Anthony tossed the loincloth onto the table. “No fucking way.”
“Whatever you say, Tony,” Clint said turning to follow Ellen as the desk phone rang. He glanced at the caller id, determined to ignore it, but snatched it up when he saw Gia’s name and number.
“What’s wrong?” he barked, not even trying to temper his tone. She never called him unless there was a serious problem.
“You are not going to believe who is here,” she answered in a harsh whisper.
He suspected he knew before he asked. “Who?”
“That lion!”
There was a long pause, and he wondered if there was a reason she thought this should be a private conversation. His wolf nature went on high alert. “Are you okay? Do you need me?”
She blew out a long breath and he could imagine her blowing the hair from her forehead and rolling her eyes. He smiled. “I’m fine. But I have no idea why the fuck he’s here. I don’t like it, and Julian won’t talk.” She paused and practically growled before going on. “I don’t like this cat.”
Anthony preened. She didn’t like the cat, because whether she wanted to admit it or not, a part of her knew that Anthony was her mate. And finally, finally, she’d come to him outside of an assignment for help. He knew better than to let her hear his satisfaction though. He picked up the damned costume. Fingered the soft fabric. Maybe Ellen was right. Maybe it was time to really go on the offensive instead of just trying to insert himself into her life and wait for her to take the next step.
“I’ll be there soon.”
“What? Why?”
“Party? Tonight?” He kept his tone light. He didn’t know Gia’s history, but he’d watched her keep herself closed off from everyone long enough to guess it was ugly. He intended to change that.
“Oh yeah.” She sounded almost confused, like she’d never been to a party, but she signed off before he could ask her what she was going as. He hoped it was something sexy and grinned at the image of her in a French maid’s outfit. He wasn’t that fucking lucky. She’d probably go as an Amazon. Or Xena, Warrior Princess. That would be pretty damned hot too, come to think of it.
He loaded the costume back into the bag and followed the others into the dining room. Ellen had ordered in Italian and he helped himself to a huge plate of lasagna. One of his favorites. She ate silently at the other end of the table. Probably waiting for him to announce he was giving into her suggestion. When he met her gaze, her expression was so expectant he nearly laughed.
“Fine. If Clint goes all macho and Spartan, I guess I will too.”
When he saw the look on Clint’s face, he realized the other werewolf had made the same deal with her. They’d both walked right into her trap. He did chuckle then, and shook his head.
“That wasn’t nice, Ellen.”
She smirked. “Worked though.”
“You could have just told me,” he said to Clint.
“I didn’t think you’d ever agree to it,” Clint said with disgust in his voice. “Too late now.”
Anthony shrugged, already resigned. Since all three of them lived in the mansion that served as Hunter headquarters, he preferred to not rile Ellen up. She wouldn’t do it on purpose, but if she was displeased with any of them, all of them would know it. Thank God, Clint had finally claimed her. Anthony had hated to watch her sadness grow with each year that Clint had let pass. And that idea just firmed his resolve to more actively pursue Gia.
He finished his dinner and after rinsing the plate and putting it in the dishwasher, took the bag upstairs to his room. He dumped the contents on the bed and stripped before he changed his mind. He pulled the outfit on. First the loincloth, then the gold metal plates that strapped behind his knees and calves, and finally the cape whose black straps crisscrossed his chest. There was a sharp rap on the door that he recognized as Clint’s, and he reluctantly turned to face the mirror while calling out.
“Come in.” Fuck. He couldn’t do this. He looked ridiculous. He felt ridiculous. Hands on his hips, he faced Ellen who’d ducked in under Clint’s arm. He was wearing the same get-up. She whistled. “There’s no way I’m leaving the house in this.”
Her grin was accompanied by an appreciative gleam in her eyes as she looked him up and down. “Oh, yes you are. You made a deal.”
She leaned back against Clint and her costume finally registered. There was no way Clint was letting her leave the house like that. She’d curled her hair and piled most of it on top of her head, but some fell loose down the back. The look accented her bare neck, the thin straps of the gown over her shoulders, the deep V cut all the way to her waist.
“You ready to go?” she asked.
He snorted. Yeah right.
“As soon as everyone gets dressed.”
But when he met Clint’s gaze, he realized she was serious. “Sorry, man. Neither one of us is winning this one.”
Ellen was still smiling, eyes shining, when she turned and kissed Clint then stepped around him to leave. “Just let me grab my bag. I’ll meet y’all downstairs.”
“I can’t believe you’re letting her leave the house in that,” he said to Clint who’d taken a step towards the door to follow her. He turned around to meet Anthony’s gaze and crossed his arms over his chest.
“You’ve known her almost as long as I have. You gonna tell her no?”
He had a point. The woman was stubborn. And hell, he might look at her as a little sister, but when it came right down to it, she wasn’t his woman. Wasn’t his to watch over anymore either.
“Besides, she’s been looking forward to this for weeks. When was the last time
