Emma’s sister, Ashley, had been shot in the chest by one of the locals intent on kidnapping the niece of the nation’s chief.
“She’s recovering well,” Emma promised, despite the shadow of remembered fear in her eyes. “She mentioned the other night that she’s missed talking to you.”
“Tell her to hurry and get better,” she told the too-somber Breed. “Things are getting boring without her around.”
And that was no less than the truth. The private parties where only a select list of Breeds were invited were definitely suffering, not to mention the bars to which Ashley dragged Emma and some of the other Breed females.
“I’ll be sure to tell her,” Emma promised before turning and moving back into the lobby.
“If you and your parents will follow me,” Thor said, “I’ll show you up to Jonas’s suite.” His gaze met Gypsy’s again. “Rachel’s looking forward to seeing you. She and Diane were talking about that chocolate mousse cake you brought in with you last time. I gather they really liked it.”
“I’ll have to remember to make another chocolate date with them,” Gypsy laughed as Thor chuckled, then turned and led the way into the hotel. “Amber especially loved my contribution to that little lunch.”
“Where’s the girl going with my bag?” her mother asked worriedly as they neared the bank of elevators.
“We’ll get them back before we leave,” Gypsy promised. “It’s just a precaution.”
“A precaution against what?” Her mother was clearly unsettled by the fact that her purse wasn’t on her.
“Against weapons, I guess.” Gypsy shrugged as they moved toward the elevator.
“Jonas has plenty of enemies, Mrs. McQuade,” Thor stated as he led them into a waiting elevator. “No offense is meant. That’s standard operating procedure no matter the visitor.”
Gypsy could see that her mother was still bothered by it, though, her troubled gaze meeting her husband’s for a second as they stepped into the waiting elevator cubicle.
Catching her mother’s eye, Gypsy glanced to the discreet metal signs in the cubicle. Illegal audio/video devices punishable by Breed Law. All bags, cases and devices must be scanned for illegal electronics before meetings commence. Thank you for your patience.
Discomfort flickered in her mother’s gaze. Gypsy knew her mother’s resentment of Breeds in general after Mark’s death was behind her discomfort; still, it bothered her.
The ride up was a quick one. In less than a minute the elevator came to a smooth stop at the eighth floor and slid soundlessly open.
“This way.” Thor stepped back to allow them to precede him from the elevator.
It was evident her parents hadn’t been to the hotel since the Breeds had taken up residence. The entire building had been more or less taken over by the Bureau of Breed Affairs, and security was incredibly tight.
Moving down the hall, Thor turned up another long hallway, and halfway along the corridor four Breeds stood at attention, watching Thor and Gypsy’s parents suspiciously. Heavily armed, brooding and looking far too dangerous in those black mission uniforms, not to mention far too good looking, they didn’t take their eyes off the small group.
“The McQuades to meet with Director Wyatt,” Thor told the guard at the door as Gypsy peeked around Thor’s broad shoulder and shot the Breed at the door a suggestive wink.
His eyes crinkled just slightly.
For Flint, that was a fully formed sexy-as-hell grin. Or at least, that was as close as he came.
“Hello, Gypsy.” Flint nodded as they moved past. “We’ve missed you.”
“Evening, cutie.” She greeted him just under her breath, knowing the Breed heard every word. “You’re looking especially hot tonight.”
He snorted at the compliment, while Gypsy caught the surprise on her parents’ faces as they moved into the director’s suite.
Roomy and opulently appointed, the presidential suite was decorated with classic desert hues, the furniture comfortable, the upholstery incredibly soft.
It wasn’t Jonas and his wife who met them in the suite, though, but rather Lawe Justice, Rule’s brother, and his fiancée, Diane.
They introduced themselves to her parents before greeting Gypsy with a smile and informing them that Jonas was running just a few minutes late.
As they waited, Diane sidled up to Gypsy. “Did you bring cake?” she asked in a hushed tone, drawing Greta McQuade’s attention.
“I didn’t know I needed to.” Gypsy grimaced regretfully. “It was really short notice and Kandy didn’t have any mousse cake. Next time, tell your boss to give me a little advance notice.” Gypsy grinned back.
“You suck, McQuade,” Diane accused her with a heavy sigh. “That cake was the bomb.”
“I’ll be sure to let my sister know,” Gypsy promised, making a mental note to put Kandy in the kitchen whipping up chocolate mousse cake.
Lifting her finger in a sign to give her a minute, Diane turned away, obviously listening to whatever was being said in the earbud she wore.
“Excuse me a minute.” She turned back to them with a quick smile. “I’ll be right back. Lawe will get you a drink, and Jonas and Rachel will be out momentarily.”
Diane disappeared.
Moving to the sofa, Gypsy took a seat, crossed one leg over the opposite knee and sat back to wait as she glanced at her parents while they took a seat on the matching love seat on the nearest side to her.
“You know them.” Her mother seemed faintly confused by the fact that Gypsy was on such familiar terms with the Breeds they’d seen so far.
She shrugged dismissively. “I see them around a lot. We talk. I knew Ashley and Emma before Jonas and Rachel showed up. They asked for one of the chocolate mousse cakes the first week that Rachel was here and invited me to share it with them.”
Actually, they’d begged her to make one and bring it to the hotel for Rachel’s toddler, Amber, who had been having trouble eating. They had sworn the chocolate would tempt her.
And it had.
The little girl had been a giggling, chocolate mess when Director Wyatt had walked into the suite. And the sight of her, lifting her chocolate hands to him and squealing, “Da, moo-ie cake,” had sent such a wash of emotion over his face that Gypsy’s heart had clenched in her chest.
Now, two months later, Wyatt had her cooling her heels while he waited to tell her and her parents that the joke was all on them, she was afraid.
Asshole.
She wondered if Lawe and Diane would let her kick him then?
She was sure Diane would.
“You hadn’t mentioned that you knew so many Breeds,” her mother murmured.
“Yeah?” She glanced over at her mother again before surveying the scenery from the wide floor-to-ceiling windows on the other wall. “I didn’t think it was important.”
“How did you get to know so many of them? The bars?” her mother asked, her lips tightening in disapproval of where she had met them. “But it doesn’t explain how you came to be invited here and now know Director Wyatt and his family so well. I can’t imagine that’s easily done.”
Had her mother forgotten who had saved her the night Mark had died? Or were her memories just of her seeing her son’s body on that stretcher, that ring of red at his neck?
A chill raced through her, cutting through the serenity she’d managed to project in the past hours.
Gypsy turned back to her parents and arched her brows. “I don’t know, Mother, they like me, I guess,” she said faintly. “That or they like Kandy’s chocolate mousse cake.”
It was probably the cake, now, but nine years ago, it had been Jonas who had sworn she would always have a safe place to live if her parents no longer wanted her.
Her mother frowned; her father just watched her with that faintly accusing look she found so disheartening. It was one of the few looks she couldn’t read, and that made her nervous.