Page 36 of Scarred Resolve

“I don’t care,” Davor said, the verbal shrug coming through clearly. “The last thing I’m scared of is a government agency.”

“You would probably give them some virus, huh?”

“I have options. It depends on if they publicize me or let it leak, like what happened to you. I can’t delete things from the internet. That’s impossible, as we all know. If they kept it private and harassed me, that would be easier to deal with. I have options either way, though.”

“Well, they don’t know we’re headed to the airport right now, not this early. It doesn’t take off until closer to noon, and it’s only eight in the morning,” I said with a smile back at him. “And Beth has been very good at creating some boundaries for me. She can’t stop stupid from being stupid, but… who can?”

“It’s good we have a human who works well with you here. That’s a useful ally.” Davor leaned between our seats. “Do you consider her an ally?”

“I do. The BSA could be considered an ally, too, but they have their own goals and think they should have the final say in how things work…” Shaking my head, I took the turn I needed.

“That sounds like the Tribunal. The Tribunal is, for lack of a better term, a group of allies trying to rule the supernatural world. Even Callahan and Corissa with Hasan and vice versa.” Niko shifted in his seat, trying to stretch his lanky legs. “But they don’t always agree. They don’t always have the same idea about how something needs to get done or when. They have different protocols among their own to do things. They have to come together and compromise… And just because they sit on the Tribunal together doesn’t mean any of them feel safe with the others. There’s a respect that at any point, a disagreement can become an assassination attempt or a brawl or a war.” He reclined his chair and slid it all the way back, Davor moving his legs behind my seat instead.

“Like me and the BSA.” I couldn’t argue that there had never been moments when the BSA and I weren’t in agreement, and things got heated. I made threats. They made threats. We both stepped back, tried to de-escalate, and kept working together.

“Yeah. I know it’s also more nuanced as you get closer to those different examples. The core of it is similar.” Niko stretched his arms over his head and closed his eyes as he put his hands behind his head. “But, with all of that, I think we should still let Davor go without us and see if we can keep him from being caught out as a werecat by association.”

“I do know how to handle the airport myself,” Davor conceded, leaning back from the center console.

“Fine, whatever you think is best.” I had no strong feelings one way or another. The fact was, if a supernatural was nearme, they were going to get found out at some point. That was proved when I invited werecats to visit me in Dallas. We did our best, but circumstances eventually led to it. I knew they would in this, too. Davor was going to be seen in Fairbanks when we went through the couple’s things. There was really no avoiding it in the long run.

I didn’t bring that up, letting my brothers put their plan in motion. I dropped Davor off, knowing my windows were tinted enough to keep me and Niko from being seen. Like speeding, the fae charm cast on my car kept anyone from considering it long enough to give me a ticket.

Once Davor was out with his hiking bag and case, I went to park the car. Landon and Dirk would come get it for me the next day, and the supernatural staff at the airport knew that. Niko and I didn’t have to wait in any lines, being led through halls and doors until we reached the private jet that I had inherited from the Dallas pack. Davor was already on board, enjoying a drink as we put the bags away. I had to quickly talk to the captain about some scheduling things.

“We can take off right now even though we’re early. I don’t know how it all works, but he says we can get off the ground now if we want,” I explained as I sat across the aisle from Niko and Davor, who claimed a little table section together.

“There’s a lot of money involved. Let’s get going. No point in waiting.” Niko pulled a book out from his bag, but I didn’t catch the title as he handed it to Davor.

“That’s what I thought.” I put up a thumbs up for the captain, and he nodded from the door to the cockpit.

“How do you not know how everything with your private jet works?” Niko asked me as Davor started reading.

“I don’t manage it. Heath and Landon do everything,” I answered, chuckling. “Without them, I would have figured outsome way to sell it because I don’t know what the hell I’m doing enough already. I didn’t need to add anything to the list.”

“Heath handles a lot for you,” Davor said, looking up from the book.

“He does.” Smiling, I relaxed into my seat. “Like what we talked about at breakfast. We’ve been so focused on what we have to find and deal with that we didn’t consider… helping the poor family left behind by that couple. He did. He was scheduling our flight, arranging everything with the airport staff, and he thought of that.” My smile grew emotional as I really considered the man I loved so much. “I don’t know if I’d be here today if it wasn’t for him. I don’t know what I would do without him.”

Neither brother responded. We got into the sky. Quietly, Davor left the table area with Niko and sat in the same area as me, not saying anything. I appreciated it.

16

CHAPTER SIXTEEN

HEATH

Heath watched his phone as he sat in Jacky’s chair to keep her scent close. He felt something in him tighten as he saw the notification that Jacky had been able to take off at the earlier time. He’d done that just in case, knowing she would have started going stir-crazy sitting in the jet while it was on the ground. He already missed her, knowing it was too late now to beg her not to run off into this, to leave it to her older and experienced family. He had been battling the urge since the situation had fallen in her lap, and he finally won against it.

He sent a text to his son, giving Landon the update that he deserved, then he waited. It was only ten minutes. Ten silent minutes until all three of them barged into the office.

“So that’s it. She’s running off without any of us to help her,” Landon snarled. Heath didn’t react, staying still as his son finally let off the steam he had held back for two days now. He’d been so careful. “I can’t believe?—”

But Heath needed him to keep being careful about everything for a little while longer. He could release some, but not all of it.

“Hey, Carey. Sorry about needing you to stay with your brother last night. I hope he made sure you were comfortable,” he said, looking at the youngest of the children in front of him. The moment he said Carey, Landon froze, his son trying to quickly contain himself before he attempted to speak again.

“It’s fine. They have a nice place,” she said with a one-shoulder shrug. “Are you going to tell me what’s really going on now?”

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