Midnight Wolf (Shifters Unbound #11)(38)

Jaycee climbed up inside, settling herself on the back seat. She was a gorgeous woman, all curves and sleek hair, her leather motorcycle pants and dark top hugging her body.

She gave Tamsin a frank look from her golden eyes. “Not to be nosy, but who exactly are you? Angus is going to a lot of trouble for you.”

Tamsin let out her breath. “I know he is. And I’m Trouble with a capital T. I can’t tell you everything you want to know, but I promise you, as soon as I can, I will keep Angus as far from my problems as possible.”

“You could leave right now,” Jaycee pointed out. “While he’s busy chewing the fat with Dimitri, take whatever car you came in and go. If you need to hide out, I’ll tell you how to contact Shifters who are good at hiding people—like Zander and Dylan.”

Tamsin hadn’t heard of Dylan. “I already met Zander.”

Jaycee pulled out her phone, which was a modern one, not Angus’s ten-year-old model. “Then he’ll probably be willing to help. Dylan is even better, but he’s iffy. You never know what Dylan will do.”

The slightly worried look in Jaycee’s eyes when she mentioned Dylan’s name was concerning. The thought of Zander and his let’s-get-this-done attitude was more reassuring. Zander had a mate though, with a Collar, and Tamsin didn’t want to endanger her. The pair had already risked a lot to help her.

But she couldn’t throw away the possibility of his assistance. “All right, give me Zander’s number,” she said with reluctance. “In case. You’ll have to write it down the old-fashioned way. I ditched my phone a long time ago.”

Jaycee rummaged in her pockets and found a scrap of paper, and Tamsin unearthed a pen from the catchall tray in the dashboard. As Jaycee wrote, Ciaran watched, his mouth open.

“No,” he said abruptly. “You’re not leaving.”

Jaycee looked up, brows rising, and Tamsin settled on the front seat and gathered Ciaran to her. “I might have to, sweetie. I don’t want to bring Shifter Bureau down on you or your dad.”

“No, we go together.” Ciaran’s voice held a hint of tears. “No matter what, we stick together, and we’ll be all right. That’s what my dad says.”

Jaycee exchanged a glance with Tamsin, then went back to writing.

Tamsin smoothed Ciaran’s hair. “Honey, that might not be practical in my case. Shifter Bureau already nabbed you once, and frightened you a lot. I know you won’t admit it, but they did scare you. Scared Angus even more. You want that to happen again?”

Ciaran squirmed away from Tamsin and knelt on the seat. “It won’t happen now that I’m with my dad. He’ll take care of you. Of us. You can’t go.”

“Ciaran—”

“Dad!” Ciaran did a one-eighty on the seat as Angus opened the driver’s-side door. “Tamsin’s trying to leave. Tell her she has to stay.”

“Tamsin, you have to stay,” Angus said. “Jace, are you going with Dimitri or are we giving you a ride back to Kendrick’s?”

Jaycee unfolded herself and scrambled down from the truck, but not before palming the slip of paper to Tamsin. “I’m out of here. See you soon.”

“Make sure Reg’s SUV is left somewhere safe,” Angus said before she could disappear. “Tell Dimitri to mail him the keys.”

Jaycee landed lightly on the ground, her leopard’s grace in evidence. “Stop worrying. Dimitri and I will handle it. We’re good at this.” She sent Tamsin a look. “Take care of yourself.” Then she slammed the door and was gone.

At the same time, Angus started the truck. The engine was surprisingly quiet but powerful enough to send intense vibrations through the cab.

Angus slammed the door. “Ciaran, get in the back seat and buckle up. Tamsin, keep your hand off that door handle. If you try to jump out, I’ll haul you into the back and tie you up.”

Tamsin glanced at the bed, her heart beating faster. “Promise?”

“Yes. But it won’t be any fun.” Angus gave her a hard look, but his cheekbones stained red.

A shy wolf. Wasn’t that sweet?

He’d be a strong and tender lover. Angus’s big hands would caress her as he pinned her with his weight, his kisses gentle yet powerful.

Tamsin swallowed and looked away. She went through the motions of putting on the seat belt but couldn’t have sworn afterward how she got it buckled. The thought of being in the bed with Angus, his body bare for her touch, her lips, pushed everything else out of her brain.

Definitely horny. One cold shower, and I’ll be fine.

Tamsin knew, as Angus pulled the truck from the curb and Jaycee and Dimitri waved, their arms around each other, that she’d never be fine. Angus had touched something within her, and she wouldn’t shake that anytime soon.

Angus drove carefully into the night. Dimitri had been right that no one gave the truck cab a second glance, except to move out of its way. Plenty of truckers drove lone cabs between loads or rode home in them to sleep. Once Angus got onto the interstate, they’d be pretty much invisible.

“You know how to drive one of these things?” Tamsin asked him.

She’d drawn herself up to sit cross-legged on the big seat, and was now busy checking out the compartments and buttons and levers on the dashboard.