Page 25 of Thrown into the Mob

Conrad was breathing hard, and his eyes faded back to normal.

“Done?” Flint wasn’t a man to waste time.

Conrad looked at me, and I stared back. I almost wished we were alone and could complete the mating process. Our connection was undeniable, and my body hummed. I couldn’t read his thoughts, but I could feel a second heartbeat just out of sync with my own.

“Done,” Conrad said.

“Good. Everybody back in the car.”

Ranger climbed in, still muttering about the upholstery, and Flint joked that it was a shame his love of cars didn’t include learning to parallel park, something Ranger’s mate had teased him about years ago. Grandpa patted Conrad on the arm as he passed, the same way he did to everyone in the family.

We got back in the car, and my mark throbbed. Our hands found the space between us on the seat, and this time, neither of us pretended it was an accident.

THIRTEEN

CONRAD

Ranger drove us to a building I wouldn't have looked at twice.

Dawn was breaking as I eyed the nondescript place of ten floors. It blended into the street without drawing attention. That was the point because both Durand… Not that name. We were mated, though we weren’t really “mates,” but the name I gave him should reflect our status.

Madd. That was my mate, and it was the first time I’d assigned him that name in my head. Not that I’d actually spoken it out loud.

Madd and I were both wanted men. Him because Father had chosen him for my brother and me because I was the one who’d taken Madd away. He would fare better if we were returned to the Solari compound. Me, not so much.

But I was exhausted, and I was sure Madd was too. I needed a shower, clean clothes, and a bed.

The bodyguard in the corridor stood at attention when Flint appeared. “Alpha.” He nodded at Madd and stared at me. A guy at this level in the organization wouldn’t have all the details, but as he was protecting a Durand family member, he must’ve been trustworthy. My mind did go to that mistake Flint had made that nearly cost him, his mate, unborn baby, family, and pack their lives.

The fingerprint lock on the apartment door had been reprogrammed before we arrived with my mate’s thumbprint, and Flint made Madd open the door with his thumb and ushered us inside.

He spoke to the guard while my mate and I stood awkwardly in the entryway, before striding toward us.

“You'll stay here until I figure out the next move. Madd, you can’t go back to the serviced apartment you usually use when you’re in town because there’s a target on your back. There's food in the kitchen, the beds are made, and there are clothes in the bedrooms.”

He said bedrooms. Of course a place this size would have multiple ones, and bathrooms too.

“We’ll talk more tomorrow.” Flint glanced around the bland space. “Nobody comes or goes without my authorization. The guard outside has orders.”

Madd would be used to this level of security and so was I, but I was the one who arranged it for our dragons. It was odd not being the one listing the details, but I’d have to get used to that.

Flint told me to get some sleep. I couldn’t fathom his expression. It wasn’t hostile or warm, but he probably wished my problems hadn’t landed in his lap.

He left and the lock clicked. I was used to being locked in. Not in a physical sense with doors and windows barred, because I was able to walk freely around the compound and allow my dragon to fly close by. But there was an unspoken warning that if I strayed too far, I’d be hauled back. I could never figure out why Father cared. It would have been better for him and my twin to let me go.

The apartment was so quiet which I’d rarely experienced in the compound. There was always noise in my former home, as if my father associated stillness with something sinister.

Madd had his good hand in the pocket of my too-small jeans and looked around. The space was large and furnished as if it was staged before putting it on the market. The walls were white, and there was a gray sofa. The kitchen was spotless as though it had never been used for anything more than reheating. It reminded me of my rooms at the compound because it was both functional and impersonal and designed for someone who wasn't expected to feel at home.

My dragon didn't like it. He wanted warmth, texture, and a lived-in space.

It’s no cave.

He’d never lived in a cave, but thousands of years of instinct told him he needed a den.

“It’s not exactly cozy.” Madd picked up a white-and-gray cushion.

“That’s the understatement of the year.” I gathered that Madd's brother had stayed here and he and his mate had escaped. Again, it didn’t give me confidence that the La Luna Noir security system was as professional as the one I’d put in place at the compound.