Page 145 of The Satyr's Guilt
Jonquil came out of the bedroom at thatmoment. “Jezzi. You look pretty as a panther.”
“Thanks, little flower. I’m on boss detailwhile Denim goes off to do Firebrand stuff. Now, go get dressed sowe can blow this joint. I need a run in the park. Put on sometennies.”
When Jonquil disappeared back into the room,Jezzi leaned closer to Denim and whispered, “Kole has called ameeting in his office. Take along a shirt of Ram’s from hislocker.”
“I’ll put it in my bag.” Denim waved herthumb at a duffel on the floor.
“How much does the kid know?”
“I told her he was lost. I didn’t give theparticulars, but she’s worried. Apparently, he’s never been gonethis long without telling her.” Denim picked up her bag, slingingit over her shoulder. “We’ve got to find him.”
Jezzi patted Denim’s arm. “We won’t let thelittle girl become an orphan. And we won’t let you be without yourmate.”
“Oh, I’m not…”
When Jonquil returned to the room, sheshuffled up to Denim, her small fingers clasping onto the woman’slarger hand. Ever so slightly, she squeezed.
Jonquil’s voice trembled. “Find Daddy. Hepromised me he’d always be home. I don’t want to be alone.”
Denim dropped into a crouch, wrapping herarms around the kid. “I will. Your daddy is strong, fierce. He’llkeep his promise. You’re the world to him.”
“I know, but sometimes other people won’tlet you keep a promise.”
“You don’t know me well, Jonquil, but let metell you something about myself. I am a stubborn woman. You askyour daddy when he returns. If I want something, I get it. I’mtough as a demon’s claws. I’ve got more bite than a wolf shifter. Ican be scarier than a berserker. Right now, I want your daddyhome.”
Jonquil took her hand again. “Good, butdon’t you get lost, too. Daddy and I wouldn’t like that.”
Yep.This kid is everything Iwished my daughter to be.
****
Denim may have denied itbefore, but she couldn’t now. She loved the satyr with thecaramel-colored hair, flirty smile, and crass pick-up lines. Withall his faults.Hell. He avoided serious relationshipsbecause he blamed himself for the death of Jonquil’s mother. But hewas wrong. He wasn’t a fuckup. How could she make him see?
Lifting her chin, determined not to bawl,she stepped up her pace, stomping through the open door into Kole’soffice, her fists clenched.
The conference table was full. Rein. Thorn.Galena. Brak. Sabine. Nico. Tyr. Chay. And a few she didn’t knowbut recognized from previous meetings and the lab raid.
Skyler was sitting beside Kole, drinkingfrom a bottle of water in front of her. Each Firebrand nodded atDenim as Galena pointed to the empty chair beside her.
In a corner the scary male with long blackhair, leathers, vacant eyes, and a string of vamp fangs around hisneck leaned against the wall. She had seen him around. He’d led oneof the teams on the raid, but she couldn’t remember his name.
Kole rested on his forearms. “The GPS onRam’s Dick Chip must have been cut out first thing. He was drugged,snatched, and shoved into an SUV. Likely, he was chopperedout.”
“We’re assuming he’s alive?” Nico swiped ata dark strand of hair which had fallen onto his forehead.
Hostile glances, spine-chilling frowns, andgrowls met his unwelcome words.
“What? It’s not like asking the question cankill the satyr.”
Sabine whispered in his ear loud enough foreveryone to hear. “You can be so damn insensitive.” He lookedsomewhat contrite.
“Fuck off, Abello.” Rein popped fangs. “He’salive. He’s one stubborn sonofabitching satyr. Too mean to die.Especially at the hands of some crazy-ass weak humans.” He glancedat Skyler, Denim, and Nico, as if he expected them to argue withhis description of their species. None did.
Denim cleared her throat. “What’s theplan?”
Kole plopped another bottle of water infront of his mate. “We know the missing vamps, Varik and Norah, hadbeen in one of those labs we raided. Thorn smelled them. Denim’sex, the guy being interrogated in the Cubes, spilled intel about anew base. We believe that’s where they are now. The prisoner saidthe satyr was a high priority capture. He didn’t know why. Andabout the new base? The human only knows it’s in a swamp outsideNew Orleans.”
“He doesn’t know anything else?” When Galenashifted in her seat, her straight, shoulder-length bob swishedacross her shoulders.
