A Force of Three [Elite Dragons 4] (Siren Publishing Ménage Everlasting) (6 page)

Pushing her thoughts aside she glanced at the clock when the phone rang. Thank God. Only two hours until she could go home. Picking up the phone she held it to her ear.

“Dr. Jones’s office, Nyssa speaking.”

“Hi, sweetheart, how’s your day going?”

“Linton?”

“You got it in one. Do you finish at 5:30 today?”

“Yes,” she replied tentatively.

“Good, I’ll pick you up.”

“No.”

“What?”

“I said no. I don’t know what kind of game you and your brothers are playing, but I want no part of it.”

There was a stunned silence on the other end of the line.
Bet he’s not used to women saying no to him.

He finally said, “Nyssa, we aren’t playing any games.”

“Yeah right.”

“It’s true, baby. We are all very attracted to you.”

“Sorry, I have to go.” Nyssa hung up and noticed her hand was shaking as she replaced the receiver on the hook.

Shit! Why do I have to attract the assholes?

With a sigh she pushed her thoughts of the three men aside and got back to work. By the time she was due to quit, Nyssa felt emotionally exhausted. It was one thing to deal with an asshole of a boss, quite another to deal with men who were playing with her emotions. Why couldn’t they just come out and explain what they wanted from her? The only thing that made her feel more exhausted was trying to figure out why she liked all three of them.

Having made sure everything was closed and off, Nyssa went to let Dr. Jones know she was leaving. She was about to knock on his door when she heard her name.

“Nyssa Mathis is an innocent little thing, very naïve but dedicated to her work…Yes, I have her medical report with me. She’s just what we’re looking for…Not yet but soon, very soon.”

Nyssa smiled at the praise. Never would she have thought to hear him extolling her hard work. She worked hard because she hated being idle, and if there was something that needed to be done, she got right in there and did it.

With a knock on the door, she called out, “I’m leaving now, Dr. Jones.”

“Fine. Make sure the front door is locked when you leave,” he barked out.

“Will do.” Nyssa grabbed her purse and headed out.
If he likes me so much and thinks I do a good job, why does he have to be such a prick?
Maybe he was one of those people who didn’t like to show any emotion.

With a shrug, she locked the door and began to walk. When she reached the corner she noticed the black truck with tinted windows. The driver’s door opened and Codi scowled at her.

“What the hell was that all about, Nyssa?”

“I don’t know why you’re here. I told Linton I don’t want to go out with you or your brothers, Mr. Wade.” Nyssa began walking again. She only took two steps before Codi grasped her arm and stopped her.

“Get in the truck.”

“Who do you think you are?”

He frowned and released her, though Nyssa didn’t think he was going to let her off that easy. Through gritted teeth, he said, “You live behind us, for God’s sake. I’m here now, so you may as well come with me.”

Nyssa decided not to reply at all.

Before she had even finished turning away, Codi’s hand was on her arm.
Wow, he moves fast.

“There are some things you need to know, Nyssa.” He spoke softly and right in her ear. The hairs on her neck prickled both at his proximity and at his words. “Your life could be in danger.”

“What are you talking about?” She didn’t try to pull her arm away, and when he guided her to the truck, she let him.

“I’ll tell you when we get back to our place.”

Nyssa just stared at Codi and wondered if this was another game he was playing. He opened the door and looked at her as if waiting for her answer.

“You have to trust me, Nyssa,” he said in the same low voice. His gaze seemed to be burning into her. She couldn’t look away.

Do I trust him?
Though she wondered if they were playing with her emotions, she didn’t think they would risk her safety. Codi seemed utterly serious.

“Okay,” she said. The word was barely out of her mouth before he had her in the passenger seat and buckled up. Instead of looking at him she looked out the side window and kept silent. She was going to be mad as hell if this was a trick, but judging by his white-knuckled grip on the steering wheel and the ticking muscle in his clenched jaw, she didn’t think so.

If it was the last thing she did today, she would damn well find out what was going on.

* * * *

Bryden heard the truck pull into the driveway and walked to the window to peek out around the curtains. Nyssa was in the passenger seat. He was glad she was here, but she didn’t look happy about it. He hurried back to the living room and prepared the recording his laptop had taken when he’d been on the phone not long ago. His gut had roiled when he’d heard that conversation. Jones gave little away, but Bryden knew without a doubt that Nyssa was in danger.

Codi opened the door, giving Nyssa a gentle push to get her to enter the house. She glared at him and Linton, who was sitting on the sofa watching her, and then turned her glare to Codi. Bryden lowered his shields so he could get a read on her. Even if he hadn’t it wouldn’t have taken a genius to figure out that she was mad as hell.

She stomped across the timber floor and sank down into the armchair away from them. Clutching her purse to her chest, she gave them all a scowl.

“Start talking.”

Bryden leaned forward with his arms resting on his knees. “Before we explain, I have something I want you to listen to.”

At Nyssa’s nod, he started the recording on his laptop and watched her intently.

“Is our package still safe?”

“Yes, Doctor,”
the man on the other end of the line answered in a smooth, cultured voice.
“We’ll be moving it in about seven weeks. How secure are you?”

“Oh, I’m quite comfortable and I have a great receptionist.”

“Tell me about her.”

“Nyssa Mathis is an innocent little thing, very naïve but dedicated to her work.”

“Do you have any information on her?”

“Yes, I have her medical report with me. She’s just what we’re looking for…”

“Do you think we could…get her to work for us?”

“Not yet but soon, very soon.”

“Keep in touch, Doctor.”

“Oh yes. You know I will.”

“Why do you have a recording of my boss?” Nyssa frowned.

“I need you to listen to what I have to say without interruption,” Codi said. “When I’ve finished you can ask your questions. Okay?”

Nyssa gulped but nodded, indicating that she was nervous but willing to hear them out.

Bryden began explaining about the black-market organ-smuggling ring and how they had rescued numerous women from certain death. He told her they were part of an elite black operatives team trying to crack the ring. Linton and Codi interjected now and then, but not once did they tell her of their enhanced abilities. That would have to wait until they were sure she was the right woman for them. He felt her shock and then her fear, but he’d wanted to make sure she had nothing to do with her boss and his criminal activity. The deception didn’t sit well with him and he felt guilty over reading her emotions since now he was sure she was totally innocent.

Once done, they waited for Nyssa to process the information. It didn’t take her long.

“So you broke into the clinic and bugged it because you think Dr. Jones is part of this black-market organ-smuggling ring?”

“Yes.”

“Why are you telling me?”

“Because we think you’re in danger, darlin’. Don’t think of that conversation between the doctor and the other man as him extolling your skills. You have to realize these people are semi if not total professionals. They aren’t going to incriminate themselves by saying too much.”

“Read between the lines, baby,” Codi said and rose to his feet. He walked across the room and sat on the arm of her chair.

“Oh. My. God,” Nyssa whispered. She covered her mouth with her hand, fear and horror crossing her face as she struggled with her emotions. “You think he wants me as an organ donor?”

“That’s definitely a possibility, honey,” Linton said. “How did he get your medical report?”

“He asked for a copy when I started working for him.” Nyssa looked at Linton. “He said he always liked to have a copy of his staff’s medical records in case anything ever happened to me and he would be able to treat me by knowing everything he could about my medical history.”

“Bastard,” Bryden muttered. “What’s your blood type, darlin’?”

“AB positive.”

“Fuck!” Codi spat.

“What? Is that bad?”

“For you it is, baby. This black-market organ-smuggling ring has been using clinics to screen for women with rare blood types. Obviously if they find a blood match then the likelihood of an organ match increases, since this ring seems to specialize in rare blood types.”

“Oh, I have to quit. I can’t work for someone who kills people.”

“Wait, Nyssa. There is more.” Linton stood and began to pace.

“More? No, I don’t want to hear any more. I’ve heard more than enough. I’m going to go home and e-mail my resignation. Effective immediately.”

“You can’t.” Bryden walked over and knelt in front of her, taking one of her cold hands in his.

“Why the hell not?”

“Do you honestly think you’ll be safe from someone like that just because you resign?”

“I−I want t−to believe I would. I h−hope I w−will be.”

“You know better than that, baby.” Codi placed a comforting hand on her shoulder.

“I’m not safe anywhere, am I?”

“Not now that they have your social security number, your birth date, and your full name,” Bryden answered gently.

“What am I going to do?”

“You can move in here for a start. We have a spare room. That way we’ll be able to protect you. We have this place outfitted with top-notch security. No one can even breathe on a window or door without setting off an alarm. You’ll be safer here,” Cody stated in a firm voice.

“I can’t move in here. I don’t even know you.”

“There is no way we are letting you stay by yourself, Nyssa,” Linton said in a hard voice.

“Darlin’, you can’t expect us to leave you on your own. Not when you could be in danger. It’s our job to protect you.” Bryden caressed the back of her hand with his thumb.

“You don’t even know if I am in danger.”

“Do you honestly believe that, Nyssa?” Codi asked in a harsh voice.

“No. I heard the recording, and I believe you.”

“Okay. We also want to outfit you with a device that allows us to hear what you do, and we’ll be able to communicate with you at all times while you’re at work.” Bryden rose to his feet and walked back to the bag he’d placed near the end of the sofa. After finding what he wanted, he pulled the envelope out.

“You want me to go back there?” she asked, fear evident in her voice.

Codi rubbed her arm. “You are the only one able to move about that clinic without causing suspicion.”

“What do you want me to do?”

“That clinic is being used to find women who could be kidnapped,” Codi said. “If you can tell us who his patients are, we can keep those women safe.”

“Linton is trying to infiltrate the ring by getting Jones to hire him,” Bryden added, “but Jones might not take the bait. If that’s the case, you’re the only person we can trust on the inside.”

“How many of his patients are women?” Codi asked.

Nyssa thought about it. “More than half of them. We’ve gotten quite a few walk-ins since the first day and only a few appointments have been made by phone since the clinic’s number isn’t in the printed phone directory as yet, but it is listed online.”

Bryden exchanged a look with his brother. “He’s screening again,” Codi confirmed. “Can you make a copy of the women’s details and bring them home? We can pass that information on to the sheriff, and he can make sure they stay safe.”

“I…I guess I can do that.”

She still looked uncertain. Codi squeezed her hand. “Will you please help us catch these bastards, Nyssa?”

“Oh God. What if I give myself away? I’m not trained for this like you are.”

“Honey”—Linton paused in his pacing and turned toward Nyssa—“we promise you that we will protect you with our own lives. But we can’t allow these fuckers to continue kidnapping and killing innocent women.”

Bryden watched the emotions flit across her face as she decided whether she would help them, and her feelings bombarded him, first fear, then horror, and finally a determined resignation.

“Okay, I’ll do it.”

“You are so brave, baby.” Codi rose to his feet, scooped Nyssa up into his arms, and sat back down in the chair with her in his lap. “You have no idea how much we appreciate you helping us. If we didn’t have your help, it could take us years to crack this ring.”