will treat these murderers as they deserve.”
Chapter Ten
The next day, Vic pulled the phone away from her ear and stared at it. No way. This was enough to make her believe Wells really was as psychic as some of his agents claimed.
“Sir.” She cleared her throat. “Did you just say you wanted me to fly to Washington D.C.?”
“If your hearing is that faulty, I’ll put you back on medical leave.”
Fuck, he sounded like he hadn’t had his coffee today-or for a week or so. “And once there?”
“Report to my office.”
A meet? Her stomach slid greasily to the floor. She might avoid the subject of shifters on the phone, but in person? Concealing information from Arthur Wells was as futile as hiding a sin from God. Or trying to lie to Calum.
“I was looking forward to returning to my assignment in Baghdad.”
But his voice softened slightly, if that were possible for a voice sharper than a blade. “I realize that. However, I’m scheduled for China next week, and I want to see you in person before I leave. Five days, Sergeant. Can you manage?”
Trapped. “Have I ever not?”
“No, you always come through,” he said quietly and made it all worse by adding, “I’ve missed you, soldier. I’m pleased you’re coming back to us.”
She managed to hang up before she broke down and bawled like a baby. He was the nearest thing to a family she had. And she had concealed information he really should have.
But why the meet? Had he gotten a hint of what the guy in the suit was hunting-the shifters. Slumping lower in her chair, she moaned. How the fuck was she going to handle this?
In the afternoon, Jamie decided that cold weather needed something hot like Italian food. Calum had hesitated, wanting action. His instincts hammered at him to fight to protect the clan, but he had no opponent to attack. He’d sent shifters into the forest, searching for traps and poachers. Tynan and Alec were hunting through military and Seattle databases. Pacing around the house like an irritated cat would help nothing.
So he and Jamie walked into town to pick up the ingredients for lasagna. As they carried the groceries out of the store, he took a deep breath of the biting cold air and smiled at his daughter.
With her mother’s slender build and her nose and cheeks pink, she bounced along the sidewalk like one of Santa’s elves. “Did you see that gnome?” She pointed to the beady eyes peering from the sidewalk gutter. “He made a face at me!”
Calum suppressed a laugh and asked reasonably, “How can you tell?”
“Honestly, Daddy. I know they’re ugly, but he stuck his lips out and-” she demonstrated, and he did laugh.
“Ah, well, the cold makes them ill-tempered.”
“Yeah, even the pixies are grumpy. One threw an acorn at me yesterday, and I hadn’t done-hey, look, there’s Vicki!”
Through the bookstore’s display window, Victoria could be seen talking with Thorson. Before Calum could refuse, Jamie grabbed his hand and pulled him into Books.
Although Victoria didn’t smile, pleasure lit her eyes when Jamie gave her a happy hug. Over the past weeks, Calum had enjoyed watching the repressed little human deal with his daughter’s exuberant affection.
“I haven’t seen you forever!” his daughter complained and cast Calum a disgusted frown. “Daddy doesn’t want me in the bar when people start really drinking.”
“What a mean guy,” Victoria agreed, giving him a look that, if she were anyone else, he’d call uncertainty. Of course, only a couple of days before, Alec had almost sliced her throat. Then she’d come close to having her memory wiped by Calum. And he’d kissed her goodnight. That might be enough to unnerve even this self-confident female.
With a straight face, he asked, “Victoria, you appear tired. Have you been sleeping well?”
Thorson barked a laugh.
A wry smile curved her full lips. “Too many strange noises at night, I guess.”
Calum grinned. Bloody tough female there. One he wanted. By Herne, he felt like pulling her into his arms and taking possession. His cock hardened in agreement.
As if she could tell, her gaze heated…and then she edged away, even as he reminded himself that she was human. “Are you two here to get a book?” she asked Jamie.
“Can we, Daddy?” Jamie implored. “I’ve read all mine.”
“Jamie, I don’t know-”
Thorson grinned and interjected, “You want your daughter to be literate?”
“Reading is very important,” Victoria agreed solemnly.
Quite outnumbered. “Fine.”
Jamie handed him her grocery bag and disappeared into the stacks. “One book,” he called after her.
“Two books would be better.” Victoria pushed the two books she held across the counter to Thorson.
“Some people are cheapskates,” Thorson commented loudly.
“Thank you for the support. I’ll have you know, her paperbacks are pushing mine off the shelves, and I’m probably one of your best customers, you bugger.”
“Sounds like you’re a little off your feed.” Thorson picked up Victoria’s books and set them on his desk.
“Cranky,” Victoria agreed, talking to Thorson as if Calum wasn’t standing right next to her-standing close enough to breathe in her unique spicy fragrance, feel the heat from her body.
And cranky was a term for children who hadn’t had their naps. With a frown, he looked down. Their eyes caught…and held. Humor danced in her eyes and curved her lips, and he couldn’t suppress a laugh.
It was a rare female who could tease him out of a…cranky…mood. Even rarer to find one who made him harden and laugh at the same time. Why did a human have to be so attractive?
“Here.” Jamie crowded between Calum and Victoria and pushed her selection across the counter.
“Two?” Calum asked dryly.
“I don’t want anyone to call you a cheap-uh, something, so I thought I’d better get two books like Vicki said.” Jamie gave him such an innocent smile that no one could possibly doubt her sincerity. No one but a very experienced father.
“Hmmm. An extra book. That would mean an additional night of washing dishes, I believe?”
She wrinkled her nose at him. “Oh, okay.”
“I need to get going,” Victoria said, and although she smiled, her brown eyes looked so sad that Calum’s heart wrenched.
“Aren’t you getting any books today?” Thorson actually frowned at the little human.
“No. I just wanted to bring those back.”
“Wait.” Jamie grabbed her sleeve. “You want to come to dinner? We’re making lasagna.”
Calum stiffened. Was the God testing him, setting this female in his path at every turn? The time they spent working together and cleaning up after closing had been hard enough on his control. Even worse was when they’d share a beer afterwards, watching the fire die down while discussing politics and cultures and books. She shouldn’t attract him at all, and he certainly should not ever have kissed her. Yet, as Alec had said, Gatherings and danger brought out the animal in a shifter.
But to continue this foolishness?
He’d hesitated too long, and Victoria shook her head. “I… No, Jamie, I need to-” she paused, obviously at a loss for a good excuse.
He should have let it go, but the hurt in her eyes was like a knife in his chest. “We are experts at lasagna-
