Chapter 12 #2
“Not this vampire’s wet dream,” I added hastily. “Someone else’s. Anyway.” I cleared my throat. “I will take your warning more seriously now, if you will apologize to Carter.”
“I don’t do that.”
“You don’t what? Apologize?”
“Not to humans who want my female.”
Still not touching the thing where he thought Carter wanted me.
Yeah, maybe there was a little interest on his side, but he’d never acted on it. So, what did it matter?
“You can either apologize to Carter, or I can go hug him in apology myself.”
The Alpha’s eyes slitted. “Don’t even think about it.”
I stared at him, my expression flat.
He growled. “Fine. I’ll send a card.”
“A card? His neck is going to be bruised for at least a week!”
“I’ll send a scarf with it.”
That was even worse.
“Maverick.”
“And a turtleneck sweater.”
“You need serious help.”
“Are you volunteering?”
“Hell no. Now, can you get your feet off my desk? I’m supposed to be saving your company.”
He reluctantly put his feet back on the floor.
“On that note, I’m going to need raises for everyone in my department, and at least a dozen more people hired to help us. Preferably two dozen.”
“Yes to the raises, no to the people.”
I put a hand on my hip. “There is an eye-watering amount of shit to do here. I need two separate teams—one to keep up with the new deals, laws, and paperwork, and a separate one to take care of everything that’s been ignored since Arthur was promoted ten years ago.
We don’t have enough people. This is a requirement, not a request.”
“I can’t hire new people while we’re investigating two murders, Bloom.”
“Then stop pursuing new investments for a while and give me the people who would be doing that. If the human government looks into the company before we’re done, the missing paperwork is going to cost you more money than you could make while we fix this.”
He grimaced. “I’ll need to talk to Celeste and Rhone.”
“Then talk to them. And hire a real detective while you’re at it.”
“That’s not going to happen.”
“Do you even have any suspects?”
“Of course we do.”
I waited.
He folded his arms, staring me down.
I stared back.
Finally, he sighed. “There’s a wolf pack in Erren.
Four hours from here. It’s the second biggest in the country, and its Alpha is both cunning and patient.
I wouldn’t put it past her to hire a vampire to take us down.
One of her enforcers designed the company’s system, which would make it significantly easier for her to get in. ”
“Women can be Alphas?”
He looked at me like I was a total dick. “Of course they can.”
“I’m not a werewolf, Mav. I don’t know much of anything about you guys. I assumed the alpha male thing came from you.”
“Alphas and Betas are just werewolves with more affinity for mental connection than most. A pack is only strong when it’s connected.”
My eyebrows lifted. “So you have some kind of mind magic?”
“Magic is the wrong word, but yeah. I can connect to the minds of everyone in my pack, as well as all of the Alphas who have pledged allegiance to me. Which is all of them.”
“Including the woman you suspect might be behind the murders?”
He nodded. “Cassidy.”
“Can’t you just poke around in her mind to figure out if she did it, then?”
“The link is mental connection, not control. I can communicate well enough to tell if she’s lying to me, but that’s it. If we find more evidence she could be behind it, I’ll have to go talk to her to see if I can get anything.”
A slightly terrifying thought occurred to me. “Can you get into my mind too?”
“Not unless you join my pack by mating with me.” He stood. “Let me see what I can do about the extra hands.”
“And the raises.”
“Got it.” He strode toward the door. “Remember, you’re keeping your hands to yourself from now on.”
“I won’t forget again.”
“Enjoy your subpar vanilla.”
“So now it’s not poison?” I drawled.
He flashed me a grin over his shoulder. “It is. I’m just counting on you deciding to taste the real deal again sooner rather than later. My neck and mouth are always open for service.”
“Noted.”
He chuckled, closing my office door behind him and disappearing down the short hallway. I walked over to my glass wall and watched him walk away.
He stopped at Harper’s desk.
My stomach tightened.
I forced myself to stay calm despite the hit of something I could only call jealousy.
Going back to my desk, I opened my message system, and waited for Maverick to return to his office before texting my best friend.
Me
What did he want?
Harper
I have somehow become his errand girl
Me
Doing what?
Harper
He made me write a card for Carter that said, and I quote, “The Alpha apologizes for almost killing you. Don’t touch his mate again. Love, Harper.”
I couldn’t help but snort.
Me
Wow, that’s terrible
Harper
He also had me call a department store and order a scarf and turtleneck to be delivered in the next hour
I assume you told him to apologize
Me
Yeah
It’s better than nothing, I guess
Harper
True
You doing okay?
Me
Other than very nearly asking him to screw me on a few separate occasions, peachy
Harper
LOL
It’s understandable, with a guy who looks like that
I’m sure he would accept
Me
Seems likely
Harper
I’ve got a ton of work to do. Ryker was not a fabulous secretary. Talk at lunch?
Me
Or dinner, if we eat at our desks
I’ll be here late
Harper
Same
Just like the good old times
And hey, at least this gets you out of family dinner
Phyllis incoming. Good luck with the wench. Maybe she’s the murderer.
Me
Definitely glad to avoid mom for a few more days haha
Phyll actually told me I have a great figure today, so she’s replaced you as my best friend
Harper
I will mourn, but I understand
Phyllis looked annoyed before she even knocked, so I bit back a grin and waved her in.