Malakai (Stone Society #13) - Faith Gibson Page 0,21

back pocket and snapped a photo of his mate. “I think I’ll take a picture of you on all our dates. Start a photo album.”

“Then you need to be in the picture too. But, uhm, can you maybe put your shirt back on? Because my mom will want to see these, and I can’t have her trying to make moves on you. Presley is bad enough.”

Kai slid his shirt back on but didn’t bother buttoning it. He pulled the two halves together and sat down next to Josie. He slid his free hand over her shoulder, caressing her skin. Holding the phone out, he framed them both. After he snapped the picture, Kai held it out so they could both look at it. He was smiling, but Josie was looking at him with something akin to awe. Kai hoped she still felt that way in a minute.

“Okay, Love. I need to show you something. Please know I would rather die than let anything ever harm you.”

Kai stood, dropped his shirt to the ground, and phased. His wings spread out behind him. Josie gasped then slumped over, unconscious.

That’s one way to keep her from running.

Chapter Six

Drago clipped the end of a cigar and lit it. He took a puff, held it in, then blew the smoke in Hagen’s direction. The young man didn’t notice. His attention was focused on his computer, where it had been for the last two months. The kid barely ate or slept, working diligently trying to fix everything that had gone wrong. Drago didn’t blame Hagen; he blamed Arden. It was the Gargoyle who lost Matthew Hartley, and it was him who got caught.

“That’s enough, Hagen.” The young man didn’t look up. His fingers continued flying over the keyboard. “Did you hear me?”

“Yes, Sir. I need just a few more minutes.”

“No. Whatever it is you’re working on can wait until morning. I want you to shower, then get a good night’s sleep. I don’t want to see you out of your room before nine.” Drago should take his own advice. Being a Gargoyle meant he didn’t require much sleep, but Drago had been getting none. His whole operation was going up in flames, and he was losing too much ground. He had been on track to take on the Stone Clan by the end of the year, but now…

Hagen blew out a sigh and scrubbed his hands over his face. The normally put-together hacker was disheveled, and he needed to bathe badly. Drago might have noticed it more because of his shifter senses, but regardless, it was time to put his foot down.

“Now, Hagen. Shower. When you get up, you will sit down and eat a full meal. One you haven’t fixed yourself. I’ll order in. Then and only then will you get back to whatever it is you’re working on.” Drago hadn’t bothered to ask what had the male losing hours of time sitting in front of the screen. Hagen would tell him whenever he had something to share. Hagen was taking Arden’s capture harder than Drago was.

“Yes, Sir.” Hagen pushed back from the table, taking a few seconds before standing. He glanced over at Drago with so much weariness in his eyes Drago felt sorry for the male. With drooped shoulders, Hagen shuffled out of the room. Drago didn’t move until he heard the shower turn on. Then he rose, walking to where various bottles of liquor were spread out. He wished he could get drunk. He would down enough alcohol to drown out his thoughts for at least one night.

Thoughts of giving up. Of moving on. Of saying to hell with all the work he’d done since coming to the States and hiding out for the rest of his long life. His mate was dead. His plan to get Kallisto out of the penitentiary died when Arden lost their bargaining chip. The women they had kidnapped to sell had been rescued, and most of the Greeks in Florida had been rounded up. A few managed to get away, but they had scattered. Craven was gone with Drago’s money. Whatever Hagen was working on didn’t matter at this point.

“I can’t believe we’re going to have a baby.”

What the hell? Drago looked around the room for the voice.

“It still doesn’t seem real.”

Drago walked over to Hagen’s computer. His mouth dropped open at what he saw on the screen. Had Hagen somehow hacked into the male’s security system? Was this what he’d been waiting on? If he