Page 56 of Stray Cat

Diego digested all this then told Xav that AC had at least given them a possible location of the former hideout the gang was moving from. Diego had assigned men to check it out.

Jeff was in the hospital with DX men to watch over him in case his colleagues found him and decided to keep him from talking.

The two brothers returned to the interrogation room once they’d exchanged information, where AC was being guarded by Brody and Tiger.

AC could steal another taser and try it on Tiger all he wanted, Xav thought with faint amusement, but it wouldn’t matter. Tiger would shrug off the shock and break the taser into tiny pieces. By the AC’s uneasiness, he realized this.

When Tiger shut the door, Xav wrinkled his nose. Lindsay was right—it got ripe in there quickly.

AC still showed no remorse about attacking Jeff. “He’s part of the gang who kidnapped my brother,” AC growled when Diego began his questioning. “He didn’t care.”

“Did you recognize him?” Xav asked.

“No.” AC shook his head. “Never seen him before.”

Tiger had situated himself near the door so anyone trying to get out would have to pass him. He nodded to AC’s assertion, indicating the man wasn’t lying.

AC risking tasing Jeff meant he was up tosomething. He might be honest about not knowing the man, but he could be concealing the truth about many other things.

For now, it was late, and Xav was growing tired of dealing AC. “You get to stay our captive until we find Dean,” Xav told him.

“Then it’s off to be arrested for what you did to Xav,” Diego put in, his tone brooking no argument.

AC shrugged. “Fine by me. Your house, your rules. But only when Dean is safe.”

Xav watched him closely, but AC was too practiced to give away his secrets. He’d try to escape at some point, Xav decided. He wouldn’t be AC Parkes if he didn’t.

Xav left Diego organizing the transfer of AC back to the cabin—Brody and Tiger would settle him in, and Neal would reprieve Tiger later.

AC went quiet under Tiger’s stare, meekly letting himself be carted out for the drive to Mount Charleston.

Xav shucked his vest and fatigues, locked away his weapons, and stashed the bundle of cash in the safe. By the time Diego returned to the building, Xav sat at his own desk in jeans and sweatshirt, reluctant to return to his empty house. He was equally reluctant to drive back to Shiftertown, where Lindsay’s parents and other Shifters would be watching, wondering if they would soon have a mating celebration or not.

Diego paused in Xav’s doorway. “Go find Lindsay,” he said. “Obviously you have things to sort out.”

Xav leaned back in his chair, lacing his hands behind his head. “I thought making the mate-claim would calm things down, but it’s just stirring me up. I don’t want to be anywhere Lindsay isn’t, but she drives me insane when Iamwith her.”

Diego grinned. “Welcome to life with a Shifter. I hate to say this, bro, but it will never calm down. She’ll always keep you on your toes, and you won’t want it any other way.”

Diego and Cassidy were deliriously happy, Xav had to admit. “I wish she’d have answered me,” Xav said. “I’m not sure whether to rejoice or worry.”

“Worry.” Diego nodded. “Always. But enjoy it.”

“Thanks. I appreciate your support.”

“And don’t wait too long to tell Mamita. You know, so she doesn’t kill you. You’re still young. Have your whole life ahead of you.”

“Love you too,hermano.”

Diego’s grin became a laugh. “Yeah, you do.”

Emma chose that moment to appear, a draft from the closing front door announcing her entrance.

“You guys are so cute,” she said. “Don’t let me interrupt the moment.”

Diego stepped away from Xav’s office door but didn’t lose his smile. “What have you got, Ems?”

“I already found out where the money came from.” Emma stated this matter-of-factly, with no implied boasting about how quickly she’d found the connection. “Money-laundering operation out of California that tried to move into Vegas territory. Needless to say, they weren’t successful. Another gang waylaid them, relieved them of all their cash, and ran them out of town. Took a couple million off them, rumor goes.”

---