Ripper (Hunter #1)(50)

“Excellent. Then consider me your client. That’s your retainer. Please let me know if you need more. You’ll need to get into the vampire club.”

I tore my eyes away from the ridiculously large check. “Yes, I need access to the club. Can you tell them to expect me?”

“You’ll need an escort. I can’t send you in alone and whether or not the lieutenant is reasonable, I can’t have him in the club.” He looked thoughtful for a moment. “I’ll have a vampire take you through the club. I know just the man. People will talk to you around him. You’ll find him helpful. Also, if you find yourself in need of a tracker, feel free to contact me and I’ll let you use Zack. He has an excellent nose, as his master is bound to discover tonight.”

The door to the office opened and I turned to see a small boy cautiously entering the room. He had a mop of dark hair that fell almost in his eyes. He had on sweat pants that were nearly worn through at the knees, a Spider-Man T-shirt, and sneakers that needed to be tied. He looked like he was maybe eight or nine, and there was no question who his father was.

“Lee,” Quinn said and it was obvious he had gone into father mode. “You were supposed to spend the evening with your Uncle Neil.”

The boy let the door close behind him and approached his father with big brown eyes that seemed to seriously consider the question. “He got lost, Papa.”

“Did he?” Quinn asked suspiciously. “And your brother? Did Rhys get lost as well?”

The tops of Lee’s shoes suddenly seemed very interesting to the boy. “I need to talk to Daddy.”

“Daddy is out,” Quinn said firmly. “He had a meeting to go to. You’ll have to deal with me.”

“Maybe I can wait for Daddy to get home.”

“Or we could call your mother.” That came out more as a threat than an alternative.

“I’ll tell you.” Apparently Daddy was the first choice, but Mama was the last. “You don’t have to bother Mama.”

There was a long pause. “Lee, I’m waiting.”

“We were just playing,” Lee started.

I watched as the fertility god swallowed in fear. I could have sworn the man went pale. “What were you playing, Lee?”

“Hide and seek,” the boy answered. “Me and Rhys were hiding and Uncle Neil was seeking.”

“Did Uncle Neil know he was seeking?”

The boy shrugged. “I think so. I heard him yelling a lot. He’s not real good at it.”

“And where did you decide to hide, you little hoodlum?”

“The armory,” Lee said.

Quinn’s mouth fell open and I could practically see his heart begin to pound. “How did you get into the armory? It’s locked down. You have to have a key card.”

“Well,” Lee started to explain. “Granddad told me I should practice so I stole Uncle Zack’s key and he didn’t even notice, but then I got hungry so I left it with Rhys and the door closed and I can’t get him to come out.”

Quinn was quickly on his feet. “Oh, goddess, he’ll think the C-4 is Play-doh.” He scooped up his son. “We are never telling your mother about this.”

“That’s what Daddy always says,” Lee replied.

Quinn started to carry his son to the door. “I apologize, Ms. Atwood. If you don’t mind waiting, I can send your escort up in a moment. He can show you around Ether and you can ask your questions. I’ll arrange for you to meet with the management at the vampire club tomorrow night.”

“Thank you,” I said, trying not to look too amused. I was far less intimidated by the harried father than I had been by the ruthless club owner.

“As for you,” Quinn was saying as he hurried out, “you may never be left alone with your grandfather again.” He turned to me. “If you hear a loud boom…well, it’ll be too late then. Never mind.”

The door slammed on his way out and I was surprised at how quiet the room was. Right outside the door a huge party was going on but up here it was peaceful. Too peaceful. I wondered where Gray was. Had he already stormed off? Was he home yet? Was he still cursing my name? I had been an idiot to think it could work.

A man like Grayson Sloane needed a sweet, pretty wife. He needed one of those women who would support him and help his career. I would drag him down. I would go to a social function and be a complete moron. I wouldn’t know which spoon to use or when to stop drinking. I shook my head to banish the self-pitying thoughts. It had been a pipedream, nothing more. It should teach me a lesson. I should have slept with him before he knew me well enough to dump me.

I reached over and poured myself another shot of vodka. Quinn had left it behind and he’d kind of been the one to cost me the possibilities Gray had represented, so I figured he owed me. I slammed the vodka and poured another. I sipped this one as I checked out what a fertility god viewed as a good workspace. It wasn’t what I would have guessed. There was a corner with a comfy chair and a bookshelf.

A big portrait adorned the wall opposite the desk. It was what Dev Quinn wanted to see when he glanced up from whatever he was doing. I moved to it, studying it carefully. It was a family portrait, though one unlike any I’d seen before. A bright smiling redhead sat in a field of green grass. She sat between two men, smiling at the camera. I recognized the vampire, Daniel, and the man I’d just met. They were all dressed in white, making a stunning contrast to the deep green of the grass. Each man had a boy in his lap. They were twins and I recognized Lee, though Rhys seemed to have his father’s green eyes. Lee’s eyes were unique. A small, toothless baby girl was in the woman’s arm, her baby hands outstretched toward Daniel. She had a cap of red hair and was her mother’s mini me. Happiness. It was the only word to describe that picture. I felt my eyes prick with tears at the thought that I would never have anything as good as that picture.