"What number did you leave for him to call you back on?"
I glance at my purse. "The burner phone."
Charlie's mouth quirks. "Good."
"So, what now? Should I call my boss? Tell her what's happened?"
Charlie has that blank expression on his face, which I believe means there's a shit-ton going on inside his head.
"You could. What do you predict will happen?"
"She'll tell me to come in. Set up a location to meet."
"And?" I get the feeling Charlie's asking only to force me to think this through, that he's already run every scenario available to me.
"Then, like you said, there could be disciplinary action. And there won't be answers. If I go in now, I'll never find out what happened."
He nods.
I clench my teeth. "I need to find out what happened. What they don't want me to know."
"Then we keep pressing," Charlie says. The fact he used we and not you nearly makes me weep with gratitude. "Sarah and Grady are safe. We investigate the clues we have. You can always call in later. Produce a fake journal and call a truce. It's an option. But not your only option."
I reach out to grab his hand. "Thank you."
Charlie
GRADY'S UP almost as early as I am, padding into the kitchen at the first light of dawn. I'll bet that drives his mom nuts.
"You hungry?" I ask.
He shrugs.
"I'm gonna take that as a yes." I set a box of Golden Grahams on the table with a bowl. "Have some cereal."
He seems to like that and tears open the box. The cereal spills on the table, but I don't say anything, just pour milk into his bowl and drop a spoon into it. "Have at it."
He shovels a bite into his mouth. "Thanks."
Sarah comes out next, but Annabel hits the shower. I get itchy thinking about her being naked with just a thin door between us. Last night, I had to leave the cabin because the desire to open that bedroom door and throw Annabel over my shoulder was too strong.
I shifted and hunted most of the night. I'm just glad I found my way back and was able to change back to human form before morning.
Annabel wanted to hack into the CIA last night, but she was drained from the stress of the day. She's hoping to crack it today.
Sarah stands at the window, looking out. "It's beautiful here."
"Where are you from?" I realize I don't know, just that they received plane tickets to fly to L. A. yesterday.
"Oklahoma."
The bathroom door opens, and Annabel emerges-in a goddamn towel. My entire body flushes with heat, and something wonky happens with my vision. Fuck-is it my wolf trying to come out?
What in the hell does that mean?
"Is it all right to leave the cabin? Could I take Grady out for a hike?"
I shove my hands in my pockets to hide my boner. "Yeah, sure. It's safe here."
"Okay, we'll be back in an hour or so." She turns to Grady, who's already out of his seat at the table, pulling on his shoes. "Ready, bud?"
"I'm ready. You're the one who's taking so long."
She rolls her eyes and pulls on a light jacket, and the two of them leave the cabin.
"Charlie?" Annabel calls from the bedroom.
"Yeah?"
"Can you come in here for a second?"
My hand goes to my pistol even though I don't smell or hear an intruder. Still, there's an oddness to Annabel's tone that has my skin prickling.
Then I nearly fall on my ass.
Because Annabel Gray is stark naked, pulling me into the bedroom. She drops to her knees and unbuckles my belt.
"Fuck," I mutter, drawing in breath to oxygenate my brain because all the blood just rushed south.
"I just wanted to thank you," she purrs as she frees my erection.
My hand tangles in her wet hair. "Oh yeah?" If I were a gentleman, I'd tell her no thanks was necessary, but there's no way in hell I can refuse this gift. Not after I spent the entire night fantasizing about exactly how her crimson lips would look stretched over my cock. She fists the base and sticks out her tongue, rubbing the head over it, just enough to moisten the taut skin.
I groan. "Don't tease," I pant. "Don't fucking tease. I've been hard for you since the second I took the condom off last time."
Her gray gaze lifts to meet mine, and she opens her mouth and engulfs my length.
I'm an asshole because the beast in me roars to the fore. I grab her by the hair to hold her still and thrust deep into her throat.
She gags, but still sucks hard when I pull out.
"Oh God," I groan. "That's so fucking good." I thrust again and again, relishing the heat, the way her tongue glides along the underside of my shaft, the way she hollows her cheeks to pull. "Annabel, it's not fair."
She pops off. "What's not fair?"
"You shouldn't be able to do this to me. It shouldn't be legal, it's too fucking good." I'm babbling like an idiot. It's so unlike me, but I can't seem to stop.
I tighten my grip in her hair and pump fast. My eyes roll back in my head.
Annabel's making little sounds around my cock. Aroused sounds. When she reaches her fingers between her legs, I growl.
She needs me there.
Now.
I pull out and lift her to her feet with unnatural strength. In a flash, she's on her back on the bed, and I yank her thighs until her ass reaches the edge.
She spreads them wide. Beautiful. So, beautiful. Naked and lush and perfect.
Condom. Thoughts barely reach my brain. Somehow I find protection in my wallet and get the prophylactic on. Her pussy's wet. I can tell just by her scent, but I rub the head of my sheathed cock over her entrance. When I find it as juicy as expected, I thrust in.
She cries out, arching her breasts toward the ceiling.