Mate For Hire: For Hire Series - Book 3

by Tressie Lockwood

Janessa laughed. “Hence the word ‘disguises.’ Dark glasses, a wig…”

  “Declan’s not going to let you go.”

  “See if he can stop me. I said I’m going to see that my family is safe. Period. If he doesn’t like it, he knows what he can do for me.”

  “Oh, sounding like the queen already.”

  “Shut up.” Janessa grinned. “That part of the deal—yikes!”

  “Alright, let’s do this. The sooner I’m out of here the better for my sanity.”

  Chapter 8

  “Where is she?” Gerard yelled and made demands before he even got through the door. The hinges creaked, but he didn’t care. He used too much force. The door would never be the same, but someone else could fix it. He had one thing on his mind. Where was Lachelle? “Why did you let her go?”

  Declan charged to his feet as Gerard tore into the meeting room. “What are you talking about?”

  Kelly came flying in behind Gerard. “Calm down, big boy. I’m right here.”

  “Not you!”

  She flinched at the harshness in his tone, blinking in confusion. Declan looked from Gerard to Kelly, just as dazed from his harsh speech as Kelly. Gerard was sick of waiting to hear what his brother had to say. He jerked Declan up in the collar. The action should call for severe punishment, and the elders’ faces registered as much.

  “She wanted to go with her parents to the city.”

  Declan didn’t fight him off, but Gerard felt his brother’s simmering annoyance. “I allowed Janessa to go as well. I sent men along, and I planned to catch up to them shortly.”

  “But her things are gone!”

  Declan laid a hand over Gerard’s and pulled it from his collar. “Yeah.”

  “She doesn’t intend to come back. You knew.”

  “And what, Gerard? Was I supposed to keep Lachelle a prisoner? I heard that you said—” He stopped and glanced at the elders and Kelly, all following the conversation. “Why don’t we talk in private? Please, excuse me.”

  He nodded to the elders and escorted Gerard out of the building. Gerard had no choice but to follow. His mind was in turmoil, spinning all around. Trying to make sense of the situation and decide what to do next felt like too much. All he knew was that when he went back to Lachelle’s cabin to talk to her, he found it empty. The next idea was to accuse his brother.

  They strolled together down the lane leading to a private lake. When Gerard had first visited, he had to admit the location was ideal for his people. A small desire to join them had niggled in his conscience since then, but he’d resisted.

  “When Lachelle moved here, I thought she would stay,” he grumbled. His head pounded with pain.

  “And that made you want to stay.” Declan’s words were more a statement than a question.

  “I… It doesn’t matter. She’s not here.”

  Declan stopped walking and faced him. “Gerard, don’t blame me for what’s happening between the two of you. I told you to resolve all of this. I told you to make a decision.”

  “You implied I should choose Kelly.”

  “When did I say that?”

  Gerard bit down, feeling his teeth sharpening. He subdued the dragon as much as possible because if he let loose, all reason would vanish. “Everyone is saying she must not be my mate. You agree. Don’t deny it.”

  “Whether I do or don’t isn’t the issue. It’s what you think that matters. Every time I see you, Kelly is with you.”

  Gerard paced, pushing both hands into his hair. “I don’t like anyone in my life, telling me what to do.”

  “Yeah, I know. You’re a lone wolf—er, dragon.”

  Gerard glared at him for the sarcasm.

  Declan slapped a hand on his shoulder. “I don’t wish your situation on anyone, least of all my brother. I understand it’s difficult, knowing what to do. If we could dismiss it as a lie, it would be better but…”

  “But what?”

  “I was just about to come to see you. My guy got back an hour ago with the information we were looking for. I’m sorry, Gerard. She’s telling the truth. At least she is about Constance Ridgeley and her son. The old woman died a couple years ago. Kelly is her son’s benefactor. He’s forty-five and developmentally disabled.”

  Gerard started walking again and reached the water. He stared down at the rippling peaceful surface, feeling anything put peace. He’d hoped it was all a lie so he could go back to the way things were. If everything could be compartmentalized, he wouldn’t have to ask himself any hard questions or dredge the depths of his soul for the answers.

  “I haven’t uncovered any involvement from Patrick Sevelle,” Declan went on. “I wanted him to be involved. Then we could end this farce.”

  Gerard grunted in agreement.

  “There is one thing.”

  He glanced at his brother. “What?”

  “There’s no record of Kelly before a certain point. Obviously, there might not be much out there since our village was destroyed, but there’s no record of Kelly’s schooling.”

  “She was eighteen, all grown up.”

  “Yeah, but university. Where did she attend?”

  “I don’t know.”

  “It’s something. I don’t know what. I need more time to look into it.”

  “I will do it,” Gerard insisted.

  “You’re not an investigator. I have people to do the legwork and a few connections. Plus, I’ve been involved in this type of work for more than a decade while Janessa and I were in business. Let me do this for you, Gerard. I promise I’ll leave no rock unturned. Deal?”

  “Fine.”

  “And about Lachelle. You told her you wanted to be with your mate. Janessa told me she admitted as much when she came to talk to me about escorting her parents. I wouldn’t have allowed Janessa to go, but I’m used to letting her do whatever she wants while I watch from the shadows to be sure she’s safe. She’s a stubborn and independent woman, and I know her sister isn’t much different. But you, you let her go.”

  “I didn’t!”

  “So Janessa was lying about what you said?”

  “My mate,” Gerard repeated. “She assumed I meant Kelly.”

  “And you didn’t?”

  Gerard fell silent. What he meant was he wanted to be with his mate. He wanted that person to be the one he desired, the one he was supposed to be with, the one his entire life revolved around. That’s what he wanted. Beyond that, nothing. He couldn’t have laid it out in plain terms for himself, let alone anyone else.

  “Sir!”

  One of Declan’s men landed hard, leaving an imprint from his shoes in the earth. He kept his wings out rather than tuck them away. The urgency in his tone unsettled Gerard. Something was wrong.

  “It’s the party you sent to the city, sir. They’ve been attacked.”

  “What?” The air crackled with Declan’s displeasure. He didn’t ask for further details but jumped into the air, transformed into full on dragon and shot across the sky.

  Gerard and Declan’s man followed suit. Catching up easily to his brother, Gerard shuddered as his brother called out for others to join them from all over the homestead. Men shifted into dragon form from every direction and joined their group.

  “Tell me,” Declan demanded, speaking in Gerard’s head. He knew that every one of the dragons within the vicinity could hear what Declan thought. Any of them could also respond in the same manner. The mental speech didn’t stretch far beyond the shifter’s sight.

  “As soon as the group reached the edge of town, they were ambushed. It’s the humans, sir. A few of our guys are dead. One of them was able to make it back to report.”

  “My family?”

  “Unclear.”

  White-hot pain streaked across Gerard’s skull. He shouldn’t get headaches without drinking alcohol. At worse, it should have healed right away. The pain pulsed and grew in intensity. His mouth dried, his vision blurred. Facts about the attack rolled across his brain as data he attempted t
o make sense of.

  The humans attacked Lachelle, her sister, their parents, and Bannon. Several of Declan’s men were dead. What was the status now? How many humans needed to die if Lachelle was dead or injured? Could he maintain control until he knew the answer?

  The miles to cover before they reached the city took centuries to cross. A glimmer of light hit Gerard’s brain as he scented Lachelle. He pulled ahead of the others and dropped in front of a man standing in Lachelle’s parents’ driveway.

  He picked the man up by his neck, legs and arms flailing. The words to ask a question took a second to come to Gerard’s lips.

  “Inside, inside,” the guy choked.

  The front door to the house opened, and Lachelle ran out. “Put him down, Gerard, and get in here! You’re going to bring them back.”

  Her pain shot through him, stealing his breath. The tears on her lashes almost brought him to his knees. He dropped the man and hurried over to her, dragging her into his arms. When he tried to examine her body for injuries, she smacked his hands away.

  “Get off. I said come inside. We have to find him. Help us.”

  “Find?”

  His brother and the other men landed. Shifters were dropping down all over the neighborhood. Gerard smelled the rising fear from the neighbors. He guessed the police would arrive soon. The sooner they moved Lachelle and her family out of the area the better.

  Janessa appeared in the door. When she spotted her husband, she screamed in anguish and ran to him. “Declan, they took our baby. They took our baby.”

  Her sob cut through Gerard afresh, but his agony was nothing to Declan’s rage. The cry of the king ripped through every shifter. Everyone, including Gerard, fell to his knees. Gerard’s gut somersaulted. A few of the men around him were sick on the pavement. Declan’s pain and fear tore them apart, to be followed hard with a desire for blood.

  “Why would they want little Bannon?” Janessa sobbed.

  “The humans would dare touch my son?” Declan shouted. “I will burn this city down. Where is he? Where is my son? Find him now!”

  Shifters took to the skies everywhere. None of them tried to hide themselves. Gerard knew each made sure they could be seen from the ground. Their intent was to intimidate the humans and force them to see what they had done.

  When Declan flew, Gerard started to as well. Lachelle hung onto him. “Please bring him back, Gerard. Janessa has been going crazy. My mom is sick over this. She’s not doing too well. Help us. Promise you’ll bring him back.”

  He looked down at her. “I promise.”

  “D-don’t kill anyone, please.”

  “I don’t promise that.”

  “But—”

  “I can’t control Declan. He will want death to pay for touching his son.”

  Lachelle hesitated. “If she is supposed to be the go-between, then get her to do her job.”

  “She’s not here.”

  “Why not? Why isn’t Kelly here when it looks like all the rest of you are? Maybe she was the one who informed the police or military or whoever attacked us. She might be the mole.”

  “Impossible. None of us has ever turned on our own.”

  “You forgot about Patrick Sevelle.”

  “His goal is to unite the shifters.”

  “You’re still defending him? All I’m saying is it’s suspicious that they knew when we were coming. Do with that information what you want.” She folded her arms over her chest.

  He took a minute to reflect on the fact that she was alive and safe, drowning in her beautiful brown eyes, and then he flew after his brother.

  Chapter 9

  The roars were heard every few minutes. They drove Lachelle crazy and made her jumpy. While she tried to minimize the reaction, she noticed her mom flinch each time a dragon shifter roared.

  On the TV, the media played alarming footage, shifters turning over the city looking for Bannon. At any time, she could look out the window and see it all in real time. There was always a shifter in the sky in full dragon form. They wanted to intimidate the humans.

  “Where is he?” Janessa moaned. “Why can’t Declan find my baby? He should be able to track him. They’re better than bloodhounds. Why can’t he smell him?”

  “Sis, sit down. You’re wearing yourself out.” Lachelle tried to get Janessa into a chair, but right after she pushed her down on the cushions, Janessa popped up again. She paced, tugging her hair, tears streaming down her cheeks.

  Lachelle turned to her mom, who was so pale Lachelle worried she would collapse. Earlier, she had tried to get her mom to go to bed, but she refused as well. Even her dad couldn’t get her mom to lie down. If this kept up who knew where it would lead. She wished this mess was over soon.

  When her dad came back into the room, she left the two women with him and stepped outside. One of Declan’s men landed in front of her. “Please, ma’am, go back inside. We need to keep you safe.”

  “I’ll go where I want to. Get out of my face. I’m sure they need you to search for my nephew.”

  He shook his head. “I can’t do that. The queen is here, and she must be protected as well as her family.”

  “God, you people and your ways.” She hugged herself and tried to get a hold of the attitude. “I’m sorry. I shouldn’t take out my frustration on you. It’s not your fault. I’m not sure whose fault it is. All I want is my sweet nephew, who is innocent.”

  “Declan will find him or…”

  “Or he’ll burn down our city?”

  The man didn’t appear ashamed at all. “Yes.”

  “Why can’t you track him?”

  “I don’t know.” This time, he seemed troubled. “We are excellent trackers. There shouldn’t be a place the humans can keep the prince that we can’t find. Maybe they’ve removed him from the city, but that shouldn’t matter either.”

  Lachelle thought about Gerard and how he reacted when he first arrived. She’d seen the relief in his eyes at seeing her. Something told her no one informed him she was okay before that. She didn’t need a super sniffer to know he had been terrified of her being hurt.

  He has no right to care.

  The guard, seeing she wouldn’t obey him and go back inside, moved away and faced the street. He kept his eyes peeled for danger, standing stiff and alert. Lachelle wandered to the end of the driveway and scanned the street. Neighbors watched her from the safety of their homes. Not one soul had come out to get a closer look at the happenings, and now that she thought of it, the police never came either. This neighborhood was on its own apparently.

  At the end of the block, a sleek black car turned the corner. Lachelle watched as the driver moved slowly along the road. She assumed he was looking for a particular house and that he would pass right by her.

  The guard she spoke with earlier slipped up next to her, but he didn’t seem to be nervous that this was going to be a drive by. He bowed his head as the car stopped in front of her. Lachelle frowned, looking from him to the tinted windows she couldn’t see through.

  When the door opened and an elegant leg emerged, she groaned. “So you finally showed up, Kelly?”

  The bane of her existence stepped out of the car and looked around. She completely ignored Lachelle. “I thought Gerard would be here.”

  “Why don’t you do your job as the supposed liaison and stop running behind Gerard!”

  At last cool silver eyes focused on Lachelle. “I am doing my job. That’s why I need Gerard. Declan is out of control. With the way he’s acting, he’s risking all of us coming under fire from the military.”

  “Maybe you don’t care about his son, but we do.”

  “I care.”

  “Liar.”

  She reddened. “Gerard is the only one who can stop Declan.”

  “That’s where you’re wrong. He told me before he left…” She paused for effect over the fact that Gerard had come to her. Kelly almost burst a blood vessel. “He said he can’t control his brother in this state. I saw how
it hurt all the others when Declan went off. It’s killing him to know his son is in danger, and even Gerard was affected. How in the world do you think Gerard is going to slow him down?”

  Kelly pursed her lips. “Isn’t it obvious? I will take the lead of the shifters—rather, Gerard and I will.”

  Lachelle’s mouth fell open.

  “You,” Kelly said to the guard. “You’ll acknowledge me, won’t you? You see how foolish Declan is being?”

  “I’m just a regular guy, ma’am, but I’ll follow my leader with loyalty—whoever that leader happens to be.”

  Kelly grinned and patted his cheek. “Good boy.”

  She spun on her heel and spoke to her driver. “Come on. He’s not here. Why don’t you use that nose of yours and find him.”

  “Why don’t you?” Lachelle stopped Kelly from shutting the door as she climbed into the back seat of the car. “Why didn’t you fly here with the others? Why are you in a car? Before I got with Gerard, he flew everywhere. He didn’t even have a license. Come to think of it, he still doesn’t. He hates riding in cars.”

  “I don’t need you to tell me about my mate.”

  “Sure you do, because you’re only interested in yourself. You don’t know Gerard, and you’re not interested in getting to know him. You have an agenda, lady, and it’s obvious. Are you working for Patrick Sevelle?”

  “You expect me to say I don’t know him, don’t you? Well, too bad. I keep myself informed, especially when it comes to my people. My people, not yours.”

  Lachelle dug her nails into her palms to keep from smacking Kelly’s face.

  “I admire some of Sevelle’s ideas, especially those that agree with mine. He feels that the shifters should work together with the humans and find peace.”

  “Oh really? And what does that peace look like?”

  Kelly rolled her eyes. “It’s complicated.”

  “Did you tell the humans we were coming?”

  “No.”

  “Liar.”

  “Whether you believe me or not is not my concern. I have to get moving. I don’t want to see Declan in prison or killed. Do you?”