His lips twitched. “Fair enough. Thanks for the coffee.”
She walked him to the door where Kell was just entering, a huge bouquet of red roses in his hand.
Daire snorted and brushed by him.
Kell walked in and handed her the bundle.
She accepted the fragrant bouquet, absurdly touched. “What’s this for?”
He looked down over the bundle. “I, ah, was a little rough last night in the truck, and I thought the roses were pretty. I thought maybe you’d like them.” His eyes darkened even more.
She smiled, feeling all girly. “They’re beautiful.” Nobody had ever given her a dozen red roses. “Thank you.”
“I like you, Alexandra.”
God, she freakin loved her name now. She inhaled the scent of fresh flowers. “I like you, too.”
He led her into the kitchen and drew down a gorgeous Belleek vase to hold the roses. “I know we agreed to work together last night, and I’m glad we’re on the same page. There has to be an us outside of this case and this investigation.” He turned and pulled her into his arms.
Warmth and male surrounded her. She smiled. “I agree.”
“Good.” His kiss went deep and left her breathless.
She cleared her throat, wanting to ease his mind. “I, ah, don’t blame you for the mating. I mean, for the surprise of it.”
He leaned back and studied her. “You don’t?”
“No. We both were taken away, and I was just as into the moment as you were.” Maybe even more so. It wasn’t fair for him to carry that burden alone, even though she hadn’t known about matings. The knowledge wouldn’t have stopped her that day in the forest, as she had been more than desperate for him. “We need to go on from here.”
He dropped a kiss onto her nose. “That fairness of yours takes me away every time. You’re a keeper, Alexandra.”
“So you’ve said.” They had time to figure out everything. She stretched up on her toes and wandered her mouth along his. Desire flitted through her, warming her head to toe.
He took over the kiss, as she’d known he would, angling her head for better access. When he finally lifted up, they were both panting. The brand at her hip pulsed as if alive, and her heart beat in tune with his—she could just feel it.
The door to the apartment banged open. “Everybody still dressed?” Daire called out.
Kell sighed, his chest moving nicely with the effort. “Aye. We’re in the kitchen.” He pressed a kiss to her forehead. “Family. Damn it.”
Lex stayed in Kell’s arms but turned her head on his chest to watch for Daire.
He loped inside, his gaze serious. “We had an attack on the west side of Seattle.”
Kell straightened, his body going stiff. “Who?”
“Mel and June Thompson,” Daire said.
Lex pushed away from Kell and didn’t move an inch. “An attack? Do I need to call it in?”
“No,” Kell said softly. “They’re ours. What happened?”
Daire rubbed the scruff on his chin, fury darkening his eyes. “Dart attacks with Apollo. Killed both witches.”
Lex gasped. “How many darts?”
“At least ten each,” Daire said. “Looks like ten is the kill number.”
Lex pushed again. “I need to get to the station.”
“Keep this to yourself. We have the bodies,” Daire said.
She opened her mouth to argue, and Kell squeezed her. “These are ours, baby. We don’t know what an autopsy will show yet, and there’s no way your people will find the bodies,” he said.
“Fine. But keep me informed,” she muttered.
Kell planted a hard kiss on her lips. “We will. You stay safe today, mate.”
She blinked and then leaned up to kiss him. “You stay safe, too.”
Chapter 34
Her heart still thumping a little too hard from the enforcer’s kisses, Lex strode into the precinct, ready to kick some ass. Kell hadn’t checked in yet about the two downed witches, but there didn’t seem to be much to hear. They’d been attacked in their home with darts and had died. That simple.
Lex’s life was nothing close to simple right now. She’d told her mother the previous night about Parker gaining parole, and Jennie had been over the moon. Even so, Lex had kept their father’s letter to herself. Something was hinky about it. She needed to get all her ducks in a row before confronting her mother, and . . . she had a drug manufacturer to find and shut down.
Police on three continents had been notified and were looking for Yuri Demidov, but she knew the bastard was in Seattle. She just knew it.
She put in a call to Sylvia and left a message about the video. If she could trace the video, she might be able to find the killer, if Sylvia had had the chance before the damn thing was confiscated.
Then she reread her father’s letter. Code? The part about a 500 pound gorilla didn’t really make sense. Five hundred pounds? Of what? Meth? Was Apollo measured in pounds? Did pounds really mean ounces? And who was his friend on the outside? She rubbed her nose and called the hospital to check on Bernie.