he suite’s door had them all swinging around.
Terror raced through her. If he’d been standing outside the door, he could have heard everything said. She hadn’t completely closed the door; she remembered that now. Some warning, some inset kernel of knowledge, had made her stop just shy of securing it.
And that may have been a very big mistake.
She watched in fascination as Dog stepped over to where he’d carelessly tossed his pack earlier. Not taking his eyes off them, he reached into the side, drew a slender cigar free and placed it between his lips, lit it.
The flame from the old-fashioned match cast his features into an eerie glow before he lowered it, shook the flame out and slowly blew out a cloud of fragrant tobacco smoke.
It took precious seconds to realize she was slowly shaking her head as she stared back at him, anger still raging like a storm inside her. This couldn’t happen. She couldn’t let blood be shed here. God help her, nothing could happen to her dad, and if Dog attacked Rhyzan, her father would feel honor bound to stand with the assistant director.
“Mate,” he drawled softly. “Come here.”
She’d taken a step toward him when her father’s hand touched her arm with but a whisper of discomfort, pulling her gaze to him.
“I love you, Cassie,” he said gently. “And I’ll do whatever necessary to protect you. Even from your mate.”
And he would. Whatever he felt he had to do.
Her head lifted as she forced back the sharp words that wanted to escape.
“I chose him,” she assured him firmly. “I contacted him. I asked him to be my lover, knowing he was a Coyote, knowing there was a chance that he was my mate.” She flashed Rhyzan a killing look. “If I had wanted anyone else, I could have chosen them instead.”
No bloodshed. No war. The only way to fight a Reconsideration was to stay firm, confident, and let no one suspect for even a second that he wasn’t the mate she would have chosen if she had known.
Turning, she moved across the room to Dog’s side, expecting him to make some show of ownership or dominance.
Instead, his hand merely settled at her back, warm, strangely comforting.
“Alpha Sinclair, I actually have some measure of respect for you,” he stated, his tone reasonably respectful. “Because of that, I assure you that getting my mate killed or captured is the last thing you need to fear. But make the mistake of attempting to use her love for you, and your disappointment in her choice, then that will change. I don’t think either of us wants to hurt Cassie in such a way.”
Her father’s expression didn’t change, but the animosity pouring from him seemed to thin, as though Dog’s response surprised him.
“As for you.” Dog turned to Rhyzan. “Get the hell out of here. The scent of your self-righteousness is pissing me off.”
Cassie was aware of her father watching, his expression bland, but he was analyzing every word, every undercurrent and emotion on the air, she knew. And he was amazingly perceptive.
“I’d like to see Kenzi soon.” She turned to her father.
“Your security is no longer active and Kenzi’s under Bureau protection,” Rhyzan stated, moving for the door. “As a matter of fact, you have twelve hours before you’ll be asked to leave if you insist on remaining with him.”
He left the room as Cassie fought to control the hard strike of pain she felt lance her chest.
That was her sister, and because she refused to consider an attempt to switch mates, he’d use Kenzi as a weapon?
She didn’t look at her father then. She wouldn’t beg, not Rhyzan and not her father. She wouldn’t put him in the position of having to hurt her because he couldn’t overrule Rhyzan.
“I’m sorry, baby,” he said softly as he drew to her side and lowered his head to kiss the top of hers. “I love you. If you need me, you have only to call. You know that.”
She nodded quickly. “I know. I love you too, Dad.”
Her heart was breaking. She could feel it shredding in her chest and fought to keep the pain buried, to keep the tears from filling her eyes.
He left the room, closing the door gently behind him as he did.
She stepped away from Dog, a strange, hollow chill moving through her as she headed for the bedroom. “I guess I better start packing. It appears we’re being evicted.”
• CHAPTER 9 •