Page 22 of His Place in the World
They probably were.
“Ready?”Ryland asked.
Angus squeezed Ryland’s waist with his arm in answer.This was it.They were doing it, and while Angus couldn’t wait to get out of here, he had work to do and was more than ready to do it.
* * * *
Del was starting to wonder if insisting on coming along had been a good idea.The only one inside not wearing a camera and microphone was Angus, but between Mercer, Matt, and Ryland, Del could see and hear everything Angus was seeing and hearing.
And he hated it.
The five of them were crammed into the back of the van parked a few streets away from where the party was being held.There wasn’t a lot of room to move or breathe, but Del was focused on the screens in front of him anyway.From the cameras the men inside were wearing, he could see dozens of elegantly dressed people moving around.Some of them were alone, although most had at least one man dressed in a suit hovering by their shoulder, no doubt a bodyguard.
Then there were the shifters.
Most of them were dressed similarly to Angus, some even more skimpily.It was clear they weren’t here because they wanted to be, although some wore neutral expressions.A few others were clearly pissed, others seemed tired, and even more looked terrified.Del wished he could help every single one of them, and he had to work hard to stay where he was instead of rushing out and doing something stupid.
“How are you feeling?”Doyle asked.
He’d snuck in right before they left, to Remi’s displeasure.Del was glad for his brother’s presence, though.He was the only one here he knew well and the only one he could talk to.
“I’ve been better,” he confessed.
Doyle snorted softly.“I bet you have.I’m sorry you have to go through this.”
“It’s fine.”
“It’s really not.I’m impressed, though.Your mate is a force of nature, and when he wants something, he takes it.”
“Even though he might get hurt,” Del muttered.
On the screens, he could see people mingling, talking, and drinking champagne.A couple of men stepped way too close to Angus, and Del was ever more thankful for Mercer and his father, who always managed to keep those men away.
One reached for Angus’s face, but Ryland was quick to interrupt the action.He pulled Angus closer to his body, something Del had never thought he’d be grateful for.
“No touching,” Mercer said with a growl.
The man raised both hands and took a step back.He was smiling, but Del was ready to bet he was annoyed.“I apologize.Most people don’t mind if we touch their shifters.”
“Well, I do,” Ryland said smoothly.“I buy them for myself, not for others to touch.”
“I understand.I don’t think I’ve ever seen you at one of these parties before.”
Del held his breath, but he shouldn’t have worried.Ryland was smooth.“I haven’t.This isn’t how I usually find my shifters, but a friend of a friend talked to me about this opportunity, and I thought I’d see what it was about.I got an invitation if that’s what you’re worried about.”
“Of course not.I was just curious as to who you are.”
“I’m Ryland Young.You are?”
The man stared at Ryland for a moment before offering him his hand.“Colbert Smith.”
Del wondered if that was Colbert’s actual last name, but he honestly didn’t care.Everly would look into it.He was back home in pack territory, hearing and seeing the same things Del and the others were.Del had no doubt he was already working on it.
Ryland looked around.“Security is impressive, although I would have done a few things differently,” he commented.
“You know something about security?”
“I own a security company.”
