He turned on the television while I rolled out of bed and scooted into the bathroom. I peeked back over my shoulder and caught him watching me with hungry eyes. I winked and gave my hips a little shake. He responded with a grin that was decidedly wolfish. I closed the door, leaning back against it with a smile. How could he make me feel warm all over with just a look?
I needed to memorize every single one.
After I decided I was presentable, we made our way into the chaos of the buffet to forage for food. Pancakes, waffles, oatmeal, fruit, eggs, bacon—I had it all and lots of it. Adam laughed and kept right up with me.
“I’ve never dated anyone who could eat as much as I do.”
I kicked his foot under the table. “Are you saying I eat too much?”
“I’m saying I don’t have to pretend to eat normal portions with you.” He grinned and lowered his voice. “I can be myself.”
Then he growled, and his hand slid up my leg. My entire body responded, my breath catching in my throat. I snatched his hand to keep him from getting us both in trouble and leaned in close to him to whisper in his ear. “I love you…wolf and all.”
I nipped his earlobe just enough to get his attention and sat back, gratified to see him shift in his seat a little. Sexual prowess wasn’t something I was very confident about, but being with Adam made me feel empowered. I knew he wanted me. There were no games or power plays.
His phone buzzed on the table then, and we both flinched. Aren’s name flashed on the screen. After getting his flight information—just a quick connection in Las Vegas and then he’d be back in Reno—we finished up and made our way through the casino to the parking structure.
“Do you think Aren could ever warm up to me?” I asked softly.
“It’s not that he doesn’t like you. He hardly knows you.”
“Is he such a racist that he can’t see me as a human being?”
Adam groaned. “No, it’s not that.” He paused and shrugged. “Okay, maybe that’s got a little to do with it. It’s more that he’s worried about me. After his run-in with Sasha, I think he finally believes you didn’t plot to kill Gabe with Sebastian. But he’s not ready to make you his sister yet either.”
“The feeling’s mutual, believe me. With brothers like him, I wouldn’t need to worry about Nero anymore.”
“He’s not a bad guy, Lana. I’ve just never kept a secret from my brother, so finding out about you and also finding out you’re a jaguar threw him. He’s pissed at me and worried. That’s a dangerous combo with my brother.”
We got back in the Jeep and he frowned when his knees jammed up into the dashboard. He looked over at me and laughed. “No one has ever adjusted this seat before.”
“I couldn’t reach the pedals.”
He shoved the seat back and leaned over to kiss my cheek. “Thanks for taking good care of Chaney.”
I tried not to blush. “Sorry I stole him.”
“Sorry I made you feel like I wasn’t proud to have you in my life.”
…
We got to the airport before five p.m. With the top off the Jeep, Adam assured me my scent wouldn’t linger, and as long as I didn’t touch Aren it wouldn’t stick to him either. I couldn’t see us hugging at the airport so I figured we were safe. The sky was just starting to turn orange. Aren’s plane wasn’t due in for over an hour, but Adam kept checking his watch.
“What’s wrong?”
He pulled out his cell phone. “Aren was supposed to call me when he got to Vegas. I should’ve heard from him by now.” He punched the number for his brother, but quickly hung up. “It went straight to voice mail.”
“His plane must’ve been delayed. It happens all the time.”
“Yeah.” He looked like he was trying to convince himself. “You’re probably right.”
We headed into the airport to get drinks while we waited to hear from Aren. He practically jumped on his cell phone when it finally buzzed.
“Aren, what took so long?”
The voice coming from Adam’s phone was definitely not Aren’s. He tilted the phone to save his ear from the loud female voice, and I leaned in closer.
“If you want to see your brother alive, bring your girlfriend to Las Vegas by tomorrow night.”
Adam’s knuckles were white he was gripping his cell so tight. “Let me talk to my brother.”
“I’m afraid that’s not possible.”
“How do I know you didn’t just steal his cell phone?” A male moan came through the phone. Adam raked his free hand back through his hair. “What’d you do to him?”
“In case you didn’t notice, your brother is a little bigger than me, but it was nothing a Taser couldn’t handle. Meet me tomorrow night at the Stratosphere Hotel on the strip. Seven o’clock. Bring your girlfriend and no one else, or I kill your brother.”
The line went dead. Adam slammed his phone on the table and shook his head. “Goddammit.”
I didn’t know what to say. This was all my fault. If I had never come to Reno, none of this would have touched Adam and his Pack. Gabe would be alive, and Aren wouldn’t be a hostage. My chest constricted, weighed down with guilt. I needed to make this right somehow.
Adam looked over at me and shook his head. “I don’t know what to do.”
I swallowed the lump in my throat. “You need to tell the Pack and go rescue your brother.”
“She’ll kill him if I show up without you, but there’s no way in hell I’m bringing you to her.” He shook his head. “Aren is the plotter, not me.”
I didn’t have any experience with outsmarting trained assassins either.
Wait a minute. I took Adam’s hand. “You’re going to hate this plan, but just hear me out. We need Sebastian.”
“What?” Adam jerked his hand free of mine and got up from his chair. “No. No way, Lana. He’d kill me sooner than he’d help me. No way.”
“He won’t help you, but whatever his reasons are, he also doesn’t want Nero to get their hands on me. If we tell him we’re going to Vegas to meet Sasha he won’t be able to resist following.”
“I don’t like it.”
I could almost see the wheels turning in his head, playing out every scenario. My heart swelled. And somehow I realized I loved him even more every day.
None of the options we had were good. I watched him thinking, doing his best to keep a cool head. Giving up was never going to be the answer for Adam. His Pack had nothing to worry about in their future Alpha.
Finally, he turned to look at me. “If we do this, you have to remember that Sebastian is not our friend or even our ally. Until we know why he wants to keep you away from Nero, we can’t assume he’s completely in our corner. Understand?”
I nodded. “The next problem will be finding him.”
Adam looked around the airport. “I’m guessing he’s not far away. If I walk away, he’s bound to show up.”
“Probably. He seems to think I can never be left alone.”
Adam leaned down to give me a kiss and whispered, “I’ll stay where I can see you. Once he gets here, keep him here.”
“Be careful.” He gave me a nod and turned away.
Adam walked out of the airport bar and dramatically pulled out the Jeep keys from the pocket of his jeans as he headed toward the door. I made a point of sipping my iced tea and watching his backside in his faded Levis.
He blended into the crowd outside the airport and I lost sight of him. After a refill of tea, I caught a familiar scent. When I looked up, a tall, dark-haired, olive-skinned man made his way through the crowd, his eyes locked on mine. Sebastian sat across from me without an invitation.
“How can you waste your time with that inept wolf? I thought we understood you cannot be left unguarded at any time.”
I raised a brow. “Hello, Sebastian.”
“I have no time for pleasantries. We need to leave this place. Now.”