Savage Betrayal: Savage, Book 2 (7 page)

“Looks like I missed out on all the fun.” Hilliard switched the notebook he held to his other hand.

“Yeah, had you been here a few minutes earlier, you would’ve had the joy of watching me become a human piñata. Always a blast.” Grace glanced at the ground, trying to calm her temper a bit, before meeting Hilliard’s gaze again. “Did you question Mrs. Wilson further?”

“I did. But this is already the second round of questioning for her. She’s a little emotionally drained and pleaded a headache. She’s lying down in her room now.”

Grace could relate to the emotionally drained part. She’d thought she was ready to come back, to deal with everything. But, hell, maybe it was just another bad decision.

“If we haven’t already, I think we should subpoena Thom’s cell phone records. The call history was deleted.”

“Not a bad idea. I’ll check into that.” Hilliard nodded. “Let me grab Yorioka and we can head back to the office early for some paperwork.”

Needing to get outside, away from the reminder of Thom’s death, Grace bit her lip and pushed past him. “I’ll meet you at the car.”

Darrius watched her go and swallowed a sigh. The truth was, they could’ve stayed a bit longer. Perhaps asked to speak with the daughters again, but chances were they wouldn’t get any more out of the girls now then they had last time. And beyond that, Masterson was struggling. He could see it in the tension in her shoulders and the haunted expression in her eyes.

Maybe she regretted coming back to work.
And you basically pushed her into it.
Guilt stabbed at him as he went to find Yorioka to let her know they were leaving.

“We’re going to head out,” he said after locating her.

She glanced up from her notes she was currently scrawling on, and nodded.

“If you don’t mind, I’m going to stick around with Rick, the guy from forensics. I want to be here when he checks the victim’s computer.” Yorioka’s expression was laced with excitement. “He already said I could catch a ride back from him.”

Yorioka knew what she was doing. She might look young, but she’d been with the P.I.A. for twelve years, and had only recently transferred from the Dallas office. He knew she was trained in forensics and as a field agent, but it was clear which she enjoyed more.

“You get the okay from the office?”

“Of course.”

“All right, we’ll catch you later then.” Hilliard turned to leave, and then hesitated, before turning to face her again. “Masterson is a good agent. I’d appreciate it if you’d give her the benefit of the doubt.”

Yorioka’s expression closed off. “I was probably a little hard on her, but I don’t understand how you—how any of you—can justify what she did.”

“We don’t justify it. The truth is, we don’t know why she did it.” Some of the agents had their theories—that Agent Masterson had been trying to go undercover without permission, but Darrius didn’t buy it. “What we do know is she’s young and has an incredible amount of potential to be a stellar agent—she was already on her way to being one. And the agency must agree, because they allowed her to come back.”

“They interview her?”

“Of course. Right after the rescue. She was debriefed and interviewed extensively by someone from the agency.”

Yorioka’s lips curled into a sneer. “And they invited her to return to work.”

“Yes. Whatever her motivation for doing it was, it must’ve been good.”

“But you don’t know why she did it. No one does.”

“She’s not obligated to share why with us. Nor is the agency.”

Rick, the forensic guy, walked past them back toward the garage, and gave a slight chin jerk in acknowledgment. The guy was a bit of an arrogant prick, if Darrius remembered correctly. Still he nodded back.

“I don’t know. I trust the agency, but I’ve got to say that you all treat her like a delicate porcelain doll.”

Hilliard laughed and relaxed a little. “She’d likely throw you down if she heard you call her delicate.”

“Charming, but Masterson isn’t my type.”

Yorioka made it no secret she was gay. Hilliard and the rest of the team had met her partner within the first couple of weeks that she’d started. Her partner, sweet and a bit shy, was the main reason Yorioka had transferred out from Dallas.

“Just, ease up on her. Okay? She’s been through a lot.”

Yorioka stared at him for a moment, and then gave a terse nod. “I’ll try, but I can’t make any promises. I call out bullshit when I see it.”

“Deal, but you won’t find much of it with her.”

Yorioka grunted and turned away. “I’m going to have a cigarette. Catch you back at the office, Hilliard.”

Darrius made his way out of the house, anxious to climb into the car with Grace and reassure her that she’d done well today.

Which was weird. He had to wonder if he’d be having the same reaction with any of the other members of his team. What was it about Grace that had him so damn protective lately?

Once outside the house, he spotted her across the street, leaning against the car, apparently waiting for him and the keys. She didn’t see him right away as she stared off down the road, and he took a moment to check her out.

Her dark hair was in a loose ponytail that hung over her shoulder. She wore minimal makeup, but didn’t need it. He wanted to be closer, to see if her lips were full and glossy from a tube, or if it was natural.

Her arms were folded across her chest, making the blazer and blouse beneath it gape a bit. The blood in his veins pulsed a bit harder with lust and his wolf rose closer to the surface.

Darrius blinked in shock, feeling like he’d been sucker punched. Son of a bitch, there was no doubt about it. He was definitely having some kind of physical reaction to Grace. That moment in her garage the other night hadn’t been some weird fluke.

This was going to be a problem. A big fucking problem.

Unsettled, he jerked his gaze back to her face and felt like he’d just gotten decked again. She’d seen him, and Lord almighty did she look ticked off.

She straightened from the car and started toward him. “You know next time you feel the need to come to my rescue, don’t.”

Wary now, he tilted his head. “You gonna elaborate on that?”

“I don’t need you defending me to Yorioka.” She shook her head and gave him a tight smile. “Or, hey, maybe next time you decide to do it, at least try and make sure I’m far enough way not to hear.”

So she’d heard that little discussion between him and the other agent a few minutes ago.

“She was out of line.”

“Doesn’t matter. I can take care of myself.” Grace spun on her heel and started back toward the car.

Danger. He sensed it before he saw or heard anything.

Darrius was already moving before the squealing tires sounded. His feet flew across the pavement and he had both arms around Grace, jerking her across the road just before a black minivan went barreling past them.

Chapter Six

They smacked into the agency vehicle, Grace first and Darrius against her. Adrenaline ravaged his blood, making him on the brink of shifting. His claws came out, piercing through the material of Grace’s jacket as he gripped her.

Her pupils were dilated with shock and her body trembled.

“Where did that come from? How did I… I didn’t even see it.”

He could hear the frantic pounding of her heart and knew it nearly matched his.

“Are you okay?” he rasped and forced his claws to retract, thrusting his wolf back into the depths inside him.

She nodded, almost bobble-head like. “Yes. I think so. A little bruised, but fine.”

But she was as shook up as him. His gut was twisted up like a pretzel and a sheen of sweat gathered on the back of his neck.

Fuck.
Fuck.
Someone had nearly hit her. Had nearly run her down. Had they both just been so caught up in arguing that they’d been completely oblivious to the approaching minivan? Was it even possible?

But it hadn’t even slowed—never braked as it raced past them.

This wasn’t an accident. He knew it deep to his core. He glanced down at Grace again, who was still in his arms and seemed in no hurry to pull away, and found her eyes shinning with fear and wariness.

“Bet you don’t mind that kind of rescuing,” he somehow managed in a light tone, reminding her of the angry words she’d hurled at him just before the van had nearly run her down.

Her gaze, a bit unfocused, darted back to his.

“I guess there can be exceptions every now and then.” Her attempt at humor was obviously forced. “I don’t suppose you caught the plates on that guy?”

“Fuck, I wish.”

“What the hell happened?” Yorioka rushed out from the shadows of the house, dropping her cigarette on the ground and crushing it with her shoe. “Jesus, did I see that right? You nearly got taken out by some soccer mom.”

Darrius’s jaw clenched, and he jerked his gaze back to Grace. She gave a subtle shake of her head.

“I was distracted,” she called out flatly. “I didn’t see it coming.”

Which was bullshit, because neither of them had. That minivan had barreled around a corner determined to hit whoever had been in its path. And that person was Grace. Still, it was clear she wasn’t ready to admit that to Agent Yorioka.

“You’re sure?”

Grace finally looked over at the other agent. “I’m sure. I’ll be fine. Obviously, they missed me.”

This time.

“All right. Whatever you say,” Yorioka grumbled, obviously unconvinced, before she jogged back into the house.

Darrius didn’t move, and Grace still made no attempt to free herself from his arms. Which made him think she was still frazzled.

And yet…her heart had slowed, but then sped up again. He’d heard it. Could hear the unsteadiness in her breathing as her fingers gripped the material of his button-up shirt. He could sense the fear leaving her, replaced instead by something else. Something hot and potent.

His blood mimicked hers, rushing and pulsing in response to the slender, feminine curves pressed entirely too close against him. The wolf inside him rose to the surface, but this time it had nothing to do with danger.

Her gaze darted to his, and he saw the shock and awareness in her eyes. She felt it too—was aware of the sexual electric current between them.

“Hilliard.” His name was husky on her lips, and it seemed to shock her back into their surroundings. She blinked once, hard, and then shoved away from him. “We need to get back to the office.”

The pounding of his blood slowed and his wolf withdrew. Darrius let out a breath between his teeth and swore silently. What the hell?

Good thing she’d shoved him away, or who knew what might’ve happened.

“Yeah, we do. Climb in. I’m driving.” He knew she was shaken up still from nearly being run down, whether she’d admit it or not.

Thankfully, Grace simply nodded, before climbing into the car.

Grace steered her sports car into a tight spot on the steep downtown Seattle hill, ignoring the sign warning that there was no parking until after six. It was five thirty. She’d take her damn chances at being towed or ticketed.

Slamming the door to her car, she jogged toward the entryway of the posh, shiny black building. She ignored the main elevator options and walked past the concierge to the elevator tucked away in a corner of the floor.

The doors opened after she pressed the button, but that would be as far as she went without the appropriate key.

Grace pressed the speaker button inside the lift and waited for someone to answer.

“How may I help you?” The voice came through the speaker, crisp and a bit bored.

“I’m here to see Ms. Feloray.”

“Is she expecting you?”

“Yes.” Not officially, but Jocelyn Feloray wouldn’t be surprised by her sudden presence.

“And your name?”

“Grace.”

“Grace? Uh, one moment.” There was silence for nearly a minute, and then, “All right, stay where you and you’ll be brought up.”

Grace didn’t bother to stop a derisive laugh, even though she knew he’d disconnected.

The elevator doors whisked closed and the shaft eased upward in a slow, steady pace. It climbed the innards of the building until reaching the top floor.

When the door slid open, Grace stepped outside into the hallway of the penthouse condo.

“Grace?”

She hadn’t seen the man practically hiding to the left of the elevator, and irritation pricked as she swung to address him.

“Yes?”

Jeez, he was young. Beautiful Abercrombie face and a chest to match. Had Jocelyn been trolling the community college for a new assistant?

“I’m Ms. Feloray’s assistant.” His gaze slid over her. Quick. Appraising. A move he’d probably mastered at the local nightclubs and bars. “Come in, she’s expecting you.”

“Thank you.”

“You look familiar. Have we met?” he asked lightly, his gaze intense as it searched hers.