“Yes, ma’am.” Bear stretched to his feet, all lazy grace. “I’m innocent in all of this.” Charm coated his smile.
Viv sniffed. “Right. The term has never been applied to you, young man.”
“Fair enough,” Bear returned. “Why is the leader of the entire witch nation using my phone number?”
Viv glanced at the enforcers. “Rumor has it my enforcers are holding Zane Kyllwood’s mother hostage in your territory, so I went to the source. After leaving a very nice ball, I might add.”
Daire shook his head. How the hell had she gotten such quick Intel? “This is enforcer business, and we’ve got it handled.” He ignored Adam’s snort.
Blue fire crackled in Viv’s eyes. “This is Coven Nine business, and you’re out of it. Ms. Kyllwood? Per your earlier request, I guarantee your transport to the airport, as soon as you give me the name of the witch mining planekite in Russia.”
Daire slowly turned toward Cee Cee, whose skin darkened to a nice color of strawberry. Somehow, the woman had sent a message across the world in order to bargain with the Coven Nine. Yet again three fucking steps ahead of him. “How?” he asked.
She lifted her chin. “I may have borrowed Lucas’s phone before leaving your penthouse.”
Ah. So she’d been smart enough to know Daire would come after her. “You offered a deal to the Coven Nine?”
“Yes.”
Bear rolled his shoulders. “All due respect, this is Coven Nine and demon nation business, and I’m out of it.” He turned to head toward the doorway.
Cee Cee shook her head. “You can be out of it, but Lucas promised me five men on the next mission.”
Bear turned back around, eyed Felicity, looked at Viv, and then landed on Daire. “No.”
Felicity huffed. “Yes.”
Bear grinned, dimples flashing. “No way in hell, Blondie. My men are out of it.” He loped back toward the doorway, pausing just long enough to throw over his shoulder, “If you and the enforcer reach peace, give me a call. You haven’t lived until you’ve ridden on the back of my bike.”
Daire’s muscles tightened. He was going to kill Bear . . . when he got the chance. Right now, he eyed his aunt and boss. “Kyllwood will declare war on us if we allow his mother to be harmed, and believe me, whatever crazy plan she has right now, she will come to harm.”
Felicity pivoted in a stunningly graceful move and kicked him in the jaw.
His head snapped back, and stars exploded behind his eyelids. Slowly, fighting every urge he owned, he lowered his head and kept from grabbing her and tossing her over his knees.
Viv chuckled. “Nice move.”
“Thank you.” Felicity stepped closer to the screen. “My mission is my own, and I don’t require my son’s permission or assistance. If you want my information, then I give you my word I’ll send it to you once I’m in the air.”
Daire growled low, about to give in to temper. He wasn’t known for restraint, and yet he’d showed nothing but with Felicity Kyllwood since day one. Enough was enough.
Viv’s eyes glimmered. “Isn’t it an odd world when the kids whose diapers you changed start to give you orders?” Her gaze slammed both Daire and Adam.
Felicity nodded. “Yes, yes it is. You and I both know it’s unacceptable.”
“Yet I don’t need war with the demon nation,” Viv said, calculation littering her tone.
“I can see how that would be troublesome,” Felicity murmured. “Holding me hostage isn’t the path to peace, I assure you.”
Viv played with a ten karat diamond at her throat. “Turning you over to Zane would guarantee peace with him, and yet, I agree that we can’t allow the younger generation to dictate our lives.”
Felicity smiled, obviously thinking she’d found an ally.
Daire knew better. Viv was a master negotiator as well as manipulator. “Get to it, Aunt Viv.”
“Here’s the offer. Felicity, I will ensure you meet your plane at the airport. When you reach cruising altitude, you’ll send me the name of the witch working with Bychkov to mine and distribute planekite.” Viv leaned in.