Duke shoved down the surging anxiety in his stomach.
Blade nodded at him. “Catch you tomorrow. Call me if you need police help.”
He hurried off. This left Duke jogging next to Raptor, Crush leading the way.
They were a block away from the office now, Crush turning them down one street, then another.
Wanda was watching Raptor warily.
“Do you have a baby carrier?” Raptor asked Duke. “You could have her strapped to your back while you fight off the bad guys. That would be fucking adorable.”
“I would if I could be sure she was safe.” Not that Duke wanted to bring her into a dangerous situation. But right now, he didn’t have much of a choice. “Are you volunteering to watch her while I rescue Nat?”
“Isn’t that why you called Crush here?” Raptor retorted without any real objection.
“You could’ve gone back to your restaurant after you dropped me off, but you insisted on sticking around,” Crush said distractedly. He sniffed around, then went down a back alley.
Raptor huffed. “If I help, I expect to be named her godfather.”
“Me too,” Crush said.
“Wanda isn’t mine,” Duke said dryly. “But you can be the new baby’s godfathers.”
Both of them whipped their heads around to stare at him. “New baby?”
“You knocked Nat up?” Raptor asked incredulously.
“You’re his boss,” Crush said.
Duke sighed. “How did you not hear about this? Nat told his friends a few days ago.”
“And you didn’t tell us?” Raptor squawked.
“I didn’t want to get ahead of myself. At least, until he’s showing.” Duke’s anxiety eased a little. It was comforting to have someone to talk to, so he wasn’t drowning in his fury.
“You knocked up your employee,” Raptor said, awed and horrified at the same time. “You’re my hero.”
“What the Hell, Raptor,” Crush said.
“Focus on the scent trail,” Duke snapped.
Crush rolled his eyes. “What do you think I’m doing?”
“Being envious of our dear friend,” Raptor said helpfully. “Everyone knows you want babies.”
Crush looked away, his nostrils flaring. “Well, so do you.”
Raptor flipped him off.
Duke didn’t want to point out that he could still lose that baby, if Turkeyson had hurt Nat too severely.
He clenched his fists and crowded closer to Crush, only calming down when Crush slowed in front of an abandoned warehouse.
“I hear something in there,” Crush said quietly. “Two people.”
28
TURKEYSON’S SECRET ATTACK
