“That car outside—”
“It’s yours. I said no arguments.”
“It’s a car, Terrance. I can’t accept that.”
He grunts again and flops down on the couch, looking anywhere but at me. “I own the dealership. It’s not a big deal.”
I blink. And then I laugh. Of course he owns the dealership. “Even still. I hate feeling like I owe people, and I’m not a mooch. I didn’t earn that car, or the laptop. I can’t accept any of it.”
“Didn’t earn it?” Terrance finally looks up at me. “You’re risking your life to find my clan member. If you need a reason to accept my gifts, consider them payment for a dangerous job.”
I suck in a deep breath through my nose, still feeling annoyed, but seeing his reason. “Well, when you put it that way,” I mutter. I plop down on the opposite end of the couch, scowling at my lap, and grumble, “It still feels like too much.”
Terrance sighs. “You are doing a service for my clan that we can never repay. We are the ones indebted to you. Especially me. If you bring Shandra home, I will be in your debt for life.”
I’m shocked by the admission. A life debt is a huge deal. People don’t just spout off something like that. If Terrance says it, then he means it. “Because she might be your mate?” I ask.
Terrance flinches, and all of the blood drains from his face. I duck my head, cringing. “Sorry. Your sister mentioned it in the vision I saw of her and Shandra at the bar. Shandra was so nervous. She didn’t think you were going to be happy about your clan sending her.”
Terrance’s entire body deflates. After a long sigh, he shakes his head once. “I wasn’t happy. I was shocked more than anything. I sort of freaked. That’s why Shandra walked off by herself.”
And now I see why he’d consider it a life debt. “It wasn’t your fault, Terrance. It may have been your club, and she may have been upset because of you, but you didn’t get her kidnapped. It’s not your fault.”
Terrance lifts his head, his lifeless eyes meeting mine. “She was my responsibility, potential mate or not, she and Nell both. Our clan is not in this city. Here, I am their head of clan. I was her protector, and I failed her.”
I feel awful. I want to make him feel better, but I don’t want to be inside his head right now, so I gently pat his shoulder once and then sit back. “You haven’t failed her,” I promise. “You’re doing everything you can to get Shandra back. You haven’t given up. You even went as far as to hire a crazy human psychic to find her.” When he looks at me again, there’s a spark of hope in his gaze. I shoot him a wink and then make him a promise. “I’m going to find her, T-man. I’m going to get her back for you, and when I do, you’ll be a hero to your clan—a hero to Shandra and your sister both.”
He sucks in a deep breath, swallows hard, and then clears his throat. In a husky voice, rough with emotion, he says, “Thank you, Nora.”
“You’re welcome, Terrance. And I suppose…thank you for the gifts. I admit I do love the car. It’s very badass.”
Terrance grins. “I thought it suited you.”
“Very much so. Now if only I had any freaking clue where and how to buy a dress.”
“I don’t know a thing about that.” Terrance lifts his arms above his head and stretches deep while he releases a mountain of a yawn. “But I do know someone who can help.”
I glance his way, curious as to who he might recommend.
“You met Cecile at the club the other night.”
I want to play it cool, but my eyes bulge of their own accord. “The succubus?”
Terrance laughs. “She’s safe. Or…she will be with you, if I call her.”
“That’s reassuring.” Yes, heavy sarcasm.
Terrance chuckles again. “You have my word, Trouble. She won’t mess with you now that you’re under my protection. She works at the club.”
“She does?”
“Sort of hired eye candy.”
I snort. “Yeah, she’s good at that. It’s probably a mutually beneficial arrangement, too.”
“Very much so. Trust me, she doesn’t want to be banned from my club. She was curious about you anyway. She said she didn’t affect you. That doesn’t happen a lot. She wanted to meet you again. She’ll be good, and I’m sure she’ll know exactly where you can find a dress.”
I sigh. “I’m sure she will. Okay, go ahead and call her. But I only have until seven. I have to meet Parker and get him all caught up.”
Terrance raises an eyebrow at that but doesn’t say anything. He pulls out his cell phone and calls the succubus.
Truth be told, I’m nervous to see the seductress again, but I genuinely have no clue about dresses. I couldn’t find a store that sells them, and even if I could, I’d have no idea how to pick one out. I need her help.
I’m still fretting when Terrance hangs up his phone. “She says two hours isn’t enough time to go shopping, but she should have something in her closet. I’ll give you her address. She’s not far. She says she can help with your hair and makeup, too.”
Terrance laughs when I cringe. “Oh, come on now, Trouble, you’re a beautiful woman; don’t be so afraid to show it off.”
My grimace turns into a scowl. “Remember what I told you about self-preservation? I’m not afraid of my looks, I’m just not stupid about them.” Terrance’s confused frown doesn’t surprise me. He doesn’t understand yet, but he’ll learn. “Nothing good will come from me in a dress all dolled up with hair and makeup done.”
Terrance doesn’t believe me. His grin is positively wicked when he says, “I can’t imagine it, so I told Cecile to bring you to the club when she’s finished with you.”
I shake my head and do my best not to laugh. “Am I going to a party or the prom?”
T-man’s eyes start to sparkle. “Cecile won’t know the difference.”
I sigh. This is going to be a long night.
. . . . .
Cecile lives in one of the few high-rise apartment buildings downtown in a penthouse suite. Let’s just say it’s so nice I feel like I lower the resale value when I step through the front door. “Nora!” Cecile cheers, clapping her hands together when she sees me. “Welcome, you beautiful woman!”
I smirk. “So I’ve upgraded from vapid human, then?”
Cecile slices a hand through the air as if to wave off my sarcastic comment. “Bygones, darling, bygones. I can’t tell you how excited I was when Terrance told me what you needed.”
I’ll bet. She has makeover addict written all over her. She’s wearing black leggings and some kind of baggy shirt that reaches to her mid thigh and hangs off one shoulder. She looks tall, leggy, and willowy, like some kind of wispy, delicate faerie, and yet I know she’s got a set of voluptuous curves hidden somewhere. I never knew clothes could change a person’s looks so much. Still, either look works for her. The woman is flat-out gorgeous.
“You’re such a natural beauty, you know. I didn’t realize it the first time I met you, but you are. I’m excited to give you a proper makeover.”
My stomach flips, and not in a good way. “Let’s not get too crazy now. I just need to look acceptable for a sorority party over at Wayne State. This isn’t a wedding or anything.”
“So we need fun, flirty, sexy. Got it.” She looks me over from head to toe in an appraising manner, chewing her bottom lip as she thinks. “I think I know what we want to do.”
She cocks her finger in a come-hither manner and heads across her apartment to her bedroom. Her room is everything I’d imagine a queen of the night’s bedchamber to be. And I use bedchamber, because that’s what it is. Room just doesn’t cut it. The four-poster canopy bed with draping curtains is the focal point, but there’s a lot more going on in here. If I wondered before, stepping into this room, I now know Cecile likes to bring her work home with her. I shiver as she leads me into a walk-in closet.