Page 25 of Protecting Salvation

Chapter7

“Hey,sugar, sorry to break up the party but we need to talk to you about a few developments.”

Hurricane was crouched at her side and was still a head taller than her, yet she never felt a second of apprehension when he was around. “Okay, do you need me to come inside?”

He looked around seeing how close the neighbours were and nodded. “I think so.”

“Okay.”

“Hey, Pey, we’re going to head out. Exhaustion is apparently a real thing with pregnancy and weirdly, I’m not sleeping well at night either.”

“Sure, honey. Go rest and call me tomorrow.”

Peyton hugged her best friend and then Bram, so stupidly happy for them. They’d been trying but not trying, which was why Aoife had been drinking last weekend. She confided her worry over it damaging the baby and Peyton had calmed her friend down. Aoife was going to be a great mum and she was genuinely thrilled for them both.

Closing the door she turned and found Hurricane leaning his big, broad shoulder against the door to the kitchen watching her. His cap back in place, his t-shirt stretched across his chest, he looked like a sexy alpha book boyfriend and she couldn’t forget what he’d said earlier about what he wanted to do to her. Even though not a single detail had been spoken, the implication was more than enough to make her hot and bothered.

“You good, sugar?”

God, why did such an innocent word cause such butterflies in her belly every time he said it? “Yeah, let’s get this over with.”

She walked toward him trying not to let nerves or the panic of earlier choke her. He gripped her shoulder gently, causing tingles to shoot to her nipples and she was glad she’d pulled a hoodie on over her tee earlier when they went into the garden, therefore hiding her now erect nipples.

“I got you.”

He pushed her in front of him and kept a hand on her shoulder as he guided her to sit on the couch, the vibe in the room different now. It was easy to forget who these people were when she was socialising with them, but they were in work mode now and she didn’t know whether to be intimated or grateful that they were on her side. Hurricane took the seat beside her, his big thigh pressed against her leg.

“Peyton, I wanted to tell you what I found at the office.”

She linked her fingers together, flexing the digits as Lotus addressed her. “Okay.”

“Do you know what ammonium nitrate is?”

Peyton frowned but nodded, her hands moving and flexing until Hurricane took one in his and held on tight, grounding her without her even having to voice the words. She smiled gratefully and he winked and her heart rocketed. Jeez, this man.

“It’s… um… used in fertilizer. My father used it sometimes when we had the farm.”

Lotus nodded. “It is, it’s also used in pyro techniques and for making bombs. Is there any reason at all that you can think of as to why it would be in your office?”

“What? No, none.” She frowned, trying to think if she’d ever used anything like that for her garden but shook her head. “No, I don’t use anything like that. Sometimes I used Feed and Weed but I haven’t used it in ages.”

Hurricane squeezed her hand gently. “We aren’t accusing you, sugar. We’re just trying to get a feel for things. The first thing is to rule out any explainable reasons for it being present.”

“Sorry, I guess I’m a little highly strung right now.”

Val sat forward, her hand on Bás’ thigh, on the couch opposite. “Peyton, that’s completely understandable. We just need to get a read on things so we can figure this out.”

“I take it you don’t agree with the police or believe I left it unlocked?”

Titan snorted. “No, darlin’. We don’t believe that bullshit they’re shovelling.”

Her head bobbed and her shoulders slumped. She’d been beginning to wonder if McCain had been right by the time he finished gaslighting her, and she was a woman who knew how to spot the signs. “Okay, good.” She straightened her shoulders and sat up taller. “So what else do you need from me?”

“A little background would be good.”

“Are you saying you don’t have that in your file on me?” She glanced at Hurricane who smirked and she remembered how that conversation had ended and blushed.

Bás snorted. “We do, but it would be good to hear from you.”