“I’m not sure why you would think that.”
“Because I know a rogue when I see one.”
He kept her gaze. It was fierce, but there was something else there behind the crystalline green depths. A sense of recognition, a kinship. He liked that. But he still wasn’t sure what to divulge to her and what to keep to himself. He trusted her to a point. But trust had gotten him into loads of trouble.
“I’m here on my own, yes. When I heard about the robbery, I had a hunch about it, and I informed my superiors that I was going to check it out. They trust my hunches, so they allowed me to come here.”
She cocked her head and scrutinized him even more. Sweat trickled down his back from her examination. She would make an incredible inquisitor. Maybe he could set her up with a job at the agency. “You heard about the robbery?”
He nodded, but his tie seemed to be choking him.
“You were in the bank only hours after it happened. I’d just heard about it and I was only a half hour from the site. You would have had to have flown in from somewhere.” She frowned. “That’s pretty quick. Or maybe you fly as fast as Superman.”
“Some things are going to remain classified, Olena. That would be one of them.”
She pursed her full mouth as if considering the statement. “I’ll keep your secrets, but only because I like the way you say my name.”
Finally, she turned toward the computer and set her long, elegant fingers on the keyboard. “So, a female lycan isn’t what we’re looking for.”
He rolled his chair a little closer to her. “Definitely male. But I’m not sure what species. Vampire, I think.”
“Well, that narrows it down.” She typed in a few more commands, and the screen filled with information. Two names popped up. But before she could do anything further, her cell phone vibrated against the desk.
She picked it up. “Petrovich.” After a few moments, she turned and smiled at Cale. Every time she did that, his heart rate accelerated. He was going to have to work on controlling that. Because he was certain that Olena could hear it.
“Thanks, Kellen. That was quick work.” She snapped the phone closed. “Box one hundred and thirty-six.”
Cale picked up the list of box owners on the desk and scanned the contents. His eyes rested on the name beside box number one hundred and thirty-six. “Luc Dubois.”
Olena pointed at the ID photo of a middle-aged man with long black hair on the computer screen. “And we have a winner.”
Chapter 5
With Gabriel’s blessing, Olena drove herself and Cale out to Luc Dubois’s place of residence. They didn’t have a warrant, but they hoped he’d speak to them regardless. Olena figured he’d be anxious to get back whatever it was that had been stolen. Unless, of course, that item was of a questionable nature—which she assumed it was, or the sexy British agent wouldn’t be in her city.
She was a bit more relaxed around Cale now that he’d confessed the agency wasn’t behind him. She liked that he was out on his own working this case, that he followed his instincts. Another man may not have been so courageous as to step out of the ranks to go it alone.
She also sensed there was something he was keeping hidden. Not about the case, but about himself. She didn’t believe for one second that he’d come to Nouveau Monde after the explosion. It was physically impossible. Cale had been on his way there before the explosion even occurred, and she really wanted to know why. But she suspected he wasn’t going to tell her. Not easily, anyway.
She had her ways, though. It would be just a matter of time before he was confessing all his secrets to her.
She smiled, thinking about all the delicious ways she could torture the information out of him. “What’s funny?”
She glanced at him, careful not to rake her gaze over his body and give away all her thoughts. “Nothing of consequence.”
“Somehow I don’t believe that. I think everything you do is of significance. Especially to those around you.”
“Hmm, I’m not quite sure how to take that. You’re either insulting me or complimenting me.”
“It wasn’t an insult.” He turned his head to look out the window.
Olena put her attention back onto the road. But she had to admit she really liked looking at Cale. He was delectably put together. His strong jaw, with just the hint of stubble, begged her to stroke a finger or run her tongue over it. His high cheekbones seemed cut from stone, and his straight nose reminded her of a royal bloodline. She would know, as she’d been around her fair share of kings, princes and lords in several different countries and centuries.
She wondered not for the first time what he’d look like underneath the crisp press of his suit and white shirt. He’d taken off the jacket at least, but had yet to loosen his tie. She hoped he’d let her do that for him. There was nothing more erotic than undressing a sharply dressed man. Shedding the stiff exterior to discover the wild, untamed man beneath.
A shiver rushed through her just thinking about it. Cale must have sensed it, because he looked at her with that sexy lift of his eyebrow.
“Are you cold?”