“I’m recovering fine,” he promised with a wide smile. “So much so that Wyatt decided to put me back to work. I’m here to escort you up to his suite.”
Her brows lifted. “Strenuous activity,” she agreed, automatically handing over her bag to the too-handsome escort.
“That’s what I tried to tell him, but he wasn’t listening,” Thor agreed before turning to her parents, blocking the entrance and waiting patiently.
“We do have an appointment,” her mother informed him frostily.
“Mother, he needs your bag,” Gypsy murmured, catching her mother’s surprised look. “Security. We can’t go in until you give it to him.”
Confusion flickered in her mother’s gaze. “I’m not comfortable with that.” Greta frowned.
“You can leave the bag in your vehicle, ma’am,” Thor suggested politely. “But I can’t take you up until you do so, or until it’s in our possession. You’ll have it back before you leave, though.”
Greta glanced at Gypsy worriedly.
Gypsy shrugged, confused by her mother’s hesitancy. “Your choice.”
Slowly, her mother turned the bag over to Thor.
“Thank you, ma’am.” Nodding to her mother, he gave the bags to the female Breed who stepped out behind him.
“Hi, Gypsy.” Emma Truing, the slightest smile edging her lips, accepted the bags from the enforcer.
“How’s Ashley doing?” Gypsy asked as she noticed Emma’s haggard expression had eased some from the past six weeks.
Emma’s sister, Ashley, had been shot in the chest by one of the locals intent on kidnapping the niece of the nation’s chief.
“She’s recovering well,” Emma promised, despite the shadow of remembered fear in her eyes. “She mentioned the other night that she’s missed talking to you.”
“Tell her to hurry and get better,” she told the too-somber Breed. “Things are getting boring without her around.”
And that was no less than the truth. The private parties where only a select list of Breeds were invited were definitely suffering, not to mention the bars to which Ashley dragged Emma and some of the other Breed females.
“I’ll be sure to tell her,” Emma promised before turning and moving back into the lobby.
“If you and your parents will follow me,” Thor said, “I’ll show you up to Jonas’s suite.” His gaze met Gypsy’s again. “Rachel’s looking forward to seeing you. She and Diane were talking about that chocolate mousse cake you brought in with you last time. I gather they really liked it.”
“I’ll have to remember to make another chocolate date with them,” Gypsy laughed as Thor chuckled, then turned and led the way into the hotel. “Amber especially loved my contribution to that little lunch.”
“Where’s the girl going with my bag?” her mother asked worriedly as they neared the bank of elevators.
“We’ll get them back before we leave,” Gypsy promised. “It’s just a precaution.”
“A precaution against what?” Her mother was clearly unsettled by the fact that her purse wasn’t on her.
“Against weapons, I guess.” Gypsy shrugged as they moved toward the elevator.
“Jonas has plenty of enemies, Mrs. McQuade,” Thor stated as he led them into a waiting elevator. “No offense is meant. That’s standard operating procedure no matter the visitor.”
Gypsy could see that her mother was still bothered by it, though, her troubled gaze meeting her husband’s for a second as they stepped into the waiting elevator cubicle.
Catching her mother’s eye, Gypsy glanced to the discreet metal signs in the cubicle. Illegal audio/video devices punishable by Breed Law. All bags, cases and devices must be scanned for illegal electronics before meetings commence. Thank you for your patience.
Discomfort flickered in her mother’s gaze. Gypsy knew her mother’s resentment of Breeds in general after Mark’s death was behind her discomfort; still, it bothered her.
The ride up was a quick one. In less than a minute the elevator came to a smooth stop at the eighth floor and slid soundlessly open.
“This way.” Thor stepped back to allow them to precede him from the elevator.