Midnight Moonrising (Moonrising #2)(51)

If he knew Phoenix at all, he would bet the guy had some sort of security camera pointed right at them and watching the whole show. If he knew Mena, she probably knew that, too.

Alex sealed the kiss and leaned back enough to look at her desire-filled eyes. If this was an act, he couldn't see it.

"I missed you," she whispered, breathlessly. "What are you going to do with me after I finish with my boring meetings?" She winced, and her fingers quickly shot up to massage her right temple.

Alex frowned when she pulled away. "Headache?"

She sighed. "Yeah, something like that. Although, it's probably better defined as a migraine—stubborn little bitches, they are. They just won't go away when you're trying to have fun."

His brow rose. "It sounds serious. Do you need to take something for it?"

She laughed lightly. "There is no medicine that will cure what I have wrong with me, Alex. I'll be fine. It's only stress induced headaches."

He nodded, knowingly, and started the Jeep. As if someone was watching them, the huge gate began to open inward.

"Don't think I didn't notice that there is something you and Phoenix aren't telling me," she said as he pulled onto the road leading away from Phoenix's home.

He threw her a sidelong glance. "Ditto."

As long as he'd lived in Montgomery, Alex hadn't had a clue there was a house back here, or even a paved road that led to it. If Mena thought her late husband was secretive, she'd better look at her friends a little closer; Phoenix Mahoney seemed to have plenty of secrets, and Alex intended to find out what they were.

"Phoenix may be keeping something from you, but I never will. I'll tell you anything you want to know—not that I know much—but I'll tell you what I can."

"Well, you can start by telling me why you look like you're about to pass out then."

He gave her an up nod as he laced his fingers with hers. "I was hoping it wasn't that obvious how sleep deprived I am. Guess I look like crap, eh?"

"You do not look like crap, but you do look tired. What's doing?"

"After I got home last night, Roel, Brad and Heath stopped by to see if I wanted to go eat breakfast with them—"

"Are you serious?"

Alex chuckled. "That's what I said. So, we go to IHOP and eat, and then Phoenix and Jaxon show up. Phoenix introduced Jaxon as his friend, but he hesitated when he said it, so the first thing I thought was that they were together. I—"

Mena burst out laughing. "You thought Phoenix was gay?"

"At the time, yes, and they even went along with it until we got to the witches' house, and I realized he—"

"Wait—what? Witches' house? You need to explain, Alex," she said, and any trace of humor was absent from her expression when he glanced over at her.


"There are three of them. Some pretty freaky stuff happened to us on the ride there, but Phoenix acted like he was used to it or something. The other guys all gave the witches some of their blood, but one of them cut some of my hair." He reached up and rubbed a place behind his right ear where Magnalayna had taken his offering. Mena's eyes were drawn there. "She said the spell would be ready by tonight, and I didn't get back home until almost dawn."

"You've been working on Marc's case and other cases all week and you're expected to stay up all night with Phoenix and my—my friends at night and then babysit me during the day?" Mena huffed. "Damn you, Phoenix," she growled.

"I'm not babysitting you, Mena. I want to ensure you stay safe—"

"Are you planning to go with them tonight?"

"Well, yeah—"

"Did he ask you to go?"

Alex nodded. "Yeah, he said if I wasn't too tired, I was welcome to come—"

"Turn the vehicle around and go back to his house!"

Alex's eyes popped wide, but he kept his eyes trained on the road as he spoke. "I won't go if you don't want me to go, Mena. I didn't know me being there would upset—"

"It's not what you're doing that's upsetting me, Alex; it's what he's doing to you that's pissing me off!"

"What is he doing to me?"

"Isn't it obvious? He's trying to keep you exhausted, keeping you out all night and day, so you won't have the energy to do anything with me."

"Do anything with you?" He didn't get her meaning at first, but when he turned and looked at her face, her expression told him everything; she was talking about sex. And she was upset that he might be too tired to perform, or even want to. At least he thought that's what she meant. Maybe she was worried about her safety. If he was too tired to protect her that would definitely be something that would upset her this much. "I'm fine, Mena. I'll take a nap after I take you back to him this evening and get a full night's rest after I get back home. I promise I won't let anyone hurt you—"

She slumped in her seat and looked out her window as she crossed her arms over her chest. "I'm not worried about my safety, but Phoenix should be worried about his." She winced again, and then covered her eyes with her hand.

"Are you sure you're all right?" he said.