“What do you mean, go back in?”
“We promised your husband that you would stay safe. We can't have you running around with the Syndicate looking for you.”
Jamie almost agreed to it because she knew there was real danger. They had bombed her wedding after all, but at the same time, there was this flick of rebellion in her that refused to listen. She had been stuck in that hotel for far too long, and there was no sense in fighting about it. She just smiled at them and shut the door. They probably thought that Jamie was going to go along with it, but no. Now that she knew they were watching the front door; she was just going to have to go out the back.
She was a little perturbed that her husband had found it necessary to not only have people watch her, but to not even let her know about it. That was definitely something that he could have shared with her, and she felt like he didn't trust her. Convinced that they would talk about it later, she was still fully committed to getting out for a while.
Jamie knew that there was trouble, but she couldn't hide for the rest of her life. It was a risk, however, Jamie found herself leaving out the back door, and when she was out of the parking lot and close to the woods, she just took off. She wasn't going to let anybody tell her what to do. She needed some space, she needed a break, and if her husband wasn't going to stay with her, then he couldn't expect her to stay by herself.
Jamie didn't get very far before she knew that she was being followed. It was just a feeling that came over her, and when she looked behind her, she didn't see anybody. If it was any other situation, she would have stopped and tried to find out directly who it was, but that wasn't an ordinary situation.
She was thinking about the caution that her husband had told her she needed to have. He had been worried about her, and now she was convinced that he had a reason to be. It felt like somebody was not only following her but stalking her. Several times, she looked behind her and saw nothing. Fear was coming over her completely. Finally, she just stopped where she was. Never being one to run from a situation, she figured that it would be better to take on whatever it was face to face.
“Who's out there? Come out now! I know that you’re out there!”
No one answered, and she could hear the sound of footsteps even closer than before. She repeated the same question again, but this time she noted that her voice was quavering. They weren't answering. It just made her uneasy, and for a third time, she asked who it was.
“I know you're out there. Just come out.”
Finally, she heard a voice, and her body started to relax. It wasn't a happy voice, but at least it was someone she knew.
“What are you doing out here, wife?”
Jamie gave him a dirty look. “Wife? You don't have to say it like that. I do have a name, you know.”
“What else would you like me to call you? You're my wife, are you not?”
He had a mad look on his face, and she had no idea why he was so upset.
“Like I said, I am your wife, but I have a name as well.”
“I guess I just figured that you needed a reminder.”
“I think I remember that we're married. Why would I need a reminder?” She didn’t get where he was going with it all.
“Seeing as you can’t seem to follow basic instructions, I thought maybe you needed one.”
“Basic instructions?” She could tell that he was mad, but she honestly couldn't fathom why. It wasn't like she had done anything wrong. She was getting some fresh air, and that was it. Sure, she had shirked her detail, but that was because he was being unreasonable in the first place.
“What are you going on about, Dylan?”
His jaw tightened with more anger. “I'm going on about the fact that I told you to stay, and instead, you slipped the very people that are supposed to keep you safe. How can I keep you safe when you won't listen?”
She could see that his anger was not misplaced. She had gone against what he had asked of her, but it wasn't like he was her boss. She could make her own decisions, and those included if she was going to go somewhere or not. She knew the risks.
“I needed to get out. I'm sick of feeling like a prisoner, and I’m always cooped up by myself.”
“It is because of you that you are a prisoner. You brought William into our marriage, not me. I am just trying to fix it.”
Jamie felt like he was attacking her. She already felt guilty about the whole situation. Several people had died; she couldn't just ignore that. It was very clear in her mind that she was the one that had brought all of the trouble their way. If she could have changed anything, it would have been that. Hearing him say it out loud made it even worse somehow.
Tears started to well up in her eyes, and the more he yelled at her, the more the guilt ran through her. It was all her fault, and if she never would have worked with such a guy, then none of it would have happened. No one would be dead, and none of the troubles that came because of it would be there now. It was all her fault.
“Don't start crying. You know that I can't focus when you're crying.”
She tried to pull herself together, but it was increasingly hard.
“You know, I came out here thinking that I was going to have to give you a spanking, but how can I be mad when you're looking at me like that?”
Jamie didn't know what to say. She was a bit concerned about the whole idea of getting a spanking as a grown woman, but that was a conversation for another day. It seemed like there were a lot of conversations that were still going to have to be had, so much that they didn’t know about each other. But right then, she didn’t even want to think about it. The mood was all wrong.
He pulled her close and told her that he was only mad because he worried about her. Dylan said that he didn’t know what he would do without her, and though she liked to hear it, it didn’t take the sting out of his words.
“If something happened to you, Jamie, I really don't know what I would do. I would lose my mind, honestly. There's no other way to describe it. You can't leave me like that. Promise me.”
It was clear that he meant everything he said. There was so much intensity in his face and in his words, in the way that he gripped her arms, that she knew what he said was true. It was because he worried about her, so how could she be upset? They were in danger, and it was because of her. All he was trying to do was keep her safe. Jamie certainly wasn't making it easy for him.
“If you don't want me to leave and get away on my own, then come home more. I have been stuck in this hotel by myself, and I don't even know what you're doing. I don't know if you're okay, and what happens if something happens to you?”
“You would marry Eddie. That's the way of the clan.”
If it was anybody else but Eddie, she probably would have had a big problem with that. But Eddie wasn't interested in her romantically, and he probably would've made a good mate.
“Are you seriously considering marrying my brother?”
She shrugged. “You're the one that said it.”
“Am I that easy to forget?”
She shrugged and smiled. “You know damn well you're not. But let's be clear: I will not have you ordering me around. And you will not ever think of spanking me.”
Jamie wanted him to know that she was serious about the last bit. She narrowed her eyes, letting him know exactly how she felt.
“You're even beautiful when you're mad; you know that, right?”
Jamie waved him off. She was sure that he was just saying it to make her feel a certain way. He always had the right thing to say at just the right time. He kissed her a second time; all the anger had already dissipated out of her, and she could feel the pleasure of it. Her whole body was shivering as he started to pull her down on the forest floor again.
“Do you have something against beds or is it just me?”
He chuckled. “I don't have a problem with beds, but when you give me a look like that, how can you expect me to hold back and wait until I can find one?”
Jamie didn't expect him to hold back, and she was actually glad that he didn't. She really needed him, more than she needed anything else.
Chapter Twenty
Dylan was just getting out of bed when he got word that several members of the Syndicate were close by. He had to go. Jamie was asleep, and he kissed her on the forehead before he left. He was determined to keep her safe, no matter what it took.
Once he got to the woods outside of the hotel, he could see that Eddie was there, as well as several others from the clan. It was the sort of crew that he would expect and was thankful for. He knew that with them, they would be able to take anyone out, even the Syndicate. Dylan still hoped that they weren’t as rough and tough as people made them out to be.
They waited for what felt like forever. He questioned the validity of the claims his people had made. They’d said that they had seen several dark figures in the woods around the hotel, but now he didn’t see any. He also didn’t pick up anyone in the vicinity, except his own people.
Dylan waited almost another hour before he called it off. They’d combed the woods where the people were supposed to be and found only a few sets of tracks. It was several different types of shifters, though. None of it made any sense, and he finally had to call it. They were just wasting time out in the woods.
When he said goodbye to his crew and his brother, Dylan made his way back to the hotel. He was looking forward to lying down next to his wife and hopefully getting another round of attention from her.
The room was the biggest one they had, but it was a small town, and the room was only basically a bed and a bathroom. She wasn’t on the bed when he got in, which was where he had left her. Not worried about anything yet, he went to the bathroom door and knocked. It was the only other place she could be, and it hadn’t occurred to him yet that she wasn’t there.
When she didn’t answer his knock, he pushed the door open. He expected to find his naked wife in there, hopeful that he could get her into the same mood that he was in. Dylan wasn’t prepared for an empty room.
The worst came to mind, but he beat those thoughts back. It couldn’t be possible. No one could have taken her because there was no proof of foul play. Everything was in place, just like it was supposed to be. If someone had taken Jamie, she would have put up a fight; things would have been broken. But Dylan knew something bad had happened. He could just feel it.
He screamed her name, knowing there wasn’t going to be an answer. Jamie was just gone, and he had no idea where she was. Dylan knew deep down that someone had taken her. It was just there, in the pit of his stomach, and he knew better than to ignore it.
Jamie couldn’t see a thing. She was sure that she was being taken somewhere horrible, and it didn’t matter where it was. Jamie had agreed to it. She didn’t have a choice. If she hadn’t gone with Dominic, she would have had to watch Dylan be killed.
Now though, Jamie was afraid of what she had gotten herself into. The Syndicate not only wanted retribution for the loss of William, but also for the loss of revenue. Namely, she’d owed him a bit more for the last two that he had been delivered. She hadn’t had it on her, of course, so now she was on her way to “earn” it. Jamie wasn’t exactly sure what all that was supposed to entail, but she knew that it wasn’t going to be anything good.
“Where are you taking me?”
There was silence all around her, swallowing her whole, much like the darkness was doing to her as well. It was all-encompassing, suffocating, and she was trying her best to calm her heart and mind. It wasn’t that easy to do, though she put great effort into it.
“We are going to get our money out of you. I thought I made that clear earlier when you agreed to do this.”
Jamie had agreed because she was trying to save Dylan. It didn’t mean that she didn’t want answers, though.
“Meaning?”
“Meaning we are going to sell you, just like we were going to sell the other two.”
“I could pay you far more than you will get in that circumstance.”
Jamie was shaking inside, but she couldn’t show her fear. It would just make her seem weak and she wasn’t weak. She’d already lost enough because of the Syndicate. She wasn’t going to lose any more if she could help it.
“I don’t want your money. I want your husband and your clan to pay more. Think of the shame they will feel when their Alpha’s mate and their queen is sold into slavery?”
She saw the wide smile on his face, and she did her best to look away from it, even though it sent a searing pain to her soul. He was far worse than she thought William ever was. This man, Dominic, was pure evil, and it was clear after only a few moments of talking to him.
“Wouldn’t it be better to just get more money? I can pay you well.”
Dominic made a disparaging sound, and Jamie figured that it was her cue to shut up about it.
“No more talk of money and where we are going. It doesn’t matter where you go, only that you learn to live your new life. You will be sold in a batch of girls, and you will only survive if you listen. They will not deal with your mouth like William and I have. You will learn to shut up and do as your told, with a smile on your face. You think you can do that?”
Jamie nodded her head and knew that she was in a worse position than she had thought. She’d known that they were taking her away, but she’d hoped that there would be someone to reason with. Dominic was not that person.
She took his advice and didn’t talk anymore. She didn’t want to hear anything more, anyway. The dark bag on her head took away all of her sight, but it left her with hearing that seemed heightened. She tried to keep track of anything out of the ordinary that would tell her what was going on and where she was going. Jamie was going to get out of this, and then she would have to find her way home.
By the time the car stopped, it had been hours, and though she’d tried to keep up with everything, it had been impossible to do so. She was lost, and when she was freed of her bag, she had no idea where she was.
Dominic smiled at her and fixed her hair. “You are going to fetch me a good price. I should have pulled you out for a short sell, but I will make sure that you are in front. Let’s go get you ready for your debut tonight.”
Jamie recoiled from his touch, which didn’t make him very happy. He grabbed her chin and told her that this was her life now. Jamie knew it was true, but how could she pretend like she wasn’t highly distressed about it?
He just chuckled at her reaction, saying something about how they were going to love her. Jamie was shaking as she was pulled into the large warehouse. It was the sort of place where no one was going to come to save her.
Chapter Twenty-One
Dylan was running himself ragged. He had been searching for hours for any kind of information that was going to bring his wife home. None of it mattered, though.
His mind was sure that the Syndicate had Jamie. He had to get her back but had no idea how he was supposed to do it. The Syndicate was bigger than he had expected and trafficking of people was just one of many things that the group did for money.
Dylan found out about some of the bars that were owned by the Syndicate. It was all rumors of course, but when Dylan went to The Shadow Room, he knew that he had to make a scene so that he would be able to see the full picture. When he brought a rain of fire down on the bar and tore it up, Dylan waited. He was trying to drag out the guys that had done it all to him. He wanted his wife back, and nothing short of that was going to do.
It took a couple of days before anyone from the Syndicate came to him. He had destroyed two bars and damaged a lot of their other places on purpose. The whole point was to draw them out, and now that he was starting to gain attention, Dylan didn’t know if his idea was the best. He couldn’t think of anything better, though, so that pretty much sealed the deal.
Finally, after he’d torn up two bars completely, Dylan was drinking a beer when two men came in from outside. Dylan had heard them pull up, and the way they had
slammed the door meant that they weren’t happy to see him there.
“You need to leave this place.”
“I am not going anywhere. I need to talk to the Syndicate and get my wife back. You bring her to me, and I will never darken the door of one of your establishments again.”
The two men looked at each other and sighed. “So you are looking for a girl?”
Dylan agreed and wanted to know where his wife was. It was all-consuming at this point.
“Look, man, I hate to tell you this, but your girl is not your girl anymore. She is everyone’s girl, if you get my drift. I think you’re better off moving on. You’re not going to want her now. She’s been tainted, I’m sure.”
Dylan saw red, and before he could stop himself, he was transformed and attacking the two shifters. They hadn’t expected a panther to attack, and they were taken down rather easily.
Dominic looked at the horrific pictures and smiled. “It seems that we have someone that wants our attention.”
“Considering he spelled our name, I think so.”
“It is that he spelled our name that worries me. Who is this guy?”
“From the CCTV feed, it looks like it was one of the women’s husbands from the last batch of them.”
“Do you know which one?”
Dominic had his suspicions, but he wanted to hear it said out loud before he moved forward with the information. He had an inkling when he’d met her that Jamie was going to be trouble. He was right.
“It was one of the girls from the last shipment. Maybe the last one you put on the truck. I don't remember her name. I don't remember any of their names because there are just too many of them.”
Dominic had a feeling that it was Jamie. He had grabbed her as a second thought, really. As much fun as he had burning her wedding to the ground, it hadn't been enough. The council had decided that she needed to be sold for money as well.
He was starting to wonder if that was going to be the mistake that they regretted. Obviously, Jamie was a lot more important to the man than he would have imagined. The recording made it clear that he was not going to be someone that disappeared. He would be a problem; he had to be taken out.
Alpha Shifter Bride Service: (A Paranormal Romance Series) Page 31