“Ava?” William’s voice penetrated her train of thought, and she lost her breath. Her eyes widened in shock at his presence and now his brothers’ as they all entered the room. They looked angry, and she knew she was busted. Looking up at them from the floor below, she realized just how manly and intense they appeared. This was going to go badly.
“What are you doing?” Sean asked with his eyes squinted and his arms crossed in front of his large chest.
She tried to calm her breathing, but it was useless. A thousand thoughts went through her mind, including the fact that the longer she didn’t take action, the more Fenly would gain. The tears filled her eyes, and she began to lose her breath.
“Sean asked you a question!” Willy roared. He actually roared at her, which sent the looming anxiety attack into fast forward.
“Give me the computer,” Sean stated, taking a step toward her.
She clutched the computer to her chest and shook her head. She didn’t dare speak. She was trying to fight off the anxiety attack.
“Now, Ava!” Mick chimed in just as Sean began to walk toward her. She scurried backward on the floor, holding the computer and thinking how desperately she needed to stop Fenly.
She attempted to push the anxiety attack away by absorbing the way each man was dressed. It seemed to match their personalities. Willy wore a black T-shirt with black camo pants and boots. His muscular arms were snug against the sleeves. Mick was dressed in dark designer jeans and a dark-blue T-shirt. He, too, looked as if his arms would tear the sleeves. She blinked her eyes, once, twice as they spoke to her, but she couldn’t hear them. Their words were muffled by the increased flow of blood to her brain and the inability to catch her breath. She blinked and saw Sean then his blue shirt, and his blue eyes filled with concern for her. Pat caressed her arm, urging her to release her grip on the computer, but if she did then she would lose it. She could lose her chance at stopping Fenly for today, and she would lose her fight against the attack.
Kyle caressed her cheek.
“Easy breaths now, Ava.”
He told her as she locked gazes with him and felt her chest tighten. She just couldn’t catch her breath. It was too difficult to breathe.
“What is it?” Sean asked.
“She’s hyperventilating. Grab that small paper bag Walt sent along with the clothes,” Kyle told Mick, and Mick moved out of her vision.
Ava clutched the computer to her chest as she gasped for air.
“Let go of the damn computer. Let us help you,” Mick stated.
She shook her head, and a moment later Mick was kneeling in front of her with the brown paper bag.
“Take this,” he demanded as Sean lifted her head up, and she pulled away from him. He was insistent that she breathe into the bag to clear a pathway in her lungs. The tightness was still there. This was a bad one. She hadn’t had an anxiety attack in over a year.
She lay on the floor, waiting out the aftereffects of the attack with the computer still clutched to her chest.
“What were you doing, Ava?” Kyle whispered as he caressed her cheek.
She debated about what to say and how they would react. She didn’t care if they thought less of her or hated her for her illegal activities. They were cops, but would they turn her in?
“Ava, you can’t continue to lie to us and keep us out. You’re our mate and we need to know what you’ve gotten yourself into,” Pat stated from above. She looked up at him then slowly began to sit up with Kyle’s assistance.
“What’s on the computer?” Kyle asked.
She stared at him a moment and then the others.
“I won’t let Fenly get away with this. I don’t care what you say or what you think about me. I am going to save what is left of the O’Brian name and I am going to kill Fenly,” she stated out loud as the tears rolled down her cheeks. The men’s eyes widened in shock, and she felt discouraged and alone. They would surely hate her for wanting to commit murder, but she didn’t care. Fenly needed to die.
“You’re not going to kill him, mate. It’s not your job,” Kyle whispered as he caressed her hair from her eyes. Ava was shocked. Not her job?
“You can’t tell me what I am and am not going to do, Kyle. He killed my father! He continues to steal from my family and gain more and more power. He’s stealing my money right now and I need to stop him!” she yelled as she sat up and shook the computer at them.
“You’re the one hacking into his accounts and taking the money?” William stated from across the room.
“What? How could she do that? I didn’t find any evidence of that on her laptop,” Sean added.
“’Fess up, Ava, or I swear I’ll throw you over my knee and spank your ass until I get all the answers,” William stated firmly with his arms crossed in front of his chest.
Ava felt her body warm at the thought but also felt her instincts tell her that this was not a game. They needed to know everything so she could get back onto the computer and stop Fenly. But they had shown her distrust by tampering with her computer.
“How dare you tamper with my laptop? Why would you do that? Whose side are you on anyway?” she demanded to know.
“Don’t even go there. We were trying to help you. You haven’t told us anything that you know.”
She paused a moment as she absorbed his words. She couldn’t tell them that she was ashamed, that she did what was needed to secure her family’s money as best she could. She wouldn’t be able to make them understand how alone she felt and her need to do things alone.
“Did you or did you not hack into Fenly’s accounts?” Mick asked firmly.
“Willy is right. I have been getting Fenly fined for various business dealings while also taking back my money from his accounts. But that money is mine, so I’m technically not stealing it,” she stated firmly and locked gazes with William. He raised his eyebrows, and she stood up, stomping her foot.
“Damn it, Willy, it is my money and that piece of shit has been falsifying accounts and my signature to authorize these transfers. He has taken everything from me, my family, and from generations of O’Brians. I can stop him, and whether you like it or not I am going to stop him.”
“I am not going to stand here and watch you illegally computer hack on a government-issued computer,” William replied.
“Then turn around and go in the other room because I’m getting my money back,” she stated firmly.
“This affects all of us, Willy. It affects the wolf packs and the Order. She can fill us in on the information the packs don’t already know, and she can at least hinder Fenly’s efforts to gain more money and power that he’s using to fight our cause,” Mick added to the conversation.
“He’s got a point. Like we’ve never gotten our guy from going in the back door and not following all the red tape? Come on, Willy,” Sean added.
Ava watched Willy glance around the room at his brothers, who seemed to be on her side after all.
“I don’t believe this. She hasn’t told us anything, not about her life, what she’s been up to the last two years, and what she knows about Fenly and his operation.”
“I promise to tell you everything I know after I stop these money transfers. He’s taking everything my family has left and he’s using it to fund his agenda and to put guns and drugs on the streets. Aren’t you investigators, too? Isn’t that what you’re after, the big bust?”
“We do want the drugs and guns to be eliminated from the streets. It is our agenda to uphold the law for both humans and for wolves. Don’t get all high and mighty because my brothers are willing to back you up so easily. I need proof that you’re not scamming us. I need to know that you understand the bond as our mate and that this is real between us and for life.”
She was silent a moment as she absorbed his words.
“Listen, Willy, I’ve been alone for a while now. I’ve been trained to trust no one and to always look over my shoulder. I was a damn virgin when we first met and was used to only connec
ting to humans. Despite all that, I had sex with five men who can shift into wolves all because of the emotions and gut feelings I had. You’ve treated me with respect and thus far have protected me. I can’t say at this point that I get the whole mated-for-life thing, but I do feel the connection. I pretty much felt sick to my stomach and filled with betrayal as I rummaged through your things to find this computer if that says anything to ya,” she stated then lowered her eyes.
“This conversation is not over, Ava. Get on the computer and stop that asshole the best you can. Sean, watch over her as she does it,” Willy stated then walked out of the room.
Ava immediately jumped on the bed, opened up the computer, and began typing.
“You’re going down, Fenly, and whoever you have working with you is not as good as I am,” she stated out loud as Sean and Kyle joined her on the bed.
Chapter 18
Fenly stood in the bedroom of the Declan home sniffing the air. He felt about ready to shift, his hackles rose, and his eyes began to change. He wanted to hit something, hurt someone. He wanted to hunt and kill.
“Fenly,” Duggy whispered from the doorway, and Fenly turned toward him, ready to kill the wolf. With fists at his side and his razor-sharp teeth elongated in his human mouth, he must have been a sight.
“They couldn’t be too far ahead of us. A day, tops, and it looks like they headed north,” Duggy stated with a hand on the doorframe, looking prepared to make a run for it if the Alpha attacked.
Fenly tried to calm his breathing.
“They fucked her. Ava’s scent is mixed with the Declan wolves’. I smell five separate yet similar scents and Ava’s. I want them found and killed.” Fenly growled then used the back of his hand to wipe the drool from his lips.
“I understand, Fenly. I think they’ve had some help escaping.”
Fenly snapped his head up from looking at the bed and rumpled sheets. His mind imagining what the Declan wolves did to his woman. Ava was his, and no one would have her. Ava would pay for this as well.
“Spit it out, Duggy, we don’t have time to waste.”
“My men smell other packs here and humans.”
“The human smell is coming from the dead IRA soldiers that Declan killed. This house is probably their personal home, so other wolf packs’ scents would be lingering if they entertained lately.”
“I doubt that the Declan invite over government operatives for Wednesday-night dinner,” Duggy responded sarcastically.
“What are you saying?”
“I recognize the stench of government operatives and one pack in particular that I don’t care to deal with.”
“Who?”
“Fagan pack.”
“Fagan pack? I haven’t heard the likes of them since Ava first went missing and they began snooping around County Clare. Bastards are still interested in finding her. The government knows about the Irish Jewel. We need to get Ava and find out where her father hid it. I want you to get me a direction, better than just north, of where they took her. I also think it’s time I call some of my inside people in the Circle and in the CIA. If Ava and Declan are getting help then I need to zero in on their location in the next twenty-four hours before word spreads about the Jewel of Ireland.”
Just then Fenly’s phone rang. He flipped open the cell as soon as he saw it was his associate and computer pro Taps. The man was brilliant and finally able to stop some computer hacker from changing his passwords and creating bogus charges on his accounts. Some major amounts of money were being transferred today, and Taps was keeping an eye on things.
“What’s going on, Taps? Has all the money been transferred?”
Taps was quiet a moment, and Fenly got a bad feeling inside.
“Unfortunately we have a major problem, sir. Someone very high tech infiltrated all the accounts and changed things around. They even went as far as notifying the authorities of the bogus business accounts.”
“What?” Fenly roared. “Where is my damn money and who is this hacker?”
“Not sure at the moment, sir. I was working against them for the past hour, but they are quite incredible, whoever they are.”
“Obviously better than you, Taps. Where the fuck is my money now?”
Taps was hesitant, and Fenly roared.
“I have no idea where the money is, and all accounts have been closed out or frozen until further investigation. We’re screwed here, sir. I’ve never seen anything like this before in my life. It’s as if this person knew of all the accounts in the O’Brian estate and had inside help from the government.”
“How are you trying to resolve this, Taps? Are you even trying to locate this hacker?”
“I’ve got my inside people on it now. I’ll call you back as soon as I know something concrete. Also, don’t use any of your credit cards or debit cards. Everything has been cleared out.”
“Are you telling me that I’m broke?”
“Not broke yet, but if this computer hacker can get into these accounts and your debit and credit accounts then they sure as hell can get into your personal savings, business accounts in Ireland and overseas. I put a block on all other accounts I could before this hacker could go that far. Your verbal and written permission is needed to send, receive, transfer, or deposit any monies in the accounts. The one account you had set up in Ireland under the false orphaned children’s fund has been depleted.”
“That had over two million dollars in it.”
Fenly roared as he threw his phone then lifted the king-size bed and threw it up and against the wall. He shifted completely and howled his anger as his men ran for cover.
* * * *
“Where the hell did you learn how to do all that?” Sean asked Ava as they sat around the kitchen island while Mick and Pat made some steaks on the grill.
“I guess you can say I’m self-taught and that revenge is a serious motivator,” she replied as she locked gazes with Sean.
He covered her hand with his own and squeezed gently.
“We’re in this together now. No more secrets and no more keeping your questions, concerns, or emotions inside. How did you learn how to do it?”
She swallowed then leaned back on the stool just as Pat and Mick entered with steaming-hot steaks. Everything else was on the table, and they all joined in to begin eating.
“Well? Tell me,” Sean pushed as Ava took the first bite of very rare steak.
“Back in Ireland, the O’Brian family owned many major businesses,” she began to explain as William entered the kitchen. She felt her cheeks blush and her belly warm as all five men watched her as they ate. She knew that Willy was still angry with her and probably the fact that she won over his brothers, his team, despite his command. That wasn’t her intention. She just needed to stop Fenly, and she did.
“So I grew up in an old Irish castle, with lots of family heirlooms and loads of family history. I miss my home so much,” she stated as she closed her eyes and thought about her belongings. It was becoming difficult to remember her room, the paintings on the walls, and the smells of her home.
“We’ve got ourselves a real Irish princess here,” Mick teased as he eyed her and zeroed in on her breasts. Her nipples immediately hardened at his attention, and she lowered her eyes. The men chuckled.
“Go on, princess, and tell us more,” Pat said, and she looked up at him and smiled.
She explained about her father’s importing-and-exporting business, about her love of painting, and about Brennan, her savior and family butler in between taking bites of way-too-rare steak and focusing on the baked potato instead.
“Next time cook Ava’s steak a little longer, Mick,” William grunted as he listened in on her story.
“So my father wanted me to be well rounded yet still appear as a princess especially in the public eye. Of course I had persuaded him some by pulling some dangerous stunts, but eventually he caved in.” She smiled at remembering her father and the crazy things she did as a child.
“What k
ind of crazy things did you do?” Kyle asked.
“I was told that I couldn’t learn to ride a horse because I could fall off and land on my head or get seriously injured. One day I just jumped on the horse and took off. They couldn’t find me for hours, and although I was punished, once I returned home I taught myself how to ride. Only days later did my father allow me to ride along with him and teach me the ‘proper’ ways to ride. He told all his associates that it was his idea to raise his daughter to be self-sufficient. That was of course after I took the car for a spin and added heavy metal music to his business graphs and PowerPoint presentation in front of his board members and CEOs. That was funny.” She laughed as she thought about it.
“What did you do?” Sean asked, and she explained about going into his laptop and changing his presentation.
“I asked him to allow me more insight into the family business. I was sixteen and quite good with computers and numbers, but he wouldn’t allow it. When his business partner, Fenly’s father, insulted me by saying I was a woman and that I should keep myself looking pretty and in shape so one day a handsome rich man would marry me, I lost it. I went in and changed the entire presentation around and sat outside of the meeting room. When the sounds of Metallica blared through the doorway I was laughing so hard I nearly fell off the chair. My father came out yelling, and I composed myself in time to offer assistance.
“The men of course refused me, but I made my way inside and told my father that he hit the wrong file. I had spent days redoing his numbers and showing better means of saving money, wasted spending at the docks and in the factories that by the time the new presentation went up, my father’s CEOs were impressed. Once they all left the house he didn’t yell at me or even reprimand me. Instead he sat me down in front of his computer and explained about the family business and about all the accounts we had. In the days to follow I was unofficially working with my dad. By twenty I could run it if I had to.”
Task Force Three and the Irish Jewel [The Men of Five-O #3] (Siren Publishing LoveXtreme Forever) Page 17