Air of Seduction (Elemental Enforcers #3)

Chapter 5

Ronan

I’m staring out of the window, but I don’t see the street outside. What I see is dark-brown eyes looking at me with a hint of mischief. And they can no longer be mistaken for Patricia’s eyes. She never looked at me like that. And she never made me laugh.

I look down at my hands. I was ready to grab a chocolate croissant, stuff some bacon into it, and shove it into my mouth, just to see if I could make Payton laugh. But then Aidan spoke, and his comment brought me back to the real world, where beauty and happiness can be destroyed in an instant.

I haven’t really been attracted to anyone in years—many years. But Payton makes me long for a connection with a woman beyond a meaningless fuck.

She’s a beautiful woman, which is always nice. But more importantly, she’s genuine. And she’s got a spine. There’s nothing sexier than a woman who knows what she wants and doesn’t hesitate to go after it.

When I turn around, my eyes land on the couch. I shudder when I think about what could have happened if I hadn’t been there to stop the vampire in the alley. He would have taken her and enslaved her like his accomplice has done with Olivia.

My jaw clenches with determination. I’m going to rescue Payton’s best friend, and then the woman who made me laugh a little while ago will be safe. She’ll no longer chase after rogue vampires and put herself in danger. And I can forget about her and her unwelcome effect on me.

I stalk out the door and race down the stairs, eager to get this over and done with. When I enter the dining room, I meet Aidan’s gaze. There’s a hint of concern in his eyes, like there’s been many times when he’s looked at me in the last couple of centuries.

All the enforcers, with the exception of Noah, have tried to make me open up about Patricia every few years, but I’ve had no desire to discuss her or my reaction to her death. It’s my loss and not theirs, and I’ve never seen any point in talking to them about it. It won’t change the fact that she’s dead.

I purposely avoid looking at Payton. Instead, I glance around at people’s plates, which all seem to be mostly empty. “It’s time to go. I’ll be checking the place Barry was staying yesterday. Will someone come with me, or are you all going after the master’s servant in South London?”

“We’ll be joining you.” Lucas gets to his feet before pulling out his mate’s chair and helping her up. He then directs narrowed eyes at me. “Just remember not to kill him before we have questioned him about the whereabouts of the master and the women who were found killed in Whitechapel.”

I narrow my eyes right back at him and cross my arms over my chest. “That depends if he tries to hurt Olivia or not. If he does, I’ll take him out, no questions asked.”

Lucas glances at Payton before his gaze comes back to me. There’s a hint of amusement in his eyes. “I understand.”

Refusing to react to his subtle jab, I turn to Markus. “I hope you find the master and kill him before we can get there. But if you don’t, we’ll be joining you as soon as we’ve taken care of Barry and made sure Olivia is all right. Unless of course, Barry and Olivia aren’t there but have left a clue to where they’re currently staying.”

Markus gives me a short nod of acknowledgement. “Just be careful. And prepare for the unexpected. It would surprise me greatly if the master is staying with Barry, but it’s a possibility you have to take into account when you enter the premises. After witnessing the master’s new abilities last night, we can’t rule out that he’s got even more up his sleeve.”

My arms fall to my side as I shoot a glance at Payton. This is the main reason why she shouldn’t be joining us today, but since I’ve already given her my word that she can come, it’s up to me to make sure she doesn’t get hurt.

“We’ll be careful.” I meet Markus’s gaze before I turn around and head toward the door. “Let’s go.”

***

Payton

I hurry to get up when Ronan spins around and strides toward the door. Lucas waves me ahead of them, and I practically run after the blond man to catch up with him.

It’s obvious that Ronan doesn’t really want me to join them, but I don’t think that’s why he’s barely spared me a glance since he returned after storming out during breakfast. It’s got something to do with the person he lost. Whoever it was and whatever happened, he’s clearly not done grieving.

He leads us down some stairs to a large parking garage with a lot of expensive vehicles. I barely contain a gasp, but I don’t know why I’m surprised, considering the size of this house.

“Payton.” Ronan opens the passenger door of a large black SUV.

I shake my head at him. “I can ride in the back.”

“No.” His curt tone and stern gaze permit no arguments, and after just a second of hesitation, I relent and do what he wants.

Lucas and Erica get into the back seat.

As soon as I have settled into my seat, Ronan closes the door and moves around the front of the vehicle to the driver’s side.

His jaw is tense, and he yanks the door open more forcefully than necessary.

“Fasten your seat belt.” His order is accompanied by something brushing over my skin like a warm summer wind. The feeling is so sensual that I feel it between my legs. It’s strange. It’s almost like he touched me without coming anywhere near my skin.

I do as he says without uttering a word. His commanding tone shouldn’t have this effect on me. If anything, it should irritate me. But all I can do is stare at his gorgeous features while he puts the car in reverse and backs out of the parking space.

My chest tightens with an almost desperate urge to do something to smooth the anger off his face and make him smile. And to make him laugh like he did at breakfast before Aidan made his comment.

I have to think of some kind of fun distraction to make Ronan forget himself and laugh again. But this isn’t the time for that. It will have to wait until Olivia has been rescued, and I’m sure she’s safe and okay.

My fists clench in my lap, and I swallow hard. I don’t know what Barry has done to my friend since he took her. I haven’t really allowed myself to think about it for fear that it would render me useless in my search for her. Instead, I’ve spent all my time trying to locate her so I can get her back. But now horrible thoughts crowd my mind.

My lungs seize, and I dig my fingers into my thighs as I try to breathe. What if he’s hit her? Or even worse, what if he’s raped her?

She looked okay the other day when I saw them, but that doesn’t mean he hasn’t hurt her. She could have been covering up her pain and fear while out in public. He might even have threatened her to do exactly that to prevent anyone from realizing he’s holding her against her will.

A large warm hand covers one of mine. “Relax, Payton. We’ll get her back. Don’t worry. I’ll kill him for what he’s done to her.”

My lungs unfreeze, and I suck in air with a gasp. I turn my hand around until our palms line up. Curling my fingers around his hand, I grab onto it like a lifeline. How can words of killing someone sound so good? It should be disturbing, but instead, it’s soothing.

“That’s it.” His voice is smooth and warm, and so unlike his commanding tone earlier. “This will all be over soon.”

“Thank you,” I whisper, taking in the calm and confident expression on his face. He seems to believe what he’s saying, even if I’m not sure I can.

“Did you get the address from Aidan?”

I open my mouth to answer him when I notice he’s looking in the rearview mirror.

“Yes,” Lucas answers. “Horton Road, just north of London Fields. I think we should park the car near the south end and walk from there, not to draw too much attention to ourselves. A big black SUV parking directly outside the door might tip them off if they’re not sleeping.”

Ronan nods. “Okay. Let’s do that.”

The next few minutes, we drive in silence, but I’m all too aware that he’s still holding my hand. He’s made no attempt to pull it out of my grip.

I’m thankful for the care he’s showing me. I needed some encouragement to get out of my own head, and he gave it without hesitation. Even though I get the feeling he wants to keep his distance. At least emotionally. This man is broken.

Again I feel this urge to help him. To make him happy. To restore him to his former self, which I think I saw a glimpse of at breakfast. But right now my focus has to be on Olivia.

The drive is smooth and without any detours. Ronan clearly knows London much better than I do, but then I don’t have a car and seldom go to places I don’t already know. Like most Londoners, I use the tube or the bus to get to wherever I need to go. Just the thought of driving myself in this city with all its narrow streets and people wandering into the road everywhere makes the hair at the back of my neck stand up.

Ronan throws me a glance and gives my hand a squeeze. “We’re almost there.”

I pull in a deep breath and give him a smile. “Good. I’m ready to do something instead of sitting here, waiting.”

“No rushing in there, though. You stay behind me at all times, no exceptions.” He gives my hand another squeeze but this time it’s more in warning than encouragement.

“I will.”

“We’ll bring up the rear,” Lucas adds from the back seat.

“And we’ll burn whoever tries to get to you.” Erica chuckles.

My brows pull together in a frown. Burn. Did they bring a flamethrower or something? I didn’t see them take anything. In fact, I haven’t seen any of them carry a weapon of any sort. But after what I observed Ronan do with his bare hands before dawn this morning, I guess they don’t need any. Unlike me, who probably couldn’t win against a vampire, even with a weapon.

“We’re here.” The car comes to a stop, and Ronan turns his head to give me a stern look. “I know I’ve already warned you, but just to be clear, if you do anything to put yourself in unnecessary danger, I’ll carry you outside and tie you to a lamppost.”

My lips part on a shuddering exhale as something tingles low in my belly, and it has nothing to do with anger or apprehension. At any other time, I would happily let this man tie me up and do whatever he wants with me. But unfortunately, that’s not what he meant.

I don’t want my voice to betray his effect on me, so all I do is nod.

“Good.” He lets go of my hand, and I reluctantly release him.

After we exit the car, I walk next to Ronan up the street with Lucas and Erica in front. We stop outside a unit that looks exactly like all the others. There’s a tiny front yard separated from the sidewalk by a waist-high hedge, but there’s no gate barring the path to the door.

Lucas steps up to the door and does something that I can’t see. But less than thirty seconds later, he backs up a few steps and turns to nod at Ronan.

The blond man next to me saunters over to the door and puts his hand on it, and it swings open without a sound. Whatever Lucas did to unlock it, it worked like a charm.