"You mean the salon?"
It was Ares's turn to give a tight nod.
"No, not that I've heard. Lily is the only target."
Another nod from Ares, who rolled his shoulders and caught Jude's eye. "If that changes, notify me immediately."
The elevator arrived and they parted ways. As Jude approached the car, Summer popped her door open and climbed out. She flicked a blade of hair behind her ear and quirked an eyebrow.
"What, you're not going to go join the boys in their fun?" She asked, not even pretending at her usual lighthearted flippancy.
"The Jungle isn't a playground."
"Uh-huh. I've heard stories, you know. Some say play is exactly the point."
He smirked and pulled out his keys. "Your sources aren't very well informed. Don't take them at face value."
"You're right, I need to do my own research. Why don't you go enter the code that'll bring the elevator down again, and I'll get on that tonight."
His amusement died. "No. Get back in the car so I can take you home."
"No need to play chauffer. I brought my own car." She pointed past him. "Cavin showed up flying his fire-breathing broom and she didn't look thrilled with the prospect of a second passenger, so I told him I'd go but only if I got to drive."
"Don't play with him, Summer."
"Because I might get hurt?" Her faint smile didn't hold so much as a trace of mockery, and it faded so fast, he wondered whether he'd imagined it. She started toward her car. Before reaching it, she looked back over her shoulder and winked. "Don't worry so much, big brother, it'll give you wrinkles."
With a snort, he got into his SUV, followed her home and then doubled back to Lily's, where he parked in the shadow of an overgrown tree and cut the engine. She lived in a quiet neighborhood. Lights were on in the houses that lined her street but there was little traffic. People went about their businesses, taking trash to the curb, watching television in darkened rooms.
He spotted three avian shifters within minutes. Two were perched side by side on a neighbor's fence and one stretched its wings in flight before coming down to perch on his driver's side mirror. Narrowing his eyes at the large hawk, Jude thumped the window with his knuckle.
Hawk drove his hooked beak against the glass and winked one beady eye before launching back to the sky. Arrogant bastard.
Leaving the avian watchers to the task they'd taken on, he looked at Lily's upstairs window and stretched his legs out beneath the steering console. Leaving her alone left a bitter taste in his mouth, but Rhys being there made the pill easier to swallow.
But it wasn't a pill he intended to keep swallowing much longer.
* * *
Lily and Rhys stayed up talking and shooting bug spray into every single corner of the house before he finally gave in to jet lag. After two hours of sleepless tossing and turning, her mind too worked up to relax, she gave up and reached for her phone.
Are you awake?
Her phone vibrated. Yes. What do you need?
You. Nothing …
Liar.
Lily sighed and closed her eyes. With Rhys asleep, her house was quiet except for the hum of appliances and the fan she ran for white noise no matter the season. No threatening sounds or creaking boards, nothing but a blank, empty peace yearning for his voice to fill it. But she didn't want him because her house felt empty. She wanted him because she felt empty.
He sent another message. What are you wearing?
A smile tugged at her lips. Are you sexting me?
Fishing for an invitation to call.
She probably should've pretended she was doing something besides hanging on the edge waiting for his response, but instead, she quick-thumbed: You won't wake anybody up if you do.
Several minutes passed. Lily threw off her comforter, and, wearing the t-shirt she'd borrowed from him, took her phone to the bathroom for a sip of water. Down to the kitchen for a glass of wine. Back to her bed. Nothing from Jude-not another text, not a call.
Whatever. He could call or not call. Merlot at her elbow, she retrieved a knitting work in progress and set herself to the task of following the five-stitch pattern. Except the pattern was too easy and her mind was too preoccupied to empty. She'd started working on a list of people who came in and out of her life, people who might be stalkers or who might not be, and there were just so many faces.
Paul. The UPS delivery guy. Her various suppliers. The police officers whose names she'd have to retrieve from the reports. Jim Katt, the driver of the other vehicle in that crash. Frowning, she pushed the sock aside and grabbed a notepad from the drawer of her nightstand.
Her phone rang. Slightly annoyed by Jude's delay, she considered not answering, but only briefly. Truth was, she wanted the sound of his voice. Setting aside her pride, she drained the wine from her glass and accepted the call.