Ripper (19 page)

Liv ran to catch up. “That’s her boyfriend. Where exactly are they taking him? What did he do?”

The big wolf snorted. “He pissed off the boss, that’s what he did. If you don’t want to piss off the boss, I suggest you head your pretty little selves back to the bar and enjoy the rest of your night. If the boss kills your ride, let me know and I’ll arrange a limo to take you back. It’s all part of the service.”

I’d just about decided to see if my heels could be used as some form of weapon when Zack’s voice cut through the thick tension.

“I’ll vouch for her, Len,” Zack said and Len immediately backed off. Zack’s eyes were guarded as he studied me. He nodded toward the top of the stairs where Gray disappeared into the open door. “You know the asshole cop?”

I could feel my mouth tighten. “I know the lieutenant.”

He gently grabbed my elbow and started up the stairs. “Keep your eyes on the witch, Len. It’s obvious we’re gonna have trouble with the whole group.”

I followed the werewolf, climbing the stairs as fast as my three-inch heels would allow me.

“Where are you taking me?” I was grateful I’d been paranoid enough to strap one of Gray’s .45s around my thigh. Weapons were not allowed in the club, but while the bouncers had searched Gray, they hadn’t bothered with me or Liv. I felt the comforting weight of it on my leg and knew it would be loaded with silver ordnance. Gray had prepped it for me. I wasn’t going for it yet, but if I had to shoot our way out of this, I would.

“We’re going up to the office so we can figure a few things out.” Zack pivoted when we reached the top step. “I won’t hurt you. Don’t be afraid. I just have a few questions.”

“Doesn’t seem fair for you to expect me to answer your questions when you won’t answer mine,” I grumbled as he slid a key card through the door and it opened.

“I’ve answered every one of your questions,” he replied with an enigmatic smile.

“You lied.” I was escorted into a small, intimate room.

“Prove it.” The wolf laughed and I got the feeling he was enjoying this. He kept breathing deeply, as though he liked the smells around him and wanted to fully appreciate them.

Gray sat sullenly in a chair that was placed in front of a big desk. “I’m sorry, Kelsey. They nabbed me the minute I walked past the bar. Apparently the staff was given a lecture on how important it is to keep me out.”

“There’s a picture of him in the security office. They throw darts at it.” Zack waved to the two bouncers. “Thanks, guys. Let payroll know I’ll sign to pay out the bounty.”

“Bounty?” I looked from Zack to Gray.

The bouncers left, closing the door behind them, and I was struck that someone thought this Zack person could handle both Gray and me. I was confused because he didn’t seem like an alpha to me, but he had a lot of wolves following his orders.

“What did you expect, Sloane? Dev doesn’t like being arrested. You hauled him out of here last time in front of the entire club,” Zack pointed out. “He’s gonna like you even less in a few minutes. I believe you’ll find you’ve interrupted some alone time with his wife. They had the whole condo to themselves tonight. You’ll be lucky if he doesn’t shoot you. Now, tell me what her name is and where you found her. Is this some kind of game you’re playing, Sloane?”

“I’m here on an investigation.” Gray shook his head. “I’m not playing any games. Kelsey is a contractor. She’s a PI who’s working with me. You should let her go. She doesn’t have anything to do with Quinn’s arrest.”

“Your name is Kelsey?” Zack said my name slowly, as though tasting it.

“Yes.” I wondered who the hell I resembled that the werewolf would be so concerned with who I was. “I’m Kelsey Atwood.”

I pulled a card out of the purse I’d fought Liv on carrying. The tiny clutch she’d sworn went with the dress couldn’t hold anything more than a cell, some gloss, and my cards.

Zack studied the card. “Atwood? Any relation to Nathan?”

“He’s my brother.” I hoped I wasn’t about to get Nate in serious trouble.

Zack started to say something when twin doors slid open revealing an elevator that led directly into the cozy office. The lights in the office were dim, giving the entire place an intimate glow, but the elevator lights rushed in and I got my first glimpse of the notorious Devinshea Quinn. He radiated anger as he strode out of the elevator, still buttoning his white dress shirt. Black slacks hung low on his ridiculously muscled hips. Gray had definitely interrupted something.

I swallowed once and then twice. Dark hair. Emerald eyes. The most perfectly masculine body I’ve ever seen in my life. The man practically had a fucking halo around his hips, and by hips I meant his goddamn cock. It had a halo. He was…stunning and it wasn’t simply the gorgeous body or the next-to-perfect face. It was something about him. You looked at that man and you just knew he could take care of you, and I meant that in the dirtiest way possible. Liv had described him as a fertility god, but he was a SEX god. There was no other way to describe him.

“You can close your mouth, Kelsey,” Gray said harshly.

A deep flush crashed through me. I was going to apologize for staring, but the sex god had a few things to say to my date.

“You motherfucker,” that glorious bit of masculinity spewed as he faced off with the bigger, way more demonic man. It didn’t seem to faze him. “How dare you show your face in my club? I told you what would happen if I ever caught you on one of my properties again.”

“Bring it on, Quinn,” Gray snarled back. “You have any idea how long I’ve waited for you to give me a reason to take you down?”

Gray stood and faced the club owner over his desk. The men were inches from each other and I worried Gray was going to kill the man. It didn’t seem like it would be anywhere close to a fair fight. Gray had all the power and strength of a demon and the faery was…well, he was a faery…with an awfully dirty mouth.

“Oh, you sad sack, piece of shit demon, you couldn’t take me down if you tried.” His green eyes lit with a vicious sort of glee. “Oh, wait, you did try. Didn’t fucking work out for you, did it? How was your suspension, Lieutenant? Hope you had a good vacation.”

“You cost me a month,” Gray admitted.

“Did you visit Daddy?” Quinn asked, sarcasm dripping. “How was the Hell plane? Did it feel like home? Clock’s ticking for you, isn’t it?”

Gray’s eyes narrowed. “I spent the whole time investigating you. I don’t care who you sleep with. I’m going to prove all of it. I’m going to prove the illegal gambling, the gun running, the mob connections. You’re dirty as hell and I’m going to bring your whole house down.”

The sex god practically vibrated with rage. “You come anywhere near my family and I will make the Hell plane seem like a good hiding place. I swear you lay one fucking hand on my wife or my children and I’ll take you apart piece by piece.”

Gray’s face was tight, his eyes faintly cruel as he got in the other man’s space. “I note you don’t try to protect your other lover.”

Quinn rolled his eyes, his disdain plain. “Daniel can handle himself. Maybe it’s time I let him handle you, Sloane. You’ve become a nuisance. Zack, show the lieutenant to the door. Make sure he doesn’t come back. I don’t want to see this fucker again.”

“Fine, boss, but I want to know about her first,” Zack said and I could hear the willpower in his voice.

“You leave her out of this.” Gray strode over to take my hand.

It appeared we were going to make a hasty retreat. My heart dropped at the thought of not being able to use this opportunity. Tomorrow I had to inform Helen Taylor her daughter had been murdered and I couldn’t even tell her I’d made any headway on who had done it. I knew beyond a shadow of a doubt if I could convince Devinshea Quinn to take me seriously that he could get other people to talk to me. I was certain deep down that our perp was a supe, so this was his world. If Gray wasn’t effective here, then I had to step up to the plate.

“Mr. Quinn, my name is Kelsey Atwood.” I used my most polite and even voice as I pulled away from Gray. Gray was pissed, but I had to salvage this. Just because he was getting his ass kicked out didn’t mean I had to get mine tossed, too. He’d asked for my help. I hoped he wasn’t too angry at how he got it. “I’m investigating a series of murders, and I could really use your help.”

The faery turned his attention to me as though he was surprised to see someone else was in the room. All of his anger and attention had been focused on Gray. He stared for a moment and I thought he was going to tell Zack to chuck me out. He sighed as though resolving himself to something. “You have ten minutes, Ms. Atwood.”

Gray reached for my hand again, this time yanking me toward him. “No, Kelsey. If you think I’m leaving you alone with him you’re crazy. He hates me. You have no idea what he’s capable of.”

“He’s capable of answering my questions.” I needed him to understand. He held my hand in a firm grip and when I tried to pull away, he tightened around me.

“No,” Gray said implacably.

“Hey.” Zack tried to get between us. His eyes changed colors and I saw the beginnings of claws flash from his hands. “You’re hurting her. Let her go.”

“She’s mine,” Gray insisted with intent in his eyes. He would fight this Zack guy if he stepped between us. It looked like my lawman had a little caveman thrown in for good measure. “She comes with me.”

Quinn sank back into his chair and there was a deep weariness in his eyes as he regarded the scene playing out in front of him. “Shouldn’t that be up to Ms. Atwood? Do you intend to force a female against her will, Sloane? It would be in your character, I suppose.”

Gray dropped my hand immediately. “I’m asking you to come with me, Kelsey.”

My stomach knotted because I was about to make a huge mistake, but I couldn’t help myself. I wasn’t going to side with Quinn. I wasn’t betraying Gray. I was being true to our case. He was a Ranger. He would understand when he gave it a little thought.

I backed up just enough to let him know I was staying. “I’m sorry. I only want to ask him a couple of questions. We need those IDs. I’ll come downstairs when I’m done and we can go back to your place.”

His face hardened, his eyes turning to stone. “Don’t bother.” His gaze slid across me and I saw the rage there. “You made your choice. I’ll show myself out, Quinn.”

Gray turned and strode out the door. It was all I could do not to rush after him and beg him to forgive me. I felt his physical absence keenly. It was like all the warmth had left the room. I banished the tears that threatened and turned to Dev Quinn because Gray was right. The choice had been made and I had to live with it. I’d chosen my job over Gray, though at the time I’d really thought I was saving the situation. “Do you mind if I sit?”

He indicated the chair in front of his desk and turned to the wall behind him. He pushed the panel and revealed a small refrigerator. He pulled out a frosty bottle, snagged two glasses, and sat down behind his desk.

“Dev?” Zack asked.

The faery shook his head. “Talk to your master, Zack.”

“Come on,” Zack said, exasperated.

Green eyes gave away nothing. “You have to talk to him. I can’t give you anything. Please, go make sure the lieutenant doesn’t cause any more trouble tonight. She’s perfectly safe here. Your nose knows the truth so you know damn well I won’t harm her.”

The werewolf turned and he seemed as irritated as Gray had been as he walked out of the room.

Quinn poured the cold liquid into the shot glasses with practiced skill. “Please, join me, Ms. Atwood. I’ll be perfectly pleasant, I promise. I’m afraid the lieutenant brings out the worst in me. I have issues with authority. My wife thinks I should go into therapy to deal with the problem, but I’m perfectly comfortable with it.”

I sank down into the chair and tried to banish the horrible feeling that I’d lost something important. Had I been wrong to not blindly follow him? “Sure.”

“It’s for the best,” Quinn said, holding out a glass to me. “I can see plainly you have feelings for him, but…he is what he is. He can’t change his fate and he’ll drag you down with him.”

“He’s only half demon.” I took the glass in my hand and shot it back. It was vodka and it was so smooth, it was practically water. Maybe if I had another ten shots or so I could forget that look in Gray’s eyes.

Quinn poured two more shots. He seemed familiar with the process. “Do you know what I am?”

“You’re a fertility god.”

His eyes bled to a startlingly deep green. It filled his entire eye and left no white. It was…beautiful. A person could get seriously lost in those eyes. His voice was deeper and held a hint of an Irish accent when he spoke again. “I am, indeed, Ms. Atwood. It’s one of my talents to be able to see what a person needs and wants sexually. It’s something of a portal into a person’s soul. You seek comfort, love, caring. You haven’t found them yet. I can see that you and the lieutenant are well matched on that front. Sex with him will be exciting and it will feel like heaven, but he needs more than you can give him, more than any woman can give him. You will love him and he will break your heart. What would you say if I told you I could offer you a viable alternative? I know a man who could give you the things you crave while taking only what you are willing to give. The relationship won’t be as intense as the one with Grayson Sloane, but neither will it be as painful. It would be a loving friendship between kindred spirits.”

“Mr. Quinn, I didn’t come here for your advice on my love life.” I didn’t want to hear what he had to say. As far as I could tell, it didn’t matter anymore. Gray seemed to be done with me the moment I caused him trouble. I was a whole shit ton of trouble so it was better to know at the beginning. “If I only have ten minutes of your time, I would prefer to use it on work.”

His eyes were back to normal and so was his voice as he took another shot. The boy could drink. “Again, I apologize. I certainly have no intentions to kick you out when the ten minutes are up. Trust me, this is the most interesting thing I’ll be doing for the rest of the evening.”

I matched him drink for drink. It was starting to loosen me up. “I got the distinct impression we’d interrupted something interesting when Gray got hauled up here.”