“Hon, they weren’t security. They were luck demons who wanted something from Helen,” she said. “But I love that you think otherwise.”

I didn’t have to feign shock. “Really?”

She patted my knee. “Yep.”

“Huh. I had no clue.” I shrugged, staring out the large back window of the bus at the scene we’d left behind. “You called it about white vans and kidnappers.”

She shrugged and blew on her knuckles. “It’s a gift.”

I sighed. “Mina, everything in me says Lester had something to do with this happening tonight.”

“Then we should tell Helen,” she stated.

I swallowed hard. “Maybe, but if she doesn’t believe us because it’s my word against his, what then?”

Mina touched my thigh and gave it a gentle squeeze. “She’d be pissed at you. I don’t want that. I vote we don’t say anything to her.”

Nodding, I tried to calm my stomach. “At least not until we have proof or something.”

“Smart,” said Mina. “Then, if you’re right, we can nail that bastard, and she might kick him out of her life once and for all.”

I highly doubted that but didn’t voice as much.

Mina’s dynamic with Helen was different from mine. I knew my sister wanted to see the best in Helen. I didn’t think there was much of anything good left in the woman.

“You did remember to pack a backup pair of glasses, right?” asked Mina.

I lowered my broken ones. “I can’t remember if I threw them in my suitcase before we left the house or not.”

She let out a slow whistle. “Hon, I didn’t see them in there when I was looking for your necklace. I could have missed them though.”

My stomach clenched more. “Helen’s going to ask about what happened.”

Mina laughed softly. “Dude, you’re like crazy clumsy. We’ll tell her you were running so as not to miss the bus, tripped, fell, did a faceplant, and broke your glasses. Trust me. She’ll buy it.”

ChapterFive

Jonathan

“Didthey really just run off acting like this was an everyday occurrence?” asked Leo as the men stood, watching the bus for the terminal drive away.

Dwayne shook his head as he stared down at the bodies on the ground. “I blame video games and MTV. Kellan would have probably acted the same way. It’s probably uncool to get worked up over an attempted kidnapping these days.”

“The scariest part of this is that the youth of today will be in charge of the future of the world soon,” added Leo, shaking his head. “So glad I don’t have kids. I can’t imagine anything spawning from my loins overseeing anyone or anything.”

Dwayne laughed. “Well, you better get used to the idea of being in charge, or did you forget Jonathan is giving you the Detroit branch to run soon?”

Leo groaned. “Actually, this had taken my mind off that. Thanks for the reminder.”

“Anytime,” replied Dwayne, kicking one of the assailants in the side as he started to wake. The man moaned and then went limp again. “If you give me the next date of your colonoscopy, I can remind you of that too.”

“Asshole,” muttered Leo, causing Dwayne to laugh.

Jonathan was still staring at the bus as it disappeared in the distance. His wolf clawed at him, wanting him to give chase. The muscles in his legs twitched as if they were going to listen to the wolf, not the man. His fingernails began to lengthen, and his jaw tightened with a pending shift.

Follow it, his inner voice stressed.

He jerked.