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One nod from Sloan was enough. He didn’t elaborate, which meant that it was likely Phillip had been injured to some degree. But he was alive. He’d gotten away. That was enough.

“We’re going back to the Organization?”

The Brit’s smile dropped, forming a thin line. “We can’t hide forever. Eros won’t come looking for you after what occurred in Austria. Not at least until the dogs have been called off, so to speak. The Organization is aware he’s been targeting you, and now he’ll be hard-pressed to fly under the radar anytime soon.”

Mia tossed her dark hair back over toned shoulders, her demeanor shifting from casual to alert. Even Claude wasn’t smiling anymore. In his usual weird attire—a shirt basically in tatters and a time-worn pair of denims—the wolf sat with one leg resting on the other and his arms bowed behind his head, silently regarding my partner. Topher had set his book down, appearing much too big for the chair he presently sat on. His eyes moved like silver bullets to where Sloan was, giving the other Hunter his full attention.

And of course, the most attentive was Nigel.

My once-close friend rocked his usual clean and chic look. His casual clothes were always freshly pressed, and I couldn’t help but admire how strong he looked in everything he wore. I might still harbor my fair share of resentment towards Nigel, but the dude would always be gorgeous to me.

After giving the room my own panning glance, I addressed Sloan, “So…the Organization knows?”

Theother Hunter’s gaze swept across the room, and the room’s eyes were quickly on him. “They do. It doesn’t appear they were aware he was back, even after Phillip reported the first attack.” The gorgeous Hunter’s jaw worked slowly. “Our hunch about a high-level player seems to be the case. It was likely buried the first time.” The room quieted. “Phillip made sure this one wasn’t.” The violence in Sloan’s stare put everyone in the room on edge.

Everyone but Tiff, that is.

“Yeah. Okay. We’ve gone off topic. Would you please take V out and let her live for a day? Also, can I come with?” Tiff demanded, easing the tension immediately.

Taking another step, Sloan offered me a curious look. “Can I possibly ask for it to be alone?”

Tiff’s mouth clamped shut and Nigel visibly tensed, neither one sure how best to respond. The rest of the group was silent, or didn’t care, because no one else seemed to respond to the back and forth the way the other two Shifters had.

“A date?!” Tiff cried out, tugging me closer. “Do it,” she whispered even though we both knew Sloan could hear it. “Do it for those of us who can’t, lady. He’s so damn hot. I’d kill to be you.”

Tiff was a persistent as hell wingman.

Nigel cleared his throat. “I don’t think—”

“V?” Sloan interrupted. “Would you honor me by taking a stroll with me this evening?”

Tiff squealed in my ear, and it nearly drowned out the sound of Nigel’s teeth grinding. “He’s a literal dreamboat, V. Do it.”

Oddly, this conversation made me miss Kate. She’d be doing and saying the exact same things to me. She’d encourage me to live a little. She’d say I’d never get an opportunity like it again.“Embrace that hussy side, giiiirl,”she’d say.

I flicked my gaze over to Nigel, then thought about the man I’d left behind who I hadn’t even been aware was alive until a moment ago. But then I remembered how close I’d come to dying. How close I’d come to losing Sloan. How I still didn’t know what caused that time stall. How every day could potentially be my last.

Lips lifting, I offered Sloan a sneaky smile. “I thought you’d never ask.”

Chapter 2

The Princess Treatment

Ipeered into the reflective chunk of glass Tiff aimed at me while Mia stood beside her with a seductive grin on her lips. “You’re about to become Mrs. Sloan! Are we good or are we good, M&M?”

M&M was what Tiff nicknamed Mia. From how she explained it, the name had something to do with code words. Incidentally, Mia’s last name also started with M, and it was the entire reason Tiff brazenly named her after a delicious, melt-in-the-mouth treat. Weirdest part about it all was that Mia let her.

After agreeing to go out with the sultry Brit, both girls closed in on me like the wolves they were. Mia I hadn’t expected, so I was ushered to a corner of the cave with the best lighting, as expressed by the bubbly blonde, before I knew what was happening.

A half hour later I was in an outfit I’d never pick for myself, heels as sharp as knives, a thick layer of red matte lipstick, and several intense shades of eyeshadow that, instead of making me look like an evil spirit, made me appear all dark and mysterious.

The obsidian-eyed she-wolf circled me, sliding her intense gaze up and down my body before nodding her approval. “She’s done.”

Thankfully, a privacy curtain was kept in the deepest part of the cave for people to change in, so that was where I morphed into a demon’s mistress with Mia and Tiff’s help.

Unfortunately, the toilet situation in this doom and gloom cave was something I’d remember for the rest of my life whether or not I wanted to. All I had to say was thank God for modern advancements. I’d never take a toilet for granted ever again.

“I thought you didn’t do makeovers?” I asked, tugging down the mini skirt. There might be enough length that my ass wasn’t on full display, but one wrong move and everything would be laid bare for every unfortunate bystander to see.