Breaking the Play boy′s Curse(16)

Everyone laughed and the game resumed.

Vail tried to be more discreet about looking at his phone, but he didn’t think he was completely successful if the way Lamar winked at him was any indicator.





Chapter Seven





Draven let out a quiet sigh as he watched Child Services accompany the girl in an ambulance. He knew they had contacted the girl’s parents and were being escorted to the hospital to meet the ambulance.

“That poor girl,” he heard one of the officers say before climbing into his car.

He was inclined to agree. The conditions they’d found her in, locked in a room, wrists and feet bound together, and roped to the iron rails of the headboard. At least he’d overheard the paramedics say that the only injury was a knock on the head, probably sustained when she’d been kidnapped two days before. Not ideal, but it was something.

What he really hated was knowing that he could have rescued her that morning, but didn’t. All because of a fucking career.

“I’m done,” he muttered, fatigue hitting him hard.

“Me, too, man,” Detective Malone said, misunderstanding him. “Let’s call it a night and take care of these reports in the morning,” he said, slapping him on the shoulder.

Draven grimaced and ran a hand through his short hair. “No, Malone. I’m done. I’m resigning. Seeing this…” He waved a hand and shook his head. He knew the man wouldn’t understand. He’d been at this for seventy-eight years, catching bad guys according to the rules of the law. He was done. He had a lover waiting, who was part of a nomadic pack, and he was ready to leave this life behind him. Maybe I’ll go vigilante, he thought absently.

“One case too many,” he finally said. Looking Ricky in the eye, Draven told him, “I’m calling it quits. Turning in my resignation tomorrow. Sorry, man. I’m done.”

Ricky’s eyes widened. “Wow, really? But you just transferred here from Minneapolis two years ago.” Then his eyes narrowed. “Wait, does this have something to do with that guy who stopped at our table today?”

“Well, not him in particular, but one of his buddies, yes,” he admitted, seeing no point in lying to the man. Ricky was a detective after all, and if he really wanted to figure something out, he would.

His jaw clenched for a second, then, he cleared his throat and asked, “A guy?”

“Yeah,” Draven replied levelly. “A guy.”

“But if you just met him, why would you quit your job for him?” Ricky wouldn’t meet his gaze as he asked the question. “It just seems…sudden.”

“Ever hear of love at first sight?” He couldn’t help chuckling as he said it.

Ricky snorted. “Yeah, right,” he muttered, striding toward his car. Waving a hand over his head, he called, “See you in the morning.”

He waited until his partner got into his vehicle before getting into his own. He smiled slightly as he watched Ricky drive away. “That went better than expected,” he muttered, starting the vehicle. Maybe all the crap he’d had to take from Ricky earlier that day had been worth it.

The flash of headlights as a car drove toward him blinded Draven for a second, then everything around him changed. He found himself in a forested clearing, surrounded by motorcycles and pack-members. Draven swung his gaze to the left, and spotted a vintage fire-engine red jaguar parked nearby. Leaning against a fender was a tall, slender blonde with killer legs and cold, cruel blue eyes. She was grinning.

Pain shot through Draven’s side. He hissed and clenched a hand over the area, but when he looked down, he saw his coat and the interior of his car. The vision had ended. Licking his lips, Draven sucked in a deep breath and the pain faded.

“Eliza,” he whispered, frowning. Draven thought over what he’d seen and came to two conclusions. They weren’t done dealing with the witch, and Draven would be injured and he had no way of knowing how badly.

Bowing his head, Draven gripped the wheel tightly. Just how much do I tell Vail? Thinking of his beloved, all Draven wanted was to be with him again, holding him, and to be reassured that Vail was okay.

On his way back to Vail’s, Draven swung by his place and tossed a change of clothes and some toiletries into an overnight bag. Once done, he hustled back to his vehicle. As he drove, he thought about his lover. The man had a lot of things to work through, and he wondered what kind of reception he’d receive.

After waiting for so long to meet up with the shifter, Vail wouldn’t take no for an answer. Somehow, he had to convince Vail that they could make this work, and no witch was going to stop him.