Breaking Out (22 page)

“We have an office with an apartment
attached. It’s not large.”

“I can sleep anywhere.”

“Even standing up, right?” Jay joked.

“Jay…”

“Yes, standing up in steed form,
certainly.”

“We don’t have a stable.”

“Then in human form on the floor.”

“We’ll get you a sleeping bag.”

The trip back was uneventful, but when we
unlocked the office door, I was shocked to see my Uncle Aaron.

IVY

CHAPTER THIRTY-THREE

My father
had greeted me warmly, but there was such sadness in his eyes.

“Ivonne, I have missed you terribly.”

“Me too. I’m doing my best, Father. I’ve got
a new job and I’ll be making enough money to pay off the debt
really soon.”

“I know you are working hard for us, but your
safety is more important than the debt. Do not spend any time alone
with Tellek. He has petitioned for your first mating, but if he is
turned down, he may take you against your will.”

“I have two powerful friends now. I’m safe.
Truly. But I worry for you and my cousins.”

They are safe. I’ve sent them away. Only I am
here to face the wrath of our master.” He noticed Jay for the first
time. “Who is this young male?”

“This is Jason. He’s a grizzly shapeshifter
and he’s the young prince’s second in command.”

“Your magic must be very strong young
man.”

“He doesn’t speak Rux, Dad.” My dad
translated into basic fae so Jay was able to understand.

“I don’t have much magic, but I can hold off
half a dozen werewolves in my animal form.” Jay boasted.

“A prodigious feat. You have battled that
many?”

“Not exactly, but I know I could if I was
protecting someone.” He cleared his throat, meeting my dad’s amused
gaze. “Ivy’s safe with me, sir. I respect her and I won’t let
anyone hurt her.”

“I believe you, son, and I thank you.”

We were all tired, so the trek up the hill to
the house took longer than usual.

Charlie looked super shocked to open the
office door and find his uncle sitting behind Charlie’s desk.
“Uncle Aaron. Um, I didn’t expect to see you.”

“So I see.” He turned to Jay. “Jason.”
Charlie’s uncle was a good looking, rugged outdoorsy type with
sandy blonde hair and blue eyes that were currently focused only on
Charlie. He was wearing a button down shirt and needed a shave,
although I liked the scruffy look.

“Mr. Green.” Jay stuck out his hand like a
shifter and they shook. Charlie had once told me that his uncle was
the head alpha of four packs. Usually an alpha had trouble managing
one pack, but Charlie had often described his Uncle Aaron as force
of nature. Cross him and you regretted it for a long time, if you
survived your punishment.

“And who are your friends?” Aaron asked,
giving both Rylen and me a quick scan. Charlie introduced us to his
uncle, whose eyes had grown really big. “Kelpies?” Charlie nodded.
“The chieftain’s eldest son?”

“Yes sir,” Rylen answered for himself. “It is
an honor to meet you, sir. Even my people have heard of your
accomplishments.”

Aaron smiled, but it wasn’t all that warm.
“Charles, could we speak privately?”

“I’ll make us something to eat,” I suggested,
not missing how Aaron had called Charlie, Charles. When adults did
that, it was never a good thing.

“Rylen and I’ll go out to get him a sleeping
bag and some spare clothes.”

“You got enough cash?” Charlie asked, feeling
his pockets and coming up empty.

“Yeah, I’m good. There’s a discount store two
blocks from here,” Jay said.

Aaron tossed him his credit card. “Don’t go
crazy. And make sure you buy some healthy food. If I go back to the
kitchen and only find nacho chips, soda and cold pizza, I’m going
to be pissed.” They scurried away, and I made my way down the
hall.

So now I was in the kitchen looking at the
assortment of food and wondering what I could possibly make that an
alpha wolf would eat. I ate meat on rare occasions, like the steak
the guys had made for me that first night we were together, but it
wasn’t something I cooked. I usually ate those small frozen dinners
and a salad.

Grunting in frustration, I pulled out the
ingredients I thought might work together and started chopping. One
good thing, after tonight, they’d probably never ask me to cook
dinner again.

CHARLIE

CHAPTER THIRTY-FOUR

“Sit down,
Charlie.”

“I think I might rather stand up.”

“I’m not turning you over my knee, although
my wolf would like nothing better.”

“Are you at least going to let me
explain?”

“Yes. Take as long as you need. I can be here
all night, if necessary.”

“That’s great.” I tried really hard to make
it sound like I wanted him to stay.

“How did you meet them?”

I explained about Ivy first. “And the heir,
Rylen?”

“He came after.” I explained that too.

“Staci Turner called me in a rage this
morning.”

I winced. “She did?”

“I went out on a limb when I recommended you
to her.”

“I know that. I’m sorry you think I screwed
up.”

“You don’t think you did?” I shook my head.
“Did you help her prisoner escape?”

“Yes. I couldn’t let them execute him.”

“They were going to execute him without
clearing it with the WPC?”

“She said Rylen had been spying on her people
and trespassing. She felt she had the right to kill him even
without a trial. The pack knows he had nothing to do with the
murders.”

“How do you know that?”

“I…um…went into a wolf’s head. The one guard
they had on duty by the stable.”

Aaron didn’t bat an eye. “Will the wolf
remember you or what you did?”

“No. I suggested he go to sleep. He was
snoring the whole time.”

“But they must have seen you. They have
security cameras.”

“They couldn’t have. Or scented me.”

“That’s not possible. Wolves have amazing
noses.” He wrinkled his. “You’re coming in strong right now.”

I opened the window to air out the room a
little. “Scent me now.”

One sniff and he was in my face sniffing my
hair then my hands. “That’s some trick.”

“Isaiah and Sinlae taught me. Isaiah also
taught me this.” And I blended into the wall like I’d never been
there. Of course as soon as I started to move, Aaron heard me. When
he reached out and grabbed me, I reappeared.

“Wolves have great ears, too.”

“Well no one was around to hear me except the
one wolf guard and he was sleeping.”

“Do Garrett and Jackie know you can do
this?”

“No. Can we keep it that way?”

“I’m not lying to them.”

“No, but you don’t have to tell them anything
about what happened here. Tell them I’m healthy and doing fine,
which is true.”

“There’s one little problem.”

“What?”

“You’ve defaulted on the agreement with
Staci.”

“I’m still working the case. I was in the
grotto and the chieftain and I discovered a missing chela.”

“Like a lobster claw?”

“Yep, only huge—big enough to chop wolves or
anyone else into pieces. We’re working on finding out who took it,
but it can’t be a kelpie who used it. Under water they have fins
like fish. They don’t have hands so they can’t use the chela
against anyone. One of them must have given it to someone else who
used it against the wolves.”

“Makes sense. So there’s a traitor in the
court who’s working with someone else.”

“Looks that way. When we get a report back
from the chieftain, I’ll call Ms. Turner.”

“You have to keep your client in the loop.
I’ll call her now and tell her you’re still investigating the case.
Then when you find something out, you call me first, then Staci.
I’ll get a hotel room and stick around for a few days.

“Fine, but you know I don’t need a
babysitter. I just spent the day with a species no one knew
existed. We’re on almost friendly terms now.” That wasn’t a
complete lie.

“What are they, exactly?”

“I rode on Rylen, the prisoner. In the water
he was fishy in some ways but flatter so I could sit on him. He
protected me so I was able to breathe underwater and I didn’t even
get wet. They can even mind speak if you touch them. On land a few
of them can take human form, but all of them turn into steeds.”

“Horses?”

“Yeah. You know the mural on the ceiling of
Dad’s villa in Carmel?”

“Sure.”

“They’re like the horses the fae are riding
on in the picture. Finvarra rode one into battle against the demons
in the last war. They want me to call on them when…” I stopped
myself before I could say it out loud.

“When the war starts?” Aaron’s voice had gone
quiet. He knew how I felt.

“Forget it. There’s not gonna be a war.”

Instead of arguing with me, he put his hand
on my shoulder. “I hope you’re right.” He sniffed again. “Is
something burning?”

“Oh no. We shouldn’t have asked Ivy to
cook.”

We ate out that night at a local steak house.
Ivy kept apologizing and Aaron kept laughing at the mess she’d
made.

“Why can’t an omelet be stuffed with peanut
butter?”

“And jelly,” Aaron chuckled.

“Did you see that frying pan? We’re going to
need a new one and we just bought that one. I’m sorry, guys.” She
really did look guilty, so I tried to lighten the mood.

“Adding sprinkles was the final straw.”

“I did not…” She laughed when I did.

Jay opened his mouth to comment, but Ivy
pinched his arm. “Don’t even.”

“My mouth is sealed.”

Aaron punched Jay in the shoulder. “Not so
fast, there’s another round of steaks coming.”

When they arrived, Jay sighed in ecstasy at
the first bite. “Thank you, Mr. Green.”

“You must know you can call me Uncle Aaron.
I’ve known you since you said your first word.”

Jay had been silent for a few months after
being adopted. It was hard for me to imagine any parents leaving
their two year old alone in a house so they could score drugs.
Peter and Kyle rescued him from a life in foster care. “I can?”

“Yes, unless I’m pissed off at you. Then
Alpha might be your best choice.”

“Are you pissed off at me now?”

“No.”

“Cool. Thanks, Uncle A.”

We all knew that was coming. “You’re welcome,
Jay.”

“What was his first word?” Ivy asked.

“The first one I heard was
hungry
.”

“What about Charlie?”

I answered. “According to Mom, Sinlae hovered
beside me coaching me to say her name, but all that came out was
Laylay. She still insists it was my first word. Dad vows it was
Da.”

Everyone laughed, enjoying the food and the
break from decision-making and crime fighting. When we finished,
Aaron paid the check and the two of us walked behind the others so
we could have a few private words.

“Staci lied to me about the job when we spoke
on the phone. I might not have recommended you.”

“She did?”

“She told me two of her wolves had been hurt,
not murdered, and she neglected to mention she’d taken a prisoner
her pack was about to execute. I’m sorry I threw you into the
middle of this. Your dad will wring my neck when he hears.” Garrett
and Aaron were first cousins and best friends.

“He’ll probably only give you a time out,” I
joked.

“Yeah, but those suck, right?”

I stared straight ahead, gathering my
thoughts. “I want you to know I appreciate your trust, but I don’t
need you to hang around. I can take care of Staci, Ms. Turner. I’ll
find the killer and we’ll get paid and then she’ll recommend me to
other supes. Our business will take off and I’ll be able to pay you
back. We’ll be fine.”

“And in the meantime…”

“Nothing. We’re good.” I wouldn’t meet his
gaze. Even with the retainer, we were pretty broke.

“I just watched you eat dinner like you
hadn’t had a decent meal in days.” Let me help.”

“I can’t.”

He took hold of my shoulders and spun me
around to face him. “You can’t run a business if you’re run down.
You can pull on the magic all you want, but if your body’s weak,
you won’t be on your top game. Jay likes to cook and he’s pretty
good. Use him. As a leader it’s important to draw on your team’s
strengths, even off the job. You can pitch in and help him out.
Eventually you’ll have the skills to trade off. It’s the way we run
the kitchen in the pack. Even I have my night to run the kitchen
every month.”

“Okay. Makes sense.”

“You want to be independent and run a
business, then you have to be responsible for the people who work
for you. That girl looks like a good breeze will blow her
away.”

He was right, but it was just hard to hear.
“I’ll do better.”

“I’m not criticizing you. You’ve done great
so far and I know money’s been tight the last week or so.”

“It ran out faster than I thought it would.
Thanks for dinner.”

“Can’t let my favorite nephew go hungry.”

“I’m your only nephew.”

He stretched out his arm. He was holding a
credit card. “Take it. Use it for what you need to run your
business.”

“I can’t take any more of your money.”

“Your dad’s parents saved my life. My father
used to beat the crap out of me, tell me I was his worst mistake.
Your grandfather took me in every time my dad kicked me out and he
had to work long hours to put food on the table for his own family.
He told me I was a good kid, not a worthless lowlife. Garrett was
my only friend for a long time. I owe your family more than I can
ever pay back. Let me do this for you, Charlie.”

A debt of honor was something I understood.
“I won’t buy a Harley.” I took the card and put it in my jeans
pocket.

“You better not, ‘cause I’ll catch you with
my Ducati.” He winked. Aaron was loaded, but that didn’t mean I
wasn’t going to pay him back every single cent.