Passion's Prey

guess it went up in that car fire with them.”

“Either way, the evidence shows that your parents weren’t traitors. They were doing what was necessary to keep the tribe viable. We probably would have died out there in the forest without any outside help.” X had been thinking about this since returning from Sedona.

Yes, Loren Reynolds and Henrique Delgado went to Cortez and took his drug money to supply the needs of a tribe that shouldn’t exist. A wrong deed to support a good cause. X couldn’t hate them for that. Hell, at least their parents had cared enough about their own children and the families of others just like them—whether they knew them personally or not—to take such a risk. If you asked him, they should be commended.

“I think you guys need to lay off your parents about this. They did what they thought was best at the time,” he told them.

Both Nick and Rome looked at him as if he’d spoken in another language. X shrugged. It wasn’t often that he talked about their parents like this; usually he just went along with what they said because he didn’t want to offend them or because he just didn’t know. How was he supposed to know how good parents acted when his were at the bottom of—no, they were beneath—the totem pole?

“They put us all in danger,” Rome said, staring down into his glass.

Nick shrugged. “They probably thought it was the only route to take.”

“You do what’s best for that moment. Sometimes you can’t think about the long term,” X said.

“And what about your parents—you forgive them for not thinking about the long term?” Nick asked.

X’s already weird mood took a turn for the worse. “We’re not talking about my parents,” he said.

“We never do,” Nick rebutted. “But it’s obviously affected who you are now, who you’re trying to be.”

“And why is that your business?”

“Because who you are now is tied to my sister.”

X cursed. “Dammit, Nick. We’ve been over this already. What Caprise and I do is none of your damn business.”

“But what happens to all of us as a result of what you and Caprise do is relevant, X.” Rome put his drink down and took a deep breath. “Look, you know we’ve never pried into your past. Even when we could have looked back to see exactly what happened in Atlanta, we didn’t, because you’re our friend and we respected your privacy. But you’ve got to respect where we’re coming from now.”

X walked across the room, leaving the window yet keeping his back to them. They were supposed to be his friends, but right at this moment he wasn’t so sure. He wasn’t sure about a lot of things, especially after talking to Caprise earlier.

“That has nothing to do with the here and now,” he told them.

“You sure about that, X? I mean, I’ve watched you over the last few years with women. I know the stuff you’re into and I don’t pry because what goes on in one man’s bedroom has nothing to do with me. You’re a good agent and a loyal shifter, but you’re haunted by something and it seems like it’s taking its toll on you now,” Nick said.

He wasn’t yelling, wasn’t accusing as he had been in the last few days. He was just telling him something, as he’d done many times in the past.

“I think that’s part of the reason that agent is looking at you for this Diamond Turner thing. He had to see something in you to make him think you could do a thing like this.”

X whirled on Rome so fast, his entire body shaking with rage. “I did not kill that girl! And FL or not, I should kick your ass for having the balls to stand there and accuse me.”

Rome stood up, went toe-to-toe with X. “I’m saying what that agent is thinking. From his point of view you’ve got the rage, the strength, and since he has that business card he figures the opportunity to do this.”

“He said as much when he called me yesterday,” Nick added.

“He called you and you didn’t tell me?”

“I’m your attorney, but I don’t have to tell you about every call I take.”

“When it concerns me and my life you do.”

“X, he’s not charging you. He doesn’t have enough evidence for that. But you standing in an alley killing that tiger wasn’t helpful.”

“Oh, like you killing Ary’s father in a fucking parking garage? Nick, give me a break with your psychoanalysis bullshit! You’re just as volatile as I am and you would have done the same thing if you’d seen the fear he put in Caprise. Shit, half the shifters in this building would have done it. It’s who and what we are.”

“We’re not disputing that, X. We just think maybe there’s something else bothering you,” Rome said.

“No. There’s nothing bothering me,” X said before storming out of the room.

After he’d slammed the door Nick and Rome exchanged knowing glances.

“Do not worry, Mr. Rome,” Baxter said from the spot he’d been standing beside the bar.

He had been trained in the art of being there but not being noticed. It was part of his heritage. But he’d seen and heard everything. In fact, he’d known this was coming. Mr. Xavier had been like the proverbial pot of boiling water, only someone had set the flame very low with him years ago. Now the water had just begun to boil, the rage just ready to explode. Unfortunately, the remedy was not going to lie in this friendship.

“He will survive this,” Baxter finished. “He will survive and be much better because of it.”

“How do you know this?” Nick asked. “You always know everything, even before things happen. How is that, Baxter? Who are you really?”

Rome did not object to any of those questions, even though they may have been better coming from him. But he looked at Baxter waiting, hoping, he would deem it appropriate to answer at least some of them.

He did not.

“I am who I am, Mr. Dominick. And I am doing my job. Watching the three of you grow up has been a privilege. You are very good friends to Mr. Xavier. But you are not who or what he needs to make it over this hurdle. That is for his mate alone.”

To that Nick cursed and Rome shook his head. It seemed neither of them had much faith in their friend or the true strength of a companheiro.

Chapter 22

“Took you long enough,” Caprise said the moment X came out of what they called the “boys’ room.”

The room was at the far end of the north corridor, and was always locked. She’d figured out long before she’d overheard them talking about meeting there that it was expressly for Rome and his two commanding officers.

Thanks to Lucas, the shifter from the Gungi, she’d known exactly when they finished their official meeting in Rome’s private conference room. Lucas didn’t speak much English, and Caprise had only gotten to know him because he’d clung to Seth like a wet T-shirt. He was tall and gangly, still trying to figure out how his sixteen- year-old body was going to suddenly morph into the bodies he saw every day of full-grown shifters. He had intelligent eyes and an inner strength that some of the shifters around here would envy. She could see it in the way he held his head high, how he was determined to speak English, to learn to fight, and to prove to Rome he hadn’t made a mistake bringing him here.

Tonight he’d been in Rome’s rooms, as Kalina had summoned him there. He’d asked Caprise to come along because her Portuguese was a lot better than Kalina’s and he was hoping she could translate. She really hadn’t felt like being bothered with a lot of people, but it had actually worked out for the better.

“So you’ve seen X already tonight?” Kalina had asked when they were in her sitting room. Lucas was eating dinner because Kalina swore if he missed one meal he was going to shrivel up or possibly pass out. Caprise thought it was a little much. He was a growing boy; he’d eventually get hungry, at which time he’d eat. She understood all too well the starvation that came with grief. How many days had she gone without eating after her parents died? Double that after little Henrique had passed.

“Saw him, talked too much, moved on,” she said quietly.

“Talked too much, huh? I know that feeling. When I told Rome about my past as an orphan I felt like I’d talked too much, too.”