14

"There is absolutely no reason you should be standing here, Chief Thomas," the judge I was waiting for greeted me Monday morning.

It was a week later, and I had more pieces of the puzzle I was putting together on the day before the Fourth of July no less.

I gaped at him, not even able to hide my shock at his lack of professionalism.

"Well, clearly, there is, Your Honor, because I'm a busy woman and I don't waste my valuable time. Clearly, I shouldn't have bothered with professional courtesy when I could have just made a phone call to a judge I've worked with to get what I needed. But if the shoe was on the other foot, I hope someone would have the decency to loop me in. That's why I'm here."

He studied me a moment and unlocked his office. "Come in."

"Am I going to be treated better going forward or swatted with a newspaper?" I asked, raising an eyebrow at him.

"I don't like your attitude, Chief Thomas."

"Ditto, Your Honor," I replied, not standing down. "I drove a long way to do the right thing and you a favor so you're not blindsided later because none of us like that. We've never met, and I don't deserve this sort of reception. So are we starting over, or am I calling the judge I know to get what I need?"

One of my security whistled, and I would put money on Sander.

Yeah, I didn't even need to guess actually.

It worked and the judge let out a slow breath. "I apologize, Chief Thomas. Please, come inside."

"Thank you, Your Honor." I accepted and went inside, standing until he offered me a seat.

Hell, he even offered me a bottle of water from his fridge after he took off his robes. I accepted, not seeing a reason not to.

"I want to be clear that I'm not implicating you in any way," I said bluntly. "From everything I've found, you run an efficient, clean court that doesn't allow bull. That is being used or someone else has slipped in a back door for a problem."

"It happens," he accepted, holding out his hand for what I had.

"Given you will probably retire in fifteen years and pride yourself on the efficiency of your court when so many are less focused, I didn't want a case that has the potential to snowball into something massive blindside you."

His lips twitched as he took the files. He was probably going to retire in five or less. I was being kind to say fifteen.

Hey, men didn't like to be called on their age any more than women did. I was smart enough to know that.

He flipped through several pages and his eyes flashed shock before he went back a few pages. "I'd ask if you're sure, but you close too many cases and have your praises sung by your superiors too often to not check your facts."

"We're sure," I told him anyways. "The owner of the trailer park doesn't exist. Social is fake. All of it is fake, so he got through a lot of everything with fake papers that shouldn't have gotten through. Buying the trailer park. Filing deeds. Filing evictions through your court. Transferring those houses into his name—all of it through your court, and that was missed?"

"You think one of the court or county clerks," he muttered, continuing on through the file.

"Yes, because we've already identified two dirty cops so one clerk is nothing. There is something more to this. DeKalb isn't big enough to have one trailer park of fifty and this wasn't blown up fast. This is tied into Chicago where people get lost all of the time. DeKalb is smaller but not so small where people notice everything."

"So what do you think is happening exactly?" he hedged.

"I don't know yet," I admitted. "We're only a week into the investigation and I'm working backwards. Carefully. Very carefully given there are dirty cops covering reports and more. What I do know is the report I've gotten from one victim in that second file which makes this a much bigger case. So that's why I'm coming to you early."

He nodded and opened it, reading for a bit before disgust filled the entire office.

Yeah, I felt the same.

Aimee Kenney was a sweet woman who gave too much of herself to people and her own son screwed her over because of it. He was an absolute loser who thought he was better than everyone else and expected the world, wanted everything to be easy in life, and when it wasn't, took what didn't belong to him.

She tried her best to help him, and after his last attempt to take what didn't belong to him, even let him move back home in his thirties to get back on his feet.

Instead, he took over her house, had her deemed mentally unfit and was named her guardian, and tossed her out to that trailer park to rot.

"This is horrible," the judge muttered.

"Yes, but I want to know how an idiot low-level criminal who gets caught in everything he's attempted before and barely passed high school pulled that off," I purred. "That seems rather suspicious. We both know getting named someone's guardian isn't easy . She had a full-time job. She wasn't missing payments or even missing work.

"There was no pattern of anything to show she was in cognitive decline. Fine, I could see some sort of squatter's rights fight to get him kicked out if he wouldn't leave, but she didn't even get to that. He completely pulled a flawless fraud triathlon on a smart woman in her fifties with a great credit score and nice retirement savings."

"Yes, you make a very good point there," he muttered. "This happened too fast and seamlessly. This had a lot of moving parts, and—he had to have someone coaching him and at least a medical professional to help him."

"At least," I agreed. "But according to Aimee Kenney, she didn't see anyone besides her primary care physician for her regular physicals and one extra checkup for a blood pressure scare when this all started. So how the hell did this all go down, and what happened with her insurance?"

"You have quite the puzzle to put together I'd say, Chief Thomas."

"That I do, which is why I wanted to loop you in early," I told him with a smirk. "I thought you'd want to know especially if you're working with someone who's dirty and using your efficient court and get them out."

"That I do. That I do," he agreed, closing the files. "Thank you. Most wouldn't have included me, especially after how I acted. Thank you."

I nodded and handed him over the warrants I wanted him to sign.

He did and gave me a curious look. "Not going to ask why I behaved that way?"

"I don't care why you don't like me, Your Honor. I know who I am and I'm proud of the person I am. I've come a long way, and I've got a lot of work to do. I know that." I accepted the folder back from him and stared at it for a moment. "I just wished the other day that I could be healed enough to accept my husband's love and understand how he expresses his love for me.

"So I know I'm not perfect. I know I have faults and I make mistakes. But I'm a good person, and I work harder than most everyone I've ever met. I care more than most." I gave him a moment with that. "What I'm trying to say as nicely as possible is you don't have enough standing with me , Your Honor, for me to value your opinion enough for me to care."

He ran his tongue over his teeth as I stood, anger in his eyes even as he looked a bit amused. "I probably deserve that even as it smarts."

I smirked at him. "You're older, so you'd expect it more from a man, but you're used to women not being so confident and able to let it run right off of them. Not in my line of profession." I thought about that a second. "Actually, scratch that, there aren't any at my level, so they don't get the chance to show you or have the experience. Yeah, that's more accurate."

He seemed to accept that.

"I'm going to have to dig into your staff and those in your court. So not the court clerks, but who is clerking for you that you trust most? That's who I want to start with and loop in to work directly with the special agent in charge handling most of this for me."

"I heard you had problems delegating," he muttered.

I snorted. "My whole life is delegated to the point I have people constantly tell me that my life gives them heartburn and headaches when they hear a fraction of it. And that was before I just bought a few helicopters that I thought overkill and now keep needing. But dirty cops mean I'm involved and it's good to train the newbies on, so we are."

He nodded and gave me the name. Even better, he asked for a time for the four of us to meet privately away from eyes and go over it all. He wanted me to clear the clerk myself as a supe.

Great, now he was demanding. I was going to do it anyways since there was dirt, but I was glad to see he was all in and efficient.

He even quietly coordinated so we got the court's personnel files we needed and who to start digging into that could get us the right red flags. Getting requests for all of that would raise eyebrows and have people talking, so this was way better.

And with the light staff before the holiday, people wouldn't care and would forget it over the vacation day. It was actually perfectly timed, and I thanked him for making it easier on me.

We still had a ton of everything we needed to get and dig into, but it was a good jump.

That win was ruined when I smelled something on Carter that I didn't like and he was being distant.

Again.

So much for our magical night and amazing connection that meant everything to him, huh?

It made me already salty, and then Hagan was waiting for me in the hallway of my apartment looking like he was itching for a fight.

Great. Just fucking great. So we were finally going to have this out?

He was stupid to do it right after my period started now that they were nasty on supe birth control.

"My wolf is agitated because I was childish and pushed this back, but I would like a calm conversation," he said, sensing my reaction to his state. "Please." He scrubbed his hand over his head. "And maybe with Eva." He nodded. "Yeah, I'm sorry, but I want to tag her in and settle this even if it's awkward because she's your grandmother. I have one point I want to make."

Okay, I could more than give him that after I'd embarrassed him. I hadn't done it intentionally… But I had.

But he was also an idiot for leaving this and just avoiding me.

Which was also my specialty, so I really couldn't judge.

Eva glanced between us as we walked in. "I asked your chefs to give me the list of what was in those shrimp lettuce wraps we had on your menu. I liked them but thought there was something I wanted to change for my tastes. Maya helped me with the grocery delivery, and I thought we could have some fun personalizing them since I know you like them too."

"I do already make them," I told her. "I don't do raw onion like they do and throw in a bit of mild salsa and Japanese mayo. And more pine nuts. That's how I like mine."

"Interesting. Show me, and we will handle what is boiling between you two," she told me, waving us both over.

It was weird to tell my grandmother something so personal, and I didn't want to hurt Hagan but yeah, we just needed to handle this. So I was honest. I loved him and I wasn't mad, and I certainly loved the sex we had, but I didn't fantasize about it. He wasn't who I tended to fantasize or crave because he could be selfish.

He satisfied me, but he was more focused on how awesome sex with me was and what I could give him. It was why I wore my ring sometimes, and I knew that annoyed him.

She listened to me, and I felt like she was also probing me with her siren. She tossed me an apron and got me set up with ingredients to show her exactly my proportions even.

Then she waved Hagan to go.

"All I really want to say is that sometimes Sera gets things wrong," he admitted calmly. "It seems petty to bring up because like no shit , and that was why I fought against doing this. My wolf got annoyed, and now we're agitated because he's fair and thought Sera wasn't being fair. She can't see everything. She gets some images.

"And some feelings from those images. That's way different than like a telepath or even a full picture. I know she's flinched when I've thought that I'm glad her turn is over, but there was more to that. I'm glad she was happy and I did it well. I get nervous for her turn and if I can make it good enough. Sometimes I want it over because—"

"You want at least one really good orgasm for her so you know you've done your job and now you can relax and simply enjoy the rest and let the chips fall where they land," Eva said for him.

"Yes, yes ," Hagan said firmly. "It's not hurrying to get her turn done, but I know I got that really great turn for her, so I don't feel so pressured." He gave me a hurt look. "But that's like all you sense. I want you to have other good turns, Sera, but I know I'm not the best sex you have. I'm not thousands of years old or so fast. I just want to not be the worst and make sure you get—"

"I hear you," I accepted, my face flushing lava hot. "And you're right that I don't get it all. That's completely fair and I accept that. I've accepted it when you tell me that. We didn't need Eva for this."

"You do, but then you kind of revert to what you sense next time and kind of forget what I explained before, and then I just feel like a baby reminding you each time," he defended.

I didn't know if that was exactly fair, but I wouldn't completely deny it either.

"You are both right on this," Eva said as she expertly diced up what she wanted for her filling. She pointed between us when we simply stared at us. "Hagan is correct that you miss much from what you get and jump to fill in the blanks and most times you are negative with what you fill in. Sera is also correct that you are a selfish man."

Whoa.

Like… Whoa . I did not expect that.

"What?" Hagan whispered, looking like he'd been punched in the gut.

She let out a slow breath and gave him a hard but kind look. "You are not a bad man. You are a good man, but on the good man scale, you are on the selfish side. I would say you are the most selfish of Seraphine's men or those in her orbit."

I swallowed loudly, not even able to think of what to say or how to step in… Or if I should. Maybe he should hear this.

"You see Seraphine having other men and think you should get to be a bit selfish with her, her spoiling you because of things you allow like that. You are not wrong. She agrees with you and does spoil you. You like this."

"I do." He looked at me as he slowly sat down. "I appreciate you spoiling me."

I opened my mouth to say something, but nothing came out. I didn't know what to say or how to handle this.

At all.

"It is a matter of perception. You have been through much and you have a bit of an immature and selfish perception," Eva cut in. "You see your relationship and then you add your assets. Then you see what you have to deal with that you would not have to with a different woman if it wasn't Seraphine. You would not have to deal with other men.

"That should get you spoiling. You would have more time and so on. But you do not factor in the massive list another woman could never give you that Seraphine does. That is the difference." She waved off whatever Hagan was going to say. "Seraphine looks at it differently. She sees you as together and then lists all your attributes.

"You are a sexy Marine and she is lucky for that. You help with the pack, and that's another reason you should be appreciated. You adopted Topher as yours. Another reason to love you and be good to you. You accept she has emotional issues and don't push her. You make her laugh most. Everything is as a plus towards why she is so giving and spoiling towards you.

"But to be quite honest—and I do not say this to hurt you—she could easily find another like you, Hagan. We both know this. You are a good man, but you are—you know who you are. Seraphine gives you extra bonuses because she loves you, but another man could make her laugh." She stared him down and he nodded as he swallowed loudly.

"Wait, this is getting—" I whispered.

"It's the reality check he's needed as I believe you say here, Granddaughter," she told me. "But you keep Seraphine and yourself on even footing as you view your relationship. We both know you aren't. If you left her tomorrow and had a different relationship applying those scales in your mind, she would not be Seraphine.

"She would not be an Alpha and so strong, one who gives you power . She would not be rich and give you this lavish life you love now. Or even a woman who would share with your brother which you always wanted but you knew in your heart that he would not."

I did a double take at that, but Hagan looked like he wanted to die that someone admitted that.

He gave me a begging look to give him a chance to explain. "I'm not a super sexual wolf like others. Once or twice a week is enough for me. That's not—my wolf needs more social interaction. It's not that I don't enjoy—"

"I know," I interjected. "I just don't…" I glanced at Eva.

"It's a twin bond neither of us will ever understand. They are littermates," she told me, shrugging. "He didn't want the mating bond to separate them, and he didn't think Reagan felt the same. He wanted to be mated to the same woman, and most wolves would not accept that. A siren would. That is the point I'm making."

She gave me a look that it was fine. It was more than fine.

Okay, as long as she understood it or could sense it and it wasn't some weird or freaky… I had enough weird and freaky.

Seriously.

"But you need to add all of this to the woman you have and how you see the relationship, Hagan," Eva said firmly, bringing things back around. "Another woman could give you a son, maybe even all the pups you want and do nothing but be a doting mother. But they could never give you such a gifted son as Topher.

"Your blood pups would never be as strong. And we have never lost a pup as a Dorcus because we are so strong. So you will not suffer what many wolves suffer with the loss of miscarriage. Gods willing, but we have never had an infected Dorcus, so I should not say that. That was wrong of me to add."

She gave me an apologetic look, but I waved it off. I understood where her head had been.

"So yes, you accept more with her job and other men in her life," she wrapped up. "But you focus on that, and it's always about what you give up. Sera and others in her life are always focused on how much they receive that they could not get from others and need to appreciate. That is why you are a good man but selfish for a good man."

Hagan was quiet for several minutes as we kept working on food with Eva asking me questions here and there. Finally, he stood and moved into my view. "Is that what you sensed and tried to tell me?"

"No, not like that at all," I answered. "Eva and the other sirens are a whole other level of what they sense. I can't—what I see as a clairvoyant conflicts and messes up what my siren could get, and I can't get into it all yet. I don't think until I'm like a decade old as a wolf. I keep seeing more as a clairvoyant as I become more powerful, and until that calms down, it wouldn't be smart."

"Your siren agrees?" Eva checked, praising me when I nodded.

"I've gotten images and vibes from you like if you have to come on a certain day because Carter has already taken Saturday then you should get whatever position you want," I told him. "Or something like that. So maybe the end thought of what Eva is saying. If I've been working too much and you haven't been able to catch me, you get to pick where we eat. That vibe."

"I'm sorry," he whispered, looking destroyed.

I opened my mouth but then closed it, focusing on what I was doing and then trying again. "I don't know that you need to be. I don't disagree with you. It is hard on you that I work so much and that I'm with other men."

"Yeah, but it's like I throw it in your face and that's not okay," he rasped.

"But you're not. It's not your fault that I pick things up."

"No, but I do get annoyed at you when you wear your ring around me, and that's unfair now that I know I'm a selfish prick," he seethed… But not at me. He moved over by me in a flash and kissed my hair and then was at the door. "I'm sorry, Sera."

"You are a good man, Hagan Cooney," Eva told him firmly. "We would not allow you around her if you were not. This is not to tell you that you are a bad man or not worthy of her. We all need adjustments on how we see things or to fix our perception, to realize we're blessed. Time to realize how blessed you are."

"Thank you. Really." He left and I glanced at her and sighed.

I didn't know if that was better or going to blow up.

She simply shrugged. "My mother had the same talk with one of mine years after he became mine. We all need to be set back on the tracks and readjusted at times. I did the same to you tonight as well. You need to stop being so damn negative, Seraphine. I know the world is dark and horrible too many days. You have had too much darkness in your life.

"But the people who love you do not fill in the blank with negativity. I've seen you do it with your mother as well. I will not say you need to assume the positive. That is not life either and too much. For the love of the gods, at least one in four times pick a positive option for your own sanity. I promise it's normally better than you think from the people who love you."

Fair enough.

Hell, it sounded nice.