Page 9 of Don't Cheat Me (Nora Jacobs 2)

Rook and Alpha Toth share another grim look. “Agreed, Miss Jacobs. It won’t leave this room. You have my word.”

I’m surprised he agreed to that one so quickly. Reading the suspicion on my face, Alpha Toth grimaces again. “We’d prefer discretion as well. Having a traitor in our pack is a dangerous thing. It’ll be seen as a huge weakness. Not only would that cause trouble within our own ranks that could lead to mutiny, but it would catch the attention of neighboring packs as well. Unfortunately, a hostile takeover isn’t outside the realm of possibility for something like this.”

Damn. And I thought I had problems. No wonder he was reluctant to ask for my help. He’s putting a shitload of trust in me right now. I can’t leave him hanging. “Okay. I’m in, then. I’ll do everything I can to help.”

“As far as compensation, you can have the money you recover, and if you don’t find—”

I hold up a hand. “I don’t need compensation. I don’t want to be paid for helping out a friend. I’d feel skeezy.”

Alpha Toth sits up in his chair and arches a single brow. It’s the first truly alpha-looking move I’ve seen him make. “I didn’t realize you considered us friends.”

My lips twitch, but I fight my smile. “I don’t. But Wulf is my friend, and you’re his pack.”

Surprise lights up Alpha Toth’s face, and Rook grins a huge, knowing smile that makes me groan. “Stop, dude. Stop right there. Wulf helped me get free from Henry a month ago when the vampire asshole tried to keep me as a pet. He’s also giving me self-defense lessons. I owe him. I told you there’s nothing romantic going on between us.”

Rook’s smile grows even more annoying. “Soyousay.”

“Ugh. I do say. You do realize that this guy right here”—I point to Alpha Toth—“and Wulf were watching you teach me those moves in the gym earlier with that same shit-eating grin, right? And that Wulf only let you take me on a tour because he thinksyou’reinterested in me, and he was letting you make your move?”

Rook’s smile drops into a frown as he thinks back on what I’m saying. When he realizes I’m right, he looks to his alpha to confirm it. The man gives him a sheepish shrug that makes Rook curse. “Aw, man. I really thought there was a chance. I mean, he brought you home.”

I laugh. “Yeah, he really didn’t want to do that. But, look, I swear, stop planning my wedding to your brother.”

“Mating ceremony,” Alpha Toth corrects with a smile.

I roll my eyes. “Mating ceremony, then. Whatever. It’s not happening. I don’t date. Sorry.” I think about the task I need to do and add, “I do need to snoop a little, though, so I will still take you up on that tour of the compound, especially if you have, like, a specific financial office where someone is most likely to steal the money from you.”

“We have an accounting office,” Rook offers while Alpha Toth cringes again. “I’m sorry, Miss Jacobs, that’s confidential pack informa—”

“Alpha Toth. Dude. I don’t want to learn your financial situation. I don’t even care what it is. Obviously, your pack isn’t strapped for cash. But I do my thing by touching stuff. If you want me to help, you’ll have to give me some trust.”

Alpha Toth turns his frown to Rook. “Did…she just…call me…dude?”

Rook’s lips twitch as he says, “I think so, sir.”

“Sorry. Alpha Toth, sir, whatever. Can I poke around in the accounting office or not? You can both come with me if you need to.”

Alpha Toth blinks at me several times before making the decision to trust me. “Very well, let’s take a field trip.”

Our field trip ends two doors down and across the hall at a room aptly labeledaccounting. Alpha Toth raises his hand to knock, but I stop him. He pauses, watching with curiosity. “Before we barge in and make your accountant suspicious, when’s the last time someone took money?”

“There was another payment moved last night.”

“Oh, perfect.” I grin at their curious looks and grab the handle of the door.

My guess is that if someone was sneaking into this office to steal from the pack, they’d be pretty worked up while breaking in. I might be able to pick up an imprint off the handle. “Catch me if I fall,” I whisper as I’m sucked into a vision.

The only lights on in the building are the nighttime emergency lights. It’s hard to see much, but a tall, muscular man with brown hair and shifty brown eyes glances both directions down the hallway as he pushes a key into the lock on this door. When the lock turns, he wipes sweat from his brow and holds his breath as he slips into the office, immediately relocking the door behind him.

“Whoa.” I sway on my feet as I come out of the vision, and immediately Rook’s arms are around me, holding me steady.

“You okay?” he asks.

“I’m fine. Nasty side effect. It’ll get a little worse the more I use my gift, but it’s worth it.” I pull myself out of his grip and lower my voice just in case there’s a wolf with exceptionally good hearing on the other side of that door. “What does your accountant look like?”

Alpha Toth’s eyebrows raise, but he answers the question. “Short blonde woman.”

“Voluptuous curves,” Rook adds, earning a look from his alpha. He lifts his shoulders. “What? It’s hard not to notice a shape like that.”

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