Wicked Bite (Realm Enforcers #5)(13)

Horror. True and real horror filled her. "Who-why?"

He moved into the corner and kicked some temporary file boxes out of his way. "It's organized. I can find anything." He reached down for a pair of huge black boots to pull onto his feet.

This was beyond terrible. Dust filled her nose, and she gave a delicate sneeze.

"Bless you."

"Thank you." Her hands fluttered, actually fluttered, with the need to organize the space. This was insane. She calmed herself. Wait a minute. This might be a godsend. "You know, I find myself at loose ends right now."

He turned. "You're not on the Council anymore?"

"Did I not mention that fact?" she asked, trying to appear innocent.

"No. No, you didn't." He crossed his arms, looking more than a little dangerous. "Why would anybody give up a seat on the Council of the Coven Nine?"

When only telling half a story, it was imperative to use as much truth as possible. "Well, to be honest, I was just put on the Council during the turmoil, to observe Peter Gallagher. It was a temporary assignment." 

Bear breathed out. "Was it, now?" His eyes glittered.

"Aye." She cleared her throat. Gallagher had put a death sentence on Bear's sister's head while also expunging the Council of pretty much all the other council members. "As you know, he was up to no good." Now that he was dead, the Council had been set to rights, with the correct members back on. "I am no longer needed on the Council."

"Who put you in place?" Bear asked, his lips thinning.

No need to lie. Not really. Okay, kind of. "Vivienne Northcutt," Nessa whispered. Vivienne had led the Council for centuries until Peter had her removed. Now she was back in place. She was also Simone's mother, and she apparently didn't want Bear in her daughter's life.

"That fucking figures. She gets fired, but only after she appoints people to spy for her." Bear shook his head. "How my sister came from that woman, I will never know."

Nessa frowned. Simone was just as brilliant and ambitious as her mother. "Your sister is a lot like her mother."

Bear growled.

Nessa held up a hand. "Vivienne was trying to protect the Council and the witch nation. Even you can see that."

He shrugged.

"You'll recall that I voted against your sister being put to death." Of course, she'd lost the vote. But now Simone had been cleared of any wrongdoing, the death sentence had been lifted, and she was back on the Council.

"I know," Bear said grimly. "That's why you're still allowed in my territory."

"I thought it was the kiss," Nessa blurted out. Bollocks. Why had she said that?

He moved toward her. "That, too."

She backed up until her hip hit the door. "Bear?"

"Why you?" he asked quietly. "On the Council. Why you?"

She couldn't breathe. "My uncle is friends with Vivienne, and I have experience with bookkeeping. I'm methodical." Talk about downplaying her skills. "Viv trusts me, so I was a good choice."

"And you look all innocent and sweet, so you'd definitely fool many a man," Bear said.

She had to get him off that topic. "I have an idea."

"Do you?" he asked, continuing forward until his boots touched her shoes. "Your ideas are intriguing, that's for damn sure. What are you thinking now?"

She plastered on her most sincere smile. "How about you hire me to organize this place?"

His head jerked, and panic lit his eyes. "Organize? What? I mean, why? It is organized."

She reached for him, setting her hands on his hard abs. "Bear, this place kills me." Truth. All truth this time. "I'll have nightmares forever about it. Please. Hire me to organize it." She meant the words, she really did. However, she'd also be able to go through his files and papers. Maybe find evidence. "Please."

He looked around, his shoulders tense. "I don't know."

"While I'm doing that, while I have a purpose here, I can continue to heal you." She tried not to sneeze again. "You need to be healed."

"That's blackmail," he said, admiration lighting his eyes to bourbon.

Whatever worked. "All right."

He leaned into her. "Here's the deal. You heal me, I'll hire you to destroy my nice system here, and you let me go after whoever put a bounty on your head."

What? She released his abs. "I can take care of myself." Didn't he see her beat up the bounty hunter earlier? Sure, Bear had jumped in, but she'd been doing fine. "I can fight."