Read Wicked Days with a Lone Wolf Online

Authors: Elisabeth Staab

Tags: #werewolf, #paranormal suspense, #paranormal romance, #paranormal, #suspense, #FBI, #lgbt, #alpha male, #male/male, #gay

Wicked Days with a Lone Wolf (9 page)

BOOK: Wicked Days with a Lone Wolf
5.21Mb size Format: txt, pdf, ePub
ads

That earned him a
get bent
look. “I might be able to call in a favor. We need to get you someplace Boris won’t think to look, though, until we can clear things up. If you found me as easily as you did, he can too.”

Sherri dialed Ash. So much for keeping him away from Ryan, but it was the best idea she had on short notice. “Hey. I’m so sorry to do this to you, but we need some help.”

Chapter 9

K
yle found Jett in the second floor lobby, talking to a tall dude in a security uniform. He didn’t seem too happy, which shouldn’t have been a surprise, but he came over to talk all the same.

“Trolling for more meds or something?”

Kyle ignored the jab. “News about a rare jaguar shifter who escaped from the hospital is all over the local stations. Ramon wants information.”

Jett crossed his arms over his chest, making the buttons of his shirt strain. Again. “Ramon doesn’t need to know a fucking thing about Zoe. He cast her out—she’s no longer his concern. You can tell him I said to blow it out his ass.”

Kyle matched Jett’s threatening posture, stretching tall to get up in his face. “Blow it out your own ass, pendejo. Your father let Zoe live after what she did, and now she’s out there going crazy and disgracing the pack’s name. He’s pissed, and I’m walking a fine line right now. I can take back any bullshit information you want me to take, but I have to tell him something.”

It might suck that Jett had left the pack, but the fun part was it meant Kyle didn’t have to worry about rules. No deferring to his superior position, no bowing his head, or any of that bullshit. He could say exactly what was on his mind. At least in theory.

Hey, Jett. Remember when I was fifteen and you saved my life? I’ve been waiting ever since for you to realize I’m a man. A fully grown man who wants you, and not the same malnourished kid you pulled out from under his father’s fists. Now I’m tired of searching for those rare looks or touches that made me think you might want me. It’s old, and it’s tired, and so are you.

No. If Jett couldn’t see him without having his nose shoved in the truth, then it wasn’t worth being seen, was it?

Jett stared, stiff and angry, skin flushed red and the vein in his neck throbbing like it might burst. “She had a head injury,” he said finally. “She’s probably confused. We’ll find her. Don’t tell him anything else.”

Kyle could only guess from Jett’s halting words that there must be a whole hell of a lot more to the story, but since
he
didn’t know what that might be, he’d take the canned statement back to his pack’s alpha and nothing more. “Got it,” he said. “Thanks.”

Jet nodded, and Kyle turned to go.

“Hey. Kid. Wait.”

Kyle turned.

“You and that... new guy.”

“Pete?”

Jett shrugged. “Sure. You’re—what?” He made a vague gesture with his hands.

Kyle shrugged back. “What do you mean, ‘what?’” He wanted to hear it aloud. Stupid and childish, wanting to see Jett uncomfortable, but he’d take what little satisfaction he could get in this life.

Jett’s hands went into his pockets as he came closer. “You’re not
with
that guy, are you? The two of you seemed to be having an awfully serious conversation when you were here yesterday.”

Kyle shrugged again. “I don’t know. Maybe.”

“You don’t know? Maybe? Shouldn’t you be sure about something that big?”

In truth, Pete had surprised him. He’d agreed to give Kyle time to think, and had still gone to the pack and advocated on Kyle’s behalf. Kyle had fully expected to wind up in Pete’s bed later whether he wanted to be there or not—ten years of living with
weres
had shown him exactly what kind of shit could go down when the full moon came close. Kyle had spent the night with his chest in a vice. Waiting for the moment he’d get yanked off his mattress by a two hundred and fifty pound animal juiced up on superhuman strength and moonlight. But Pete had left him alone.

Honestly, Pete’s restraint was making Kyle lean closer to a “yes.” If he couldn’t have the man or the life he wanted, wouldn’t protection and respect be enough?

Kyle stared hard at Jett’s mouth, wishing for the umpteenth time that he could kiss it one more time. Wishing again that kissing Pete felt anything like the fire and chemistry of Jett’s breath mixed with his. He linked his hands behind his head. “My options are kinda limited, man.” In ways Jett probably hadn’t even considered.

Jet scowled. “So it’s the pack newbie for the win?”

Kyle dropped his hands to his side and took a step forward, putting himself in Jett’s space. He rested one hand against Jett’s hip and tipped his head so their eyes met, hoping maybe it would remind Jett even for a moment of the one night that they’d been that close. “Can you give me a real reason why I should turn him down?”

Jett’s lips pressed together. His breath deepened. “What do you want me to say?” Something that looked like pain crossed his face. Good. This wasn’t exactly cozy for Kyle, either. “Look. Pack law mandates mating for life. You can’t possibly love this guy.” Jett tipped his head sideways. “Do you? Why get yourself in so deep?”

Kyle glanced away. A couple, a man and a heavily pregnant woman, made their way through the lobby holding hands. Was it so wrong to want someone to care about? Sure, he might not love Pete, but the guy was decent. More importantly, Pete was an actual guy he could have. Who wanted him.

Kyle had loved Jett for years, but Jett didn’t want him.

I know you wanted me that night. I remember. Why won’t you admit it? If you’d admit it, maybe I’d tell Pete no.

“I’m not so sure how much love matters in the long run,” Kyle murmured. “Anyway, my parents supposedly loved each other. Judging from all the beer bottles and lit cigarettes and punches my pop launched at her, it wasn’t exactly a good thing.”

“Kyle— shit. Hang on.” Jett pulled a ringing phone from his pocket. “Hey, Sherri. Sorry, he’s not here. He— Oh.” Jett inhaled sharply and looked up at the ceiling. “Do I even want to ask why? I— I honestly don’t know if I have a place. I mean, I have access to safe houses, but they’re for police use. I’m guessing you’re not calling to ask about protective custody.”

Kyle stood and eavesdropped, conflicted.
Just go. You got the information you came for, and this doesn’t concern you.

Except... “Hey.” He grabbed Jett’s wrist. “I have a place Sherri could use.”

***

A
sh walked a few paces behind Detective Parker, speaking quietly into his phone while he sniffed around for Zoe, or anyone else of interest. “All right, man. This is huge. I can’t thank you enough.”

“You can thank me with a huge wad of cash when I deliver your package.”

“So long as I get delivery safe and sound.”

“Understood. And listen, you know I could always use you—”

“No.” Ash cut his friend off before anything more could be said. “I’m out of the business. I’ll pay you for delivery. I’m grateful to you for this favor. After that, we’re done.”

“Understood.”

Ash hung up the phone, gritting his teeth in frustration. “Fuck this shit. Fuck it all with a huge fucking cactus.”

Detective Parker glanced back. “Everything okay?”

“Hate having to call in old favors, that’s all. I need to get Sherri home in a hurry and I’ve got an import/export guy—” Suddenly Ash remembered who he was talking to. “You know what? Never mind.”

Parker turned to look down the street. “Yeah, I didn’t hear anything.”

“Huh.” Not a bad guy, this partner of Jett’s. And to think his brother had tagged the dude as kind of a douche. “Thanks. So no sign of Zoe?”

“No, but the house where I found her before is up here.” Parker pointed. “I have a feeling about it. I think she went back there.”

“How come?”

The detective pressed his eyebrows together. “I chased her for a while. Past all sorts of places she could have ducked inside to hide. She chose that particular house for a reason. I think there was something there, something she wanted or some reason it felt safe. Or those kids she mentioned...” He nodded his head. “I’d bet money she’s there.”

At the end, he got quiet. The sunburnt skin of his forehead creased into a frown. “The doctor said something about complications with her pregnancy due to a mix in species. Zoe’s not a werewolf?”

Ash blew out a breath. “She’s jaguar. Hardly any exist, and I don’t know if any have cross-bred. It’s unusual enough when we mate with humans. They’re probably worried about whether she’s gonna be safe, whether the baby will develop right. Who knows?”

“Car.” Ash pointed to a busted Impala rolling toward them. He stuck his hands in his pockets and pulled up closer to Detective Parker, trying to make it look like they were just two guys having a chat on the street in the late afternoon while the vehicle rolled on by. Except, Parker wore dress slacks and a button down, and Ash wore ripped jeans and a T-shirt. If anybody saw the badge clipped to Parker’s belt right then, they could attract a lot more unwanted attention.

Ash looked at Parker. “We need to get off the street.”

The detective, who’d started sweating through his clothes, pointed toward a strip of baked dirt and sparse grass that ran along the back of the houses. “There’s a pathway back there. That’s where I found her before. Behind the house in a shed.”

They reached the house and headed in through a piece of busted fence that Lane said had been broken by him and the medics previously.

The back door wasn’t locked. They made their way into a dim kitchen that looked clean, and recently used. Ash could see swipe marks showing that the stove and counters had been wiped down, and a few boxes of food sat in an open cabinet. Somewhere nearby, a toilet ran.

“The water’s on,” Parker whispered. “Someone’s been staying here.”

Ash nodded.

They headed upstairs. Detective Parker led the way, his gun drawn. Ash wasn’t to use his unless necessary, given the circumstances. What they found in the master bedroom stopped them. Zoe curled on a mattress, alive but clearly struggling. Clearly in pain. A dozen or so kids gathered around her, one held her hand and tried to get her to drink water. The others, looking frightened, simply stared.

The one with the water looked up. She appeared to be about twelve. “She’s hurt. Can you help her?”

Parker rushed forward to check on Zoe, while Ash stood back to survey the situation. Jesus, these kids ranged in age from maybe teenaged all the way down to seven or so. Zoe must have been harboring them, trying to take care of them. God knew why. Ash wondered what would happen to them, and nausea rose in his stomach.

Goddammit, he wanted Sherri to be here. For the first time in his life, he’d chosen to be with someone. To trust them to share his heart. Now he was staring down a situation that made him want to pull that someone close and hold her tight, where was she? Halfway across the country with another man.

He pulled out his phone to call her.

“Ash, is everything okay?”

“No, everything is not fucking okay. Put your boyfriend on the phone.”

“He’s not my— Ash, he’s half-conscious and he’s in a lot of pain. I don’t think it’s a good idea.”

“Put him on the phone, Sherri. Now.” Breathing felt like dying while he waited for Sherri to decide whether she’d do what he asked. He needed to know that he and this fucker understood each other.

A tired sounding “yeah” came through the phone.

“Is this Ryan?”

“It is.”

Ash took a deep breath. “Good. Listen up, Ryan. I need to be sure you get something. That woman over there means fucking everything to me. You hear me?
Everything.

“I hear you.”

“I know what you did to her, and I can only hate you so much for it because it brought her to me.” He growled, knowing Ryan might not understand the implication, but the threat would come through all the same. “Still. I need her to come back, and if you do anything—
anything
—that gets her hurt,
I will repay you myself.
Do you understand?”

“Sure. Sure, I understand.”

“I hope so, Ryan. To be clear, I mean if any hair on her head is out of place because you barged back into her life, I will tear you limb from limb. Myself. With my hands and my teeth. I can do that, Ryan. I can and I will. And I will do it slow so it hurts as much as fucking possible. And I will like it. Do you fucking hear me, Ryan?”

“Ash, do you really think that was necessary?”

Ash snarled. “At what point did you take back the phone?”

“Somewhere around ‘limb from limb.’”

Ash’s jaw clenched. “He’s done your life enough harm.”

“Trust me to handle this, Ash.”

“You called, asking me for help.”

“I had a choice to make. Stuff him in the floor of my rental and make off for parts unknown or come back to you and hope we could deal with it together. Did I make the wrong decision?”

Ash pressed his head into a splintered doorframe. “No.”

“Ok. Your friend is going to help?”

“He is. I’ll text you the location to meet him.”

“Then I’ll see you tomorrow. Be safe.”

She hung up before he could say “you too” or anything else.

He put the phone away and went to see what he could do to help with the children.

Chapter 10

A
sh supposed it was a lucky thing he had a huge piece of land with not a whole lot on it. Oh, and shady friends who could land a small prop plane nearly anywhere.

He prowled the shadows angrily as he waited for them that evening, not long before the moon got all the way into the sky. Jett’s car pulled up soon after Ash arrived, and it surprised him to see Kyle jump out of the passenger’s seat.

“Hey.” His brother gave a curt wave. “Kid here says he has a safe house Sherri’s friend can use.”

Ash’s eyes widened. “You’re sure?”

Kyle shrugged. “I’m not using it, and it’s off your father’s radar. Swear.”

Jett turned to Kyle. “I’m gonna leave before they land. Something tells me the less I know about what’s going on, the better. Anyway, this is a shitty night for this to be happening.”

BOOK: Wicked Days with a Lone Wolf
5.21Mb size Format: txt, pdf, ePub
ads

Other books

The Other Half of My Heart by Stephanie Butland
Two Strikes by Holley Trent
Summer's End by Bliss, Harper
The Fall of Neskaya by Marion Zimmer Bradley
Set Loose by Isabel Morin
The Fright of the Iguana by Johnston, Linda O.
Seeing Stars by Vanessa Grant
Star Time by Amiel, Joseph