Chapter 44
Chapter Forty-Four
CHARLI
Andros returns around five a.m., but Macklin and I are still up, waiting for him. He tried to get me to sleep, but I couldn’t.
“Her husband, the technowitch, disappeared on a business trip a few months ago. Oak Vale investigated, but nothing turned up. Felicity, the mom, said someone eventually reached out to her and offered to exchange her husband for a list of all the Vales and their locations. But when she demanded proof that her husband was still alive, they kidnapped her and her daughter from Oak Vale.”
His jaw flexes with anger. “A couple nights ago, a man showed up and told them they would be rescued and taken to Greystone. Their job was to shut down the electricity and alarms, then call a specific number. Or they’d kill her husband.”
Macklin inhales sharply. “Besides us, the only people who knew about the mission were the team.”
“And Maureen,” I add.
He stiffens.
“Clarissa too,” he snarls. “Damn it. Maureen would never jeopardize Raine, which means it’s got to be Clarissa.”
Super glad I didn’t join the coven. “What are you going to do?”
He rakes a hand through his hair. “I don’t know.”
“We need proof,” Andros asserts, his lawyer brain working the angles. “Do you have anybody who can tail them?”
“I don’t want to ask someone who can’t defend themselves against magic,” Macklin says, pacing back and forth.
“One of the Elementals maybe?” Andros offers.
I shake my head. “Sam and her family are waiting for Covey to call. Is there anybody else?”
“Max would probably jump at the chance,” Macklin speculates with a heavy sigh, as if he isn’t keen on the idea. Grabbing his phone, he shoots off a text.
“Who’s Max?”
Andros’s lips curl in a derisive smile. “A very irritating warlock.”
“What’s the difference between a witch and a warlock?” I ask.
“Darker magic,” Macklin says absentmindedly. “I’ve got a meeting in an hour with the tech guy to see if he found anything in the footage. Are you two going to work?”
I glance at the clock, startled to see it’s already six a.m. “Yes.” Padding into the kitchen, I whip up an iced caramel macchiato, needing both the sugar and caffeine today.
Macklin comes in. “What do you want for lunch?”
“I didn’t finish my lunch yesterday, so I’m going to take it again today.” Macklin scowls, and I walk over and cup his face. “I’ve been on my own for a long time. Lunch is easy. Go take care of the rest of the world.”
“You come before the rest of the world,” he says firmly, bending down to give me a kiss. He hesitates for a second. “I felt the two of you last night. Did you and Andros bond?”
Heat races across my cheeks. I’m not sure I’ll ever get used to them knowing I’m having sex with one of the others. I take a deep breath. “No. Are you okay with me and him?”
“As long as he’s taking care of you,” Macklin replies, pressing a kiss against my lips. “Don’t work too hard. Hopefully, Teague will be back tonight.”
And keep pushing him.
I grab his arm. “Can you call Maureen? I want to stop by and see Raine tonight.”
He nods. “I’ll let her know. Maybe we can visit together, then grab dinner.”
“Okay,” I tell him, setting my lunch bag on the table and taking my coffee with me to get ready for work.
An hour later, I’m following an impatient Andros out the door. As we step into the elevator, I can’t help but stare at him. In his usual buttoned-up three-piece suit, he’s almost unapproachable.
His hand tightens on his phone, but he doesn’t look up.
“Are we back to ignoring each other?”
“I’ve got a busy morning, and I’d rather not start it with a hard-on,” he says abruptly, making me sputter. He steps out of the elevator before I can reply and opens the door to a sporty black SUV with the engine and heat already running.
I glance around the garage. “Did you get a new vehicle?”
He shrugs. “The Range Rover wasn’t going to work. I traded it for this. Are you going to get in?”
Because it reminded me of Hank. Hiding my smile, I slip into the new interior and run my hands over the luxury leather. He gets in and puts the car in gear.
“This is gorgeous.”
His tension eases, and he dips his chin. “It will do.”
Thankfully, the elevator at work is full of other people. We part ways the minute the doors open. Then it’s another full day of fielding people asking for Teague, answering emails, and attending meetings.
The launch is progressing really well. We should be ready to go live with it next week, which will be a relief to Sam, who’s counting down the days until Covey returns.
Aaron, the marketing manager working on the launch, stops me in the hall. “Hey. I know you’re new and this is a lot, but you’re doing a great job. Keep up the good work.”
I smile up at him. “Thanks, that means a lot.”
“I don’t know if anyone’s told you, but several of us usually go out for happy hour on Thursdays. You should come with us. Why don’t you give me your number, and I’ll text you tomorrow with the location,” he says, waving his phone.
“That sounds fun, but I’ll have to let you know,” I tell him, reeling off my number. I doubt Andros goes to happy hour, but maybe Teague will want to go. Not tomorrow, but maybe another week. It would be fun to do something with the people at work.
My phone pings.
Aaron: It’s me ;-)
I don’t know what to say, so I smile. “I’ll send out the meeting notes by end of day.
” Turning around, I walk back to the office I share with Teague, wondering if they’d found Kian.
I tug on the connection, knowing he’ll feel it, even if we can’t hear each other.
There’s an answering warmth that makes me feel marginally better.
The door shuts with a click, and I whirl around. Andros stands there, his eyes glittering with anger.
“What’s wrong? Did something happen to Macklin?”
He clicks the lock on the door. “Care to explain why you gave Aaron your number?”
That was fast. “How did you know?”
“I heard him tell several people.” His voice is soft but tight, and I swallow hard. “He’s under the impression you’re going to happy hour tomorrow.” He raises one of those arrogant brows of his.
“I didn’t say yes,” I protest. “I wanted to talk to Teague about it.”
“It doesn’t matter what Teague says. You’re not going,” he states coolly, stalking toward me. “Tomorrow or any other time. And next time someone asks you out, you say no. Very clearly. Do not soften it with a smile. Understood?”
Instead, I narrow my eyes and lift my chin. “It’s an after-work group thing, and if I want to go, I will.” I pause. “I think it’s nice he invited me.”
“This isn’t up for discussion.” He glances at his fancy watch. “Damn it. I’m late for a meeting.”
“Too bad you don’t control me.” I smirk, crossing my arms over my chest.
“You—” His phone rings, and he answers. “I’m on my way.” He taps mute. “We’ll talk about this later.”
“Or not at all,” I mutter, irritated at him.
He’s fairly vibrating with anger as he unlocks the door and storms out.
Macklin swings by at four, and I head out with him to meet Raine.
Running my hands down my thighs, I nervously smooth my dark grey wool pants, wondering if she’s going to like me. “Have you heard anything from Teague?”
Macklin gives me a sideways glance. “Good news and bad news. They didn’t find Kian because he escaped two days earlier. But they did find a very pissed-off bear shifter from Cold Springs Vale who’d been captured a couple days ago. They questioned him, then put him on a plane home.”
“Is Teague coming home tonight?”
Macklin purses his lips. “They’re going to try to track Kian. If they don’t find him in two days, Teague will head home.”
“He’s really close to them, isn’t he?” I ask softly.
“Teague’s first assignment was to serve and protect the church and village where the vampire king resided for most of the year.
Ronan was his advisor and commander of his army.
Kian was the king’s spy. And Alejandro, the king’s brother.
They spent about a hundred years together before Teague was reassigned to my unit in Ireland. ”
A hundred years. Long time. More than most people will ever get in one lifetime. “They’re really lucky to have Teague as a friend.”
“You’re right,” Macklin returns, his irritation disappearing. “I don’t tell him that often enough.”
He pulls up to the curb of a very traditional four square home. The kind you see in every city in America. After Macklin helps me out of the vehicle, we walk up to the door and push the doorbell. Maureen answers and frowns when she sees us.
“It’s polite to call first,” she says, pushing the door closed. “Raine’s not accepting visitors.”
Macklin sticks his boot in the door. “Raine’s expecting us.”
Her eyes narrow, but a pale hand gently pulls Maureen to the side. “I’m perfectly capable of deciding who I want to see. You need to back off, or we’re going to stay at my place.” She turns to us, her gaze automatically falling on me. “Come in.”
She glances at her mother. “We’ll be in the sunroom.” The little girl I saw in the vision is standing beside Raine, staring up at her with a bit of hero worship in her eyes.
Entering a large room in the back of the house with windows on three sides, she and the little girl take the couch. I grab one of the chairs, and Macklin stands where he can see the doorway and us.
Tall, with long red hair and crystal blue eyes, Raine is the embodiment of a witch. Not in a warty, hooked-nose kind of way, but in a bohemian, attuned-to-nature kind of way, which is further emphasized by the intelligent but serene expression on her face.
“It’s good to finally meet you, Charli,” she says, smiling at me.
“Although it feels like we’ve been vision pals for ages.
Besides the vision of you as their mate, I saw you helping Leif and Sam.
And of course, me. The only concern I had was the timing.
I knew you had to arrive before the pass closed for it to all fall into place.
Thanks to Teague, you came to Greystone in the nick of time.
Saving yourself and the rest of us too.”