Toxic Game (GhostWalkers #15) - Christine Feehan Page 0,111
She was so sick, we were all worried. You must hate being away from her.” Draden felt guilty about that, although he didn’t know why.
“I don’t like it, but she’s strong. I talk to her and the girls several times a day. The girls are having fun there. It’s a different environment. I should have thought to take them to a place that would be safe for them and expose them to other surroundings. As for Pepper, she doesn’t do well being separated from me, but she knows it’s necessary. She always says to give you her love and that she’s thinking of you.”
“She’s like Nonny. Lots of heart.” It was true. Draden realized he judged all women by Nonny now. Pepper took care of them all the way Nonny did. She had no mother and no one to guide her, so she patterned herself after her favorite woman. Pepper was very close to Nonny. He wanted that for Shylah.
“That’s a nice thing to say, Draden,” Wyatt said. “I’ll pass it on to her. She loves Nonny and that will be the best compliment anyone could ever pay her.”
“What about Cayenne? How is she doing without Trap?”
“She hasn’t killed anyone yet, but she won’t FaceTime him. She’s wrapped herself up in silk and refuses to talk to anyone other than Pepper and Zara. Zara seems to be able to get her to eat and drink a little.”
There was a hint of worry in Wyatt’s voice that Draden picked up on immediately. Trap didn’t turn around, nor was there any indication that he heard, but Draden knew better. Cayenne was his world. He was sacrificing a lot in order to stay there and work while his pregnant wife was far from him. She was the most lethal, self-sufficient woman Draden could imagine, and yet entirely dependent on her husband. The dichotomy was very strange.
“Can you and Trap work in Montana? It might be safer for you there. If the Williams brothers and their friend Orucov are heading that way then all of you would be safer to get out.”
“Do you think that’s a real possibility?”
“I haven’t found enough on them to get a reading for what they might do, but Shylah thinks so and she’s been tracking them, so she knows them better than anyone else. She thinks it’s a possibility. Right now, all we know for certain is that they left in a hurry. The last sighting was in the village with the MSS, but they disappeared, using the river as an escape route. We discussed the fact that they despise Whitney and may decide to take out a GhostWalker team in retaliation, but we have no evidence pointing to that conclusion.”
“Word was put out and law enforcement everywhere is looking for them. Airports, any point of entry, have been notified.”
“Why don’t you all pick up and move to Montana? Trap could be with Cayenne and I wouldn’t have to worry that you’re a target.”
“We need to be close to you, Draden. We can’t afford the time it would take to get the blood samples flown to Montana, or Louisiana for that matter. I’m working with Trap and I’m used to him being a bear. The girls and Nonny will take care of Cayenne. We’ll all get through this. You’re the only one of us Trap acknowledges as a brother …”
That got a snort of derision from Trap, but he didn’t turn around.
“Other than me, of course,” Wyatt added.
Trap did turn around. “I’d like you a lot better if you’d help instead of gab all the time. You’re worse than an old gossipy woman.”
Wyatt flashed a grin. “Now he’s in for it. I can’t wait to tell Nonny what he just said. Not only is it sexist, but he’s just insulted my grand-mere.”
“I didn’t. She doesn’t gossip.”
“She would tell you that women don’t gossip any more than men do. She’s been to the Huracan Club and she’s known Delmar Thibodeaux all her life. He’s the biggest gossip in the bayou or swamp. Probably in all of Louisiana,” Wyatt said.
Trap scowled and shook his head. “You can add your name to that list,” he muttered as he turned back to his work.
Wyatt laughed, and Draden felt lighter just listening to it. Wyatt had the Fontenot laugh, the one Nonny had. It was genuine and invited others to join in.
“I’ll let you go, but think about having Ezekiel move everyone to a safer place,” Draden said.