us to have a little conversation about some things.”
Once we’re away, my hands shake. I pull my phone out, fingers moving on instinct. Cassandra needs this now. I send everything—every photo, every page of Project Amber—encrypted and fast.
Me
Got the files. But something’s off. S.P.I.A knows kids are missing, but they don’t know who’s behind it. Project Amber feels reactive. Like damage control, not investigation.
I stare at the screen for a second before adding,
Me
They were watching me.
“Are you finally going to tell me where you went this morning?”
“So impatient.”
“Flynn.”
“Did you at least let Teresa give you a massage?”
I grimace. “Yeah. It was nice.”
“You left as soon as I did, didn’t you?”
“Well,” I admit, “I waited to get all the info from Cassandra.”
“What could possibly be so important that you had to go behind my back into an unknown facility?”
“Five children went missing.”
He exhales slowly. “I knew what I signed up for when I chose you. I understand why you did it. But it was reckless.”
“I know,” is all I’m able to reply because he is right. I purposely went into dangerous territory without telling him because I was angry at him.
“I went to see a house.”
I blink. “What?”
“A house. I just—” He sighs. “I wanted to make sure it was as good as it sounded before showing it to you.”
“You went to see a house for…us.”
“Yes.”
“And I got upset because you wanted to surprise me with it.”
“You had every right to be angry,” he says gently. “Just…don’t risk your life like that again. I’d prefer you alive…breathing.”
“Why are you so calm?”
“Because you’re about to get a very big punishment and you’re going to think I’m a total asshole.”
“You are an asshole.”
Flynn growls at my bluntness. “Brat.”
“What are you going to do about it?” I challenge him as he swipes the key card and the door to our hotel room clicks open.
A buzz breaks the spell just for a moment.
Cassandra
Sorry for panicking, but I’m glad I did. I have a very weird feeling about this, and I don’t like it. Thanks for getting the files. I’ll keep you posted if we find anything new.
“Cassandra can wait, put the phone down, Talulla.”
Ah yes, as I said, I’m in big fucking trouble. And I’m going to love every second of it.