“Yo,” Collin answered. “What’s up?”
“I’m just giving myself a headache trying to read these new books you found.” Well, new to them. One was bound with what looked like human skin from a thousand years ago. “Do you have a line on any additional volumes?”
The sound of a television set being turned down came over the phone. “Yeah. I’m bidding on several right now in online auctions, and I have a squad infiltrating a mansion in Iberia in about three hours. The owner collects ancient books, and he wouldn’t even entertain an offer to look at his collection, much less buy it.”
Hope took a handful of popcorn. “So you’re stealing it?”
His chuckle was low. “Half of the books you have were stolen. The owners didn’t give me a choice.”
She winced. “Did you at least leave reimbursement?”
“No. Most didn’t need money. I did, however, leave them an IOU and a promise that I’d return the books along with a couple new ones. I figured we could raid the Realm libraries for something interesting once we’re finished.”
“So long as we don’t harm anybody while stealing.” She coughed. There was too much salt on the popcorn. Oops.
He drank something, most likely grape soda. Both twins had inherited their fondness for the stuff from their uncle Dage. “Don’t worry. I’ve trained all my thieves very well. They can get in and out of pretty much anywhere without having to hurt anybody.”
“Good. Thanks.” She reached for her beer. “Why don’t you have a date or something tonight?”
“Why don’t you?” he countered.
That was a fair point. Considering she was currently torn between two males, adding a third to the mix would be insane. “All right. I’ll see you tomorrow.” They’d had to reschedule their strategy meeting for the following day. She clicked off, turning the movie back on and watching until her eyes became blurry and her head started to nod.
When the outside door opened, she stiffened and pushed pause on the remote. Paxton prowled in, looking as if he’d been tossed through a wood chipper. There were contusions and scrapes all over his face and arms, and his bottom lip had swollen.
“Hope,” he said, walking inside, his gaze not meeting hers.
She had figured it would be bad when he’d said he was going to meet his father, but she’d never imagined it would be this bad. Why hadn’t he healed those injuries? He was so pale, he looked almost ghostlike. “I should have gone with you,” she said, her heart hurting for him. Though she’d known the reunion wouldn’t be pleasant, she hadn’t expected the raw devastation in Pax’s eyes.
He glanced at the movie and then back to her face. His body was hard and cut, and tension rolled off him in waves. If she didn’t know him, she’d fear him. “It’s three in the morning. Why aren’t you in bed? You were in a battle not too long ago.”
“It looks like you’ve been in a couple since then,” she said, scooting over on the sofa. Had the male even had a chance to heal his injuries from the first battle? If she remembered right, his father was well muscled and had beefy fists. It wouldn’t have been an easy fight, even for someone as skilled as Pax. And no doubt, since Pax had wanted answers, Paelotin wouldn’t have given them. Not without a good beating. By the look of Pax’s knuckles, he’d punched hard and fast. “Come sit down, Paxton.”
There was something off about him, an energy she couldn’t read. She had been attuned to him since they were toddlers, and right now, he was as distant as someone across the globe, even though he stood right next to her. “I’m guessing it was bad?”
“Worse than bad,” Paxton admitted, dropping onto the sofa. He scrubbed both hands down his face. His knuckles were raw and bloody.
“Why didn’t you heal those on the ride home?”
“I couldn’t.” He stretched out his hands and looked at them.
Shock reverberated through her, and she pressed a fist against her mouth. “Is it my fault?”
He turned, looking at her. His eyes were an electric silvery blue. “Why would this be your fault?”
“I don’t know.” She threw up her hands. “We kissed, and we kissed big-time. Maybe I somehow infected you with whatever’s wrong with me.” Her ears rang, and she couldn’t focus to figure out what she was trying to say. Her face heated when she thought about the orgasm. It had been spectacular.
He snorted. “You can’t infect me with being human, Hope. Come on, we know that’s what’s going on with you. No, that’s not my problem. That drug the Kurjans injected into me has just gotten stronger. It’s flowing through my veins, spreading into my muscles. Emma is attempting to identify the unknown compound, but…”
Anger roared through her so fast she had to grasp his thigh for balance. “We’ll figure this out. I’ll go talk to Drake.”
“No,” Paxton said, turning and yanking her onto his lap. “You will not go talk to Drake. I will fix this somehow.”
“We’ll do it together,” she said, cupping his jaw. He had raspy whiskers and a definite shadow. There was nothing soft about Paxton Phoenix, and for a moment, just a brief moment, she missed the sweet little boy he’d been. “Did you find out who your father was working with in the Kurjan nation?”
“No. He gave me some low-level names. I don’t think anybody higher up met or talked with him.” Pax’s voice was demon hoarse, and he seemed to rock in place.
“Tell me about your father,” she said.
His scoff moved his huge chest. “Well, now that’s the problem, isn’t it?” Gingerly, he lifted her off his lap and placed her gently on the other end of the sofa.
She rubbed her arms, suddenly chilled. “What do you mean?”
Pax’s chin dropped to his chest. “I shouldn’t have put you on my lap. I’m sorry. Oh God, this is so screwed up.”
She stilled, knowing the world was about to crash around her. “Did you kill him?”
“No,” Paxton said, “I didn’t. He is in a holding cell right now. I beat him up pretty good, but I got him out of there.”
The pain in Paxton’s eyes was palpable. “Pax, whatever he said, ignore him. He never knew you.”
“Oh, he knew me a little bit,” Paxton said, the sound desolate.
This was getting out of hand. There was a desperation in his eyes that she had never seen before. “I think I should call my dad.” Zane would know what to do.
“He’s not here,” Paxton said wearily. “He returned to the battlefield with two squads to see if there was anything left of the Seven’s documents. He wanted to be one of the people to sift through the rubble for some reason.”
“Oh,” she said softly. “How do you know that? Were you looking for him?”
“You could say that,” Paxton said dryly, putting up invisible shields around himself.
She couldn’t see them, but she could feel them. “Pax. Don’t let whatever your dad said hurt you and drive people away. Let me in. I can help you.” Her heart was breaking, and he was acting as if he didn’t care.