Page 52 of Close Encounters of the Sexy Kind
Chapter Twenty-Two
Tiberius could nowread her thoughts and sense her emotions. Lingering traces of guilt and shame skated along the edges of her conscious thoughts. It seemed he was not the only one who had made mistakes in his past. The dark bird, Black Eagle, was free today because of something she had done. She, too, had foolishly believed the lies of one who had only used her.
The need to comfort clashed against the desire to seek vengeance on her behalf. Pride in her courage and inner strength was at odds with the urge to lockheraway for safekeeping.
There was something else there, too, skimming along the edges of her moral consciousness. It was a knowledge that hadn’t been there before, one that further tested her faith in him.
As they left the bakery, he told her, “Ask me.”
She blinked and shook her head.
“Ask me.”
“Are you the Shark?”
“There are some who call me that, yes.”
She inhaled sharply. “Good to know.”
“I will not lie to you, Ryan. I asked once before for you to abandon preconceived notions and view things with an open mind, and I will ask you to do so again. However, perhaps this is a subject best left until after we get Quintus back and I have dealt with the dark bird.”
She nodded. “You’re right. We can deal with that later. We’ve got more important fish to fry, and I know just the bottom feeder to start with.”
Tiberius heard her thoughts loud and clear. She was going after the cannabis merchant and she thought to do so without him.
“Do not even think about it,” he growled as they came to a stop at her vehicle. “I am coming with you.”
“But—”
“The onlybuttI will consider is yours, Ryan Winslet, when this is behind us and I have you in my bed. In the meantime, let us proceed to this shack of weeds.”
Her mouth parted in surprise, but he could sense that she found the idea intriguing. In fact, through their ever-strengthening connection, he caught several fleeting erotic images before she shook her head and returned her focus to the task at hand.
“I know you want to help, but maybe you should let me handle this.”
“My methods of obtaining information are far more effective than yours, Ryan. Doing things by proper channels may cost my brother his life. That is unacceptable.”
He could sense her waffling. She knew he was right, and if given enough time, he was certain she would come to the same conclusion. Unfortunately, time was a luxury they could not afford.
“You must choose. Help me save my brother or leave me to do so myself.”
She grimaced. “Fine. Get in. But you follow my lead, got it?”
He got in the car, agreeing to nothing. If he felt her methods were achieving results in a timely fashion, he might consider it. Otherwise, they would do things his way.
No sooner had she started the vehicle when her phone rang. She pinned him with a glare. “That’s my boss. Be quiet and don’t say anything.”
He inclined his head slightly in acknowledgment.
She pressed the hands-free button and pulled away from the curb.
“Winslet, why aren’t you on scene?”
“Following a lead, Captain.”
“Negative, Winslet. Bring it in. The Feds have confirmed Nez’s involvement and are calling the shots.”
“But, sir—”
“No buts, Winslet. We can’t afford any mistakes this time.”
Tiberius felt the words slice like jagged knives through her chest.
She clenched her jaw. “With all due respect, Captain, there won’t be any.”
“No, there won’t. Bring it in, Winslet.”
Ryan disconnected the call before Carter could say anything else.
Without looking his way, her lips turned up in a ghost of a smile, but there was no pleasure in her emotions. “Well, Tiberius, it looks like I’m no longer officially on the case. Let’s take these assholes down and get Quintus back.”
