Three episodes in, the macaroni and cheese was gone, and Sophia was working her way through a carton of chocolate chip cookie dough ice cream when Jamie’s phone rang. Pausing the show, she saw the other woman frown as she answered the call.
“Hey, Edward. What’s up?”
Despite her enhanced hearing, Sophia couldn’t make out much on the other end of the conversation, not that whatever it was, was any of her business.
“I’m sure he just got distracted. It happens. Reschedule the appointment and send him a text.”
A beat of silence on Jamie’s end as she listened and then, “Trust me, it’s probably just Kane being Kane, but he’ll get it done. Don’t worry.”
Kane. As in Kane Fletcher, the Born vampire who Sophia had learned had taken over this territory after her brother had crispy-fried Olivier Rodolfo. How she wished she’d been the one to do that. Her dragon roiled just under her skin in agreement. The things the Born had done to her…
“Sorry,” Jamie said as she disconnected the call. “Kane’s new clerk is a bit high-strung. I guess Kane was supposed to call him back last night and didn’t and now the guy’s in a tizzy of worry since Kane also didn’t show up to an appointment to meet with a realtor.”
Jamie shrugged. “Whatever. He’s probably gaming and lost track of time. Give me a sec to call him and we can get back to the Winchesters.”
Except, apparently, Edward the clerk’s calls weren’t the only calls Kane was ignoring.
“Hm,” Jamie frowned. “Okay. I’m calling Morgan. She and Travis can go check on him since they’re in the city and smack him upside the head for flaking.”
Sophia tried to imagine the male that Jamie had just described, a gamer who lost track of time and ignored calls – flaking, as the other woman had put it. “Is it a good idea to have someone like him in charge of a territory?”
“I rag on him, but Kane’s a good guy. Smart, tough, and yes, he can get distracted, but he also knows when to step up.” Jamie pursed her lips, her head bobbing a little side to side. “It’s tough to explain Kane, but it’s like he has some weird priority system.” She raised one hand, creating a shelf by her forehead, “A hunt, his team, and mass quantities of food are up here,” lowering that palm slightly she added, “gaming,” and then dropping the hand to her lap, “meetings with realtors and calls to remind him of said meetings.”
Sophia couldn’t help but grin, “Ah, got it.”
Picking up her spoon with one hand to resume her ice cream consumption and the remote with the other, Sophia was just about to hit play when Jamie placed a staying hand on her arm. She didn’t jump – bonus – but the cautious look on Jamie’s face had Sophia’s instincts firing with a warning that whatever subject the vampire was thinking of broaching was one she wasn’t going to like.
“Listen. I don’t know if you want to talk about it, and youdefinitelydon’t have to,” Jamie tacked on quickly, “But Kane has extensive files on all of Rodolfo’s men, including pictures. If you want to look through them, say the word. Any that hurt you, you tell us – Kane, me, Archer, Morgan, your brother, we’ll hunt them down for you.”
Sophia closed her eyes, an image in her head of a shy smile as Nate put his arm around her, his voice laced with excitement.“Please. I want you to meet my boss. I’ve told him all about you, and he can’t wait to meet you. He’s a great guy, you’ll see.”
She probably should try to find Nate, give herself some closure on her terms rather than running into him somewhere unexpected, unprepared. Considering her current lack of control, surprises like that were best avoided. Opening her eyes, Sophia shot Jamie a grateful smile. “I think I’ll take you up on that, but not tonight.”
Jamie’s smile was huge. “That’s right. Tonight, we’re all about catching up with our boys, and hey, look at you, I thought for sure you’d go all raptor eye on me, and here you are cool as a cucumber. I think you’re getting better.” Raising her hand above her head, palm out, Jamie added, “High five!”
∞∞∞
Kane came awake with a lurch and a grunt to see Morgan and Travis both staring down at him with matching looks of concern. Frowning, he glanced around. He’d fallen asleep on the couch though he couldn’t remember coming home last night. Pressing the heels of his hands to his eyes, his frown only intensified as he felt a fine grit on his skin like he’d been to the beach. What the fuck?
“What the hell time is it?” Levering himself up so he was standing, he saw Morgan quickly turn her back.
Travis cleared his throat. “You need to keep that shit covered, my man.”
Glancing down in confusion, he saw a towel pooled around his ankles and realized he was naked. Shrugging a shoulder, he grinned at Travis. “It’s only fair, big guy. I seem to remember you flashing me your junk.”
The dragon shifter snorted. “Couldn’t be helped.”
Bending down to retrieve the towel he heard Morgan say, “And in answer to your question, it’s almost ten.”
“At night?” Glancing at the closed blinds, the lack of sun behind the slats was answer enough. “Shit. Where’s my phone? How the fuck did I sleep an entire day away?”
“That’s why we’re here. Your clerk is apparently close to a conniption that he can’t reach you.”
Moving to his leather jacket draped over the back of the recliner, Kane found his cell phone still tucked in the breast pocket. “Why is this turned off? I never turn it off.”
As he waited for the device to power back on, he tried to think. He remembered making a round of the clubs and bars, showing Kevin Thompson’s picture to bouncers and bartenders, then, nothing. He didn’t remember coming home, much less stripping off his clothes and sitting on the couch in nothing but a towel to fall asleep.
He grimaced as he saw the number of missed calls from Edward, a missed call from Jamie, and finally, a rather long text from Edward informing him that the man had rescheduled a meet with the realtor Kane had requested be set up.
