Savage Hunger(75)

Warrick sat down in the seat next to her and fastened himself in. “Sorry we didn’t have the chance to grab breakfast this morning. There should be something to snack on during the flight.”

“I’m not hungry,” she murmured.

Food was the last thing on her mind. Even though she’d slept well, the time she’d spent awake had been used to fret over why her dad wasn’t answering the phone and why Warrick hadn’t shared a room with her.

Warrick sighed. “You need to eat something, Sienna. Jesus, I don’t think we even fed you dinner last night.”

“She’s a grown woman, Donovan.” Hilliard grinned as he walked by them, down the aisle toward the back of the plane. “If she says she’s not hungry, let her be.”

Oh shit. Sienna held her breath when Warrick’s fists clenched and his expression darkened. Those two really needed to call a truce.

“How long do you think the flight will be?” she asked, hoping to distract him.

Warrick grunted. “Five hours, maybe? I’m sure the pilot will give us the details soon enough.”

She glanced out the window and over the runway, trying to figure out where they were exactly. It had to be a smaller airfield in Oregon, because this obviously wasn’t Portland International.

“Where’s everybody else?” she asked.

“The ferals are being loaded into the cargo area. Other agents will be boarding soon.”

She nodded, twisting her fingers together. “You haven’t heard anything from my father yet, have you?”

“Oh, damn. Yes.” Warrick grimaced. “Shit, Sienna. I meant to tell you this morning, but got caught up with things. He called us early this morning, before you were awake.”

He’d called? Her father was fine? Relief slammed through her and Sienna collapsed back against the seat, letting out a shaky sigh. She hadn’t realized just how worried she was until Warrick had uttered those words.

“Thank God. He’s okay then?” she whispered.

“He’s doing good. Said he lost his cell phone for a couple of days.” Warrick shifted in his seat to glance at her. “He wants us to meet him at his house and then he’ll look at the information on the jump drive.”

Sienna’s fingernails bit into the leather armrests. “So then you told him I have the jump drive?”

“Of course. He’s caught up to speed on what’s going on.” Warrick’s mouth tightened. “But apparently he already spoke to you. You seemed to forget to mention the fact that you snuck in a phone call to him the night we arrived at the safe house.”

Her cheeks flushed with guilt and she gave a small nod. “You’re right. I didn’t tell you. I didn’t know whom to trust, and I knew I needed his help…”

“I wish you’d known you can always trust me, Sienna.” He caught her hand and brushed a kiss over her knuckles. “Now more than ever.”

Now more than ever? What exactly did he mean by that? Did he mean because they’d slept together?

“And I suspect that the phone call you made to your dad,” he continued before she could ask what he’d meant, “is how whoever is looking for you figured out where you were. Where we all were. If they have your cell phone number and know someone who can get access to your records, they can trace the last tower your call bounced off of.”

Sienna’s stomach clenched and she felt the blood drain from her face. She’d led them right to her and because of it they’d been attacked. Someone could’ve easily been killed.

“I didn’t even think. I’m sorry…” She shook her head and groaned. “Who are these people?”

“We’ve been digging around, seeing if it could be someone outside the laboratory. But all signs point to someone within.”

Sienna frowned, the knot in her stomach growing bigger. “But it was so secretive. That building by all signs should’ve been abandoned. And Feloray Laboratories has a stellar reputation.”

Warrick’s fingers brushed the tops of her knuckles in a soothing gesture. “It could be a rogue employee who discovered our existence. Knew about the abandoned building on the premises and decided to use it.”

“Maybe.”

But something still felt off about it. Sienna fidgeted with the moon charm on her bracelet and tried to think of who else could possibly have been behind the captivity of the shifters.

“I’m amazed you still have that. That you wear it,” he said softly, and caught the moon charm between two long, calloused fingers.

Her pulse skipped and she ran her tongue over her lip as she stared down at him holding the delicate charm. Now, knowing what Warrick was, she had to wonder if it had been his way of telling her what he was when he’d given it to her.