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But what about Ranger’s phone? If Dane could track my device, he could do the same to my captor’s.
“My phone is secure.” He must have read my mind, and he pulled out his device. “Did Dane ever meet your brother?”
“Do you think I’m stupid?” I reconsidered what I’d said. “Don’t answer that.”
“I don’t think that at all.” The anger had vanished from his voice. “You’re very capable, just not used to the way the world… or our world works.”
He was talking about the dark, cheating underworld that I’d caught a glimpse of with Dane.
Josh’s number was the only one I knew off by heart, and he answered on the first ring. I jumped right in as his display would show as an unknown number.
“It’s me, big bro. Are you safe from the storm?”
“It’s good to hear your voice, Matt. I’ve been calling you, and I was worried when you didn’t pick up.”
“Dropped my phone in the water. It’s dead,” I fibbed, though I’d never be able to use either my real phone or the one I had for Dane again.
“Are you at home?” he asked.
“I’m with a… friend, but I’ll call again when the storm passes and we can have dinner.”
My eyes were awash with tears because I’d either have to move to another country or go into witness protection. I might never see my brother again.
“Take care, little brother. I love you.”
“Love you back.”
My dinner forgotten, I stared at the phone and wondered why I didn't tell Josh I’d been kidnapped. And then I came up with all the reasons why I hadn’t. Because that would put him in danger. Or he’d think I was exaggerating. Or he’d believe me and call the police and that might lead to Dane finding out where I was.
“You both said I love you.” Ranger sat on the stool beside me and pushed the pasta around in his bowl. “I don’t recall my brothers and me ever saying that to one another.”
“You don’t love one another?” I licked the olive oil and herb mixture from my spoon, marveling at how different his family was from mine. But mafia wasthefamily.
“No one has ever asked me that. We love our dad, and we respect one another. I suppose that’s love. Yes, we do.”
“Maybe you should tell your loved ones that. You never know what life’s going to throw at you.”
His head shot up, and he opened his mouth but snapped it closed without speaking.
What had he been going to say?
TWELVE
RANGER
I rinsed the dishes and turned on the dishwasher, but just as it started the cycle, the lights flickered and died.
Matt leaped up, my extraordinary shifter vision picking him out in the darkness. He yelped, and I shone the phone spotlight in his direction.
“Is it Dane? Has he found us? The bad guys always cut the power before they break into the house.” He stumbled forward into my arms.
“No, it’s the storm.” I’d expected it to go out earlier and had checked the supply of candles, matches, and lighters where Dad kept the supplies. Not that my family really needed them, as our shifter eyesight allowed us to see in the dark. But Dad liked candles infused with perfume.
I imagined a moment with Matt in my arms where he’d gotten over what I did for a living and I had the details of what he’d been ferreting out at The Obsidian Circle. It was all behind us, and he admitted he had feelings for me and we lived happily ever after.
“But how do you know? It could be Dane using the rain as cover and he’ll storm in here and take me.”
“He’d never make it here in this weather.” The security alarm would have switched to backup, but I’d need to check. I also had to get another phone as a backup, because like a fool, I hadn’t charged mine when we arrived and the battery wouldn’t last more than a few hours.
