Alex stood abruptly. “No! Shut up, Luca. You’re the liar. You’ve been lying to me my entire life and I’m no longer the trusting little girl ready to swallow any bullshit story you feed me. I’ve made my choice and my choice is Tre. My choice is to be Coteri. Now just get the fuck out of here and leave me alone.”
Luca stood slowly, then moved to the door. He fit the key into the double-cylinder lock and opened the door. He didn’t turn around. “I’m sorry, Alexandria. I always tried to protect you, and in this I failed.”
He closed the door behind him and Alex heard the hollow click as he reengaged the lock. He was lying to her again…wasn’t he? Alex shook her head, frustrated that she’d even allow Luca to play on her insecurities where Tre was concerned. She wouldn’t allow herself to be sucked in by her brother’s lies again. She had faith in Tre, faith in his feelings for her. He loved her. He’d marked her and told her she was his. She had to believe that or she’d truly be lost.
Hours later, the sun had dropped and the sky turned to dusk, taking some of the infernal heat with it. As Alex sat huddled on the cot, she was startled when she heard the lock click. She wasn’t ready to face Luca again or hear any more of his lies. The door opened and she flinched when she recognized who it was. It was the asshole from the marsh lab. The one with the burn scars on his neck, who had put her in a bruising chokehold. Dog,her brother had called him. Without a word, he carried a tray of food across the room and set it on the end of the cot. He straightened and met her gaze. Alex pressed her back more firmly against the wall as he walked toward her, his brow furrowed. He was huge. He looked angry. And he scared the shit out of her.
“What do you want?” she choked out.
He slowly lifted his hand to her chin and guided her head up and to the side with his fingers. Although scared shitless, Alex was surprised by his gentle touch, at least until a rumbled growl escaped his throat.
“Who struck you?” His voice was deep, menacing.
She turned her head out of his grip and shrugged a shoulder, immediately causing her to wince with pain.
“Where else are you wounded? Show me,” he ordered.
She stiffened at his tone and regained some of her lost courage. “Why the hell do you care? If you must know, Mommy Dearest got me in the face and big brother sliced my shoulders and back when he kidnapped me last night.” She hesitated for just a heartbeat but pressed on. “And if you look closely, you’ll even see your handiwork on my neck from where you choked me the other day. Gotta say, I’ve had better weeks.”
The giant of a man scowled and took a step back. He took a deep breath and she watched the muscles in his massive arms flex when he opened and closed his fists. “Eat. I’ll return shortly to tend your wounds and retrieve the tray.”
Alex sat in stunned silence as he stalked from the room. What the hell?
* * * * *
The team had returned to Royal to regroup after an exhaustive search through the city and neighboring parishes. Nic and Thea had been safely tucked away at their grandmother’s old house. Neither Dev nor Michael felt comfortable leaving them alone in the Royal house now that the Valta knew their location and they needed every warrior to aid in the search for Alex.
Night had fallen and they’d been searching in teams of two, using grid patterns in an effort to cover more territory. There wasn’t a trace of Alex, Luca or any Valta whom they could find. Tre was close to losing it as he gripped the metal railing on the balcony outside Dev’s office, unable to sit within the confines of the office with his team. No, his beast was too close to the surface for mixed company, so it was better for him to remain alone outside.
“Hey, man. How you holding up?” Talon asked as he joined Tre on the balcony.
“How do you think? How were you doing when Luca took Chloe last year?” Tre snapped.
“Point taken. Sorry.”
Tre lowered his chin to his chest and shook his head. “Shit, T. I’m the one who’s sorry. I didn’t mean to take your head off but I feel about ready to crawl out of my fucking skin. It’s dark and we’re going on close to twenty-four hours since Alex was taken. I don’t have a clue where she is or even if she’s safe and it’s driving me insane. If her family finds out she betrayed them…” He didn’t finish the statement.
Talon reached out and cupped Tre’s shoulder. He gave a firm shake. “Hey, we’re going to find her and get her back because I won’t allow any other outcome. I need to meet this female who’s got you so tied up in knots that you can’t see straight. Then I’m going to flip you shit for the rest of your life about how pussy-whipped you are, because if I remember correctly, you took extreme pleasure in labeling me with that title when I was fighting my attraction to Chloe.”
Tre turned and faced his friend. “I’ll take it, bro. You can flip me shit as often as you like if it means I can have Alex back home safe with me.”
“I’m gonna hold you to that, Betty.” Talon grinned.
Dev’s booming voice broke the moment. “Hey, ladies. Breaktime is over. Get your asses in here. We’ve got a lead.”
Tre and Talon joined the rest of the team inside as Dev stood behind his desk. “Okay, I just got off the phone with Roderick. He gave me an address he wants us to check out. Says his intel is credible.”
“Hold up.” Talon walked over to Dev. “The king is in Germany. How is he getting any intel for us on this?”
Dev shook his head. “I asked him the same damn thing. All he would say was to trust him and ‘all will be revealed in due time’, whatever the hell that’s supposed to mean. I swear the man is spending too much damn time with Isla. He’s even starting to talk in riddles like her now. Chaps my ass to no end.”
“The location?” Tre asked impatiently.
Dev looked at the piece of paper he was holding. “It’s smack-dab in the middle of the Atchafalaya River Basin. From what Roderick said, it’s a sprawling place built on stilts and only accessible by boat. He gave me the coordinates to make it easier to locate.”
Tre moved to the open balcony doors, ready to take off.
“Hold up, Tre.” Dev ordered. “I don’t know how credible Roderick’s information is but we’re going to assume it’s the real deal, which means we plan this out to the letter.”
After relaying the coordinates to the location, Dev turned to address his team. “Tre, Michael, Marcus and Seth, you go in by air and hold for our signal. We do this as a unit. Talon, Jude, Sean and I will go in by boat so we can surround the property and enter from all sides. Plus the boat will give us a way to transport any potential wounded from the site.”
Tre cursed low at the thought of Alex being wounded. “Let’s do this,” he growled, and headed for the balcony, uncaring whether the other three members of his team followed. He only knew he had to get to Alex. Now.
Chapter Twenty-Four
The air was thick and still, the humidity making it difficult to take a breath. The moon was high, full and bright as it reflected off the softly lapping water so it hampered the speed at which they could approach. As the boat silently coasted to the front of the massive structure, lights showed through several of the windows, but no movement could be detected from their location in the water.
“You ready to do this, little brother?” Talon clasped a firm hand to the back of Sean’s neck.
“You do realize you’re not that much bigger than me, right? And fuckin’ A I’m ready,” Sean replied with a grin.
Talon drew his blade from the holster on his back. “Yeah, but the important point to remember is that I am bigger. Listen, once inside, I want you to stick close to me. Got it?”
Sean rolled his eyes, knowing his brother couldn’t see it, and pulled his own blade. “Sir, yes sir!”
“Smartass,” Talon whispered with a grin.
Dev sent the signal to the other team as he tied the boat to one of the support pilings under the house. “Time to go, boys. I sure as hell hope Roderick knows what he’s talking about or this is going
to be a short night.”
Dev, Talon, Sean and Jude crept silently up the support pilings and onto the enormous wooden deck that surrounded the structure. Talon and Sean would go through the front while Dev and Jude would split off to the side entrances.
Talon lifted his closed fist to his brother’s and they bumped knuckles. “Showtime, little brother.”
* * * * *
Alex was jolted awake by a large hand covering her mouth. Her eyes widened as she brought into focus the warrior who had earlier fed her, then later cleaned her wounds. Her instincts kicked in as she tried in vain to struggle out of his hold.
“Shhh. It’s time to go, damn it. Now get up, do exactly as I say, and don’t make a sound if you want to make it out of here alive. Got it?”
Alex nodded, still confused but willing to take any help she could get to ensure she got as far away from this place as possible. He pulled her to her feet and led her to the door, which stood open, before he turned to her and grabbed her hands.
“Take this and hide it in your fist,” he instructed as he placed a small key in her palm. “I can’t remove the cuffs until we’re safely outside, just in case we’re stopped within the house and I have to explain why you’re out of your room.”
“I don’t understand. Why are you helping me?” Alex asked softly, still hesitant to trust this man.
“No time. If we get separated, go to the back of the house and out the door. There’s a small boat secured to the far left support beam below the deck, just in case you’re unable to shift and get away. If you use the boat, head east until you come to Mandeville. From there you should be able to make your way home.” He tugged on her arm to get her moving.
Alex’s heart was racing, her breaths choppy and shallow. At this rate, even once the cuffs were removed she’d be too hyped-up to shift. She was amazed how quietly her protector moved given his size and she struggled to stay just as silent. He led her down the stairs and along a darkened hall until voices pulled him up short. Alex nearly ran into the back of his still form but he held his arm out to steady her and to make sure she stayed behind him. Alex stilled when she heard her brother’s voice, unaware that her protector had left her side and disappeared down the dark adjoining corridor.
* * * * *
Tre moved silently through the lower-level rooms at the back of the house. His team split off to search the upper levels. A dim light glowed down a long hallway that opened up to split off into several more rooms. Instead of an open-floor plan, the place was an enormous maze. He followed the light and turned left into another large room. The far wall across from the entrance housed floor-to-ceiling bookshelves, filled to capacity. The back wall consisted of a bank of windows that looked out over the dark water. The reflection he saw in the windows stopped him short before he spun around, weapon ready to strike.
Luca smiled and stood from the couch he’d been sitting on. Tre wanted to swipe the bastard’s smirk off his face with the end of his blade. Distant sounds of heavy fighting drifted into the room. Growls and the sound of metal blades connecting, followed by heavy thuds from the upstairs area, meant his team had definitely found their Valta targets. But Tre’s focus remained on Luca.
“Tre,” Luca began. “I’d like to say it’s good to see you, but then it’s really not. I can, however, say I’m surprised you found me so fast and, dare I admit, I’m a little impressed by your ingenuity. As Talon’s ever-present sidekick, I never really took you for the smart one.” He chuckled.
“Tell you what, Luca. Let’s play a little game called ‘Fuck off’. You go first,” Tre growled as he took a step toward Luca. “Now where is she?”
“You mean my sister?” Luca asked as he unsheathed his own weapon, a disgusted sneer spread across his lips. “The sister you lied to, then tricked into betraying her family and her people? The sister you used like one of your many cheap whores, all while feeding her fantasies about love and a mating that we both know you’d never go through with?”
They were circling each other now and Tre felt his control slipping with each taunting word spilling out of Luca’s mouth. The bastard obviously knew of Alex’s betrayal and Tre’s blood went cold at the thought of what Luca might have done to her after realizing she’d changed loyalties.
“Is that the naïve little sister you mean?” Luca’s slick cadence and twisted accusations fueled the burning rage in Tre’s veins.
Tired of Luca’s taunts, Tre replied with his own. “Yep, that’s the one. Now tell me where she is, fucker.” Tre drew his blade back, ready to strike the sadistic little bitch standing before him, but was brought up short by the slow smile spreading across Luca’s face. He tracked Luca’s gaze, which was now over Tre’s left shoulder.
Tre turned and froze at the sight of Alex’s pale face, tears streaming down her cheeks as she stood in the doorway. Her wrists were shackled in iron restraints but she held both hands cupped tightly over her mouth. He took a step toward her and she backed away, shaking her head.
“By the way, Tre, where’s your mark?” Luca mocked behind him.
A strangled sob choked from Alex’s chest as she turned to run from him. “No!” Tre yelled and started to reach for her, but then he roared in pain as he felt the agonizing slice of Luca’s blade searing through the skin and muscles of his back.
He dropped to his knees at the same time Alex turned around to meet his gaze, his legs unable to support his weight. The cut was deep—he knew by the amount of blood pooling beneath him and his weakened state. He should have anticipated the pussy move of attacking once his back was turned from a coward like Luca, but his sole focus had been on the devastated look in Alex’s eyes. Tre listed to the side as Alex came running toward him and kneeled beside him. He watched as she twisted her wrists urgently back and forth, her long dark hair falling forward to shield her face. The iron fell from her wrists and it was only then that he noticed a small key in her hand.
Tre reached up to touch the swelling bruise on her cheek, the fury that someone had struck her giving him the needed strength to fight the pain. He cupped his hand behind her neck and tried to pull her to him. She resisted, the look of pain and betrayal evident in her shattered blue gaze.
Movement caused Alex to jerk to her feet, Tre’s blade now in her hand. She planted her feet on either side of his broad chest, ready to protect him with her life if necessary. She was still struggling with what she’d overheard between Tre and Luca, but regardless of Tre’s true feelings toward her, Alex knew he owned her soul and she would die before she’d let her brother kill him.
From behind her, the room started to fill. She relaxed her stance somewhat when she realized it was Tre’s team. They were bloody and some were wounded but she knew they would protect Tre with everything they had. Her gaze found Sean, who had several long, deep slashes across his left pectoral, obviously inflicted by someone’s unsheathed claws. He was being held up by a very handsome yet scary-looking man. The man was huge and she’d never seen him at the Royal house. But since he was with Tre’s team and he was obviously helping Sean, Alex instinctively trusted him. The stranger’s intense gaze met hers before he looked down at Tre’s wounded form. His deep-blue eyes blazed with fury and locked on to Luca before a deep, rumbling growl escaped his massive chest.
She turned her gaze back to Luca and watched as he stepped back, clearly uneasy at the turn of events, but his eyes still flared with rage along with a hint of fear. “I’ll deal with you later, Talon,” Luca clipped, then returned his anger to Alex. “You heard him, Alexandria.” He pointed to Tre. “He admitted to everything I told you. You would lower yourself to lie with such a dog and turn against your family and your people? He deserves to be gutted and neutered for all he has done.”
He took a step forward but halted when Alex released her own feral growl. She crouched protectively over Tre, the blade in her hand ready to strike, her canines extended. “Come one step closer or threaten to harm my mate again and I swear you will have the pleasure of f
eeling what it’s like to be gutted and neutered by my own hand.”
Behind her, Alex recognized Michael’s voice. “Fuuuck me, Dev. I stand corrected, man.”
Luca ignored the comment as his nostrils flared and pure hatred filled his gaze. “Mate? Hardly, you traitorous bitch. He didn’t allow you to mark him and he doesn’t want you. If you would turn your back on your people, on your own family, then you become my enemy. You think about that before you choose sides, sister.”
Alex stiffened at his words but lifted her chin and straightened to her full height. Gone were any false memories of happiness and love where her brother was concerned. She met Luca’s gaze directly. “I choose Tre, whether he returns that choice or not. I choose the Coteri, if they’ll have me. And if you and Valencia are my only options for a family, then I’m better off alone. You are nothing to me, you evil bastard. You think about that…brother,” she seethed, throwing his words back at him.
Tre’s firm grip tightened around her calf and brought her attention to him. Alex turned and bent to a crouch beside him, worried he would bleed out in front of her eyes if they didn’t get him out of there soon. She was surprised by the strength of his hold as he clasped the back of her neck and pulled her even closer.
Tre brushed his lips softly over hers and whispered, “You’re mine, Alex. I love you, baby. Don’t forget we’ve got some unfinished business to tend to when we get out of here.”
“Oh, for fuck’s sake,” Luca groaned in the background.
Alex smiled, completely ignoring Luca’s comment as relief flooded her system. She watched in stunned amazement as Tre slowly sat up, then stood. The bleeding from his wound had stopped, a testament to his warrior strength. He pulled Alex in close to his side and sent her a wicked grin before taking his blade back from her hand. Her heart near bursting, Alex was unable to stop the tears that were flowing freely now.
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