Chapter 6
After her morning tea, Elena made an excuse to not have breakfast with her father and locked herself in her room. He seemed to buy the explanation that she was woozy from the wine and brandy the night before. And while Elena hadn’t had much alcohol in half a decade, that wasn’t the only reason she needed to be alone.
Emotions slammed at her from every side. She didn’t know which way was up or down or sideways. It was all one mass of chaos. She knew how to center herself and to remain calm — she’d been practicing yoga and meditation for most of her adult life. If there was any way to find quiet in the storm, she knew that was it.
She rolled out her yoga mat, donned her simple linen tunic and pants and began to practice her asanas. She went through a series of sun salutations, warming up for the more difficult poses. She worked with her breath, slowly breathing in and out as her body moved in fluid motions. Holding in extended stretches that defied the imagination. When she had completed her sun salutations, she began her more complex standing poses. Moving into tree pose, she lifted her left leg and twisted it around her right. Balancing on one foot, she wrapped her arms and breathed.
A thought of Hawk washed through her mind and threw her off balance. She gasped as she stumbled to the floor, coming out of tree pose clumsily. Her left foot twisted and slammed on the ground, and she fell unceremoniously on her ass.
Elena could barely believe what had just happened. She could hold the tree pose for half an hour before feeling a hint of fatigue. But one thought of Hawk, if that was really his name, brought up the torment she was in. She felt a soreness in her left ankle and grasped her foot, pressing her fingertips into the sensitive flesh. She then stood, testing the pain threshold.
Luckily it didn’t feel sprained. She couldn’t believe that she’d been thrown off so badly. This situation was really getting to her. And if she didn’t have resolution soon, she feared that everything she’d worked for, everything she believed in, everything that made her who she was would be washed away and forgotten in the confusion.
She couldn’t let that happen. She picked up her phone and was tempted to tell Hawk she wouldn’t be meeting him today.
Her flight to London wasn’t for two more days. He had told her she was in danger and needed to leave. That much she believed, because she already knew it was true. She didn’t need Hawk telling her that her father was a dangerous man. She couldn’t believe how deluded she’d been. But in her heart of hearts, she really, truly wanted to believe that her father was not the monster she knew him to be.
She put down her phone. Unless she left tonight and got a hotel room near the airport, there was nowhere else to go. She knew with her father wanting her to stay, she was better off remaining until she could get out of the country.
She’d had just enough money for the plane ticket to Poland and then to London. There wasn’t much left in her tiny bank account. She couldn’t just buy another flight out today. Her safest bet was to just play it out and leave right before her plane was about to depart. In the meantime, maybe Hawk could give her some answers to the questions that plagued her mind.
Her phone buzzed with a message from mate.com. She opened the app and all it said was to go to location several miles away, deep in the forest. She knew the area well from her childhood. She’d walked those woods a thousand times in an attempt to escape the horrors she knew were taking place inside her own home.
Since she had not been born a boy, her father barely took notice of her. He had not tried to introduce her into the family business. And he paid very little attention to her hobbies or pastimes or anything else for that matter. It wasn’t until she became a woman that he’d started to pester her about finding a man to marry. After only a year of that, Elena had sold some of her jewelry, bought a ticket to India, and disappeared.
She grabbed her old bicycle out of the shed and found it still worked. She made an excuse to her father and his goons, telling them she needed a little exercise. Leaving the compound on a bicycle brought very little suspicion. She was quite sure that no one followed her down the narrow road and out into the wilderness.
Riding slowly on her ten speed, she stopped from time to time to make sure there was no one driving behind her. The only sound she heard was the whisper of the wind and the bird songs in the crisp autumn air. Finally, her cellphone buzzed again with another message from mate.com. It gave her the final directions to where to meet Hawk.
She followed the directions deeper into the forest until she received a message that told her to walk into the woods. She took her bike, not wanting to leave it near the road, and began to walk deeper into the forest. Orange and gold autumn leaves whirled around on the soft breeze. Sunlight filtered through the branches, streaming into the forest. The piles of leaves glowed with the soft light from the clear, blue sky above. She felt good after the bike ride, her heart beating now with physical exertion as much as with anxiety.
Her phone buzzed again, telling her to stop. She looked around, wondering how anyone could know where she was. A dragonfly buzzed by and she blinked at it, thinking it looked slightly odd. But it was too fast for her to see clearly.
“Hello?” she called out into the woods. Birds sang in the branches above and a squirrel chirped, running up a tree trunk. No one answered. She waited, sniffing in the cool air.
“Elena,” came a deep rough voice from behind an oak tree.
She whirled, finding Hawk or Mitch or whoever he was standing right before her. He was no longer dressed in a white tailored suit or the tacky brightly colored track suits that her father’s goons typically wore. He was wearing dark denim jeans and a red flannel jacket. He stepped closer and the wind blew up behind him. She could no longer smell the overpowering scent of hyena. Being human, her sense of smell was nothing like a shifter’s, but his subtle scent blew on the breeze toward her. Musky and warm, it filled her senses with a sense of power. It was all around her, like a comforting blanket that would keep her warm on the coldest night.
“Who are you? Why did you ask me to come here?” she demanded.
No matter how much his sparkling blue eyes called out for her to come closer, to allow herself to be enveloped in his arms, she still couldn’t trust him. She had honed her intuition after years of practice. On one hand, every cell of her being screamed for her to accept him, to hold him, to kiss him. Another part of her mind screamed with warning. He was not what he appeared to be. He was neither an innocent American day trader or hyena arms dealer. There was something else going on. And she needed to know what it was.
“There’s only so much I can say. But I need to know that you are not part of your father’s organization.”
“Of course I’m not! Who are you?” she demanded, stabbing him in the chest with her index finger.
He caught her hand with his, and she tried to snatch it away, but he held it close, pressing it against his heart. She whimpered, relenting to the overpowering feeling of connection that would not relent any more than Hawk’s grip on her hand.
“I’m a friend. And I’m your mate. I have all the proof I need of that. Hell, I knew that the minute I laid eyes on you in your father’s house.”
“Why are you buying guns from my father? Are you a hyena or a bear?”
“Look at me, Elena. Do you really think I’m lying to you?”
“You aren’t being honest with me. You aren’t telling me the full truth. You might as well be lying.”
She snatched her hand away and turned her back to him. She wanted to run away. She wanted to escape all this confusion and the warring emotions that threatened to tear her heart to shreds. A strong hand gripped her shoulder, and she turned around, tears sliding down her cheeks.
“Please don’t cry,” he whispered.
“It’s your fault I’m crying. You’re tearing me apart.”
She was close to hysterics. All of her life she’d been lied to. All of her life she’d been surrounded by dangerous, murderous men. And now at the very moment when she
thought that maybe she’d met someone special, someone she could trust, someone she could love and make a life with, he turned out to be no better than anyone else. She found him doing a deal with the most heinous man she’d ever known. How could she ever trust him?
“I don’t want to hurt you. I wish this was all different. But fate works in mysterious ways. All I can tell you, Elena, is that you have to get out of your father’s house as quickly as possible.”
“My flight to London isn’t for two more days.”
“Then go stay in a hotel. Or book another flight and leave today. Anything. You just need to get out your father’s house. I’m begging you. Please listen to me.”
“Why do you want me to leave?” she asked stepping closer, her brows knit tightly over her eyes.
Something was happening. Something was going down, and he wasn’t telling her what. She needed to know, or she wasn’t going to do anything he asked. Elena was her own woman. And no matter how much she wanted to believe that she had found the one—that this overwhelming feeling of attraction, connection, and desire that she felt for Hawk was real—she vowed she would never let a man, or anyone, tell her what to do or what to think or who to be. She had made that mistake one too many times. She would never make it again.
“It’s for your own safety, Elena.”
“Why? Tell me why or I won’t do anything.”
“I wish I could tell you. If I could, this would all be so much easier.”
Another dragonfly buzzed past, and Hawk looked up at it, concern growing in his eyes.
“I’m not going to do anything you ask until you tell me the truth.”
“I just want you to get out the house. That’s all. That’s all I’m asking.”
“I can’t. I don’t have the money. My plane leaves in two days.”
Hawk reached into his pockets and pulled out Polish bills. “I can give you money if that’s the problem.”
He tried to shove the money at her, but she put her hands up blocking his path.
“I’m not taking your money. I don’t accept money from strange men. What kind of woman do you think I am?”
“A smart woman who wants to stay safe.”
“You’re right Hawk, if that’s who you really are. I am a smart woman who wants to stay safe. I never should have met you in this isolated location. I’m leaving. Don’t contact me again.”
Elena started away, despair boiling in her chest. Her heart was breaking. She didn’t know why, but she wanted to believe him. She wanted to trust him. Her deepest instincts were calling out for her to just put aside her rational thought and her suspicions and believe everything he said. But she couldn’t. That kind of thinking was what had brought her back to Poland in the first place. She had to be rational. She had to protect herself. And until he could tell her why he wanted her to leave her father’s house, she wasn’t going to do anything he asked.
Chapter 7
“I’m sorry it didn’t go the way you’d hoped,” Zander said as Hawk sat down at the big oak table back in the Justice Squad’s temporary headquarters.
“Things are getting dangerous,” Hawk said. “I couldn’t get her to trust me. And I understand why. She’s a strong woman with her own mind. And I shouldn’t have expected her to react any differently. But I’m at a loss. I don’t know what else to do. Does anyone have any suggestions?”
“The raid is scheduled for twenty-four hours from now,” Sampson said. “Whatever you decide, you’re going to have to figure it out quickly.”
“I’m well aware, Sampson,” Hawk grumbled.
Panic rose in his chest. It was an emotion he could not allow himself to entertain. He had to stay in control. He had to see this mission through to success. There was no other option. But his mate was still behind enemy lines. And he couldn’t convince her to leave. It was a catastrophe. And he still had no idea how he was going to rectify the situation.
“You could tell her the truth,” Titus suggested.
Hawk sighed, squeezing his eyes closed and pinching the bridge of his nose. He’d thought of that. And part of him wished that he had just told her when he’d met her earlier that day. He had been trying to keep her safe without jeopardizing the mission. And he could see now that it had been foolish.
A woman who would be his mate wouldn’t settle for a fraction of the information she needed to make a good decision. He could see in her eyes, and he could feel in his heart that she felt as strongly about him as he did about her. But it still wasn’t enough. She needed the information to base her decisions on. He couldn’t expect her to just rely on her gut. He had relied on his gut, yes, but he also had all the tech in the world to confirm that Elena Kroll was the person she made herself out to be on mate.com.
Yet he expected her to trust him when she had no idea what was going on. He was going to have to be the one to bite the bullet and tell the truth. He was going to have to be the one who trusted her. It was the only way that he was going to be able to complete his mission and keep her safe. No matter how dangerous the trained military operative part of him said it was to reveal sensitive information to the daughter of his target. There was no other way to move forward. He knew that now.
“I just might have to tell her the truth,” he said in a low, grumbling voice.
“Do you think that’s wise?” asked Jamison, more serious than Hawk was used to seeing him back at home at Fate Rock.
“It’s the only option. This woman is my mate. I can’t expect her to make a decision based on partial information anymore then I could expect myself to do the same. I am going to have to bridge the gap. I have intel from the best military equipment available. She doesn’t have that luxury. So, yes. I do think it’s wise.
“I’m not going to risk her life for this mission. And to do that, I need to come clean. I need to tell her who I am. I’m meeting with her father later today. He’s going to show me the merchandise. And we’re going to arrange payment. He’s made hints that he would be interested in pairing Elena off with someone like me. I can potentially get close enough to her to tell her what’s going on while I’m there. And then, hopefully, I can convince her to leave before the raid.”
“You have no objections from me,” said Max. Hawk nodded at him thoughtfully and then looked at the rest of his crew.
“Does anyone else have anything to say?”
“We all trust you with our lives,” said Rider. “And those of us who have mates of our own know exactly how difficult the situation is for you. I support you in whatever decision you see fit to make. And I can say with almost absolute certainty that every other man sitting at this table feels the same.”
Hawk looked around the table at his men, meeting each of their eyes in turn. Everyone smiled and saluted until he got to Sampson. He looked concerned and confused. Sampson crossed his arms over his chest and sat back in his chair, his expression thoughtful as he chewed on his lower lip.
“From what I can discern from the information available, Elena Kroll is who she said she is on mate.com. During the last two days of surveillance, I have not witnessed Elena engaging in any discussions with her father or his security. From all of her background and all of the information I have been able to glean from my sources, it is my conclusion that Elena Kroll is innocent and is not in any way involved with her father’s business. I would further venture to guess, and this is a guess, but a woman who spent five years at a secluded ashram in India, would not morally support selling weapons to terrorists.”
“I’m glad you agree,” Hawk said, nodding at his tech officer. “I’m meeting with Kroll in forty-five minutes. This will be my last meeting with him before the raid. I need to get confirmation of where the weapons are stored. And I need to get Elena out of the compound. Sampson, keep those micro drones close. Pick up any information you can. I need to speak to Elena, and I need to know with 100% certainty that we won’t be overheard at the compound. Are those areas still clear of surveillance devices?”
“I hav
e run every diagnostic test available at the highest levels of security. And my conclusion is that the initial locations I pointed out before, in the boxwood maze, and in the forest beyond the gardens, are not currently under surveillance.”
“Very good, I will speak with her at one of those locations.”
Hawk withdrew to his room and changed into another tacky outfit. He donned his gold tooth, the gold necklace, and the gold watch with a lime green sport suit and pointed toed suede shoes that matched. He bristled at himself as he applied gel to his hair in the mirror. He looked terrible. He couldn’t blame Elena for never wanting to see him again. But he was armed with the truth this time in his heart. He hoped that it would be enough as he sprayed himself with hyena scent.
Hawk drove the Lamborghini over to the compound as the sun tipped toward the horizon in the west. The air was growing cooler every day and for a brief moment he thought about his home back in Fate Rock, Colorado. He thought about the pumpkin patch and the trick-or-treaters at Halloween. He thought about the life he wanted to lead with his mate and the children he longed to have with her. He had to focus, or that vision of the future was in jeopardy. Not only could he lose his mate, but he could fail to protect the future of his world for the children they might have together.
He slipped out of the Lambo and met Igor Kroll on the front steps of his house. He was wearing a pink suit with a Gucci shirt and was dripping in gold necklaces. The men shook hands happily and Igor slapped him on the back as he walked into the house.
“I’m eager to see the merchandise,” Hawk said. “Now that we’ve settled our terms.”
“Of course, of course, let me show you the gun room.”
Igor led Hawk through the house and out the back door. They walked over the patio and across the lawn to the warehouse at the other end of the property. It was exactly the location that they had suspected Kroll stored his weapons upon their initial surveillance. He looked around and noticed a dragonfly buzzing overhead.
C.O. Bear (Justice Squad Book 4) Page 4