Page 55 of Brandon’s Mate

“Doesn’t it? But the really interesting thing about it is that there are no public records of Jax Darius, except for a driver’s license with a fake address.”

“So that’s not his real identity?” Brandon asked.

“Possibly. Or else he’s from a shifter group that stays completely off human radar.”

Colt added, “A group that’s expanding their territory in a big way, and not wanting the Shifter Council to find out about it.”

“Sheeyit,” Brandon muttered.

That was big.

The Shifter Council kept close tabs on all shifter crews and communities, making sure they didn’t get so big and so obvious that humans were likely to become aware of them. The few humans that did find out about shifters tended to want to either hunt them, or experiment on them.

If shifters were ever outed to the public, it could be a disaster.

Brandon dished up the breakfast, and they all came to get their plates. Colt looked at his critically. “No pancakes?”

Kitty glared at Colt, and he made a What? gesture.

The Bad Blood crew had breakfast together every Sunday morning, and every Sunday morning Flynn made pancakes from his secret recipe. The pancakes were legendary—like pretty much everything else Flynn did. When they were kids, he’d made each of them pancakes in the shape of their animals. Brandon’s had been chocolate, because he was a black panther.

“I don’t make pancakes,” Brandon growled.

Colt muttered, “God forbid you should do anything like a Bad Blood.”

Kitty jumped in before it turned into a brawl and the eggs got cold.

“I can’t believe how much you guys accomplished already,” she said.

“We rock,” Remy said complacently. Colt was digging into his bacon and eggs, scowling. He clearly still hadn’t forgiven Brandon for leaving all those years ago.

Brandon didn’t look at either of them. “So Nick may have uncovered evidence of a massive territory grab—one ballsy enough that it risks outing shifters to humans if they’re not careful. But why did he call me? Why not call in the Agency or the Shifter Council?”

Remy shrugged. “Maybe he didn’t have proof. Or maybe that’s on the thumb drive I haven’t decrypted yet.”

Brandon was drumming his fingers on the table. “So you’re thinking we trace this shell company, dig into Jax’s past, and that leads us to whoever is behind this whole thing? The person who ordered the hit on Nick.”

“That’s the idea,” Remy said. “The ‘why’ leads to the ‘who’.”

Brandon nodded. “But it still doesn’t get us next to him. If he’s gone to this much trouble to stay in the shadows, that’s not going to be easy to do. I’m wondering if there’s something more direct we can try.”

Colt raised his eyebrows. “Like what? Kick down somebody’s door?”

“You could say that,” Brandon said. “Look. Before, I was just Ray Danvers, lone panther. Now, though, I suddenly have three more shifters staying here.” He looked around the kitchen island at the three of them. “From the panthers’ perspective, I’m bringing a new crew into their territory. They’re not going to be happy about it.”

“So you’re thinking about using that to try to draw them out? Get them to make a move?”

Brandon shook his head. “That’s just going to get us another hit squad. Minions. I’m thinking about taking it to them.”

He leaned forward on his barstool, his forearms on the island. “Think about it. The Black Talons have been sending guys after me for the last few weeks, and I’ve been messing them up. So what if Ray Danvers contacted this Jax and told him that he wants to bring his own people in here as a sub-crew to the panthers, but he’s tired of dealing with incompetent low-rent crow minions and wants to meet with whoever’s really in charge?”

Kitty thought that over. “It’s not a bad idea,” she said.

Remy nodded slowly. “It could work. If the four of us went in…”

“Three,” Kitty said.

Colt looked up in surprise. “You don’t want in on this?”