“Look more into this rumor about Dario and find out where it came from,” Knox told Larkin and Keenan. He then turned to the other two sentinels and said, “Announce to the lair that they need to once again be on the lookout for Crow. If he is alive, he’ll be even more determined than before to finish his mission.” After giving a few final orders to his sentinels, Knox sent them away. Alone with his mate, he framed her face with his hands. “I should have seen it. I should have seen that the intended target was you.”
She shook her head. “None of us saw it. The situation didn’t make sense, but no one would expect ‘sense’ from someone in Crow’s state.”
“You have to be extremely careful, Harper. It’s clear that we aren’t just dealing with Crow. Someone is behind this. Possibly more than one person. They might decide to take the matter into their own hands, though I doubt it because they appear to prefer to hide behind others. In any case, be safe. Nothing can happen to you.”
“You be careful, too.” She toyed with his collar. “You’re mega powerful, but anything that’s born can die. We will find out who it is that’s manipulating Crow.”
He rested his forehead against hers. “We will.” Whoever they were, however many of them were involved, Knox would fucking destroy them.
CHAPTER SIXTEEN
The following morning, Harper stood outside Knox’s office, debating whether to knock or just barge right in. It wasn’t unusual for him to spend a fair portion of the night in his home office, making or taking calls. What was unusual was that he hadn’t spent a little time with her first. Literally ten minutes after the sentinels left the previous night, he’d retreated to his office. And he was still in there.
Harper knew he was pissed about the Crow thing, so she’d let him be. After all, she liked time alone to think shit through; she could understand why he’d need it. And since he gave her space when she needed it, it would have been shitty of her not to afford him the same.
As such, she hadn’t bothered him all night. She’d even showered, dressed, and had breakfast alone. Still, though, he was holed up in there. She was due to meet with the girls in an hour to do some shopping, since the studio didn’t open until seven that evening. She wasn’t going to leave without first checking that he was okay.
Knocking would be the polite thing to do. But then, Harper wasn’t polite. So she turned the knob and swung open the door, unsurprised to find him on the phone. She didn’t enter the room, however. He’d either invite her in or he wouldn’t.
His dark gaze locked with hers, unreadable. Her demon’s mood lifted a little. It had missed him and consistently harassed Harper to go find him. For a long moment, Knox just stared at her. She considered walking away, but then he gestured for her to enter.
“I simply wish to know if he has an anchor,” he told the person on the other end of the call.
He was talking to someone about Dario, apparently. Harper stood admiring the three abstract art canvases of mechanical clockwork hanging on the gray wall, but she was totally listening to every word. She liked his office. It was way cooler than hers with the sleek black, U-shaped executive desk and lush leather chair. He had an almost futuristic computer with multiple monitors that she wouldn’t have a clue how to use.
“No major question,” said Knox. “I’d just like to know. Really? All right. Thank you. I will.” He sighed heavily as he ended the call.
She turned to face him. “I take it that was about Dario?”
“Yes,” Knox replied, slowly moving to her. “According to Raul, Dario doesn’t have an anchor.”
She bit her lower lip. “I see.”
Cupping her hips, he added, “That doesn’t necessarily mean he’s Crow’s puppeteer, of course.” But it didn’t look good for Dario. Knox kissed her gently, none too surprised when she didn’t react as enthusiastically as usual. “I neglected you.” He sorely regretted it now.
“To brood.” Her tone dared him to deny it.
“I had a lot of calls to make.”
Ha. “You were brooding.”
“I was trying to find out if there was a spell that could teleport people into secure places.”
“You were brooding.”
“No one was able to help with that.”
“So the brooding continued.”
Mouth twitching into an involuntary smile, he framed her face with his hands and kissed her. Hard. Long. Tasting and taking what was his and only his. Letting the feel and scent of her soothe the chaos in his head.
He slid one hand under her T-shirt and closed it possessively around her breast. “I missed you.” So had his demon. It had sulked all damn night, wanting to seek her out.
Harper stepped back, pushing his arm down and out of her shirt. “Nu-uh. I have to leave.”
He stalked her as she backed up. “The studio doesn’t open until much later.”
“Yes, but I agreed to meet the girls to go shopping. I can’t just cancel on them because my mate has decided he regrets spending so long br—”
“I wasn’t brooding.”
Harper snorted. “Whatever.”
“Before you go, you can tell me what Belinda has been saying to upset you.”
“First you have to promise that you won’t interfere.”
Grinding his teeth, he nodded.
“Yeah, I’m gonna need the words, Knox.” Because she wasn’t an idiot.