by Vella Day
Kurt’s lips twitched. “He mentioned him. Let me at the fucker. I’ll make him pay.”
“Be careful, Kurt. We’re here to find the girls; not to exact revenge.” The General widened his stance, almost as if he expected Kurt to protest.
Clay nudged Kurt. “I’ll make sure to keep him focused, sir.”
For two more hours, Chris detailed each of the remaining men’s habits. Two of the men had been linked to drugs, one to arms dealing, and two to bank robbing. None had done time. Werewolves had a unique talent of avoiding capture.
Sam kept glancing at Brandon who didn’t appear to be paying attention. You okay?
I can’t stop thinking of Mackenzie. I think we fucked up.
Possibly.
We need to have a plan.
I agree.
As soon as Chris completed the rundown on the men, The Pack members finished volunteering on which men they wanted to keep tabs on. The goal was to find the woman and report back. Then The Pack would go in as a team to free her. Sam worried that as soon as the first captive was found, word would spread, making it more difficult to find the others. He hoped for Mackenzie’s sake, Cheryl was found sooner rather than later.
According to Chris, seven of the ten were known Colters, two were werewolves with no known affiliates, and the last one was fully human. It would be too good to hope the human had Cheryl.
The General thanked Chris and stood before them. “I don’t need to tell you, gentlemen, this is a top priority. If you need anything, ask. If you require more manpower, I can call in some favors from around the state or farther if need be. We will find them!”
Sam was normally invigorated after one of the General’s pep talks, but today he wasn’t. He was worried. Mackenzie was a wild card. He turned to Brandon. “Let’s get out of here.”
Only after they were away from headquarters did Sam speak up. “What do you think we should do?”
“About finding Cheryl or about keeping Mackenzie safe?”
“I think they are intricately entwined. Mackenzie will want to help.”
Brandon stared out the side window for a moment. “She’ll balk if we ask her to stay with us, even if we give her a chore. She’ll think it’s busy work.”
“I agree. You want to see where she is? What she’s doing?”
Brandon reached behind him and retrieved his iPad. It had the program for tracking Mackenzie’s car. “She’ll be pissed if she finds out.”
“We’re experts. She won’t even know we’re near.”
“You’d better be right.” He logged onto the computer. “She’s at Jay’s house.”
“Jay. Our first business should be finding out about him.”
“We’ve seen tapes of him going into Paul Statler’s office. And we know that Statler is the new head of the Colters.”
“Fuck. If Jay hasn’t harmed her yet, maybe she’s his one soft spot.”
Brandon shut off the laptop and placed it behind the seat. “I can keep watch tonight at Jay’s if you like.”
“Good, but if they aren’t near the back of the house, you probably won’t hear much.”
“I just want to make sure she stays alive.”
* * *
Once Mac stepped inside Jay’s house, she wanted to get to work as quickly as possible on doing the background checks on the ten men. Because she couldn’t afford to have her cousin sticking his nose in her business, she moved her computer to the back bedroom. She didn’t believe for one minute that Jay was a Colter but asking him to get involved with the scum of Gulfside wouldn’t do him any good either. He’d done enough to let her stay with him.
Mac booted up her laptop. The chore before her seemed daunting. Finding information on wealthy men would be hard. If they were Colters, they could afford to take extra precaution to protect their crimes.
She typed in the names of the first four men and did a basic search, like address, and previous employment. The property appraisers’ site would give her more information about their homes. From the tax records, she’d figure out their banking information.
She’d then create a spreadsheet to include where they lived, worked, banked, shopped, and who they called. Finding news articles about them was easy, but hacking into the phone company records and banks would require a lot more time and effort.
To get things started, she created a profile on a few social media sites then friended each of the men, as well as several of their contacts. She pretended to be a gorgeous brunette model who called herself Honey Pot. She claimed she loved BDSM, long walks on the beach, and secluded boat rides. That should get the men hot. Within minutes, three of the first four men had accepted her friend request and asked where she was from. She didn’t answer. Staying mysterious would be advantageous. Let them think about her. She might be able to use the connection later on. If she wasn’t able to find Cheryl, Mac might have to agree to meet with the men, though that was her last choice.
After three hours of tedious searching, her eyes were blurry. She needed a break. Jay should be home soon, but she hadn’t quite decided what to tell him. Mac stood and stretched, pleased with the amount of information she’d gathered. The most promising man turned out to be William Daniels, forty-four. He owned a high-end car dealership. She’d called the dealership, and when she asked to speak with him, the receptionist said that Mr. Daniels wasn’t available, that he only came in on Fridays. Mac said she’d call back, happy to have that tidbit of information.
The reason she liked Daniels as the man who might have bought Cheryl was because there had been an article about him and his wife traveling to Mexico every month for vacation. When Mac dug further, she’d found an old warrant for his arrest for drugs. No surprise there, given where he vacationed. Unfortunately, he had a great lawyer who managed to get him off. The lawyer’s name? Paul Statler. She could connect the dots.
Mac discovered that Mr. Daniel’s wife was now in hospice care, which led her to think he might be looking for someone he could travel to Mexico with.
“Kenzie?”
Damn. Jay was home. “Be right there.”
She’d have to tell him something or he’d wondered what she’d done all day. Sam’s request for her to move in with them niggled in the back of her mind. While she was a bit pissed they thought Jay was a Colter, everyone might be better off if she left her cousin’s home.
Mac stopped in the kitchen on the way to the living room because Jay was grabbing cold cuts out of the fridge.
He looked up. “You eat yet?”
“No.”
“Want a sandwich?”
“Sure.” Would a murdering Colter be so kind? No.
He busied making them each a ham and Swiss on rye. “So, what did you do today? Get any closer to finding Cheryl?”
She couldn’t detect by his tone if he was interested in the answer or not. Her father always told her that if she ever had to lie to stick close to the truth. “Not really. Remember, I told you about the man I met at the bar who told me about a friend who felt a bit weird when he met his mate?”
“Yes.” He brought both sandwiches over to the kitchen table and sat down. She joined him.
“I kind of lied.”
He didn’t act too concerned and bit into the meal. “Go on.”
She explained how affected she was by Brandon and when he asked her back to his place, she went.
Jay burst out laughing. “So you’re telling me you found your mate?”
“Yes. If you must know, this morning I slept with his cousin. He’s also my mate.”
Jay finished chewing. “This is getting better and better. Next you’ll be telling me that you’re moving in with them. Does this mean poor Cheryl is left to her own?”
He turned serious on the last few words. “No. I’m still going to look for her.”
Jay placed a hand on her wrist. “You’re a grown woman, and I’m fine with it, but I’d like to check them out. What are their names?”
The hairs on her neck br
istled. She probably should have told Jay to mind his own business, but he might think it was his duty to protect her, especially since her dad was no longer around. Her men would have no hidden skeletons, so even if Jay snooped, he wouldn’t find anything. Besides, Jay wouldn’t know how to search for information like she did. He would never uncover they were members of this quasi-vigilante squad of Pack members.
“Sam and Brandon Crenshaw.”
“Sam and Brandon, sitting in a tree, k-i-s-s-i-n-g.”
Mac took a big bite of her sandwich. “That’s right, Jaybird. Sam and Brandon. They’re wonderful men. Sam works for the sheriff’s department, and Brandon works for the telephone company. They’re upstanding citizens.”
“What do you think your mom will say?”
Shit. She didn’t want to think about that. “If I find Cheryl, I don’t think she’ll care.”
“Uh-huh. Just be careful, okay?”
“You bet.” She prayed she wasn’t making a mistake by not confiding in Jay.
Chapter Fourteen
Mac waited until Jay left for work before packing up. She then penned a note of thanks, saying it wasn’t fair to him to have to get involved in her family affairs. She told herself it had nothing to do with the concept that Jay might be a Colter.
Sam and Brandon had asked her to move in, making that her best option. Both of them seemed focused on locating Cheryl, which meant she wouldn’t have to tiptoe around them, or make up stories about where she was headed. With her expertise, Mac was confident they’d find her cousin.
Once she waved goodbye to Jay’s house, she dialed Brandon. According to him, leaving work to come home was easier for him than Sam.
He answered right away, giving her hope he wasn’t in the middle of a job. “Hey, darlin’. Where are you headed?”
That was an odd comment, but she brushed it off. “Can you hear the engine noise or something?” The rental seemed rather quiet to her.
“Ah, sure. What’s up?”
She inhaled. “I’ve decided it would be better for everyone if I moved in with you and Sam. Would that be okay?” Even though they’d asked her to, she held her breath nonetheless.
“You know we want you with us. Forever.”
Whoa. The forever word sunk in her stomach like a stone. Mac believed they were destined to be together, but she hadn’t thought past finding Cheryl. Mac wasn’t ready to settle down, and she sure as hell wasn’t ready to deal with babies learning to shift. Yikes. She had no idea when males learned that talent. If only she’d questioned her dad more.
“Thank you. I’m kind of on my way over there now.”
“I’ll head home, too.”
She didn’t like inconveniencing either of them. “I can always go to a coffee shop until you get off work. I need to do more computer searching anyway.”
“Not sure that’s smart. Any good Colter can snoop into what you’re doing.”
She knew that better than anyone. She’d often piggybacked on a person-of-interest’s Wi-Fi, able to see what they were investigating. Snooping software, especially on unsecured networks, was as easy as hitting a target from three feet away. “I understand. My ETA is fifteen minutes.”
“You’re doing the right thing.”
She hoped so. At some point she needed to call her mom and let her know her status—that she’d moved out of Jay’s house and into a house with two men she’d just met. She was fairly confident Jay wouldn’t contact her mom unless something bad happened, but she could only delay the inevitable for so long.
When she turned onto their street, Mac spotted Brandon’s car in the drive. He must not have been far from home when she called. As soon as she cut the engine, he was out the door and by her side.
“Need help?”
Her body immediately reacted to his presence. It was as if someone had dumped a bucket of lust on her. Would she always be overwhelmed every time either one of them neared? That would be a bit embarrassing at the wrong time.
“I’m good.” She’d brought only one suitcase from Indiana, not thinking she’d be in Florida for long.
From the trunk, she grabbed her case, but Brandon slipped it from her fingers. “Let’s get you settled.”
Their home had three bedrooms, but she wondered where he’d suggest she sleep. She didn’t need the men bickering in case Brandon insisted she stay with him. She followed him to the last room on the right. It had a queen-sized bed, a nightstand, and a dresser. While the room was small, it was clean. The colorful pillows on the bed made the room rather cozy.
“In case you’re wondering, Mom picked out the décor.”
She smiled. “It’s perfect. Does she live around here?”
“About forty-five minutes away.”
“Cool.” She had so much to learn about him and his family.
“This room doesn’t have an attached bath, but you can use mine anytime.”
Mac chuckled. “But only when you’re naked in the shower, right?”
Brandon set down her case and stalked toward her, his golden gaze focused on her face. She wanted to share the information she’d found out about the men, but her body’s reaction to him seemed to seal her lips shut.
“You have a problem with that?” He lifted a strand of her long hair and twirled it in his finger. “How about a welcome to our home party?”
“You mean a romp in the hay?” She laughed, forgetting how much fun this man could be.
He was easier to be around than Sam, but regardless which man she was near, she couldn’t get enough of him. It was as if an external force took over her mind and body.
“I do, darlin’. You have any objection to that?” He let go of her lock of hair and trailed his finger over her breast.
Her breath whooshed out. “No. None.”
Her thoughts raced. With the way Brandon’s bulge seemed to be growing every second, along with the faint patch of hair that had sprouted on the back of his hands, he was more than ready to ravish her.
The last time they’d made love, Brandon had her stand while he undressed her. Now it was her turn. “Since this is a welcoming home party for me, how about I start?”
“You going to git naked for me?” He cocked a brow.
“Eventually.” Mac moved closer and brushed her lips against his, not making full contact. She wanted to tease him and drive him crazy like he’d done to her. Brandon clasped her waist and drew her near. She leaned back. “Hey, this is my show, my party—at least for the first few minutes. Just stand there and be good.”
“Anything you say, darlin’.” He let go of her.
Brandon wasn’t the type to let a woman take over, so she had to move fast. “Let’s both take off our shoes. We’ll be more comfortable.”
“I’ll be more comfortable naked with you lying underneath me.”
She laughed. “Shush. Do as I say.”
“Always, dar-lin’.”
There was something about the way he elongated that word that fired up her pussy. They both discarded their shoes, but then Brandon went one step further; he took off his jeans.
“No fair,” she said.
“What are you going to do about it? Take off yours?” His lids half closed as he dragged a finger across the waistband of her jeans. That simple action had her hormones zinging through her body.
“You just wait and see. How about sitting on the bed and watch me do my thing?”
He moved closer, if that was possible. Their lips almost touched. “How about I stand here while you take off your clothes?”
He didn’t seem willing to do what she’d asked. “Fine.” She was more determined than ever to make his mouth dry and his cock harder than a cement post.
She stepped back for some room, lifted her shirt over her head, and let the material float to the floor.
Brandon licked his lips. “That’s what I’m talking about.”
She shook her head at his trite phrase. He tore off his shirt. “Hey. You said you’d be good.” She’d want
ed to take off his clothes.
“I am good.” He grinned then grabbed his cock. Thankfully, he still wore briefs or she’d have a harder time concentrating.
Mac laughed. “Then be serious. I’m trying to be sexy, here.”
“You don’t need to try. You’re sexier than any woman on earth.”
He was hopeless. Instead of unhooking her bra in back, she lowered the straps and let the cups fall until they hung on the pointed tips. Brandon’s eyes turned hazy and lust-filled. She could detect the moisture on his lips and the darkened growth on his cheeks. The more ready he was to shift, the more excited she became.
Keeping her gaze on his face, she unbuttoned then unzipped her pants. She turned around and bent over, lowering the material over her ass. Brandon growled.
In a flash, she was in the air and tossed on the bed. “You tempt me too much.”
“I’m not finished.” She’d planned to step out of her jeans, and slowly ease off her panties. If she’d dared, she might have pressed a finger inside her pussy just to torture him. But now, he’d taken over, and she had no control about what was to happen.
Her pants flew over the edge of the bed, and with a quick pinch and a toss, her bra followed.
Footsteps sounded down the hallway. “Well, well.”
Uh-oh. It was Sam. “Hi, there.” She had no idea what he’d do.
He stalked closer to the bed. “Why did you start without me?”
Instead of him glancing at Brandon, he looked straight at her. She scooted back on her elbows. “I thought you were at work.” She twisted toward Brandon. “Didn’t you tell me that?”
“I don’t remember.”
“Traitor.”
Sam’s lips tilted up, dimpling his cheeks. “Only kidding with you. I was at the station when Brandon called. I got here as fast as I could.”
“Better late than never. Come here and get naked.” Her voice shook. She’d never been with two men before, but since she was already undressed—or almost undressed—Sam might as well join them. Her body needed them both.