Part 32 (1/2)
”Not without s.c.r.e.w.i.n.g up my own.”
”If I'm going to be the rope in your tug of war, shouldn't I know what the war is about?”
He gave her an aggravated look. ”What does Cain have to do with finding this Tiffany person?”
”You obviously don't want to find her for me,” she explained, ”but you want our little agreement more. I have to think that has something to do with Cain. You don't seem like the type of guy who breaks the rules arbitrarily.”
And a bet with her was arbitrary, no doubt.
Reed's lips thinned and a vision of her bent over his knee popped into her head. ”When I do something with you because of Cain, I'll let you know.”
”Spanking isn't my thing, caveman.” She crossed her arms. ”And I'm not talking about you and me. I'm talking about you and Cain.”
”You can't say it's not your thing until you've been spanked properly.” He caught her elbow and pulled her toward the duplex.
”We were having a discussion,” she protested.
”No, you were prying.”
”Alec said it had something to do with a woman.”
Reed stared straight ahead. ”On the periphery.”
”And the fact that you are both interested in the same woman now doesn't signify?”
”Not anymore. Now there's just one of us interested.” He glanced at her. ”Note that Cain's defection didn't affect me at all. What does that tell you?”
”That you don't think he got over me that quickly either.”
”He's an archangel, babe. Archangels don't feel love like you know it.”
”Are they celibate?”
He laughed. ”h.e.l.l, no. They can even feel fond of a lover, like an owner with a pet. But love . . . that is reserved for G.o.d.”
Eve sighed. Until she spoke with Alec at length, in private, she wasn't jumping to any conclusions. ”So get back to the origins of your fight with your brother.”
”Get over it, Eve.”
”Were you ever close?”
Shrugging, he said, ”My mother says we were once, but I don't remember it.”
”Your mother says?” Not past tense.
The wry smile he shot her was a knee-weakener. ”She'll tell you all about it when you meet her. Like most moms, she loves to share embarra.s.sing childhood stories.”
Eve was too stunned to reply. Alec and Reed . . . with their mother. The singularity of meeting the Original Sinner had nothing on the thought of seeing the two potently virile men she knew with their mom. As they neared the house, they spotted Linda and Roger outside with Freddy. Linda waved, then crossed the street.
”Hey,” she said, smiling. ”We all talked it over and we've decided we're going to stick around tonight. We tried reaching the commandant, but she's gone for the day. If we had gotten a hold of her and she agreed to let us come back, we would have headed up to Alcatraz. But since we couldn't reach her, we feel like it is best if we stay. All we have is our reputation. We need to protect it.”
Reed's hand settled at Eve's lower back, intensifying the rush of his thoughts in her mind. He wasn't at all happy with the turn of events.
”Completely understandable,” he said. ”And admirable. But Eve's been called away and won't be available to join you tonight.”
Setting her boot heel on his toes, she s.h.i.+fted her weight to that side. You're an a.s.s. You could have at least talked to me about it first.
You've been there, done that, he countered, pus.h.i.+ng her off his foot with a firm but gentle hand. No more. Why not? If it's safe enough for them, it's safe enough for me.
Not as safe as Gadara Tower.
I won't argue that, but I can speak for myself.
”I haven't decided,” she said to Linda, smiling, ”whether I'll be leaving or not.”
Reed's fingertips tickled her spine. ”She's needed in Anaheim.”
”Tonight?” Linda asked, frowning.
”No,” Eve said.
”Yes,” Reed interjected.
Eve shot him a warning glance. ”We'll have to discuss it.”
”Okay.” Linda looked warily between them. ”Let me know. We're going to head over there around midnight. You should be mostly done with whatever you're doing by then, right?”
”Sure,” Eve said.
”Doubtful,” Reed qualified.
Linda returned to Roger and Freddy, who were cavorting in the empty driveway. Freddy in particular was rambunctious in a way that was out of character with his behavior so far. Eve's gaze narrowed on him. He caught her looking and settled down.
Reed led Eve back to the house. They went to the men's side, where Hank had set up shop. The occultist was seated at a folding card table that was serving as a makes.h.i.+ft desk. In the guise of a man, Hank's gaze met Eve's.
”Your friends across the street left-”
”-something here for me?” she asked, cutting him off.
He eyed her for a moment, then nodded. ”Yes.”
She accepted the compact disc he held out to her. Their fingers touched and he read her, seeing more than she wanted him to. But also what she needed him to see.
”Interesting,” he murmured. ”Let me know what you find out.”
She stared at his red hair, thinking of the last redhead she'd talked to. When Hank pulled away, she caught his wrist.