CHAPTER 38

Anthony was meeting with Leanne and several others in his office when I finally made it back from the kitchen. He waved me inside, but continued the discussion with the others, most of which centred around the logistics of moving household, security, and preparation for other possible attacks. Anthony was bandaged, but mobile and he had that familiar look on his face he got when he was focused on a particularly vexing problem.

"Jacob is my new security chief, so if you need anything from that department you'll have to go to him. Leanne, I'll leave the household organization to you, you've got a good handle on what's needed in that sense."
Leanne beamed at him.

"Chase, Micheal you're with me tonight, we're going to pay a visit to the other Caporegimes. The rest of you know your tasks."

The wolves in the room nodded and began to file out, one by one. Leanne lingered near the heavy wooden desk. She was wearing a well made deep blue business suit, probably attached to some brand name that bumped the price up into the thousands. She wore a white shirt beneath the jacket, but it was buttoned down so low I wasn't certain why she bothered.

"I just have one question about this," she set a piece of paper on Anthony's desk and bent over to point at something written on it. The move was a very obvious flaunt of her cleavage. I rolled my eyes and walked to one of the book cases. I'd never been to the ranch so their contents were unfamiliar. Sadly there didn't seem to be any interesting finds among the heavy texts on law and commerce.

"Anything will be fine," Anthony was reassuring her. "Just keep it to simple colors. None of that bright crap from the manse."

She gave a throaty chuckle, as if he'd told her a dirty joke and turned away from me slightly blocking me out of his view.

"If that's everything?" Anthony asked, either oblivious, or uncaring about her manoeuvring.

Her smile turned brittle.

"Of course," she turned and walked out, not giving me a second glance.

Anthony got up behind her and walked to the door, closing it.

"How was Martha?" he asked stalking up to me, step by step. The way he moved, like cornering his prey, sent warm shivers through me.

"Cranky," I told him, "being confined to bed isn't quite her thing."

He laughed. "No, it sure isn't." He closed in on me, hands raising up to my shoulders and rubbing down toward my elbows. "And you? How are you this morning?"

"As well as I can be," I told him, leaning toward him. His lips found mine. At first gentle, but quickly becoming passionate, his hands began to wonder.

"Is this why you were looking for me?"

He broke the kiss, expression wry and regretful.

"Unfortunately, no." He stepped away from me and walked behind the desk, grabbing the suit jacket that was hanging on the back of his chair. He slid it on and I admired how it fit like a glove. "I'd like your help with the Caporegimes tonight."

I tried very hard not to cringe.

Anthony waved a hand in a dismissing gesture. "Not as brute force. While I'm visiting them in the front of house, I'd like you to snoop around back. Carlos didn't give us much, but I got the impression he wasn't alone in his plans to attack. If anyone else has any bright ideas I'd like to nip them in the bud."

I let out a relieved breath. That, I could do.

"I'm in," I told him, smiling a little when he came up and kissed my cheek.

"I'll have Micheal and Chase, but I'll send Leon with you. He's young but his wolf is strong and he's a great shot. He's also the most likely to take direction from you."

My smile faded. "What's that supposed to mean?"

Anthony shrugged. "You haven't established yourself as Luna, or even a member of the pack. Some of the others are beginning to push back. I'm tempering it as well as I can but without action on your part it's only likely to get worse."

Ugh. Not this again.

Under Rob I didn't have to worry about establishing myself. If Rob sent me on a job and sent people with me they simply did the job they were told. No questions asked.

"Leon's fine then," I managed. "I've got some things to take care of today, where should I meet you?"

Anthony really, really wanted to say something. The struggle was right there on his face.

"I was hoping you would spend the day with me."

I raised a brow. "Doing what?"

"I have to go into the office, but I thought we'd go for lunch?"

I thought about it. Lunch sounded good, but what was I going to do for the rest of the day? Stand around and wait? But Anthony was acting so normal, so unstressed that I really didn't want to break the mood either.

"Raincheck?" I offered. "I really do have things to do."

He gave me a small smile and reached out to squeeze my hand.

"Next time, maybe."

"Where should we meet?" I wanted to know, "and what time?"

"Ten, at the diner," he lead me through the door, still holding my hand. "Take Leon with you?"

I stiffened, struggling with the idea. This was exactly the life I didn't want, with guards and men following me and no freedom or privacy.

"The attack on the manse was focused on me, but they called you out. They know you're a vulnerability to me and that makes you a target. I would feel much better if you had at least one of our men with you in case anyone pulls anything while I'm not there."

When he put it like that it sounded so damned reasonable.

"Okay, fine. I'll take Leon."

We'd made it to the front entrance, which was part of an open concept design. It held the main doors as well as three couches and a very large hundred inch tv that must have cost someone a fortune. A few of the other wolves were standing around, pretending to mind their own business, but I could tell they were paying very close attention.

"Thank you," Anthony leaned down and kissed me.

I sighed, feeling a little bit better about everything. It wasn't exactly what I would choose if I had full control, but relationships were about compromise and as far as it went this one was manageable. We could do this, we could make this work.

"You're welcome. See you later."

Anthony gave me one last lip-searing kiss and then he was out the door where Micheal and Chase were waiting for him next to the BMW. I turned back around, intent on going to find Leon. The two wolves near the entrance looked away quickly, not quickly enough to miss the speculation on their faces.

Actually, Anthony was right about the trouble, I should probably be prepared. I turned back toward my room, intending on gathering my backpack and weapon.

My phone vibrated. I pulled it out of my pocket.

*I'm heading to Newcomb, you in?*

Darius.

I paused in the hallway, thinking. Newcomb was a five hour drive. I meant to go, eventually, but with my commitment to Anthony tonight there was not enough time.

*I can't. Commitments. Let me know what you find?*

A pause, and then.

*Does this make us partners then?*

I don't know why that made my stomach flutter.

*Only in the sense that we both want Thostchild.*

*Of course. Only in that sense.*

It didn't seem like he had anything else to say, so I added.

*Good luck.*

I laughed when I read his response.

*Don't need it. But thanks.*