"Fine, he can make your life hell and I can leave." Megan moved to rise from the chair.
"Sit down, Meg." Her cousin sighed then. "This involves you, too. Too much. Braden, as you know, is a Feline Breed. Lion, to be exact. His assignment here is a bit complicated."
"And involves me how?"
Before Lance could speak, Braden broke in.
"In the fact that the Breeds you found dead in that gully were here looking for you. As were the Coyotes. Would you like to explain that?'He tilted his head, watching her closely, sensing her confusion.
"Me?" She shook her head, staring back at him, perplexed.
"Why would they be looking for me?"
"I was hoping you could answer that one."
"Lance, what's going on here?" she asked. A subtle scent almost of fear reached out to him, made him want to shield her, protect her.
"Our interrogation of the Coyote you wounded yesterday revealed they were here to kill Mark and Aimee · and you. They were to murder them in your area, where you would be drawn to them_" His choice of words had to be a mistake. "From there, they were to kill you, Megan."
She licked her lips nervously as she shook her head in denial. "But I didn't know them. I've never been in contact with Breeds or any part of the Council. Why target me? Why would they want me dead?"
Megan stared at Braden with the heavy weight of fear in her chest. She couldn't imagine why the Council would want her dead, or why two Breeds would have been searching for her. She hadn't been part of the Breed rescues, nor the investigations that had taken down the various Labs. She had left the Law Enforcement Academy and come straight home to her job within Lance's office.
"I was hoping you could tell me." Braden sat back in his chair then, watching her with eyes that mesmerized and seemed to see too much, too easily.
"I don't know." She shook her head. She was confused. This couldn't have anything to do with her empathic abilities. It had to be something else.
"I'm here to find out why, then." His voice hardened, as did the amber glow of his eyes. "I've been placed with the sheriff's department to learn the reasons why our Breeds are dying here and what the Council wants from you. To do that, certain steps have to be taken."
Why did she have a feeling this was the kicker? She could see it in his eyes, hear it in his voice. And if that wasn't enough, her stomach was rioting with nenres, a sure sign that she was not going to like what was about to come.
"Such as?"
"A Rep." Satisfaction filled his voice. "I am required to live with, and to work with, a representative of the local law enforcement department. One who is aware of what I am, but will tell no one else. Since you are also part of the investigation, it's been decided by the sheriff and the Bureau of Breed Affairs, that you will be that Rep."
Oh, it was decided? As though she had no opinion'? No say in how she was maneuvered?
"Oh, I don't think so." She came out of her seat, instantly rejecting that idea. There was not a chance in hell.
"We have great motels here. Hell, Lance lives alone. Stay with him."
Braden rose slowly to his feet, and she just couldn't help it. She just couldn't help checking out those powerful, long legs encased in faded denim and sitting in dark, scratched leather boots. She jerked her gaze back to his, her face flaming at the knowing smirk on his lips. Not to mention the more than impressive bulge between his thighs.
"Lance isn't an option," he drawled. "You are the reason they are here. They won't stop until they kill you, Megan."
"Bull. Shit," she snarled. "If they wanted to kill me they could have done so at any time. Your Coyote is lying to you, Braden. Have you thought of that?"
"I thought of it." He nodded slowly, that damned smile still in place. "I prefer to err on the side of caution. So, roomie, when do we head home?"
Megan turned slowly to Lance. Her cousin had been watching the argument silently, which wasn't like him. The look on his face wasn't comforting.
"Do something," she snapped.
"I did." He sighed, his look intent, determined. "I approved it."
Like hell.
"Then you can disapprove it." She could feel herself shaking, and knew she was making a mess of this meeting and she couldn't help it. "You can't make me let him live in my home, Lance."
Her response to Braden Arness was too strong, it went too deep. Every cell in her body was tuned to him, and she didn't like it. She didn't want it.
"Megan, sit back down." Lance sighed wearily as he stared up at her, his eyes, nearly the same blue as her own, darkened with worry.
"I don't want to sit down," she explained with mock patience. "And I definitely don't want that fangtoothed Neanderthal as a roommate."
She ignored the little growl, subtle and warning, that came from Braden. Just as she tried to ignore the fires that the sound set in her body.
"Your cousin has a sharp little tongue, Lance." The rumble in Braden's voice was deepening. "She's going to meet someone capable of dulling it, soon."
"That'll be the day," Lance grunted, appearing less than pleased at the subtle warning.
"Lance." Megan leaned forward, bracing her hands on his desk as she met his gaze. "We don't know him. He could be behind all this himself." Of course, she knew better. She could feel it. "How can you trust him far enough to order me to let him stay at my home?"