“Let’s return to the cabin. I have a bunch of games there we could play, then we can have s’mores by the light of the full moon, though we might not see much of it. The fire pit should give us plenty of light.”
“All right.” Though her heart wasn’t in playing games. She managed to finish her wings and then they took off for the cabin. She wondered if the guy who was tailing them was still doing so, or taking care of his poison oak rash. She hoped he wouldn’t try to retaliate.
Rafe took her for a drive through the redwoods and then to the cabin. “Did you know that the shorter trees encircling a fallen tree are called a fairy ring?”
“No. That’s really cool.”
“Are you okay, Jade?”
“Not until Toby is safe. I’ve been trying not to think of it, to pretend everything is all right, so you wouldn’t become suspicious. But now…I’m so scared that one of your men will tip Kenneth off. What are you going to do at the ball if you haven’t found Toby by then?”
“The men aren’t only looking for Toby; they’re also searching for your brother. I think he’s realized how this could backfire if I learn he’s after Aidan. The best way to eliminate the threat is to eliminate him.”
“You checked his house?”
Rafe parked at the cabin. “He’s vanished, along with the rest of the pack. I assume he wouldn’t go anyplace you’d know, just in case you’re telling me all about this situation. But we’re checking out the farmhouse, in the event that Toby’s there.”
“What…what if whoever’s tailing us attached a bug to the car? To the cabin?”
“I have men watching out for us and the places we’re staying, the vehicle, the plane—both for safety and for privacy. We have detectors that can reveal electronic testing or tracking devices.”
“Our backpack? Our clothes? If he followed us, he could have bugged our clothes or backpack before he shifted and took off after us.”
“Edward was watching him. He’s an excellent tracker.”
They snagged their bags and moved into the cabin.
“Do you want to play Monopoly? I promise I’ll go easy on you.”
Jade took him up on it.
After an hour of playing, Rafe sat back in his chair, observed all her monopolies, and shook his head. “I should have asked you to go easy on me.”
She laughed. “I’m only ruthless in a game.”
“I’ll have to remember that.”
His phone rang, and he checked the ID. Barely breathing, she hoped he’d have good news this time, but he looked up at her and rose from his chair suddenly. “All right. I’m on it.”
“What’s going on?” Jade asked anxiously, leaving her chair with the same abruptness.
“My brother showed up early at my place. We’ve got to return there now.”
“Then your brother is at risk.”
“He’s got two bodyguards, and I have a couple of men watching the place while we’re gone, so he should be all right, but we need to talk to him. He wasn’t supposed to arrive until the afternoon of the ball.” Rafe grabbed their bags, then locked up the cabin. “We’ll have to come back here another time.”
As soon as she had her son in her arms, she was gone. Even if Rafe thought he might be able to build something with her, she was certain he had changed his mind when he learned about Toby, and he would be glad to be rid of her. Toby wouldn’t fit in with the billionaire wolf’s lifestyle. Even if Toby had been a lupus garou too.
Rafe immediately got on the phone in the car and called his brother, but there was no answer. Jade had a bad feeling about all this. Then he called Edward. “Hey, we’re headed back home. Why don’t you come with us this time? Aidan’s home, and I can’t get ahold of him.”
“I’ll meet you at the airport.”
Rafe then got hold of Hugh Holloway, the man in charge of Aidan’s bodyguard detail and said, “Hey, where’s Aidan?”
“Swimming, Boss. You know how he hates to fly, so he said he wanted to swim as soon as he got here.”
“Pool?”
“Yeah. We’re covering him.”
“Did he say why he came early?”
“Said he was needed.”
“All right. I’m on my way there.”
When they arrived at the airport, Jade hesitated to text her brother. “Should I tell Kenneth I’m on my way back to your place?”
“Yeah. And that you’re moving in with me.”
Surprised, she gaped at Rafe for a moment. “I don’t think that’s…”
“Necessary? A good idea? It sure as hell is. What if your brother thinks to threaten you next? Send one of your pack members to lean on you further? I’m not using you as bait for anything. You’ll stay with me until this is all cleared up. I’ve got plenty of guest rooms. I just want to make sure you stay safe.”
“What if he believes I’ve made a bargain with you to help free my son?”
“He might, but you can’t help your son if you’re also a target.” And Rafe wasn’t going to risk her safety on a gamble.
* * *
At Rafe’s place, Jade met Hugh Holloway and Sebastian, Rafe’s personal assistant. Edward had ridden in the plane with them, but now that they were at Rafe’s home, she felt a little intimidated. All the men were tall like Rafe, but Edward’s stern look indicated he meant business. He clearly didn’t trust her: his whiskers roughened, his hard jaw remained firm, and his blue-gray eyes studying her intently. Like the other men, he was in great shape. He was dressed in black jeans, a dark-olive-drab shirt that suited his darker look, and Timberland hiking boots as if he was planning to go on a journey or to kick some ass.
Sebastian was just as hard around the edges, but he smiled warmly at her. He looked more like a charmer to her, his light-brown hair streaked by the sun and his light-brown eyes smiling back at her. He was clean-shaven and wearing jeans, a blue denim shirt, and docksiders—casual, but dressier than sandals or sneakers. Aidan’s bodyguard was dressed in jeans and a buttoned shirt and sneakers, looking casual but, like Edward, all business.
Hugh excused himself to check on the grounds out front.
Jade gave Sebastian the key to her room at the bed-and-breakfast so he could grab her things and pay the bill, and the key to her car so either Edward or Sebastian could drive it here.
“I’ll call over there to let Fiona know this is legit.” Jade hoped this wasn’t a bad idea. She figured Fiona would be rampantly speculating once she learned Jade was leaving early, but that Rafe’s staff was picking everything up would say a whole lot more. Jade hoped the paparazzi wouldn’t be around watching the whole thing. When she got ahold of Fiona, she said, “I’m moving out, but I’m fine with the charges.”
“Is everything all right?” Fiona asked, sounding concerned, probably even more so after Rafe had picked Jade up at the inn when she had been so upset.
“Yes, thanks. Sebastian and Edward, who work for Mr. Denali, will be picking up my car and my things.”
“You’re…you’re not leaving the area?” Fiona’s voice was definitely surprised.
“No. Thanks for everything. Your place is lovely. I’m just going to be staying…somewhere else.” As if Fiona couldn’t guess where.
“Wow. Congratulations and good luck.” Fiona sounded bubbly.
“For…?”
“I take it you have new accommodations, and that would mean a fantastic upgrade.”
Jade chuckled. “Thanks. And yes.” Then they ended the call. “Okay, she’s good with it. My brother is footing the bill, so no problem with that.”
“I’ll take care of it. I don’t want you having to owe him anything,” Rafe said, his expression stormy.
“Won’t he be suspicious that you’re taking me into your home and paying for the room?”
“He’ll know you’re moving out and coming over here, if he’s got anyone watching you. And yeah, he might be suspicious. Anyone who commits crimes usually is. But if we play our cards right, we’ll be fine. He might
not have figured I’d fall head over heels for you—”
She rolled her eyes.
He smiled. “But he’ll believe so now. And if he imagines you’ve got me bamboozled, so much the better.”
She didn’t think her brother would believe that. But sometimes he surprised her—like when it suited him.
She saw Aidan coming from the back patio, a towel around his waist, his hair dripping wet, a T-shirt in his hands that he began to pull over his head as soon as he saw them. He was a little shorter than Rafe, his hair darker and his eyes also, but he looked too much like him not to be his twin brother. His charcoal-gray T-shirt caught her attention next: Real men eat cupcakes.
She smiled. She hadn’t expected the geneticist to wear anything like that. Just like she hadn’t expected Rafe to dress so casually. Or even his staff.
“My twin brother, Aidan Denali,” Rafe said. “And this is Jade Ashton.”
Aidan looked her over and said, “I remember the lady well. Let me get dressed, and I’ll join you and we can talk.”
She thought he looked a little wary of her too. Not that she blamed him.
Rafe led her into the den, and she loved the fantastic view of the pool and beach. She hadn’t really noticed the last time she was here. This time, she saw a large photograph on one wall of his yacht, the Lo-Lee. On the deck, Aidan, Rafe, and Edward stood grinning as they showed off their catches. She wasn’t into fishing, but it sure looked like it would be fun.
The couches in the den were all navy-blue leather; a huge screen television covered one wall; and the floor was terra-cotta-colored tile, with the rest of the theme nautical. Before she could choose a chair, Aidan rejoined them.
“So tell me what’s going on,” he said, eyeing both of them.
After Jade took a seat on a couch, Aidan sat on a nearby chair, and Rafe took the chair opposite. Then she explained the whole situation.
“They can’t force me to learn anything quickly about the changes our kind are experiencing,” Aidan said. “It could take decades for a breakthrough, and I might never get anywhere.”
“Right. Well, my brother thinks that, based on something you said, you have nearly uncovered the key,” Jade warned.
“He misunderstood what I was saying. I’m nowhere near discovering anything except to make correlations between our current longevity and human longevity.” Aidan turned to Rafe. “So what are we going to do about her son?”
“I’ve got men looking for him and her brother. Jade will stay here because her brother is threatening her at the bed-and-breakfast. Now that you’re here, I’m planning to take your place in case they try to grab you. As much as I hate to do it, from now on, I’ll wear the glasses you normally wear when you’re out in public.”
“Gave them up. Everyone still thinks I’m you, with all the publicity you get, so no sense in wearing fake glasses.” Aidan shook his head. “I’m the one who reached out to Jade’s pack, creating this trouble in the first place.”
“And I’m the one who has the training to take these people down.”
“My brother expects me to tell him where you live,” Jade said.
“For now, I’m here. Just where the two of us can deal with this. What does he think? He can learn where my research is and try to move it? Take me hostage?” Aidan asked, sounding perturbed.
“He doesn’t know I’ve told Rafe why I’m here. And he believes you’re about to make a breakthrough. He wouldn’t believe me if I told him it wasn’t true,” she warned.
“If I gave him a serum, just a placebo, he wouldn’t have any idea if it would increase longevity beyond what it is now,” Aidan said. “It would take more than five years to learn if our cells were aging faster or slower like they used to. It’s not something that can be rushed. Also, two wolves can age at different rates. Biological and chronological aging are two different theories. Even humans are researching whether the biological process of aging can be slowed down, stopped, or reversed. So I’m not the only one who is testing theories on the subject. Maybe even other wolves are testing our own species. I don’t know.”
“The problem is that my brother is holding my son hostage. Not only that, but he’s in hiding, apparently. Which worries me even more. Does he think I’ve told Rafe that he’s holding my son?”
“Or he’s worried you’re going to send a hit team to take him out,” Aidan said.
“As if I knew where to find one. In the intimate apparel business, that’s not really something I would know about.”
Aidan glanced at Rafe.
“That’s my business.”
Aidan smiled, then cleared his throat. “So what do we do next?”
“I was going to take Jade yachting tomorrow to pretend to court her. Then we’d be at the ball in four more days. But now that you’re here, that changes things.”
“Why?”
“They’ve been following us. She’s been telling her brother our whereabouts so he doesn’t harm her son, but in the event he does know you’re here, she’ll need to tell him. Otherwise, if he knows you’re here and she hasn’t told him, he’ll suspect we know what’s going on. And if we’re running around having a good time, he’ll wonder why she’s not trying to learn something from you.”
“I agree.”
“I’ll text him.” She pulled out her phone, then hesitated. “If he wasn’t paranoid and had GPS detector tracking devices, you could have tried to track his calls.”
“Sounds to me like he has something to hide,” Rafe said. “What does he do for a living?”
“He has a paint and body shop, restores old cars, and resells them. He makes a bundle flipping them.”
Rafe and his brother exchanged looks. “All legitimate?”
“I don’t know. I…never gave it any thought. I don’t know anything about cars.”
“And the Firebird convertible you own?” Rafe asked.
Jade ground her teeth. “I bought it from him years ago. I love it. If it was stolen…”
“Most likely not, because if you ever got into trouble for it, you’d know exactly where to lay the blame. We’ll have Edward check it over as soon as he gets back with your luggage. He’s a jack-of-all-trades,” Rafe said.
“Hey, someone mention my name?” Edward asked, joining them in the den. “Took care of the bed-and-breakfast. Pesky photojournalist LK Marks was there asking why I was driving the lady’s car. But he gave me the article he wrote about you and Jade. I thought you might want to see it.” He handed the paper to Jade first. “We normally don’t read the tabloids, but you’re new to the game,” he said to Jade, “and I made sure it sounded okay.”
She barely breathed as she began reading the article. Her jaw dropped. “Well, he said I was a real beauty that Rafe Denali rescued from the sea. Not only that, but that I owned two clothing lines and that it was refreshing to meet a real woman, not a Hollywood version of one.” She took a breath. “At least that’s good.”
“I’ll say,” Edward said.
Rafe nodded. “If you would, check and see if Jade’s car is legal.”
“Sure thing.” Edward stalked out of the room.
She got goose bumps at the thought that she might have been driving a stolen car all these years. She wondered what would happen now with the paparazzi learning she had moved out.
Rafe went to the bar. “Jade, would you like a drink?”
“I need to do a small load of wash. My jeans got a little muddy when we dressed out in the park.”
“Why don’t you have a drink first, and then I’ll show you the laundry room.”
“All right. Do you have the fixings for a margarita?”
“Sure do. On the rocks or frozen?”
“On the rocks, no salt, please.”
“Okay. Aidan, your usual?”
“Yeah, you know me.”
“James Bond wannabe.”
Aidan laughed.
Rafe handed Jade’s giant glass to her, decorated with a tiny, bright-pink parasol and a
slice of lime and a cherry. Then he fixed Aidan a martini and a drink for himself.
“What are you having?” Jade asked.
“Hotel California: champagne, gold tequila, pineapple, and mandarin orange juice.”
“I might have to try that some time.”
Edward walked back to the patio room. “Your car looks legit. Checked the VIN against what the car should list as, and it all matched up. No sign that it had been tampered with or changed out.”
She was so relieved; she hadn’t realized how tense she’d been.
“Want a beer or mixed drink?” Rafe asked Edward and Sebastian.
“I’ll take a beer,” Edward replied.
“Beer,” Sebastian said.
She was surprised Edward and Sebastian would be drinking with them when they were supposed to be working for Rafe.
They all moved out to sit by the pool. Jade drank most of her margarita, but she was worried about not texting her brother. “Where’s your laundry room, Rafe? I’m going to start my wash and text my brother about Aidan being here. And hope he isn’t suspicious about me staying at your place.”
“Sure thing,” Rafe said.
She was trying not to feel nervous about it, but she couldn’t think of anything but reporting in.
Rafe took her to the laundry room and showed her where everything was. Then he put his hands on her shoulders and looked down at her. “We’ll get Toby back, and we’ll take care of your brother.”
She nodded, but she was scared that Kenneth would do something drastic if he thought they were out to get him.
“Do you want me to stay with you while you text him?”
“No, thanks, Rafe. I can manage. I’ll join you in a bit. Did you want me to wash your muddy jeans too?”
“I have… Sure, that would be great.”
A maid, she thought he was going to say, which she always forgot about. He most likely had everything done for him, except he liked to cook.
“Be right back,” he said.
She was throwing in other clothes when he walked back in with his.
“Thanks. If you need me, just holler.”
“I’ll join you in just a few minutes. And thanks again, for everything.”