He did before we could say anything and then the other guy did mumbling that women were such a handful.
“They really shouldn’t let me have a loaded gun around some of these assholes,” I grumbled.
“I didn’t hear that,” she chuckled. “But I did hear what he said, and I believe this will do nicely to push him towards retirement. Especially since I wasn’t done talking to you both and he just dropped off like that. So I’m going to go finish that conversation to his face so he can call me hysterical too.”
“Glad to be of help,” I chuckled darkly. I talked to her a bit more and then hung up with a sigh. I really, really didn’t have time for this shit.
I was about to get back to what I needed to work on when my cell beeped with a text.
Brian: I love you so much, babe. That was great.
Sera: What was?
Brian: The call! Galvin was on a call with Monroe and me and patched you in thinking that you were joining late about the training. We didn’t have time to stop him or say it was about anything else. We heard the whole thing.
Brian: He had to mute us. That’s why he didn’t say anything or chirp in. He was laughing at the chewing out you gave that asshole. We all were. Shit, you put him in his place so hard that—it was great. I love you.
Sera: Thanks.
Brian: What’s wrong? You put that dick in his place.
I swallowed a sigh. I didn’t have time for this, but I didn’t want some other misunderstanding between Brian and me to form.
Sera: This bullshit has been my whole career, Brian. I get it was funny to hear me chew him out, but I’m still stuck on the fact that he thought it was completely acceptable to call me and chew me out.
Sera: It just makes me want to walk out the door and never come back that some guy I’ve never met in DC thinks he has the right and should tear into me about what I do as Alpha on my free time. It’s great that it’s now being handled under Galvin, but the rest of my career I just had to accept that. And I’m tired of all of it.
Sera: I’m tired of accepting things that should never have been allowed to happen to start.
Brian: You’re right and I’m sorry he shit on you, especially when you’re neck-deep in this big case. Galvin, Monroe, and I thought the video was amazing and exactly how to put idiots in place. So know those who value you support you and we’re on your side.
Brian: I’m always on your side. I’ve never done more during your period because you always seemed uncomfortable at the idea. It never bothered me. Even when I was human. I want you in all ways and to experience everything with you.
Brian: Go kick ass and show these other assholes who’s boss in Chicago, and I’ll bring home a nice dinner and we’ll have a quiet night when it’s over. Just hang and watch a movie and hide all the bakery boxes from Dain. Sound good?
Sera: Yes, please.
That was exactly what I needed. Maybe a damn cartoon, and we could just watch with Topher and… Live. Have a night to remember why I fought so much and constantly put myself through so much.
I needed to remember that more often before I gave up.
21
“Keep driving,” I said into the radio Wednesday afternoon. “Let us take the lead and follow.”
“We sensed the vamp in there as well, we got you, Chief,” one of the ancients responded.
I told Harris to pull out in front of the others and where to go park a few blocks away. There was a deep-dish pizza place right there, and that should be enough cover given Higgins was a busy street in Chicago and the suburbs. The vamp wouldn’t probably pay attention to us just driving by.
The vamp that wasn’t from Chicago and at the hotel we were going to sneak into this meeting for.
Awesome.
We all pulled in and got out, several of us sharing looks and trying to squash our annoyance.
“It fits,” Sander muttered. “It’s a newer vamp. Maybe a couple of years.”
One of the other ancients snorted. “He’s so new he barely registers as a vamp.”