And she might not know how she felt about being Jordan’s girl, but it was obvious how everyone around her felt about it.
The coffee shop was the same one where Jordan had first seen Trish. He was drawn back to it whenever he was in the area.
People chattered and moved around him in a steady stream, secure in their place in the world. There was a reason Jordan always came back to the tourist areas to hunt for new Moonies to bring to the Wolf: not only were they easy pickings who thought themselves safe here, but they were often the most pampered, as well. The coffee shop offered discounts to the college students but made everyone else pay through the nose for the kind of frou-frou drinks the Moonies thought were essential to their lives.
The light color of Trish’s hair had caught his attention, along with her quiet beauty and the earnest expression on her face as she’d read the book she’d brought with her. She’d been so alone.
When Jordan had heard a couple talking about the girl with the “weird, white hair,” he’d been drawn into their conversation. They’d been snickering at her. Mocking her efforts to “better herself” when she was a “nobody,” laughing at her useless efforts and her belief that she could change things for herself.
They’d stopped laughing by the time they were introduced to the Wolf, but they’d made perfect day-captives, despite all their whining. They’d made up some of the more outrageous stories Jordan had heard from day-captives after their release in an attempt to keep their momentary celebrity status.
It was unfortunate he’d also realized a lot of what they’d said was true.
Trish wouldn’t be given the opportunity to advance herself on the Moon. She’d had no powerful friends or allies, and her interests had immersed her in Earth history and culture, something the Moon had very little use for, to their detriment. It amused Jordan that Trish now had all the powerful contacts she could possibly need, and that made her far more powerful than the two brats who had entertained themselves by mocking her.
He should make sure she had the opportunity to go back to school if she wanted to. Once he’d stopped working for the Wolf. Right now, things were in too much turmoil. It was unlikely anyone would connect Trish with Jordan and therefore the Wolf outside the compound, but even the smallest risk was too large, in his opinion.
“Oooooo, look, they’re showing it again!” An excited voice, trying to stay quiet, caught Jordan’s attention. A slim young man with lean muscles and dark-blond hair leaned toward a pretty, little redhead—well, what passed for red hair these days, which was usually reddish-brown, unlike Cora’s brilliant locks.
Jordan followed their gazes to a vid screen where the Moon had actors resembling Bella and Alex playing out the reporters’ theories of what was happening to the real Alex and Bella. Despite the blurred-out anatomy, the portrayal remained graphic, and several occupants of the coffee shop had their eyes glued to the vid screen.
Pathetic.
He supposed this was some new gimmick on the part of the news station to draw attention away from their competitors. The campy acting and over-exaggerated looks of reluctant pleasure on the actors’ faces nearly made Jordan laugh aloud.
“Do you think that’s really what it’s like?” the redhead whispered loudly, like she was trying to be overheard, leaning into the blond, her hand on his thigh. It was obvious the two of them were aroused by the supposition.
Jordan hid his disdain and sat down in a chair at their table.
The pair jumped upright, wide-eyed and slightly annoyed at being interrupted—although they both blinked, and their expressions smoothed out a bit when they got a good look at him. Jordan hid his smirk at their decision not to try to take him on when he was taller and stronger than either of them. At least they had some survival instincts.
“Do you want to know what’s really happening to them?” he asked in a low voice, letting his eyes slide to the left and right as if checking to make sure no one was listening while he let them in on some special secret.
They both leaned forward, drawn in despite the wary skepticism evident on their faces.
“How do you know?” the redhead asked, trying, unsuccessfully, to keep the eagerness from her voice.
He let a secretive little smile spread on his lips. “I happen to have an in. I can even take you to them.”
The blond frowned, his doubts rising, although the redhead looked more excited. “You can take us to them, seriously?”
Jordan shrugged. “You’ve heard about people visiting the Wolf’s captives, right? I can get you in. But it’s up to you.”
He didn’t always play things this way, but, despite his immediate dislike of the couple, they weren’t any different from the others in the cafe. Sometimes, if he felt someone deserved it, he would just take them. Like those two assholes who had mocked his Trish. Other times, he’d set the bait; see if they took it. So far, he’d only been wrong once.
Jordan stood and gave them a smile. The blond still looked skeptical, but the redhead clung to him and bit her lip. She wanted to believe Jordan.
“I’m headed there now. You can come if you want.” He dropped the bait and turned to head for the door.
Jordan was surprised when he made it out onto the street. They’d seemed the type to take the risk, especially since it was well known they’d be back home by tomorrow morning. It made him dislike them a tiny bit less.
Just as he was about to walk away from the coffee shop and find a new hunting ground, the door behind him opened.
“Wait!”
Internally, he shook his head. Maybe he’d overestimated their survival instincts.
9
