On the Prowl (16 page)

She admitted to herself that she was miserable, hated that the two of them had fought. Hated sleeping without him pressed up against her. Her days weren’t as bright. Her smile felt brittle, as if the facade she’d perfected was crumbling. Even Sapa was irritated. Her spirit guide came when called, but the warmth that usually flowed through the bond had noticeably cooled. The great huntress sulked behind Delaine’s eyes with drooping ears and her grey cat eyes full of sadness.

Perhaps she had behaved foolishly? After all, she’d had no intention of telling Justin she worked for Aegis. So why was she upset that he hadn’t confided that he was D.E.A.? Her boss was even willing to take heat since Aegis actually dropped the ball. While uncommon, it wasn’t unheard of for intelligence to miss a few key details. It was a huge blunder but nothing that couldn’t be fixed. And since they were on the same side, was there really anything to be upset about? Sapa stirred restlessly.

*
Suta Winyan, you are being unfair. If you would but think instead of react you would discover your true feelings.
*

She thought on Sapa’s words and felt somewhat silly. Cutting Justin off cold like that, she’d cut off her nose to spite her face.

*
You are sabotaging our chance for a worthy mate. You are running away
.*

‘Oh, hush already.’ Delaine scowled into the recesses of her mind, knowing the black lioness was right. But she didn’t want to talk to the big cat about her catapulting emotions. She wanted to talk to a flesh and blood woman. She called Geri.

“Delaine, why are you being such a brick head? Justin is a really good guy. I called Spencer directly to check it out. He told me that as soon as Justin learned from his partner that your cover was blown, he sought permission to cover your ass. He didn’t have to do that, you know.”

Damn, it had been easier when she thought he was a bastard. Then she could have at least felt less foolish for flipping out on him.

“So who compromised me, Geri?”

“We think it was your tail in R&D. Your paperwork went through Purchasing instead of Human Resources. Some idiot put a code on the requisition used only for the FDA or other law enforcement agencies. Sarah Ann had been dating the main procurement officer in Purchasing. Spencer thinks she saw the code and alerted Baker.”

“That would explain why she’s been on me since day one.”

“Yep, and Justin could have let you crash and burn and continued with his own investigation. It would have been perfectly ethical.”

“Thanks, Geri. Gotta run,” Delaine said calmly while her guilt ate her alive.

“Hold on a minute. Spencer and I want you two to close this case out together. We think it’s safer.”

“But the case is blown,” Delaine said firmly, hating the words as she spoke them. She’d never failed an assignment in her five years at Aegis, or all her eighteen years undercover.

“The case isn’t blown. Baker is not aware of Justin’s involvement at all. You just continue to paint yourself as the agent who doesn’t know she’s been exposed and use it to urge Baker to act. To do something stupid.”

“Done. I’ll contact Justin and talk to you later.”

Delaine hung up and dialed Justin’s cell phone. It was three in the morning and wasn’t surprised when she got his voice mail. She left a message for him to meet her for breakfast after she got a few hours sleep. Then she hung up and called his home phone just in case.

Big mistake.

* * * * *

“Hu-woe?” a female voice drawled on the other end of the line.

“Hello? Who is this? Pam?”

“Yeah, wha’is it?”

“What do you mean, what is it? What are you doing at Justin’s house? And at three in the morning?”

“I’m sthpending the night,” Pam slurred and almost dropped the phone from her boneless fingers.

“What!”

“I sorry, girl. I just couldn’t help m’self. Don’t be mad, ’kay?”

“Don’t be mad? You’re sleeping with my man and you’re telling me don’t be mad?”

“Your man? I thought you din’t wan him an-more, Del. I mean, you kicked him to da curb, so finers, keepers, girl,” she slurred. Pam hung up and smiled when the phone didn’t ring again.

Justin appeared in the doorway of his bedroom in a pair of comfy terry sweats. He padded across the living room in bare feet, a towel around his neck to catch the water dripping from his hair. His blue eyes darkened and flashed his annoyance with his unexpected houseguest.

“Who was that on the phone, Pam?” he asked impatiently.

Pam looked up from her temporary bed on the couch and yawned widely. “Naa sure,” she lied, her words running together almost incoherently. “I heeerd dit ringed, but I dinn’t cath it afore dey hanged up.”

“Good, because you don’t have any business answering my phone. I’m done in the shower. If you want to take one, hurry up. I just picked up a message on my cell to meet Delaine for breakfast first thing in the morning, so I want to get to bed.”

“Thure thing, han-some,” she smiled cattily as she rose on unsteady, rubber band legs.

Justin wrinkled his nose when she let all the blankets fall to the floor to reveal her slim, naked flesh. She had a nice enough body, but he’d never been less interested in a woman as he was tonight. The smell of alcohol permeated her pores, disgusting him as she shimmied up to him and ran her hands across his bare chest.

“I—uh, I really ’preciate you lettin’ me crash here, Jus. If there’s a way I can, uh, repay you, I’m more sthan game.”

He shivered, but not from lust. It was a good thing he’d eaten dinner hours ago. Her touch made him want to blow chunks. And this was supposed to be Delaine’s good friend? He removed her hands from his chest and spoke through gritted teeth.

“Look, bitch, hit the couch or hit the road. You have ten minutes to get your ass to bed or get out of here. I belong to Delaine, heart and soul.”

“Bud you two hadda fight. She duzznt want you.”

“It doesn’t matter. I want her. And it’s a good thing I don’t hit women, or I’d beat your ass for betraying her like this.”

He turned on a bare heel, stalked into his room and slammed the door shut.

Chapter Twelve

Delaine took the long way to the restaurant then drove on by. She just couldn’t face Justin today. She’d left a message asking him to meet her here, but after that conversation with Pam there really wasn’t anything else to say. He’d obviously moved on. If Justin wanted Pam, fine, he could have her. But what started raggedy would end up raggedy. And those two raggedy mogillas deserved each other.

Her heart was in a million pieces, but she refused to feel the hurt anymore. Instead, she focused on her anger and let it consume her until she shook with rage. Bastard! And Pam? She couldn’t believe Pam would steal her man like that. She’d sat up in that girl’s chair at the salon and told her all of her and Justin’s business, so it’s not like the woman didn’t know Delaine was serious about him. For someone she’d known since their children were in preschool to stab her in the back like this was beyond painful. Oh lord, what was she going to do?

*
Suta, you are not using wisdom. This man is not like the puny Gary person.
*

‘But he slept with my best friend, Sapa! Hell, at least Gary slept with someone I didn’t know.’ She slammed her hand down on the steering wheel then looked down, expecting to see blood on her shirt from her breaking heart.

*
Your reasoning abilities are unsurpassed. Use them now. All is not as it appears, Suta. Trust me.
*

‘I do trust you, Sapa. I just don’t trust anyone else,’ she replied sadly as a lone tear made its way down her cheek.

Fifteen minutes after she was supposed to meet him, his cell phone number popped up on the caller id. She pressed the ignore button, turned the phone off and threw it in the passenger seat. Heartsick but determined not to cry over a man ever again, she dashed the tears away and instead did something she hadn’t done in all the years she’d worked with Aegis. She called in sick.

She flew home, stuffed a weekend bag with clothes, books and nothing related to work, jumped back in her Jag and headed for Nantahala Gorge. A nice quiet cabin in the Blue Ridge Mountains was just what she needed.

* * * * *

Justin hadn’t called Delaine since she’d gone mental on him at finding out he was D.E.A. But it was only to give her time to cool off. He’d been totally surprised to get her message asking him to meet her for breakfast.

He’d dialed her cell several times, but it just rang and rang. Now it was going straight to voice mail. This didn’t make any sense. The woman had called him and left a message saying she wanted to see him then didn’t show up? He drove over to her house and rang the bell. At first he thought she just wasn’t answering the door, but after walking all the way around the house, noting the closed blinds on every window, he peeked through the small glass on the door that led into the garage from the side of the house. Her car was gone. Damn, she wasn’t home.

His shoulders tensed and he felt the beginnings of a nasty headache creep up the back of his neck. Flipping open his cell, he dialed her again. Where the hell was his damned woman? Had something happened that made it impossible for her to meet him? What if she’d run into trouble related to her case? What if she was casing Astin and got caught? And why the hell wasn’t she answering her phone?!

He drove toward home, his chest tight with one part anger for the way she’d arbitrarily dismissed him and one part worry at not knowing if she was all right. It wasn’t unheard of for someone to die in their particular line of work. Tired of leaving the stubborn woman messages, he finally called Derrick.

“Hey, Derrick. What’s up?”

“The usual. Chasing bad guys and doing favors for you.”

“Then everything is normal, isn’t it?” Justin said glibly.

“What the hell’s wrong with you, Jus?” Derrick asked with a bit of a grin in his voice.

“I need to know where Delaine is. She’s not answering her cell phone, she’s not at home and I haven’t seen her since we fell out a few days ago. She called me in the middle of the night and asked me to meet her for breakfast then she didn’t show up. She’s got the goods on Baker. I need to know she’s safe.”

“And what if she’s safe but avoiding you?”

Justin took a deep breath and his head conjured an image of Derrick, his mouth drawn tight with disapproval. The man had a way of making him feel like the little brother right after the big brother said, “I’m gonna tell dad on you”. He steeled himself and got ready for the I-told-you-so. “Delaine found out I was D.E.A. And not from me.”

“Man, didn’t I tell you to talk to her? I told you sistahs don’t play that junk,” Derrick said, managing to sound stern and sorry for Justin at the same time.

But there wasn’t anything he could do about it now, except try to patch things up with the woman he knew he had to be with at all costs. Whatever it took. He wasn’t even shocked anymore at how strong his feelings were for Delaine. He knew he had to find her.

“Look, Derrick, you were right, okay. But right now, I need to know my woman is all right.”

“Let me work on it. I’ll call you back in half an hour.”

“Thanks, man.”

“No problem. By the way, Spencer spoke to her boss, which is probably why she called last night. You two are supposed to close this case out together. If you can get her to speak to you ever again, that is.”

* * * * *

Delaine sat on the back porch of her little cabin and meditated. It was so peaceful and quiet here. No TV. No phone. Not even a decent cell phone signal. Only the rushing of the Nantahala River through the sheer cliffs of the gorge in the distance, and a light wind whispering through the thick towering trees. She’d never seen so many huge trees in her life. They were bare, preparing for the coming winter, but it was still beautiful up here. She shivered, wrapping the extra blankets she’d found in one of the closets more closely around her body.

‘What possessed me to literally run for the hills with the thick of winter approaching?’ she asked herself.

*
Stop running, Suta. Embrace our mate. He comes
.*

‘Yeah, whatever,’ Delaine words were flat and uncaring, and in truth, she hadn’t really been listening to what Sapa was saying to her along the bond.