Midnight Moonrising (Moonrising #2)(97)
Phoenix smirked. "We tell him the truth."
She shot to her feet. "Are you serious? Now?"
"Why not? Your wolf was waiting for the perfect opportunity. I don't think it will get any sweeter than this; he can't blame her for it. We'll just tell him if he wants to know the whole story, he has to come with us."
Pressing her lips together, she nodded again. "She thinks that's a good plan."
"Hmmm… Two in one day. I guess I need to hurry and insult her before she starts to like me."
Mena laughed as she started for the door, but Phoenix grabbed her around the waist and pulled her to him. He kissed the surprise right off her face. She quickly melted in his arms and allowed her hands to hold tight to the muscles of his triceps as she kissed him back.
"Come on," he said as he put some distance between them and reached for the door. If he stayed in this room much longer with her, he'd have the detective's whole bedroom smelling of Eau de Parfum of Vampire. "Let's get this over with."
Chapter 49
Mena
"What?" Alex said, and then shook his head. "I'm not going anywhere. I'm going to sit my gimp-ass right here, try to get comfortable and, in the morning, I will go see my doctor for a nice, big shot of penicillin."
"You won't need to see a doctor in the morning," Phoenix said.
"Do you think I'm going to die before then?" He laughed as he held up his gauze-wrapped arm. "I honestly don't think it's that serious, just hurts like hell. I'm going to kick the Chief's ass for sending out a freaking cavalry, though. I'll be the laughing stock of the PD for months now. Damn dog bite." He snorted.
"Alex," I said, "please go with us. You can't stay—"
"You're going with him?" He stared at me a moment, the heartbreak clear in his expression, and then he huffed as his sad eyes focused on the gauze. "I knew it was too good to be true—"
"You don't know anything… yet. We are going to tell you everything… tonight. But you have to come with us if you want to know. It's not safe here. They know I'm here, and I'm afraid they will try to hurt you." He didn't say anything, and he didn't look up at me. I went to him and knelt down beside the couch he lay on. "Alex, please," I pleaded.
His eyes locked on mine. "I couldn't even protect you for twenty-four hours."
His skin was warm against mine as I laced our fingers together. "I have something very important to share with you."
"The big secret all of you have been keeping from me? You're going to tell me what it is if I go with you? You will tell me tonight?"
I nodded. "I promise."
It felt like an eternity before he responded, but he finally sighed. "I can't drive a stick with this bum arm."
I smiled. "I'll drive."
"Brad, Heath and their wives are meeting us there," Phoenix said as he slid his cell back into his pocket. "Roel is already there with Lea. We need to go, Mena." Phoenix's gaze moved to Alex. "Do you need me to carry your gimp-ass down the stairs?"
"Not even if I was dead," he said, and sat up. With a confused look on his face, he stared at his arm then moved it around. "Huh… It doesn't hurt much anymore. Must be the shock."
"The shock you're in now is nothing compared to how floored you'll be later. You may need extra underwear."
Alex rolled his eyes as he stood up. "I've seen and heard a lot of shit in my day. I'm sure I'll be fine."
I turned Alex toward the door before he could see Phoenix's huge grin. He was enjoying this way too much.
Alex grabbed his keys, gun and badge then looked around as if something were missing.
"They're cuffed to your headboard," Phoenix said, dryly.
My face flamed hot with embarrassment and hot tears burned my eyes when Alex jogged to the bedroom to collect the handcuffs.
"It wasn't you, Mena," Phoenix whispered by my ear.
I couldn't speak. I was afraid I would cry if I did. What I really wanted was to go to Phoenix's home and curl up around him in his bed. Living this double-life was driving me to insanity at a neck-breaking speed.
I simply nodded then walked out the door when I caught sight of Alex coming up the hallway, pulling a shirt over his head.
"I'm pretty sure I can drive, Mena," Alex said when I walked to the driver's side of the Jeep. "My arm doesn't hurt at all."
"Better to be safe than sorry," Phoenix said as he opened the door of the Corvette. "Let her drive."
Alex shrugged, and handed over the keys.
I dreaded the ride. Two people could say a lot in fifteen minutes, and I couldn't tell him anything about my secret while driving through a busy city.
We were about three miles from his apartment when he spoke. "I'm not going to hate you after tonight, am I?" He was looking out his window when I glanced at him. "Because I don't think I would like myself very much if that happened."
My emotions got the better of me. This was not my fault. This was my wolf's fault, and it was Alex's fault. If he had just avoided me, stayed away, none of this would have ever happened.