“It’s different from the other shifter islands. It’s farther south, so we get much warmer temperatures than they do up north. I’ve never been one for the cold. We’re self-sustaining, so when we trade, it’s only to buy specialty items, but we can produce almost anything ourselves.”
“All from just one small island?” I asked, leaning towards him as I tried to envision it as he spoke.
He grinned cockily. “We actually own multiple large islands—five, in fact. We have staff on every island in charge of different crops and livestock. There is also a ring of smaller islands around the main ones that we use for security posts.”
I was still absorbing the fact that the man in front of me owned that many islands, but his mention of security snagged my attention. “Security posts?”
“By nature of my job, I’ve made a lot of...enemies. Or at least people that are looking for any way to dismantle my organization.” He shrugs as if the prospect of that is nothing. “Our security ensures that doesn’t become an issue.”
I nodded thoughtfully, trying to imagine what my new home was like as we continued eating.
The meal was by far one of the most, if not the most, perfect moments of my life.
Too bad it couldn’t last.
After we finished, Hendrix glanced down at his watch and frowned. “It’s time for my meeting, unfortunately, but have you enjoyed your meal?”
“It’s been incredible,” I told him sincerely, and his gaze softened as he watched me.
“I meant what I said, little wolf. I want you to be happy in this new life. I’ll make sure you are.”
I blushed, ignoring the urging from my wolf to jump across the table and kiss him. Hendrix cleared his throat, his gaze filled with promises that I was finding I very much wanted to come true.
He hummed as he held my gaze and then stood up, rolling his shoulders back like he was trying to shake off the intimate moment. He pressed the same button on the table that had brought up the food, but this time it began to lower us back down from where we’d come from. My stomach dipped, a certain wave of apprehension passing over me for no apparent reason.
Once we’d returned to the bottom of the tunnel, Hendrix led me out of the aquatic wonder, and after turning down two hallways, we walked back outside without seeing anyone. It was night time and the street was lit up, the sound of laughter filling the air from passersby going in and out of the restaurants and bars along the street.
A car was waiting for us outside the entrance even though it was different from the one we’d used to go inside. I hadn’t seen him use his phone since before dinner, and I was once again impressed with how perfectly orchestrated his life was. All of his employees seemed to know exactly what he wanted before it even happened. I’m sure there was a high level of planning involved behind the scenes, but still, it was all very impressive.
We got back into the town car, but this time, other than the same driver from before, there was a new man was sitting in the passenger seat, one I hadn’t seen before. He looked back at Hendrix, keeping his gaze carefully averted from me, and nodded respectfully. The man was tall, so tall that his head almost hit the top of the car. He had a bulbous nose and strong lips, the kind of face you didn’t forget just because it was so unique.
“Everything’s ready. All the lines have been diverted and the crew is in place for clean-up. There shouldn’t be any issues,” the man said.
“Good. I want this to be quick,” Hendrix responded as the driver pulled the car away from the curb and we set off down the road. No one bothered to introduce the man to me, and he and Hendrix chatted about various stocks and trades that had happened that day. I tried to listen to get a glimpse of Hendrix’s businesses, but a lot of the terms were way over my head. I definitely hadn’t come across any books on these subjects in the town library.
I shifted uncomfortably in my seat and then Hendrix’s hand was suddenly on my knee, stroking it, even though his attention never left the man in the front seat. A warm feeling flooded over me, and again, I tried to ignore it. It didn’t make him a saint that he’d thrown me an ounce of kindness today.
My wolf huffed in disagreement and urged me to cuddle up next to Hendrix, an urge I was easily able to ignore.
We drove for about twenty minutes before entering an area definitely seedier than the area where we’d spent the last few hours. I actually felt way more at home in this area, as it was closer to what I was used to—decrepit. The buildings were more rundown, there were bars on the windows of the stores to prevent break-ins, and the people milling around the sidewalks were dressed in worn clothes. There was no sign of the glitz and glam here.
I looked down at my dress and frowned. “What are we doing?” I finally asked as we pulled up next to a non-descript warehouse building.
Hendrix’s face was perfectly blank, and a chill filled me. It was like he’d closed off all of his emotions.
“Hendrix?” I asked softly.
“It’s crucial to my business that there’s never an appearance of weakness. What’s about to happen is imperative for not only my business but also the livelihood of all the people I support and employ. Can you understand that?”
I frowned. “Um, I suppose so, but that doesn’t answer my question.”
“You’ll see,” he said grimly, his face still not showing any emotion.
I bit my lip but didn’t say anything else. Hendrix’s driver opened his door, and Hendrix slid out. I followed awkwardly behind, not used to wearing such a long, tight dress. The other man was standing by Hendrix when I finally got out of the car, and I watched as he handed Hendrix something in a brown paper bag.
Fear and foreboding were quickly filling up my insides. “Maybe I could just stay in the car?” I offered, but none of the men seemed amused or willing to take me up on my offer.
“Let’s go,” Hendrix ordered without answering me. “Stay by her,” he growled at the other man. He must have trusted him more than the driver because he didn’t even blink as he came up next to me and firmly grasped my elbow.
“Can you at least tell me your name?” I hissed, annoyance quickly overcoming my fear as he yanked me forward after Hendrix.
I was going to have whiplash after this. Who knew that the same man currently striding forward in front of me was the same man who’d been practically offering me the world just a little bit earlier.
Even my wolf wasn’t happy right now, and Hendrix had seemed unable to do any wrong to her.
“If he wanted you to know my name, he would have said,” the guy grunted, and I shot him a poisonous glare that literally had no effect on him.
Hendrix led us along the side of the warehouse, and I frowned when I heard what sounded like music pulsing from within.
What was this place?
I got my answer when we rounded the corner in the back and I saw that there was a long line of people waiting to get through a pair of double doors roped off with a black velvet rope, music streaming out of the doorway.
Was this some kind of club?
Two giant men were standing by the velvet rope, and it was almost comical to see them literally jump out of their skins when they saw Hendrix approaching. One of them sprouted hair all over his face, and I watched in interest as it sprouted and retracted a few times while he tried to get himself under control. The other one began to grow a snout, long teeth filling up his smile.
Before he could fully shift, Hendrix was in front of him, his terrifying claws extended on just his right hand. He reached out and, without pause, sliced across the man’s neck, a splash of red blood rushing out all over the front of Hendrix’s previously pristine white dress shirt. A second later, he was slicing across the abdomen of the other bouncer, the man’s intestines falling out onto the ground in front of them, steam rising from his innards in the cool night.
A scream erupted from my throat, followed by bile at the bloody sight, and the asshole next to me gripped my arm tighter like I’d suddenly become a flight risk.