"I'm not sure what kind of information he got, to tell you the truth."

"The usual. He tailed Wayne, put a bug on his phone, bugged and tailed the people Wayne talked to, stuff like that."

"I had no idea Bryan could do all that!"

Nick smiled. "Well, yeah-that's what he gets paid to do. He used to do it in very dangerous countries." He chuckled a little, like he thought it was funny she didn't realize what Bryan did for a living. Then he shrugged again. "Of course, he never saw any of the Kuba wolves until the night he found them at your grandmother's place. Everyone's impressed with the way he took them down alive. Your boyfriend's a smart one."

She nodded, too filled with goofy pride in Bryan to quibble about the boyfriend label. "Wayne would've had a heart attack if he'd known someone had all that dirt on him."

"Sounds like Wayne wasn't the sharpest knife in the drawer."

"No, but he was big and mean and good at scaring people."

"Well, according to Bryan, a lot of people knew about your grandmother's operation and turned a blind eye to it. Which I guess is normal for small towns." He put his hands behind his head and leaned back in his chair. "Tell you the truth, if the government would get the f.u.c.k over it and legalize drugs, lowlifes like these Euros would have a lot less power."

She didn't hide her grin. "My grandmother would be appalled to hear someone suggesting drugs should be legal. She thought people who took drugs were the sc.u.m of the earth."

He looked straight into her eyes, and she dropped her gaze again.

"You had a lousy childhood, didn't you?"

"How'd you know?" she whispered.

"Because I had a lousy childhood, and I can always spot it. I think we carry it in our eyes."

She'd have to take his word for it, since she couldn't see his eyes. "Everything was fine until my mother died."

"Same here."

After a moment's silence, Nick stood. "Well, that's all I have for now."

They started the trek back across the cavernous office.

"I hear you got away with a nice chunk of change."

"Um, yeah."

"Good. Don't mention it to the Feds-they'll seize it as evidence. Give it to Bryan to stick in his safe."

"I thought I'd put it in a bank. I didn't know he had a safe."

"Every werewolf has a safe. And you can't stick a hundred grand in a bank account without raising the wrong eyebrows."

"Oh." She blushed. "I didn't-"

"Don't worry about it." He flicked a dismissive hand. "You're a smart girl. You'll get used to life in the big city in no time."

Bryan was standing at the same spot they'd left him. He held out his arms with a questioning look, and she walked into them with a smile.

"See there, B? I didn't scare her or anything. When TJ gets here, you and I- Ah. Here she is."

TJ started talking before she was off the elevator. "You ready? We're meeting Lark in the Village and we're already running late. Oh hey, your a.s.s looks fantastic in those jeans. Didn't I tell you it would?"

"Yes, you did. And thanks."

She'd felt decadent spending so much money-someone else's money-on a pair of blue jeans and what was basically a T-shirt, even though the T-shirt was lavishly painted and studded with rhinestones. But she had to admit the outfit looked great with her new boots.

"The first place we're looking at is a little complex around the corner from where we're eating lunch," TJ continued. "Lark used to date a guy who lived there and she said the management's great."

"I can't wait to see it."

"What?" Bryan frowned. "What complex? What are y'all looking at?"

"They're taking me to look for an apartment!" She'd wanted to wait until she'd actually found one before she told him. If he knew she didn't plan on staying at his place any longer than necessary, then he wouldn't feel tied down or responsible for her.

He didn't seem relieved, though. "Why are you looking at apartments?"

"Well, because- Because I can't stay at your place forever, can I? I mean, I need to find a place to live."

"No, of course not, I just- I don't want you to feel like you have to move out, like, today. Have I made you feel unwelcome or something?"

"No! Not at all!"

He took one of her hands in his. "I mean, it's only been three days. I'm not gonna kick you out after three days."

"I know, I-" She stammered to a halt as she noticed TJ and Nick staring at them, TJ with a smirk and Nick with a knowing smile. Nancy was smiling as well. Bryan, suddenly aware of the scrutiny, dropped her hand with a shrug.

"Well, you know. Whatever you want to do is fine with me, but don't feel like you have to jump at the first place you see. Take your time."

"I will. Thanks."

TJ took her by the elbow. "All right, now that we've got that settled, can we get going, please? I'm hungry, we're late, let's go."

"Wait a minute. Where's your purse, angel? Don't you have your phone with you?"

"My purse is at ho- Your place, but I have my phone." She patted the pocket of her thin brown leather jacket, which cost more than everything else she was wearing combined.

"Good. So if I call you, you're gonna answer, right? Not like yesterday?"

TJ made an exasperated sound and tugged at her arm. "Come on. Let's bust a move before he decides he can't let you out of his sight. Nick, I'm gone for the day."

Bryan grabbed her other arm and pulled her to him, kissing her quick and hard. "I'll call you in a little bit, and I want you to answer."

She laughed. "You are so cute."

"I am so disgusted. Now let's move, Lark's waiting for us." TJ was already in the elevator.

"Y'all have fun." Nick threw an arm around Bryan's shoulder. Sara watched them walk back to his office as the elevator doors closed.

"So we need to stop at the condo, right?"

"Yeah, but I promise I'll hurry. I didn't think I'd need my purse to run to Nick's office, and I don't like putting it in the saddlebags 'cause they're already so full."

"Yeah, well, now that Bryan's getting ready to settle down, it's time for him to buy a big boy car."

"TJ, there's no reason to think he's ready to settle down!"

"He didn't seem all that thrilled with you moving out."

The memory gave her a warm glow. "No, he didn't, did he?" She shook her head. "But that doesn't mean he wants me to move in with him for real. Besides, it would be way too soon. We still don't really know each other."

"You've known him for a couple months, right? Been out a few times? Lots of people fall in love in less time than that."

She yelped and covered her face with her hands. "Do not use that word. I mean- I've thought maybe I- No. No. No no no. Can't think like that. Have to take this one step at a time."

TJ held up a hand. "Okay, okay. You're right-one day at a time, can't hurry love, blah blah blah. But I gotta tell you, I've-ooh! Wait, wait. How was the s.e.x last night?"

"Huh? How'd you know we did it?"

"Oh come on."

"Aaargh!" She put her head back on the seat and closed her eyes. "Fine! It was-"

"What, just fine? I always heard he was great in bed."

She turned her head to see TJ grinning devilishly, and she had to grin back.

"Okay, yeah, it was great. He was great. I mean, really, really good." She paused. "So...he's had a lot of women?" He was eight years older than her, so she had to a.s.sume...

"Eh. I'm not saying he's as big a s.l.u.t as Nick. 'Cause, you know, no one is. But he's not shy, and chicks dig him."

Another thing to avoid thinking about right now.

They pulled into the shared driveway of Bryan's condo.

"I'll be back in a sec."

"I'll be right here."

She ran upstairs to get her purse out of Bryan's bedroom. The doorbell rang as she was on her way back down.

"TJ?" she hollered. "Come on in if you need-"

"Okay, we will," said a horribly familiar voice.

Her legs went weak.

"Wayne?"

Chapter Nine.

"Listen, before we get into the Luxor thing, can I ask a favor?"

They were seated on the leather couch in Nick's office.

"Shoot."

"Can I kill James Jerezelsky?"

"No."

"You're not even gonna give it some thought? Why don't-?"

"You think you're the first wolf who ever wanted to kill the guy? No. He's my wolf. I'll decide when he's too obnoxious to live."

They grinned at each other. Nick turned his attention to the pile of papers on the gla.s.s-topped coffee table. "What'd he do to p.i.s.s you off?"

"He told Sara we're afraid to date fae chicks because they're all crazy."

Nick fixed him with a quizzical look.

"Well, okay, yeah," Bryan grumbled. "So it's true. But she didn't know that yet. I didn't want her to think I think that way."

"You do, though, Bryan. You won't date fae girls."

"But Sara's not like most of them."

"Normally I'd expect a woman with a talent like hers to be three quarters bats.h.i.t."

Bryan laughed. "I know!"

"But I think you're too judgmental about fae women. They're not all crazy." Nick continued to rifle through the papers as they talked. "So, what next?"

"What do you mean?"

"You know d.a.m.n well what I mean, wolf. She's lost her family, her home, all her friends, she's in a strange city with new people, and she's only twenty-two. You can't string this girl along, play house for a few weeks and then move on to the next-"

"That's not what I'm doing!"

"So what are you doing?"

"I don't know!" He was almost shouting at his Alpha now, but Nick just raised his eyebrows and didn't say anything. Bryan, feeling restless and pinned down, got up to stretch his legs.