“Raoul?” I said tentatively. He didn’t release his hold, so I prodded him gently. “It’s ok. We don’t have to do this right now. It’s not the right time. We have to deal with Zoey.”
In slow hesitation, he let go and stepped back. His ebony wolf eyes were hauntingly beautiful with tears, and I allowed myself an extra moment to fall into their depths. I wanted him to tell me the things that I didn’t know, but I didn’t dare ask. Call it cowardice, but an inner voice warned that I really didn’t want to know.
I pushed away from the desk, past him. “So, do you have a picture of her? You know, so I actually know what she looks like if I happen to see her.” Or get jumped by her, I added silently.
He relented with a shrug. “We have to find her before she does anything else.”
“Do you think you can track her down?” I forced a casual tone while he produced a large envelope from the desk. I felt ill at ease.
He pulled a wallet-sized photo out and handed it to me. “I’m not sure, but I damn well intend to. There isn’t a distinct scent to a hybrid, though. It’s all human.”
I nodded in agreement and focused my attention on the picture. Zoey was absolutely striking. She had her father’s dark hair and defined features. Her eyes were a pleasant blue that I couldn’t even picture on Raoul. She was smiling in the photo, standing beside a wishing well with the countryside behind her. A pale blue sundress adorned what appeared to be a tall but slender frame. I could take her.
“I think Arys and I can locate her by her energy. He immediately knew she was a hybrid when we were upstairs.” I wiped a hand across my eyes to eliminate any last traces of tears. A glance around the room revealed a much-needed tissue box on the corner of the desk.
Raoul’s eyes narrowed, and just like that, the tension was back. “I don’t want him involved in this. He isn’t pack. Hell, he isn’t even a werewolf.”
Was this more male-hierarchy bullshit or what? “If you want me involved then you accept who I choose to bring in.”
I met his defiant gaze with my own. The decade old rift between us was back. I didn’t think we’d ever truly banish it. The past was the past, but our resentments remained fresh and bitter.
“Just because you’re bedding the vampire does not mean you can make him a part of this. This is my daughter we’re talking about.”
“Don’t start the macho man shit with me. I’m in or I’m out. If you prefer to deal with your daughter yourself, that’s fine with me.” We stared into one another until the angry heat became too much. “I could be making money, right now, for a job like this, rather than screwing around here for free.”
This time, I didn’t hang around to get sucked into another argument. I threw the office door open and strode back into the kitchen.
Raoul appeared behind me. He clutched my coffee mug in his hand as if he’d shatter it by sheer will alone.
“Sorry,” I offered lamely.
Arys stood in the front sitting room while Julian paced in the large kitchen uncomfortably. Zak still stood on the back deck and shouted into his phone. He had great timing for a lover’s quarrel. Before I reached the doorway that connected the kitchen and front room, Raoul grabbed my wrist hard enough to bruise and spun me to face him.
“Fine. Have it your way. But keep him on a leash. No funny stuff. This is my flesh and blood we’re after.”
I couldn’t help but risk a glance at Arys in the neighboring room. He might not appreciate the leash comment. I certainly did not miss how Arys’s eyes were riveted to where Raoul’s hand gripped my wrist. Not good.
“You need to remember,” I jerked my arm from his grasp. “That your daughter is losing her mind. And, one thing about crazy people, Raoul, sometimes they don’t want to come back. The brink of insanity suits them just fine. Don’t go into this expecting to save her. You’ll just be fooling yourself.”
A series of emotions crossed his face, and he successfully squashed them all. “I’m aware of the circumstances, but nobody is going to kill her. Clear?”
I wasn’t getting into this again. I mustered an exasperated sigh and shrug. I rubbed the rawness out of my wrist. He manhandled me because I was wolf and not human, which aggravated me all to hell.
“I’ll call you.” I turned to go but paused as a smile quirked my lips. “You’re not afraid, are you? To stay here alone?”
If looks could kill, I would have been dead three times over. “Ok, ok. Forget I asked.”
Arys launched into motion as I walked into the room. I gestured for him to join me as I approached the front door and let us out. I stopped at the bottom of the front steps. Nothing was amiss.
“There’s nobody here. I’ve been keeping tabs.” Arys pulled the door closed behind us with a soft click. “He made you cry. I can’t tell you what it took to keep from going in there, but I knew how pissed you’d be if I came riding to your rescue again.”
I took a few steps down the front walkway and turned back to look at him. My eyes must be red and puffy.