Seconds later Shadow tore off his goggles and lifted himself through to the first level and blended into the shadows. Before him was a horror scene out of a concentration camp. Chicken wire separated the room into sections and clusters of naked men were huddled in groups inside those sections.
Buckets overflowing with waste added to the overwhelming stench of hopelessness in the room.
Through a wide doorway, he could see another large area set up like the one in this room. By Shadow’s estimate, there had to be at least fifty captives in the two rooms alone. Watching for any movement, Shadow saw that all of his team members had made it into the building undetected. He hoped Rescue for Hire West was having the same luck on the second floor.
Near Shadow, a man dressed in ripped jeans and a flannel shirt was walking the perimeter. The MK 47 semi-automatic rifle in his hands told Shadow he meant business. There were two other men dressed and armed similarly also guarding the prisoners. Shadow assumed more guards were patrolling in the other room.
In Shadow’s ear, the mic clicked once. In a slow, graceful move, Shadow assumed a position where, in seconds, the armed guard would pass by. Two soft clicks followed, and Shadow sprang, taking the guard down to the floor and knocking him unconscious. Two zip ties and a rag in the man’s mouth later and Shadow had the guard subdued.
A glance around showed Shadow the other guards were in the same predicament as his. The simultaneous actions under Shane’s signals had worked like a charm.
Shadow pulled a wire cutter out of his utility belt and joined the others in cutting the wire away. They didn’t have much time left before the vans arrived.
The men were dirty. Some had a few bruises, wounds, and sores, but most were in good condition. The traffickers wouldn’t get much money for damaged merchandise.
They ushered the men to the west side of the building, where vehicles were waiting to take them to a local hospital for care. Shadow ended up carrying one man whose blood from a head wound soaked into his clothing. By the time Shadow handed him off, the man was unconscious.
By then their time was up. Shadow and the rest of the Rescue for Hire teams faded into the shadows and let the authorities take over.
Chapter Thirteen
Shadow was tired and sore, and hard-caked blood was making his clothes stiff and itchy. They were greeted by a smiling Cade when the plane landed at the hanger located next to Treb and Damian’s house. The Rescue for Hire West team had flown straight back to Nevada after the rescue was wrapped up.
Now Shadow wanted to go back to the apartment and hold Pen while he slept for a week.
“Hey, Shadow,” Cade called.
Shadow turned and walked over to his boss. A frown marred Cade’s face, and brackets of strain lined the corners of his lips.
“Did you need something, boss?” he asked.
“I wanted you to know I had Jack take Pen back to his house.”
From Cade’s tone of voice, there was a lot more going on than Pen staying with Jack. The problem was Shadow had no clue what that was.
“Is Pen still there or at work?”
“He’s at Jack’s.” Cade’s serious gaze studied Shadow. “You should know that Pen’s brother, Daniel, is alive and has been at Jack’s all this time.”
Shadow was astounded. “What?”
“It was released to the press that Daniel’s body was found next to a swampy area in Minnesota. What wasn’t released was that Daniel was found alive.” Cade’s mouth tightened in anger. “From Daniel’s accounts, at one point he managed to free one hand. As he was sitting up and working on freeing the other hand, one of the captors came in and hit him across the back with something big. His captor then jumped up onto the bed and began kicking him.” Cade’s eyes resembled chips of stone. “He has a spinal injury, Shadow.”
“Shit.” For Shadow, that kind of said it all.
“After we rescued my friend Tolliver from the Gregslist kidnappers, I sent him to Nevada to heal and for protection,” Cade explained. “I couldn’t do that with Daniel. He has multiple medical complications from his injuries. And his being alive had to be kept under wraps.”
“But now Pen knows.” Shadow wondered what Pen was feeling.
“After you captured the kidnappers, I had Jack take Pen over there.” Cade put his hand on Shadow’s arm. “I think you should know that, although he hasn’t shown any outward anger, Jack thinks Pen may be simmering on the inside.”
Shadow could only imagine. After nodding in thanks, Shadow heading toward his Jeep. Once he was behind the wheel, he pointed the vehicle toward Jack’s house.
* * * *
Pen sat in the corner of the huge oversized couch with Daniel reclining against him. Jake had been only too happy to lift Daniel on the couch after Pen had asked him if it would physically be okay for Daniel. Holding his brother calmed some of the churning rages of betrayal boiling inside of Pen.
Now, on the big screen television that took up almost half of one large wall, they were watching a news report on the breakup of a huge human trafficking ring.
The chimes of the doorbell echoed through the house, and Pen saw Jack walk to the front foyer. There were low murmurs, but Pen couldn’t tell what was being said, as Daniel was softly snoring in his ear.
Pen didn’t move a muscle when Shadow appeared on the edge of the living room. The man looked exhausted. Lines of strain crossed his forehead, and his skin was the color of dirty ash.
Shadow, in his usual way, didn’t say anything, and that behavior set off the rage and hurt Pen had been holding in. With careful movements, he got out from under Daniel. He made sure his sleeping brother looked comfortable before he stalked past Shadow and walked out the front door.
He knew Shadow would follow. Halfway down the sidewalk, Pen stopped and turned around. “How could you?”
Shadow stood with his feet spread and legs braced. The big man’s back was ramrod stiff, and his hands hung at his sides. And he didn’t say a word. That only fanned the flames of Pen’s anger.
“How could you listen to my pain and let me think my brother was dead?” Pen shouted. Hated tears trickled down his cheeks. “Have you no mercy? I thought we were a team. I thought our relationship was more important than your job. I thought we were a couple, partners against the world. What a fool I was.”
Pen covered his face for a moment with his hands. “I know about you stealing information from my notebook. You could have asked.” Pen chose to ignore the one time Shadow had asked about the notebook and Pen had told him to keep his hands off it, that it was confidential.
Shadow took a step forward, and Pen put his hand in front of him as if to push Shadow away. “Stop. Don’t you touch me. You wanted honesty but lied to me through your teeth. You said you loved me.” Pen’s voice caught. He took a deep breath before saying, “Stay away from me. I never want to see your lying face again.”
Pen pushed past Shadow and ran into the house. What was left of his heart sank when Shadow didn’t follow or even attempt to explain or fight for their relationship.
* * * *
Three days passed and Shadow didn’t hear anything from Pen. He thought by now the sparky man would have calmed down enough to want to talk.
Shadow shifted in his chair and tried to concentrate on what Cade was saying. Today’s morning team meeting was finally going to reveal what had happened after they had gotten those poor men out of that hell hole. Unfortunately during musings about Pen, Shadow had missed the first part of Cade’s explanation.
“…the FBI moved in and surrounded the vans. There was gunfire exchanged, but they managed to capture one of the drivers alive.”
“Did they find the location they were going to take those victims to?” Gabriel asked.
“They did.” The expression in Cade’s eyes turned hard. “It turned out to be another warehouse. The gunfire exchanged there was brutal, and the FBI lost some good men. One of the perps tried to slip out the back but was captured and interrogated
on the spot.”
“I wish I’d been there,” Treb commented. The smile on his face said it would have been a painful interrogation—for the perp.
“That conversation led the FBI to a large facility on the outskirts of St. Louis that was used as an auction house. Twenty men were about to be put on display for bidders around the world via the internet.” Anger flashed in Cade’s eyes. “Some of these men have been gone for months. During this time they were being trained in the art of extreme BDSM and in total submission.”
“Shit,” Rock stated.
“The FBI did find paperwork that indicated there are other facilities around the country. They will be concentrating their efforts to finding them and shutting them down,” Cade concluded.
“What’s going to happen to the men who were rescued?” Boone asked.
“Some are going home,” Cade answered. “All will get the top medical care they need until they can get back on their feet again.”
Shadow silently wished those men all the best. They were going to need it.
After the morning meeting ended, Shadow was heading for the door when Cade called his name.
“Do you need something, boss?” Shadow asked. He didn’t want to chitchat. He wanted to go back to the apartment and sleep, holding one of Pen’s shirts.
“I talked to Jack last night, and he seems to think Pen is under the assumption you knew his brother was alive.”
Shadow turned away. He didn’t want to talk about this.
Cade’s hand landed on Shadow’s arm, preventing him from leaving unless he got physical with his boss.
“He should calm down soon,” Shadow stated.
Cade chuckled. “Shadow, as a man who has a partner with a temper, I can tell you right now it will be a cold day in hell before your man calms down.”
“What can I do?” Shadow needed to know that answer more than he’d thought he would.
“If you have to, physically hold on to him until he’ll listen,” Cade urged. “If you have to keep him in bed until he forgives you, do it.”
“Will that work?” Shadow liked the idea of a bed with him and Pen in it.
Cade’s smile was wide, and his eyes sparkled. “It works for me.” Cade went to turn away but stopped. “Oh, I have some acreage just down the road from Jack’s. Now that you’re a member of the team, if you would like to build a house on that parcel, let me know and we can work something out. It’s part of being a family.”
Shadow thought about it before nodding. As he walked across Cade’s wooden outside porch, he pulled out his phone and dialed Jack’s number. He needed to let the man know he was on his way and to ignore any ruckus Pen might make after he got there.
* * * *
Pen turned over and tried to get comfortable in the big bed. As with everything in Jack’s house, it was top-of-the-line plush. But for Pen, it was uncomfortable, vast, and lonely.
Jack had given Pen a room of his own, insisting Daniel could be alone during the night. Pen knew he had to start making plans for him and Daniel. They couldn’t intrude on Jack and Pip’s hospitality much longer.
And then there was the issue of him-who-was-not-to-be-named living in Pen’s apartment. Pen needed to do something about that.
Pen hit the pillow to try and make it more comfortable and turned over again.
A cold draft whispered over Pen’s back before the bed dipped. Strong arms dragged him back against a warm, hard body before a hand covered Pen’s mouth.
“I didn’t know about your brother.” Shadow’s lips brushed against Pen’s ear. “The information in your notebook saved over a hundred and fifty people from slavery and put dozens away, including the Gregslist kidnappers.”
Pen didn’t move. Shadow had never talked this much while they were together. He wanted to know what else he would say.
“I’m sorry.” Shadow’s hand pulled at Pen’s underwear, and the next thing he knew he was naked and pressed against an equally naked Shadow.
Pen shook his head, loosening Shadow’s hand on his mouth. “Sex doesn’t always make things better. I was really hurt. I thought we were partners.”
“Partners trust, baby.” Shadow wrapped a leg around Pen. His hard cock settled in the crack of Pen’s ass.
Pen thought about that statement and flushed with guilt. Shadow was right. He had condemned the man right off. Instead of asking for his side of the story, Pen had screamed at him.
“I guess I was wrong too,” he admitted.
In one move, Shadow turned him over. Pen looked up into the face he had missed so much. They had more talking to do, but it would wait until later. Shadow leaned down and kissed him.
When their lips parted, Shadow smiled and asked, “Are we good, baby?”
Pen was so dazzled by the rare smile that he didn’t answer right away. Finally, he collected his wits and said, “We’re good.”
* * * *
Shadow lifted the beer bottle to his lips and took a drink. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw Pen heading toward the hotel’s bar to join him. Shadow shifted on the bar stool and spread his thighs so his man could be where Shadow wanted him. Up close and personal.
Pen walked up and kissed Shadow on the cheek. “I just picked up the designs from the architect Boone’s Flynn recommended. We’re one step closer to building our dream house.”
“Sounds good.” Shadow was anxious to get Pen out of the upstairs apartment on Main Street. The man deserved a place to call his own. After looking at his watch, he said, “Order something to drink. You have just enough time for one before our appointment.”
Pen frowned and tipped his head to the side in a way that Shadow found so cute. “What appointment?”
“I made an appointment to get rings tattooed on our fingers. It’s a Rescue for Hire tradition.”
Bright patches of red appeared on Pen’s cheeks, and Shadow went on guard. “Tattoos are permanent, Shadow.”
“Yeah.” Shadow was becoming confused. Everyone knew tattoos were permanent. That was the point.
“Are you saying you want to have some kind of commitment with me, Mr. Drayton?” Pen’s mouth was pinched in the corners, and he had called him Mr. Drayton. That was never a good sign.
Shadow decided to remind Pen of some facts. “We’ve said that we love each other.”
“So?” Pen stepped back and put his hands on his hips. Okay, Shadow’s point hadn’t gone over well.
Shadow tried a different tactic on his now prickly partner. “When two people love each other, they make a commitment.”
“Do you think that the two people in love should talk about making a commitment together? Maybe one shouldn’t just lay down the law and decide this is the way things are.” Pen’s light gray eyes were practically shooting sparks at Shadow.
Shit. “Um, would you like something to drink?”
Shadow watched Pen’s stormy gaze search his face before the agitated man sighed. The next moment Shadow was watching Pen’s flexing ass in tight black jeans leave the room. Bummer.
“That went well,” Treb commented.
Shadow looked over at his teammate sitting on the stool next to him. “I don’t get it.”
“Of course you don’t. You think logically, like me.” Treb took a drink of his beer before continuing. “Damian has been explaining to me how some people expect certain things at certain times.”
“Okay, that told me a lot.” Shadow snorted.
“Hey, I’m not the one whose boyfriend just left without him,” Treb pointed out.
“All right, if you know so much, tell me what Pen’s pissed about,” Shadow challenged.
“Got me,” Treb answered. “But what Damian has explained to me multiple times is that, in important situations between partners, you need to use frou-frou words and presents.”
“What?” Shadow decided Treb was nuts.
“Okay, here’s the thing.” Treb waved his hand as though he was getting rid of a bad odor. “Apparently, at certain times, such as t
he anniversary of the date you get commitment tattoos put on your finger, you need to acknowledge it with more than, ‘let’s fuck.’”
“You’re kidding.” Shadow thought maybe Treb was pulling one on him.
“Nope. That’s where the frou-frou words come in, and maybe a present. But it can’t be something smart, like a steering wheel cover for his truck. That doesn’t go over very well.” Treb took another sip of his beer. “Personally, I think it’s a bunch of crap. But it’s been pointed out to me that, if one wants to sleep next to one’s partner, that’s the way it is.”
Shadow thought about what Treb was saying before asking, “Does it work?”
The smile that Treb turned on Shadow was pure evil delight. “This morning I tried out a few frou-frou words. I told Damian he looked nice today. It didn’t make sense because he had on one of the T-shirts he always wears and the same old jeans, but the kiss he gave me was out of this world.” Treb’s eyebrow raised a couple of times. “And I ended up getting reacquainted with the kitchen tabletop so good.”
That got Shadow’s attention. It seemed to him if these frou-frou words got Treb laid then he could get Pen out of his snit with awesome presents. The way he figured it he could do better than Treb any day.
Sliding off the stool, Shadow gave Treb a salute. “Thanks for the advice.”
Once he was outside, Shadow pulled out his phone and hit Google.
* * * *
Holy shit.
Pen stalked down Main Street. Shadow wanted to mark him. It was bad enough he was covered from head to toe with bruises—granted they were delicious bruises, but still—now the pushy beast wanted to mark him permanently.
Holy fuck.
Shadow wanted a permanent commitment. With him. Pen was astounded and elated and totally frustrated. He had some thinking to do. Yes, he loved Shadow. He was crazy about the man. The thought of not being with him had his insides squeezing in pain.
Shadow's Pen [Rescue for Hire 10] (Siren Publishing Everlasting Classic ManLove) Page 10