Page 99 of Carved Obsession

“Metamorphosis too.” Maddox turns to Morrigan. “Loreley...” He almost whispers her name, like speaking too loudly would make it real.

“Yes. She’ll be ecstatic to hear that my association with The Sanctum is putting her in danger. Yet again,” the redhead says, rolling her eyes.

“Unfair. Last time, it was her crazy, fucked-up ex-boyfriend and his jealousy of you,” Finnigan counters, a smug grin on his face.

“Okay, yeah. Fair,” she says. “It was the association with you a little, though.”

“Sure,” Maddox says. “I’ll give you that.”

Finnigan laughs, but Maddox looks painfully unimpressed. Regardless of what woman he’s seeing right now, I wonder if he’ll end up making it his mission to keep Loreley safe anyway.

“We’ll send a team to Loreley’s building,” I say. “That will cover her, Metamorphosis, and the café.”

Morrigan nods, satisfied.

“A few guys at Evelyn’s bakery too.” Finnigan turns to his girlfriend, who nods in agreement.

“Vincent, what do you think of bringing Mamaw June to our house?” Evelyn asks. “She can keep an eye on Maya, and considering our location, it’s easy to station up on the dunes and see someone coming toward the beach for a few miles.”

“I’ll ask her. Mom’s pretty stubborn, as you know, but she’ll hear Maya’s name and come running.” He chuckles.

“It’s a good place to take anyone, really. You’re right about the dunes. Great place for an ambush, with how secluded it is,” Maddox says. These two are more like brother and sister than friends, and always on each other’s backs.

“Okay. If anyone else wants to go there, we’ll do that. My tech team is pretty secluded already, but I’ll send a unit to stay with them,” I add. “Everyone else has been debriefed on the situation, right?”

Vincent nods.

“Then we’ll update them on our decision. The team leaders can decide if they want to pull our men together or not. If they can, of course.”

“Yeah, it will be hard to pull together hundreds of people, but as long as they stay vigilant, they should be good. Otto was targeted because of his almost constant presence with us, but our soldiers aren’t well known at all. They should be safe.”

I agree. But the tech team will still be working overtime to monitor the situation.

“Great. I need some food now. Let’s go eat.” My stomach is rumbling, and I would very much like to demolish a steak right about now.

“Eat out? Really?” Evelyn cocks an eyebrow.

“What’s he going to do?” I counter. “Attack us in a restaurant?”

Morrigan rises from her armchair, yanking on the hem of her T-shirt with a smug look on her face. “Let him fucking try.”

She’s a firecracker. We’ve seen her in action, and I have a feeling she would get along really well with Scarlet. Maybe a bit too well. I might have to keep an eye on that, because those two could get into a lot of trouble.

I frown at my train of thought. I’m already envisioning Scarlet within myfamily.This is...strange.

We all rise, getting ready to leave, but Morrigan pulls me to the side and leans against the kitchen counter, slightly out of earshot.

“Are you sure you’re okay?” she asks.

I frown at the question. Of course I am. Why wouldn’t I be? Her worry surprises me, nonetheless. Twice today, she expressed her concern toward my wellbeing.

“I don’t know what happened last night,” she insists, “but you seem...different.”

“How so?” I ask.

“Rattled, somehow.”

“I’m fine, Morrigan. I didn’t get hurt during the accident. Only a bit of whiplash and some bruises.”