“Good idea. That should work.” Jules nodded. “But I want you two focused on Olivia and Sheridan twenty-four seven.”
“Can do, hoss.” Morgan smirked.
Ava rolled her eyes. Jules hated being called hoss, and her cousin knew it.
Trust the team to be on each other's cases during a crisis. Not surprisingly, their easy banter calmed her. Gunnar too, she noted, pleased to see him grin at the rumblings Jules threw Morgan's way.
Her grandmother straightened in her seat, sitting primly. Always a lady…concealing the predator within. Ava could only imagine the conflict brewing in her grandmother's heart. Her great love for Lonnie fighting against his supposed betrayal. Ava didn't believe it, but her grandmother did. Why? After so many years spent loving each other, how could her grandmother doubt Lonnie? There had to be more to this that Alicia wasn't telling her.
Ava not only needed to find out what the hell Grayson had gotten himself into, but how Lonnie was tied into it. And all while sticking close to her elusive mate. A headache of monumental proportions.
Alicia cleared her throat. “While the rest of you prepare for what's coming, I need Ava, Jules, and Gunnar to stay behind.”
Everyone else filed out. Sheridan stopped to kiss Jules before waving at Ava and Gunnar, then left as well. Ava watched her grandmother with the others, waiting for the other shoe to drop.
“I'd like to know what you all think.”
Ava opened her mouth to reply, but Jules beat her to it. “Mrs. Sharpe, this is wrong. Admiral London has done more for us than I can say. I know we should be leery. Hell, what with our own captain and then Melissa and Jack turning on us, I get it. But I'm no fool. Geoffrey London is not what we're being led to believe he is.” Gunnar stirred. “Let Fallon question him. He'll get the truth.”
“You know, the Viking actually makes sense.” Ava winked at Gunnar. “I thought you'd recommend a little bit of bloodletting, at least.” He smiled, showing sharp fangs. “Oh, we'll get to that if it turns out our good friend is lying. If his answers aren't what we want to hear, I'll make him dance.” He flexed his fingers, and five sharp talons grew in seconds.
Ava quickly tamped down the arousal flaring at his show of strength. He never used to flash his abilities around her, but now that he knew she was Circ, Gunnar apparently didn't feel the need to hide himself. And God, he was so sexy when he turned mean.
She must have let something show, because Gunnar's eyes darkened. Jules coughed, and her grandmother sighed.
Ava purposely looked away from him, trying to gather her wits. “Grandma, I agree with Jules. Something feels off about this.”
“What the hell does that mean?” Gunnar asked. “Just how psychic are you, Ava?”
“I'm not a mind reader or an empath. I don't see glimpses of the future. I just know things sometimes.”
“But you haven't said that you know he's not guilty,” Alicia corrected her. “You just don't want him to be guilty.” To Ava's shock, her grandmother's eyes watered.
“I don't want him to be guilty either. But Kisho had a vision earlier. One with Lonnie and a gun. And I'd been shot.”
Crap. Ava rushed to her grandmother's side and leaned down to hug her tight.
“Shit, Alicia. Dry up the waterworks, would you?” Gunnar's soft growl sounded more worried than annoyed. “Come on, we'll fix this. I won't let the bastard hurt you. I swear.”
Her grandmother's sobs continued. A quiet suffering made worse because she tried to hide it and couldn't.
“I'll get Olivia,” Jules murmured and left.
Ava turned to Gunnar helplessly. She'd never seen her grandmother so upset before.
Alicia pushed out of Ava's arms and stood with her back to them.
He looked as if he'd rather hug a cactus, but Gunnar gently took her sobbing grandmother in his arms. Like a giant bear hugging a doll.
Ava gaped, not quite sure what to think. The same man who sneered at her grandmother's orders, who called her Alicia instead of Mrs. Sharpe, and didn't seem to respect her authority when he dragged his feet over her every order, offered physical comfort?
“It's not that bad, Alicia. Isn't that what you always tell me?” He patted her back with what Ava assumed he meant to be soft taps.
Her grandmother jerked under the blows.
The older woman stopped her tears and squirmed to free herself.
Torn between laughter at Gunnar's awkward assistance, surprised pleasure that he'd been so thoughtful, and concern that her grandmother might have shattered a rib, Ava pulled Gunnar aside.
“Better now?” she asked Alicia.
Her grandmother wiped her eyes, now filled with mirth.
Thank you, Gunnar.
“That was just what I needed, Gunnar. Thank you.” She gingerly made her way to her desk and sat, looking more amused than upset.
Not wanting Gunnar to feel embarrassed by his kindness, Ava tugged him with her. “I need to talk to him about Grayson. I have some ideas on how we might contact him.” She kept her shields up tight, just in case Grandma had a sudden urge to peek.
“That's fine.” Alicia chuckled and smoothed back her hair. Not a trace of sadness lingered on her face.
Ava could have kissed the stubborn Circ resisting her pull.
Alicia nodded at them. “Go on, Gunnar. I need to focus on a few other items right now. Ava, call Robert Anderson. Notwithstanding his participation in a congressional hearing that has bearing on our funding, he was the last one to talk to Grayson that I know of. And that was two days ago. I'll leave your brother in your hands…for the moment.”
“Good idea. Come on.” Ava released the hold on her strength and yanked Gunnar out of the office. She closed the door behind them.
He stumbled to a halt in the hallway and glared. “Jesus, you're a lot stronger than you look. Not to mention more irritating.”
No more Mr. Nice Guy. He'd probably spent his load of kindness back in the office. So much for their brief bonding moment consoling Alicia.
At the thought, she couldn't contain a grin. “So, Mr. Comfort, how come you never offer to hug my fears away?” She batted her eyes. “I'm so scared of the future.
However will I survive?” Actually, she did worry for her brother, but she'd rather laugh than cry about him.
“You really need a better use for that smart mouth.” He raised their twined fingers to rub them over her lips. Tingles suffused her entire body, and he leaned closer. “Next time you're hard up for a good fuck, I'll let you suck me off. A real treat for you. How's that?”
She swore under her breath. Ava truly was perverted, because his arrogance made her wet. And he knew it, by the look of that sly grin.
“Oh really?” Determined to have the last word, she stood on tiptoe and tugged him down to whisper in his ear. “I don't think so. But now that I think of it, the next time I'm 'hard up for a good fuck,' I'll look for someone to take my mind off it.” She deliberately nipped his earlobe, smugly satisfied when his breath caught. “Yeah, I'll just go find Keegan or James and let a real man take the edge off.” She pulled away from Gunnar and smiled. “Thanks for the idea.”
The laughter caught in her throat when he muttered a few swear words under his breath, hauled her over his shoulder—fireman-carry style—and strode down the hall. He dumped her in Jesse's hands and left without a backward glance.
Chapter Five
Tersch grimaced. For two whole days he'd avoided Ava. He felt like a grade-A pussy, but the sexy little witch was driving him fucking crazy. He smelled her everywhere. His masochistic beast refused to let him change his sheets, where she'd made herself come. And damn if that image would leave his mind anytime soon.