Page 22 of Swan

I went over and took a seat just as the back door opened.

“Hey, Lockland. Do you want a coffee?” Mrs Daniels asked.

“Babe, it can wait,” Griz said.

“Grady, you can’t expect to grill him without a morning cup.” Her tone held her usual attitude.

Griz, who’d told me to call him that instead of Mr Daniels a long time ago, glowered at his wife, who promptly ignored him and went to the kettle to switch it on.

“Swan and Nicky went down the street to get some fresh baked goods at Channa’s bakery. Channa is Coyote’s wife.” She laughed. “Coyote is Cody. Do you remember him?”

“Mr and Mrs Marcus’s oldest. Maya’s brother.”

“That’s right. How do you have your coffee?” she asked, once again ignoring Griz’s grumbling under his breath.

“White with one, thanks.”

“Got it. Anyway, Channa is a baker. She has a bakery not too far away. They shouldn’t be too long.”

If I were to guess, she was letting me know I’d be saved from her husband soon.

“Channa makes the best things,” she said. “Grady loves the?—”

“I swear to fuck, princess. Finish the coffee and give us a sec. I ain’t gonna harm him unless I don’t like his answers.”

Let’s hope he likes them.

“Fine,” Mrs Daniels snapped. She brought two mugs over and placed one in front of me and the other in front of her husband. She leaned down and gave him a quick kiss. “Be nice.”

Griz grunted.

Swan’s mum patted my shoulder on the way out of the room. I took a sip of my coffee to wake up my brain some more. I was sure it needed to be ready for anything.

I looked to Griz. He didn’t say anything, just stared, or more glared, at me while he drank his coffee.

My pulse thought it was a good time to race while fear slammed into me.

Was he waiting until he knew his wife wasn’t close and ready to intervene, or did he just want me to sweat?

I was sweating.

And panicking.

It was then I figured out I wouldn’t do any good in an interrogation if it was with anyone like Griz.

His scowl never went away as he enjoyed his coffee.

Was he even enjoying it?

I wanted to look away to anywhere else, but a part of me was sure that if I did, I’d lose.

And if what I lost was Swan, I wasn’t going to risk it.

He finally set his mug down and wrapped both hands around it.

Was he picturing the cup was my neck?

Probably.

---