“I envy you then.” A flash of hidden fury gleamed in his gaze for just a moment. That storm, Graeme thought, the one that may well escape the Wolf’s amazing control far sooner than anyone anticipated. “And on that note I wanted to let you know Tiberius will be arriving this evening. We’ll meet here.” He looked around the huge cavern, his expression brooding. “Hopefully, after Khi’s retired for the night.”
That situation was going to be the death of Lobo, Graeme thought, and perhaps his brother Tiberius as well. The two Wolf Breed brothers rarely saw eye to eye about Khi, especially since learning of her mother’s involvement with the Genetics Council.
“Jessica’s still eluding him?” Graeme questioned thoughtfully.
“As though she’s disappeared off the face of the earth,” the Wolf Breed sighed, shaking his head as his fists clenched momentarily at his side. “He hasn’t found so much as a rumor of where she might be.”
And Tiberius was one of the best trackers Graeme knew. Not as good as Graeme was, but still, he was good. Perhaps, Graeme thought, once this situation with Cat was dealt with, then he’d see if he could ferret out Jessica’s location. The world might believe she had died in a riding accident over a year before, but Graeme, as well as the Reever brothers, knew better. She was still alive and making Lobo’s life hell.
“I’ll make certain the main cavern’s ready for Tiberius and his men.” Graeme nodded. “Will you need me present when they arrive?”
Lobo’s sharp nod affirmed Graeme’s suspicion that this wasn’t a visit as much as an exchange of information too important to trust to any traceable means.
He’d be busy tonight, thankfully. Sitting in the silence of the caverns and watching Cat on the security monitors would play hell on his determination to allow her a few nights’ rest. At least this way, he might manage to actually stay the hell away from her.
? CHAPTER 3 ?
Cat sat beneath the shade of the table umbrella on the patio behind the guesthouse Lobo Reever had offered her use of and watched as his stepdaughter, Khileen, Khi to her friends, strode from the kitchen doorway toward her. She carried a pitcher of icy sweet tea, the only kind to drink, she’d assured Cat, and two glasses.
Her long, curling black hair was restrained in a braid, though stubborn tendrils and riotous curls had managed to sneak out here and there. Dressed in snug ripped denim shorts a shade shorter than Cat would have worn, and a snug white tank top, she displayed her tanned limbs without a sign of self-consciousness. Without a sign of it. Cat had caught several vague tinges of just that, though, as the other girl showed her the house and how to use the electronic controls for lights, temperature and entertainment.
Cat didn’t know Khi well, she’d kept a distance between them rather than drawing Raymond’s fury at any friendship that might develop. Raymond had hated Lobo Reever enough that distracting him from any trouble he could have caused the Wolf Breed had been extremely difficult at times. Had she actually formed a friendship with Khi, it would have been impossible. His hatred hadn’t been just for the Reever Wolf Breeds but for the stepdaughter as well. It now made sense why that hatred hadn’t applied to the mother. Jessica Reever had been part of the Genetics Council as well, and no doubt one of Raymond’s contacts.
“Here we go, the perfect cure for a hot day.” Sitting the icy pitcher and glasses of ice on the table Khi slid into the chair across from Cat gracefully.
Waiting for Khi to pour the dark liquid into glasses of ice Cat used the silence to try to make sense of the emotions roiling beneath the other girl’s surface. Unfortunately, they seemed so jumbled and chaotic that Cat doubted even Khi could make sense of them.
“Excuse the way I’m dressed.” Khi finally sat back after taking a long sip of her tea and focused on Cat ruefully. “It pisses Lobo off, but I think I cut the shorts a little short this time.” Her lips tugged into a self-mocking curve. “I wasn’t trying to be rude.”
At least it made sense now. Khi Langer had actually once graced the best-dressed lists among the elite social set in both America and Europe before her mother faked her own death, supposedly to escape Lobo Reever’s justice for conspiring with the Genetics Council.
“I thought you got along with Lobo.” Cat stared back at her thoughtfully.
“When I was younger perhaps.” Khi shrugged, the somber pain that shadowed her gaze instantly covered beneath a quick roll of her eyes. “He’s very arrogant, you know? Since Jessica rather rudely tried to kill us all for her Council bosses, he’s become very overprotective.”
Cat hadn’t heard that piece of information. “Your mother tried to kill you?”
“Well, at least it’s not common knowledge,” Khi drawled with a hint of anger as her deep blue eyes flashed with the betrayal.