Lion’s Claim (Shifter Chronicles Book 6) Page 4

  “Did you work last night?” he questioned.

  “Yes,” she said. “And she didn’t come in.”

  “What about Calvin Montgomery or Douglas Gordon? Did they come in?”

  He’d hoped to catch her off guard. She tilted her head and the frown returned. “No. I closed up at two and went to bed half an hour later. They didn’t come in while I was on shift.”

  “You live close by?”

  “I live here,” she answered.

  “Here? At the bar?”

  “There’s living quarters in the rear. Yes, I live here in the bar,” she said.

  “And your relationship to Mac?” he asked. It was more of a personal question than professional, but he’d wrap it up in business.

  “How’s that any of your concern? Why are you asking about Cal and Duffy?”

  Logan shook his head. “Everything is part of Coalition business.”

  The change took over immediately. Her bright-green eyes dimmed while she clenched her jaw. “No, it’s not. We’re none of your concern. So why don’t you finish your dinner and move along? Or I could pack it up for you to take with you.”

  She whirled on her heel and stomped toward the bar.

  He’d obviously worn out his welcome. Which was a shame, since it was the best first bite he’d ever had. The flavor of the meat burst on his tongue and he took another bite before he’d even swallowed the first.

  As he shoveled food down his throat, he kept an eye on his surroundings. No one else had entered the bar, but at least one table had cleared out. Mac hadn’t shown back up, but now that Logan knew the place had living quarters, he didn’t expect to see the other man again. He hadn’t spotted Calvin or Douglas, but he needed to return to his office and regroup before he came back and asked about them.

  Logan had the feeling that he’d stumbled onto something more than just a missing woman. There was no scent or sign of a fox shifter, so if they did have her, they weren’t holding her at the bar. He’d drive by the tattoo shop and the other locations Mac owned before heading out of town.

  He took a long drink of his beer, eyeing Annabelle. Whether or not they wanted him to, Logan would be returning soon.

  Annabelle held it together until the Coalition agent left the bar. She went to the window and watched as he climbed into a dark-blue Dodge truck and drove away. Out of habit, she memorized his license plate number.

  Once the agent—Logan, he’d said his name was—had pulled out of the parking lot, she spun on her heel and stalked toward Mac’s room. Kelly started to stay something as Annabelle strode through the kitchen, but she held up a hand to stop her.

  She passed by the other closed doors until she reached Mac’s. Annabelle burst into the room.

  Mac glanced up from the book he’d been reading on his bed. “Is he gone?”

  “A Coalition agent?” she shrieked. “What are we going to do?”

  “Relax.” Mac tossed his book to the end of the bed. “He doesn’t know anything.”

  “He asked questions!”

  “Hey! Come here.” Mac caught her hand and drew her down next to him.

  “They might find her,” Annabelle said. This was all getting messed up. They’d always guaranteed safety and protection. They had never failed.

  Mac had worked all night to find a place for Samantha and in planning for Calvin and Duffy to get back on the road.

  Samantha had been extremely thankful as Calvin and Duffy had loaded up one of the SUVs to drive her to Missouri. She’d never been away from the west coast. The area that Samantha would be settled in had beautiful green fields in the summer and got snow in the winter. The farmhouse where she would live needed some fixing up, but she’d even been excited about that. Annabelle wanted Samantha to raise her baby in that wonderful environment.

  “What if he knows I lied?” she asked.

  They’d never had this kind of trouble before. Sure, the cops had sniffed around and asked questions, but never had the Coalition gotten involved.

  “It’s going to be okay,” Mac assured her, rubbing her back as she leaned against him. “Have I ever let anyone hurt you?”

  “It’s not me I’m worried about,” she told him.

  “You really connected with Samantha, didn’t you?”

  “Yes,” she admitted. “She’s already lost one baby, but she’s determined to give the one she’s carrying a great life. When I spoke to her this morning, she really believed she was getting a fresh start. I don’t want the Coalition to take that away from her.”

  “They won’t,” Mac said. “This agent is here because of Samantha’s ex. He’s a sheriff and using his authority to try and intimidate us. He could have come after us, but instead he’s using the Coalition.”

  “Do you think it’s over?” Please, please let us not have to worry about the Coalition.

  “No, honey,” Mac said. “But I don’t think this agent even knows what he’s searching for. He thinks that we took Samantha against her will. We’ll let him poke around and he won’t find anything.”

  “What about Cal and Duffy?” she asked.

  They were her brothers and if they were going to get in trouble, she had to do something to help them.

  “They’ll be fine,” Mac said. “There’s no proof that they did anything other than give her a ride. There’s no evidence.”

  She nodded. This wasn’t the first time they’d had to go up against opposition, but normally it was the abusive spouse, the human hunter or someone like that. She was scared of the Coalition. They had the resources to stop Mac’s underground network.

  “Do you want to talk about the other thing bothering you?”

  She stiffened. Annabelle wasn’t going to deny what she was trying to push down.

  “Look at me,” he urged, gently grasping her chin and lifting her face.

  “I’m so sorry!”

  “You have nothing to apologize for,” he said.

  She shook her head. “I was attracted to him.” Annabelle whispered the confession even though no one else was close enough to hear. Her face heated and she lowered her head in shame.

  Mac chuckled. “There’s nothing wrong with that.”

  “Sure,” she said and snorted in disbelief.

  “He’s a very good-looking man. Dominant and confident. Just the way you like them.”

  Annabelle frowned. “A little too clean-cut.”

  “Really?” Mac teased. “Because the way your heartbeat quickened, I—”

  “Okay.” She held up her hand. “I don’t want to talk about it.”

  “I think we should, though.”

  “Why?” She didn’t understand why Mac was pressing her. “It’s not like I’d actually get involved with a Coalition agent. That goes against everything we do.”

  “Does it?”

  He sounded so serious that she had to glance up at him. Why was he confusing the issue?

  “If he found out what we do here…” She shuddered just thinking about the implications.

  Mac had spent his entire life protecting those who needed it.

  “You’re going to have to open up to someone at some time. Your reaction to this Agent Coldwell was the most intense and instant I’ve seen from you. That’s not something you can just dismiss.”

  “You’re reading too much into a few minutes with a stranger,” Annabelle accused. Her words sounded false even to her own ears, but she had to ignore that. “And I’ve been attracted to plenty of men before.”

  “No,” Mac said. “You hook up with guys who you consider safe. Ones who’ll be gone in a few weeks. I don’t think you’ve ever felt any real connection with any of them.”

  “Ugh,” she muttered. “You make me sound like a slut.”

  Mac laughed. “Since we both know you’ve slept with less than a handful of men, that’s not true. And I’m not even talking about sex. I’m talking about a connection.”

  “You’re talking nonsense,” she told him. Annabelle stood before staring
down at him. “But you did take away my worry, so I’ll let you get away with it this time.”

  “Where you going?” Mac rose as well.

  “To protect my family.”

  He caught her hand when she turned around. “How?”

  Annabelle smiled at the concern in his voice. “I’m going to learn everything I can about the enemy.”

  Mac grinned, probably since he’d taught her that. “Okay.”

  She kissed his cheek and headed for the door, which still stood open.

  “I’ll watch the bar,” Mac said.

  “I’m sure Kelly is keeping an eye out,” she said. “She saw me headed back here.”

  “Go downstairs,” Mac ordered. “I know you’re dying to get started.”

  She really was. Now that she had a plan, Annabelle might forget all about her damn attraction to the Coalition agent and ensure Samantha’s safety. “Thanks.”

  As she jogged down the hall toward the hidden door, she heard Mac’s laughter. It didn’t matter, though. She wasn’t going to sit idly while a threat loomed against them. Too much work had gone into the underground network they’d set up.

  While disengaging the locks to the hidden area, she thought of all the shifters who’d come through here. At fourteen, she hadn’t actually understood, but as she’d grown up, Mac had involved her more and more in the group. She was now his number two and he didn’t keep secrets from her. She gave him the same respect. He was the father that she’d never had and the guardian she’d needed. Mac had cared about what happened to her. Had taught her, Duffy and all the others that they could make a difference. That it was okay to lean on one another.

  That hadn’t been easy for Annabelle. While she’d connected with the seven-year-old Duffy, she’d been wary of the rest. Mac had stayed just close enough to offer support, but at the same time, giving her plenty of space. It was a balance that Annabelle still hadn’t managed. Slowly, the others who’d hung around the edges had become the family that she now had.

  She needed to get control and this was a way she would be able to do that.

  Once through the security door, Annabelle strode toward Carter. He was working on a laptop, the piece of equipment in several parts. She glanced at the pink top.

  “Is that mine?”

  Carter jumped before looking at her with a guilty face. “I’m fixing it.”

  She knew her mouth hung open, but shit. “It wasn’t broken.”

  “I’m making it better.” He sniffed and pushed his black-rimmed glasses up his nose.

  She growled, snatching a pen and notepad off the desk. “I need you to do something for me.”

  Carter perked up. “Cool. What is it?”

  Annabelle wrote down Logan’s name and license plate number. “I need everything, and I mean everything, on this guy.” She tore off the piece of paper and handed it to him.

  “Okay.” He took it from her then turned to his own computer. He typed fast. She could barely keep up with the movement as his fingers flew over the keyboard.

  She knew better to rush him, although it was killing her to pace the room behind him. If she spoke to Carter, he’d snap at her, so she chewed on her lip instead.

  “Fuck!”

  Carter’s curse had her leaping to his side. “What?”

  “A Coalition agent?”

  “Yes,” she said. “He was at the bar earlier asking questions and we need to know everything there is to find.”

  “Are you sure?” Carter asked, cracking his knuckles. It was a nervous tic and she gripped his shoulder.

  “You don’t have to,” she said. “I don’t want you getting into trouble.”

  “It’s not like I’ll get caught,” Carter told her. “I just haven’t ever tried getting information on a Coalition agent. The FBI, CIA and local cops, yes, but never the Coalition.”

  “Maybe this is a bad idea,” she murmured. Annabelle didn’t like the doubt that formed and grew. Even if Logan was coming for them, that didn’t mean she should let Carter get into trouble.

  Carter snorted. “Too late. I’m doing this.”

  “Are you sure?” She sat on the edge of the desk.

  “He was here? In our home?”

  Annabelle nodded.

  “Then I’ll get the Intel you want. I just need one thing.”

  “Sure. What?”

  “Leave,” he ordered.

  “I’m sorry?” She couldn’t have heard him right.

  “This is going to be some delicate hacking. I don’t need you hovering over my shoulder.”

  “I don’t hover,” she defended.

  “You do. All of you do,” Carter said. “Go order me something to eat and bring it to me when it’s ready. That should keep you out of my hair for a while.”

  “You’re getting bossy,” she complained.

  “Food!” he demanded with a grin.

  “Fine.” She bussed a kiss on his cheek before walking toward the door. “But you better watch it. Anyone else might take a bite out of you.”

  “Yeah.” Carter waved a hand but he’d already bent over his keyboard.

  She knew she’d lost him. Nothing that was said would penetrate through Carter’s busy brain. He’d gone into work mode.

  Annabelle climbed the stairs then let herself out of the security door. Once the barrier closed behind her back, she stilled, listening to make sure that everything was still okay on the main floor.

  She heard Kelly humming in the kitchen. Annabelle headed for her friend so she could get Carter’s food ordered. She didn’t think that Kelly was cooking, instead leaving the job to the full-time employee, Micah. But if the owl shifter knew it was Carter wanting to eat, she’d probably demand to make it.

  “Hey,” Annabelle said, entering the kitchen. Just as she suspected. Kelly sat on a bar stool as Micah flipped burgers on the grill.

  “Are you okay?” Kelly asked as Annabelle stopped beside her. “Mac told me about the agent.”

  “Yeah,” Samantha said. “I put Carter on it. He sent me down here for food.”

  Her friend jumped off the stool. “I have a new vegetarian recipe I’ve wanted to try. You can help chop.”

  “Oh, I was going to…” She waved toward the bar.

  “Nope,” Kelly said, pushing her in the direction of the sink. “Wash your hands. Mac said he’d take care of the front of the house and I’m guessing Carter kicked you out of the basement, so you get to help me.”

  Annabelle grumbled but complied before taking a seat on a stool and accepting the cutting board and knife Kelly handed her. While she managed to warm up food and actually made pretty good eggs, she tried to stay out of the kitchen as much as possible.

  She didn’t want to help right then either, but she also didn’t have much of a choice. Everyone else was busy and she needed to keep her mind occupied so she didn’t start thinking about the sexy agent from earlier.

  There was only so much she could do until Carter got her the Intel she needed.

  Chapter Three

  Logan hunched over his laptop with a headache pulsing behind his eyes. After leaving the bar the night before he’d driven around the town of Brookside, familiarizing himself with the area.

  There’d been few residents on the streets, but the ones he’d seen had looked at him suspiciously. Logan didn’t know what was going on, but now he knew he had to get answers.

  Before bed, he’d programmed several searches to run. Now, as he sipped his first cup of coffee, he scrolled through the results. He ignored the files that he should be reading for the attachment he needed to see.

  Toward the bottom he finally saw it. Annabelle Sanchez.

  He stared at the name.

  His dreams had been filled with her beautiful face. The way she’d looked him up and down with interest. He’d wanted to lay claim to her right then and there. The animal part of him had been at the surface, stretching and yowling to get close to her. The faint scent of her cat had only teased his senses as well. Logan had
no idea what species she was, and that was very interesting. Part of his extra training was to recognize the numerous types of felines.

  If he opened the attachment, he might just find out all Annabelle’s secrets. So why did he hesitate? He wanted to know more about her, but…this felt like cheating. Logan scoffed at himself. This was ridiculous. He wasn’t even going to discover everything he needed to know about Annabelle. The Coalition didn’t keep Intel on every shifter, but they did have access to all government databases as well as connecting family and community ties. Logan had to be careful with what he used during his legal documenting of cases, because he had access to far greater resources than any of his fellow agents knew about.

  He shook his head to dislodge the thoughts about the other work he’d done. There were reasons he hadn’t visited Arizona, and the secrets he had to keep made him feel even further away from his other agents. He couldn’t think about all that, though. It had been months since he’d received a call to do dirty work, but the call was always right around the corner. He’d done things in his life that left him with an overwhelming feeling of disgust. No matter how many shifters he tried to save, he’d never get his soul cleaned. Logan was tarnished, dirty, and would never be worthy of the love he saw others share.

  No, his past remained shadowed and he couldn’t claim to have changed his ways, since he didn’t know what the future contained. There was so much more that Logan might possibly be called on to do.

  The ringing of his cell drew him out of his musing.

  Logan picked up his phone and saw it was Jamie calling. He hadn’t been expecting to talk to the other shifter so soon. Something must have happened.

  “Hello.”

  “Logan,” Jamie said. “I hope I’m not interrupting anything?”

  “No, I was just going through some searches I started last night.”

  “The case I gave you?”

  “Yeah,” Logan said. “I went to the bar and nosed around. The town is something I haven’t seen before.”

  “That’s why I’m calling,” Jamie said. “One of the other team leaders had some information on it. Zak did some undercover work around that area a few years ago.”