Enticing Their Mate (18 page)

“I don’t know. I’ve been doing a lot of thinking of late.” She didn’t want to lead him on. Honesty was her only option. “I used to think that what I was doing was important. Now, I’m not so sure.”

“If we save these girls, you will have done a great service to them. We never would have found Statler and the women without your help.”

“It doesn’t make up for what I’ve made them endure.”

He leaned forward on his elbows. “Statler would have found someone less caring than you to do the experiments on the women.”

“Maybe.”

He sat back and looked off to the side. “I’ve inflicted a lot of pain, both in the military and as an FBI agent, so I, too, wonder if I’ve helped or hurt.” He faced her. “I’ve been thinking about what you said. I’m considering leaving the Bureau.”

She sucked in a breath. He’d said it was all he knew. “What would you do?”

“What Jay does. Work for the General, assuming he’ll have me.”

“Would that be much different? You’d still be on assignment, probably working undercover.

The waitress came back. “Have you decided?”

“Give us a minute will you?” he asked.

She smiled. “Take your time.”

“To answer your question,” he said, “I don’t know. Jay’s a lot happier. He knows he can trust the General.”

“I always assumed I could trust Bill Hampton, but sometimes I wonder if the Bureau cares who gets hurt in the process of bringing down the criminals.”

“That’s one of the reasons I want to leave.”

The waitress delivered their drinks, and they each ordered a hamburger and fries. Sarah had the sense there was more to Riley’s discontentment. Oh, shit. Did he think that if he quit the Bureau she would consider doing the same and stay with them?

Riley was everything she wanted in a man—as was Jay. Both were caring, smart, protective, and on the right side of the law, but she’d only known them a short period of time. Still, there was a strong connection binding all three of them. Maybe she was just afraid to be in touch with her own desires. Her whole life had been about emotional distance, and it was possible she wasn’t sure she’d like who she was if she opened herself up. To be truthful, the whole idea of her being a mate scared her.
Tell him
. “I’d quit the Bureau, but I’m afraid.”

“Of?”

“Commitment, maybe.”

His brows pinched. “To the Bureau?”

This probably wasn’t the time or place to bring it up, but she needed to get this off her chest. Sarah leaned closer. “That’s a part of it.” She sipped her drink then glanced around to make sure no one else had come in without her knowledge. “I know I’m your mate, as well as Jay’s, but I’m not ready to make that kind of…well, commitment, just yet.”

His eyes darkened and the muscles on his neck bulged. His pained reaction made her want to snatch back those words, but she believed in honesty.

“I get it.”

She doubted it. “After this is all over, maybe we can see where things are heading.”

Riley glanced to the side. “We live in Florida. No telling where our next assignment will be.”

Did that mean he didn’t want to try? She thought it wise not to have this conversation with all that was going on. Perhaps when this showdown was over, they’d feel differently.

*     *     *

By eight p.m. the next day, Sarah could barely keep her eyes open. She’d gone into work at six like usual and had worked extra hard to make sure the women were ready for the move later that evening. She told them about the improved conditions at the clinic, hoping they’d respond with renewed energy. Some were happy while others acted fearful; nothing she could say would make their anxieties disappear.

Last night, Riley and Jay had told her that Connolly had managed to secure two large vans to transport the women to the clinic since one or two of the women would need to be carried in on their mattresses. After the job wrapped up, she’d have to thank Connolly for being so considerate.

Needing to find Riley or Connolly to ask them about their departure time, Sarah stepped into the hallway from one of the women’s room after finishing her final check. Amy exited the other room where the women were being held and barely glanced at Sarah as she headed toward the front of the building. Russ rushed out of the corridor that lead to Statler’s office and Sarah’s stomach churned. From the glances they shared, they seemed to be up to something.

Connelly came in through the front door, along with Riley and Skip, and motioned her near. Amy and Russ joined them. Sarah kept her gaze on Connolly, not wanting to see Amy’s glare.

“I just spoke with Mr. Statler,” Connolly said. “The new hires are on their way to the clinic to make certain nothing goes wrong. I’ll ride with Amy and Russ in one van, and I want Skip, Riley, and Sarah to take the other one.” He handed her and Amy a list of which women would be transported in each van.

Sarah studied the list and was disappointed that Nancy would be in Amy’s van. The doors to one of the women’s room clicked open and Austin, one of the guards who worked the late shift along with Clay, led two of the women out. Across the hall, Dirk and a guard she didn’t recognize, escorted three women. With their gazes cast downward, Sarah’s heart broke. They probably believed this was the end.

Connolly held open the front door, and as they passed, the women glanced at her with pleading eyes. Sarah wanted to punch something, but she drew on her training and kept her face unreadable.

After two more trips, all but Nancy had been escorted to the vans.

Connolly handed Riley the keys. “It’ll take a moment to bring out the sick woman. You go on ahead. We don’t need a cluster at the clinic.”

When they reached the van, Riley opened the side door and motioned she sit in the back with the women. “Keep an eye on them,” he said.

She couldn’t tell if his command was for Skip’s sake or whether he believed they might attempt to escape. Without a word, she climbed in and tried not to think about the women’s fate. She’d asked Riley and Jay last night how they planned to free the women, but they said they didn’t have any idea. Given all of the glances they shared, she didn’t believe them. She’d fallen asleep while they were still discussing options. In the end, she decided it was probably better if she didn’t know their plan.

For most of the ride, neither man said anything and the women remained quiet, probably trying to come to grips with this change.

Sarah was lulled into a zone when Riley slammed on the brakes nearly catapulting her into the back of the front seat.

“What the hell?” he shouted. Riley slapped a hand on the wheel, and Sarah’s heart nearly jumped out of her chest.

N
eeding to see what had caused Riley to slam on the brakes, Sarah leaned forward and spotted a van that had pulled out in front of them, blocking the road. What the hell? Had the vehicle broken down?

“Go around him,” Skip snarled.

Before Riley had the chance to put the van in drive, five men jumped out of the van and surrounded their vehicle before wrenching open the doors. Oh, no! With blood pounding hard in her brain, these marauders dragged both Riley and Skip out of the car, adrenaline nearly paralyzing her. Sarah opened her arms wide to protect the women seated behind her.

“What’s going on?” one of the women cried.

“It’ll be okay,” Sarah said in her most confident tone, though she didn’t believe a word of it.

Seconds later, several of the men had shifted. Fur flew, growls and squeals rent the air, and gravel scattered. As she reached to lock the side door, someone yanked it opened.

“Get out,” a man in a ski cap shouted.

“No,” Sarah blurted. These women had come too far to be taken and possibly killed.

The masked man leaned closer. “We’re here to save the women.” His whisper made it hard to hear over her pounding heart. Wait a minute. He wanted to
save
the women?

Her training warred with her desire to believe him. These women were to be sold, so could this alternative be worse? “Who are you?”

Snarls and yelps snagged her attention to the brutal fight going on outside, and she feared for Riley’s life. If these men were here to save the women, why were they trying to kill Riley and Skip? They must believe both men worked for Statler. That meant they weren’t working for the General or they’d know who Riley was.

“Sarah, please.”

He knew her name? She scoured her memory for his identity. This man sounded familiar, but she couldn’t place him.

Decision time
.

Fight for the women to reach the clinic where the outcome was known, or trust this man—a man who knew her name.

“Ladies, let’s go.” She stepped out and held out her hand. “Hurry.”

The women looked around at each other then one by one exited the van. Another man scurried toward them and hustled them into his van, the one that was blocking the road.

For a moment, she thought these men would take her, but as soon as the women were inside the other vehicle, the first man turned his back to the five fighting men and lifted his mask. “It’s me, Ford.”

Her legs nearly buckled.
Bailey’s mate
—and one of the General’s men. A ton of questions blasted her. She wanted to ask why his men were fighting Riley, but perhaps the tussle was all for show.

Ford grabbed her shoulders and leaned in close. “I’m going to pretend to hit you. When I do, drop to the ground and don’t move until Riley tries to rouse you.”

Before she could figure out the reason, he cocked his arm back, and swung, his fist grazing her cheek. With his other hand he pushed her against the van—hard—and she let out a loud groan. Bending her knees, she closed her eyes, and dropped to the ground, her arm falling over her face.

Feet pounded, doors closed, and the sound of the battle between the men stilled. She wanted to look so badly, to make certain Riley was okay, but she didn’t dare move. The other van’s engine growled to life, tires squealed, and then the whining of the engine disappeared down the road.

Controlling her breaths took effort. Grunts sounded then footsteps neared.

“Skip, you okay?” Riley asked.

Sarah’s back sagged in relief that Riley was okay.

“Fuck. What happened?”

Footsteps neared. “Sarah?” A second later, Riley’s hands were on her shoulders, shaking her. “Wake up, Sarah.”

His level of concern warmed her heart, but she wondered if he knew this had been a set up. She moaned then rolled over, and he helped her sit up. She brushed the dirt from her already bruised face. “What happened?”

“Someone kidnapped the women.”

“She okay?” Skip asked as he came near. His tone held more disdain than real caring.

Sarah held up a hand. “I’m fine. Help me stand.”

When Riley pulled her to her feet, dizziness assaulted her. The adrenaline rush had made her unsteady.

He wrapped his arm around her. “Sit in the truck. I need to call Connolly and tell him what happened. Statler will be highly pissed.”

That was an understatement. “Perhaps the three of us should just leave and disappear.” Acting like a trained operative instead of a nurse might put Skip on high alert.

“We need to find the women,” Skip said.

Good luck with that. While she hadn’t seen the face of the second man who led the women to the other van, she’d bet it was Tyson Summerville—Ford’s brother.

Riley pulled out his phone and swiped a finger across the screen. Turning his back to both of them, he told Connolly what went down. Even though it was dark, she thought she spotted blood on Riley’s sleeve and leg.

He disconnected and turned back around. “Connolly said he’ll call back a few of the men who are stationed at the clinic so they can escort the other van. We don’t need a repeat performance.”

Skip brushed off some dirt on his sleeve. “Statler’s going to blame us, you know.”

“It’s my head he’ll want,” Sarah said. “I was supposed to take care of these women.”

Skip shook his head. “Five men attacked us, though it probably won’t matter to him. We should have killed or at least captured one of them to find out their plan.”

“They were highly trained,” Riley said.

“I know.” He swiped blood from the gouge on his face. “When we get back to the warehouse, I’m out of here,” Skip said.

That would be one less man to worry about. Riley closed the van door on her side and hopped in the front seat. “Let’s get this over with.”

*     *     *

Statler disconnected and threw his cell against the wall. “Motherfucker.” Heads would roll. He’d worked with Charles Wilson before and never expected a double cross—assuming he was responsible for the attack. If he were innocent, accusing Charles of stealing the women would royally piss him off, and Statler couldn’t afford that.

He paced, trying to figure out his next move. Losing the five women would cripple his ability to finance his next operation. He’d told Connolly that it was his job to find the women and return them, but from the well-coordinated effort, whoever took them were professionals. Thankfully, Connolly wouldn’t let the same thing happen to the last five.

As he fumed, a new plan developed. Drawing on his control, he walked across his living room and retrieved his phone, pleased it seemed to be working. He didn’t need to panic. He had eight more days until he had to deliver the women, which meant he might be able to find five more, though kidnapping them without leaving a trace would take a lot of planning. He’d order a search to begin as soon as possible. Even if his men failed, he’d be that much closer to starting a new group in a new location after the five remaining women were sold.