Page 35 of Shifter For Hire (For Hire 2)

No. I’m not getting involved with him.

Gerard stayed silent during the conversation. When she tried to pull her hand away, he held on. He reacted to her fear in such a potent way. It seemed like her being afraid drove him crazy.

This big man at her side was like a wild animal bent on protecting her at all costs. She didn’t fear him as much as the situation and the unknown. Not to mention the moral or the professional aspect. Their secret existence might be out in the world. Her face was on that video as well. What did that mean for her career with the police? Would she be blocked yet again?

The hotel Patrick took them to was a luxury one. Lachelle walked into a suite that looked more like a small apartment than a hotel room. The suite included a comfortable living room and kitchen and two bedrooms plus the bathroom. Someone had brought a cart laid out with coffee, soda, and various snacks. Lachelle wasn’t hungry, but she grabbed a soda to wet her dry throat.

Exhaustion drove her to one of the bedrooms, and she fell on the bed. Just as she began to doze, someone knocked on the door. She opened it to one of Patrick’s men.

“What do you want, and why are you in the suite that’s supposedly just for me and my family?”

The man looked down a narrow nose at her, silver eyes full of disdain. If she wondered if they thought they were better than humans, here was her answer.

“Mr. Sevelle is being generous allowing you to stay here. Show some respect.”

“You know what you can kiss.”

He sneered. “Patrick wants to speak with you.”

“And I want to sleep after the nightmare I went through that was all your people’s fault. I’ll talk to him after I rest. Maybe.” She was seriously grumpy right then.

“You’ll talk to him when he says.” The man reached out to grab her arm. His fingers crashed into Gerard’s stomach.

“Go away,” Gerard ordered.

“But—”

Gerard shuffled Lachelle into the room and followed her then slammed the door in the man’s face.

Lachelle laughed. “That was so rude. I love it.”

The man at the door banged on it. “Prince Gerard, please.”

Lachelle stopped laughing. “Wait, Prince?”

He flushed. “Never mind. You said you were sleepy. Rest. I’ll watch you.”

The last thing she felt like doing now was sleeping. Instead, she let herself out on the balcony and discovered the suite was situated above the hotel pool. Everyone below looked tiny. She leaned on the railing, and Gerard joined her.

“I’m not sure where we’re going,” she said.

“We’re going to his place.”

“No, I didn’t mean that. I meant, us—me, you. You’ve been exposed, and I’m worried things will get rough. Then again, judging by this place, that guy seems like he has money. He might be able to bribe someone to get those videos taken down and the whole thing covered up.”

Gerard watched the swimmers and then the

sky. If she and Janessa weren’t with them, would they have flown to wherever Patrick and his people lived?

“You can leave me here, Gerard. I can take care of myself, and those videos don’t show me breaking the law. I’ll be fine.”

“I haven’t found all of the hunters.”

“You’re still going to work for him? His assignment is what caused all this madness. It’s not worth it.”

He looked at her, and she recalled the man outside had called him prince. She tried to imagine a crown on his head and couldn’t picture it. Gerard was too rough and wild. Something so ornate and dressy would look crazy on him.

“I will continue to work for him,” he said.

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