to be hers. She’d made up her mind. They were through with this game of hide-and-seek and obfuscation.
And after this morning, after the panic she’d sensed in him at her teasing, she knew damn well he was in no way immune to her. In fact, she was starting to suspect Kenji had a mile-wide vulnerable streak when it came to her. That both confused and delighted her. Confused because why the heck would a man who felt that way walk away from her, and delighted because she damn well had a vulnerable streak when it came to him.
Crossing over to him, she very deliberately ran the back of her hand over his cheek. Males weren’t the only ones who had a possessive streak and Kenji Tanaka needed to learn that Garnet Sheridan could play as dirty as any dominant. “Thank you, baby.”
His eyes glittered, and then he actually flushed—with temper. Grinning as the other packmates in the room, including an overjoyed Ruby, whistled and hooted, she left him simmering and began to walk down the corridor.
Her mood grew darker the closer she got to the infirmary. She entered to find Shane sitting up in bed, a lost expression on his face. “Jem!” He clung to her hand when she took a seat on the bed; the bruises on his face had turned black overnight but Lorenzo had managed to keep the swelling to a minimum.
“What’s happening?” Shane’s voice rose, his breathing ragged. “Why isn’t Athena here?”
“She’ll be here soon.” Garnet had no intention of keeping Shane isolated now that he was conscious; that wasn’t good for any wolf, much less one who’d been hurt. “I need to talk to you first.”
Shane’s deep blue eyes locked on her face. “Why?” he pleaded. “Why am I here? I don’t—”
Garnet interrupted before the usually steady-tempered man could spiral into panic. “I want you to tell me what you did yesterday morning after you got off your shift,” she said, careful not to suggest anything with her words. “Go through it step-by-step.”
“Yesterday morning?” Frowning, he let go of her hand to rub at his temple. “I was tired,” he said slowly. “I’d started my shift early, pulled extra hours to help out after one of the other maintenance techs got sick. Wanted to go straight home and crash but I promised Russ I’d meet him after work.”
“Why did you agree to meet him?”
A twisted smile. “I really love Athena and, for some reason, she has a soft spot for that cold bastard. Feels sorry for him.”
Garnet noted his natural use of the present tense when speaking about Russ. “Go on.”
“I thought if I could make peace with Russ, it’d make her happy, you know?”
Garnet sensed no deception in him but it was possible that, horrified by what he’d done, Shane had blocked it out. “Did you take anything with you?”
“No, I left my tools at work as usual, but I did pop home to have a quick shower. Didn’t want to meet Russ all dusty and sweaty—he always looks down his damn nose at me.” Shane shrugged. “I’m just as qualified as him, just as educated, but he was always insinuating I was stupid. Asshole.”
Garnet focused on the first part of Shane’s statement. He said he’d returned to the apartment, but Athena had specifically denied seeing him the morning of the murder. “What did Athena say when you told her you were keeping your appointment with Russ?”
“She was out so I never saw her.” No hesitation, no tension in his response. “I think she might’ve been teaching a class. But,” he continued, “it wasn’t a big deal. I’d already discussed the whole Russ situation with her before I left for work the night before.” A smile that made creases form in his cheeks. “She was proud of me for being willing to let bygones be bygones, especially after Russ was such a prick and hassled me in front of my workmates.”
A more suspicious mind might say that Athena had been setting Shane up to be the perfect fall guy, but Garnet couldn’t quite see it. For flighty, artistic Athena to have used affable Shane in that way, she’d have to be cold-blooded and pragmatic to the extreme under her delicate appearance. Then again, Athena had lived with Russ for years. Maybe she’d absorbed some of his skills at making plans.
But what possible motive could the older woman have to kill her ex?
Long-buried anger? Money? Garnet would check Russ’s will, find out if he’d changed