by Laura Wylde
“You don’t have to tell me anything. I already know.”
“How?”
“I just asked her.”
“And you trusted her to tell you the truth?”
He had no idea how changed I was and the same cynical man that had left up that mountain a couple of days ago, was not the man searching for the woman that I loved. I was still trying to wrap my brain around it myself. I actually hadn’t even considered it, but it just came out and I knew as soon as it did, that it was right. I loved Anna and I needed to go find her. My job was to keep her safe, and couldn’t do that, if I was on the phone with Jack.
“So, how’s it going?”
“My client is MIA, there are two passed out guys that saw a huge wolf, and one dead. If that doesn’t tell you what you want to know, I don’t know what will.”
He laughed again, at my expense.
“Sounds like you’ve had one hell of a time. See, I told you that it was a good idea to take a chance. Look at all the adventure that you’ve had. What about the girl? Tell me that you got the girl.”
“Jack, I’ve been shot twice, once by some sci-fi looking crap and I can’t believe that you’re asking me questions
like that. You don’t think.”
Another slow chuckle. “Yeah, you got the girl.”
I gave him my location and then I told him that I had to get off of the phone with him.
“Are you going to get your girl?”
He was being a jerk, but I didn’t care. That’s exactly what I was about to go do. I was going to go get my mate.
14
Anna
All I did was run, long and hard, until my feet were hurting, and I was panting. I had to stop, merely because I couldn’t get enough oxygen to my lungs to actually function. I couldn’t run anymore. I’d ran enough to put some distance between me and the men that were trying to shoot at me. I don’t know how far I’d gone, but I heard distance noises that I thought told me that I’d gotten away far enough. I didn’t want to go back, but I was turned around.
I kept walking in the original direction that I’d been running in. I was convinced that if I just kept going in a straight line, then I would find help. That’s what I needed. I’d thought that he was my protector, but now I wasn’t so sure. He’d growled at me and actually nipped me with his teeth. Was he just different because he’d been a wolf at the time? Was that what had happened? Would he be the same as before, when he turned back. Would he remember it? I didn’t think that I would be able to forget it.
I don’t know if I was genuinely afraid of him, but I know that I was definitely going to be cautious moving forward. He was fearsome when he was in his wolf form and I don’t know if I wanted to be around him when he was like that.
My plan was to find the stupid truck and to get out of there. I didn’t know what I was going to do after that, but that’s where my mind was. I didn’t know where the stupid truck was, not yet and I realized after a while that I didn’t even have the key to open it up.
The worst part about it all, was I don’t even know who I was running from. Was I just running from the men that wanted to kill me, or the one that had bit me too? One minute we were lovers and the next, well, the next I don’t know what we were. All I knew for certain though, was I wanted to make sure that it wasn’t the wolf that came out of the woods. I wanted the man, the one I could talk to and reason with. The wolf, I don’t know what I was supposed to do with a wolf.
I decided that if worst came to worst, I could just jimmy the lock on the truck door and get in that way. I’d had many life experiences and one of them was the necessity for that sort of thing. I was confident I could get in the truck, as long as I had a minute, and I could find the stupid thing. I didn’t see any markings that I reckonized and the only reason I saw the sign for the parking lot, was just by sheer coincidence.
I was tying my shoes, bent over and I saw it through some bushes. I was still a few miles away, but that wasn’t that far, considering that I’d wondered how long it was going to take. Going down the mountain, was much easier than it was going up it. I was ready to get down the mountain, find the truck and wait to see what my fate was.
The whole time I was walking, at least an hour, I was thinking about what happened if he came down as his wolf. It never occurred to me, not once, that he wouldn’t come down at all. I didn’t want to think like that. It hurt to think that way, literally physically hurt.
I felt relief when the beaten path to the parking lot was in the not too far distance. I was almost there, and I was feeling better by the moment. I wasn’t so tired and hungry all of a sudden. I didn’t feel like the world was a horrible place, but one of hope. It changed my perspective completely and I did my best slow myself down. I wanted to run there, knowing there would be no help in sight, but it would be enough to know I was safe. Only the future knew what I was going need to be safe from.
My relief didn’t last very long. I thought that I was safe, but I wasn’t. Vincent was standing by the truck, waiting for me, like he knew that I was going to come. I stopped short and asked him what he was doing there.
“Well, when my guys didn’t come back, I figured that I would have to do it myself. When you want something done right, am I right?”
I didn’t agree or disagree. I didn’t know what he was doing, but I was afraid that I was going to find out and it wasn’t going to be pleasant. This was the guy that had sent people to shoot at my head. I feel like I had a right to be nervous. He wasn’t making it any easier.
“What do you want? Your goons were shooting at me, is that what you’re trying to do as well.”
“They weren’t supposed to be shooting at you. I mean, not that I am all that opposed to it, but I would rather have my money. I don’t like losing money, hard to come by and all. You make it right with the money, and I will let you live.”
It was the way he said it, the smugness on his face. I don’t really know what it was that drove me to get rude back, but it quickly dissolved into a situation that I would have rather stayed out of. This was no way to start a conversation with such a dangerous man. I didn’t want to argue with him.
“You have already tried to end my life several times. Why do you think you will do better than trained assassins?”
He chuckled. “Well, because you don’t have your little pet with you for one thing.”
“How do you know about that?”
“I know everything about you Anna and if I had more time, we’d have a nice conversation, but as you can imagine, I am a busy man and I can’t spend all day doing this with you. Instead, we’re going to figure out a way to make this work. We are going to make this work.”
He moved towards me and at first, I was worried that he was going to try and do something to me, but he blew right past me, to the car parked by Connor’s truck.
“I know what will make you see things my way and I didn’t want to go this route, but I have no choice.”
I wanted to ask him what he was going on about, but I didn’t think that it was going to do me any good to know the specifics.
“What route.”
Damn, I couldn’t help myself.
He opened up the door to the backseat of the car and he pulled someone out. I knew before seeing well, who it was. It was my brother Ezekiel, and I had no idea how long he’d been back there.
“How dare you put your hands on my brother. He has not reason to be here.”
“You put him here by your actions. It could just as easily be your parents. If you don’t come up with the money, you won’t have any family left, though maybe that’s what you need. They are holding you down, aren’t they? I’ve had a little of time with this one, and I can’t say that it would be the worst thing, to take him out.”
I was horrified with what he was saying. I couldn’t believe that he would say such a thing. How was that possible? How could he say such a thing in front of my brother.
“Ezz, don’t listen to him. He is jus
t cruel.”
“I am Anna, so don’t make me be even more so. You need to give me my money, or I promise you that I will kill your brother and I will do it right in front of you, so you have to see it yourself. That’s something you won’t be able to forgive yourself for.”
“I don’t have all of your money Vincent! I’d told you this many times before, but you don’t believe me. I wish you would believe me now. There is nothing that I can do about this at the moment.”
“That’s not at all what I wanted to hear.”
He moved towards Ezekiel and I wished one more time, that my brother was more with it. He was always so down and out and on medication. I don’t even know how he was doing. He didn’t look good, which after spending times with Barrows, I would have been more surprised if he did.
It looked like he was going to pull something out of his pocket and when I saw the gun, my heart fell. It wasn’t what was needed. How was that going to make anything different?
“You are making a mistake here. There is no need for that.”
“Are you telling me I am making a mistake?”
He seemed mad, so I refused what I’d just said. I was becoming calm in my tone. I needed him to calm down and not be so forceful.
“No, I am just saying that if you want your money, then all you have to do, is wait until tomorrow. I'm going to an auction house and a friend of mine is going to tell me how much these artifacts are worth. I told you as soon as I got them, I was going to sell them and pay you back the money. I wasn't trying to screw you over.”
There was a small part of me that was hoping that I could talk some sense into him. There was no need for this. Couldn't he see that this was not at all what had to be?
“Why should I believe you? You’ve lied to me before.”
“Just let me leave with my brother, and I will give you an extra ten percent Fifty grand, just for giving me one more day. That seems like a really good return.”
“Yet here I am. You know how much I'm out for those three guys?”
“Well, you might not have to pay them.”
I couldn't believe I had said it. I saw the reaction on his face, and I wanted to kick myself. I needed to put my foot back in my mouth, because obviously that's where it belonged.
“What did you say?”
I shrugged. “Nothing. But like you said, you know who my friend is. Do you really think that even three guys with guns are going to win?”
Vincent looked worried for a moment. I had to wonder if there was some relationship between him and one of the three guys. Personally, I hope they didn't come out of the woods.
“No, he will not kill them. He knows if he does there will be a breach in the contract and then we can attack them. Trust me, my guys are going to come up out of there and they're going to want money. Make it twenty percent and you'll have a deal.”
I wanted to refuse his blatant try to take advantage of the situation, but then I looked at my brother and I knew that I couldn't. Of course, I had to go along with it. Another fifty thousand.
“Fine, another fifty then. Now, give me my brother and I will see you tomorrow.”
“No, that's another part of it that I don’t agree with. I don't think that I trust him with you. You guys could just run off and I'm not going to get any of my money that way. I can’t let go of my collateral.”
There was no way that I was going to let him leave with Ezekiel. I told him that and he told me that I didn't have a choice. I didn't feel like I had a choice either. It felt like everything was being thrust upon me and there was really nothing I could do about it.
My brother looked at me, his eyes begging me not to leave him there with Vincent. It killed me to see him look at me like that. I knew that I had dragged him into this and there was no way that I was going to be able to redeem myself so quickly. He already had enough to deal with, he didn't need this as well.
“I will see you tomorrow Ezz. I'm sorry that it has to be this way.” He wanted to stop me, tell me not to go, but I really didn't have a choice. I had to repeat it to myself, feeling the words crushing me where I stood.
Vincent had a big smile on his face. He must have imagined what he was going to do with all of his extra money. The guy really got on my nerves, and the gloating expression on his face made it worse. He obviously did not know what it was to be a good sport or to be humane.
He threw Ezz into the back of the car and I heard him make a sound as he hit the other door.
“There's no need to treat him that way.”
He slammed the door and Vincent told me that he would treat him however he wanted to. He had this cruel satisfaction in his eyes and I didn't want to say anything else. I think that the guy was getting off on it and that bothered me. I did not want my brother with a guy like that. Even for a few minutes. It didn't seem like it could possibly turn out well and I didn’t want to make it worse with my big mouth.
Vincent told me that I had until eight the next day to get his money or he was going to start chopping off body parts of Ezekiel. I tried not to hear it, only being relieved that he didn’t have to hear it.
I watched him drive away in his black limo and I was shaking again. It wasn't the cold, wet air around me, but the realization that I had just lost my brother. What if I couldn't get him back and get him help? What would happen to him if something went wrong?
15
Connor
It took a little longer than I would have liked for me to get to the truck. I knew that she was waiting for me, and I hoped that she wasn't too mad. I had not meant to get snappy with Anna, I just hadn't been able to articulate what I needed, and at the time, I needed her to get away. She had, and everything it worked out. No one else was shot and I hoped she could see it my way.
She might not see the immediate danger that I had found clear, and that’s what had made me so afraid. All I could hope, was that she would see that it was all done with the best of intentions. It was all done trying to keep her safe. It was what I had been trying to do the whole time.
When I got back to the truck, she seemed relieved to see me, but before I got to her, she pulled up like she didn’t know what she wanted to do or say. There was also a black limo leaving when I came out of the woods.
Anna was upset. I was feeling the guilt again, as she pulled away even more when I got closer. I wanted to give her a hug, relieved that she was safe and she stepped back. It gave me a sick feeling in my stomach. Was I already too late and had already messed up with her too much? Couldn’t she see that it had to be that way?
And who was in the limo when I came out? I’d called Jack, but I knew that he wouldn’t have had time to get here yet.
“Come on Anna. Now, you know that I didn't mean to hurt you. I didn't hurt you, right?”
She agreed that I didn't, but it was also quite clear that she did not want to hear any excuses either. I had hurt her if I hadn't done it physically, I had definitely hurt her emotionally. For women, that was sometimes even worse.
“I didn't mean to. I had to get you away from them, so that I could drive them away. I couldn't let something happen to you.”
I wanted her to hear my reasoning. In no way, had I ever intended to hurt her. She had to believe that.
“It wasn't that you hurt me. It was how do you acted. It scared me.”
I think that was probably the worst words I’d ever heard before. I didn't want to hurt her. I certainly didn't want her afraid of me. None of those things were my intention.
“I’m sorry.”
“I know. But it happened and I don't know how to forget about it.”
I think that was even worse than being afraid. The idea that she somehow couldn't forgive me.
“Please don't say that. You knew what I was when we first got together.”
“Yes, and I'm not saying it has anything to do with it. But, I also thought that you had more control.”
“It does have to do with me being a shifter.”
“No, it
really doesn't. It has to do with you getting so rough with me and losing your cool. Even if you were human, I wouldn’t be okay with that.”
I was hoping that she could past my little indiscretion, but that didn’t seem to be the case. It was going to take more than a solitary apology to do the trick. That, I should have known.
Through the conversation, she had forgotten to tell me the most important part. The part that had her brother taken by Vincent and now being held captive. I haven't been gone that long, but it seemed like a lot had happened. A lot that I wish I had been there to keep her safe from, to protect her from. I really was doing a poor job of protecting her at the moment. I wanted to be better. But first, we had to decide how to do it. For a little bit of time, I’d been dealing with Vincent as an adversary, and learned not to take any of it for granted. He was smart and viscous. A bad combination.
“Let's get out of here, Anna. We're going to get your brother back.”
She looked at me and so desperately she wanted to believe me. I was afraid that I would let her down. It seemed to be a theme and it was certainly one that I wanted to avoid in the future. The last thing I wanted to do was let her down again. I couldn’t let anything happen to her brother, knowing what he meant to her.
She told me about the encounter on the way and it still amazed me how brave she was. Most women would have wilted, I could imagine that Anna had been straight-backed and looking Vincent right in the eyes. She really was a sight to behold and I was proud to know her. Glader that she was mine.
“Where do you think he took him?”
“I don't know, I guess he took him wherever he does business. I've never really dealt with him, so I can’t even guess.”
“I just don't know what to do.”