“Who is Phil?” Scotty asked, eyes dancing with laughter and curiosity.
“A twelve-year-old girl we had at the brothel for a while. Her name was Phillipa. We called her Phil. She was always throwing temper tantrums and marching about like she was a princess.”
“What happened to her?” Scotty asked solemnly.
“She threw one too many temper tantrums, and Danny sold her to another bullie.”
“Bullie means pimp, sí?” Matias asked.
“It did back then. At least, a specific type of pimp, one who kidnapped girls and forced them into the business, or tricked them into it like both Danny and this guy. Sometimes, though, one bullie would sell a girl to another to be rid of her,” Beth explained and noted the relief on Scotty’s face. She supposed he’d worried she was going to say the girl died in some horrible manner . . . and she did. The next bullie didn’t sell her on when he found her annoying. He choked her to death in a fury.
“Are you guys coming or what?” Donny demanded from the door, and then jerked his head toward it when the doorbell sounded. Swinging his head back, he asked uncertainly, “Do I answer it?”
Beth opened her mouth to respond with an exasperated yes but never got the chance. Scotty barked, “No,” and suddenly took her arms and maneuvered her quickly back into the kitchen.
“Remain here,” he ordered, then told Matias to stay with her and rushed up the hall.
“Huh,” Beth grunted. “Go figure. One little cut on the arm and I go from respected Enforcer to damsel in distress.”
“It would appear so,” Matias agreed.
“Well, that’s a problem,” Beth said with disgust, and then frowned and moved closer to the door as she heard surprised greetings and male laughter. “Sounds like it’s friend and not foe.”
“Sí,” Matias agreed as another burst of laughter reached them.
“Then why are we hiding in the kitchen like a couple of old women?”
Matias shrugged. “I was amazed that you did not hit Scotty when he pushed you in here like a child.”
“Right,” Beth growled and strode out of the kitchen.
“Ah, there she is,” Scotty said with a smile as she approached . . . as if he hadn’t shuffled her into the kitchen and ordered her to stay there. “Beth, these are three of my best hunters, Magnus Bjarnesen, Rickart de Caulmont, and Odilia Baignard.”
Beth stiffened. Magnus was the man Matias had said had been watching over her for the last century or more. Realizing that Scotty and the others were waiting for some reaction from her, she nodded and politely murmured, “Hello.”
Beth didn’t wait for their response, but then turned to Scotty and raised her eyebrows. “And they’re here because?”
“I figured Mortimer could use some help and thought I’d bring some o’ me people o’er to assist until he gets his own men back from Venezuela,” he explained.
“Nice,” Beth said with a nod. “But then why are they here? Should they not be in Toronto helping Mortimer?”
“Aye. They will be,” Scotty assured her. “I actually sent for six. Three flew into Toronto and these three continued on to join us. They’ll stay here tonight and then fly back with us tomorrow.”
Beth narrowed her eyes. She wasn’t stupid. He’d brought in babysitters. To watch over her. Which was just ridiculous. She was a Rogue Hunter. She could take care of herself.
“I know it’ll be a bit cramped, but ’tis only for one night,” he went on as if oblivious to the fury building in her eyes. “Odilia can bunk with you, and the boys can take the couches in the living room. ’Twill be grand. Like a party . . . without the . . . er . . . party part.”
Beth merely smiled at him, nodded and turned to Matias. “I presume you have more vehicles in the garage out back than the SUV you drive around?”
“Sí,” he said, his lips twitching.
“Another vehicle is no’ necessary,” Scotty assured her. “Magnus rented a car when they landed. ’Tis how they got here.”
Ignoring him, Beth smiled at Matias and asked politely, “May I borrow one?”
“Sí,” Matias said on a soft chuckle this time.
“Er . . . Beth . . .” Scotty said with a frown.
“Thank you,” Beth said to Matias. Taking her cousin’s arm, she urged him back up the hall. “I just need to fetch my bags. Are the keys in the house or in the garage?”
“In the garage,” he said, and then retrieved a set of keys from his pocket, slid one off the ring and handed it to her. “This is the key to the garage. Return it when you’re done.”
“Beth!”
There was no mistaking the thundering behind them as anything but Scotty giving pursuit. Beth ignored it and simply thanked Matias again and then continued up the hall to the bedrooms.
“We should talk,” Scotty said, following her.
“There’s no need to talk,” Beth assured him, unperturbed. “Your hunters are welcome here.”
“Then why are ye fetchin’ yer bags?” Scotty asked, following her into her room.
Shrugging, Beth began gathering her belongings, and said, “That should be obvious. There isn’t enough room here for everyone, so I’ll go check into a hotel and your people can stay here with you.”
“The devil ye will,” he said with exasperation. “Ye ken they’re only here to watch over ye.”
“I don’t need watching over,” Beth said calmly. “I can take care of myself.”
“Goddammit, woman, ye nearly died last night!”
“Only because you distracted me,” she growled and, leaving the rest of the bags, headed for the door with just the one over her shoulder. “I was doing fine until you shouted my name and diverted my attention. Another minute and I’d have dragged my attacker into the light and would now know who they were instead of still wondering.”
“Fine, ye were distracted,” he snapped, following her through the family room to the door at the back of the kitchen. “But that could happen again the next time too. Only now, Magnus, Rickart, Odilia, and me will be watchin’ yer back. We’d keep ye safe.”
“I don’t need you to keep me safe.” She slammed the back door open and strode outside. “I will not slip up again. I will be on the alert. And—” whirling on him, she snarled “—what do you care anyway? It’s not like you want to claim me as your life mate.”
Beth noted his stunned expression, but she was a little busy being stunned herself. That had just come out. Like lava bursting over the top of a volcano, the words had rushed out, carried on a wave of rage and pain she hadn’t even realized she was experiencing.