by KJ Dahlen
Eija nodded at the paperwork in front of him. “He was in New Orleans on vacation and he saw his mother. He spent six long years in jail for helping her overdose and he thought she was dead. Then he found out she hadn’t been. But when he did find her, she wasn’t alone. She was with the sheriff that arrested him back then. He married her but didn’t want her son.”
“Holy fucking shit,” Shade swore. “That would’ve tipped him over the edge into his own reality.”
Eija nodded. “It did. He began killing again. Now, I don’t think he can stop.”
“That’s our job. We will stop him,” Jackal stated. “Does he know you have all this info on him?”
Eija shrugged. “I doubt it. Like I said, my friend is a hacker. I tried to tell my dad but he didn’t want to hear it. He said his friends were looking into it.”
Jackal nodded. “We heard from a friend of your dad’s earlier today and he told us some of this information but not all of it. James Garden thinks if he releases this info to the press, he’ll expose Joel to the world, taking away his anonymity.”
“He might,” she agreed. “He also might give that bastard another target.”
“I think he knows that.” Wolf nodded.
“Then heaven help him,” she whispered.
Chapter Seven
Eija stared at Jackal. “Is there somewhere I can rest? I didn’t get much sleep last night and I just need some alone time.”
As if she hadn’t said this to Jackal, Wolf got to his feet and motioned for her to follow him. He grabbed her bag and ushered her down the hall. He stopped at one room and opened the door.
When she went inside, she noted that the room seemed to be occupied. She slowly turned her head and glared at him. “Whose room is this?”
He studied her expression for a moment then answered her with one word, “Mine.”
Eija trembled slightly at his sensuous tone. “Why did you bring me here?”
He wrapped his arms around her waist and brought her closer.
His arms were strong and she couldn’t break his hold if she wanted to... but she didn’t even try as in truth, she was right where she wanted to be.
He lowered his head to hers and his lips crushed hers for the second time.
She parted her lips and he pushed his tongue into her mouth, like the first kiss. He shut the door with his foot then turned her and backed her up against the portal. Lifting her slightly he raised her enough so she could wrapped her legs around his waist. The kiss deepened and both of them were lost for a moment.
Eija groaned as he broke the kiss and he began nibbling along her jaw.
Down her neck, his lips and teeth moved. He pulled her closer and ground his hard cock against her damp core. “This is what you do to me and we’re not even naked yet,” he whispered in her ear. “I want you so fucking much I can’t even think.” He backed away from her briefly and looked into her eyes. “I know we just met but you belong with me.”
Eija gaze into his eyes and read the conviction in them. She didn’t know what tomorrow would bring but she could clearly see that he was serious. For once in her life, she wanted to see where this could go. “Ok,” she whispered.
Wolf frowned. “Ok? Just ok?”
She nodded. “No one knows what might happen today or even tomorrow but I have a feeling you and me got something together that just makes sense. I’d like to see where this is going.”
He closed his eyes and rested his forehead on hers. “You won’t regret it, I promise.” He released his hold on her and she slid her feet to the floor. “You need to get some rest for now though.”
She peered up at him and whispered, “I don’t want be alone now. Not anymore.”
“You aren’t alone anymore sweet girl. I’ll never be that far away,” he promised.
“I’m going to hold you too that.”
“Count on it.” Wolf led her over to the bed and laid her gently on it. He leaned over and kissed her forehead. Then he tore himself away and left the room.
Eija watched him depart then stared at the closed door. She lifted her fingers to her lips and tenderly touched them. She could still feel the power of his kiss. She smiled slightly, closed her eyes, and let herself drift off.
When Wolf joined his brothers at the table, he saw Apollo had joined them and everyone was reading the file Eija had turned over to them.
Shade growled and threw some of the papers on the table. “How the fuck did he get into the Marines? This guy is nuts.”
“He knew how to hide who he really is,” Apollo told them. “He’d been hiding his real self all his life. The fuck if anyone knows how many aliases he even has.”
“Garden wants to expose him to the world but we will probably beat him to it.” Jackal glanced at the clock on the wall. “We’ve got about six hours before he gets here. I want to get everything in place so when he does get here, we’re all set.”
“We could set a trap for him,” Cin spoke up.
“What do you mean?” Jackal wanted to know.
“You said this Bullet guy counts on the person he’s hunting, turning their own fear against them. Right?” Noelle who stood next to her asked.
Jackal and the others nodded.
“Well, let’s give him a taste of his own medicine,” Cin added.
“What do you have in mind?” Wolf asked with a grin on his face.
Hours later, they were finally ready. They had set the traps that Cin suggested and increased the cameras. They’d also armed themselves. The whole club was ready and waiting for the bastard, they knew as Bullet to finally show his face.
Jackal had called James Garden back to tell him about the file Eija had turned over that verified everything they knew so far.
Garden had been astounded. He asked again if Jackal needed some help but Jackal turned down his offer. Jackal had chuckled. “I think we got our end covered, Colonel. If and when Ridley shows his face here he won’t be leaving.”
“I’m glad to hear that,” James stated quietly. “Not that I condone killing but some people just aren’t meant to be breathing and the world would indeed be a better place without them in it.”
“Well, we aren’t going to let him get any more of us,” Jackal assured the other man. “We got people watching for his arrival and we’ll know if he gets close to us or not. We’ve got, according to his own timetable, two more days before Apollo’s time is up and Wolf hasn’t gotten his headstone yet, but we hope to have this over with by then. This shithead is very anal about that fucking timetable of his. It’s always three days from time of discovery to time of death for him.”
“What are you going to do?” Garden was curious.
“We’re going to have a little fun and give the hunter a little taste of his own medicine.” Jackal told him as he said goodbye and ended the phone call.
When the brothers turned the conversation to setting traps to catch Bullet unaware, Wolf had gotten up and gone back to join Eija. When he opened the door, he found her caught up in a nightmare.
She kept thrashing back and forth on the bed, her face was filled with horror as her fingernails were scratching the skin off her neck. Almost as if she were trying to free herself from someone’s hands around her throat. There were deep grooves on the side of her throat and the blood from her scratches seemed to be everywhere.
He pushed the door shut behind him and locked it then rushed over to the bed and tried to wake her up. But she was so caught up in the horror of her nightmares she was lost to him just then. He grabbed her wrists and tried to keep her from hurting herself any more than she already had while he called out her name to try and bring her out of it. “Eija, sweetheart, you’re all right now. He can’t hurt you,” Wolf told her repeatedly. “I’ve got you now. I’ve got your back. No one will ever hurt you again. Please come back to me.”
Slowly, Eija’s eyes began to clear and the sound of his voice must have brought her back to the real world. “What the hell happened?” she asked shaki
ly as she tried to pull her hands free from his hold.
“Are you okay now?” he asked as he stared into her eyes. He was afraid for her and didn’t want her to hurt herself anymore.
She nodded. “I guess so.”
Finally, Wolf released her wrists.
Looking down at her hands, she saw the blood and gasped. Her hands went to her throat and she winced at the pain from her scratches. “Did I do it again?”
Wolf stared at her face. “Again? You were having a hell of a nightmare and I couldn’t wake you up...” He paused then suggested, “Can you talk about what happened?”
Eija licked her dry lips and her eyes glazed over briefly. “I’m not sure I really want to but I suppose I can. I mean it doesn’t really make sense to me but maybe if I tell you about it, I’ll finally understand it myself.”
Wolf moved her over on the bed and laid down beside her. Gathering her up into his arms, he laid her head on his chest and waited for her to begin.
“You know my dad was military right?” she began slowly, almost hesitatingly.
“Yeah baby, he was our commander in the sandbox. That was where we first met him.”
“Well then, I don’t think you ever met my mother, right?”
Wolf shook his head. “No, we never met your mom.”
“She was my whole world growing up. The one constant I had when dad was gone and he was gone a lot. I was pretty much growing up without a father. Anyway, when I was fifteen something horrible happened. I still can’t remember it clearly but from what I was told, my mom died in a home invasion.”
Wolf frowned at this. “A home invasion? Are you sure? We were told she died of cancer.”
Eija peered up at him and shook her head. “No, mom was never sick. I had just gone to bed when I heard a noise in the living room. I got up and went out there and I saw my mom fighting with a man. I tried to help her but the guy was too strong. He kept throwing me off. I hit the floor several times before he kicked me in the head dazing me. I came to enough to realize he was strangling me and I tried to fight back. I kept clawing at his hands. He had them around my throat and he was squeezing the life out of me. I must have passed out and the next thing I know, I’m waking up to the sound of someone screaming. It was our neighbor. Then the police were there, medical personal was there and it was a circus. They took me to the hospital and the next thing I knew, my dad was home. He told me my mom was gone. The police asked me a bunch of questions but I couldn’t tell them much about the man who broke in.” Shaking her head she added, “The police never did find him but as it’s been twelve years ago, I doubt they’re looking for him anymore.”
Wolf grew cold when she named the timeline. Twelve years ago. This fit so neatly, he couldn’t believe it. He almost didn’t want to believe it. Could this be the work of Bullet? “Did anything else happen?” He almost hated to ask her to relive the nightmare again.
Eija hesitated then nodded. “I don’t know what it means and I’m not really sure I want to know but when I was in the hospital, the doctor told me the killer branded me.”
“What?” He scowled.
She sighed hard then pushed the short sleeve of her t shirt up to uncover a mark burnt into her skin.
It was at the top of her shoulder, but the marking was clear as a bell. It reminded him of a signature ring he’d seen Bullet wear on his ring finger every fucking day they’d served together—the face of a roaring male lion in full fury. Wolf knew an instant rage unlike any other he’d ever felt before. Bullet had almost strangled her to death then took the time to heat a ring and press the hot metal into the flesh of a fifteen-year-old girl. He did all of that after he killed her mother, almost right in front of her. No wonder the poor girl had nightmares.
Wolf tightened his hold on her and refused to let her go.
Chapter Eight
Eija snuggled in a bit tighter. After a moment, she lifted her head and stared up at him for a long moment.
“What is it?” Wolf asked softly.
“I want to say something and I’m not sure how to say it?”
“Just tell me whatever you want. I intend to be here for you for a long time,” he told her.
“You do?” she asked while sounding surprised.
Nodding, he replied, “I already made this clear. Do you think a man like me just says and does half assed things?” He grinned at her. “I go all the way.”
Her face flushed at the double meaning then taking a deep breath, she stated with a whisper, “I just feel like the world is so dark. My mom has been gone for so long and now...” Her voice faded away.
“Yes... that never should have happened to you.”
“Now—” Her voice broke. “I-I lost my dad.” Tears rolled down her cheeks. “I’m alone and while I am an adult...I just don’t know...Like I may be dead soon. I’m scared. Really scared and this hasn’t happened since my mom was killed. I don’t know— how to face it all, or how to deal with it.” She paused and gazed down at the sheet on the bed. “I-I mean people who lose everything, take up booze or drugs. I can’t even do that. Because I swore to my dad that I would never be like that.” She gazed back up and into his eyes. “So what can I do? I don’t want to have the nightmares and then during the day, there’s Ridley who is the daymare.” She tried to swipe her tears away. “What can I do? How do I handle all this?”
“You replace the horror with something better.” He shrugged. “I know of horror too. Nighsweats with bloody nightmares.” He took her hands into his and stated softly, “I really do understand.”
“So can that even be done? Do something to wipe it away?” She cocked her head to one side. “Is it possible?’
“Yes, but I cannot promise it will make it all go away. No, that will only happen when this freak is dead. Then the nightmares will fade eventually, when you get a chance to heal.”
“So...” She swallowed heavily. “Is there something besides checking into a nuthouse that will help me?’
Smiling now, Wolf shook his head. “You aren’t going anywhere for a while, Baby.”
She let out a frustrated sigh. “Then what can I do?”
“Pleasure,” he answered.
She blinked at him. “What?”
He then hesitated as he shook his head. “This might not be the time to—”
Eija now grabbed his hands as he pulled away. “NO! Please tell me how?”
“I...” He then abruptly pulled his hands away completely and stood. What the fuck was he thinking? This girl didn’t look ready for what he had in mind. No fucking wonder he’d chosen the name wolf! Fuck! “Look, the truth is I want you. I already made this very clear. But...” He shook his head. “Forget it. I’m going to get a washcloth and antiseptic for your scratches.” He turned and went into his bathroom.
Eija sat on the bed and watched him disappear through the door to the bathroom. She sat in an utter state of confusion. Why did he—then it dawned on her. He meant sex. Oh, wow. Then he changed his mind. She let out a heavy sigh as her shoulders slumped. But maybe he realized he didn’t want me. A fat girl, with no redeeming physical beauty. Raising her head up, she remembered that he had said he wanted her, badly. So what is the problem?
She knew for sure, she wanted him. Just the way he looked at her. The way he smelled! Wow, and those commanding eyes... well all of him was commanding and powerful. A girl like her could only dream of having a guy like him.
Could she be brave enough to push this? Or would she suffer rejection? She had never had confidence in her beauty, most men thought she was fat. So she did feel nervous about coming on to him. Then she remembered... I could die any day now. I’ve lost everyone that ever meant anything to me. What can hurt me now? Nothing. She had already suffered more than her share of misery. I bet he is right too. He could take me to the moon and back. “Pleasure,” she stated aloud.
“What?” Wolf asked.
Her head popped up to see the man in question standing over her. “You said pleasure.”
He sighed and sat down on the bed next to her. “I did, yes.”
“So what did you mean by that?” she asked.
Wolf gently cleaned the now drying blood from her neck. “It...” He pursed his yummy lips and said, “I meant sex, but not just sex...”
She leaned her head to the right side, so he could reach that spot on her neck. “Not just sex? So what do you add?”
Leaning back, Wolf stared at her for a minute. Then he laughed and reached for the peroxide he had set on the night stand. “Well, I don’t mean the flying trapeze, if that’s what you’re asking.”
Eija paused at this image... then giggled. She also realized it was the first laugh she’d had in weeks. “But could it be called a trip to the moon and back?”
He paused in his dabbing of her neck and looked right into her eyes. “The spark I felt by just kissing you, tells me...yes, it would be and feel like that.” His eyes deepened in color. Then he seemed to shake himself and reached for the antiseptic next to the peroxide. He gently smoothed it over her scratches.
“Well, I have never had that. Don’t you think I should if...” Her voice faded away. “...if I could die any day now?”
Setting the antiseptic down, he stared at her. “First off, you are NOT going to die. Secondly, what do you mean? You’ve never...” Now his voice drifted away. “...you mean you’ve never?”
The question totally took her off guard and she turned her head away.
Gently, Wolf grasped her jaw and forced her to look at him. “Are you a virgin, Eija?”
Letting out a huge sigh, she replied quietly, “No, not really.”
He looked puzzled. “What do you mean, not really? Either you are or you’re no—” He halted and stared at her.
A single tear ran down her cheek.
He blinked rapidly then his eyes looked angry. “Tell me.” He growled as his body had gone stiff.
“I-I don’t remember it,” she whispered so low that he may not have even heard it.