Dangerous Games

"Well, tonight your wish has been granted."

"I wasn't talking about just tonight."

"I know." I smiled and touched his face, cupping his cheek and letting my thumb brush his familiar lips. "And maybe I'm ready to talk about that. But not here. Not yet."

His sudden smile was so filled with happiness and warmth that my toes curled. He scooped me up in his arms and strode purposefully toward the rear of the club and the privacy rooms.

And as I leaned my head on his shoulder and listened to the steady beat of his heart, I realized that, in many ways, I was ready. Qui

And perhaps it really was time to give my brown wolf a chance to prove whether or not we were meant to be.

Rhoan was up and about by the time I got home. He looked out from the kitchen as I closed the door, and held up a cup. I nodded, threw my gym bag on the sofa, and collapsed down beside it.

"You look like a wolf who's had a hard night," he said, offering me the steaming mug before he sat down on the sofa opposite. "Need I ask why?"

"Kellen reserved the spa room at the Blue Moon. We made full use of both the bed and the spa."

Rhoan raised his eyebrows. "Kellen? What happened to Qui

"The bastard used mind control on me."

"Ah." Rhoan took a sip of his coffee, his expression giving little away. But he was my twin, and I knew exactly what he was thinking even if we didn't share the empathy of twins. Qui

I sipped the coffee, and sighed in contentment at the nutty, hazelnut flavor. Rhoan had obviously gone shopping. "Anything of interest happen last night?"

He shrugged. "My shift ended at two, and up until then they were all a model of decency. Depressing, really."

I gri

"We!!, no. It's amazing the fun that can be had with a rubber monkey suit."

I didn't even want to go there. "So, what's next?"

He sipped his coffee and appeared to consider the question. A

"Well, we have pla

"I want in."

"Riley—"

"That bastard has used and abused me for the last time. It's about time he started taking me seriously."

"Slapping him in handcuffs won't make him do that."

"Maybe not, but just think of the pleasure it'll give me to watch his expression as I do it."

He snorted softly. "You haven't even asked why we're arresting him."

"Because he's with the dark mage."

Surprise flitted across his otherwise calm expression. "You knew that?"

"Discovered it last night." I hesitated. "I also discovered that changing shape mutes a vampire's compulsion."

He nodded, as if it were something he'd long known. If that were the case, he could have told me. "So you're the reason Jack was tracking him in the first place?"

"Yep." I downed the coffee in several gulps and rose. "What time is the raid pla

Rhoan glanced at his watch. "Jack wants us there at ten." He looked at me and smiled. "He knew you'd want in."

"I'm getting predictable, and that's just sad." I glanced across at the clock. "I've time enough to freshen up, then."

A hot shower didn't do a whole lot to shake the tiredness, but at least I felt cleaner. I grabbed some pants and a thick sweater to combat the chill of the day, then retrieved my boots from the grip of the dust bu

Once dressed, I grabbed my ID, credit cards, and cell phone, then headed out. Rhoan tossed me my gun. "If you forget it this time, Jack will kill you."

"Only if some tattletale tells him I keep forgetting it." I reluctantly strapped it on. "I don't want to start relying on these things, bro."

"I know. But sometimes, a werewolf's teeth and a vampire's speed just aren't enough. Trust me on this." He gave me a quick hug, then ushered me out the door. "And if you are going to do this job—and we both know you really have no other choice—then you have to learn to use all the tools of the trade. Whether you like them or not."

Speaking of tools… I pulled the phone from my pocket and turned it on. To find a dozen voice messages awaiting me, all from Jin. I listened to them as I followed Rhoan down the stairs. Each was basically the same—an apology, a demand that I ring. It wasn't until the last one that he sounded anything resembling contrite.

"That's one bad boy who has it bad for you," Rhoan commented, as he opened the passenger door of his old Ford and ushered me inside.

"He just adores the way I take a slap," I murmured, concentrating on sending Jin a semi-cold text message. I might be under orders to get into that di

"A lot of bad men seem to like that," Rhoan commented, after getting into the car and venturing into the traffic. "Must be something in their makeup. They get their rocks off on giving others pain."

I looked at him. "Is that why you enjoy the job so much?"

He shrugged. "Sometimes, different is good."

"Different from Liander, you mean?"

He gave me a keen glance. "I love Liander, don't get me wrong, but sometimes, I just need more. My work gives me that, Riley."

"He's not complaining about the men you do within your job. He's complaining about the ones outside work."

Rhoan sniffed. "Yeah, well—"

"Don't give me that 'yeah, well' bullshit. Liander's a good man, and he doesn't deserve the crap you hand out. At the very least, you should talk to him."

"I can't."

"Why the hell not?" My phone rang. I looked down and saw it was Jin. I ignored it and looked back at my brother, waiting for a reply.

He scrubbed a hand across his jaw as he looked in the rearview mirror. "Because I don't want to lose him."

I blinked. Of all the excuses I'd been imagining, that certainly wasn't one of them. "What?"

"If I confront the issue, he may decide to walk away. I don't want to risk that, Riley. I really don't."

I reached across and touched his knee. "Liander loves you, and he's not going to walk away unless you push him to it. And that's precisely what's happening now—he's very frustrated by your refusal to talk about the situation."

He looked at me. "Frustrated enough to walk away?"

"Yes."

"Fuck."

"Yes."

"I can't do monogamous. I don't want to do monogamous."

"There's always compromises in any relationship, Rhoan. Maybe this is one you and Liander have to come to." And I honestly didn't think Liander would mind Rhoan having other partners in a work situation. As long as he was committed outside of it. "If you care for him as much as you say, bro, it might pay to give a little."

He grimaced. "I don't know—"

"Talk to him. At least do that."

"Okay."

"Promise?"

"Promise."

"I'll nag you endlessly if you don't."

He laughed. "You do anyway." The phone rang again and he glanced down. "And for God's sake, answer that, before the poor man has a coronary."

"Him having a coronary could solve some problems."

"Not if he's a demon who can just go get another body." Rhoan glanced in the rearview mirror again. "Answer the damn phone."