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mouth tilted up in a partial
smile, she discreetly elbowed him in the stomach.
    “You’re supposed to be paying attention,” Kate murmured
under her breath, quietly enough that only he could possibly have heard. “This
is your life we’re discussing, remember?”
    Josh sat forward slightly on his chair, a wry grin on his
face.
    “Not just mine,” he countered just as softly. “It’s yours,
Hayden’s and Kiera’s as well.”
    Kate snorted lightly and jerked her chin toward where Kiera was
speaking.
    “Quit thinking dirty thoughts about us and listen up,” Kate
said. Only because he’d been staring into those gorgeous eyes of hers did he
see the faintest twinkle of laughter in their depths. Every other aspect of her
demeanor screamed a hair-trigger of alertness.
    Kate returned the full force of her attention to the table.
Josh couldn’t help the small smile on his face but decided Kate was right. He’d
be a fool to not join in on their discussions and plans, particularly since
they revolved around him and Kate.
    “I don’t know a dark Assassin called Elijah,” Melissa said
as Joshua’s attention reverted to the conversation. “Daniel?”
    Daniel shook his head, his pale-blue eyes flickering between
the six of them, to the Café at large and back again. Clearly he still
considered himself on guard.
    “No,” the blond man replied simply. “But that doesn’t mean
he’s someone who works on the fringes. I must admit most of my
working…associates are of the legitimate kind. It’s been a while since I’ve had
need to call upon those more on the fringes of our element.”
    “But you could both ask a few discreet questions?” Josh
interjected, curious but also wanting to prove to Kate that he wasn’t simply
letting this all wash past him. “People will talk to you who wouldn’t give the
rest of us a straight answer, right?”
    Melissa smiled at him and Josh automatically returned the
grin, though he honestly didn’t feel any desire or acceleration of his heart.
He was merely being polite.
    “Of course we can ask,” Melissa replied with a faintly
British lilt to her words. “Daniel and I know practically anyone who’s an
official Assassin. But just because this Elijah has a crew and they’re working
on the bounty on your heads doesn’t automatically mean he’s an Assassin. He
could be purely a mercenary. Or even a simple opportunist.”
    “But if there’s a crew of them,” Josh said, “surely they
must have ties somehow to the shadier elements of the Enforcers. They would at
least need a Tracker and someone who was used to the brutality of guns and
murder. Not to mention that throwing fire-bolts, while certainly not unheard
of, is not something they teach you in regular classes.”
    “All very true,” Melissa replied smoothly. “Just because
neither Daniel nor I have heard of him doesn’t mean he has no connection to our
world. We can easily ask around and see what we can uncover.”
    Melissa leaned back slightly so her shoulder pressed against
Daniel’s. The solid man moved his arm so their bodies pressed against each
other’s with the casual ease of true partners. The subtle message was
nevertheless clear. Josh grinned, not at all abashed.
    He genuinely liked Melissa, and while she clearly had eyes
only for Daniel, she didn’t appear eager to quash some harmless banter either. But
Josh had no desire for any deeper intimacy with the witch, even should he develop
a death wish and attempt to do more than flirt with her.
    “We’d really appreciate that,” Kiera replied. Their drinks
arrived and silence fell between them. While everyone was distracted Josh
quickly reached out and stroked his fingers along the slender length of Kate’s
thigh.
    She didn’t jerk or make a sound but she did throw Josh a
speaking glance. His grin widened. He was unable to tell which of the mingled
exasperation and humor would win the struggle within her.
    “What happened to our deal? A couple of days of