“I’m very sorry about this, Liza,” Rachel said softly, her gaze heavy with guilt. “I hate the danger you’re in now.”
“What do you have to do with it?” It made very little sense that this woman would feel guilt for something she hadn’t orchestrated.
Her husband perhaps, but not her.
“Amber is my child,” Rachel whispered. “She’s the reason we’re so desperate to find Gideon.”
Ah yes, the baby.
Liza breathed out roughly. “I just wish I could have helped. If it would ease whatever your baby is going through, Mrs. Wyatt, then maybe this would make a little more sense to me.”
“Please, call me Rachel.” Easing to the couch, Rachel turned to face her.
Liza sipped at the coffee again, hoping to buy herself some time and a bit more of her equilibrium before she was forced to actually converse and make sense.
“Unfortunately, no one but the four involved in the experiments that created the drug Amber was given can help.” Rachel grimaced as a young Breed female set another cup of coffee on the table for the director’s wife.
The petite Breed was smaller than most Breed females. She was dainty, almost fragile, with shoulder-length dark brown hair and soft green eyes.
“Thank you, Erin.” Rachel’s smile was tired as she looked up at the younger woman. “Is Amber still sleeping?”
“Yes, ma’am,” Erin answered with a nod. “And the fever seems to have eased a bit.”
Rachel’s lashes lowered in relief for long moments before they opened once again.
“I’ll be in the kitchen if you need me,” Erin told her before turning and heading to the other end of the room.
“Everyone is here to find more than just Gideon then?” Because that wasn’t the story the president of the Navajo Nation had been given.
Rachel shook her head. “Gideon is the only one of the group the Breeds have been able to track down. The other boy and two girls have simply vanished.” Her voice thickened. “The two girls are truly the ones we need information on, but if Gideon is all we can find, then perhaps he can remember something from his time with the girls and the treatments they were given. Anything, Liza, that he could remember is better than the nothing we have now.” Emotion filled her voice, and tears gathered in her eyes.
Liza reached out and took the coffee cup and saucer that was shaking dangerously in Rachel’s hands and placed it on the table.
Rachel’s distress wasn’t forced. Her love and her concern for her daughter went to her soul. For a moment, as strange as it seemed, Liza swore she could sense that pain, the desperation and fear the other woman was feeling.
Her heart was really breaking for the mother forced to watch her daughter suffer.
How horrible it must be, a nightmare beyond compare to have to watch, day by day, as your child grew sicker, weaker, more pale—
“I’m sorry.” Rachel’s smile was shaky as she quickly wiped her eyes and looked around the room. “Thank God Jonas isn’t in the room yet. We try to be strong for each other—”
She broke off as the door to the suite opened and Jonas entered, along with Stygian, Malachi, Isabelle, Isabelle’s father, Terran, and the president of the Nation, Ray Martinez. There was Lawe Justice and his new wife, Diane Broen-Justice. Behind them trailed Rule Breaker—hell of a name—and a small, dark-haired woman. Liza actually recognized her.
Elyiana Morrey was the Feline Breeds’ genetic and physiological specialist and their main medical expert. Behind her was another woman, her long black hair hanging in thin braids nearly to her waist, her café au lait skin tone only a shade lighter than Stygian’s.
It took a moment, but she’d seen her picture in an article on the Wolf Breed community of Haven. Dr. Nikki Armani, the Wolf Breed genetic and medical expert.
It was a Breed convention, and she had no idea how the hell she had managed a personal invitation.
“Ms. Johnson.” Jonas stepped forward. “I’ve been in contact with your father. He’s in New York on Navajo business.”
Liza let her eyes close briefly.
Was she suddenly ten again?
They were calling her parents?
Opening her eyes, she shot Stygian a fulminating look before glaring at Jonas.
“Why would you call my parents? I wasn’t harmed.”
“It’s a basic courtesy,” he answered coolly. “We’ve extended our offer to provide the protection needed to ensure that today’s and tonight’s occurrences don’t become a repeat. If the offer is acceptable to you, then he’s in agreement with the Bureau of Breed Affairs providing security until his return in a week’s time.”
Liza leaned back against the couch, crossed her arms over her breasts and turned her glare on Stygian once again.
She wasn’t having fun yet.
He was rather cute, though, as he grimaced before turning a much harsher glare back to Jonas.
But Jonas being who he was, the bastard he could be, simply ignored it.
And wasn’t it interesting that her father had agreed to the Breeds’ offer to protect her? He knew the cover story in place if anyone came in too close. Her status as an undercover agent for the Navajo Law Enforcement Agency gave her an excuse for many of the assignments she took with the Navajo Underground.
Hell, her father was the reason she was part of the underground—her and Claire both. He had actually convinced Claire’s father, Ray, that it would be in Claire’s best interests to know how to protect herself should an attempt be made to abduct her because of her father’s position.
“And who will my guard dog be?” she asked curiously. “Am I allowed to approve or veto your choice?”
“Well, the Bureau does provide such services for quite a high fee,” he stated coolly. “And this is pro bono, of sorts.”
“So the answer is no.” She gave a brief, amazed shake of her head before glancing at his mate.
Rachel would be of no help, Liza realized.
She was staring at him as though he was the sun, the moon and the stars all rolled into one too-arrogant male. As far as she was concerned, her husband could do no wrong. It was evident in her expression and in her adoring gaze that convincing her that her husband was being an asshole would be a waste of time.
“The answer is no,” Jonas agreed. “But I don’t think you’ll disagree with the options we’ve come up with.”
“And all without me having to worry my pretty little head over the discussion involving it.” Oh, yeah, this was really going over well with her.
It was going over so well that she was nearly shaking with the force of the anger it was sparking inside her.
Damn them! Everyone one of them.
She didn’t need the Breeds to take over her life and protect her.
She was a part of Cullen’s group for a reason.
She knew she should have excused herself to the ladies’ room before Jonas and his asshole enforcers arrived. All she needed was the earbud—
“I think I should inform you that from now on, whenever you’re in this room, the communications link you have with your friends will not be active. No other discussions involving Breed business will be overheard by Cullen Maverick, Reever and Steven Jacobs, or Klah Hunter,” Jonas informed her with his characteristic iciness.
She jerked her gaze back to Stygian. “Shall I assume you’re involved with this?”
A slow, confused frown creased his dark brow. “I assumed it would meet with your approval.”
Okay, this was simply enough. Moving instantly to her feet, she didn’t bother to hide the anger or her opinion of each and every one of them as well as their so-called plans.
“Arrogant asses,” she snapped furiously, her gaze encompassing the entire room full of men and the few women who had trailed in with them. “You had to make this decision behind closed doors without so much as my say-so? You called my father without so much as allowing me, his daughter, the victim in all this, the chance to even speak to him?”