Robin Bielman: Veiled Target

“Don’t threaten me, Mr. Langston. I can’t be held responsible for my actions if I’m intimidated.” He let the knife slip. “Oops.”

Tess felt the puncture, felt blood trickle down her neck. She’d never hated her boss more than at that moment. The sting made her eyes burn, but she otherwise remained calm. If she showed any sort of emotion, that meant Christian won. Hugh, on the other hand, looked ready to pounce.

“He’s just making a point, Hugh. I’m fine. Let’s all take a deep breath and have a nice little chat.”

Hugh acknowledged her request with a disgruntled frown and a forced blink of his eyes. She appreciated his restraint. She knew the only reason he hadn’t attacked when he walked through the door was because he wanted information as much as she did.

“Excellent idea,” Christian said, tugging her with him to the sitting area.

He shoved her into the chair and took the spot next to her on the couch, close enough to intimidate, but far enough to allow for breathing room. The knife, stained with her blood, remained at the ready in his hand. He leaned back casually, like he didn’t have a care in the world. His expression gave nothing away but confidence.

Tess tried not to let her smirk show. The man was off his game. He’d left Tess with her bag. Idiot. She held on to it like it was take-out—not a big deal, she could take it or leave it. That way it wouldn’t draw any unwanted attention.

Dane gave Hugh a push from behind. “Take a seat.”

“Excuse me? Since when do you give me orders?” Malice laced Hugh’s words, his feet moving only after a beat.

“Since he and my boss know each other,” she piped in. Whatever the reason for Christian’s arrival, it was no coincidence that Dane was present too. They were in cahoots. Tess hadn’t learned to read people for nothing.

In fact, Tess would wager that Dane worked for Christian. The Night Runner kept his eyes on her boss as if waiting for instructions. Dane couldn’t keep still, some body part always in motion. Tension crossed his face, lines she hadn’t noticed before were clearly visible now.

He couldn’t be an eliminator, could he? Sent as backup? Impossible. There aren’t any Veiler eliminators. At least none to her knowledge.

Hugh halted. “What are you talking—”

“Give the girl a gold star,” Dane said, shoving Hugh toward the sitting area before he could turn around to face him. “Now take a seat so we can take care of business.”

It killed her to see Hugh’s muscles strain, his jaw clench. And she knew it took every ounce of his strength to stay cool in hopes of learning something that had to do with his pack.

“Do not touch me again. If you do, I’m going to rip your throat out.” Hugh filled the chair next to her, his close proximity both killing her and giving her hope.

Stillness swept over the room and she stood, uncomfortable with the momentary peace. She had no illusions Christian would let her leave, but she had to try. Had to do something. “I just remembered I’ve got a meeting to—”

“There is no other meeting,” Christian said with his usual calm, cool demeanor.

How the hell would he know?

Oh God. Wait a minute. Sharp pain sliced through her head. Her breathing accelerated. She cleared her throat and swallowed down emotion threatening to weaken her resolve.

She’d been set up. The deadline on Hugh’s elimination, the meeting, it was all a way to get her out of Los Angeles so she and Hugh could be dealt with discreetly. Christian and whoever wanted Hugh dead had orchestrated this whole thing.

But what about Dobson? What about the wolfen that had killed Jason? Where did he fit in?

He… He was right in front of her. As sure as she knew her own name, she knew Dane was Dobson. Shock swept through her, her knees felt brittle—one step and she’d be forced to crawl.

She blinked away the pain, anger and tears threatening to strip her strength away. It made perfect sense now. He’d avoided the Banoth and pretty much threatened her afterward. He’d given Hugh info from his “contacts”. And out of the corner of her eye at the park the night they’d rescued Trey, hadn’t she noticed him help a Wolf Seeker up, rather than knock him down? She’d thought it impossible at the time. Thought her eyes were playing a trick. They weren’t fooling her now.

But why had he killed Jason? Her pulse sped up, her vision blurred. For five long years, she’d waited for this moment.

Adrenaline kicked up fury inside her, and it took every ounce of willpower she had not to leap across the room and break his neck.

“Looks like the meeting found us,” Hugh said, shaking Tess from her thoughts.

He’d figured it out too, and the urgency to leave the suite dissipated. In its place roared an urge to whip out her weapons and kill. But she didn’t do that anymore. Her brain was falling back on memory, going on autopilot. She’d killed for a living for so long she didn’t know anything else. Not when she stood there harboring so much hostility she wanted to lash out and destroy everything around her.

She hated feeling like a fool. How long had Christian known she’d been searching for Dobson? How much had Dane told him about her relationship with Hugh?

Why was she ordered to eliminate him?

Glare from the setting sun ricocheted around the hotel room while silence sounded louder than thunder. She noticed the wheels turning on her enemies’ faces and wanted to stop them from whatever they were planning. For the first time in twelve years, she felt absolutely nothing but contempt for her boss.

“It’s nice to finally put a face to the name, Dobson,” Tess said, expelling a deep breath. In relief? In worry? She didn’t know. Suddenly, numbness spread out from her core, and thinking coherently became questionable.

Was she resigning herself to the end of the line?

Hugh snarled, but kept still, and once again Tess appreciated his restraint. He knew how important this moment was for her.

“You like my face, huh?”

“Screw you, Dane. I hate your face. And I hate you,” she said.

Dane stared back and smiled. “No shit. You wear your heart on your sleeve, Tess.”

No, she did not. Her heart was well-guarded. Asshole.

“At least you do now,” he added. “Five years ago, you could’ve fooled me.”

His words threw her into outrage, and there was no containing her anger anymore. Quickly, she reached into her bag and pulled out her gun. She shoved her chair back with her leg to give herself a little more standing room, and spread her legs for solid balance. Then, with a steady hand, she aimed the weapon at Dane’s heart.

She couldn’t figure out why no one in the room moved. Maybe they saw the wild in her eyes, the need to get revenge no matter the cost. Whatever the reason, in Dane’s case, he’d finally grown a pair of balls and didn’t flinch as she fixed her gaze on him. He wasn’t backing down, and she fought the urge to skip the explanation. Two shots. All she needed was two shots.

“Why did you kill Jason?” The detached tone of her voice pleased her.

Dane glanced at Christian before answering. “It wasn’t cold blooded. I was defending myself.”

“That’s bullshit.” And the last thing she expected him to say.

“You heard me. Jason was going to kill me.” He moved a step closer.

Out of the corner of her eye, she saw Hugh scoot his chair back and lean closer to the edge. She gave a silent thank you that he was ready to pounce if necessary.

“Why?” she demanded, doubting Dane’s honesty, but needing to hear his reason anyway.

He glanced at Christian again. Cut a discomforted glimpse at Hugh. “He was sent to eliminate me.”