Wild Tiger Chase | Book #2 (Complete)

22: hands clean of bark and bite

Rio stepped back and tucked a lock of curly hair behind his ear. "It was mostly you, though. You made all the effort." He nudged her arm. "I always knew the good in you would eventually put you back on the right path." He clasped his hands at his back, looking like the good boy he should be.

Satina nodded. "I'm sorry for just kind of showing up out of nowhere at your workplace. I got my phone back after leaving prison and I tried to find your number, but..." she stared at him, the strength of that gaze that of a ton of falling bricks. "I don't have your number. Can you believe that? What kind of childhood friend, close as we all are, doesn't have the other's number?"

Shit.

He was a careful man but, as it seemed, not careful enough.

Her eyes were like cold probes, searching and studying Rio's gaze with a hard intensity he hadn't felt in almost a decade.

"Right? That's adulthood for you." He tried on a chuckle, but it sounded hollow and dry to his ears.

"Yeah." Her smiled dried too. She crossed her arms. "Still, there's something different about you."

Rio's fingers wrapped around the syringe in his pocket. He would hate to do this, but if it meant not being discovered, he would have to. Shit.

Please don't suspect me.

Satina snapped her fingers and winked. "I got it. It's your hair." She pointed at the loose curls framing his face. "The tips are blue now, like Lucca in I, Werevampire-wolf." A smile broke the tight line in her lips. All at once, that smile shattered all the stiffness around them. "Seriously, Rio. If I knew we were going back to 2030s fashion, I'd have dyed mine too!" She laughed.

There was a mix of joy and relief in Rio's laugh. Only now did he realize the hand on his pocket was trembling. His muscles finally relaxed. "Who are you to talk about dyed hair, huh? Yours was out-of-the-box orange if I remember correctly."

Satina rolled her eyes. "Rusty-orange, Rio. Please."

He let out a deep, long sigh and took her hand. For half a moment, there was a stiffness to her fingers that suggested anger, but it was gone before Rio could think about it a second time. Now she seemed happy to see him.

"Hey, wanna grab some coffee? I want to know your plans moving forward. And I want to help if I can." At least that last part was true. As nice as Léon was, Rio had developed a special affection for Satina. Yes, Léon had used his powers as a shield for the city, four years ago, and he was the almighty cosmic trace wielder and blah-blah, but that was only half of the story—Satina was the sole reason the city was still standing.

Rio admired that.

"I can't. Not today, I mean." She clicked her tongue and stepped beside Rio, leaning against his NAV. "I can't find Léon. He's not at his home, none of our old contacts knows where he is, and I can't find any hint of where he might have gone."

Rio gritted his teeth. Of course she'd be worried about him. Just like Phillip was. He licked his lips, trying to keep the venom in. There was little Rio could do about that—and he wasn't about to let any childish jealousy get in the way of his job.

"I'm sure he's okay. In fact"—Rio's phone buzzed in his pocket, but he ignored it—"if Phillip has any saying on this, he's more than okay."

Satina's eyes twitched as she narrowed them. "What is that supposed to mean?"

Rio shrugged. The ring Phillip had given him was still in his ring finger—and yes, Rio had spent the whole afternoon looking for the damned thing after he tossed it away, a few days ago.