Page 46 of Don’t Rush Me (Nora Jacobs 1)

“Anyway…” I roll my eyes. Again. I need to stop doing that so much. “They sounded desperate. They want Xavier, but he ended up in the hospital, and the cops were on him about what ‘drugs’ he OD’d on. The guys were pissed that he made such a stupid mistake and had all that baggage with cops watching him now, but they said they’d give him one last chance. They’re supposed to meet him at the party tonight, and he’s supposedly going to bring his vamp—I’m pretty sure they mean Parker.”

This earns me another round of snorts. From all three men this time. “As if Parker would let himself get taken,” Terrance says, his voice rumbling with laughter.

“I can get Parker to take care of Xavier. Then Nick and I show up under the guise of me rushing Alpha Gamma Delta, but we let it slip that I’m an underworlder and Nick’s a human that knows the truth of the underworld. We’ll give them something too good to pass up.”

“Hang on.” Nick laughs. “I’m the human in this situation, and you’re the underworlder?”

“Hello. They’re a fraternity. They need a dude. And look at yourself—tall, dark, and dangerous looking. You’re exactly the kind of guy they want.”

Nick smirks, preening at my description of him. “Aw, shucks, Nora, I knew you thought I was gorgeous, but damn.”

“Whatever, like you don’t know what you are.”

“True, I’m irresistible, but you’re still human. They’ll probably be able to tell.”

“Not necessarily,” Oliver chimes in. “If they’re human, they probably won’t. And if they need confirmation, Nora’s not without her own tricks.”

“True!” I clap my hands, feeling the excitement of a plan coming together. “If their point is to steal the power of the underworlders they take, there’s no way they’ll be able to resist a mind-reading ability.”

Nick and Terrance pass a look so long between them that one might thinktheyhad the mind-reading ability. When it’s over, Terrance sighs and Nick weighs me down with a heavy stare. “This will be dangerous, Nora. You’re talking about offering yourself up as bait to find their sanctuary.”

I nod, and for once I’m completely serious with Nick. “I know. That’s why you’re going with me. Are you saying you can’t protect me?”

Nick’s eyes narrow. “I’m not infallible.”

I hadn’t expected him to admit it. I respect that he did, and so I give him a straight-up answer in return. “No one is. I know the risks, but there are eleven missing people out there that I can help rescue before they’re killed. It’s worth the risk, even if there’s only a possibility of success.”

“So brave,” Terrance murmurs.

A long pause descends on us until Nick flashes a small smirk. “Or foolhardy.” He sighs. “I guess it’s a good thing I’m a little rash, too.” He leans back in his chair and raises his arms above his head in a big stretch. “All right, Spitfire. You’ve got yourself a date. Let’s go rush.”

“I go, too,” Terrance demands, crossing his huge arms over his barrel of a chest.

“Me too,” Oliver agrees.

Bless their hearts. My new friends are the best. Unfortunately, neither of them can come. “Sorry, guys.” I meet Terrance’s glare with an equally stern gaze. “As much as I’d love to have you there, you’d scare them off in an instant. They know you, Terrance,” I say when he starts to argue. “They stole your friend from under your nose. They’d recognize you and panic.”

“And you…” I shoot Oliver an apologetic smile. “They might not be able to tell you’re an underworlder, but they might, too. At the very least, if they all have a bit of dark magic, they might be able to feel yours. They’re after powerful underworlders. You’re one of the most powerful people in the city, and as much as I don’t care that you don’t use your magic, the fact that you don’t makes you extremely vulnerable. I’m weak enough as it is. If you came with me, that would leave two people Nick would have to protect instead of just one.”

Oliver grimaces. “You’re right,” he says. “You should be Gorgeous’s only priority. I have to work anyway. But I’ll be standing by and ready to send the whole Agency to you at a moment’s notice.”

I grin at him. “Awesome. That makes you Watchtower.”

He can’t help smiling. I knew the comic book reference would cheer him up.

“I’ll wait in the car down the street,” Terrance says stubbornly.

I can’t argue with that, and I can’t blame him for wanting to be there if we figure out where Shandra is. Honestly, I’ll be glad for the backup. “All right. I can live with that. Every team has a guy in the van. You’re the backup muscle and the getaway driver.”

“Backup muscle?” Nick asks, that begrudging smile back in place. “Does that mean I’m the muscle?”

I flash him a killer smile. “Yep. And I’m the brains of this operation.”

Nick snorts and shakes his head. “Whatever you say, 007. But you know, team lead or not, thisoperationis going to require you to wear a sexy dress.”

Shit! He has me there.

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