“They must have got him before he got home,” Derrick muttered as they were on their way to the headquarters. Cheryl didn't know what to expect there, but she didn't have high hopes.
As they neared, Cheryl found the pit in her stomach growing. Black smoke was rising on the horizon. In the passenger seat, Cheryl watched Derrick's eyes flicker back and forth from the road to the smoke every few seconds, but he didn't say anything. Both of them knew what it meant.
As they pulled up to the building, her bad feeling had been right. The building, or what was left of it, was engulfed in flames. Firefighters crowded around fire trucks, spraying water, but the damage had been done. Whoever had attacked the Clan headquarters had executed their job perfectly. Derrick scanned the crowd of people milling around the building, but he didn't see anything he was looking for. They drove off without a word.
“We know that everyone was kidnapped and not killed, so that's a start. I don't know how long Ramsey is going to let them live, or what his plan is, but it looks like we're the only ones left,” Derrick said. “We need to lay low for a while and put out some feelers into the shifter community. Something is bound to turn up.”
“We can go to my place,” Cheryl offered. “It should be safe. They'll have no idea I'm even involved.”
“Thanks, Cheryl,” was his reply. “But I don't want to pull you into this any more than you already are. I'll drop you off and head to a motel. I can do this alone.”
“You don't have to, though.”
Derrick was silent, mulling it over. “If you stay, you have to do exactly as I say. If I tell you to run, or it's time for you to leave, or anything else, you listen to me. I can't risk anyone else getting captured and hurt by Ramsey.”
“Okay. I can handle that,” Cheryl said, giving Derrick directions to her home.
Once there, Derrick scoped out the perimeter, making sure that Cheryl's place was safe. After he came back around the house and waved her inside, she stepped out of his truck and made her way to the front door of her house. Opening it, she flipped on the lights, letting Derrick step inside.
“This is my humble abode,” she said, sweeping an arm around her residence.
“I wish I was here under better circumstances,” Derrick said, following her into the kitchen.
“Maybe one day.”
Derrick smiled for the first time since everything had happened. He sat down wearily at the table. Cheryl looked him over. He suddenly looked older than before, like there was a weight on his shoulders. She came over behind him, reaching up and grabbing his large shoulders in her small hands, massaging him.
Derrick let out a relieved sigh, visibly relaxing under her grip. She continued rolling her hands and fingers, working the tension out of his muscles. After a few minutes, he reached a hand up, grabbing one of hers. He squeezed gently. “Thank you, Cheryl. We're going to get through this. And I'm certainly glad to have the help, no matter how I acted earlier. I don't want you getting too close to me, though.”
“Why not?” Cheryl responded, removing her hands and feeling somewhat hurt.
“I'm not a very good shifter. I'm not what's good for you.”
“I can make that decision myself. No matter what happens between us, I'm still going to help. I may not know much about your world, but Beth is my best friend. And your brother is her fiancé. And everyone kidnapped are their friends. I'm going to do everything I can to help you.”
“You're right.”
“Do you want some dinner?” she asked, feeling a little bit better. Was Derrick right, though? Should she take a step back from him after all of this was done? Things were certainly much more serious than she had imagined they could ever be.
“Thanks. Yeah, that sounds great,” Derrick said, getting to his feet. Before Cheryl could make her way to the cabinets though, Derrick was poking through them, opening the fridge, scouting the freezer. “How do you like lasagna?”
And he's a man who cooks? Cheryl thought. If she had an interest in him before, she was falling for him completely now, even if he didn't want her to. “Who doesn't?”
“Good. Sit down and let me work my magic,” he said, offering her another smile. It was something Cheryl could get used to seeing.
After a delicious dinner, Cheryl followed Derrick into the living room. She could tell that he was still wired, even if his calm exterior said otherwise. Cheryl flicked on the television, flipping through the channels, but finding nothing on.
They sat on opposite sides of her couch, Derrick closest to the door just in case someone found out where they were hiding out. Fortunately, the evening slipped into straight borderline boring territory. For that, Cheryl was thankful. She hadn't thought a night after everything that had happened earlier could be boring, but here it was.
“I know a few shifters around the city. Real independent type guys. A couple of them might be able to point us in the right direction tomorrow morning. I'm hoping they can help.”
Cheryl nodded her head. “I'm sure they can. I just wish there was something else I could do to help us find them. But let's worry about that in the morning. Do you want a beer?”
Another smile from Derrick. “I would love one.”
Cheryl went into the kitchen, searching through her fridge to find a bottle buried in the back. She poured herself a small glass of wine and went back into the living room. She moved past her old spot on the couch, instead deciding upon the cushion closest to Derrick. For a second, he seemed guarded, but then he smiled as she curled up next to him, handing him the beer.
“I'm nervous, Cheryl. I don't know if I'm good enough for you,” Derrick said, holding out a shaky hand. “I don't know if I'm good enough to save my brother. I don't have any real experience with this type of stuff. Whenever someone needed protection, or there was a dangerous job, whoever needed help always went to my brother. I was the guy that stayed back at headquarters and worked the bar. This is all new territory for me.”
“I still believe in you,” she replied, snuggling up closer. “I haven't known you for long, but I can tell that your brother has nothing to worry about. You're smart, you're strong, and you're brave. You're going to find your brother and if they really didn't respect you before, they will now. And I'm falling for you.”
“You shouldn't.”
“Let me make up my own mind.”
“Do you really think we can rescue them?” he asked.
“I do. Plus, I can't wait to see the look on Beth's face when we show up. I bet she thinks I've turned tail and ran.”
“Sounds like everyone's in for a surprise when we rescue them.”
Cheryl leaned into Derrick, resting her head on his shoulder, relieved that he didn't pull away. Despite everything going on, being this close to Derrick just felt right. She wondered if things would have went this way if the others hadn't been kidnapped by Ramsey and his shifters, but that train of thought was cut off when Derrick bent down, closing his eyes. Cheryl closed hers, feeling his warm lips pressing against hers. Warmth flooded her body, starting from her lips down to her toes. With one blind hand, she put the wine glass on the table. Immediately after releasing it, she heard it slip off the edge, wine splashing across the carpet, but she couldn't bring herself to break their kiss.
Derrick took her head in his large hands, pulling her close, his fingers dancing through her hair. She wrapped her arms around his large, barrel shaped chest, one hand running underneath his shirt, his toned chest smooth under her hand.
Derrick's tongue pushed through her lips, dancing across her teeth for the briefest of seconds, then pushing gently against her own tongue. She wrapped her lips around it, sucking it deep into her mouth. Cheryl swung a leg over Derrick's lap, straddling him. His hands grabbed her by her ass, squeezing.
The shifter's large hands grabbed her shirt, starting to pull it over her head, when a knock came at the door. A knock? Cheryl wondered. She couldn't think of anyone who would be knocking on her door this late at night, and she di
dn't think it would be like Ramsey to knock before barging in.
Cheryl felt herself being thrown off of Derrick in a split second. She landed softly, watching him peel his shirt over his head and discard it. He started to unbutton his pants as he strode to the door, then he turned around, as if to ask Who is it? Cheryl shrugged her shoulders. No idea. Derrick dropped his pants, standing behind the door and shifting. In a few seconds, Cheryl was sharing the space of her small living room with a fully grown bear.
Derrick hid behind the door as best his large bulk would allow. Cheryl took a few deep breaths, steeling herself for what was to come. She didn't think it was Ramsey's men, but she couldn't be sure. One more deep breath and she reached out, turning the lock and then the doorknob. The door swung open…
Cheryl could see Derrick tense up, but a smile broke out on her face and she jumped forward, wrapping her arms around the man outside. She broke the hug and ushered him inside.
The man gave a jump at seeing Derrick behind the door, his huge form standing up on his two hind legs. Derrick didn't move to attack. Cheryl held out a hand, indicating the man. “Derrick, this is Jeff Kastner. My boss. Jeff, this is Derrick.”
“Pleased to meet you,” Kastner said, and he seemed genuine when he said it. Cheryl rushed around, picking up Derrick's clothes. Kastner turned around as Derrick shifted back into his human form and pulled his clothes back on. “I'm so glad you're okay, Cheryl.”
“What's going on? Please, sit,” she said, angling him towards the couch where only seconds ago, her and Derrick had almost done some things that she'd been wanting to do since she'd met him. She blushed. If Kastner noticed, he didn't say anything.
“I've got some bad news, but I'm sure you already know more than I do,” the lawyer said, pulling out a piece of paper. “I found this left at my office earlier tonight. I don't know why it was left to me.”
On the piece of paper was a phone number. Cheryl turned it over, but there was nothing else.
“After I found it, I had a bad feeling in my gut. I called Beth. She didn't pick up. She wasn't at her house. I decided to come straight over. I was worried that a bitter client, or someone we put away, was out for vengeance. Seeing Derrick here, however, makes me think that I was a little off in my assumption.”
“Beth, my brother, and the rest of the shifters and their girlfriends have all been kidnapped, Mr. Kastner,” Derrick explained. “We were the only two that managed to get away. We have been laying low for the past few hours and planned to track them down early tomorrow morning. They might not know where to find us, but they know leaving this number will draw us in. Right into their trap.”
“What do you want, Ramsey? What's your end game?”
“Ah, Derrick, my boy. Your brother misses you dearly. Meet me at the old factory on Jefferson Street in two hours. If you don't, you'll never see your brother, any of your Clan mates, or their women alive again. Tell no one and come alone. If you do what I say, I won't hunt down your woman.”
The phone went silent. Cheryl leaned back from the coffee table, staring at the phone. For a few moments, the three of them were quiet, mulling over what Ramsey had said. Cheryl grabbed Derrick's hand, squeezing gently. His hand had been shaking earlier, but now it was steady.
“That gives us until about 2,” Derrick said, glancing at the clock. It's probably about a 30 minute drive from my house, Cheryl reckoned. Doesn't leave a lot of time to prepare.
“Should we call the cops?” Kastner asked. “I know he said not to, but that's the only thing I can think of. Walking in there just like he wants is asking for disaster. He'll never let you, or anyone else, walk out of there alive.”
“I know,” Derrick said. “There's got to be a better plan, though.”
“I'm going in with you,” Cheryl said.
“You heard what he said, Cheryl,” Kastner replied, shaking his head at her idea. “If you stay out of it, he'll leave you alone. At least that's something.”
“He'll never let me go, no matter what he says. If I go in with Derrick, I might be able to do something.”
“No, it's not worth it,” Derrick said. “He told me to come alone. I can go in and rescue them.”
“You need a better plan than that, Derrick. The cops can help,” Kastner said again.
“A whole bunch of cops swarming in is a sure fire way to get everyone killed,” Cheryl said. She wracked her brain for a few seconds and something finally clicked. “What about Emma's partner? I've heard Beth talking about him before. He helped bring down a guy name Joe. Maybe he could help here.”
Derrick's hackles raised at the mention of Joe's name. Cheryl knew he was a sore subject for a lot of the shifters. However, Derrick nodded. “That's a good idea. He has experience and the gear necessary for taking down shifters. He's solid and sending in one guy won't draw much attention. He can watch my back.”
“He's not going in alone, Derrick,” Cheryl told the man sitting next to her. He opened his mouth to reply, but Cheryl cut him off. “I'm in this now. We're going to see this through, together.”
A couple of blocks from the old factory, Derrick pulled his truck over. Cheryl and Sergeant Brock Franklin piled out. Sergeant Franklin, a large man in his own regard, filled Cheryl with determination. He was kind and had immediately agreed to help. She knew that he was the type of man you wanted next to you during a fight. Plus, his tranquilizer guns, designed especially for shifters, didn't hurt.
Cheryl moved around to the driver's side door. Derrick's window was rolled down. He looked nervous, unsure if their plan would work. She couldn't tell what he was more worried about: failing his brother, his own safety, or hers. She imagined it was a mix of all three.
“You don't have to do this,” he begged. “Franklin and I can handle this ourselves. I don't want to put you in danger.”
“I've made up my mind. You're not going to change it.”
“I know, but I figured it was worth one more try,” he replied, a smile appearing on his face. Cheryl leaned in to him, planting another kiss on his lips. She kissed him deeply, lovingly, like it was the last time they would ever kiss. Maybe it will be, she thought, but quickly banished the thought. There was no room for that kind of thinking.
“We'll be right behind you,” Cheryl said. “Just know that you're the bravest man I've ever met.”
And with that, Cheryl let him go. Derrick drove off, his headlights piercing the darkness. Franklin waved them forward, and they were running down the dark street, carrying the rifles on their backs. Streetlights were burnt out and clouds were thick overhead, so keeping a low profile wasn't too hard. At least it was warm, Cheryl reasoned. Up ahead, Derrick turned his car into the parking lot of the old factory.
As they followed the truck into the parking lot, Cheryl and Franklin turned and ran along the side of the chain link fence. The factory had once produced car and truck parts, but it had closed down only about a year ago. Cheryl wasn't sure what to expect, though Franklin had assured her he knew the layout.
“I had to chase some squatters out of here a few times with Emma,” he had said in the truck, a grin splitting his face. “It was one of her first patrols with me.”
Now, they were silent. Cheryl followed Officer Franklin to the building, where he started climbing up an old fire escape she would never have seen in the darkness. She turned to watch as Derrick got out of the truck, parked at the front of the building. He was surrounded by three bears. One came close to him, sniffing. With a bellow, the bear latched onto Derrick's forearm with its mouth. Cheryl almost screamed, but managed to keep herself quiet. She watched as the bear simply dragged Derrick inside. It didn't look like he'd done any serious harm to Derrick, but she couldn't be sure.
The fire escape swayed and creaked as they climbed, but the ladder held. Once inside, Cheryl looked around. The building was surprisingly well lit from below. Lights had been strung up, though they weren't strong enough to light up the high catwalk they were now crouched on. Cheryl could see t
he entire interior of the building. Massive machines sat along the far walls, hulking and rusting, never to be touched again.
Bucking Bearback (BBW Shifter Cowboy Western Romance) (Bear Ranchers Book 5) Page 31