“Oh, it doesn’t matter. Adam can read anyone,” Jill said beside her. “He won’t be able to hide anything from him.”
Everyone watched as Adam laid his hand on Malcolm’s shoulder. The frown on his face grew harsh as he stared down at the man. Finally, he let go. “He isn’t going to do anything to her… now.” Adam gave Malcolm one last hard stare. “But it did cross his mind more than once. He did it for his sister, to get her away from the man who’s keeping her against her will. The money would have helped them get away.”
“I’m the sister, and not once did I ask him to do anything like that.” She held her arm up to Adam. “Go ahead. I don’t want anyone here thinking I would turn her over for money. I would rather rot here than do that. Go ahead. I want everyone to know.”
Adam touched her wrist gently and smiled. “Truth,” Adam confirmed, then glanced at Malcolm. “But you have a hell of a road ahead of you with your sister.”
“Damn straight he does.” Jamie crossed her arms, resting them on her big belly.
“Okay, we’re here.” Sid glanced around at everyone. “Whose ass are we kicking, and how many? I’m good for five.”
Taz grinned, liking all the Warriors immediately. They were his kind of people for sure.
Leda wasn’t as happy as Taz. She walked around him, looking at everyone. “There are people here who are still loyal to our father but are afraid.” She glanced at Jamie, then at Garrett, who just glared at her. “I don’t want them hurt.”
“This could be complicated.” Sloan frowned, looking at Garrett and then Dell. “How do you think we should go about this.”
“Leda is well loved by our pack,” Jamie said and walked toward Leda. “If they knew she was here, they would follow her anywhere.”
“No.” Taz shook his head. “She’s staying here.”
“Ah, no,” Leda said quickly, heat behind her words. She knew Taz was trying to protect her, but he still failed to understand that she felt she didn’t have a choice but to stand strong and be involved every step of the way. “She isn’t.”
“Listen,” Jamie jumped in, no doubt before things got out of hand. “Especially with the alpha gone, these boneheads go up to the main house and party most of the night. They are so full of confidence that no one will dare come onto their land that no one is watching anything.” Jamie looked at all of the new faces. “Not one of you were stopped, right? You all got in undetected and with ease no doubt?” Several nods of acknowledgment that she was accurate appeared from both the Warriors and the wolves of Lee County. “Once Allen is back, it will tighten up some, but in a few hours, these guys will be toast.”
Everyone looked at Adam. “Truth.”
“Wait a minute.” Jamie frowned. “He wasn’t touching me.”
“Most of the time I don’t have to.” Adam shrugged. “If I felt I needed to, I would.”
“Fair enough.” Jamie shrugged back.
Leda walked over to where Garrett stood quietly. “How’s Sam?”
Garrett looked down at her, and at first, she didn’t think he was going to answer. “He misses you.” His tone was matter-of-fact. “He’s worried. His stuttering is worse.”
“It always is when he’s nervous.” Leda felt like her insides were being twisted. “I’m sorry, Garrett. I didn’t mean to bring this to your door.”
Garrett sighed, his features softening somewhat. “You really think I’m worried about that, Leda?”
“You should be,” she responded without hesitation. “I didn’t want everyone involved. It’s why I lied and left. I didn’t want all of this.”
Garrett narrowed his eyes at her. “Well, you got it.” His response wasn’t said with meanness or blame. “You’re part of the Lee County pack. This is what we do. I knew your father. He was a good man and didn’t deserve what happened to him. It’s our right as packs to defend those who cannot defend themselves.”
“You knew my father?” Leda gasped in surprise.
“I hadn’t seen him in a long time, but yes, I knew him and your mother, Jewel.” Garrett reached out and pulled her into his arms. “I’m sorry for your loss. It was a big loss, and you and Sam didn’t deserve this. Taz told us what happened and I’m damn sorry, Leda.”
“Thank you.” Leda sniffed, holding onto Garrett. She had never had anyone to depend on after her father and mother died. It had only been her and Sam until she’d met Janna. “And I’m sorry.”
“Don’t be… this time.” Garrett gave her a fatherly squeeze. “But next time you do anything like this, I will ground you forever.”
Smiling, Leda nodded. “After what I’ve been through this past week, I’d welcome being grounded to my room.”
“Oh really.” Garrett chuckled as he pulled her away to look down at her. “So I’m not going to get the ‘I’m too old to be grounded’ routine?”
Suddenly feeling exhausted and older than her years, she slowly shook her head. “Not today.”
Chapter 11
Taz looked up when Sid spoke. “It’s go time, boys and girls.” Sid glanced at his watch. “Everyone know what they’re doing?”
“If not, wing it,” Jax said, heading for the door.
Devon walked over to Taz, giving him his hand. “Sorry I’ve given you a lot of shit, man.”
Taz stared at him for a long minute, wondering what the fuck was going on. First Steve, now Devon.
He grasped Devon’s hand, their grips tightening for a firm shake. “No worries.” Taz still didn’t like Devon, but if they were going to have each other’s backs in times like these, they needed to at least respect each other.
Devon glanced toward Leda, who stood alone, looking lost. “She sure has been through some shit.” Devon sighed. “Takes a pretty strong person to get through what she’s been through. You’re a lucky man.”
“I am,” Taz agreed with pride. Knowing Devon realized he had no chance with Leda made him like the asshole just a little bit more.
“Wait!” Jamie called out before everyone filed out the back door. “Malcolm, Leda, and I need to lead the way. Those who are still loyal to Leda’s father will see you all as a threat at first. Give us time to explain along the way. Word will spread fast, maybe even to the main house before we can even get there.”
“Yeah, I don’t think so.” Taz didn’t like that idea at all. Leda being out in the open without protection was not happening.
“Listen, Minor thinks she’s a girl Malcolm met on the internet. She still has her wig on, so if you guys scatter while we gather up whoever we can, this can work.” Jamie put her hand on her waist with a frown. “I’m telling you, if we all go marching through town, it’s going to get ugly, fast.”
“We do ugly really well,” Sid announced, gaining agreement from most of the group.
“And you really think that hideous wig is going to work?” Hunter tugged at it, gaining a smack from Leda.
“It already has,” Jamie replied, then glanced around at all of them. “Most of Allen’s guys have only seen a picture of Leda, but the ones who watched her grow up are going to know her with the wig. Guys, we have elderly people who can’t fight. We need time to get them to safety.”
Dell stepped up and looked around at everyone, then back to Jamie. “Where is the main house?”
“At the end of town,” Leda answered instead of Jamie. “It’s a large three-story with white pillars along the wraparound porch. You can’t miss it.”
“Can five of your guys surround the house without being seen?” Dell asked Sloan, gaining snorts from the Warriors.
“‘Can we surround the house without being seen?’ he asks.” Jared cranked his neck back and forth. “I think we can handle it.”
“I can call for some of my friends.” Katrina grinned, standing next to Blaze.
“Keep them for later.” Sloan nodded toward her.
“I don’t like not knowing the layout,” Marcus stated. “And how sure are we that most of his men are at the main house?”
“Oh, that’s easy.” Jamie grinned proudly, then glanced behind her at the clock on the wall. “I’d say the stripper I ordered should be showing up just about now. They’ll be there.”
“That’s a guarantee that if some of them aren’t there, they will be soon,” Malcolm added knowingly.
“I say we shut the fuck up and go take care of business.” Damon frowned with impatience. “We could stand here all night saying what can go wrong.”
“He’s right,” Blaze replied, speaking up for the first time. “We know what to do, so I say let’s get it done.”
“I think Jamie and Leda need to stay here,” Steve added, then stepped back when Leda glared at him with a growl.
“Think again,” Leda snarled with narrowed eyes.
Taz actually liked that idea a lot. “We can keep a few of us here so when the ones who want to leave head toward the cars, the small group here can direct them.”
“Won’t work.” Jamie shook her head. “You guys think you know what you’re walking into, but you don’t. These people have been treated like garbage. They’ve been lied to, stolen from, beaten, threatened and some killed in front of the others as a lesson. You seriously think any of them will go on a word of a stranger? They’ll think it’s another game Allen and his assholes like to pull when they’re bored. Test their loyalty. Honestly, if that’s the way this is going to go down, then I’m out of here, and I suggest you all leave us as we are, because you will definitely make it much worse, especially for me if it’s discovered that I helped you in any way.”
The room became quiet as they digested her words. Taz glanced at Leda, whose anger clearly showed on her face at hearing what her pack had been through.
Shit, there was no way she was going to stay back now.
Leda watched as plans were made and everyone took off at different times. She knew what her job was, and she’d be damned if anyone tried to stop her from doing it. This was not what she’d expected when she’d come here, but if she could help some escape from her pack, then she’d do it.
“I won’t let you out of my sight.” Taz touched her cheek as he stared into her eyes. “You need me and I’m there.”
“I know.” She nodded, then glanced back at Malcolm, who had been very quiet. “You think I can trust him?”
“Trust no one but me,” Taz warned, then smiled at her wide-eyed expression. “Sorry, I’m a little possessive.”
“A little?” She raised her brow, then kissed his cheek. “I’ll be careful. The quicker we do this, the better for the pack.”
“We can’t have Malcolm stay behind, because even with Adam reading him, he’s still not trusted.” Taz glanced his way. “Plus, we already had another talk, and I think he has an understanding of what will happen to him if he goes against us.”
“Oh, I’m sure that was some talk.” Leda chuckled, which was the last thing she wanted to do, but she was staying positive that this was going to work.
“You ready?” Jamie walked up to Leda and gave her a hug. “Thank you for coming back.”
“It’s been my plan since the day I left,” Leda assured her, giving her a squeeze. “I’m just sorry it took me so long.”
Leda started following Jamie, but Taz stopped her as Steve and Malcolm passed them. “Watch yourself, and remember my eyes will be on you the whole time.”
“I know.” Leda nodded, then went on tiptoes to kiss him. “I trust you, Taz.”
Something crossed his face that she couldn’t quite read, but then it was gone. “Go on.” Taz put his hand on the small of her back as she caught up with Malcolm and Jamie at the car. Getting in, she turned to look, but Taz nor Steve was anywhere in sight.
Leda sat in the back while Jamie drove and Malcolm sat in the passenger seat. “You think this is going to work?”
“I know this is going to work,” Jamie replied, backing out. She put the car in gear, heading toward their small shifter town that Leda was anxious to see again. It was only about a mile and a half to the edge of their small town.
Everything was so familiar, yet different. Run-down and deserted, the sight gave her a chill as she realized the last time she was there, her mom and dad had been alive, only to be murdered shortly after her departure.
Leaning forward, Leda looked out the front windshield, her stomach flipping over at the sight of her home at the end of the main street. Every light in the house was on, and she could hear the music playing from inside the car that far away. Anger raged through her body as she glared at the house.
“It’s changed,” Malcolm said as he turned to look at her over the seat. Their eyes met for a brief second before he turned back around, and she saw the remorse in their depths. “Everything has changed.”
Jamie parked far down the road from the main house. “Come on, we’re going door-to-door.” She turned the engine off, then turned around to look at Leda. “You ready?”
With a nod, Leda got out of the car, glancing toward her house. Yes, she considered it her house still, because no one gave her uncle the right to have it. He had not only stolen her parents from her, but her house, and it was time she took it back. “I’m more than ready.”
As they walked toward the first house, Leda realized who lived there, or who had lived there—Mr. and Mrs. Watkins, an older shifter couple who ran the old sawmill. As they made their way up to the front door, she saw the curtains move in the large window. Even though the lights were out, she knew someone was there.
Jamie and Malcolm went up together with Leda following. Before Jamie could knock, the door cracked open. “Mr. Watkins, it’s Jamie. Can we come in?”
“I don’t want any trouble.” Mr. Watkins’s voice shook as he peeked out, trying to see Leda.
“We’re not here to cause you any trouble,” Malcolm said, glancing behind him at Leda. “There’s someone we want you to see.”
“Malcolm, my Beth isn’t feeling very well,” Mr. Watkins said as he tried to close the door, but Malcolm put his foot against it to prevent it from closing. “Please, we don’t want any trouble with the alpha.”
Leda gently moved Jamie aside as she walked up onto the porch. “Mr. Watkins, unfortunately the real alpha of Kingsman cannot cause you any problems, nor, if he were alive, would he.” Leda pulled the wig off her head, letting her long brown-streaked hair flow around her. “As his daughter, I’m here to try to help you and Mrs. Watkins, along with the others who have remained loyal to Jason Kingsman, my father.”
Chapter 12
As soon as Leda disappeared into the house, Taz ran toward the back of it. While the door opened to reveal an older man, that wasn’t the problem. She was alone inside with Malcolm, and he didn’t trust that son of a bitch.
Seeing a back door, he and Steve went for it and was surprised when Malcolm opened the door for them. “Told you I could be trusted.”
“Yeah, that’s still up in the air, bud.” Steve walked past him as Taz pushed past them both. He walked in to see Leda with an older woman in her arms.
“Oh, child,” the woman cried. “We thought for sure you and little Sam were dead.”
“Please, Mrs. Watkins,” Leda urged the older woman. “Calm down before you upset yourself. You don’t want to make yourself sick.”
“Who are you?” Mr. Watkins asked, his voice full of distrust.
Leda looked away from Mrs. Watkins to see Taz standing in the doorway staring at her. “It’s okay.” Leda smiled, reassuring him. “He’s a friend.”
Taz cocked his eyebrow at that but smiled at the older man. “We’re here to help.”
The man reached out his hand. “Thank you.” His voice trembled with emotion.
“We have to get to the others,” Jamie started to explain. “Take just what’s important to you. Hopefully sometime soon we can come back to get the rest of your belongings, but for now, just small things that you can’t do without.”
“Oh my.” Mrs. Watkins frowned. “I don’t think I can leave my things. It’s all we have.”
Taz and Leda shared a look, but Leda jumped in. “I promise you that when we can, we will return for your things. What’s important is to get you out of here, if that’s what you want.”
“It is.” Mrs. Watkins nodded as tears leaked from her aging eyes.
“We’ll get more things, Beth.” Mr. Watkins nodded at Taz, letting him know he would take care of his wife. “Where are we going?”
“Steve is going to take you to someone.” Taz ushered them toward the back door. “Trust them. They won’t let anything happen to you. You’ll be safe.”
“Bless you.” Mrs. Watkins placed a cold wrinkled hand on his cheek. “You’re a good boy.”
Taz had been called a lot of things, but that wasn’t one of them, and yet the woman’s words softened his heart. He would make damn sure these people got the hell out of here safely.
And so it went, house to house. Each person or family was shocked to see Leda alive. Most cried, but all were ready to get the hell out of there.
As Taz followed in the shadows, only to go in once Malcolm opened a door, he noticed how run-down everything seemed. It was as if the pack had given up, and the more he saw, the more people he met, he knew that was what had happened. But the hope in their battle-weary eyes when they saw Leda and heard about Sam told him how respected her family had been by this pack. Taz finally understood more what was driving Leda to do something as crazy as walk into this place and fight for her people. These were definitely her people, and it showed with every new face he saw.
Soon, they arrived at the last house. Word had spread, and people were ready to leave out their back doors. Steve couldn’t handle it all, so Katrina and Jill started to help escort people to where all the cars were parked.
As soon as the last were out of the house, Taz watched Leda walk to the window and open the curtain just enough to look out. He knew she was staring at her home. It had grown louder the closer they got. No one was really going in and out. A few staggered around on the porch, but they wouldn’t have been aware of any of them in the shadows.
Forbidden Secrets (Lee County Wolves Series) Book #5 Page 7