Page 67 of Tested
Chapter Twenty
Connor
I’m awake. I think. My eyes are still glued shut, but I’m conscious of lying in bed. I move a hand and run into something warm and solid. Okay, not dreaming either. I’m in bed, and – I touch my own chest – I’m naked and there’s someone in bed with me.
And I’m supposed to meet Smith at noon.Shit.I pry one eyelid open. The blond blur to my left must be David. The red flashing light to my right must be from my phone. I reach for it, pretty sure I’ve missed my appointment with Smith.
Two thirty. Yup. I’m late.
I manage to peel open my second eyelid. There are two text messages. One from Smith, the other from David. Odd. I check David’s message first.
I’m in bed with you to keep you from leaving before we can talk.
Smith’s message is shorter.
Call me.
I close my eyes and set my phone back on the nightstand. I’m still exhausted, but the connection between Betancourt and the princess has crawled into my subconscious like a tick. My proximity to him is the reason the investigation got dumped on me in the first place and it sure fits with the Morrigan’s threat against Trajan.
I shoot Smith a text, telling him there’s something I need to look into and that I’ll call him when I can. We have another three hours before Trajan – and Betancourt – will rise. As much as I want to wrap myself in David’s body, I want to look into that mystery closet at Betancourt’s house more.
I stifle a groan and slide to the edge of the bed. David’s breathing is quiet, his body relaxed. Pretty sure I can make it out of the room without—
“Don’t even.” His voice freezes me with my feet a couple inches off the floor. “I saw you check your text messages. You can’t leave until we talk.”
I sag back against the mattress. “What is there to say? I can’t tell him yet and I can’t tell you where I’m going. I have a little over twenty-four hours to find the princess, and I don’t see the point in wasting time telling you I can’t tell you anything.”
He sniffs, obviously not happy with my attitude. “What happens if you miss the deadline?”
Willing my feet to the floor, I stand, trailing one hand along his shoulder. “Can’t tell you that either, but trust me, you won’t like it.”
“This is bullshit, and the more I think about it, the angrier I get.”
I look at him, reallylookat him. His hair is a bird’s nest and he’s got heavy circles under his eyes. An alpha wolf needs control; it’s in his nature. But I can’t give him that, not now.
“I’m sorry,mo mhuirnin.” I squeeze his shoulder, grateful he hasn’t moved out of my grasp. “We’ll get through this and then things’ll be different.”
He snorts a laugh. “I need a cigarette.”
Stretching makes my joints pop and gives me time to think. I’ve put him in a bad position, so it’s up to me to figure out how to fix it. “If the investigation into the whereabouts of the missing princess comes up, you knownothingabout it. Nothing.”
“Pookie.” He shakes his head.
“Listen to me.” I grab for his arm, but this time he does jerk out of my grasp.
“No, you listen,” he says, as angry as I’ve ever seen him. “You didn’t tell him the truth –again– and it’s going to be a clusterfuck when he finds out.”
“I can’t.”
“Why not?”
“Please trust me when I say—”
“You should have told him already.” He jumps up and heads for the door. “I’m going to go do some yoga.”
The door doesn’t slam behind him, but it comes close.
“Nice job, MacPherson.” And yeah, I’m talking to myself, but that’s only because no one else wants to listen to me. David’s right to be angry.
