Chapter 14
If there was one thing I hated more than paperwork, it was unfinished business—and Lisa was the worst kind of unfinished.
I’d thought about that demon more times than I cared to admit: the money she stole, the trust she shattered, and the way her betrayal had thrown my entire world off balance.
Though I should probably thank her, because of that betrayal, I finally found my mate.
I wanted that damn demon found and my money back before she had a chance to run and blow every fucking dime on some bullshit.
Levi and I had spent weeks following cold leads, chasing rumors, and scouring every back alley in Arrhythmia.
Until now.
Levi and I left the office together just after noon.
Both of us were itching to finally put an end to the Lisa mess.
The moment we climbed into my truck, the cab was thick with my mating scent—hot, unmistakable, and impossible to miss.
Levi shot me a sideways glance. His nostrils flared in surprise.
“Holy hell,” he muttered, rolling his window down a crack. “You weren’t kidding, were you? Audrey really is your mate.”
I grinned despite the tension humming through me. “Told you so. Didn’t believe me, did you?”
Levi shook his head, still looking stunned. “Damn, Mack. That’s… intense. I don’t think I’ve ever smelled anything like it. You'd better hope Lisa isn’t in a mood to play dirty about your bond.” He warned.
“She can try,” I said, putting the truck in gear and heading toward the old warehouse where Levi’s intel said she’d been hiding out. “But she’s not getting anywhere near Audrey. Not today. Not ever.”
The rest of the drive was quiet, the air charged with the heavy promise of retribution as we followed the back roads to the other side of town.
The warehouse appeared out of nowhere like it’d had some sort of cloaking spell on it, all broken windows and rusted siding, the kind of place where bad memories went to die.
We parked around the far side and made our way in through a busted loading dock.
We moved slowly. We were on high alert—our senses sharp.
I could already smell Lisa. Her unique scent of brimstone, ozone, and a sugar-sweet rot that never failed to put my hackles up.
How I’d ever trusted her enough to give her a job was beyond me.
She was waiting for us in the center of the structure, leaning against a battered column with her suitcase at her feet. Her flame-red hair swirled around her when a breeze blew through the broken windows. Her lips curled into a lazy, dangerous smile when she saw us as we cautiously approached.
“Well, well, well,” she purred, eyes flicking from me to Levi and back. “If it isn’t my two favorite boys.”
“Cut the crap, Lisa,” I barked, my bear already bristling just beneath my skin. “You’re done running.”
She straightened her stance. She was either getting ready to run or ready to fight.
With a demon, it was hard to know which path they were going to choose until it was too late.
“Running? I was just waiting for you, sugar. Figured you’d come crawling around eventually.
Or maybe you missed me?” She grinned at Levi, letting her gaze linger a beat too long.
Levi rolled his eyes. “Don’t start with me.”
Lisa smirked, her eyes glinting. “Mack, did Levi tell you he and I used to have a little arrangement? Maybe he forgot to mention it when you asked him to help hunt me down.”
I snorted, not rising to her bait. “Nice try. If Levi was in on your heist, I’d have smelled his guilt a mile away.”
Lisa pouted, feigning hurt. “You never did know how to have fun, Mack. You’re wound way too damn tight and always too fucking serious.
” She leaned over and tapped her long, black nails on the battered suitcase.
“But I guess you’re here for this.” She flicked the latches open, revealing stacks of cash.
My cash. She had packed it so neatly that it almost made me laugh.
I stepped forward, letting my bear’s threat bleed into my voice. “Hand it over.”
“Or what?” she teased, tilting her head. “You going to rough me up? You never did like to get your hands dirty with me.”
“Don’t tempt me,” I growled. “You’re a demon, Lisa. Trusting you was my mistake. But you went too far when you made it personal.”
She laughed, the sound echoing off the steel rafters. “Oh, Mack, everything’s personal with me. That’s what makes it fun.”
The urge to lunge at her was almost overwhelming, but I kept my hands at my sides.
“Don’t. Not worth it. Let the law handle her.” My bear’s voice was a low, furious growl.
Levi stepped forward, arms crossed. “You’re boxed in, Lisa. There’s nowhere left to go.”
She sidled away from the suitcase, putting a pillar between us.
“You wouldn’t hit a woman, Mack. Not even one like me.
That’s why I always liked you best.” She flicked her gaze to Levi, her smile sharpening.
“But what about you, Levi? Feeling left out? Maybe you want a little revenge for that deal gone sideways?”
Levi shook his head, stone-faced. “Not interested in your games.”
Lisa tsked, but her bravado was starting to slip. Her eyes darted to the exit, calculating.
I blocked her path and pulled out my phone. “You’re not going anywhere.” I dialed Owen Randall, Arrhythmia’s sheriff. “Got a demon trespassing at the old warehouse. Caught her with stolen goods. Bring backup and a binding cuff.”
Lisa’s smile faltered, but she still managed a smirk. “You’d really call the cops on me, Mack? After all the good times we had?”
“You can explain your ‘good times’ to the council,” I said, not even bothering to hide my contempt.
Levi hefted the suitcase, flipping it open to check the contents. “Looks like all the cash is here, Mack. She didn’t even get to enjoy it.”
My bear huffed, satisfied. “Ours. Justice. Finally.”
Lisa’s eyes narrowed, her mask dropping. “You’ll regret this, you know. Nobody ever really wins in Arrythmia.”
I folded my arms. “Maybe not. But at least I get my money back.”
Owen arrived within minutes, deputies in tow. He took one look at Lisa and shook his head. “You just can’t stay out of trouble, can you?”
Lisa offered a venomous smile. “It’s a talent.”
Owen snapped glowing iron cuffs around her wrists. “We’ll see how talented you feel in a holding cell.”
She shot me one last look. It was all venom and false promise. “Next time, Mack.”
I didn’t bother with a response. I was done with her games.
With Lisa in custody and my money secured, I was finally freed from the weeks of tension. Levi clapped me on the back as we left the warehouse. “You handled that better than I would’ve, man.”
I shook my head. “She wanted to turn us on each other. I wasn’t about to give her the satisfaction.”
Outside, the air somehow felt cleaner with one less low-life demon on the streets. I loaded the suitcase into my truck and turned to Levi. “Thanks for the help with this one.”
He grinned. “You can buy me a drink, and we’ll call it even.”
“No can do, man.” I checked my watch to see if I could make it into town to run a few errands before picking Audrey up from the office.
“Let me guess. You’ve got a hot date?” he joked.
“It’s Valentine’s Day. Damn right, I do.”