Wicked Edge (Realm Enforcers, #2)(62)

Chapter 22


Felicity’s cheeks burned as she walked past all the soldiers outside. She probably shouldn’t have just blurted out the information about the mating, but her mind was spinning, and she’d just gone with it. The breeze slapped her face and rain sprinkled down, but she followed the metal hangar around another corner, her stockinged feet slapping the wet concrete. Trees covered the area past the concrete, silent in the breeze.

Zane followed right behind her.

She finally stopped and turned around.

For the moment, she could only gape. How was it possible the sweet boy who’d picked her flowers had grown into such a strong man? So big and dangerous looking. But his green eyes were soft nonetheless.

She smiled, her heart full. “How are Janie and Hope?”

He blinked. “Fine. Mom—”

“Fine?” She put her hands on her hips. “How are the girls, Zane?”

He shook his head, his dark hair spraying rainwater. “You just saw them a month ago at Hope’s first birthday party. They’re fine.”

Men. Even when you had known them their entire lives, they still didn’t know how to communicate. Felicity nodded. “Thank you. What would you like to discuss?”

His eyes widened. “Seriously?”

She bit back a grin. “Let’s just nip this in the bud now. You have an entire nation to worry about, and I can take care of myself.”

A vein in his neck filled. “Mom. I have no idea how Daire Dunne got you to go along with this ridiculous mission, but I promise I’ll take care of it. And him. You don’t need to stay mated.”

What a sweetheart. “I will decide whether or not I want to stay mated.”

“Ah, no.” Zane grasped her arm and tugged her closer to the building so the eaves shielded them from the rain. “I’ll take care of it.”

Wow. Sometimes her kid was a little dense. “I’ve got things under control.”

Zane took a step back. “Control? Are you kidding? You just robbed a bank.”

Warmth fused through her. “Yes, I did. Quite successfully.” She leaned in, even though the rain surely masked their voices. “I had two other banks robbed at the same time. I’m telling you, Zane, if the demon nation ever needs cash, I have some ideas.”

He shook his head like a dog with a face full of water. “We’re good,” he bit out. “No cash problems.”

Truth be told, the answer was a little disappointing. “All right.”

He crossed his arms. “What were you saying about a polar bear attack?”

“Oh, that.” She dismissed the question with a wave of her hand. “I was checking out the mines on Fryser Island and ended up in a little scuffle.”

He jerked. “In Norway?”

“Eh, close enough. I think there might still be some dissension about who owns the island.” She wiped rain off her cheeks. “We done here?”

“No,” he exploded, his cheeks turning a deep red. “We are not done here. What was that about a helicopter crash?”

She winced. Nobody wanted their mom to be in a helicopter wreck. “Daire and I flew from the island, but enemies shot at us and we went down.”

“In Barents Sea?” Zane shouted.

“Well, close. Sjener?se Island is actually in the Arctic Sea.” She tilted her head. Her eldest son usually kept a much better rein on his temper. His face had now lost all color, and he was looking at her like she’d completely lost her mind. “I’m fine, Zane.”

He took several deep breaths. “I’m going to kill Dunne.”

“Why?” she asked.

Zane’s chin dropped. “Why? Well, how about his extreme bad judgment in taking you to the Arctic and getting you shot at, attacked by bears, and then in a wreck? Or how about his getting you shot in a bank robbery. Or how about his getting you shot at all?” By the end of the statement, he was yelling again.

She couldn’t very well tell Zane that she was on her own mission and had been lying to him most of his life about Ivan Bychkov. Zane had a baby and mate to worry about, and this was her fight. But she also couldn’t let Zane blame Daire. “I’m not working for Daire.”

Zane stilled. “You are working for somebody?”

Ah ha. “Yes.” She grabbed on to the idea the way she would a lifeline in the middle of the Arctic, easily creating a little cover story and lie. “I’ve been hired to do a job, and part of that includes researching the planekite situation.”

Zane frowned. “And bank robberies?”

“Yes.” She smiled. “I needed to get into a couple of safe-deposit boxes for my, ah, job.”

“You don’t need to work.”

She shook her head. “Honey, I’m only a hundred and twenty-five. That’s younger than most demons are when they first get mated. I can’t just sit around and goof off.”

“But, Mom, you’re—”

“What? What am I?” Anger and hurt careened through her. “Weak?”

“No.”

She put her hands on her hips. “Crippled?”

He sighed. “Of course not.”

Water soaked her socks, and she fought a shiver. “I can’t attack minds or teleport. So what exactly am I, Zane?”