Hiding His Wolf [Urban Affairs 4] (Siren Publishing Ménage Amour ManLove) (7 page)

So, the question remained. Was Simon Black a random fuck? Or did he know about the connection between Levi and Noah? Right this minute, Black could be getting a backup team together in preparation to take Levi down.

Do I play a waiting game or make the first move?

Undecided, Levi weighed his options. If Simon came after him, it would put him a weak position. The agent would have the power of the DSA behind him. They could kill him and make it look like an accident. Worse, Levi could be overpowered, drugged, and kidnapped. He could end up tortured or sold on the auction block like Noah. If he turned tail and ran, he’d never see Noah again. His only option was to make the first move on Black.

Hodag had supplied an address in New York for Simon Black. Philadelphia was only an hour and a half from New York, but he’d never been there. He’d heard the Big Apple was an exciting town. Levi smiled to himself. He wondered if it was too early to rent a car. He threw a few things in a duffle bag and added his
stainless steel SIG Sauer P226.

* * * *

Levi had driven straight to Simon’s condo and parked across the street. So far, no one had gone in or come out. He was considering breaking in. If Simon was in there, Levi would have the element of surprise on his side. But the building looked like it had tight security and Levi’s skills in that area were rusty. In the end he decided to wait. He sat so long that he started to fall asleep at the wheel.

The noise of street traffic woke him, and his head jerked up. Just in time. He looked in the rearview mirror and saw Simon Black walking down the street. Levi’s first thought was to get out of the car and accost him, but then he might scare the man off. Better to wait until Simon got to his front door.

* * * *

Levi, how the fuck did you find me?
Simon had to give the half-breed credit for tracking him down. He must want to find Noah badly, but he was going about this rescue mission all wrong. Levi probably thought he had the element of surprise on his side, but Simon was prepared for anything and Levi was making this way too easy for him.

Simon always kept a close eye on the street, and he’d spotted the half-breed immediately. Even if Levi had no idea that Simon was a Federal Agent who could pick out a tail a mile away, he shouldn’t have stationed himself so close to the building. Simon had intended to fulfill his obligation to Graham before going after Levi. There was no rush to bring in the half-breed. Levi wasn’t going anywhere without Noah and Simon wanted the extra time to come up with a plan. Levi’s capture was a foregone conclusion, but Simon preferred that the half-breed not know that Simon was behind it. It was stupid and sentimental and totally unlike Simon. But for some reason he didn’t want Levi to think he’d fucked him as part of a plan to bring him in. Now Levi left him no choice. Simon would have to take him down before he left New York.

Simon grew tired of waiting for Levi to make his move. He would have to bring things to a head himself. He left his building by a back entrance and circled around to the front. Levi made a lousy spy. He was asleep in his car. Luckily something woke him and he lifted his head, or Simon might have been forced to circle the block again. Instead he walked to the front entrance and made a great show of searching his pockets for his keys.

Hurry up, asshole.

Aware of Levi sneaking up behind him, Simon took his time picking out the right key.

“Don’t turn around. Don’t try anything stupid. Unlock the door and walk inside.” The voice at Simon’s ear was a low rumble.

The gun at Simon’s back was not unexpected, but he made a show of being surprised. Levi would expect some kind of reaction. He twisted his head and felt a hard shove from the gun.

“Don’t make me use this.”

Simon smiled to himself.
Wouldn’t think of it.
He inserted the key and opened the door. There was a panic button inside next to the doorframe that would summon security, but Simon didn’t use it. Thankfully the small lobby was empty. Simon walked calmly to the elevator and pushed the up arrow. The metal doors slid open, and Levi followed him inside. Simon pushed number twelve and the doors slid shut.

“What are you doing here, Levi?” Simon eyed the Sig Sauer in Levi’s hand. “If you intend to rob me, I’m telling you now, I don’t keep a lot of cash in my condo.”

“Shut up.”

Simon sighed. The elevator doors slid open, and Levi motioned him to go ahead. Simon walked to his door silently. He didn’t want to provoke Levi into an attack. Not yet anyway.

Levi kept the gun pointed at Simon while he looked around. Simon made good money, and his home reflected it. The condo had a lot of open space and floor-to-ceiling windows with incredible views of Central Park.

“Sit down.” Levi barked at him, and Simon sat on the leather couch. He kept his mouth shut, but his mind was going a mile a minute, planning attack and counter attack strategies.

“I know who you are Simon. You’re DSA and your little game is up, but before I kill you, I want to know where Noah is.”

“You’re not a killer, Levi—”

The half-breed was on him in a second. Levi backhanded him across the face then hauled him up by the lapels of his jacket. Levi’s red, angry face was only inches from Simon’s. “You don’t know anything about me,” Levi rasped in a harsh voice. Spittle flew from his mouth. “By the time I’m done with you, you’ll be telling me your life story.” He shoved Simon back against the seat cushions. “I’ll ask you again. Where is Noah?”

Simon felt a grudging admiration for the Werewolf. The man had balls. “In a place where you can’t get to him.”

“I’ll decide that. Just give me an address.”

“I can do better than that. I can take you to him.”

Levi stared. “You must think I’m an idiot.”

Simon almost laughed in his face. Levi looked at him as if he were the monster here. “Not at all. I respect a man who remains loyal to his friends. And I want you to know that yesterday had nothing to do with your friend or the DSA. I fucked you because I wanted you. Period. End of story.” Simon watched confusion flicker across Levi’s face. It was gone so fast, he might have imagined it, but he didn’t think so. Getting Levi off-balance was exactly what he wanted. “I can work this out so no one gets hurt.”

“I’m listening.”

“Can we have a drink first? There’s a bottle in that sideboard.”

“Get yourself one. I’m not drinking.”

“Suit yourself.” Simon walked over to the credenza and reached inside for a bottle of Scotch. At the same time he slipped a dart up his sleeve. The tiny hypodermic held enough tranquilizing liquid to subdue a large animal. He hoped he wouldn’t have to use it, but it was insurance.

Keeping an eye on Levi, Simon walked back and set the bottle and a glass on the coffee table. He felt safer on his feet, but he looked over at Levi for permission to pour. The half-breed nodded, and Simon filled the tumbler. The amber liquid burned a path down to his gut. It calmed him. He really wished Levi would change his mind and have a drink with him. They could talk this out. Despite what the fugitive must be thinking, Simon didn’t want to hurt him. Any man who could give up control and submit so beautifully to a dominant lover was no out-of-control beast. Maybe full-blooded shifters were coldblooded monsters, but Levi had human blood in his veins. He wasn’t like the others. “I don’t blame you for not trusting me, Levi. I would feel the same in your position, but I can assure you the agency doesn’t want you or Noah dead.”

Levi shook his head. “No, just confined and tortured. Where do you get off treating people like that?”

“You’re mistaken. It was your people who tortured Noah and turned him into a whore—”

“Fuck you!” Levi jumped up, on the attack again.

This time Simon was ready. He threw his drink in Levi’s face and got ready to leap on the half-breed before he could recover. Only Levi was faster.

Simon blinked, shook his head, blinked again.

In the space of two blinks, Levi had shifted. Two enormous black paws rammed into Simon’s chest, knocking him flat on his back. The dart flew out of his sleeve. Yellow wolf eyes followed its path across the room. The wolf turned back to Simon. Its muzzle loomed over him, black lips pulled back over white teeth as the animal snarled.

Maybe I underestimated his animal side.

Simon didn’t scare easy, but the saliva-dripping fangs in that open maw terrified him. He only had one card to play—Noah.

“Take it easy, big boy. I can help you and your friend.”

The wolf gave no sign that it had understood him.

Simon tried again. “I wasn’t lying. Well, not entirely. I know where Noah is being held. In fact, I’m flying there in a few days.”

I hope.

“Kill me and you lose any hope of finding Noah.” Simon pressed on. “Work with me, Levi. Shift and let’s talk man-to-man.”

What else could he say? Simon waited with bated breath to see what would happen next. Finally, the wolf lifted its paws from Simon’s chest and sat back on its haunches. Black fur receded and the animal’s body seemed to shrink into itself. In a few seconds, a naked Levi was sitting next to him.

“I think I’ll have that drink now.”

Simon let out a relieved breath. “Make mine a double.”

The two men eyed each other warily, neither one anxious to talk first. Simon could see that Levi didn’t trust him—and why should he? The deck was stacked in Simon’s favor. For all Levi knew, the apartment could be bugged and DSA agents might come storming in at any moment. And if Levi killed Simon or even incapacitated him, he would never see Noah again. Even so, Simon still harbored a little fear of Levi’s wolf. He’d never been that up close and personal with a savage canine before. Finally Simon emptied his glass and spoke. “Why did you come here, Levi? You must have known it was futile.”

Levi finished his own drink and let out a low growl. “You know why I’m here. I’m looking for Noah.”

Although the apartment wasn’t bugged—Simon refused to live in a fishbowl—panic buttons were located in strategic spots in case he needed to call for help. He could have Levi picked up any time he wanted, but he was curious about the half-breed’s relationship with Noah. What makes one man so anxious to help another? Love? Simon had never known love in his life. Not the love of another man. Even his parents hadn’t loved him. To them he was just a status symbol. A man running for office needed to present a happy family unit to the voters.

Something else bothered Simon. Noah had brought out feelings in him that he hadn’t experienced before. Simon took pride in his work. But not this time. Never before had he felt guilt over an assignment. It ate at him and he wanted to put it to rest. He had to know he was on the right side.

* * * *

“Tell me about you and Noah, Levi. How did you first meet?”

“That’s not important.”

“It is to me.”

What is he playing at?

Stalling until the cavalry arrives, most likely. Levi wasn’t much for talking but he wanted a few answers, too. “First tell me why you want Noah?”

Simon explained why Noah had been bought. It was really Levi they were after. Levi’s heart twisted. Once again, he’d put Noah in danger. Overwhelmed with guilt, he vowed to do whatever he could to save his friend. If that meant cooperating with Simon, so be it.

“Your turn,” Simon urged, as he refilled their tumblers.

Levi took a long drink and began talking. Once he started, he couldn’t stop. He surprised himself. Maybe it was the liquor. He never spoke about his childhood, but it felt good to talk about Noah, the single most important person in his life. “He accepted me for who I am when I couldn’t even accept myself.”

Simon was a good listener, nodding and looking as if he really cared. “Man, you’ve had a tough life.” Simon put a hand on Levi’s shoulder.

“Save the concern for Noah.” Levi shrugged Simon off and clammed up. He didn’t want any pity. Long ago he’d made a pact with himself that he would not live his life indulging in self-pity, and he damn well wouldn’t accept it from anyone else. 

Simon filled the empty silence with stories about his father. “He was a tough son of a bitch. Beat the shit out of me for anything and everything, but I had it pretty easy compared to you.”

Was Simon playing him to gain his cooperation, or did he really empathize with Levi? He had no idea and it didn’t really matter. This was Simon’s show. Levi was just along for the ride. “So, what happens now?” he asked Simon.

The other man regarded him with a strange unreadable expression. He shook his head. “Nothing.”

“So you’re going to let me walk out of here?”

“I can’t do that.”

Levi chuckled ruefully. “Why does that not surprise me?” He looked around the room. “You have agents waiting outside to take me down?”

“No. That’s not what I meant. You need to stay here for your own good.”

“Right. I’m supposed to believe you want to protect me?”

“Maybe I want to protect Noah.”

Levi let out a possessive growl. He hadn’t expected that answer.

“Noah’s done nothing wrong. Maybe I can work something out to get him released.”

Levi buried his jealousy. This wasn’t about him. If Simon could help Noah, he’d go along with it. “Trade me for him.”

“It’s a possibility, but I’m not sure my boss will let him go. I’ll find out when I get down there. Right now I need you to stay put. I’ve been given the task of finding you, but there could be other agents looking for you as well.”

He’d be a sitting duck but Levi had no comeback. He was willing to give up his life so Noah would have a chance to live his. “Okay, just promise me one thing.”

“What?”

“Don’t tell him about me and don’t bring him here. I don’t want him to see me. If he does, he’ll never agree to this plan.”

Simon nodded slowly and ran a hand through his hair. “I’m exhausted. Let’s get some sleep. You get the couch. It’s comfortable enough. I’ve slept on it more than once when I couldn’t make it to the bedroom.”