Midnight Hour (Shadow Falls: After Dark #4)(96)

When he completed his shift, an older Italian-looking guy stood fully shifted. Forty maybe, barrel chested and looked like one of the stars

that played in The Godfather movie.

“I was told you were good,” he snickered.

Perry shrugged and noted the manicured lawn.

They walked around to the front of the three-storied house. Another guard stood at the front door that seemed built for a giant. He studied

Perry oddly and then let them in.

In a room to their right were several guys holding court. There was more tension in the room than furniture. Perry couldn’t help but search

for his brother, hoping he couldn’t recognize him. Hoping not to feel linked to him in any way.

Disappointment hit when his eyes landed on the youngest man in the room. Blond hair, blue eyes. Their body shape was slightly different, Perry

was taller, buffer, but their facial features were damn near identical.

That hurt. Hurt because here was this person he should feel connected to. Hurt because he’d seen how Miranda felt about her sister. Hurt

because he already knew this guy was only a step from being a monster.

Jax’s gaze met Perry’s. And locked.

“Eerie, isn’t it?” the guard who let them in said.

Jax didn’t answer. He focused back on the three men standing in front of him. Perry checked their patterns.

Two of them were warlocks. The biggest of them was vampire and looked more like a bodyguard.

Flanking his brother were two other guard-looking guys. One part shifter and vampire, one part were and shifter. At least his half sibling wasn

’t prejudiced.

“Look,” Jax spoke to the warlock in the middle. “As you can see, I need to wrap this up. I have fifty percent of what you wanted in a secure

location. As soon as I get fifty percent of what’s owed me, I’ll tell you where to pick it up.”

Perry didn’t have a clue what they were talking about. His brother seemed purposely vague. But his thoughts went to Tabitha being missing and

he couldn’t help but worry.

“That wasn’t the deal. We wanted both,” the dark-headed warlock said.

“And when things calm down here, I’ll get the other half,” his brother answered.

Both? Perry mulled it over.

“That wasn’t the deal.” The warlock’s face grew red.

“Sometimes you don’t get what you want. Do you need to learn that lesson?”

The threat was issued as easily as one might offer someone a glass of sweet tea.

One of the men standing beside his brother took a menacing step forward.

The warlock held out his hand. “How long before you’ll finish the job?”

“A week, maybe two.”

Perry stared off, pretending not to listen, but memorizing every word.

“Now, leave.” His brother waved toward the door. “I have other business.”

The three guys walked out. Jaxon faced Perry. “Who’d’ve guessed there was someone almost as good-looking as myself in the world? I’m not

sure how that makes me feel.”

Perry lifted his chin and spoke in the same condescending tone. “I was thinking the exact same thing.”

Jax continued to stare and Perry felt the man do a complete assessment. Did it piss him off that Perry had him by a few inches and pounds?

“Caleb didn’t trust you.” Jax moved over and poured himself a drink from a bottle of whiskey. The man’s bodyguards stood tense as if on

full alert.

“Caleb was an idiot,” his father spoke up. “He—”

“I got this.” Perry glanced back at his half brother. “And I hear you didn’t like Caleb. Odd you’d take his word.”

“I didn’t like his temper. He caused messes. It doesn’t mean I didn’t trust his judgment.”

Perry moved in another foot. “You trust him enough for him to know where you live? Or is that the reason you moved?”

“What’s that mean?” Jax’s blue eyes brightened to gold.

“I can’t swear it was Caleb, but some shifter, a powerful one, followed us here.”

The mafia-looking bodyguard who’d followed them here let go with a laugh. “That was me.”

“Not you,” Perry said. “Someone with the ability to shift while flying. He was a falcon, an eagle, a pelican, then something else. He’s

good, whoever he was. He landed at the back of your property.”

Jax’s face hardened and he turned to the Italian bouncer. “And you didn’t catch this?”

“He’s making that up,” the man said.

“Find out!” Jax said, looking at his two goons standing beside him. “Meter the area.” He looked at the Italian-looking guy. “I warned you

that I don’t tolerate mistakes. If that meter reads positive, get the hell off my property. And don’t stop looking over your shoulder.”

“But boss, I—”

“Go!”

Footsteps thundered through the room as the three men walked out. Jaxon stood there, clenching and unclenching his fist.

They had meters? Perry thought the FRU were the only ones who had those. But they obviously didn’t have the technology to build them into the