Page 70 of Taming Raptor

My father let the half-assed answer fly and I sent him a glance of thanks. He knew more than anyone about secrets and after helping us out at the clubhouse after Sloane’s situation, he knew some of my club’s, too.

Before we could say anything else, my phone vibrated. When I glanced at the screen, I stood. “I’ll be right outside. I need to take this.”

Sage shot me a panicked gaze, but my mom quickly stepped in and started telling stories about me when I was little. As I stepped out on the front porch, I heard her musical laughter and I smiled. All the embarrassing childhood stories were worth that sound.

“Wondered if you were ever coming back out,” Drago said from the swing where he was wearing a pair of board shorts with nothing else.

“Any word?”

“Yeah. Malachi and Anton followed the car. He pulled off into the driveway to the Miller’s pasture. They are watching to see if he leaves or gets out. What do you want us to do?” Drago’s immediate deference to my orders was an ingrained one that was misplaced as I wouldn’t be taking over the clan. Evan would be the next in line, but after what I’d learned, I wasn’t so certain he was what the clan needed. How could the clan look up to someone who had betrayed his family the way he had?

“Is there a problem?” Dad asked from the doorway. I hadn’t wanted to pull my family into my club’s issues again, but regardless of my rationale for why I’d come here, I’d still brought them into it by coming here instead of going back to the clubhouse. Which was why I opened up and told my father what was going on.

“We’ll watch over Sage. Your mom is already half in love with her, you know.” Dad gave me a half smile.

“Me too,” I replied.

Dad nodded and went back inside.

“Show me where he is.” I prayed Sage would be able to handle my parents, then I went around the wrap-around porch to the side of the house. I stripped down and shifted. Drago did the same and we took flight. In no time we reached where they had followed the vehicle and landed in a nearby cedar to watch and listen.

I don’t recognize him. Drago’s hawk spoke and I replied without looking away from the man in the SUV.

Me, either.

For a moment I hated that I’d led him to my clan’s safe haven. Except when I saw him open a laptop and click through images of Sage, a fury burned in my chest. The images were all taken without her knowing. Then he clicked and there were images of me.

Both in Iowa and here.

What the fuck?

His phone rang and he answered it, but with the windows up, I couldn’t really tell what he was saying. I flew to the ground and walked closer to his door.

“I told you, I have it covered. This is what I do, so why don’t you trust that I know my job. Just make sure you have the rest of my money, because you won’t like what happens to people who stiff me. They’ll have to leave eventually and then she won’t be a problem.” He ended the call, so I silently returned to my perch.

I think he’s after Sage.

What do you want to do?

Can you guys watch him?

Of course. You know we will.

Thank you.

Unsettled, I flew back to the house. Ignoring the pain of shifting back to my human form, I dressed and went back inside. I ran my hand through my hair to try to straighten it a bit as I walked through the entry and back to the kitchen.

“Everything okay?” Dad asked.

“Yeah, I think so. There was a problem with the well.” That was always the clan’s code for there’s trouble.

“Pump go out?” Is it imminent and a danger to the clan?

“Don’t think so. They got a temporary fix for now.”

“Well, if you need help with it, you let me know. I have a guy that helps us with things like that.”

After the way I’d turned my back on my family, the unconditional support my father had offered me made my chest tight. “Thanks, Dad.”

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