Page 44 of Protecting The Gray Wolf
“Are you sure?” She’d opted for breakfast foods, filled a plate, and shoved it in the microwave. “It’s a point of pride with her that it’s her place.”
“Charles Armstrong is Solange’s partner. He’s also part owner of the gallery. It’s not directly, but when you trace it back through several shell companies, the link is there.”
When the microwave chimed, she removed her plate, grabbed some cutlery, and joined him. Elbows propped on the countertop, she rested her chin on her hands. “You’re saying that Charles, and through him, Solange, have a link to Chelsea.”
“Yes.” A kernel of doubt knotted his belly. “How exactly did you get the job there?” Again, he questioned how much of his attraction to her, his connection, was natural and how much was due to magic.
She jerked back, as if he’d hit her. “Are you implying I’m in on this with them?”
“No.” There’d been the slightest hesitation, but she’d caught it. As an artist, she was used to noticing details.
“Are you serious?” She slid from her seat, indignation stamped on her face. “If I was in on it, why did I give you my painting? Why didn’t I use my phone to contact them?”
When it came to Luna, he couldn’t be detached or logical. He wanted to believe her more than he wanted his next breath. Ironically, that did nothing but feed his mistrust. A mistake could be deadly. Not just for him, but for the remaining lone wolves. As attracted, as drawn to her as he was, he couldn’t afford to ignore any scrap of information. And the facts spoke for themselves—the enemies of the lone wolves were linked to her place of employment. Therefore, to her.
Hardening his heart, he shut down his emotions and listed the facts. “Either of the paintings could have trackers.” The broker’s people would check, but he’d double-check for himself. Anyone could be bought or compelled, given the proper incentive.
“It’s possible someone could have slipped one on the frame in the gallery,” he continued. Or broken into her apartment and attached one to the canvas without her being the wiser. Or given them to her to attach. “As for your phone, you could be using our time alone to get closer to me, weaken my defenses.” The accusation tasted bitter, but that didn’t stop him.
He’d made love to her, lowered his guard. For the first time, he truly understood how vulnerable loving someone made him. Luna was his mate. The piece of himself he’d been missing all these years.
She’s protective of the gray wolf.But she hadn’t known he was the gray wolf, not until yesterday. She could have gotten in over her head. He was grasping at any justification to assure her innocence, even if she did have a part in the plot against him and the others.
Without a word, she grabbed her purse and the pieces of her phone and stalked toward the elevator, but not before he’d seen the flash of pain. “Luna.” He hurried after her.
She spun around. “You stay away from me, you bastard. You’ve got it all figured out, don’t you? I gave you my pictures to try to track you. I allowed myself to be tagged by magic, for the same reason. The agony of having it removed, well, that’s the price I had to pay.”
Damn, she was magnificent, and he was feeling more like a slug with each passing second. Ithadalmost killed her to have that magical tracker removed.That was your idea, not hers, the mistrustful voice in the back of his head whispered. “Shut up,” he muttered.
“I will not shut up.”
“Not you.” Damn, he hadn’t meant to say that out loud.
“And why would I do such a thing? For money? I’ve got news for you. I’m already loaded.” She nodded. “That’s right. I’m no starving artist. My parents are famous. I’m no longer your problem.”
“I know.”
“Of course you do. You had me investigated, didn’t you?”
It was another strike against him, but he nodded, not wanting any more lies between them. “After how I reacted when I met you in the gallery, I needed to know everything about you. When nothing showed up on a standard online search, I hired a professional.”
“Oh God. Do you have any idea what you’ve done? A single leak and my name will be all over the tabloids, my anonymity stolen. My parents’ names sell magazines and articles.”
“The broker did it, the same man who got us this place. Believe me when I say his people are the best in the business and the most discreet.”
“That’s something,” she muttered, rubbing her forehead. “How far back did the report go?”
“Nothing was left out. I know the names of every nanny and tutor you’ve ever had.” He didn’t say that his heart had broken for the child she’d been. She wouldn’t appreciate that, especially now.
Her mouth dropped open and then snapped closed. “Is there anything you don’t know about me?” Her shoulders slumped, all the anger draining out of her. “I mean nothing to any of you.”
“That’s not true.” He’d screwed up big time. Her every expression, every physical reaction all indicated one thing—she was telling the truth. “It’s second nature for me not to trust anyone.”
“Especially when they get too close.” Her words dropped like an anvil between them. “You know what the funny part is? I get it. I keep people away, too, but damn it, I trusted you. And you’re insinuating that I slept with you for power, for profit. Do you know what that would make me?”
“Don’t say it. Don’t even think it.” His wolf was going nuts inside him, snarling and growling.
“Why not? You obviously are. You have two choices—kill me or let me go.”
