“I don’t think the ‘greater good’ is at issue. You, of course, will stay far away from Tommy and his pals so Lugh isn’t at risk. I’ll see what I can do about finding the kids.”
I swallowed the protest that tried to crawl out of my mouth. If Adam thought I’d sit idly by and let him take care of everything, then he didn’t know me very well.
He smiled at me suddenly, his eyes glowing with a spark that had nothing to do with his demon. “I know I’ve mentioned this before, but it bears repeating. You really need to work on your poker face. You leave me with no choice but to make an executive decision. You’re going to stay here while I go have a talk with Tommy, see if I can find out where he and his friends are holding the children.”
Damn it, damn it, damn it! When was I going to learn how to control my facial expressions? I began sliding my hand to the side, though I figured the chances of me getting to my Taser, arming it, pointing it, and shooting before someone stopped me were approximately zero.
I was right. Brian grabbed my hand and gave it a squeeze. He made it look like it was just a gesture of support, but I knew he’d read me as easily as Adam had. I glanced at Raphael, wondering if there was any chance I could convince him to take my side, but that was a stupid idea. Raphael would never agree to let Lugh take any “unnecessary” risks.
I jerked my hand from Brian’s and crossed my arms over my chest. “Fine!” I said, sounding sulky even to my own ears. “I’ll sit on my ass while you go out and play hero.” Adam gave me a knowing look, and I gritted my teeth. “Don’t look at me like that. I got the point. You’re going to lock me up.”
Beside me, I felt Brian start. There was a lot he didn’t know about the water under Adam’s and my bridge. I supposed I should fill him in on some of it someday. But not now.
Raphael rubbed his hands together. “So Adam is going to play policeman, Morgan’s going to twiddle her thumbs, and I presume Brian’s going to resume his usual daily activities. Do I have an assignment, or may I follow Brian’s lead?”
Instinct told me there was something off about Raphael’s voice, but I just didn’t have the energy to think about it right now. “I doubt you want to hear the instructions I have for you,” I muttered, loud enough for everyone to hear. Raphael didn’t seem to find it as funny as the others did.
Our impromptu council meeting broke up after that. Brian had been a bit startled when he discovered Adam planned to lock me up, but instead of arguing for clemency, he offered to keep me company. I imagined it would have been fun, but I was way too surly to be in the mood for fun.
“You’ll keep her safe?” Brian inquired of Adam, which, naturally, pissed me off.
“I’ll keep my own damn self safe!”
Adam shook his head at Brian. “I can’t imagine how you could actually want to be in her presence.” Lucky for him he’d been smart enough to confiscate my Taser already.
I could have hoped that Brian would take offense that Adam was insulting me, but he just shrugged. “I can see behind the prickly exterior,” he said, then ignored Adam and fixed me with a pointed look. “Call me if there’s any news, or if there’s anything I can do to help.”
I agreed, and Brian, visibly reluctant, left.
The room Adam locked me in was right next door to the Dreaded Black Room. The door was closed when Adam led me by, and I wondered if Dominic was in there. I was too pissed off that Adam saw through me so well to ask, however. And so by lunchtime, on a day when my instincts screamed at me to act, to fight, to move, I found myself a prisoner in a comfortable little guest room with convenient iron grillwork covering the windows. Yup, another peachy day in the life of Morgan Kingsley, exorcist.
CHAPTER 22
I paced the “guest room” for about an hour. Probably I should have been taking advantage of this period of forced inactivity to catch a few Zs, but I didn’t think I’d have much luck falling asleep. I was starting to get hungry, my stomach protesting my failure to eat either breakfast or lunch, when I heard footsteps in the hallway. I smelled food, and my stomach immediately let out a howl that would have been embarrassing if I thought anyone could hear it. I guessed that meant my visitor would be Dominic, not Adam, and I had a momentary urge to rush the door and see if I could escape in a moment of confusion. But for all I knew, Adam was sitting downstairs, and I’d get my ass handed to me if I tried anything.
The first thing I saw when the door opened was Dominic’s back, because his hands were full and he was using his butt to hold the door. When he turned toward me and let the door go, his head was bowed, and I thought at first he was keeping an eye on the bowl of soup that rested on the tray he carried. But then he turned to put the tray on a desk, and a beam of light illuminated the side of his face.
I gasped when I saw his ostentatiously black eye. His Adam’s apple bobbed, and he let out a sigh as he turned to face me. He crossed his arms over his chest, and his body language screamed that he wanted to be left alone. I doubt he was surprised I ignored it.
“How’d you get the shiner?” I asked, though I knew from his discomfort who must have given it to him.
He grimaced. “Adam. And no, he didn’t do it on purpose, so quit looking at me like I’m some battered woman.”
I tried to picture Adam hauling back and punching Dominic, and I just couldn’t do it. I realized with a little start that despite Adam’s aggressive and overbearing personality, I’d never once seen him and Dominic fight. Oh, they grumbled at each other occasionally, but even then it was with such affection it was obvious they didn’t mean it. And it wasn’t because Dominic was a doormat, either. He stood up to Adam in situations that would have had me running for the hills.
Come to think of it—and this was a really scary thought—theirs was probably the healthiest romantic relationship I’d ever seen.
Dominic’s shoulders were tight with tension, and his jaw worked like he was grinding his teeth. Everything about him screamed defensiveness, and I realized he was braced for an argument. I let go of my own tension and flashed him a rueful smile.
“Relax, Dom. I believe you.” He blinked in surprise, but with my stomach reminding me once again that I was hungry and that there was food nearby, I decided questioning Dominic could wait, so I took a seat at the desk and dug into the bowl of soup. I let out a moan of sensual pleasure when I tasted it. I’d never been a huge fan of minestrone, but I now saw the error of my ways.
Dominic got that pleased look he always gets when someone compliments his cooking, then took a seat on the recliner and waited in silence for me to finish eating. It didn’t take long.
“Would it be terribly uncouth of me to lick the bowl?” I asked, wanting to see his smile. I got my wish.
“You don’t need to go to such drastic measures. Seconds are available.”
I patted my full tummy. “I’d love to spend the rest of the afternoon stuffing my face, but I’ve got to watch my girlish figure.” That won me another smile.
Dominic reached for the tray, but though I’d have liked to let him leave on a high note, I just didn’t have it in me.
“So, are you going to tell me what happened between you and Adam?” I prodded.
The smile faded and his shoulders drooped. If I read the look on his face correctly, he was seriously contemplating leaving without answering me. I’m not sure I would have blamed him if he did, but he’s not as likely as I am to run from conflict. He set the tray back down and returned to the recliner.
“He told me everything,” Dominic said. “About Saul, and about what he does at The Seven Deadlies.”
I winced. There was such a thing as too much honesty. I wished Adam had kept the last part to himself, at least until we’d gotten Saul another host—however we were going to manage that.