“Fonthill was discharged from the military because of his repeated acts of aggression.” She looked up at Adam. “It doesn’t specify what they were. He didn’t pass the psych evaluation so they kicked him out of the program.”
“The NYPD never would have hired him with that kind of military record.” I frowned. “How did he get a badge and a gun?”
Adam crossed his arms. “You can get anything if you know the right people.”
“You think Nero has a mole in the police department?” I asked.
“Why not?” He shrugged. “They only found out Lana existed after someone in the hospital leaked her CAT scan results. Nero’s got eyes and ears everywhere. They’ve got money, too, and money spreads and corrupts along the way. All it would take is for an elected official to accept a large donation from Nero. They could put some weight on the department to hire an ex-Green Beret. It’d be easy to float him under the radar.”
I hated to admit it, but he was probably right. Following a money trail was often the best way to track down criminal activity. How Fonthill got hired to be a police officer didn’t really matter anymore anyway.
We needed to know how to stop him.
“So as far as you can tell, the only enhancement he has is the ability to shift at will, right?” I asked.
Lana shook her head. “Because the wolf gene is more prominent in his DNA now, his vitals show an elevated body temperature, but that’s about it.”
Lana clicked a few buttons and pulled the flash drive free, handing it to me. “I saved the files. You can take this and maybe go over them later and see if I missed anything.”
“Thanks.” I pocketed it and got up to leave, but something made me stop. I took a deep breath and turned around to face them again. “I wish I could come up with some way to make up for the past. I know I caused you both pain, and I really appreciate that you’re willing to work with me on this.” I gestured down the hall. “And for protecting Nadya. I want to repay you. Somehow…”
Adam rested a big hand on Lana’s slim shoulder, and she brought her hand up to cover his. He seemed older than his years, truly like the Alpha of the Pack.
“You want to make up for the past?” He lowered his voice, gripping Lana’s shoulder a little tighter. “Be the mate Aren deserves.”
I wasn’t sure what to say, but I nodded slowly. If we lived through this we definitely had to talk. Aren deserved a mate who could give him the family these wolves cherished and protected. And that wasn’t me.
Chapter Thirty-One
Aren
I caught Sasha’s scent before her hand slid into mine. All that remained of Barry’s pyre were red-hot embers, smoldering orange in the dark night. She squeezed my hand in spite of the cold looks from Gareth.
“How did it go with Lana?”
“Fonthill is definitely mentally unstable and most likely dying. That serum they shot them up with permanently altered their DNA. No cure.”
Gareth went into the tack room, and I turned toward Sasha. “Barry’s blood is on my hands. I can almost feel it.”
“You had nothing to do with this.”
Gareth came back with a shovel. “Do you want to smother the fire?”
Traditionally the family dispersed the embers and ashes of their fallen loved one. Even though Barry wasn’t part of the Pack, I took the shovel and started the somber work of putting out the fire and spreading the ashes. I kept my eye on Gareth, but Sasha had already held her own against him once today. She didn’t need my help.
Sasha eyed Gareth and walked away, returning with another shovel. She moved in beside me, tossing dirt over the embers and fanning them out to cool.
Gareth watched us but didn’t say a word.
Once the heat was gone and the remnants of the pyre were dispersed, I wiped the sweat off my brow and leaned on the shovel. “I think we’re done here.”
Sasha straightened up and met my eyes. Her skin shone in the faint light of the moon and for a second I was tempted to pull her into my arms and let the rest of the world fade away.
Gareth broke the moment when he stepped toward us. “I’ll put the shovels back.”
“Thanks.” He took mine, and then Sasha’s—and without ripping it out of her hands.
She walked across the now barren area and met my eyes. “I need a shower.”
“Me too.” We made our way down the barn aisle.
When Gareth came out of the tack room, he didn’t break the silence.
I was grateful he didn’t say anything. My ass was dragging and the last thing I needed was to get in another fight. We walked up to the house and said our goodbyes to Adam and Lana before collapsing into the Lexus.
Jason and Adam agreed we should keep using Jason’s car for now. Fonthill wouldn’t recognize it. I was happy to be behind the wheel instead of paying for cabs. I turned the key and put the car in gear when Sasha’s hand rested over mine.
When I looked over at her, she sighed. “I need a shower in a big way.”
“Amen to that.”
…
We got back to the hotel without anyone tailing us, a good sign that Fonthill hadn’t realized we switched cars. I parked the Lexus and then Sasha and I hustled inside, keeping alert for any sign of danger. Once we were safe in the elevator, I let out a breath I hadn’t noticed I’d been holding. I took Sasha’s hand, grateful when her fingers wrapped around mine. Just touching her skin settled the storm inside me.
Inside our room, I embraced her, breathing in the scent of her hair. Her hands made their way up my back, warming my skin right through my shirt, loosening the tension I’d been hoarding between my shoulder blades.
She pulled away, looking up at me from under her lashes. “How are you holding up? This was a heavy day even for a homicide detective.”
I went in the bathroom and washed my hands, wishing the guilt would wash away as easily as the grime. “I’m a little messed up, pissed, sad, but mostly grateful to be alive. You sort of take it for granted until you see someone you care about—” I couldn’t finish the sentence. Luckily I didn’t need to. Sasha was already nodding slowly.
“Yeah. The fact that life’s short really hits home when you lose a friend.” Her voice softened. “What you said tonight, for Barry, that was really kind. You’re a good guy, Aren Sloan.”
I crossed to her, kissing her deeply as her words sank into my heart. Her arms tightened around me again and I held her closer, deepening the kiss. Somehow in the middle of all the crap brewing in my life, I’d found her. She was alive, safe, and in my arms.
My pulse raced by the time I pulled back. “I’m going to grab a shower.” I started to smile. “Join me?”
Her eyes sparkled. “I’ll wash your back if you wash mine.”
“Deal.” We kicked off our shoes, and Sasha rocked up on her toes to meet my lips. I pulled her up, walking us both backward toward the bathroom. By the time we got inside, I leaned her against the wall without breaking the kiss, and she made quick work of the buttons on my shirt while I worked on her pants.
Sasha pulled back, breathless. “Wait. Let me take off my holsters.”
Having a gun go off would definitely ruin the mood, so I let go of her and turned on the shower. She lifted the shoulder holster over her head and hung it over the hook on the back of door, then placed her foot on the closed lid of the toilet. Before she could reach down, I rested my hand on her calf.
“Let me.” I knelt down and slid her pant leg up, without taking my eyes from hers. I unbuckled the holster and kissed along the indentation in her leg.
When I got back to my feet, steam billowed from the shower. I placed the gun on the shelf with the hand towels and pulled her close, kissing her neck as I finished unfastening her pants. She stepped out of them and reached for the button on my jeans. I wrapped my arms around her and kissed her hard enough to make my split lip protest, but I didn’t care.