by Vella Day
He moved closer. “He wasn’t in his office and he wasn’t at home. Got any ideas where he might be?” He moved so close, he loomed over her.
“I only worked for him for one day, but I did copy his agenda for the next day or two.”
Trax didn’t move. “Why didn’t you tell me?”
You never asked. “I assumed you’d pick him up at the office and he’d never make his appointments.”
Trax pulled out his phone, tapped once, and swiped his finger across the screen. “Where will he be tomorrow or later today?”
“I have the information upstairs.”
“Let’s go.” Trax strode toward the door that led to the apartment.
Dante placed a hand on her back. “Better do as he says. When he fails at something, he’s a bear.”
She wanted to kiss him and say how amazing he was, but she’d tell him later. Jogging, she rushed up behind Trax. By the time she reached the apartment he’d already retrieved a beer from the fridge.
“It’s in my purse.”
“Find it.”
Her mind raced as she went into the bedroom. If she just told him the information, he’d take it and leave again, and she’d never get the satisfaction of seeing Couch go down.
Inside her purse she looked through the scraps of paper. Each one had an appointment listed. According to one of them, Mr. Couch was meeting someone at the shipyard at five tonight. That was in two hours. Not wanting to show her whole hand, she ripped up the paper. She went out to meet Trax.
He nodded. “Well?”
Liz straightened her shoulders. “He has a meeting in two hours.”
“Where?”
“I’m not telling unless you take me with you.”
He stepped closer and her pulse raced. His gaze never left her face. The last time he’d been this intense, he’d kissed her. The thought of almost making love with one man, then kissing another should have horrified her, but with these men, it felt right. Dante claimed they shared, so her guilt wasn’t as great.
“You know the answer.” A nerve pulsed around his eye and his lips thinned.
“Then I’m not telling you where the appointment is.”
He stared for several seconds most likely deciding what to do with her. “Fine. I’ll call my men. Be ready in thirty minutes.”
If he hadn’t been watching, she would have pumped her fist. “You won’t be sorry.”
“I already am.”
Chapter Nine
Trax drove his SUV, and the other four men followed in another vehicle. When he introduced her to Drake, Kurt, Clay, and Dirk, she was confident they could take care of Couch quite easily. All four had powerful builds and moved like highly trained dancers.
“Head out on Highway 39,” she told him.
He glanced over at her. “Then where to?”
She wasn’t going to let him trick her. “I’ll tell you when we get there.”
He huffed out a breath, but she refused to give in. They rode in silence for the next fifteen minutes. Finally, she couldn’t take his sullenness. “I don’t see why you’re so mad. It’s not like you’re giving me a gun or that I’m insisting on hunting down Couch myself.”
“You got that right.”
“Don’t you ever loosen up?”
“Not when I have a job to do. Couch is highly dangerous. I told you what would happen if the authorities found out about his illegal operations and catch him.”
“Yes, but you’ll catch him first and put in a jail for his kind.”
He shot one more glance at her as he turned on the highway. “You’ve mentioned several times that Couch stole your life. It’s your mom who suffered.”
She’d been waiting for him to connect the dots. “That’s true, but my dad was greatly affected, too. He left us about eighteen years ago after my mother stopped coming out of her room. Eventually, the money ran out for good schools or anything.”
“I’m sorry.”
Only because he sounded sincere, did she drop it. “Take the next right turn.”
Trax nodded. “Couch had an appointment at the shipyard?”
“Yes.”
He pulled out his phone and told his cell to call Kurt. “We’re headed to the docks. We’ll park and then set up surveillance.” He disconnected the call.
“How are you planning to capture him? Walk up to him and slap on cuffs?”
“Does it matter as long as he’s incarcerated for the rest of his miserable life?”
“No. I just want two minutes with him to see why he came back after all those years.”
Trax didn’t answer.
They entered the shipyard. Several large tankers were in dry dock and a variety of tugs and other commercial boats filled the harbor. Cargo boxes like the type that went on top of a train sat off to the side.
Trax drove around, probably scoping out the place, then went to the far end of the lot near the street and parked. “You should be safe here. It’s in plain view of the road.”
He got out of the car, came over to her side, and pulled open the door. Her pulse spiked. Had he decided she deserved to be the one to pull the trigger? To be honest, now that she understood how hard it was to kill the bastard, she didn’t want to get anywhere near him.
Trax leaned in. “This is for your safety.”
She didn’t understand what that meant until he clasped a handcuff around her wrist and attached the other end to the handle above the door. “Again? Are you serious? I won’t get out of the car. I promise.”
The door slammed shut and her ire ratcheted tenfold. What was wrong with that man? Okay, he could have tortured her into telling him the time, date, and place, but instead he honored her wish regarding her need to see Harvey Couch taken down. Regardless, his attitude rankled.
The five men dispersed and seconds later she was unable to spot any of the men or any other worker for that matter. It was a little before five and there should have been people around cleaning the ships and doing repairs. Right?
She checked the car doors to make sure they were locked even though she’d heard them click closed when he’d pointed the remote. She wished he’d at least let her roll down the window a few inches to let in air. She jangled her wrist, but of course, the cuffs held.
Damn. Now for the interminable wait. If she’d brought her purse, she could have called Chelsea. At least if her friend knew where she was, Liz would have felt better. Not that anything would happen with five super humans running around after one older man, but being out in the open didn’t make her feel all that secure.
With the engine off, the clock wasn’t engaged, and time dragged. She kept her eye on the containers where she thought Couch would meet his contact. Several times, she checked the road to see who might pull in.
After twenty minutes, she gave up trying to find anyone. She’d hoped one of the guys would have gotten on top of the containers and watched from there. She have been able to kept an eye on him that way.
Trax and the men had to be lying in wait ready to pounce from somewhere. They’d already gone to Couch’s home, so maybe Mrs. Couch had warned her husband that Trax was looking for him. Perhaps the man had decided to lie low and not meet his contact.
A white Mercedes drove past her and her pulse raced. She tried to get a look at who was in the front seat, but the dark tinted windows prevented her. Damn. Hopefully, Trax and his men knew the type of car Couch drove. Goose bumps raced up her arm at the thought of the vile man being near.
The car disappeared behind the containers. Perhaps the driver was the person Couch was to meet.
She dropped back her head and let out a groan. Stakeouts sucked. She’d just about given up on them catching the guy when a knock sounded on her window. She bolted upright.
Holy fuck! It was Couch bending over and grinning at her. She patted the seat for her purse that contained her gun remembering once more she hadn’t brought it.
“Mr. Couch.” Since she wasn’t wearing much makeup, and only had o
n a T-shirt and a light sweater instead of something sexy, perhaps he wouldn’t recognize her. Then how could she explain knowing his name? I’m an idiot.
He placed his palm on the window and then pounded on the glass three times. Her heart rate shot through the roof and she yanked the cuff to get loose. Did he think he could shatter the glass? Dear God in Heaven.
“I know who you are, Ms. Wharton. Tsk, tsk for trying to fool me.” The windows made it hard to hear the tone of his voice, but from the way he curled his lip, he was pissed. Her throat closed up and her ribs squeezed her heart tight.
He stepped back, pulled out his gun, and aimed.
Oh, shit. Oh, shit. Her heart jumped up her throat. She tried to duck, but with her arm attached to the overhead handle, she couldn’t move. Oh, fuck. Three pops sounded. She waited for the bullets to pierce her body and the life to drain out, but nothing happened. She opened her eyes. The window didn’t shatter. Did his gun have blanks and he was only trying to scare her?
If so, he’d succeeded.
He lowered his arm and sneered. “Next time, you won’t be in a car.”
The ass turned around as calm as could be and walked toward the exit. No new car was visible so how had he gotten here?
She tugged hard on the restraint but it wouldn’t budge. “Arrgh.”
Trax needed to know Couch was here. She searched the docks, but like before, saw no one.
Then the Mercedes eased out from behind the containers and exited the shipyard. Surely, Trax and his men had checked out the driver. She twisted around to see if the car stopped to picked up Couch, but she’d lost sight of him again. Her foot tapped a hard beat on the floor trying to locate him. She couldn’t.
What seemed like forever later, Trax stepped from behind a tanker and motioned his men to retreat. As soon as she saw him, the tension dissipated, but sweat had beaded her forehead.
Trax pulled open the door. His face said it all. He’d failed.
She twisted in her seat. Her throat was so dry she feared the words wouldn’t come out. “Couch was here and he tried to shoot me.” Her breaths whooshed out.
His eyes darkened and his lip twitched. “When?”
Now that she was safe, her bravado disappeared and a tear brimmed her lash. Her body sagged. “Can you undo me?” She wiggled her arm.
“Babe, I’m sorry I had to do that.”
The endearment swirled inside her and helped heal the fear a little. “You had to. Maybe if you hadn’t, Couch would have tried to take me.” Her stomach almost heaved.
“He’ll never get near you. I promise.” He unlocked the cuff and she lowered her arm. She rubbed the fingers that had almost gone asleep.
She didn’t want to tell him that unless he locked her in his apartment, he couldn’t keep her safe. “He already did. He shot the window, but maybe he didn’t have real bullets.”
“The windows are bulletproof. I never would have let you come if I didn’t know you were totally safe from Couch and from yourself.”
The tears she’d held back so long fell. She sniffled and swallowed, hating this ordeal wasn’t over.
Trax pulled out his phone and called one of his men. He told him Couch had been there, and they’d just missed him. He then faced her. “Tell me everything.”
Dropping her head back, she relived the almost deadly encounter. Her stomach swirled. She mentioned the white car.
“We saw the car. That wasn’t Couch.”
She sniffled. “After it disappeared behind the dumpster, Couch pounded on the window.” She squeezed her eyes shut, but the image of his leer wouldn’t go away.
Trax slammed his hand against the wheel. “Motherfucker.”
She couldn’t tell if he was upset that Couch almost got to her or because he was close and missed him. Trax scooted across the seat and hugged her. His warmth settled some of her nerves. “I’m so sorry I allowed you to talk me into letting you come.” He swept an errant strand of hair behind her ear.
She choked back a sob. “He called me by name. And it wasn’t Ms. Chambers.” Now the tears fell in earnest and she hiccupped.
Trax’s thumb swiped them away. “We’ll get the bastard. I promise.”
He started the engine and peeled out. His shoulders remained rigid throughout the drive back to his loft.
Once he parked, he jumped out and jogged over to her side. When he opened the door, his gaze scoured the back alley.
“He can’t know I’m staying here.”
“I wouldn’t put anything past Couch and his kind.”
She didn’t like the way his voice lowered. He grasped her arm tighter and rushed her to the building. All he had to do was lean over the scanner, and as soon as it read his iris, the door clicked open.
She raced upstairs and straight to the sanctuary. Once inside, she dropped down on the sofa and buried her head in her hands.
Trax knelt in front of her and clasped her hands in his. “We need to talk.”
His ominous tone almost scared her as much as Couch pointing that damned gun at her.
* * *
Trax had never been more scared in his life. Just thinking about that asshole Colter getting near Liz knotted his stomach. He’d fought in Iraq and met terrorists head on, but it didn’t compare to this gut-wrenching experience. It was his fault Liz was even in the car. What had he been thinking letting her come?
Sure, she had the information and seemed determined not to tell him, but he should have insisted. Clearly, she needed discipline.
She stared up at him waiting for him to have this discussion, but his cock was throbbing something fierce. Ever since he’d brought her here, all he could think of was sinking his dick into her sweet pussy. This damned mating stuff finally made him crack.
If he could train her to obey, life would be so much better.
“You need to understand something.”
She sucked in her bottom lip and he almost pulled her to his chest and kissed her.
“What?”
“You have no idea what Couch or any of the other Colters are capable of. I do. From now on you will obey me.” He desperately wanted to show her that obeying him could be amazing.
She was his mate. He’d seen her flushed face when she was with Dante in the store. Her scent had drawn him downstairs. His need was making him careless. Sooner or later she’d decide she wanted Dante for good, and when he told her they were werewolves, she’d freak out less if she cared for them both.
Her pert little mouth dropped open and her lids lowered. “Obey you? Am I now your captive slave?”
The idea of making her submit had the animal in him trying to burst out. If he didn’t taste her now, he would shift and ruin everything. One tug was all it would take to pull her into his arms.
She licked her lips and stuck out her chest in a defiant pose.
That did it.
He stood, pulled her to a stand, and clasped her to his chest. He almost hoped she’d scream and try to flee, but instead she did the worst thing possible.
She leaned in and kissed him.
Every last bit of resolve broke as he returned her kiss. His cock throbbed and pulsed, and the power within him threatened to come out. His need to claim her overtook all of his senses. He teased her mouth open, desperate to taste her. When she responded willingly, his claws began to replace his nails, and his bones cracked.
He pulled away. “Come with me.”
The expected question about where he was taking her never came. When he pressed his thumb on the sensor, the locked door behind the living room opened.
“So that’s how you get it to open. Cool.”
He prayed she’d think it was still cool once he showed her what the room contained. The inside was dark, but as soon as they passed under the sensor, the room’s lighting blinked on. The beige walls became bathed in a reddish hue adding to the seductive nature.
Liz halted. “What is this place?”
“Welcome to my playroom.”
She
glanced around and from the way her fingers tensed in his palm, she’d never seen anything like this.
“What’s all this for? I mean I can guess, but why show me?”
She rotated around and faced him. It was now or never.
“I want you.” He couldn’t wait anymore and bent down to drink in his fill.
Chapter Ten
Liz didn’t take her gaze off of Trax until they entered the room. Then the magical place drew her in. “Oh, my.”
She tried to figure out the purpose of all the items. One thing was for sure—it thrilled and scared her at the same time. A spanking bench to the right had her mind wandering. While no man had ever asked her to kneel on one, she thought the idea exciting. A padded table that looked like one a massage therapist would use stood in the middle of the room. Her sore muscles ached to have someone’s hand to rub the tension from her body.
Cuffs dangled not only from the walls but from the ceiling, and things like paddles, whips, crops, and collars hung on the side wall. She failed to take this all in. Half of her wanted to experience each and every item in here but another half was plain scared.
Her gaze continued across the room and stopped at the shelves that contained dildos and a few things she couldn’t even guess their use. Suddenly, she was far outside her comfort zone.
“Do you like my pleasure room?” It sounded as if he was holding his breath, waiting to see if she’d turn and try to run.
“I’m not sure.” She didn’t know if he wanted to bring her in here to have sex or just to show her what would happen if she didn’t obey.
He turned her around and clasped her shoulders. “I’m hoping I can show you a new world of pleasure, but first you’ll need to learn to do what you’re told. It’s for your own good.”
She was about to say she was twenty-eight and didn’t need anyone to tell her how to act, but the need in his voice stopped her. His gaze oozed sex appeal and for some reason she wanted to obey him, if only to experience the wild side once in her life.
“How do you intend to tame me?” The defiant part of her body couldn’t be quelled.