Shift Happens(74)
I swung my hair down to twist up in the towel. When I straightened, I turned to grab my clothes. Crap! They were in the room with Clint. I inspected the bathroom for something else to throw on, but nothing magically appeared. Taking a deep breath to curse, I ripped the towel from my head, wrapped it tightly around my body before walking back into the bedroom.
Clint sat on the end of the bed, holding up my purple and black zebra print underwear with the tip of his forefinger. “Looking for these?”
“Thank you.” I clutched my towel firmly as I reached out to snatch my Brazilian panties from his grasp.
“You can change out here.” Clint leaned back in the bed and winked.
“I don’t think so.” With as much dignity I could muster, partially clothed in a skimpy towel, I collected the rest of my clothes on the bed and then stalked back to the bathroom. Wick’s going to trash this room, too, once he smells Clint on the sheets.
A loud sigh followed behind me. “You’re no fun.”
My middle finger replied for me before I shut the door.
****
Stretching out my feet in front of me in the limo, I watched the impassive faces of Clint and Allan. Clint had stayed in the bedroom, opting to escort me to the vehicle waiting outside, apparently not wanting to risk the possibility of me escaping. Or so he said. His scent on my dresser told me he took the opportunity to sift through my underwear drawer. Pervert.
Still stuck at work, Wick had sent a text saying, luck, xx. As cute as the message was, I wanted the alpha with me instead.
My phone beeped. It startled me because I wasn’t expecting to hear from anyone. Maybe Wick planned to meet me at Lucien’s place after all. I glanced down at my phone to find a text from Mel.
I’m glad you’re ok. Have you figured everything out?
On my way to clear my name now.
Good. Let’s get penis to celebrate.
A laugh escaped my lips before I could clamp my mouth shut. It drew raised brows from Allan and Clint. I ignored them and texted back, glad to not be the only one who struggled with new technology: I’m not sure the men would approve.
Five minutes passed before I got her response. Noooooooooooo!!! That’s not what I meant! Pedis, not penis. PEDICURES. There’s a perverted old man in my phone. I didn’t type that!
I laughed, drawing dark stares from Clint, who had no idea what was going on and a lewd smile from Allan, who would’ve plucked it from my head. Hopefully that’s all he picked up.
Yeah, ok, I texted. I’m down.
****
No deep sense of dread or foreboding consumed my thoughts like the last time I pulled up Lucien’s long impressive driveway, because this time I had what he wanted—Ethan’s name and the evidence to back it up. The trick would be to get out again without a new trumped up charge or task to keep me in his grasp.
The guards at the door dipped their heads as we approached.
“Lucien wishes to speak to her alone,” the guard said. His voice wavered a bit.
Clint and Allan stopped and exchanged a look over my head.
Allan turned to the guard that spoke. “Did he say why?”
The guard took in the glares of my escorts, clamped his mouth shut and shook his head. The men stared at one another in a silent eye game of Mexican Standoff, smelling of dead meat and nothing else. Not sure who won, but after a few seconds Clint gripped my upper arm and ushered me forward.
When we reached the doors to Lucien’s court, Clint spun me around, caressing my cheek with his finger.
Bite, my wolf howled.
“Go. I’ll wait here to collect my prize.”
Faking a gagging sound, I smacked Clint’s hand away from my face and turned to the doors. Before I pushed them open, I glanced over at Allan whose lips turned up slightly at one corner in a determinedly amused expression.
“Any advice?” I asked.
Allan’s smile grew. “Don’t fuck it up.”
Laughing, I pushed the doors open and stepped through, letting them swing closed behind me before striding up the long walkway. I didn’t get far up the aisle to Lucien’s seat of power at the end, because we weren’t alone. A solid silhouette stood between me and the Vampire. Unsure of how to proceed, I stopped and waited for the vamp’s cue.
Lucien, sprawled in his giant seat worthy of a king, not bothering to hide his bored expression, straightened on my arrival. Standing at the other end of the room, the weight of his gaze hit me. “Come forward.”
When I hesitated, his eyes cut to the man in front of him. “Don’t be shy. He’s merely an envoy from a visiting horde.”
Shrugging, I started forward again, only to stop a few paces away when the envoy turned at Lucien’s pseudo introduction. I did a double take. The envoy had the face of an angel, but instead of making me think pure and godly thoughts, his appearance made me want to sin in every possible way. A little under six feet, he was solid muscle. Strong legs, shoulders and forearms gave him the physique of a professional rugby player—like the ones that played on the wing, not the chubby ones in the center. Rich black hair contrasted sharply with his sapphire blue eyes and full lips curled up in a dazzling smile that revealed even white teeth.