by Faith Gibson
“Th-that was a l-lion!”
Hayden called on his Gryphon. “There was no lion.”
“Uncle Hayden?” Jericho stepped up beside Hayden and held out a pair of sweatpants. Hayden grabbed them and slipped them on.
“Kodiak? You mind telling me what the fuck is going on here?”
Instead of answering Hayden, Kodiak turned to Tomás and began barking instructions. “Tommy, you and the men get this cleaned up. Take that one” — Kodiak pointed to a still-breathing guard — “to the hospital. I’ll handle the rest.”
“Yes, Sir.” Tomás turned and corralled the rest of the agents into doing what he was ordered to.
“Sir? Who the fuck are you?” Hayden demanded.
“Let’s go in the house. I’ll explain everything.”
“No. You’re not getting anywhere near—”
“Koda!” Sadie yelled from behind Hayden. He turned to find his female running toward them. Only she bypassed Hayden and launched herself at the larger male.
“Hey, Baby Girl.” Koda wrapped his arms around Sadie and buried his head in her hair. “God, I thought I’d never see you again.” He set her on her feet and held onto her arms. “Look at you. All grown up. Just as beautiful as your mama.” Koda kissed Sadie’s forehead, and Hayden’s Lion growled. Koda looked over at Hayden, smirking. “It’s like that, is it?”
“Yeah, it’s like that, so I’d appreciate you taking your hands off my mate.”
Koda rolled his eyes. “Sadie, girl, your mama is going to be so happy to see you. Dom, too.”
“Where are they? Are they here?” Sadie looked around.
“No, but they’re waiting on you. I just have to talk to Hayden for a few, then I’ll take you to them.”
“Now wait just a minute. She’s not going anywhere with you. You were the one who told Antonia where Sadie and Mateo were. You put them both in danger.”
Sadie’s eyes widened, and she moved away from Koda. Hayden held out his hand, holding his breath. When Sadie laced their fingers, he exhaled as softly as possible, not wanting Koda to know how new or unsure this thing with Sadie was. Sadie had fainted because of Hayden’s Lion, but she seemed to trust him.
“I did. It was all planned out. As you can see”— Koda swept his arm around — “everything turned out fine. Tommy and I were already in place when Antonia arrived. There was never any threat to Sadie.”
Hayden took a step, putting himself between Koda and Sadie. “No? What if she’d been on the porch with me instead of hiding at the back of the house? What if one of those numerous bullets being sprayed at me hit her? And what the hell was that with Tomás calling you Sir?”
“I’ll tell you everything if you calm the fuck down.” Koda’s own shifter rumbled in his chest, but Hayden didn’t back down.
“Uncle Hayden, why don’t you take this discussion inside?” Devon suggested.
Sadie tugged at Hayden’s hand. When he glanced back at her, she placed her palm on his cheek. “I have so many questions, and I’d really like to see my family. Please?”
Hayden couldn’t deny her anything when she looked at him with those big, amber eyes. Plus, her touch calmed his inner beast like nothing else could.
Hayden nodded, then gestured to Koda. “After you.”
Koda strode toward the house, not looking back. Once inside, he stood off to the side, allowing Hayden and Sadie to pass by him. Sadie sat on the sofa, but Hayden remained standing.
“Start talking.”
“I’ve been working with the FBI to bring down Hector Ramirez. When Alvarez took him out, we turned our focus on Juan Carlos. Tommy, or Tomás as you know him, has been undercover. He’s a federal agent who went on hiatus so he could cross over into Mexico and go after Alvarez. When he got word that Elena and Jose were plotting to take Mateo while Juan was out of town, he went along with their plan to keep an eye on the boy. Their plan was almost fucked up during the attack on the house. That was Antonia’s doing, by the way. She had her own vision of getting rid of Juan and taking over his business. The hit on Juan and Sadie? That was her doing as well.”
“She just volunteered all this information to you?”
“You aren’t the only one with the power of persuasion.”
“So, you what? Told her you’d trade Sadie and Mateo for Gloria and Dominic?”
“I did, but I already knew where Gloria and Dom were. They are both safe at my home. After you told me who Mercedes really was, I hid them away just in case Juan made a play for them. With Sadie missing, the first place Alvarez would look for his wife was with her family. It was better to make him think someone had taken them.”
“Why did you lie to me then? Why not tell me the truth?”
“Plans were already in motion, on both sides. When you told me the real reason you were in Texas, I thought it best to let you follow through. We already knew from Tomás that Antonia was unhappy. She’s been going behind Juan’s back for a while now gathering her own little army. Promising certain guards they’d be King to her Queen, one of them being Jose. It was how he knew when the attack would happen. He and his sister, along with Tomás, already had an exit strategy for Mateo, but the attack happened sooner than it was supposed to.” Koda ran a beefy hand through his thick hair. “Antonia was a snake. She wanted to run the empire. She wanted all the money, but it wouldn’t be hers with Sadie still in the picture. I’m sorry if this upsets you, Sadie.”
“You aren’t telling me anything surprising. She’s never liked me or Mateo.”
Hayden’s heart was thumping wildly. If Koda betrayed him, he would be going to prison. Him, Spyder, and Judge. “Did you share with your FBI friends what I did?”
“No. Maybe we talk about this somewhere more private?” Koda glanced at Sadie.
“She knows the truth.”
Koda’s eyebrows shot up. “All of it?”
“Yes. Once I rescued her from the house and brought her back here, I told her about the hit.”
Koda once again turned to Sadie. “And you were okay with that?”
Sadie stood, placing her fists on her hips. “More than okay. That man took me across the border when I was fifteen. Made me a prisoner. He forced me into marrying him and giving him an heir. I don’t regret Mateo for a second, but the life he and I have lived? I wouldn’t wish that on anyone. He took everything from me, and if it weren’t for Hayden being a decent human… uh…” Sadie cut her eyes to Hayden.
“It’s okay, Gorgeous. He knows.”
Sadie’s eyes widened. Her anger dissipated a fraction, but she jutted her chin at Koda. “If it weren’t for Hayden being a decent being, I wouldn’t be standing here. He didn’t just take the contract and do the job without all the facts. If it had been anyone else who got that particular job, they might have pulled the trigger without asking questions first. But yes, I’m quite okay with being a widow.” She walked over and stood next to Hayden. “I’m more than okay with it.”
“If you didn’t tell the FBI about the hit, what did you tell them?” Hayden asked.
“Nothing. As far as anyone knows, Alvarez was killed by one of his guards. That was the story the woman in his room told the cops who showed up. Sorry, Sadie.”
“Don’t apologize. I knew in my heart he wasn’t faithful. Men like him only care about themselves. He never loved me. If he did, it wasn’t the kind of love I want. Now, I’m going to check on my son. You two please finish hashing out whatever it is you need to, then I’d really like to go see my family.” Sadie gripped Hayden’s hand, squeezing it before turning and walking out of the room.
Chapter Twenty
Sadie
Sadie was happy to see Koda. He had been part of her life for a couple years before she was taken. He visited with Dominic whenever he came to supper, but only when her father wasn’t home. It didn’t take a rocket scientist to see Koda was in love with Gloria. The way he smiled softly. The gentle touches when he thought no one was watching. Her mother’s smile was just as lovin
g, but with her Catholic upbringing, Gloria would never divorce her husband. Sadie’s romantic heart hoped the two of them had gotten together after her father was killed.
When Hayden accused Koda of selling out Sadie for his mate, she knew what he meant by mate. While they were hiding out, Nora had explained a bit about shifters and their significant others. Sadie had heard the term mate over the last couple days and thought it odd. Now it made sense. But if Hayden mentioned Koda having a mate, that meant he was also a shifter. Did Gloria know? Was she aware the man she let into her home was other than human?
Sadie now also understood the immediate connection she felt with Hayden. Nora said Sadie was Hayden’s mate, or she could be, if that’s what she wanted. The conversation was quick, and Sadie had so many questions. Like how the Gryphon voice worked. Nora used it on Mateo so the boy wouldn’t be scared when he was ushered to the back of the house to hide. Had they used it on her? Was she doing things against her will because she’d been commanded? Was her affection for Hayden something conjured, or did she truly want the male? Male, not man. That was another term she now understood.
No, Sadie had been drawn to Hayden from the first moment she laid eyes on him in the club. No one had spoken to her in Gryphon voice or human. Her attraction was genuine. Maybe it was because she was his mate. At least she hoped so. She knew going from a marriage right into another relationship was probably foolish, but as Nora said, it was no one’s business but hers if she did.
When gunfire sounded outside, Sadie had rushed to the front of the house against Nora’s wishes, but she couldn’t sit by while Hayden was out there defenseless. Yes, he was Gryphon, but his shifter was no match for guns. Nora had said as much. It was why she couldn’t not go after him. Nora had held onto her arm until the gunshots stopped. It had been the hardest thing she’d ever done – waiting to see if Hayden was okay. Instead of going to him immediately, though, she’d rushed into Koda’s arms. She needed to apologize to Hayden for that misstep. She never wanted him to feel as though he was second in her life. Well, after Mateo. Her son would always come first. If Hayden didn’t understand that, he wasn’t the male for her.
With both Juan and Antonia dead, the only business left for Sadie was finding out if any of the money was available or if some other drug lord would waltz in and take over the way Juan had when he set up residence in Hector Ramirez’s home. Nolan promised to figure that out for her. Nora said money was no issue. Hayden would take care of both her and Mateo. But would he want to do that in Texas? Sadie was excited about seeing her mom and Dominic. They all had a lot of catching up to do. Mateo had a grandmother and uncle to meet. The child also had to deal with the loss of his father when Sadie found the courage to speak to him about it. Maybe Hayden could soften the blow with his Gryphon voice. Then again, maybe Mateo needed to deal with it the way all other humans did. Death was a part of life, and even though she never wanted her child to hurt, she couldn’t – shouldn’t – shelter him from certain things.
If Hayden didn’t want to remain in Texas, Sadie would go with him to New York after she’d spent time with her mom. She already knew in her heart she and Hayden were meant to be together, and if Gloria was aware of what being a mate meant, she’d understand. If not? Sadie would promise to visit.
Mateo and Grayson were playing with toy cars while they watched a cartoon movie about talking vehicles. He didn’t look up when she walked into the room. Her son had quickly latched onto the other little boy. Having never had a friend, it was a joy for Sadie to see Mateo having fun.
Nora rose from the chair where she was watching over the boys and met Sadie at the door. “Everything okay?”
Sadie tilted her head to the hallway, and Nora followed. She didn’t want Mateo to overhear the conversation. “It is now. Antonia showed up with several guards. Koda, a friend of the family – mine, not Juan’s – has been working with the FBI for years, and he led Antonia here. Hayden was pissed about that, but Koda swore they had everything under control. I guess since Antonia and all but one of her men are dead, that was the truth.”
“I’m surprised Hayden let you out of his sight.”
“I think it’s only because he knows I’m in the house. When Koda said he’d take me to see my family, Hayden told him I wasn’t going anywhere with him. It was kind of hot.”
Nora grinned. “I bet. I love it when Devon’s shifter gets riled up.”
“What about yours? Does your Gryphon ever want to come out because it’s jealous or upset?”
“Oh, yes. Not that I have anything to be jealous about because that male is mine. But when we’re out and other women don’t care he has his female on his arm, I’m tempted to let the Lion rumble. Or the Eagle loose with its talons.” Nora held out her hand, and sharp talons took the place of her fingers. She retracted them just as quickly. “Talk about plucking some eyeballs out.” Nora laughed maniacally, and Sadie couldn’t help but grin. “That’s one thing you’ll have to get used to. Shifters are much more territorial than humans. Although, we do have some human mates in the family, and they can be just as fierce when it comes to their mates. The connection in shifters is stronger. Deeper. While Gryphons don’t have fated mates, the bond isn’t any less intense.”
“I think I can get behind someone loving me that much. Having lived in a forced marriage for eight years has me yearning for the kind of bond you’re talking about.” Sadie turned to see Hayden standing at the end of the hallway, his eyes narrowed on her. He stalked toward her, and when he was close enough, Hayden tagged her wrist and yanked her against his hard body. Obviously not caring that Nora was standing right there, Hayden fisted Sadie’s hair and tilted her head before crashing his lips to hers. The kiss the night before had been hot, but this was all-consuming. As if he could suck her soul out through her mouth, and in turn, offer his to her the same way.
Hayden backed her against the wall and continued the onslaught. If kissing were battle, he’d brought a mighty army to slay her. Warm tingles started in her chest, snaking down her stomach, and into her core. Never had she been turned on from kissing. Never had she burned from the inside with a need to lay herself bare. Sex with Juan had been a chore. He gave her orgasms, but that had been a biological response to stimuli. She hadn’t wanted her husband. She didn’t want Hayden – she needed him. Needed his hands on her. His skin rubbing against hers. His cock filling her.
“Havyk— Well, hell.” Spyder groaned. “I swear my timing is better.”
Hayden released Sadie’s lips, but he didn’t step back. Maybe he didn’t want his friend to see the erection that was pressed against her hip. Sadie thunked her head against the wall, then sucked in a breath, having forgotten the staples. Hayden’s eyes were heated, lids half-open. His hand was still in her hair, but his fingers were caressing her scalp, close to where the staples were.
“Give me a minute.”
Spyder gave a two-fingered salute before he turned on his heel and strode off.
“Soon, Gorgeous. Very soon, it’s going to be just you and me. Somewhere we won’t be disturbed.” Sadie shivered at Hayden’s promise. Hayden’s hand in Sadie’s hair relaxed, and his exhale ghosted across her face. “I was coming to tell you Kodiak and I got things squared away and to see if you’re ready to go see your family.”
“But?” Sadie felt there was something more happening because that kiss was unlike anything she’d ever encountered.
“No buts. This right here…” Hayden brushed his thumb across her cheek. “This will still be here when you get back.”
“You’re not going with me?” Sadie trusted Koda. Well, she had before today, but she couldn’t forget he’d brought the enemy to Hayden’s family’s doorstep.
“Do you want me to go with you? I figured you’d want some privacy.”
“I want you.” Sadie swallowed hard when Hayden’s eyes narrowed. “I want you with me, unless you have something else you need to do?”
“Let’s get something straight, Gorgeous. I
want you too, for as long as you’ll have me. Having said that, you need to know that you are my first priority. You and Mateo. If you want me with you, then there’s nowhere else I’d rather be.”
“But what about your job? Your home in New York?” Sadie asked before she could stop herself. She shouldn’t come across as needy. That probably wasn’t attractive, but she needed to know how things were going to be for them.
“You come first. Period.” Hayden pressed a kiss to her forehead. God, he was going to kill her with kindness. Tears welled in her eyes, and she tried to blink them away. “Hey, what’s this? Why are you crying?”
“You’re too sweet.”
Hayden took a step back. The gentleness in his eyes was gone in an instant, and Sadie had no idea why. Before he could walk away, Sadie grabbed his wrist. “Hayden, that’s a good thing. I’m not used to tenderness or caring. I’m not used to being someone’s priority. God, you have no idea how that makes me feel. You being too sweet? That’s what I want more than anything.”
Hayden sighed. “I’m sorry. It’s a sore spot with me. Women I’ve gone out with have wanted anything but sweet. They expect me to live up to the reputation of being a badass biker.”
Sadie didn’t want to hear about other women he’d dated, but that would be a little hypocritical considering she’d been married for the last five years. “Then their loss is my gain. At least I hope it is. God, this is crazy. Isn’t it?”
“What’s crazy?” Hayden slid his hand down into hers and laced their fingers together.
“All this. We just met. Until last night, I was still married. And you…” A sharp laugh escaped, but Sadie couldn’t help it. It had been a few days since she met Hayden, and here she was already planning their future together. Nora said it happened that way in Hayden’s family, but still. “You and I don’t know each other very well, but what I do know about you I like. A lot. Your job as a mercenary and you being a biker doesn’t define who you are, Hayden.” Sadie placed her free hand on his chest. “Your heart does.”