That was Rome, always the negotiator, the problem fixer, the fucking Faction Leader.
Both Nick and X stood still. X looked down at Nick’s hand on his arm then back up to Nick.
Begrudgingly and with a look that clearly said this wasn’t finished, Nick yanked his arm away. “You and I are going to have a conversation,” he told X.
X thought about flipping Nick off, which wouldn’t have been out of the ordinary. It wasn’t as if they were planning some big-ass shifter wedding in the rain forest like Rome and Kalina had, or even a quiet ceremony at Havenway like Nick and Ary had shared not too long ago. No, he and Caprise had just had sex—some damn good sex, but still, just sex. Nick was X’s friend; they were even closer than friends; the three of them were like brothers. They’d been there for him when he needed them and hadn’t asked any questions. For that X would always be grateful. And it was that gratitude that wouldn’t allow him to disrespect Nick by brushing him and his concern off totally.
“First, Caprise is obviously okay because she was able to call you, Nick. Second, I want to know everything that happened at Athena’s. Then I want to know what that cocky-ass DEA agent who used Kalina in his sham of an investigation was here questioning you about.”
Rome had taken off his suit jacket and thrown it across the back of the love seat. He was loosening his tie as X came to stand by the fireplace. With his arms folded over his chest, he looked directly at Rome, who had now sat down.
“I wanted to see what was going on inside the club. We know Sabar’s running his drug through there, so I wanted to check it out. When I got there, Caprise was dancing,” he said, casting a glare at Nick. He wasn’t sure if Nick knew about his sister’s occupation. No, X was certain he didn’t. And the curse that came from Nick the moment he said it confirmed that notion.
“I waited for her to get off stage then took her back to her dressing room to question her.” He omitted the rest for everyone’s sake.
“Question her about dancing or the drugs?” Nick asked, as if he had to in the first place.
They were like family … except Caprise wasn’t related by blood, which meant he could sleep with her and remain loyal to Nick. Or at least he hoped so.
“I questioned her about the dancing. Up to that point I hadn’t seen any drugs—or any Rogues, for that matter. Then the scent came. They were coming to Caprise’s dressing room.”
“For what? Does she know any of the Rogues that frequent the club?” Rome asked.
“She wouldn’t associate with Rogues,” Nick said. “She’d kick ’em in the balls and laugh in their faces.”
X did chuckle at that, even though he was feeling anything but happy at this moment. “You’re right about that. But no, she said she didn’t know who could have been at the door. And I didn’t stick around to find out. My first concern was getting her to safety. So we jumped through the window. Seth and Zach were already waiting at the truck. I left them there to keep watch and brought Caprise back here.”
“And at no time did you think it was necessary to call me and let me know?” Nick questioned, jamming his hands into the pockets of his dress pants and staring at X as if he could pounce on him at any moment.
“Last time I checked I was a grown-ass man. I don’t have to check in with anyone” was X’s heated retort.
Rome held up a hand to stall Nick’s next comment. “Okay, so Caprise has been dancing at the club. Has she seen anything useful to us?”
X shook his head. “I don’t think so. Then again, she’s not really looking for Rogues. She’s sort of doing her own thing.”
“Yeah, shaking her ass for the public,” Nick chimed in.
“I’d tread lightly in that area if I were you,” X warned him. “She nearly bit my head off when I commented on her occupational choice.”
“That’s because it’s none of your damn business,” Caprise said, entering the room wearing skintight jeans and a T-shirt so tight it made X’s mouth water.
“It’s my business if you’re out there trying to get yourself killed,” Nick fired back. “What is this stripping thing you’re doing?”
Caprise made her way to the center of the room with one hand on her hip, the other pointing a finger at her brother. X could only shake his head. Whatever she was getting ready to say, she meant business. How they were all going to deal with that, X had no idea.
“I’m an adult. I can do whatever I please. And for your information it’s called exotic dancing, not stripping, you idiot.”
Rome covered his mouth and gave a fake cough to hide that he was chuckling. X stood behind Caprise.
“I don’t think they were coming after her. If I scented them it’s believable that they scented my presence as well,” he said, trying to take the heat off Caprise. He’d never defended a female like this before. Sure, he wanted to protect all females, especially shifters. But this, it was a little different.
“How long have you been dancing there?” Rome asked.
“About three weeks,” she replied evenly.
For as candid and sometimes rude as Caprise could be, she always respected Rome.
“Has any Rogue ever approached you?” the FL asked.
“She’s not on the lookout for them like we are,” X replied.
Rome stood. “But she can still scent them if they’re near. Have you ever been near a Rogue at that club?”
“I don’t think so. But he’s right, I’m not looking for them. I go there twice a week, do my dancing, collect my money, and go. I don’t hang out there on a regular basis, and I don’t socialize with anybody while I’m there.”
“They could have scented you,” Rome agreed, looking at X. “And if so, they’re damn bold to come after a commanding officer.”
“Probably figured he was alone so they had a good chance of taking him down,” Nick said.
His voice sounded deceptively calm. Then again, X doubted that Nick had put two and two together to equal that he and Caprise had actually slept together last night.
“Well, if you guys want to continue talking about your secret society crap that’s fine with me. But I’d like to go home and get changed. Is Seth here to take me?” Caprise asked.
Rome nodded. “Seth’s downstairs.”
“I’ll take you back to Havenway,” X replied.
“That’s not necessary,” she said with a toss of her hair over her shoulder.
It was the first time she’d looked at him since she came into the room. Yet it felt like she was looking right through him.
“I said I’ll take you home,” he insisted.
“And I said it’s not necessary,” she said, slower, more intensely. “Look, don’t get any fancy ideas about what happened last night. You and I are on the same terms we were before. Okay, so maybe we’re not total enemies, but I’m not into the possessive shifter crap all you guys have a habit of pulling.”
Before X could reach out to stop her Caprise headed to the door. And a strong hand on his shoulder told him he wasn’t finished with the conversation with Nick and Rome just yet.
“You fucked my sister!”
There was no escaping Nick’s fury, and X didn’t really try. It happened and it was done, just like Caprise said. Nick would have to accept that and move on.
“We’re adults, Nick,” he said with a sigh.
Rome had sat back down, shaking his head, using his cell phone to most likely alert Seth that Caprise was coming down. The guard would be in the lobby the moment she stepped off the elevator. From that point on he wouldn’t leave her side again until they hit Havenway.
“She’s my sister, X. You don’t just do your friend’s sister and think that’s okay.”
He had a point there, but X didn’t care. He wasn’t explaining himself to Nick or to anyone else. For him, explanations had died the day that dirty bastard Jeremiah had.
“Okay, Nick. I slept with your sister. Now can we move on?” He’d really wanted to be able to tell Nick about last night himself, but Caprise apparently had other ideas. He should have known she would.
“No, we cannot move on. You don’t have a mate, X. You have sex and it’s not even casual sex. You have
