Demon’s Little Lamb: Chapter 10

Though she tried not to dwell on James’s words, they kept her awake at night. Especially when she was away from Azriel. That first night when he’d picked her up after the confrontation with James, she’d convinced herself James was wrong. But the next morning, Azriel had seemed a little distant. Nothing spectacular or overt, just that little bit impersonal. He’d told her he had meetings all day and wouldn’t be home until well into the night, but he’d call her when he got home. He hadn’t. Naturally, she’d been hurt and even afraid for him. When she’d texted to ask if everything was OK, he’d sent back a single word. “Yes.” She’d gone to bed hugging her pillow and struggling not to cry. Sleep hadn’t come easy.

That had been the beginning of the week. It was Thursday. Azriel had arranged for her to take off on Friday, and he’d said he would take her anywhere in the world she wanted to go for the weekend. If they were a little late getting back the next week, well. He was part owner of the company and managed all personnel issues. Her job would be safe. He’d been so warm and inviting when he’d told her about that gift to her, she’d let her worries drift away, dismissing them as insecurity in her relationship with him.

They were supposed to leave when she got off work. Azriel had arranged his private jet to be ready this afternoon. But, in her excitement, Lamb had let slip to one of her friends in the department about her plans for the weekend, and her boss had sent her home with a smile and an extracted promise from her that she have the most wonderful time and to bring back plenty of photos. She was four hours earlier than she should have been, but she wasn’t certain she could have made it through those extra hours if she’d had to work. She was so excited she was practically bouncing.

As she drove as fast as she dared straight to Azriel’s home, she couldn’t contain the smile on her face. She turned the satellite radio to the eighties station and sang at the top of her lungs to Blondie, Cindi Lauper, Def Leppard, and INXS. It had been a long time since she’d been this excited. It truly felt like the world was smiling at her.

Inside the house, Mrs. McDowell met her with a hug. “It’s so wonderful to see you, child! I wasn’t expecting you until later, but you’re always welcome anytime.

“I really didn’t mean to intrude. I was just so excited –”

“No need to explain, child,” Mrs. McDowell chuckled. “He misses you as much as you miss him when he’s not with you.”

That startled Lamb. “He does?”

“Oh, absolutely. Azriel is quiet and doesn’t wear his feelings where anyone can see them, but I’ve practically raised those boys. Believe me when I tell you, that man misses you when he’s not with you.”

Lamb couldn’t help the huge smile she knew split her face. “You have no idea how happy that makes me.”

“I have an idea.” Mrs. McDowell just shook her head. “You go on now. He’s in his office. Second floor, east wing. End of the hall on the right.”

She didn’t need to be told twice.

As she raced up the stairs in a most unladylike fashion, the staff waved and smiled at her. Lamb returned the friendly gestures feeling, for the first time, like she might actually get to be a part of all this. Not the big house or the servants waiting on her every need, or any of the wealth it implied. The family. This house, no matter how big it was or how expensive the decor or how the servants were everywhere, felt like one big family. They treated each other that way too. Every single person serving in that house was loyal to each other. That included Alexei, Azriel, and Giovanni. Everyone was loyal to them, but the men were also loyal to their household. Lamb had been around Merrily and Bellarose enough to know those two were held in as high regard as the three men.

The thick carpet along the hall muffled her steps as she hurried along. She’d slowed by the time she reached Azriel’s office. She’d had no intention of entering without knocking, but the door was cracked just that little bit and she overheard a conversation between Azriel and what sounded like Alexei on speaker.

“She’s coming by this afternoon. I’ve arranged for her to be off work the rest of the week. We’ll be going to a destination of her choice.”

“Does she suspect anything? That we’re investigating her?” That sent dread and a deep pain through Lamb’s body. She actually bent double and would have cried out had she not been paralyzed with shock.

“She’s highly intelligent. There’s always the possibility.” That was Azriel. “I don’t think so, though. If she does, she’s the coolest customer I’ve ever come across. El Diablo? What have you found out so far?”

“Whoever’s bankrolling Luxemberry is very good at covering their tracks. I have a theory, but it’s not something I’m comfortable discussing over the phone.” The mention of James’s name was another fist to her gut. What was all this about? El Diablo had a slight British accent, and she recognized the voice from the pier beside the bungalow. There was a slight edge to the silky-smooth tone, but it might have been the connection. Where she’d once found James’s accent sexy, with this man, it made her shiver in fear. Not desire. Probably because she’d felt so threatened by him before. He sounded pious. Like he thought he might be just a little bit better than either man in on the conversation. “Even Giovanni and Merrily are having trouble finding the information you need. If I’m right, though, I’ll have it for you before the vote. You’ll either be able to lock it down before the scheduled day, or do it just before the vote after each member makes their positions known.”

“Which might work out better because we’ll know if any of the other board members are doubting our direction for our own company.” That was Alexei again.

“The man seems to have control of at least three of the board. That leaves five still loyal with you to break any tie in our favor, Alex.” Azriel again. “Those three have managed to get the rest of them to hold a vote of confidence in us so there are bound to be more than one he’s gotten to.”

“I’m not worried about that,” Azriel sounded irritated but not worried. “We can control any dissent among the voting.”

“I realize that,” Alexei replied. He sounded like he was trying to soothe Azriel’s temper. “But it’s not just the bankroll or even the mastermind we need to find. We need to know if any information was passed on to Luxemberry without us knowing. The deposits to him were quite sizable. You don’t pay a man in that amount to simply stage a hostile takeover. Hell, I doubt whomever he’s answering to expects something like that to be successful. Most of the board is too loyal to us, and they make no bones about it. Luxemberry is expected to gain information about Argent’s projects. Something of more importance than a failed coup within our own house.”

“If she’s given him information, she’s the best I’ve ever come across,” Azriel said immediately. “I can’t find any chinks in her armor, and she’s never been caught saying or doing anything inappropriate. I set up the meet the same day we found out Luxemberry had met and struck up a relationship with her. Sure, there was some time before when she could have spoken to him, but there’s been no evidence whatsoever of it. Afterward, well, she had no chance. Not without us knowing about it. All the bugs and trackers we had on her? No way.”

“The fight with Luxemberry could have been staged,” Alexei said. “Wouldn’t be a first time a spy had used those tactics.”

There was no doubt in Lamb’s mind they were talking about her. Azriel had lied to her. He was using her to get to James. Using her because he thought she was some kind of industrial spy who had been feeding James or someone else information about what she was working on at Argent. And Azriel had orchestrated their first meeting.

It all made sense now. She’d been brought in on some of the most sensitive projects in her field. Things she shouldn’t be working on at her level. Things no other had ever been allowed near — she’d been told that by more than one project manager. All of it had been to see if they could catch her leaking information. Which begged the question whether or not those projects were even real. Were they simply giving her something to do that looked impressive because they were expecting her to go blabbing to someone like James? For what? Money? She’d never risk jail for money, and she’d never sully her integrity for it either. She damn sure would never risk her relationship with Azriel for money.

Tears rolling down her cheeks, her heart in tatters, Lamb quickly headed back down the hall. With any luck she wouldn’t meet anyone on the way out. It was just after lunch, and the staff usually took an hour to themselves.

She made it to her car without incident. When she turned around and headed away from the estate, Lamb couldn’t help but believe she’d just left part of her heart in that deserted hallway. Did Azriel really think so little of her? Had anything in the last few weeks been real? He’d said he needed her, and he hadn’t been lying. He had needed her. To confide in him what she’d told James. Had he even once considered she hadn’t betrayed Argent? Or him? He’d tempted her with his wealth and power, even when she’d told him that wasn’t important to her. He’d never truly believed her. It had all been a farce. She’d gotten caught in the middle of a turf war, and the collateral damage was her heart. And certainly her reputation. She’d never be able to get a job in her field after this.

Halfway to her apartment, she’d had all she could take. She pulled over to the side of the road and just screamed. It was a tortured, anguished sound that had her throat raw and her chest aching. Azriel had done exactly what she’d known he would. He’d used her, ripped out her heart, her hopes and dreams, then thrown her away like yesterday’s garbage.

This was it. She couldn’t take anymore. There was no way she could show her face on campus again. Not after this. He was right to call them a family. There wasn’t much in the company, outside of specific project details, that everyone who worked there didn’t know. If Azriel was playing her like this, letting her in on different projects, she knew every single person involved knew what was going on. They were likely laughing at her naïveté, thinking it was all an act. Just like Azriel did. Leaving town was the only option. There was no way she’d ever find a job to complete with the one she was leaving, but maybe there was someplace Argent wouldn’t blackball her from, though it wasn’t likely. Leaving so abruptly would only confirm her guilt in Azriel’s eyes. No matter. She couldn’t face him. Not after this. Not since she’d gone and fallen in love with the fucking bastard.

“The fight with Luxemberry could have been staged.” Azriel knew Alex was just thinking through every possible event, but he had a visceral reaction to the thought. “Wouldn’t be a first time a spy has used those tactics.”

“No,” Azriel said sharply. “But it would be the first time a spy’s ever gotten around our defenses.”

“I don’t think so.” Surprisingly, it was El Diablo who came to Lamb’s defense, nearly on top of Azriel’s denial. “That girl is pure as driven snow on Christmas Eve.” Then he chuckled. “Or was, until Azriel got to her. Can’t say I’m sorry we bugged the bungalow, but the little thing has a set of lungs on her. Made for some rather loud listening.”

“Watch your mouth!”

“Ahh,” El Diablo purred. “Little testy, are we? Alexei, I do think your Demon brother has a thing for our little Lamb.”

“She’s no one’s but mine, El Diablo,” Azriel growled. “I’m doing the responsible thing by including her in our investigation, but that woman is innocent. And you will keep your fucking hands to yourself.”

El Diablo chuckled. Underneath that, he could hear Alexei sigh. “Fine. Never thought she was really in on it anyway. Never made sense. Not after the interview you had with her. She’s too open and honest about everything to be a spy. She needs to be protected, not interrogated.”

“She’s supposed to be here in four hours. I need to be ready for her.”

“So, we’re in agreement? El Diablo gets us the information we need to move on the board at the vote. We keep a tail on James, and we keep security on Lamb in case James doesn’t stay away from her.” Alexei was always the voice of reason. At least he was now that he had his woman secure. Merrily had had Alexei tied up in knots. Still did, but Alex had locked her down by marrying her at the first opportunity and adopting her daughter, Bellarose, at nearly the same time. Even if Merrily decided he wasn’t worth the trouble, Rose adored him.

“Yes. Now, if you’ll excuse me. I need to pack.”

“Bring that girl home with you, Azriel.” Alex said softly. “You need her, and she needs someone to keep the big bad wolves away.”

“That’s the plan, brother.” And it was. Azriel knew he’d do everything in his considerable power to lock Lamb to him. Forever.