Fierce Obsessions
Page 41
Makenna tilted her head. “Is there anyone else who would feel that you and Lucy let Wade down?”
“Only his father,” replied Riley. “But he died a long time ago. Wade didn’t have any friends other than me and Lucy.”
“What about the parents of the kids that Wade shot?” asked Jaime. “Do you think the shooter could be one of them, wanting you dead because they resent that you’re alive?”
“None of them seem to feel that way anymore,” said Tao.
“Okay, so let’s go back to the theory that someone could be finishing the job Wade started,” said Dante. “Who should have been there that night?”
“Me, Lucy, Cynthia, Sawyer, and Duncan.”
Ryan looked at Riley. “Do you have personal issues with any of them?”
“You could say that.” Riley told them about her history with Cynthia. “She’s also currently dating—although, honestly, ‘dating’ might be a strong word for it—my ex. Sawyer’s next in line to be Beta, and Cynthia’s always wanted to be Beta.”
“So she could see you as a threat,” said Jaime.
“If Riley still wanted Sawyer, she would be a threat.” Tao was certain of it. “The guy still wants her—even his raven is possessive of her. I think Cynthia’s the type of person who would do what she had to do to ensure she wasn’t knocked off the power ladder.”
“But I’m not sure she’s someone who’d shoot her own sister,” said Riley. “She might not have much time for Lucy or even particularly like her, but she’s still her sister.”
Dante scraped his hand over his jaw. “I don’t know . . . Just because someone’s your sibling doesn’t mean they care for you. Some people just aren’t capable of caring for anyone.”
Knowing that Dante would be thinking of his own brother, Tao nodded. “That’s true.”
“Tell me about Sawyer and Duncan,” said Dante.
Riley took a sip of her coffee. “Sawyer is ambitious, highly dominant, and isn’t rattled by much. Duncan’s very dominant, but he keeps to himself and doesn’t like leaving his territory. Oh, and he’s got personal history with Cynthia. She actually dated him the longest out of all the guys she slept with, and I think she even cares for him a little. She just cares for power more.”
Jaime fiddled with her earring. “Have you ever had any problems with Duncan?”
Riley shook her head. “None whatsoever.”
“This Sawyer guy,” began Makenna, “how long were you and he together?”
Thinking back, Riley said, “Not very long. A few months.”
“Who dumped who?” asked Jaime.
“I ended it,” replied Riley. “But not in a bitchy way.”
Dante drummed his fingers on Jaime’s thigh. “How did he react?”
“About as well as any dominant male reacts to being dumped—it’s a bruise to the ego. But we didn’t have a major fight or anything.” In fact, Riley had gotten the impression he didn’t care all that much.
“That doesn’t mean he wasn’t pissed,” said Ryan, scratching at his palm.
Makenna smiled and touched his arm. “Ooh, you’re going to get money soon.”
Ryan scowled at his mate. “What?”
“If the palm of your right hand itches, it means you’ll get money soon.”
Ryan stared at her. “Tell me you don’t truly believe that.”
She waved a hand. “Fine, be pessimistic.”
“I’m not being pessimistic, I’m being realistic. Try it sometime.”
Makenna huffed. “I don’t know why you insist on thinking there’s no substance in superstitions. I told Riley not to go traveling on a Friday because it brings misfortune, but she didn’t heed the warning and look what happened.”
“You honestly think all this happened because she came here on a Friday?”
Makenna lifted her chin. “I don’t care for your tone.”
“I don’t have a tone.”
Smiling, Riley drained her cup and stood. “I need a refill.”
Tao wasn’t surprised when Makenna and Jaime trailed after her into the kitchen. Or when the sound of a scuffle was quickly followed by the swish of the patio door’s opening and closing. The girls had no doubt dragged Riley outside to interrogate her in private about what was going on between her and Tao. After all, the cabin smelled of sex and he and Riley wore each other’s scents, so there was really no way to hide it.
Dante sank deeper into the sofa. “It’s about damn time you two stopped dancing around each other. Are you going to pretend that it’s just sex?”
“No.”
“Good.” Dante pointed at him. “Don’t mess this one up, Tao.”
“I’m not sure I could if I tried. She mostly just rolls her eyes when I piss her off.”
“Consider yourself lucky. Jaime puts all my CDs in the wrong cases when I annoy her.” And since Dante had an OCD streak, that was akin to a nightmare for him.
“Kenna makes me go shopping,” grumbled Ryan. “Have you ever been shopping with a devout bargain hunter? It’s painful.”
“She took Jaime with her the other day, so I went along,” said Dante. “They kept going all day. Searched every shelf and rack, and had the shop assistants searching the stockrooms for stuff. Once they found what they wanted, they compared prices on websites, found out where the items were cheaper, and then hauled ass there.”
Tao smiled a little smugly. “Riley doesn’t like the mall, she only shops online.”
Dante gaped. “Dude, do not let her go. Like ever. Seriously, a woman who doesn’t like the mall is a gift from God—accept that gift with gratitude and grace.”
Ryan grunted. “Let’s hope Riley will rub off on Kenna.”
Thinking of the times he’d seen Makenna come back from shopping with dozens of bags and a euphoric smile on her face, Tao twisted his mouth. “Yeah, I really don’t see that happening.”
Ryan sighed, grim. “Yeah, neither do I.”
Out on the deck, Makenna slid the patio door closed. “Well? Is Tao good in bed? I have to know.” She held up a hand. “Don’t say nothing happened. You reek of each other.”
“Only his father,” replied Riley. “But he died a long time ago. Wade didn’t have any friends other than me and Lucy.”
“What about the parents of the kids that Wade shot?” asked Jaime. “Do you think the shooter could be one of them, wanting you dead because they resent that you’re alive?”
“None of them seem to feel that way anymore,” said Tao.
“Okay, so let’s go back to the theory that someone could be finishing the job Wade started,” said Dante. “Who should have been there that night?”
“Me, Lucy, Cynthia, Sawyer, and Duncan.”
Ryan looked at Riley. “Do you have personal issues with any of them?”
“You could say that.” Riley told them about her history with Cynthia. “She’s also currently dating—although, honestly, ‘dating’ might be a strong word for it—my ex. Sawyer’s next in line to be Beta, and Cynthia’s always wanted to be Beta.”
“So she could see you as a threat,” said Jaime.
“If Riley still wanted Sawyer, she would be a threat.” Tao was certain of it. “The guy still wants her—even his raven is possessive of her. I think Cynthia’s the type of person who would do what she had to do to ensure she wasn’t knocked off the power ladder.”
“But I’m not sure she’s someone who’d shoot her own sister,” said Riley. “She might not have much time for Lucy or even particularly like her, but she’s still her sister.”
Dante scraped his hand over his jaw. “I don’t know . . . Just because someone’s your sibling doesn’t mean they care for you. Some people just aren’t capable of caring for anyone.”
Knowing that Dante would be thinking of his own brother, Tao nodded. “That’s true.”
“Tell me about Sawyer and Duncan,” said Dante.
Riley took a sip of her coffee. “Sawyer is ambitious, highly dominant, and isn’t rattled by much. Duncan’s very dominant, but he keeps to himself and doesn’t like leaving his territory. Oh, and he’s got personal history with Cynthia. She actually dated him the longest out of all the guys she slept with, and I think she even cares for him a little. She just cares for power more.”
Jaime fiddled with her earring. “Have you ever had any problems with Duncan?”
Riley shook her head. “None whatsoever.”
“This Sawyer guy,” began Makenna, “how long were you and he together?”
Thinking back, Riley said, “Not very long. A few months.”
“Who dumped who?” asked Jaime.
“I ended it,” replied Riley. “But not in a bitchy way.”
Dante drummed his fingers on Jaime’s thigh. “How did he react?”
“About as well as any dominant male reacts to being dumped—it’s a bruise to the ego. But we didn’t have a major fight or anything.” In fact, Riley had gotten the impression he didn’t care all that much.
“That doesn’t mean he wasn’t pissed,” said Ryan, scratching at his palm.
Makenna smiled and touched his arm. “Ooh, you’re going to get money soon.”
Ryan scowled at his mate. “What?”
“If the palm of your right hand itches, it means you’ll get money soon.”
Ryan stared at her. “Tell me you don’t truly believe that.”
She waved a hand. “Fine, be pessimistic.”
“I’m not being pessimistic, I’m being realistic. Try it sometime.”
Makenna huffed. “I don’t know why you insist on thinking there’s no substance in superstitions. I told Riley not to go traveling on a Friday because it brings misfortune, but she didn’t heed the warning and look what happened.”
“You honestly think all this happened because she came here on a Friday?”
Makenna lifted her chin. “I don’t care for your tone.”
“I don’t have a tone.”
Smiling, Riley drained her cup and stood. “I need a refill.”
Tao wasn’t surprised when Makenna and Jaime trailed after her into the kitchen. Or when the sound of a scuffle was quickly followed by the swish of the patio door’s opening and closing. The girls had no doubt dragged Riley outside to interrogate her in private about what was going on between her and Tao. After all, the cabin smelled of sex and he and Riley wore each other’s scents, so there was really no way to hide it.
Dante sank deeper into the sofa. “It’s about damn time you two stopped dancing around each other. Are you going to pretend that it’s just sex?”
“No.”
“Good.” Dante pointed at him. “Don’t mess this one up, Tao.”
“I’m not sure I could if I tried. She mostly just rolls her eyes when I piss her off.”
“Consider yourself lucky. Jaime puts all my CDs in the wrong cases when I annoy her.” And since Dante had an OCD streak, that was akin to a nightmare for him.
“Kenna makes me go shopping,” grumbled Ryan. “Have you ever been shopping with a devout bargain hunter? It’s painful.”
“She took Jaime with her the other day, so I went along,” said Dante. “They kept going all day. Searched every shelf and rack, and had the shop assistants searching the stockrooms for stuff. Once they found what they wanted, they compared prices on websites, found out where the items were cheaper, and then hauled ass there.”
Tao smiled a little smugly. “Riley doesn’t like the mall, she only shops online.”
Dante gaped. “Dude, do not let her go. Like ever. Seriously, a woman who doesn’t like the mall is a gift from God—accept that gift with gratitude and grace.”
Ryan grunted. “Let’s hope Riley will rub off on Kenna.”
Thinking of the times he’d seen Makenna come back from shopping with dozens of bags and a euphoric smile on her face, Tao twisted his mouth. “Yeah, I really don’t see that happening.”
Ryan sighed, grim. “Yeah, neither do I.”
Out on the deck, Makenna slid the patio door closed. “Well? Is Tao good in bed? I have to know.” She held up a hand. “Don’t say nothing happened. You reek of each other.”
