One Second (Seven Series Book 7) (14 page)

Prince draped a thin chenille throw over the man’s legs to cover his nudity.

Austin shot him a frosty glare. “Lexi’s gonna kill you. She loves that blanket.”

He leaned against the edge of the sofa. “I believe you can wash them.”

“Yeah, like I’m going to let her rub her face all over a blanket that touched another man’s balls.”

A knock sounded at the door, and Austin looked up.

Church entered the room, his shirt in hand and one of the laces on his boots untied. His cheeks and chest were flushed beneath his golden complexion. “The Vampire’s here,” he said, out of breath.

“Did you catch the other wolf?” Austin asked.

Church’s jaw set. “The varmint wanted a chase all the way to Dallas. I had to make a choice of letting him lead me into a trap or returning to help.” He gestured toward the rogue on the floor. “I’m sure he was heading back to his unit, and they’d love nothing more than capturing an alpha.”

Austin rubbed his bristly jaw against his shoulder, deep in thought. “Good point.”

“Did you invite him in?” Prince asked, pushing away from the couch and nearing the door.

Church briskly crossed the room and pulled his stretchy black shirt over his head. “He invited himself.”

A man appeared in the doorway, one Austin was certain he’d seen before in Lexi’s shop.

Prince invited him in and then closed the door. “Gentlemen, this is Atticus Rain. Thanks for coming on short notice.”

The Vampire had a friendly face—nothing memorable about his appearance other than his liquid-black eyes, which stood out against short hair that looked bleached to an almost silver shade, like Billy Idol but without all the spikes. Maybe it was his aquiline nose or rigid stance, but something gave Austin the feeling he was from old money. Atticus unbuttoned his long black coat while looking down at the gaunt man on the floor, who glared up at him with spiteful eyes.

Atticus smiled, his fangs punching out. “This shouldn’t take long.”

“I’ve never seen anyone put away so many nachos,” Denver remarked with a hint of admiration.

I patted my belly from the backseat of his Jaguar. “They never give you enough in those paper boxes. I’m eating for two now.”

Maizy peered back at me with a wry grin. “But you ordered for five.”

I shrugged. “Would have been better with some chili and hot sauce on top.”

Denver lifted his visor and squinted at the house up ahead. “Do you think Austin’s done with his Grand Poobah meeting with the Packmasters?”

“I don’t know,” I replied. “But in case he’s not, I think everyone needs to head upstairs to the game room. He’ll get pissed if we’re making too much noise and he’s still in a meeting with them.”

“What do you think, Peanut? A game of pool or a game of Denny?”

“Pool. It lasts longer.”

He chuckled. “But I have a longer stick.”

When she slapped his shoulder with the back of her hand, he snatched her wrist and kissed it adoringly.

“I vote for you two making some babies,” I said with a snort. “Then we’ll have cousins the same age.”

Denver waggled his brows at Maizy.

I teased my little sis because I knew she was holding off on kids for a little while. She wanted to get her feet wet with her reporting career before starting a family. Both she and Denver were young, so they had hundreds of years ahead of them to procreate. Maybe a few decades would help Denver in the maturity department.

As soon as everyone parked their cars, we got out and headed toward the house. Most of us were moving at a snail’s pace, exhausted from all the running up and down the ramps in the laser tag room.

“Whose bike is that?” Denver asked.

I glanced at the black motorcycle and shrugged. “Probably another Packmaster.”

Lennon and Hendrix raced each other until Wheeler caught the back of Hendrix’s shirt and swung him around playfully. Hendrix laughed, his eyes vanishing into slivers when his ruddy cheeks pushed up from his exaggerated smile. Wheeler disapproved when the boys competed against each other, so he usually stopped it, never picking on one boy over the other. Since they were both alphas, it was important not to show favoritism. When he released his hold, Hendrix took a slow stroll toward the house.

Naya snuck up behind Wheeler and ran her hands up the back of his shirt. Wheeler went rigid and gave her a provocative wink over his shoulder. Meanwhile, Reno and April held hands for a brief moment before he tucked her against his side.

Suddenly I was feeling like the extra wheel on the love train. Maybe I should have stayed home with Izzy since she hadn’t wanted to go without Jericho.

A gentle rain created a sound like distant applause. Trevor removed his shoes at the door and set them inside. He stripped off his necklace and belt before shifting into his wolf. Austin had two wolves on guard most of the time but had told us he didn’t want anyone on the property for several hours, which I found odd.

Reno’s wolf trotted outside, and I brushed my hand along his thick coat as he moved by me. He greeted Trevor for a moment before they branched in opposite directions, Reno toward the private road ahead and Trevor toward the field of high grass.

I picked their clothes up off the floor and folded them over a chair. My mom had gone to a meeting and would be late for dinner, but she liked the house tidy.

“Did you have a good time?” William asked Melody while hanging his keys on the nail above the letter
W
. He kicked off his shoes and ruffled his curly hair.

She unraveled the multicolored scarf from her neck and tossed it on a chair. “I demand a new system. The same people always win.”

He smirked. “Indeed.”

“I’m serious! Everyone always couples up, and that means I get stuck with you.”

He frowned dramatically, and Melody suppressed a giggle.

“You can’t play laser tag to save your life, Uncle Will. Next time, I want to team up with Uncle Reno. Or even Grandma.”

Katharine hung up her coat and sat down in the living room. “If you want to practice with the bow, I’ll take you out in a little while.”

Melody collapsed on the sofa, one foot on the floor. “I’m pooped. I’ve never had to run back to recharge so much in my life. Uncle Will was even shooting at
me
.”

He scratched the scruff on his jaw. “All I saw were blinking vests. Say, anyone want cocoa with marshmallows?”

I rapped my knuckles on the wall. “Can I have everyone’s attention? I need to make sure Austin’s meeting is over before we start rattling pans and blasting the TV, so I want everyone to head upstairs.”

“No problem, darling.” Naya patted my arm and then slinked up the steps. “I’ll get a game of cards ready. Girls only.”

“And why’s that?” Wheeler asked, leaning against the banister and wielding a judgmental look.

“Because somehow you men always invent a game that involves clothing removal.”

He winked. “That’s the only game where I don’t let you win.”

“
Let
me? You’re getting less funny.” She strutted the rest of the way up the stairs, and Wheeler leaned over the banister to admire her round bottom and curvaceous hips.

While everyone hung their coats and exhaustedly climbed the stairs, I poked my head into the kitchen and told William to do the same. He slept in a humble room in a hall behind the kitchen, and it happened to be a few doors down from Austin’s office. He complied and left the room while I tiptoed down the hall and gently knocked on Austin’s door.

When no one answered, I knocked again, this time pressing my ear against the wood. “Austin?”

The hinge creaked when I opened the door to the empty room.

Huh
.

His Challenger was still out front, and neither of the two Packmasters had brought their own vehicle, which meant they
had
to still be here. I tapped my fingers against the doorjamb, wondering if they’d gone for a romp in the woods. When I returned to the living room, I heard the faint sound of chatter upstairs and pool balls cracking, so they weren’t up there either.

Which left me with only one conclusion. I headed toward the spare room behind the television in the living room—the one that connected to the heat house.

Much to my surprise, someone had locked the door from the inside. It was locked when one of us stayed in the heat house—that way if the kids were goofing off, they wouldn’t accidentally head down there when a couple might be in the throes of passion. We normally kept the key above the door for the mate when he wanted to pay a visit.

I stood on my tiptoes and ran my hand over the top of the doorframe. “Why did you take the key?” I whispered.

“Looking for something?”

I whirled around, clutching my heart.

Wheeler folded his arms, a smug grin on his face. He ambled forward and lowered his bearded chin, giving me a pensive stare.

“Don’t look at me like that.”

“You’re the nosiest woman I’ve ever met. Maybe they need privacy.”

“In the heat house?”

Wheeler snorted and leaned against the wall. “Why not? Three attractive men… alone…”

I pushed at his chest. “Cut it out. You can either go back upstairs and gnaw on some jerky, or you can help me out.”

Wheeler reached in his back pocket and retrieved a slim instrument from his wallet. “Move aside, sweetheart. I’ll show you how it’s done.”

He slipped one end into the keyhole and worked on it for a second. When he turned his wrist, the lock clicked.

“You’re the man,” I said in a singsong voice, patting his back.

“I get that a lot from Naya.” He rose to his feet and tucked the instrument back into his wallet. “Don’t tell Austin I aided and abetted, or my ass is in the doghouse.”

“No problemo,” I assured him, drifting into the room and closing the door behind me.

Drenched in darkness, I tiptoed to the right with my arms extended until I felt the door that led to the adjoining hallway. First, I removed my boots. Then I peered into the hall to make sure the opposite door wasn’t open. There were no windows, and tiny track lights were reminiscent of a hotel.

Harsh words barked out from behind the far door, drawing me closer. My feet moved across the floor soundlessly, and just when I reached the middle, the opposite door swung open.

Busted.

Austin’s stormy expression didn’t peeve me as much as the fact that he didn’t seem surprised to find me standing there.

“Out,” he ordered.

I put my hands on my hips. “Don’t you dare snap orders at me. I came to see if your guests were still around so I’d know how long to keep the pack upstairs.”

His sexy brows arched, but the only look he flashed me was irritation. “And you decided to pick the lock?”

My attention dragged downward. “Why are you barefoot with no shirt on?”

He opened his mouth but didn’t get a word out.

“And how did you know I was in the hall? I was in stealth mode.”

Lorenzo appeared on his right and whispered something.

He
also
wasn’t wearing a shirt.

I glowered. “Are you guys doing what I think you’re doing in there?”

Lorenzo’s gaze snapped up, and he howled with laughter. He wiped a tear from his eye and then moved out of sight.

Austin’s shoulders sagged. “Come on, Lexi. But this is confidential.”

He leaned on the doorjamb, and I sauntered toward him, a little mystified as to all the secrecy but slightly distracted by how handsome he was without a shirt. Austin was a man’s man. It was the total package—his tattoos, confidence, physique, and the way he always looked at me as if he was thinking naughty things.

Damn
, that lean.

When I peered into the room, Austin whispered, “This is top secret, Ladybug.”

My eyes lifted to meet his gaze. “You can trust me.”

He nodded, assuring me he already did.

The heat in the room overwhelmed me, as did the foul stench of body odor and sweat. I wrinkled my nose and blinked in surprise at a familiar face. “
Atticus?
”

His expression grew stony, and he turned to face a painting of wolves. He must have been the one who’d alerted them I was in the hall.

Atticus Rain was always affable when he frequented my shop, but I wondered how friendly he really was when I saw the drops of blood spattered on the floor next to the body of a nude, filthy man.

My eyes fixed on the garment draped over the rogue’s waist. “Who put my good blanket on his dirty crotch?”

Austin briefly turned his back to me and murmured to Prince, “Told you.”

“What does the bitch want?” the man grumbled, his lip cut and swollen.

Austin bent down and struck him hard with the back of his closed hand. “Disrespect my woman again, and this won’t have a happy ending.”

It didn’t take a genius to figure out this guy was a Northerner who had made the mistake of trespassing on our property. With a Vampire on the premises, it led me to believe they were questioning him for information. Not only was it illegal, but if the Council found out, they could disband our pack, especially if Austin had involved everyone. A Packmaster protected his family, and sometimes that meant keeping secrets from them.