Unleashed by Shadows (By Moonlight Book 10) (12 page)

“Stronger would be nice.”

Philo took a medicinal purposes pint from the cupboard and poured a finger for each of them.  After his employee kicked it back and began to take on a healthier color, he got right to it. “Who are you really? No bullshit.”

“Cale Terriot.”

“Cale Terriot?” Philo gaped at him. “As in new leader of the Terriot clan?”

Cale shrugged nonchalantly. He found himself grabbed out of the chair and smashed up against the side of the trailer with metal-bending force, Tibideux’s forearm braced across his throat.

“What the hell are you doing here in my city?”

“Nothing to harm you or yours.”

“And I’m supposed to believe that jus’ ’cause you say so?”

“Because Detectives MacCreedy and Caissie will say so. They’ll vouch for me.”

Philo glared at him, seething over being kept out of that exclusive loop. He knew why, of course, or at least thought he did. “They sent you here to spy on me?” All levels of hurt and fury played through his fierce question.

“No. And even if they did, I wouldn’t have believed any wrong doing of you after that first day. We’re all on the same side in this.”

“Naw. I’m on the outside of whatever you’re up to and that’s gonna change right damn now.”

Tib shoved away from him. Cale, understanding his anger, had allowed himself to be handled. He dropped back into the seen better days chair while Philo glared down at him, fists on hips.

“Tell me something I’ll believe. I’d advise you to go light on the lying ’cause I’m up to here in your bull stories.” He made a slashing gesture across his throat for emphasis.

“I’m here because my brother James is the one peddling the Kick that has your crew turning in on itself. I’m here to find out who he’s working with and why. And then, I’m going to stop him. Do you want to help me?”

Tibideaux stared at him long and hard and finally said, “Yes, I do.”

*

Kendra found signs everywhere of the previous night’s debauchery but none of the participants when she ventured out of the bedroom just after the noon hour. She’d been able to get in some serious sleep after Cale left for work and now felt rested and restless when faced with what to do with her day in a city where she knew next to no one. Left to her own company, worry over Cale’s purpose in New Orleans began to subtly seep in. A soft knock at the door offered a reprieve. Probably one of the hungover princes there to check up on her.

Instead, she found Silas MacCreedy, dressed down from his slick Mac Creed undercover garb in tight jeans, sneakers, and a cheap suitcoat over a plain white tee shirt. Without the artificial darkener he’d rubbed into his hair, the close cropped style betrayed hints of Terriot red from the genetics they shared. He removed his dark glasses to offer a bland smile.

“Hi.”

“Hi, yourself.”

“Can I come in?”

She stepped back, opening the way. He brushed past her and drew up in shock, exclaiming, “Holy hell! Who decorated this place? The Borgia family? I’d better put my sunglasses back on.”

He glanced about, his investigative eye taking in the empties, the spilled leftovers, the discarded bikini tops and pricy menswear decorating furniture and floor. “Is this your kind of fun these days?”

“I’m of age, Detective. Is there something you wanted, or is this an interrogation?” Her irritation surprised him. It surprised her, too. Instead of wanting to hug him as she had in the nightclub, a protective bristling stirred.

Finally, Silas’s stoic façade broke into a crooked smile. “I just wanted to see you. Is that a crime? If so, call a cop.”

She laughed and relaxed, gesturing wide to the disaster surrounding her. “Have a seat if you can find one. I need to put something on.”

He flushed slightly, aware she wore only her robe. Because he was once again the gallant cousin she loved, and not the outsider she feared, Kendra embraced him. Pressing her cheek to his, she whispered, “Be right back,” and dashed into the bedroom she shared with Cale.

She emerged minutes later in a pair of soft charcoal-colored cargo pants, loose-fitting white cotton blouse with flirty pintucks and lace, and a light touch of lip and cheek color, making a fresh contrast to the room’s stale decadence.  Silas had cleared a spot on one of the chairs. Instead of tucking in close beside him as she once would have, she settled on the arm of an opposite seat.

“You’re looking good,” she observed with a smile. “Impending fatherhood must agree with you.”

His eyes crinkled with pleasure. “It does. And you? How is he treating you?”

The slight edge to the question returned her defensiveness. He couldn’t even call her mate by name. “Like a queen.”

A sniff. “Considering the fate of previous Terriot royalty, I’m not comforted.”

A sudden frost edged her tone. “He protects me above his own life, loves me beyond reason, gives me everything I need or desire, and the sex is fantastic. His name is Cale. We’ve known him since we were children. He’s my bonded mate, and I adore him. Does that answer your question?”

“With more than I needed to know. Just asking for Brigit’s sake. She was the one curious.”

Kendra brightened immediately. “You’ve spoken to her?”

“About an hour ago and she chewed my butt for not knowing all those answers you’ve just given me in too much detail. She’ll be back day after tomorrow and can’t wait to see you.”

Squealing in delight, Kendra launched herself on him, hugging him between arms and legs while planting an excited kiss on his smiling lips.

Rico Terriot chose that moment to walk in. 

“Am I interrupting anything?” he drawled out dangerously.

Kendra backed off the other man’s lap without a trace of embarrassment, placing herself between them. “Don’t be silly. My cousin just gave me some great news.”

“Okay.” An arched brow insinuated his disapproval. “Just checking in to see how you were doing.”

“What could I possibly be doing shut up in this bordello while Cale is at work?”

A glance went to Silas. “Entertaining, apparently.”

She crossed to him and gave him a quick swat. “Stop that. You know better.”

Rico shrugged. “Whatever. We’re downstairs . . . if you need anything.”

“What I need is housekeeping and a front end loader to pick up after the lot of you.”

He didn’t smile. “Seeing as how you’re fine, I’ll get out of your way.” He gave Silas a curt nod and, after swigging down what was left from the night before in an opened bottle of beer, retreated.

“Those are your watchdogs?” Silas mused.

“Only because you have my mate busy with your schemes so he can’t be here himself.” Suspicion and annoyance returned. “What are you involved in, exactly?”

“Clan business.”

She regarded him narrowly. “Business that could get him killed?”

“Just being a Terriot could get him killed.” He smiled, but his expression closed down tight, playing secretive games the way he had when she was still a child.

“Silas MacCreedy, you give me a straight answer or walk out that door and keep going.”

He met her fierce glare for a long moment then stood, murmuring, “It was nice to see you again, Kendra. Call me if you need anything.”

“I need the truth!”

“Get it from your adored bonded mate.” With a nod, he was gone, leaving her frustrated and furious at both of them.

CHAPTER NINE

The sound of cracking pool balls drew Cale’s attention to his brother Frederick circling a massive blue-felt billiard table with an ornately carved dark wood frame in a spacious room just off the lobby. Something about the lonely way he methodically weighed his next shot made Cale hesitate when he wanted nothing more than the feel of his mate’s embrace and a hot shower, preferably both at the same time.

Sensing his presence, Rico glanced up, offering a smile before sinking the seven in the corner.

“No one to play?”

“Bunch of sissies,” Rico muttered. “Kip’s gone up to grab a few hours’ beauty sleep, and Colin’s sniffing around that dark-haired tart with the smoking bod from last night hoping for someone to sleep with.”

Cale laughed. “You wedded to finishing this game, or can I buy you a drink?”

He gave the stick a toss to the table top. “Lead the way. I’m losing to myself anyway.”

Tired, not wanting to bump elbows at the bar, Cale used the name of their exclusive suite to get them one of the private roped off areas where their own pretty hostess provided bottle service.

“So, how do you like New Orleans?” Cale asked once their pricy imported liquor had been opened and poured.

“It’s dirty, smelly, and has standards even lower than mine. That’s the only thing I do like about it.”

Cale grinned and tried to unwind. Hard to do when his brother was obviously stewing over something. “What’s on your mind, Red?”

“Wondering over whether or not to tell you that I walked in on your queen and that bitch MacCreedy.”

Cale didn’t seem to move, but every inch of him tightened. “Explain.”

“They were pretty friendly.”

“Explain friendly,” he ground out between clenched teeth. All his worst fears and unfounded insecurities rose in a panicked rush. “In the living room?” Or the bedroom? was what he didn’t want to ask.

“She was on his lap,” Rico elaborated carefully.

A quiet, deadly purr. “Are you trying to tell me they were fucking?”

Rico went wide-eyed, stammering, “No! Nothing like that. Kissing. Just kissing.”

“So you barged in on them lip-locked under my rented roof,” he clarified. When Rico nodded, he continued. “Pretty damned bold of them. Are you suggesting I shouldn’t trust my queen?”

“No!” He looked genuinely appalled. “She’s our family, my queen. I only thought to protect her should someone else not be quite so honorable.”

“Rico,” Cale said with calm certainty, “Silas MacCreedy is a lot of things but dishonorable isn’t one of them. I trust her to his care the way I trust her to yours.”

And the moment he vowed that, Cale realized it was true. He’d been foolish harboring jealousy toward MacCreedy. Whatever might have developed between him and Kendra disappeared when Silas chose the steely assassin over his gentle cousin. And Kendra made her own choice just as firmly and completely when she told Cale “I am yours,” accepting his claim, sharing his rule. And her heart.

“I’m sorry, my king. I’ve upset you over nothing.”

When his head lowered, Cale placed his hand atop the reddish brown bristle and gave him a push. “You don’t owe me an apology for looking after my crown and my queen. I’m humbled that you’d protect both for me.”

“You sound like a man missing what he has and where he should be.” When Cale didn’t deny it, Rico added, “You don’t need to worry. Wesley has things in hand. He feels he has to make up for the wrongs of his family.”  For the mother and sister who tried to kill a king and control a crown.

“I don’t blame Wes. He knows that. I worry that we haven’t heard from Turow.”

Rico shrugged it off. “You won’t hear from him until the job he was sent to do is done. He’ll find them. I only regret your queen made him promise to bring them back alive.” He paused for a moment before asking, “And your plans for James?”

Cale’s features toughened, growing cold and hard as he said, “The same as he had for me.”

*

Kendra glanced up from hotel’s info channel when Cale and Rico entered the room. Her gaze cut between them, questioning but not concerned. That was all Cale needed to see.

“Hey, mama,” he called softly, bending down so her arms could twine about his neck. Her mouth opened warm and sweet beneath his. When he straightened, she didn’t release him, letting him lift her up so her legs could wrap around his waist. Their kiss deepened into something not so sweet as his hands kneaded her ass. With a soft murmur of contentment, she leaned back to caress him with a tender gaze. Subtly, it shifted over his shoulder to touch on Rico, where he stood a silent sentinel by the door, then back again.

“I’ve been waiting for you,” she told Cale quietly.

“I should hope so.” He glanced back at his brother to ask, “Was that the kind of kissing you saw earlier?”

Rico shook his head. “Not even close.”

“Good. Excuse us.” He carried Kendra into their bedroom and toed the door shut behind them.

“Cale, it was nothing.”

He cut her off with a smile. “I know.”

“He came to tell me Brigit’s coming back day after tomorrow, and I was so excited—”

“You had to reward the messenger for bringing good news. You could have just said thank you.”

He grunted as her elbow found his ribs. “You make it sound naughty.”

“Was it naughty?”  He backed her up until they bumped the bed. Clutching her tight, he moved her against him in a suggestive rhythm, his intent stare holding hers. “Did it make your heart race? Did you get all breathless? Did he make your panties damp like they are now?”

“Only with you,” she whispered. “Those things only happen with you and you know it.”

“Convince me.”

She dropped back onto the bed, tugging him over her, keeping her ankles knotted behind his back and her mouth moving beneath his in admirable persuasion. He lifted up when he felt her smile. His fingers toying with her bobbed hair, he couldn’t help but respond with the curve of his own lips.

“Besides,” she cooed, “where would I find the energy even if I had the inclination?”

Before Cale could form a comeback, her phone rang. He rolled onto his back with a muttered curse and grabbed it off the dresser. A broad grin creased his face as he answered.

“Hey, mama. We were just talking about you. Yes, fondly. She’s right here. I was about to have my way with her. Can she call you back? Ha. Very funny. Yes, it will take longer than ten seconds.” He turned toward Kendra to find her eyes bright with anticipation. “Do you want to talk to your cousin or have sex with me?”

“Can’t I have both?” She rolled to straddle him as she grabbed the phone, pausing only long enough to buss a quick kiss across his mouth before gushing, “Bree, how are you? Sassy, I can believe but fat, never! No tan lines at all?” She giggled like a little girl.