Page 33 of Fated By Fire
“Yes, sir,” Mason responds. “It will be sent over at once.”
I don’t answer. I’m in the elevator with the doors hissing shut. Dorian is beside me.
“What’s your take?”
“She was in here.”
“Jessica.”
“Elena. Her name’s Elena Ross. She’s a PI. No idea who she’s working for, but she’s gone. And Malakai’s fingerprints are all over this.”
“Malakai. Shit. No details from the Smurf on who the client might be?” he asks.
“The what?” I snap a look at him.
“Mara. The girl with the blue…” He points at his head. “You know… Don’t worry, forget I said anything.”
“This is not the fucking time for jokes, Dorian. If you’re trying to—”
“I wasn’t trying to.” He stops, his glib tone shifting to something more serious. “Look, Caleb, I know you’re going to charge off into this like the brooding dark knight you are, but Malakai doesn’t play by your rules. If he’s behind this, you better be ready to draw blood.”
I glance at him, and for once, his smirk is gone. It’s not a threat or a suggestion. It’s a warning.
The elevator doors open to my office floor. Mara’s still there, pacing like a caged animal. She whirls on me the moment I enter.
“Well?”
“She was here.” I move past her to my desk, picking up my phone. “Last night.”
“And?” Mara’s voice rises. “That’s it? That’s all you’ve got?”
Ignoring her, I call Sloane. “Get me Malakai Steele,” I tell her when she answers.
“What happened to her?” Mara demands, slamming her hands on my desk again. “You’re not telling me something.”
I look up at her, studying her face. The fear in her eyes is real. Raw. This isn’t an act.
“How long have you known Elena?”
“We went to school together.” She crosses her arms. “Long enough to know when something’s wrong.”
“And in all that time, did she ever mention anything about… unusual abilities?”
Mara’s expression shifts. “What do you mean?”
“Things she could do that others couldn’t. Access things she shouldn’t be able to.”
Her hesitation tells me everything. “Sometimes she just… knows stuff,” she admits finally. “But that’s not important right now. What happened to her?”
I exchange a look with my brother. How much do we tell her? How much can we risk?
Sloane reappears in the doorway. “Mr. Steel is not available, sir.”
Goddammit.
“Keep trying,” I tell her. “Connect him to me as soon as you do.” I’m moving again, Dorian close on my heel. A scuff from behind tells me Mara is coming, too.
“Hey!” she says, jabbing my shoulder. “Where are we going?”
