by Vella Day
After tipping back half of his beer, Devon went into his office and retrieved his laptop. A quick search brought up the email and phone number of her place of employment. At least the town and diner existed—so far so good. He shot off a quick email to the owner saying he was considering hiring Vinea and wondered if he could give her a recommendation.
With that taken care of, Devon stripped out of his clothes. All night his wolf had been pacing and panting over Vinea and creating chaos on his libido. He needed to rein in some control, and a cold shower would hopefully cool down his overly active wolf.
*
“You won’t believe what I did tonight,” Vinea said with the phone pressed against her ear. She unzipped then kicked off her boots before curling her legs under her on the sofa.
EmmaLee squealed. “Do tell.”
“I had a date with Devon.”
Her friend sucked in an audible breath. “You didn’t. Tell me everything.”
“The best part was that he never once called me a liar. In fact, he seemed to believe my story, though I have to admit something was holding him back. I could see in his eyes that he was waiting to catch me in a lie.”
“For starters, what you went through was not a story,” EmmaLee said. “It was what really happened.”
“I know.”
“You should be happy. When you left here, you didn’t even think he’d talk to you.”
“You’re absolutely right. And you know the best part?” Vinea asked.
“What?”
“When he walked me to the door, I kissed him.”
EmmaLee squealed again. “And?”
“It was everything I’d dreamed about and more. I broke off the kiss and rushed inside before he had the chance to voice any regrets. Hopefully that kiss will open his heart a little bit more toward me.”
“That was a smart move,” EmmaLee said. “So what happens now?”
That was the big question. “His team is having some issues with a bunch of bad guys, and I tried to help out, but I don’t think Devon believed me when I told him what I had done. It doesn’t matter. Eventually, my contribution will convince him that I am on the up and up.”
“You are a good person, Vi. Devon and the others will see that as well.”
Vinea felt the tear run down her cheek. “You’re the only person who believes in me. I don’t know what I would ever do without you. I love you, EmmaLee.”
“I love you too, but you don’t need to sound so sad. I’m not going anywhere. I will always be here for you. Just remember to believe in yourself, girlfriend.” Someone knocked on EmmaLee’s door. “Oh, that must be Slater. I gotta go. Call me whenever you want. I miss you.” Then she hung up.
Slater? Hadn’t EmmaLee promised to kick his ass to the curb? Ugh. That girl would never learn.
Vinea leaned back against the sofa and swiped away the tears that fell. She missed having someone to confide in. Sure it had done wonders to tell her tale to Devon, but while he seemed to really understand what a struggle it had been for her these past six months, at times lines would form around his eyes, giving her the impression that he was waiting for her to slip up. While that saddened her, it also made her more resolved to earn his trust and forgiveness. EmmaLee was right, Vinea needed to believe in herself, and hopefully, Devon would start to believe in her as well.
First, however, Vinea needed to work on their friendship, and then in time, she’d earn his love.
*
The leader of the Changelings, Brother Jacob, brought the gavel down on the hard wood table that was atop the platform facing all nine of his council members. They were seated and silent—just as they should be. He inhaled to control the roiling anger that was nearly ripping him apart. His men didn’t need to see their leader become unfocused or show any weakness. Losing the sardonyx was a huge blow to them. Jacob’s new goal was to find the thief and personally kill him.
“Normally, I am the one demanding answers when something goes wrong, but this time, I am to blame.” Despite the injustice perpetrated against him and his Clan, he almost smiled at the look of shock on their faces. It was the first time in a long time he’d taken blame for anything. “I have no idea how the sardonyx was stolen since I had stored the gem in the hotel safe in my room, and I even slept with the room key card under my pillow. But the next morning, the sardonyx was gone. It took all of my control not to punch a hole in the wall or put a curse on the manager. The man assured me that the lock couldn’t have been breached, yet it must have been. How else could anyone have gotten in?”
“What happened?” one of his disciples called out.
As much as he wanted to discipline Charles for not raising his hand, he didn’t. “I may never learn how the theft occurred, but I will be more careful in the future.” In retelling the story, his blood pressure rose a few notches, but he didn’t want the others to see him lose his cool. Brother John raised his hand. “Yes?”
“I assume you asked the management to check the security footage. Whoever entered your room had to have entered from the hallway, right?”
His room had been on the fourth floor. “Yes, and I did ask for the security tapes. In fact, I missed my plane the next day because I spent hours poring over the footage. Unfortunately, I saw no one enter my room. Anyone have any suggestions on how it was stolen?” The men glanced at each other, but no one offered any solutions. “Bottom line, the sardonyx is gone, and that means we have to buy more.”
“We’ll have to pull another heist,” John Ernst said.
That was what he’d been thinking. “I agree. The armored car company is sure to take extra precautions. We’ll need someplace new—any thoughts?”
*
Devon had spent the last few days trying to handle the problems in the Pittsburgh branch remotely. Apparently, one of the women whose husband had been banned from being anywhere near her had violated the restraining order. Now, a few of his men had to give her round the clock protection. Handling the details over the phone had been hard, but at least it kept his constant focus off Vinea. To his dismay, he’d hear a female voice in the hallway and think Vinea had arrived. He’d then remember she’d probably just show up in his office instead of coming in the front door like everyone else.
A knock sounded on his office door, and he jumped, immediately picturing her. Connor barreled in and pulled up a chair. “Things are too quiet in town. The Changelings are surely mounting some revenge, and I was wondering if you’d heard any rumors?”
Devon glared at his brother. “I’ve barely been out of the office. Their whole crew could burn down the town, and I’d be the last to know!”
Devon had no right to take out his frustration on his brother. He should direct his irritability at the cause—Vinea. He’d been avoiding visiting some of the more popular spots—like the diner and McKinnon Pub and Pool in order to put some distance between them. If he was too near her, his wolf would go crazy with want. It was already getting harder than hell to rein him in. Even worse, he didn’t trust the human part of him around her either.
“You need to get out and ask around,” Connor said, looking at him rather strangely. While Devon should explain why he was out of sorts, he didn’t need to hear Connor tell him that he’d told him so.
Devon refocused. “I know I should. And I will. Have you heard anything?”
“No, and that worries me. Assuming the sardonyx that Vinea gave us came from Brother Jacob, he should be on the warpath.”
“He can’t tie the theft to us. It happened in California.”
“He doesn’t need proof,” Connor shot back. “We’ll be the first ones he’ll point his finger at.”
“You might be right. We’re the only ones who realize how important that stone is to them.”
Connor nodded. “I have this sixth sense something is going down soon. Have you spoken with Vinea?”
“Not since the other night when we went to dinner.”
Connor scrubbed a hand down his jaw then lo
oked off to the side for a moment. “I still think she’s screwing with us. She’s always had an ulterior motive and looks at everything for her own gain. The bitch is bad news, and I don’t trust her.”
His need to shield her flared, and that protective streak scared him. “I think she’s changed.”
Connor lowered his chin, clearly not changing his mind. “I bet she knows the Changelings’ next move.”
Devon couldn’t prove otherwise. “It’s possible.”
“If we assume she isn’t working for them, why not use her to help us?”
Use her? Now Connor sounded like Vinea when she’d admitted that she’d used Justin to get what she wanted. He tried to tell himself that this situation was different, that the Changelings were pure evil, but he wasn’t sure if he was merely fooling himself.
“She said she was willing to do anything,” Devon said.
“As much as I hate to admit, it’s because of her that we got a break in the case in the first place.”
“Agreed. We were at a dead end,” Devon said.
Connor leaned forward. “As much as I don’t like asking her, maybe you can find out what she knows, and what she’s willing to do. Just be alert if she gives you any bullshit.”
His brother’s hostile and negative attitude about Vinea pissed him off, but he wasn’t going to argue with him, especially since most of what Connor said had crossed Devon’s mind at some point. “While she promised she wouldn’t eavesdrop in our office, she said nothing about not visiting Brother Jacob again.”
“That’s great.”
“I don’t think that’s a good idea,” Devon said, trying to keep a neutral tone.
“Why not? She did it once. If she can investigate while remaining invisible, we could learn a lot. She will either prove to us that she is a changed person, or her true colors will show.”
Devon inhaled slowly. “Which way are you leaning?”
“I’d put my money on her remaining true to her dark side.”
Damn. The image of Vinea in danger crumbled another brick of his heart. Because he refused to mention that fact to Connor, he went on the offensive. “If she does snoop, how do we know what she’ll tell us is the truth? Vinea could lead us into a trap.”
It seemed better if he, rather than Connor, brought up the argument that it could backfire. Maybe then his brother would back away from using her. Devon wasn’t happy about these new stirrings of emotion he was experiencing.
Connor laughed. “You sound like me. Maybe it’s best if we leave her out of it.”
“I agree. Besides, Vinea told me her abilities weren’t extensive anymore. If she did become visible by mistake, we could be in big trouble. She’s not like Izzy who can shoot fire at someone or strangle a person with a vine.”
“Then we are better off without her.”
What really worried Devon was what if she were restrained? Could she become invisible and transport away? Ainsley, Jackson’s mate couldn’t. Devon probably should question Vinea further in order to understand her limitations.
Stop fighting your true feelings, his wolf growled. Admit it. You want to protect her from all harm.
Devon shoved back his wolf. If he accepted any of these unwanted feelings he was having for Vinea, his wolf would take advantage of Devon’s weakness and come out full force to get what he needed.
Connor stood. “If nothing happens in the next few days, you might as well head back to Pittsburgh. I know your office is short-handed with that restraining order case. The farther away you are from that evil woman, the better off you will be.”
His gut clenched, as his wolf rammed against him, growling and snapping. Devon had to admit his brother was right, and a wave of disappointment swept over him. “I will.”
Here he thought he was ready to walk away from Vinea forever, but maybe he wasn’t.
Chapter Eight
‡
The next morning, Connor walked into Devon’s office bright and early, a scowl marring his face. “The hardware store was robbed last night,” his brother announced.
There went his quick return to Pittsburgh. Devon’s wolf rejoiced, but he didn’t. The image of the armored car robbery surfaced. “Was anyone hurt?”
“No. Best the owner could tell was that they were robbed during the day without anyone being aware. The owner was about to put the day’s receipts in the vault when he found his stash of money from yesterday’s deposits stolen.”
“How was that possible?”
Connor pulled up a chair. “It had to be an inside job.”
He could buy that. “Were there any security cameras in the office?”
“No, and that’s the problem. The person must have known that.” He glanced around as if he wasn’t sure how to approach the next topic. “When I was in the hardware store around six last night buying some wall anchors, I saw Vinea there.”
He bristled. “So?” His brows creased. Devon could see where this was heading. “You were at the store. Does that make you a suspect?”
“Devon. Think about it. How hard would it be for her to become invisible, hover over the owner’s shoulder as he opens the safe, and memorize the combination?”
“She would have had to case the store for days in advance to learn the owner’s routine and how the money was handled. I’m not saying she isn’t capable, but do you have any other proof? Did you see her go into the office?”
“Of course not. How could I if she was invisible?”
Devon didn’t want to get into it. If Connor could provide him with proof, he might believe Vinea hadn’t changed. Right now, she was an innocent bystander. But damn, she was making it hard for him to trust her.
The kiss convinced you, didn’t it? his wolf asked with way too much glee.
No, maybe… I don’t know.
Devon cleared his throat. “What do you want me to do?”
“Talk to her again. Pretend that you believe her. Find out if she saw anything suspicious. She might give us something to go on.”
“I don’t have to pretend. I do believe she’s innocent unless I’m convinced otherwise.”
Connor stood. “You need to think with the head on your shoulders and not the one between your legs.”
Devon refrained from giving his brother the finger. He loved Connor, and he believed he meant well. Vinea had hurt Devon emotionally, and that pissed his brother off, but if Connor had gone to dinner with them the other night, he’d know Vinea wasn’t the spiteful and deceptive woman she had once been.
Devon closed his door, returned to his desk, and then called her. His heart thumped, and he tapped his fingers on the desk waiting for her to pick up.
When she didn’t answer, he couldn’t help wondering if she was angry because he hadn’t called her in the last couple days or if she was where she shouldn’t be. In truth, it was probably best that he not speak to her right now. Devon needed time to sort through some issues. His stupid wolf kept insisting Vinea had changed and that she was his mate, but Devon didn’t know how his wolf could know so much when he didn’t.
Her voice message came on and then the beep sounded for him to leave a message. “Vinea, it’s Devon. Can you call me when you get a chance? I need your help.” That should appeal to her good senses.
Once he disconnected, he went over what Connor had said about the theft. It might be time to find out what Kalan could tell him. While Kalan and Rye were best friends when the three of them were growing up, they’d played alongside each other for years. Kalan would be straight with him.
Grabbing his gear, Devon left the office. As he drove to the sheriff’s department, Devon checked the sidewalk, hoping to spot Vinea. If she didn’t have a car, she most likely would be walking, since Vinea didn’t seem the type to hole up in a dingy trailer.
Unfortunately, he arrived at the department before he saw any sign of her. He would give her some time to return his call, and then if he hadn’t heard from her, he’d head on over to her place to speak with her. If she
had been at the hardware store even close to the time of the robbery, she might have seen something suspicious. He didn’t want to believe that she would have robbed the store or that she was in league with the Changelings.
Once inside the station, Devon spotted his friend at his desk. “Hey, Kalan, how’s it going?”
His friend looked beat. Being a werebear, his beard grew faster than most, but it didn’t look like he’d even shaved this morning—or slept.
“To be honest, I’m dead tired. I was in the middle of working on the armored car heist when Dalton and I were asked to head up the theft at the hardware store. It’s like we’re the only ones on staff.”
Devon wasn’t sure if he should mention Vinea and her connection, but it might help him with his case. Knowing where to focus his attentions could save him time. “Can we go someplace private?”
Kalan pushed back his chair. “Absolutely. Follow me.”
He escorted Devon to an interrogation room then pressed two buttons. “No one can see or hear us,” Kalan said. “What is it?”
They sat opposite each other across a worn brown table. “I’m not sure how much you know about Vinea’s recent arrival or how she came into possession of a big chunk of sardonyx.”
“Rye told me Vinea removed it from Brother Jacob’s hotel room in California.”
“Yes, but a few have questioned if that was where she got it.”
Kalan leaned back in his chair. “Is that so?”
“Let me back up. I need to start with how she became involved in the first place.” Devon detailed everything from about how she came to his office the first time to how she listened into their discussion of the armored car heist. He finished with how she’d retrieved the sardonyx and the money.
“I take it you aren’t sure whether to believe her?”
“At first I wasn’t. Connor still doesn’t believe her, but because I was eager to hear her side of the story, I asked Vinea out a few days ago. I have to admit she was convincing in that she had no involvement in any way with the Changelings. She said she just wanted to help us—to make up for all the wrong she’d caused.”