Page 12 of Assisting the Alpha
We spend the rest of the afternoon walking around the area, with me talking Ethan through what and who I know. There’s nothing that would explain Frida being in this part of town late at night, but since we don’t know if she was even here when she was killed, that doesn’t narrow things down much.
Fuck me though, I did not expect my first day to include working with my boss on the very murder investigation I wanted to assist the task force with. At least it’s distracted me from how attractive Ethan is, so I haven’t made a complete fool of myself in front of him.
When we’re in his SUV on the way back to the office in West Green, he turns the music down. “How is it you know details of how much magical residue remains after death? It’s not something I’d expect a twenty-year-old admin to know.”
A chill runs through me. I really wish I didn’t have to answer, but it’s a fair question. “My cousin, Qadir, died from a brain aneurysm rupture just before I turned sixteen. He was my guardian, and because he died in our home, there was all thisweird magical residue that hung around afterwards. I got kind of obsessed with reading up about death residue for a couple of months until Nyoka sat me down and told me I was starting an apprenticeship.”
Ethan’s hands tighten on the wheel. “If this is bringing up too many bad memories, I can keep you away from the details.”
Does he mean because of Qadir? Or did the background check Soldati Security undoubtedly did on me flag up that my parents were killed in a rogue shifter attack?
Either way, it doesn’t change anything. I stare out the passenger window at the humans rushing about their days. “It’s hard, not gonna lie, but I came here to do my job to the best of my ability. If this is what you guys need from me, I’ll help in any way I can.”
Ethan doesn’t say anything else until we pull into his parking space in the basement car park of the office building. He switches off the engine, then turns to me. “You’ve been a lot more open and helpful than I was expecting. I still don’t know if I trust you, but if you can handle being part of this investigation, your knowledge of the city and the people in it will be extremely valuable.”
His presence fills the car, and for a moment, I get lost in those blue eyes.Don’t get a crush on the boss, numbnuts.
I blink a couple of times and focus on answering him. “I get why trusting me might be hard. Truth, though? I really want to be a part of stopping whoever is murdering my people. Nyoka won’t let me; you will. As long as you don’t ask me to go against the fam, you’ve got my loyalty. I’ll keep all the secrets. I’m a literal vault.”
I might have gone a bit far at the end there, but it does tease a reluctant smile out of my wolf boss. “A vault, huh?”
“Absolutely. Ask anyone.”
He laughs out loud at that. “If I ask anyone in the city about you, what are the chances they’ll tell me anything? Because if they were being open and honest with me and my team, we wouldn’t have needed you in the first place.”
“Eh, you may have a point.” I don’t have any way of convincing Ethan other than time, but as we head up in the lift he does seem less tense around me than before, which in turn takes away the edge of nerves I’ve been battling for most of the day.
I’ll convince my hot new boss to trust me if it’s the last thing I do.
Chapter Four
ETHAN
I pace back and forth in my kitchen, irritation thrumming through me so intensely there’s no way I can keep still.
Raj is perched on a stool at the breakfast bar as he sips his coffee with frustrating calmness. “He can’t be that bad.”
“Oh, he is. The victims’ families were reluctant to even let me in the house, yet they welcomed Ayo with tears and hugs, offered him tea and biscuits, and refused to answer any questions unless he repeated what I’d literally just asked.” I pace some more, shaking my hands out to try to get rid of some of this pent-up feeling.
“So… you’re annoyed because he’s doing exactly what we hired him for?”
“Yes! No. It’s not just that. The police officer guarding the alley the other day? Hugged the guy. Supe businesses in the Southern Quarter? Same thing. Hugs, would only talk to him about Frida Clemens, and eyed me with suspicion. And he sings in the fucking car.Sings, Raj.”
Raj hides his smile behind his mug, but I can smell how amused he is. “Kit and Jet sing in the car too.”
I wave that off. “That’s different.”
“Because…”
“They’re my team.”
“So is Ayo.”
I scowl at him and ignore that last part. The cute-as-hell magic-user works for me. That doesn’t make him one of the team.
“And why didn’t you tell me he’s a sorcerer?” I stop pacing at Raj’s startled look. “You didn’t know?”
“Uh… no. His power level didn’t come up in the interview, since that’s not what we’re hiring him for. Wow. Fuck.”
