Page 6 of Grumpy Special Ops Bear: Ep. 3
When she opened her mouth to say something else, I held up a digit.
I needed to know one more thing from Taggert. “Was anyone listed as a potential suspect in the case?”
Trinity tilted her head, confused, and crossed her arms over her chest. I knew I had a little longer, but she was going to demand to know what I was talking about.
“Hold on while I check the file.”
I heard papers rustling.
“Well, lookee here,” Taggert finally said.
“What have you got?”
“Boyle O’Brien. You know him?”
I growled as the bear inside me raged, fighting to be let out. My hands curled into fists as I tried to control my temper. The last thing I wanted to do was lose it and shift into my bear in front of Trinity. “Dammit! That bastard!”
Trinity’s mouth flopped open. But she didn’t seem scared.
“I want to know the minute anything happens, Sheenan. I’ll give you space this time, but I have to know when it happens and if we need to brace for a war. Am I clear?”
“Yes, sir. I’ll be in touch. I suggest pulling your people back from Price’s house.”
“Why?”
“If a war starts”—I watched Trinity’s brow rise—“you won’t want your people caught in the cross fire.”
I hung up and tucked the phone back into my pocket. Trinity said nothing, didn’t come out with a million questions. Instead, she just stared at me and waited to see what I would do.
I wasn’t certain what to tell her first. The information Taggert had provided confirmed she was a Protector and Boyle had killed her parents, possibly. But someone must have ordered it. Her parents must have killed some prominent wolf-shifters to involve this much effort on the pack’s part.
“So,” Trinity finally said, “are you going to make a girl wait or tell me something?”
“About what?”
She jammed her hands on her hips, staring me down. “Fergus, don’t even play games with me. I know you were talking to someone important. Who was it? Your pack leader?”
“Bear-shifters live in clans, not packs.”Did I never mention I’m my clan’s leader?I thought about all our conversations and realized I hadn’t. Not once had I said anything about my being in charge.
Do I tell her now?
The bear in me lifted its head and grumbled. He wanted her to know, needed her to understand, because he desperately desired her. He longed for her to know he could and would protect her with his life.
But I wasn’t sure she would like the information—at least, not yet.
“The person I was talking to gave me some information.”
Glowering, she asked, “Come the fuck on, Fergus. Stop beating around the bush. About what? Price?”
“Actually, no,” I remarked, not sure how she’d respond. “About you.”
Her face stayed blank. “Me?”
“Yeah. I had him do some digging to see if he could find anything about who your parents might have been. And, well, at least we know for sure they were Protectors. That means, by blood, you are too.”
“And your clan leader is certain about this?”
I nodded, not bothering to correct her about Taggert. “Look, Trinity, I know it’s a great deal to process, but we truly don’t have the time for you to examine and ponder your existence.”
