Eternal (Shadow Falls: After Dark #2)(88)

“Della?” Mr. Yates said again.

Della stood up to do as Mr. Yates requested, and he added, “Go ahead and grab your books.”

Her books? This reminded her of being sent to the principal’s office. She’d only gone once, and it totally hadn’t been her fault.

Scooping up her books, she walked to Mr. Yates’s desk. “Yes?”

“Burnett wants to see you.”

Okay, she was sort of being sent to the office. But hopefully not for something she’d done wrong. As she walked out, Miranda and Kylie gave her a wave.

All sorts of thoughts shot through Della’s mind as she left the classroom. And the worst one had Della almost hyperventilating. Had one of the bodies been identified as Natasha or Liam?

In less than a minute, Della arrived. Burnett’s voice echoed from Holiday’s office. Since the door was open, Della walked right in.

“What is it?” she asked.

“It’s not anything terrible,” Holiday said, instantly picking up on Della’s emotions and standing as if to come give her one of her touches.

Della held her hand out, wanting to deal with this alone.

Burnett, having been half-sitting on Holiday’s desk, stood up. “I just wanted to go over what will happen tonight at the airport.”

Della let out the breath she’d been holding. “Okay.” She moved the rest of the way in, plopped down on the sofa, and placed her books beside her. This was a piece of cake.

“I’ll be going with you. We’ll meet Chase at the airport.”

Okay, the cake wasn’t as sweet as Della thought. She and Chase had pre-airport plans that involved a trip to meet the Vampire Council, and she knew Burnett would balk at that.

Oh, hell, who was she kidding, he’d do more than balk, he’d be livid.

“Uh … why can’t Chase and I take care of this on our own?”

Burnett stared down at her and his brows tightened the way they did right before he started arguing. The fact that she knew his pre-arguing expressions said a lot about their relationship.

“He’s a known criminal with a three-page rap sheet. I wouldn’t send two of my best agents out alone to pick him up. I’ll be there, as well as another agent, as backup.”

His tone told her he wouldn’t compromise on that. “Fine, but I’ll ride with Chase. He’s picking me up around four this afternoon.”

“The plane doesn’t land until nine.”

“I know,” she said, not offering anything else.

“So…?” he asked.

She knew he meant “so” as in “so, what the hell are you planning on doing until then,” but she didn’t plan to play. If he wanted to know, he would have to ask. Not that she would tell him. She couldn’t.

“So I guess we’ll see you at the airport around eight, or earlier. Just tell me where you want to meet.”

He frowned. “I don’t know exactly how to put this, but I don’t approve of Chase.”

Della knew this was where it was going, but she hadn’t planned what to do about it. “I know you don’t approve of him. But … I do.”

Burnett leaned back against Holiday’s desk again. Holiday rose and came around to stand almost between them. No doubt, the fae could feel a pending argument brewing. She probably knew it before Della ever arrived. And that look in her eyes, almost an apology, told Della to get prepared—this conversation wasn’t going to be easy.

“I don’t trust him,” Burnett said. “And if I remember correctly, you weren’t too keen on him in the beginning, either.”

“I know, but I’ve worked with him all this time and I’ve seen another side of him. Plus, I remember when Holiday wasn’t so keen on you.”

Burnett grimaced. “So now are you comparing you and Chase to me and Holiday?” He turned to his wife. “I thought you said there wasn’t anything romantic going on?”

Holiday shook her head. “No, I told you she said they weren’t having sex.”

Della huffed. “I’m glad you two get off on talking about my sex life.”

Burnett glared back at Della. “So, you’re emotionally involved with Chase?”

She almost denied it, but then couldn’t. “Sort of.” And then feeling defensive, she added, “You’re the one who assigned me to work with him.”

“That was before I knew he worked for the council and had info about the FRU leak.”

“In his defense, he told me about it.”

“He should have told us about it a long time ago.”

He grew quiet, and having seen his interrogation techniques, she knew he used it to put a person on edge. And whether he meant it that way or not, it worked. She was all edge. But she wasn’t backing down. She needed to meet the council.

“You assigned me to work this case with him and I plan to finish this case with him.”

“And then?” he asked.

And then? The question bounced around her head and heart. “I don’t know.”

Burnett ran a hand over his face. “Fine. But there are some things you need to know up-front.”

She nodded. And she saw Holiday grimace as if she knew what was coming.

“After this case, if you continue to see Chase, your career with the FRU is over.”