"Shade, that’s my boyfriend, didn’t like the looks of them, so he and a couple of his guys have been staying out here with me. Between them and the and the dog’s, I don’t think they will be coming back. But I have to tell you we all got bad vibes from them, those people were up to no good."
"Thanks, Cathy and I will let Senior know you said hello. It was nice to meet you, and I’m sure by buddies is happy Peyton has good friends, stay safe."
"Same to you Wyatt, tell that brother of Peyton’s that I think she is in trouble. I tried to figure out what is going on but the girl's mouth is tighter than a frog’s butt in water when it comes to sharing information."
"Don’t worry Cathy, we are looking into it. When I catch up with Peyton, I will let her know that you were worried about her."
Damn it! Now Wyatt knew he wasn’t going home anytime soon. Time to make the call Bas something wasn’t right with his sister. Dreading the task walking back to his car for the hard drive down the fucking mountain Wyatt picked up the phone. Bas picked up on the first ring.
"Hello?"
Hey, Bas I’m at your sister’s place, and she isn’t here."
"What do you mean my sister isn’t there where the fuck is she? She never goes anywhere."
"Shit man listen how well do you really know your sister. I know you talk to her every week but when is the last time you actually laid eyes on her? None of us have gone on leave in a couple of years. A person can hide a lot when you don’t see them face to face. She could have a boyfriend or hell I don’t know. But listen I’m just relaying the facts what I mean exactly what I said, she is not here. Her assistant Cathy told me she took off for a while needed to do some stuff. But she also let me know that a woman claiming to be her mother came by yesterday demanding to see Peyton. When this Cathy chick told the woman, she wasn’t around the woman claiming to by Peyton’s mother went off the rails."
"No fucking way man! Peyton hasn’t seen her mother in 13 years why would the bitch just show up all of sudden. Dude you need to find my sister none of this is adding up. If she is in trouble, I need to be there."
"I don’t disagree with you man even her assistant seems to think something is wrong. But you need to calm down, and you need to think. How much do you actually know about Peyton’s life? All this could be something, or it could be nothing at all. I don’t really know your sister, but I can’t believe she would just cut and run without telling you she was in trouble. You said you were close wouldn’t she at least call or something? From what Cathy said she left on her own."
"See that’s another thing Peyton wouldn’t leave her dogs for anything. I haven’t had to see her in the last couple year to know that. Those dogs are her life. She also doesn’t have an assistant. She has always refused any help doesn’t like it when people are around. For her to give up the care of her dogs to a stranger, Dude that just doesn’t compute. No fucking way and she hates her mom. We both do."
"I don’t know man I am just repeating what Cathy said. The chick is on the up and up worked for Senior in the Navy. The nice lady, she is just as worried about your sister as you are. I also didn’t sense any fear of deception from her. She said the people that showed up here were shady and only left because her boyfriend showed up with a couple of his friends."
"Fuck man! You have to find her. This isn’t like Peyton at all she has to be in trouble."
"I think your right, give Jacks a call and tell him what is going on. Get him to give me permission to stick around for a while, I will try and locate your sister."
"He is my next call brother, please do your magic and try and locate my sister. If you can’t, I’ll fly down, there and do it myself. Fuck I probably should anyways I hate sitting here twiddling my fucking thumbs. With her mother involved this could be dangerous. She is a piece of fucking work, if what I am starting to suspect is true, she would sell Peyton out in a second to get a buck."
"What do you think is going on?"
"Well ever since Jacks told us Rye’s story, I have been connecting some dots. What we found out with Emma only increased my resolve. I heard my dad and Judy talking about Peyton one time, and she said that Peyton wasn’t even really her daughter. She was supposed to be a surrogate for some company. She was one of the several women that agreed to carry kids for money. Right before she gave birth she took off thinking that she would be able to get more money by ransoming Peyton but something spooked her, and she decided to keep Peyton instead. The bitch never let my sister forget it either."
"You think Peyton is one of Franklin’s babies is that what you are getting at?"
"No, I think Peyton is one of The Pandora Groups babies. I told Peyton what I suspected, but she blew it off, saying she knew full well where she came from and to never take Judy’s words for truth. The woman would sell her soul for a buck. Peyton refused to talk about it anymore, so I dropped it quietly looking into myself. I was trying to get her to the base so Ryleigh and Mia could test her but Peyton was dragging her feet. She kept saying she would think about it. Two weeks ago, she stopped returning my calls. Something is up man the only problem is I know my sister if she doesn’t want to be found she won’t be."
"Dude, I have worked with your sister I know some of her tricks. Get in touch with Jacks, and I will try and find a lead of where she might have taken off to. Do you have a picture or anything I could use to track her? I really don’t want to get Cathy any more involved. The chick is former military and already suspects foul play. She cares about Peyton’s and from what I gathered already Cathy’s boyfriend is deep in an MC. I don’t need a bunch of bikers coming after my ass while I try to track down your sister."
"I have a picture that I took a couple of years ago, I will forward it to you when we get off the phone. Dude please you need to find her. I’m going to give my brothers a call too. They weren’t around when my dad was with Judy but I have told them all about her, and they aren’t that far from there."
"No offense but I don’t need a bunch of amateurs messing with my mission. I know you want everyone possible on this, but they would just get in the way. Let me do my job if I locate her and if she is in trouble I will call you guys in."
"Okay have it your way for now, but just so you know my brothers are hardly armatures. All of them are retired Air Forces SARs. Even with your skills, you would be the weak link in that chain, asshole. They also linked up with other retired and formed a little Motorcycle Club by the name of Ruthless Bastards."
Wyatt wasn’t a stupid man he had heard of the Ruthless Bastards they were a sister MC to a much larger and scarier one The Sacred Saints, and those bastards were bad news. Both MC’s were outlaw biker’s clubs living by their own code and rules. While still in the military Wyatt had heard rumors about both clubs. Bas’s brother's club was renowned in military circles for going were others refused. Paid mercenaries killing machines. It seemed his buddy had been keeping a lot of secrets just hoped they didn’t end up biting him and The Alpha Team in the ass.
"You have got to be fucking kidding me does Jacks know you're linked to a fucking 1% MC? Dude, that could get you kicked out of NAC and our team, not cool man."
"Don’t get your panties in a bunch boy scout, both Jacks and Declan know about my brothers. They don’t run drugs, woman or guns. They are mercenaries, and before you ask, they are all human. Senior has even worked with several of them in the past. They are all good men who just happen to like the MC lifestyle get over it. They can help, and if you don’t come up with something on Peyton in the next 24 hours, I am calling them in."
"Fuck, whatever. Your boys may already know what is going on Cathy mentioned bikers. I don’t know all the clubs around here, but it could be them, might what to give a shout out. Let me know what Jacks says. I need to get to a safe house so I can set up my equipment and track your sister down. But dude if she is just hanging out with friend’s I am so going to kick your ass. I haven’t been home in weeks, and my bear doesn’t like it. You also owe me for the dama
ge your sister’s driveway did to my baby."
"You drove Bessie? Wait a minute how did you even get Bessie there you were on a mission. Cash flew you guys out? Are you fucking nuts my sister lives in the fucking mountains, no way your car should be there? If you were stupid enough to drive it the scratches are all on you fucker." Bas laughed.
"Whatever asshole, you will pay one way or the other. Hey while I am thinking about it have Jacks give Liam a call too. This place is close to his territory. I don’t want to add stepping on another Alpha’s toes and make this mess worse. And to answer your question after I had Bessie flown out, I wanted to drive home your fucking lucky I did, or I wouldn’t have been able to check up on your sister."
"You’re a fucking weirdo Wy, only you would ship your extremely expensive classic car out to you just so you could fuck it up. You might be one of the smartest people I know, but dude use some fucking common sense next time. That’ on you, not me. Bas got quiet and then said but thanks for doing this Wy I really appreciate it, Peyton is special and important to me. Wyatt wanted to give Bas some crap but found he couldn’t. Peyton was special Wyatt had been more than intrigued by the mysterious hacker, now that he had a chance to meet her in person he was even more curious."
"Yeah man I kind of got that from your reaction, but dude I have to ask I already know isn’t your real sister. I mean she isn’t blood-related is there more to your relationship than you are letting on?"
"No, and blood doesn’t matter Dude Peyton is my sister through and through."
"Sorry, just had to ask with all the mating going on and your suspicions about her birth I just wanted to be prepared. I don’t think I could handle you going all caveman on my ass like Jacks does when anyone get close to Ryleigh."
Yeah, that was what he was telling Bas, but that wasn’t all of it. Peyton intrigued him, and he wanted to know her. They had spent quite a bit of time talking back and forth through messenger or email working on cases for about a year now, and even if it was just to himself, he wasn’t ashamed to admit he had more than one dream about the woman. He would try to figure out what she looked like never having seen a picture. He never pressed Bas about the mysterious hacker because he didn’t want to know if they had a deeper relationship even if it was in the past. Wyatt wanted to keep the mystery woman to himself. The dream version at least. He liked her sense of humor and wit. He also liked how she responded to his more explicit messages, she was quick on her feet. If Bas didn’t have any claim on her other than family, then maybe he would see if it leads anywhere. It had been a long time since a woman sparked his interest this much.
"I get it, but Peyton is just my sister. I don’t think my future involves a true mate. Let’s get real man, there aren’t that many women out there that can give me what I need let alone my bears need for control. I will stick to the club scene and leave the true mating stuff to you guys." The sadness in Bas's voice didn't go unnoticed with his last statement. Unfortunately, he felt the same way, but he didn’t want his buddy to completely give up the idea because even he still had a glimmer of hope that the legends were true.
Finding the one person that would complete you, calm your animal and give you a future was a fantasy he just couldn’t completely deny himself.
"You never know man, there might be a little subby out there just waiting for your control freak nature," Wyatt laughed, but he was aware of what Bas was talking about. They all had dominate traits, one and done’s were easy. Long term another story. It also didn’t help that they could be called out at a moment noticed for a job. They might not be in the military anymore, but sometimes it sure felt like it. Women weren’t generally receptive to a man that would leave for indeterminant amounts of time and couldn’t divulge where he was. That shit just didn’t happen. At least in the military, they could say they were deploying.
Bastian kind of laughed," Yeah man plenty that want to play the part for a scene or the moment but not a lifetime. Dude let’s get real that Franklin guy created hundreds of babies. We don’t even know if all of them contain Shifter genetics. What we do know is that there are billions of people on this planet, so our chances of finding that one woman are pretty slim to none. I’d rather live the life I have left in reality not hoping for the impossible. Whatever, you have work to do, and I have calls to make."
"Okay I got the hint, fate is a fickle bitch, but damn dude hope is just hope there is no harm in having a little. But I get it dropping the subject, Wyatt quipped. He didn’t like the stress his Team had been under lately. Their way life was changing and although he thought it might be a good thing it also created, even more, problems he just hoped it was all worth it. I will get back to you once I am settled and have some intel."
"Same here douche bag, I will let you know what Jacks and Liam have to say. Later."
Ending the call, Wyatt decided to get his ass in gear. His poor Bessie was not going to like the trip down the mountain. Damn it he should have just rented a fucking Jeep or something, but after being away from his team for so long taking care of NAC business, he wanted to drive his girl home and unwind. He wanted the peace that he always had hearing the engine roar to life and the feel of her speeding down the open road.
His baby was one of only a few good things in his childhood. Finding Bessie in a junkyard at 15 years old he spent every cent he made fixing her up, it also kept him out of his house. Much to his parent delight. They weren’t bad people they just didn’t give a shit what Wyatt did or was up to. When Wyatt left to join the service, he used every cent he had to store his precious car away, and through the years he added more and more making her into the beauty she was today. He loved his car, and this little mission was wreaking havoc on it.
Bessie was a sleek black on black convertible 1971 Hemi Cuda. Her body was curved and ample, and she boasted had the best throaty loupe Wyatt had ever heard. The growl and vibrations she produced would make any man cry. He loved his car no question about it what he loved most was Bessie didn’t talk back, cause him problems or create unnecessary chaos. She moved at this command and never questioned his orders or demands. Bessie was comfortable, he took care of her, and she took care of him. Offering him peace and pride. What she wasn’t though was made for back hill country, dirt roads and pot holes the size of fucking craters. She needed the highway, flat pavement, and long stretches to unleash her ponies and Wyatt loved giving her that.
Thinking about it only pissed him off more. He needed to find and grab Bas’s sister and get back to base. He needed to be with the Team. Figure this shit out with Pandora and Davis Defense and help bring them down. What he didn’t really need was to be tromping through the fucking mountains looking for Peyton. Damn just thinking that name did something to him and that was completely out of character. He hoped she lived up to what he had built up in his mind about her.
Chapter 7
Wyatt had heard his phone ring with a new message and knew that if he stopped right now, he could put himself out of his misery, and look at the photo Bas had just sent. But he wanted to savor the moment. If he didn’t need the picture to find Peyton, he would wait so he could lay eyes on her the first time in person. Eventually, the anticipation got the better of him though, and he had to pull over.
Pulling up his message he clicked on the link and there right before his eyes was Peyton Carlton in all her glory. It was a sweet picture, she was laughing at something while sitting next to Bas by a campfire. The quality of the picture wasn’t that great, it was dark and grainy. But it was just enough for Wyatt to get his first look at the woman that had preoccupied his thoughts for so long now.
Her dark hair was all over the place sticking up in different angles. She was tiny maybe five foot but also curvy in a good way. He really couldn’t get a good gauge of her eyes color, but he assumed they were a dark brown maybe hazel. There was even a little smudge on her cheek, it endeared him. He liked that she didn’t seem to take herself too seriously. She was wearing simple clothes, jeans, t-shirt with
a flannel over the top. The flannel looked to be several sizes too large, and he assumed it was Bas’s. He wasn’t prepared for how much he and his bear hated the idea of this woman wearing another man’s clothes. Even if it was her brother. Something inside of his head screamed that it was wrong.
To his delight, Peyton didn’t seem like a woman that cared what people thought of her, good thing because neither did Wyatt. She didn’t appear to mind getting a little dirty. If Wyatt ever got the chance, he would make sure she got a lot dirtier. An unexpected groan passed his throat. Damn, he felt like a pervert. Here he was sitting on the side of the road, his dick hard enough to hammer nails and all because he finally got his first glimpse at Peyton.
Unfortunately, or fortunately depending on how you looked at it. He couldn’t pull his eyes away from the beautiful woman in the picture. His dream version hadn’t even come close to her perfection. Girl next door looks with a little rough around the edges thrown in to make the whole package even better. He could imagine her running around barefoot in the woods behind his home. Playing not afraid of getting mussed. She was simply perfect.
He had dealt with high maintenance woman in the past and had no interest in reliving the experience. Hours to get ready, hair so stiff a person would find it hard to get their fingers through it if they tried. Layers upon layers of war paint or makeup that took hours to apply. Wyatt had to fight the urge to mess up what they perceived as perfection, and he viewed as a barrier or mask. He hated staid and uptight and had always craved unencumbered and fun.
He had always wanted someone he could play with in and out of the bedroom. He hated pretense and propriety. He had enough of that growing up. His family looked perfect from the outside looking in but was anything but that in reality. His father was an elder in their community. Even though he was an accepted addition to the family, the man used Wyatt to his advantage. Much like he did to his mother. Wyatt’s father used everything he could to further his standing within the clan even his own child, the man never truly wanted that child to begin with.
Wyatt: NAC & The Holly Group (Alpha Team Book 3) Page 7