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Something primal stirred inside of Jericho at the thought of his scent on Alex’s skin. It wasn’t a bad idea with her spending time at Claymore around the other enforcers. No way was he undressing in front of her, though. He’d seen how she reacted to Titan. If she saw his back, there would be questions he wasn’t prepared to answer.

“Wait here.”

He left the room to change, returning a minute later and shoving his T-shirt into her palm.

“Night,” he uttered, turning his back on her dumbfounded expression.

Before he could return to his room, Titan’s throaty woof announced the visitor on the front step. There was only one male who’d dare to intrude here after Victor ordered the others to stay clear.

Jericho headed downstairs and opened the door. “If you have a female with you, you’ll need to take her elsewhere.”

“No worries,” Colin said, stepping inside. “I got the memo.” His focus shifted to Titan, and his face lit up. “Hey there, widdle buddy.”

Titan circled the male, sniffing his ankles while Colin waited, making no attempt to pet the beast. Once Titan’s inspection was complete, Colin sat on his heels, rummaging to the bottom of a fast food bag. “Wook what Uncle Cowin brought you.”

Jericho cringed. No warrior should sound like that.

“Mmm-um, yummy cheeseburger.Deeelicious.” Colin unwrapped the greasy offering and held it out, a knight presenting the Holy Grail.

Titan crept closer, one paw inching in front of the other. He stretched out his thick neck and took a cautious sniff. Front leg hiked like a pointer, he seemed poised to grab the offering and beat a hasty retreat.

Colin’s eyes popped, riveted to the dog’s every move. This was the closest Titan had ever come to eating from his hand.

Titan’s top lip lifted.

Colin’s top lip lifted, mirroring the dog.

The hellhound’s shrewd, silver eyes slid to Colin’s face, and damn if it didn’t look like the beast’s lips twitched with a grin. Then his flanks heaved with a mighty snort. “Phfft!”

Colin flinched and wobbled.

Nose in the air, Titan turned his back on the vampire and padded to Jericho’s side.

Colin sighed, shoving to his feet. “Damn. Thought I had him.”

Titan sixty–Colin zero. Jericho scrubbed his hand over his mouth, hiding his smile. “He’ll come around. He just needs some time.” Thank the gods, the beast had the sense to refuse last week’s burrito.

“Yeah, that’s what you said five years ago.” Colin tossed the burger and sank a rim shot into the kitchen trashcan.

“Regardless, I know you’re not here to bribe Titan.”

Colin braced his hands on his hips. “Yeah, I have some bad news. Figured you’d rather hear it from me.”

Jericho’s heart skipped. “Liam?”

“No, no. Liam is fine,” he was quick to amend. “Nothing’s changed there. The assassin you captured, now that’s another matter.”

“What happened?”

Colin winced. “Slade questioned him this morning and got nowhere. Got two witnesses that swear the guy was still breathing after the interrogation. About an hour ago, Adam opened his cell door and found him dead.”

Anger punched through Jericho’s gut. If anyone was going to kill the bastard, it should have been him. “Cause of death?”

“Doc seemed to think it was poison, though no one knows how he got it. I checked him myself before we brought him in. Guy was clean.”

“Another dead end.” Jericho walked across the room and sank into the leather sofa. As though sensing his frustration, Titan leaned against Jericho’s leg and rested his blocky head on his thigh.

“Pretty much.” Colin flopped onto the second sofa, leg slung over the padded arm.