Free Passion's Prey: The Shadow Shifters by A.C. Arthur Page B

he hoped so.
    “I questioned her about the dancing. Up to that point I hadn’t seen any drugs—or any Rogues, for that matter. Then the scent came. They were coming to Caprise’s dressing room.”
    “For what? Does she know any of the Rogues that frequent the club?” Rome asked.
    “She wouldn’t associate with Rogues,” Nick said. “She’d kick ’em in the balls and laugh in their faces.”
    X did chuckle at that, even though he was feeling anything but happy at this moment. “You’re right about that. But no, she said she didn’t know who could have been at the door. And I didn’t stick around to find out. My first concern was getting her to safety. So we jumped through the window. Seth and Zach were already waiting at the truck. I left them there to keep watch and brought Caprise back here.”
    “And at no time did you think it was necessary to call me and let me know?” Nick questioned, jamming his hands into the pockets of his dress pants and staring at X as if he could pounce on him at any moment.
    “Last time I checked I was a grown-ass man. I don’t have to check in with anyone” was X’s heated retort.
    Rome held up a hand to stall Nick’s next comment. “Okay, so Caprise has been dancing at the club. Has she seen anything useful to us?”
    X shook his head. “I don’t think so. Then again, she’s not really looking for Rogues. She’s sort of doing her own thing.”
    “Yeah, shaking her ass for the public,” Nick chimed in.
    “I’d tread lightly in that area if I were you,” X warned him. “She nearly bit my head off when I commented on her occupational choice.”
    “That’s because it’s none of your damn business,” Caprise said, entering the room wearing skintight jeans and a T-shirt so tight it made X’s mouth water.
    “It’s my business if you’re out there trying to get yourself killed,” Nick fired back. “What is this stripping thing you’re doing?”
    Caprise made her way to the center of the room with one hand on her hip, the other pointing a finger at her brother. X could only shake his head. Whatever she was getting ready to say, she meant business. How they were all going to deal with that, X had no idea.
    “I’m an adult. I can do whatever I please. And for your information it’s called exotic dancing, not stripping, you idiot.”
    Rome covered his mouth and gave a fake cough to hide that he was chuckling. X stood behind Caprise.
    “I don’t think they were coming after her. If I scented them it’s believable that they scented my presence as well,” he said, trying to take the heat off Caprise. He’d never defended a female like this before. Sure, he wanted to protect all females, especially shifters. But this, it was a little different.
    “How long have you been dancing there?” Rome asked.
    “About three weeks,” she replied evenly.
    For as candid and sometimes rude as Caprise could be, she always respected Rome.
    “Has any Rogue ever approached you?” the FL asked.
    “She’s not on the lookout for them like we are,” X replied.
    Rome stood. “But she can still scent them if they’re near. Have you ever been near a Rogue at that club?”
    “I don’t think so. But he’s right, I’m not looking for them. I go there twice a week, do my dancing, collect my money, and go. I don’t hang out there on a regular basis, and I don’t socialize with anybody while I’m there.”
    “They could have scented you,” Rome agreed, looking at X. “And if so, they’re damn bold to come after a commanding officer.”
    “Probably figured he was alone so they had a good chance of taking him down,” Nick said.
    His voice sounded deceptively calm. Then again, X doubted that Nick had put two and two together to equal that he and Caprise had actually slept together last night.
    “Well, if you guys want to continue talking about your secret society crap that’s fine with me. But I’d like to go home and get changed. Is Seth here to take me?” Caprise