things. It wasn’t about acceptance and most certainly not
about love.
Love? The word stopped her in her tracks. Yes, she was
attracted to him and she liked him. She even respected him. But did she
actually love him? Her head spun at the sudden shift in thoughts.
“I know this is a lot to take in.” She wasn’t entirely sure
if she said the words for him or if they were directed toward herself.
“Don’t start with the pacifying tone, Izzy. I’m not five. I
just need to think. I need time.”
It was exactly what she needed as well. But as they turned
down another road she could see the neon lights spelling out Toxic in
front of them. “We don’t have time, Jacob. Either we do this or we turn around
now.”
He grimaced as he stopped the car in front of the club.
“Let’s say I believe you. That there are some people who can use magic. Does
Alexander, I mean, can he…”
“Use magic? Yes. He’s a shifter too but he’s not as strong
as I am.”
“I guess that’s better than the fire or the disappearing
one. Still, it might be hard to arrest someone who can change the way he
looks.”
“He doesn’t usually shift. He isn’t strong enough to hold
it.”
“Hold it?”
“Shifting takes a lot of mental discipline. Alex fatigues
easily, especially when he’s been partying. And he’s always partying.”
“Okay.” He shook his head suddenly. “Jesus! What am I
saying? There’s nothing okay about this.”
It was barely loud enough for her to hear, but she knew what
it meant. He was starting to lose it. “Let’s just get through this. Tomorrow
you can convince yourself it was all a trick of some sort and go on with your
life.”
He sighed heavily before looking at her again. “Do you have
a plan?”
“Not really. I thought that was your department.”
“It is and I had a plan. But that was when everything made
sense.”
“Well, if it helps, I think I can get him alone. That way
even if he does shift, he’ll be back to himself by the time everyone else sees
him.”
“How would you get him alone?”
“When we used to do business, the deals were always made in
private. So if I told him I was there to buy…”
“He might be willing to go back to that arrangement. That
would help. But what about when he sobers up?”
“By then your captain will have handed him over to someone
able to deal with a little shifting.”
“He knows?”
“He busted me, didn’t he?” Not wanting to think back to
those days or to those nightmares, she turned away from him to open the door.
But he stopped her before she could leave the conversation behind.
“It was rough, wasn’t it?”
If she didn’t know better, she would have sworn his voice
sounded almost compassionate. “It wasn’t a vacation.” A shudder passed through
her and her tongue sought out her teeth of its own accord. “But it’s in the
past now.”
Before he could press any harder, she stepped out of the car
and walked toward the entrance of the club. Thankfully Jacob joined her before
she reached it. As they walked up to the bouncer, Jacob wrapped his arm around
her waist. She suspected it was either out of habit or for the bust, but she
didn’t care. She still leaned into him. She was determined to allow herself the
comfort of his nearness for as long as possible.
The line was longer at Toxic but that didn’t matter. Nor was
she concerned about the unfamiliar bouncer. She had an appointment with Alex
and that got her to the front of the line. “I’m here to see Alex. He’s
expecting me.”
He studied her carefully and then looked down at the
clipboard in his massive hands. “Name?”
“Isabella Rathe.”
He looked up at her with a startled expression. “Ms. Rathe,
I’m so sorry to have detained you.” He moved out of her way so suddenly he
nearly ran into a group of young sorority types waiting in line. “Your
brother’s in the VIP lounge.”
“Half brother,” she corrected under her breath.
The club was loud
about love.
Love? The word stopped her in her tracks. Yes, she was
attracted to him and she liked him. She even respected him. But did she
actually love him? Her head spun at the sudden shift in thoughts.
“I know this is a lot to take in.” She wasn’t entirely sure
if she said the words for him or if they were directed toward herself.
“Don’t start with the pacifying tone, Izzy. I’m not five. I
just need to think. I need time.”
It was exactly what she needed as well. But as they turned
down another road she could see the neon lights spelling out Toxic in
front of them. “We don’t have time, Jacob. Either we do this or we turn around
now.”
He grimaced as he stopped the car in front of the club.
“Let’s say I believe you. That there are some people who can use magic. Does
Alexander, I mean, can he…”
“Use magic? Yes. He’s a shifter too but he’s not as strong
as I am.”
“I guess that’s better than the fire or the disappearing
one. Still, it might be hard to arrest someone who can change the way he
looks.”
“He doesn’t usually shift. He isn’t strong enough to hold
it.”
“Hold it?”
“Shifting takes a lot of mental discipline. Alex fatigues
easily, especially when he’s been partying. And he’s always partying.”
“Okay.” He shook his head suddenly. “Jesus! What am I
saying? There’s nothing okay about this.”
It was barely loud enough for her to hear, but she knew what
it meant. He was starting to lose it. “Let’s just get through this. Tomorrow
you can convince yourself it was all a trick of some sort and go on with your
life.”
He sighed heavily before looking at her again. “Do you have
a plan?”
“Not really. I thought that was your department.”
“It is and I had a plan. But that was when everything made
sense.”
“Well, if it helps, I think I can get him alone. That way
even if he does shift, he’ll be back to himself by the time everyone else sees
him.”
“How would you get him alone?”
“When we used to do business, the deals were always made in
private. So if I told him I was there to buy…”
“He might be willing to go back to that arrangement. That
would help. But what about when he sobers up?”
“By then your captain will have handed him over to someone
able to deal with a little shifting.”
“He knows?”
“He busted me, didn’t he?” Not wanting to think back to
those days or to those nightmares, she turned away from him to open the door.
But he stopped her before she could leave the conversation behind.
“It was rough, wasn’t it?”
If she didn’t know better, she would have sworn his voice
sounded almost compassionate. “It wasn’t a vacation.” A shudder passed through
her and her tongue sought out her teeth of its own accord. “But it’s in the
past now.”
Before he could press any harder, she stepped out of the car
and walked toward the entrance of the club. Thankfully Jacob joined her before
she reached it. As they walked up to the bouncer, Jacob wrapped his arm around
her waist. She suspected it was either out of habit or for the bust, but she
didn’t care. She still leaned into him. She was determined to allow herself the
comfort of his nearness for as long as possible.
The line was longer at Toxic but that didn’t matter. Nor was
she concerned about the unfamiliar bouncer. She had an appointment with Alex
and that got her to the front of the line. “I’m here to see Alex. He’s
expecting me.”
He studied her carefully and then looked down at the
clipboard in his massive hands. “Name?”
“Isabella Rathe.”
He looked up at her with a startled expression. “Ms. Rathe,
I’m so sorry to have detained you.” He moved out of her way so suddenly he
nearly ran into a group of young sorority types waiting in line. “Your
brother’s in the VIP lounge.”
“Half brother,” she corrected under her breath.
The club was loud
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