"I can see she hasn't changed much," Jonas stated as his lips quirked in amusement.
"And from the report I heard from the society members outside, she hasn't gotten any slower."
"Actually I have," she drawled. "A week ago I wouldn't have hesitated to pull the trigger."
"Reports, Harmony." Lance caught her eye, the warning in his gaze determined as he resnapped his shirt.
"Fine. Reports." She straightened her shirt again. "I swear, I never had to write a report when I killed the bastards. Slice their throats and walk away. No paperwork, no hassle. Unless you have a brother determined to kill you." She smiled snidely back at Jonas. He inclined his head in acknowledgment as she walked from the room. Snarling silently, she made her way to the desk and plopped into the hard wood seat before finding the papers she needed. Stupid reports. Assassins didn't file reports. This was ridiculous. ________
"How can I help you, Jonas?" Lance waved him to a chair before moving behind the desk and taking his own.
His body was humming with lust; the need to push the Breed out the door and finish what had begun on that sofa was nearly overwhelming.
Jonas took his seat, his expression as coldly mocking as ever. There was something about Jonas that both repelled and drew a person. It was there in those quicksilver eyes—a ruthlessness, a sense of purpose that you were never quite certain you could trust.
Lance knew he couldn't be trusted.
"Is she settling in okay?" Jonas leaned back in his chair, his expression curious.
"She's doing fine." Lance nodded. "But I have a feeling that's not exactly why you're here at…" He looked at the clock. "One o'clock in the morning."
"I was passing through." Jonas shrugged. "I've been at Megan and Braden's this evening. Braden told me you had changed your schedule so I thought I'd drop by." That was interesting. He had a feeling Jonas was never curious about anything; he always had an agenda.
"Cut the shit, Jonas," he growled. "Drop your little bomb and head on out. It doesn't take Harmony that damned long to write her reports, and I have a feeling that for the time being, you two are better off separated."
Jonas's lips quirked.
"In all seriousness, as I said, I merely stopped by to see how she was doing…"
"Or to see if she had conceived yet?" Lance leaned forward as he lowered his voice.
"Braden mentioned once that a Breed can smell new life. Were you curious enough to check and see if you had managed to defeat her?"
Jonas stared at him silently.
Lance shook his head wearily as he leaned back in his chair.
"I'm not a stupid man, Jonas. What do you want from her? You always have a reason for everything you do. You knew when you brought her here what would happen. Just as you knew the chances for early conception if she didn't get the hormonal supplement in time. Is she pregnant?"
Jonas's face was devoid of expression by the time Lance finished.
"What do you want from her, Jonas?" he asked him, his voice grating. "What put her in a situation you could almost bet she would fail within if your intent was to save her?" That bothered him. Jonas was her brother; his main concern should have been in making certain she succeeded, not in making it as hard for her as possible.
"Is she learning how to work within the law for a change?" Jonas asked, rather than answering the question.
"Perfectly," Lance snapped. "Now answer the question. What do you want from her?" Jonas stared back at him silently.
Lance shook his head. "Forget it. I'll figure it out eventually. And if I find out you're putting her in harm's way, I'll make you pay. Breed or not. You will pay, Jonas." Jonas had played with Megan and her loyalties the year before, attempting to blame Lance for the leak in the office, to force her into throwing herself into the nightmare of emotions caused by two Breed deaths. Megan's abilities to pick up on their emotions as they died had been important in the investigation to find their murderer. How he had attempted to maneuver her hadn't sat well with Lance, or Megan's then lover, Braden.
"I can see checking up on her is a useless endeavor then." Jonas rose to his feet, his expression forbidding as their gazes clashed. "Keep a leash on her, Lance. I'd hate to have to give her over to Breed Law if she crosses the line again." Lance came slowly to his feet. "And I'd hate to have to kill you if you tried, Jonas," he answered coldly, tensing at the threat implied in the other man's voice. "Make no mistake, your games will get you killed if they involve Harmony much more. Law or no law, what's mine stays mine."
CHAPTER 14
Make no mistake, your games will get you killed if they involve Harmony much more. Law or no law, what's mine stays mine.
Lance and Jonas's conversation hadn't been too hard for her to keep up with while she typed out her report. Lance's final warning had shocked her though, and held her in the little office until Jonas left.
His defense of her made no sense to her. He knew what she was. He had read her file. How could he defend her so easily?