She wanted to vomit or scream, but only remained silent.
"There is still a matter of what you owe me… I know. You spend a weekend with me–this weekend–and give me your little farm, and I will let your Bears live. After that, we can arrange a weekend here and a few days there until your debt is paid off. Agreed?"
Danita choked out a yes.
The call disconnected. Danita let the phone fall to her lap. Her heart continued to pound, but she didn't feel anything anymore. She couldn't think, either, which was a relief. The numbness was welcome. What was going to happen was going to happen, for the sake of her two Bears, but that didn't mean she wanted to dwell on it.
Eventually, somebody knocking on the bathroom door roused her. Danita quickly got to her feet, smoothed her dress and made sure her makeup wasn't smudged. She tucked her cell phone back into her clasp and strode out, smiling as brightly as she could.
***
All throughout the short ceremony, she was very aware of the warmth of Killian and Ryan by her sides. She reveled in it, stroking their arms and hands, beaming towards Amelia and her own mates as they wed. They would never know about this new agreement she made with McGrath.
Later, when they were home, she'd tell them that McGrath phoned her and offered her a lower price. Something like that. It didn't matter. As long as they weren't out for blood, everything was going to be fine.
Danita violently thrust those thoughts away, knowing that they would lead to a breakdown. Instead, she focused on Amelia. She was so happy up there with Xavier and Timothy. The three of them were clearly perfect for each other. Her beautiful white wedding dress clung to her figure and–was it? Danita squinted. Yep. There was a curve to her stomach. Subtle, but there. Amelia was pregnant.
Such happy news. Such happy, happy news. Danita held her hand against her own stomach. Well, at least that was something she didn't have to be afraid of when…
How she made it through the small dinner afterward, Danita never knew.
All she knew was that she managed to smile and congratulate the happy triad, and she danced with both Ryan and Killian before spinning off with Amelia to giggle and talk about all the happy things they were going through. Amelia assured her that the loan that they had discussed was going to come through by the weekend.
It was only then that Danita felt the weight of it crashing down on her.
Somehow, she managed to keep smiling as she told Amelia that she was so sorry, but she was tired and had to go. Somehow, she managed to keep it together as she got the boys and headed home. She was in full control.
Until she got home and went to her room, claiming she needed extra sleep. It felt cold and empty without her boys. And the worst thing of all was the package on her bed. Inside was a white baby doll negligee. A note was set on the top.
Looking forward to our meeting.
An address followed. Danita closed the box and set it aside. The thought of McGrath inside her house made her feel ill. The thought of anything else… She quickly changed into a pair of old sweats and curled up in bed, trying not to cry, trying to just fall asleep.
She failed in both.
Chapter Eight – Ryan
Ryan stared out the window, watching as the skyscrapers and apartment buildings seemed to close in all around him. Normally he liked being in the city, back in the familiar settings he had grown up in. This time, it just felt claustrophobic. Probably because Danita wasn't with them.
Logically, he knew that she was safe. They didn't just leave her at the farm by herself, after all. Her friend Amelia and her two Wolf Alphas had come to visit. It had been a risk, but Killian had explained to the Wolves that a Leopard shifter was stalking Danita, and they promised to keep her safe.
Even if they were only Wolves, they were still Alphas, and ought to be able to handle McGrath if he tried anything. Ryan was just grateful that the three had agreed to put off their honeymoon for a few days.
Still, it ran against all of Ryan's instincts to leave Danita behind. Killian had a point when he said that the Lion might be even more dangerous towards her than McGrath, though. Risking her was out of the question.
James Grenham had founded the Four Clovers almost two decades ago. Well, him and his four wives. He was a huge man with steely brown eyes and plenty of scars from his younger days. Lions were notoriously violent with each other, even in mated groups like this one.
"Be careful. They might not look it, but the wives are just as dangerous as the Lion himself," Killian warned as he pulled the car into a parking garage.
"Yeah. I know."
Security was already waiting when they got out of the car. Both Bears were frisked, and the two duffle bags that they had the million dollars in was scanned. It was only then that they were escorted to another car, which drove them through the city until they got to a villa-style mansion in the suburbs. Grenham was outside, trimming a hedge as the two Bears were led to him.
The duffle bags were taken inside.
"It's not often that I get two runaways that were taken in by my little family wanting to do away with the one who brought them in." Grenham had his back to them. His gray hair was neatly styled, and his voice had a soothing, gentle quality to it. If not for his bulging muscles clearly defined under his shirt, he would look like a kind old businessman.
Ryan was fairly certain that he and Killian could take the Lion in a fight, but they wouldn't last long if they did. Not with all the security around.
Besides, they weren't here to fight Grenham, but to get his permission to kill the Leopard.
"McGrath is threatening our mate. If there was a feasible alternative, we would take it. But he decided that he wants her, and is stalking her. Leopards never release their prey once it's in their sights." Killian's voice was strong and emotionless. It was a good thing he was here to do the talking. "We tried to buy her freedom, but he keeps making demands we can't possibly hope to fill."
Grenham snapped a twig and turned, smiling pleasantly at them. "And so you came to me to buy forgiveness for killing him?"
Killian hesitated.
"We want to protect our mate," Ryan said.
The Lion's brown eyes flickered towards him, the fine scars on his face looking more like wrinkles than anything else. Ryan didn't let himself be fooled. The man was dangerous. He might be older than he once was, but that didn't mean he was any less deadly.
"Two males for one female." Grenham shook his head. "It's unnatural. And Bears no less. Your kind usually doesn't even take life mates, do they?"
Ryan opened his mouth to angrily protest against that unfair stereotype but Killian elbowed him in the side. "We realize our relationship is unconventional, but—"
"But I'm afraid that if you wanted permission to kill McGrath, you won't be getting it from me." Grenham shook his head, looking amused as both Bears tensed. "McGrath is—"
"A pig."
Ryan turned to find four women standing behind them, eyes narrowed and arms folded. They were all beautiful, all blonde, and had strong bodies. The one on the furthest left stepped around them and glared at Grenham.
"McGrath is a pig. You've turned a blind eye towards him long enough, James. He might not give you permission to kill the Leopard." The woman turned to the two Bears. "But we do. Go kill him. Protect your mate from the likes of McGrath. And we will only ask half of what you brought."
The Lion made a noise of protest in his throat.
The woman gave him a black glare. "The other half is for your freedom. Survive your attack on McGrath, and you will no longer be obligated to serve the Four Clovers. You can live on your little alpaca farm with your little human and never hear from us again."
Ryan's jaw dropped. "How do you—"
"It's our business to know." The Lion growled. "Now get out of here, before I lose my temper."
***
They were halfway home when Danita called Killian and told him that she had decided to go stay with Amelia for the weekend. As much as
Ryan wanted to see her, hold her and assure her everything was going to be okay, he knew it was for the best that she wasn't at the farm while they killed McGrath. They couldn't risk hurting her.
"Have you noticed that Dani has been acting off lately?" Killian asked abruptly.
"Isn't that normal, though? There's a Leopard stalking her and we're going to kill him. She's not like us, used to this violence. Of course she's frightened and not acting like herself."
"Ever since the wedding, she's been acting differently." Killian's brow furrowed. "I've caught her crying in the barn a few times, and sometimes she just sits there, staring off into space with this… this destroyed look on her face. And then at night…"
Ryan knew what he was talking about. She was desperate, almost rabid, in their lovemaking. Every night, for hours and hours, until she fairly collapsed with exhaustion. He frowned, a shiver running down his spine. "I've been telling myself that it's pregnancy hormones."
"And so have I. But… Maybe I'm just being silly."
Ryan's brow furrowed as he considered the situation. Could there be something else happening that they weren't aware of? Something that happened at the wedding?
He squinted. "It could be that the wedding triggered something. Like, maybe she's thinking that we might never get married or something? That McGrath kills us?"
Killian frowned but didn't reply. They continued on in silence, both wrapped up in their own thoughts. Would fears for their safety be enough to drive Danita to be as distracted as she had been for the past few days? If that was the case, couldn't she have just told them about it?
She had told them not to kill McGrath after he called Killian to not only lower her ransom but also gave them an extension. They had told her they weren't going to, just because she was so distraught. They had even gone as far as to tell her that this trip was to ask for the Lion's interference, rather than permission to kill the Leopard.
But now, Ryan shivered as he considered what could have happened to change McGrath's mind.
***
Back at the farm, they started preparing at once. Luring McGrath to a location wouldn't work, he was too smart to fall for something like that. So the only option left to them was to hunt him down and tear him to pieces. He would not be caught unprepared, though. Just their presence might set him off. So they were bringing guns, knives, anything they might need to take him out if they were in a space where shifting was impossible.
"We should bring a couple of bags to look like we're paying him," Killian said as he slid a knife into his boot. "Go look in the bedroom for another duffle bag, will you?"
Ryan grunted. He would prefer to be headed to get McGrath already but did as Killian said and headed to the bedroom.
The instant he entered, he knew something was wrong. The old, ratty slippers that Danita wore everywhere in the house were sitting beside her dresser. She wore them to sleep every night because her feet got cold. Even when she complained that both Killian and him cuddled up to her made her too hot, she kept those damn slippers on.
There was no way she would have left them behind.
"Kelly!"
"What?" Killian sounded vaguely annoyed.
"She left her slippers."
Killian rushed to join him in the bedroom door. "Maybe she was in a rush to pack and forgot them."
"Those slippers?" Ryan yanked his cellphone out of his pocket and called her. It went straight to voicemail. "Her phone's off."
"McGrath." Killian gripped his hair, tugging hard on it. "But how would he have abducted her when the Wolves were here? Unless…"
With a growl, he pulled out his own cell phone. Ryan tore into the bedroom, searching for any sort of clue while Killian talked on his phone. He didn't care who it was. His heart pounded, his mouth dry. It was obvious what McGrath wanted with their Danita, and if he got his way…
No! His hands trembled. If there are any gods for real, don't let this happen!
If McGrath had his way, he'd have to kill the Bears or they'd kill him. It was as simple as that.
He found a torn note in the wastebasket. It was in tiny bits, crumbled, but Ryan was able to smooth them out and piece them back together quickly enough. His breathing was shallow as he read the address. The writing was McGrath's.
Gotcha.
Killian cursed, still in the doorway. "She told the Wolves McGrath got arrested. That's how she convinced them to leave her alone."
"I know where she went." Ryan headed for the door. He grabbed a gun and a knife as he passed, a roar building in his chest. "Let's go kill a Leopard."
Chapter Nine – Danita
The road had turned from pavement to gravel some time ago, but the jolting ride was over now. Danita pulled her truck between two low-hanging branches from an elderberry tree. She hadn't expected to end up in the middle of the bush when she plugged the address McGrath had given her into her GPS. But that was probably his plan. If she tried to change her mind and run, or scream for help, or anything else, there wasn't anyone to help her.
This is for the boys, she reminded herself, getting out of the truck. I can do this to save their lives.
A neat little cabin was tucked into the maples and scrub brush. It looked somewhat old and overgrown, but it was clear that McGrath had been here recently, cleaning it up. The freshly painted rail on the wraparound porch attested to that. The cabin was built from logs, a pretty yellow-grey color, and the door had a stained glass rose window set into it.
Danita tried not to think about how many other victims McGrath had brought here before her. It was very isolated. What if he planned to murder her? There would be plenty of places to hide her body. He could have a graveyard just behind the cabin easy enough!
The thought almost made her bolt back into the truck and leave, but she steeled herself and grabbed her weekend bag. If he had a habit of murdering people, Ryan and Killian would have told her, wouldn't they?
They didn't know I was coming.
She pushed that thought aside. He wasn't planning on killing her.
Inside, the cabin was bright and open, with a single room as the kitchen and living room, divided by a stone hearth that went from floor to ceiling. Everything smelled like pine sol. But it was empty.
"Hello?"
She looked around. Had she gotten the right address?
The light creak of a floorboard made Danita turn. McGrath was right behind her, a predatory gleam in his eyes. She jumped and backed away from him, her heart pounding in her throat. She couldn’t breathe as she stared at him, adrenaline flooding her system. Every instinct she had told her to fight him, run away and drive off.
He was a predator, and she was his prey.
"There you are." He reached out and brushed her hair from her face. "I was beginning to think you had changed your mind."
At that moment, Danita wished that she had. Her stomach clenched and she was sure that if he touched her again, no matter how innocently, she would end up vomiting all over him. Her legs felt wobbly as she set her bag on the floor.
"I have to bring some other things in from the truck." Her voice was hardly more than a whisper as she tried to edge around him.
McGrath caught her arms. "I don't think so. Do I look like I'm an idiot? Those two Bears went to the Lion for permission to kill me. You didn't think I'd let them get away with that, do you?"
"N-no!" She shook her head and wrenched herself free of his grasp. "They were just going to ask if he would stop you. They weren't going to ask to kill you."
"You're foolish to think that. They won't stop until I'm dead. So run, Miss Valdez. Run as hard as you can. When I catch you, I'm going to tear your throat out and leave your body for your precious Bears to find."
Danita stumbled back, her heart pounding. Her eyes widened as she stared at McGrath. He meant every word that he was saying. "They don't know where I went. They don't know I'm here."
"After I'm finished with you, I'll send them the coordinates. Now run–wait." McGrath tilt
ed his head and his gaze swept down her body. "I still want a taste. Put on that little white number that I gave you, and then you can run."
No. He was going to kill her, and there was no way she was going down without a fight. She had made a deal with him to save her boys. If he wasn’t going to agree to his end, no way in hell would she consider letting him touch her. Danita clenched her fists, feeling the steel rise up her spine.
McGrath's gaze never moved. "Well?"
"It's in my bag," she replied.
Slowly, she bent over to grab it. She sucked in a deep breath and snapped up, swinging the bag at McGrath. He jumped back, but not fast enough. The bag hit him in the head. Danita sprang forward, slamming her palm to his nose. He cried out, stumbling. She punched him hard in the stomach and ran.
She had just made it down the front steps when a scream from behind her made her stumble. She turned to see a giant Leopard charge through the door. His fur shone with gold, the dark pattern was like midnight against the noon sun. He was easily as tall as she was. Danita ducked, just missing the massive paws that swiped at her face. The Leopard landed lightly, turning on a dime. He crouched on the ground, snarling at her.
Danita scrambled to the left, but the Leopard leaped lithely to block her. He advanced a step. She fell back one. His tail and whiskers twitched. This wasn't the end of his game. It was just the beginning.
"Please," she begged despite herself. "Please don't do this."
McGrath made a noise that sounded like a chuckle–and Danita heard the roaring of a vehicle. As the Leopard's head whipped around, she scrambled to her feet and ran. McGrath pounced on her. Fiery pain coursed through her shoulder and neck, and then he was gone. She saw him disappear into the trees.
Hot blood coursed through her body. Her head spun as the pain increased. An earth-shattering roar made her wince. Then a honey-brown Bear, easily twice as large as McGrath, ran past her.
Ryan. Danita stared after him in amazement. How had he found her? She tried to push herself up but the agony shot through her again, and she made herself lay still. The world tilted and swayed. Her eyes closed tightly, hanging to what little shreds of consciousness she still had.
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