Page 13 of Corbin (Wild Wolf Pack from the world of Gallize Shifters #2)

Eirene steeled herself to once again face Brody, that blasted security guy. She’d almost gotten out of this mess clean. She never name-dropped, especially using Leszek’s, but she’d hoped mentioning her trustee, who supported the police in many ways, would untangle her more quickly.

That had worked.

Now, the new lead on Beckham’s security team, who supposedly worked for her, ruined a perfect escape.

Gritting her teeth, she turned around and gave him a snooty expression she saved for those she considered nasty media hacks. She could not tolerate a snob, but pretending to be one came in handy sometimes.

Fortunately, most of the media treated her with respect and not as a dressed-up mongrel, but a few would take advantage of her at an inopportune moment.

Striding back to him, she spoke first. “Listen, Brody, I have a tight schedule, and this situation is not helping. I assume you’re taking Archie’s place as the head of my team, so what do you need?”

Just as worked up as her, Brody spoke in a deep but low voice. “This was no accident. Someone sent a tower of metal scaffolding falling over on him.”

Her heart climbed up her throat, threatening to strangle her.

If she showed any weakness right now, she’d get pinned with this accident .

.. if it was an accident. She seriously doubted it given the two questionable deaths on her security team already in the past two weeks.

Having humans stuck protecting her and ending up killed or harmed made her sick to her stomach.

This was not the time to appear as a weak female. She had to show quiet confidence even if it did come across as disinterested.

Keeping her arms loose at her sides, she countered, “If that is the case, why are you wasting time telling me what you should be telling the police?”

Brody countered, “I will share everything I know with them. I’m only saying you shouldn’t leave until we know who did this to Archie. Don’t you care?”

What a brutal question. Too many days of stress and anguish had her on edge. She snapped, “Of course, I care, which is why I was getting out of the way so law enforcement could do their job. It’s a distraction when I’m here under these circumstances. I know it and so do they.”

She hated to play the snotty celebrity, but she had more lives at stake than those present.

Another member of Brody’s team standing twenty feet away called him over.

Her heart ached. She’d been having nightmares about these human men dying when she, a wolf shifter, had not been around to protect them . As soon as she heard about the one dying in a car wreck, she visited the location hours after the accident had happened and smelled a shifter scent.

That scent had never been reported or investigated.

And people wondered why she allowed only humans on her security team. Shifters couldn’t be trusted, especially male shifters, plus she sometimes had to jockey around the truth.

One shifter had stalked her recently, and others had lied to her when she’d been at her lowest emotional point for six months following her father’s death.

Even the first wolf shifter who had wanted to be her friend in high school vanished without a word two weeks before graduating.

Earlier in the day of that same night, he’d left a note asking her to meet him.

She sniffed deeply. Had she smelled a familiar scent in here or was that her silly heart trying to bring Corbin back again?

Why would he be here of all places?

Brody stormed back over and pushed a new button for her. “The media will be rabid once this gets out.”

Giving an intentional glance to the group of officers over on the right side of the stage, she lowered her voice.

“Your team has been incredibly accident-prone, which gives me no sense of safety. I think you should take some time to ensure everyone is qualified to do this.” She cringed at how cold that sounded, but she’d be happy if the three men still on her team refused to guard her.

Of course, Beckham would only send more warm bodies.

Brody pulled his head back, looking appalled.

Before he could mutter another damning word, she pressed her only advantage.

“What is the point of having your bunch here to supposedly protect me when you can’t keep your own people safe?

You accuse me of not caring, but I just told the police officer to take his time investigating despite the deadline we’re all on.

What else do you want me to do? Why would you insinuate otherwise?

Are you trying to tank my career with your insulting comments?

” She took a step forward, her anger pushing him back to maintain space.

She’d done her best to keep them as far from her as possible for their safety.

“All you have to do is stand around and look important until the police complete their investigation. Think you can manage that while I’m gone? ”

Exasperated, he grumbled too low for human ears, “I’m asking you to wait until I can free up one of the guys to go with you.”

She’d clearly heard him. “No. We both know I’m more than capable of protecting myself. My driver is taking me home where I have competent security. I need time to rest and work on my songs. I saw what I came to see and frankly have had enough for one day.”

She’d burn in hell for her cold words, but maybe they’d save this man’s life.

“Thought you said you had a meeting with your trustee.”

Meeting Brody’s angry gaze, she let out a slow breath. See? Sometimes she had to dance around the truth a shifter might call her on. “I do have a meeting with Leszek. I did not state the exact time. Some things are not your business.”

“Beckham won’t approve any of that without one of our people going with you,” he argued.

Brody was dedicated. She’d give him that, but he deserved a better client.

On the other hand, what if he knew more than he had shared?

Huh. She hadn’t considered that and should have. Someone close to every man on the security team would be the best person to look at hard after three unexplained incidents.

“Beckham is your boss, not mine,” she clarified. “If you care about Archie, then stay here and help the police. As for Beckham, I intend to discuss this security mess with him myself.” Not really.

She headed out again, determined to reach her car.

Before exiting the stage, her nose caught another whiff of the strange scent again.

She shot a quick look at the two men in ball caps she’d noticed coming in during the chaos.

Why were they here? Probably some media who snuck in with a phony excuse.

Were they shifters? Even more reason to escape quickly.

She sniffed the air but could not catch that suspicious scent again. With the way the air conditioning blew from the stage out to the seating, she couldn’t imagine having picked up any scent from down there. She hadn’t slept much in days and needed some downtime.

Her phone pinged with a familiar tune. Damn.

Could she not get a break? Eirene rushed out of the building to where Ivarson opened the rear door of her private sedan.

She thanked the middle-aged man who had been her father’s driver for over twenty years and slid in, waiting for the door to close and him to settle into the driver’s seat.

This sedan had been customized with an audio-privacy window between the front and back seats much like a limousine. She’d also had a rod installed on her side of the narrow window with a short curtain that slid across for times when she had to change clothes in the car.

Young girls were in awe of her glamorous life.

If only they knew the truth.

Additionally, Eirene did all she could to protect Ivarson from getting involved in her dangerous decisions. He was human and a bit cantankerous, but she’d come to trust him with parts of her life.

Her phone played the tune again.

Lifting her phone, she schooled her expression to reveal no emotion that could be seen from his rearview mirror.

That was her life. Isolated with no friends, no love life, and no support when things got rough.

A headache pulsed behind her forehead as she read the text:

Thank you for the offer of two front row tickets. Please keep them safe for me.

She groaned. If only she could reply to this text to tell this blackmailer she was not superwoman capable of jumping through multiple hoops at once. But a reply to that number would show as non-working.

Two front row tickets.

Translation: Two female shifters in trouble that Eirene hid in a warehouse.

Please keep them safe for me.

Translation: I can’t take the females off your hands yet.

She lifted the phone mounted in the console which connected her to Ivarson. “I’d like to visit my little dress shop near Raoul’s restaurant. She has a few new items for me.”

Ivarson answered, “Yes, Ms. Givenchy. Mr. Moore called moments ago saying he hadn’t received a return call from contacting you.

I explained that an emergency was happening at the theater, but I had stepped inside and confirmed you were not injured.

He said to inform you that he wished to see you as soon as possible. ”

She rolled her eyes. She’d intentionally dodged a meeting with Leszek the last two times he called asking her to come by.

She did not need anyone else hounding her about it, but she would not snap at Ivarson.

“I’ll return his call when I have time. I’d like you to check on someone.

Archie from my security team was badly injured.

A large metal scaffolding fell on him. I don’t know the whole story of what happened, but I will.

Please call Brody for an update on his condition. ”

Ivarson’s face filled the review mirror with a look of concern that morphed into sad acceptance. He knew the hurdles in her life. “Yes, Ms. Givenchy.”

She leaned forward and slid the little curtain across the window separating herself and Ivarson, then pulled the tote bag she’d put inside the car earlier to her lap.

Out came a pair of dark green dress pants she shoved her legs into while still wearing the skirt.

Unzipping the skirt, she yanked it off, then shed the jacket, putting the folded pair on the seat to her left.

Kicking off the uncomfortable spiked heels, she pulled on comfortable beige walking shoes with a groan of relief.

Next, she rifled through her large designer purse to double-check that she’d have what she’d need when she left the sedan. Her fingers closed around a switchblade of high quality. She shoved it into her pants pocket.