"Yep." I downed the coffee in several gulps and rose. "What time is the raid planned?"
Rhoan glanced at his watch. "Jack wants us there at ten." He looked at me and smiled. "He knew you'd want in."
"I'm getting predictable, and that's just sad." I glanced across at the clock. "I've time enough to freshen up, then."
A hot shower didn't do a whole lot to shake the tiredness, but at least I felt cleaner. I grabbed some pants and a thick sweater to combat the chill of the day, then retrieved my boots from the grip of the dust bunnies under my bed. Not only did these particular boots have a nice big heel, but the heel itself was made of wood. A handy thing if a certain vampire got antsy. Not that I'd stake him with the intent of killing him, but hurting him just a little was a tempting prospect.
Once dressed, I grabbed my ID, credit cards, and cell phone, then headed out. Rhoan tossed me my gun. "If you forget it this time, Jack will kill you."
"Only if some tattletale tells him I keep forgetting it." I reluctantly strapped it on. "I don't want to start relying on these things, bro."
"I know. But sometimes, a werewolf's teeth and a vampire's speed just aren't enough. Trust me on this." He gave me a quick hug, then ushered me out the door. "And if you are going to do this job—and we both know you really have no other choice—then you have to learn to use all the tools of the trade. Whether you like them or not."
Speaking of tools… I pulled the phone from my pocket and turned it on. To find a dozen voice messages awaiting me, all from Jin. I listened to them as I followed Rhoan down the stairs. Each was basically the same—an apology, a demand that I ring. It wasn't until the last one that he sounded anything resembling contrite.
"That's one bad boy who has it bad for you," Rhoan commented, as he opened the passenger door of his old Ford and ushered me inside.
"He just adores the way I take a slap," I murmured, concentrating on sending Jin a semi-cold text message. I might be under orders to get into that dinner party tonight, but I didn't have to be all meek and mild about it.
"A lot of bad men seem to like that," Rhoan commented, after getting into the car and venturing into the traffic. "Must be something in their makeup. They get their rocks off on giving others pain."
I looked at him. "Is that why you enjoy the job so much?"
He shrugged. "Sometimes, different is good."
"Different from Liander, you mean?"
He gave me a keen glance. "I love Liander, don't get me wrong, but sometimes, I just need more. My work gives me that, Riley."
"He's not complaining about the men you do within your job. He's complaining about the ones outside work."
Rhoan sniffed. "Yeah, well—"
"Don't give me that 'yeah, well' bullshit. Liander's a good man, and he doesn't deserve the crap you hand out. At the very least, you should talk to him."
"I can't."
"Why the hell not?" My phone rang. I looked down and saw it was Jin. I ignored it and looked back at my brother, waiting for a reply.
He scrubbed a hand across his jaw as he looked in the rearview mirror. "Because I don't want to lose him."
I blinked. Of all the excuses I'd been imagining, that certainly wasn't one of them. "What?"
"If I confront the issue, he may decide to walk away. I don't want to risk that, Riley. I really don't."
I reached across and touched his knee. "Liander loves you, and he's not going to walk away unless you push him to it. And that's precisely what's happening now—he's very frustrated by your refusal to talk about the situation."
He looked at me. "Frustrated enough to walk away?"
"Yes."
"Fuck."
"Yes."
"I can't do monogamous. I don't want to do monogamous."
"There's always compromises in any relationship, Rhoan. Maybe this is one you and Liander have to come to." And I honestly didn't think Liander would mind Rhoan having other partners in a work situation. As long as he was committed outside of it. "If you care for him as much as you say, bro, it might pay to give a little."
He grimaced. "I don't know—"
"Talk to him. At least do that."
"Okay."
"Promise?"
"Promise."
"I'll nag you endlessly if you don't."
He laughed. "You do anyway." The phone rang again and he glanced down. "And for God's sake, answer that, before the poor man has a coronary."
"Him having a coronary could solve some problems."
"Not if he's a demon who can just go get another body." Rhoan glanced in the rearview mirror again. "Answer the damn phone."
I pressed the receiver and said, "Hello," even as I flipped down the sunshade and slid aside the cover of the vanity mirror. Rhoan kept looking at something behind us, but for the moment, I couldn't see what.
"I'm sorry," Jin said, voice warm and contrite. "I acted like an ass last night."
"Yes, you did," I said coolly. "And it wasn't appreciated."
"Can I make up for it?"
"I don't know. Can you?"
"Would an expensive lunch be a start?"
Given I had no intention of spending any more time in this man's company than necessary—and I did use the term "man" loosely—lunch was definitely out. "It would be nice, but I can't today."
"How about dinner, then? A friend is having an exclusive dinner party at his Toorak mansion, and the food and company are usually excellent."
Yeah, I just bet they were. "I could be tempted."
"Could be?"
"Most certainly."
"Shall I pick you up?"
"I prefer to drive. That way, I have transport in case there's a sudden ass attack."
He laughed. "Then I shall meet you at my friend's." He gave me Kingsley's address. "I promise, no sudden ass attacks tonight."
He was either very sure of the attraction between us, or he was trying to regain my trust by making out like he had nothing to hide. Why else would he give me the address? I mean, he had to be very sure I wouldn't report it to someone—like the cops. "Good. What time shall I meet you?"
"Seven."
"Until then, then."
I hung up and shoved the phone back in my pocket. "One job done."
"You be careful in there tonight."
"I'll be fine. And you'll be listening in via the van—won't you?"
"Yeah, but there's still too many variables we just don't understand at the moment, and I've just got an edgy feeling it could all go ass up."
He looked in the mirror again, and I frowned. "What the hell do you keep looking at?"
"I think we picked up a tail."
I flipped down the vanity mirror again. "Where?"
"Three cars back, white Toyota."
The car wasn't hard to spot—it wasn't like he was trying to hide or anything. "You sure?"
"Not a hundred percent. It's just a hunch."
I'd back Rhoan's hunches over most people's certainties any day. "You want me to call it in?"
"Nope. You feel up to a little interrogation session?"
I raised my eyebrows, and tried to ignore my pulse's little jump of excitement. "We got time?"
He glanced at his watch. "Five minutes to spare."
I rolled my shoulders, and gave in to that flicker of excitement. "Let's do it, then."
Rhoan grinned, then flicked another glance at the mirror and swung into a side street, pressing his foot hard on the accelerator. The tires squealed as they slipped then caught, and the car shot forward. Another look at the mirror, another left, and then he was stopping. I jumped out of the car and ran into the shadows of the nearest building, hunkering down in the doorway so I was less likely to be seen. Rhoan moved off, but slower this time.