“The good one?” I asked. “What does that mean?”
“It means you’re supposed to be smart enough to do the right thing, to follow the rules. And not walk into a fight.”
“I did the right thing,” I told him with barely veiled fury. “We didn’t come to argue. We came to ask questions. To help Riley. We didn’t ask you to barge in.”
Boot laces still hanging, his shirt not quite snugged down tocover the strapping muscle over his hips, he glared at me. “The rules don’t say anything about barging into a fairy castle.”
“They opened the damn doors,” I gritted out. “And since when do you come riding to vampires’ rescue?” I asked, brow arched as high as I could make it. “I thought shifters stayed out of politics.”
“You’d better be glad I made an exception.”
“We were handling ourselves,” I said.
“Oh, good,” Lulu muttered. “Connor and Elisa are fighting. Shock. Surprise.”
“Can it, Bell,” Connor said, but didn’t spare her a glance.
“How’d you know we were here?” I asked, gaze narrowed.
“I followed you from the loft.”
“You did not,” Lulu said.
“I did. Need to learn to spot a tail, witch.”
“Don’t call me witch, puppy.”
Connor’s lip curled.
“Focus,” I said, and looked at Connor. “Why were you at the loft?”
His jaw worked. “Because you seem to think you’re Sherlock Holmes.”
“I’m Holmes,” Lulu said. “She’s Watson.”
He closed his eyes for a moment, as if gathering patience. “If you’re willing to dig in the dirt at Cadogan House,” he said, opening them again and arrowing in on me, “I thought you might do something else stupid.” He gestured toward the castle.
“Riley wouldn’t have done this,” I said. “But we’re the only ones who seem to understand that. And until we prove it, the real killer goes free.”
“He’s my friend, too,” Connor said. “He’s my friend, my Pack mate. He’s family. And my responsibility.”
“You aren’t Apex yet,” I said.
“Yet,”he said, his gaze so intense it might have bored into me.
“Here’s an idea,” Lulu said. “Let’s get the hell out of here, andyou two can continue arguing somewhere else.” She looked back at the tower. “I don’t think we’re guaranteed they won’t try for round two.”
Connor nodded. “There’s a diner up the road. The Carpathian.”
“The Carpathian, as in the mountains in the Ukraine?” I wondered. The Pack had strong connections to the Ukraine.
His smile was wolfish. “The mountains are in the Ukraine, and the restaurant is here. It’s one of ours. Meet me there.” He pointed a finger at each of us. “And no detours.”
He pulled on his helmet, climbed onto his bike, kick-started the engine. The bike growled to life, and it sounded as sexy as it looked. With one last glance at me, he drove off into darkness.
“Is it irritating that he expects us to follow him?” Lulu asked.
“Yes,” I said.