“I’ll find it,” he assured her.
“No, I need to do this. If I don’t start facing what happened and dealing with it, I never will.”
Duncan nodded, but wanted to protest. His need to protect her was immense, but wanting to help her heal was greater. “I’ll take you.”
Before Pam could respond, someone pounded on the door. Duncan stood with a reluctant grunt as answer.
“Sloan wants to see us.” Jared stepped into the room with Tessa by his side. “Tessa will sit with Pam so they can catch up.” Jared winked at Pam.
“But I thought he wanted to talk to me.” Pam stood holding her back.
“Just relax.” Duncan walked over to the bathroom, disappearing for a second before reappearing. “I put a towel on the sink if you want a bath. The second drawer in the dresser has shirts if you need something to change into.”
Duncan wanted to take her in his arms, assuring her that everything would be okay, that she would be okay, but he knew he had to take things slowly. He couldn’t crowd her; he couldn’t push her away. With one last glance her way, he followed Jared out of the room.
The two Warriors headed down the hall to Sloan’s office. Each step away from Pam he took, the more rage he felt.
“You okay, bro?” Jared eyed him.
“No.” Duncan’s teeth clenched tight. “And I won’t be until that son of a bitch is dead.”
“Did she tell you what happened?” Jared ventured, but seriously didn’t know if he wanted to know.
“She didn’t have to. I can see it every time I look into her eyes.” Duncan slammed open Sloan’s door harder than he intended. Sid and Damon stood behind Sloan, their eyes plastered on the big screen across the room.
Jared and Duncan stopped, also watching as the camera zoomed in on Pam and Duncan, his arm protectively around her, pushing her behind him. “Shit.”
“I know.” Sid cocked his eyebrow. “The camera adds ten pounds. You look like shit.”
Sloan ignored Sid’s smartass remark. “Shit? Shit is the only thing you can think to say?” Throwing the remote on his desk, it skidded off, hitting the floor. “Goddammit! Didn’t one of you think you should warn me about this?”
“I was a little busy.” Duncan replied, more used to Sloan’s temper than anyone else in the room.
“Oh, you were a little busy. Well, let me tell you about busy.” Sloan tossed one hand up in the air before slamming it down on his desk, rattling the one picture on the wall, his eyes blacker than midnight. “I’ve been on the fucking phone since I’ve been back. I’ve had government officials calling me, shitting themselves thinking we are going to breed like rabbits.”
Sid snickered, opening his mouth to respond, but Damon elbowed him hard, shaking his head.
“How in the hell did the media get hold of this so fast?” Sloan asked them all, not picking one individual to ask.
“Detective Ferguson is trying to flush out Kenny Lawrence,” Duncan growled, remembering the salute the asshole had tossed his way.
“So he’s using Pam being pregnant as bait.” Sloan nodded, getting the point real quick. “The fucking bastard.”
Someone knocked on the door. Sid, who was standing near, reached over and opened it. “What’s up?”
Adam walked in wearing a large frown. “Have you checked the monitors out front lately? There are reporters all over the place setting up camp.”
“Let me take care of this.” Sid slid his hand through his blonde hair.
Sloan looked around at the group with a long drawn-out sigh. “Surprisingly, you seem to be my only choice at the moment.”
“What the hell does that mean?” Jared stepped forward.
“I mean what I said.” Sloan cocked his eyebrow. “I can’t chance Damon decapitating anyone who pisses him off at the moment; my hands are full. You, being newly mated, don’t have a grasp on your emotions quite yet. And I hope to hell I don’t have to explain why I can’t send Duncan out there.”
“I’m your man.” Sid grinned, flashing fang. “I swear I’ll make you proud.”
Sloan watched him walk out the door fixing his shirt and hair, Adam following behind him. “He drives me fucking nuts.” Everyone else nodded their heads in agreement. “Hope that wasn’t a mistake.”
“Probably the biggest you’ve ever made,” Jared snorted, shaking his head as he glanced at the television waiting to see Sid’s ugly mug pop up.
“Where’s Pam now?” Sloan dropped the subject of Sid, getting back on track.
“In my room with Tessa.” Duncan glanced at Damon. “Where’s Nicole?”
“Not sure.” Damon glanced away, his frown growing.
“You still haven’t talked to her since this afternoon.” Jared’s attitude got nasty. “What the fuck is wrong with you?”
“Let it go, Jared.” Damon growled with a sneer.
“Why are you being such an asshole?” Jared snarled back.