Savage Revenge

by Shelli Stevens

The other woman’s expression didn’t change a bit. “Nathan Larson has long been rumored to have substance abuse issues. And from what I understand, recently became addicted to one of my pain medications where rage is a side effect.”

  She had to be lying. Right? But with the video Sage had just seen. Good lord, she didn’t know what or who to believe anymore.

  “Jim, with all due respect,” Gus began, “we should call the agency and notify them he’s been located.”

  And they’d come in with guns blazing. There was a good chance of casualties—Sienna and Warrick included. The idea of any of them being hurt, let alone killed, made her stomach revolt.

  “Wait,” she pleaded huskily. “There’s got to be another way. There are innocent people in that house—friends of his that believe he didn’t do this. You can’t just send P.I.A. agents in to possibly obliterate them.”

  “Sage.” Her brother’s irritation was tempered with patience. “I can’t let him get away with this.”

  “I know. I…” she hesitated. “I don’t think he should get away with it. I honestly think he believes he didn’t do it.”

  Jim shook his head. “It doesn’t matter—”

  “Listen, if I don’t get back to my house soon, he’ll come looking for me. Or he’ll figure out something is up and leave. There’s not enough time for you to get the P.I.A. here anyway.” She met her brother’s gaze. “And you know I’m right on this.”

  He was silent for a moment, then, “So what are you suggesting?”

  “Take me back to the road by my house. Now. Let me out and I’ll…” She swallowed hard, fighting the nausea. “I’ll lead him outside to you tonight. I’ll invite him to go on a moonlit walk or something. You can take him a bit easier. Without the risk of him running or innocent people being hurt.”

  “No.” Gus appeared from behind her, the word gruff with anger. “I don’t want her going back to him. I think we should try and grab the guy now.”

  The visual of agents, or even her brother’s pack, entering her house with guns ready flickered through her head.

  Nate would fight them. Possibly to the death. And she suspected Warrick would too.

  Knowing her brother put a lot of weight in his beta’s opinion, Sage spun to face Jim.

  “Please, don’t do this. We can trap him if you send Gus and a few of your guys. I’ll feign ignorance to you being out in the woods. Gus can grab me and threaten my life if Nate doesn’t surrender.” She swallowed with difficulty. “Faced with my safety, and knowing he’s outnumbered, I’m almost certain he will turn himself in.”

  Gus snorted. “I highly doubt that.”

  “He cares about me,” she ground out, knowing every word was already a betrayal to Nate. “He’s already saved my life once.”

  There was silence, before her brother broke it. “I actually believe he does care for you, but it isn’t reason enough to agree to your idea.”

  Her heart sank. “Jim—”

  “I also believe, unfortunately, that you care about Nathan Larson much more than I’m comfortable with.”

  “Damn right,” Gus agreed bitterly.

  Her brother approached her. “You realize you’re putting yourself at risk with such a plan?”

  “Yes. Of course.”

  After another moment’s silence, Jim murmured, “I’ll go along with your plan on two conditions.”

  Relief flooded through her. If there were a chance that Nate could come out of this alive, then she’d agree to the conditions.

  “Anything.”

  “The first is if Gus follows you home and waits in the woods outside your house—that way you can find a way to signal him if there’s any danger.”

  “Okay. I can agree to that.”

  “Second condition. Stop fighting me on the arranged mating. If we can capture Nathan Larson without any bloodshed—or much—you’ll agree to mate and marry Gus by the end of next week. I’m done worrying about you on your own, Sage. You need your mate. Your true protector.”

  “Next week?” The relief that had warmed her blood a moment ago faded as despair chilled it. She’d known mating with Gus was inevitable in the next year or two, but to hear it would happen in a matter of days made her want to run back to the bathroom and throw up again.

  If she didn’t agree, there was a good chance Nate would be killed as agents raided her house. If she agreed to her brother’s condition, Nate would live long enough to go on trial in front of the elders. To maybe plead insanity during the killings from the drug given to him. He would at least have a chance.

  And all it would cost her was her freedom a year early.

  There really was no choice in her heart.

  “I agree,” she said numbly.

  Respect and relief flashed across Jim’s face, but a glance at Gus showed nothing but triumph tinged with a cold lust.

  Another chill chased down her spine, and she knew she would miss the freedom she’d enjoyed all these years up until now. Because her future mate no doubt intended to keep her on a short leash.

  “Good. As your alpha I command you to not warn Agent Larson about our planned attack. Do you understand? You go against my command and you don’t even want to know the kind of shit you’ll be in, Sage.”

  “I understand,” she agreed quietly.

  “You’re doing the right thing.” Jocelyn stepped forward and clasped Sage’s hand with her cold one. “And what you all should also know is Nathan Larson is being called a potential suspect in the deaths of several women along the West Coast.”

  Immediately her mind pulled up the image of the story he’d been looking at on her computer. The dead woman in Oregon.

  Her blood, already chilled, grew icy. The instinct to try and defend him didn’t even rise this time. Instead heavy acceptance fell over her in the form of depression.

  “You’re right,” she whispered, almost to herself. “He needs to be brought in as soon as possible.”

  Jim nodded. “Exactly. Now let’s clarify some of the details on how this will go down.”

  Chapter Eighteen

  “That went rather well.” Jocelyn paused outside of her motel room and turned to face Frank, who’d insisted on walking her to it.

  “I agree. I have a feeling we’ll hear from Jim by tonight about Agent Larson’s capture.”

  Opening her door, she paused before stepping inside. “I look forward to it. I want to Nathan Larson’s world to come crumbling down. See him put to—well an agonizing death would be lovely—for his crimes.”

  “And you think he’s guilty of what they say?”

  Her smile hardened. “Oh. He’s guilty. He’s always been guilty, and I’m going to laugh when it’s time to pay the piper.”

  After adjusting his glasses on the bridge of his nose, Frank moved to lean against the door jam. Closer to her now.

  “Why do I get the feeling you’re the piper, Jocelyn?”

  She arched a brow. “Hardly. I’m not even in the band. I’m just watching the shit show from the sidelines.”

  His low, amused laugh sent unfamiliar giddy shivers through her.

  Unsettled by it, she stepped inside the room. “I’m going to spend the rest of the evening in my room until we hear from—”

  “Invite me in.”

  For a moment, she was so thrown by the husky command she could just stare at him.

  “I don’t think so.” She started to shut the door, but he wedged his foot in it and nudged it back open.

  “You know you want to, Jocelyn.” His voice lowered and he maneuvered himself over the threshold just a bit.

  “I don’t appreciate your forward—”

  Her words ended when his mouth came down on hers, effectively silencing her and making her mind shut down almost instantly.

  When he thrust her back against the door, his tongue diving deep, his lower body grinding into her, lust took over.

  More aroused than she could’ve ever expected—ever remember being—she let him walk her back
into the room and kick the door closed behind them.

  Moments later, she wound up on the bed, rather forcefully thrown down and then pinned by his hard body.

  She couldn’t maintain a thought. Could barely acknowledge the frantic racing of her heart as need and excitement coursed through her.

  What was happening? She always took control in the bedroom, and now here was a man—still almost a stranger—who’d walked into her life and was silently demanding she hand over the reigns.

  Crazy. It was absolute insanity that she might regret. But as he ripped the clothes from her body, she couldn’t possibly take the time to think about that now.

  An hour later, when they lay entwined, somewhat bruised, and thoroughly exhausted, Jocelyn lay on her stomach and wished for a cigarette. And she wasn’t a smoker.

  Frank lay on his back beside her, and the bed dipped as he rolled over to press a kiss on her shoulder blade.

  “Tell me, lovely, why do you hate Nathan Larson so much?”

  No flowery talk or waxing poetic, but Frank was all business after sex. It was actually quite refreshing.

  She turned her head, which was resting on her forearm, to the side and looked at the wall.

  “I’m half shifter.”

  “Yes. I’m quite aware. As am I.” His lips traveled to the nape of her neck. “I’m not sure I understand how Agent Larson is responsible for that.”

  “He’s not directly, I suppose.” She gave a light shrug. “But he’s aware of the sickening circumstances of my creation. That my mother was raped, and my sister and I were the result. He’s made sure the truth stayed buried for all these years.”

  She’d never told anyone that. Only her twin sister—who was dead now—had known the truth. Funny, and a bit scary, that she had opened up to Frank.

  “I’m sorry.” His tone held little sympathy, though, more thoughtfulness. “And you never thought to just have him killed?”

  Oh this man definitely had an evil side. Which made her like him all that much more.

  “I’m not the violent sort, Frank.” Or at least she didn’t like to get her own hands dirty. But she wasn’t about to give him anything that could be used against her someday.

  “I’m not thrilled with the P.I.A., seeing as they helped cover up the rape, but yes, Agent Larson is an alpha and should’ve done the right thing. His entire family of alpha men should have. So the Larsons have always been on my shit list.”

  “Didn’t his father die recently? If I remember correctly, it was a drowning?”

  “Mmm. Yes. A most unfortunate accident.” Or not.

  “God, I love it when you talk revenge.”

  In a moment he’d flipped her onto her back, settled between her legs and drove into her.

  Jocelyn gave herself over to the passion, aroused by both the man inside her and the discussion of revenge on Agent Larson’s family.

  When Frank kissed her neck, she arched her back and dug her nails into his shoulders.

  He thrust into her hard. Rocking her body on the mattress. Something primal and raw was rising inside her.

  When he closed his teeth over her flesh and nibbled she came instantly. Her sex clenched around him in continues spasms, heat stretched through her body as lights seemed to explode in her head.

  And then it was over, and she knew she’d have to re-evaluate her definition of earth-shattering sex.

  What the hell was going on between them?

  Frank eased from her and dropped a firm kiss on her mouth.

  “You are amazing, my dear.”

  “So I’ve been told.” She stayed reclined against the mattress, and watched as he began to dress. “Going somewhere already?”

  “I want to watch Agent Larson be confiscated. Report the good news back to you.” He paused at the door, snagging the room’s key card off the nearby counter.

  “Do be discreet if you insist on doing this.” Though secretly she loved the idea that he would be there to give the scoop on Agent Larson’s demise.

  “Of course. I’ll be back before you can miss me.”

  Miss him? Hmm. She watched as he slipped silently out the door and wondered if it would come to that.

  She just might.

  Reaching for the remote on the bedside table, she turned on the television and flipped through the stations.

  When the national news popped on the screen, she set the remote back down. Another murderous rampage from an American Soldier, but this time at a U.S. Military base in Virginia.

  Well. This would just have to keep her sufficiently entertained until Frank returned.

  Going for a third round of rough sex had never sounded so good.

  “She should’ve been back by now.” Nathan stared out the window again, his hands clenching and unclenching. He’d known instinctively it had been a bad idea to let her go out walking.

  “She’s fine, Nate. Probably just enjoying some sunshine,” Sienna reassured him, approaching from behind to give his shoulder a gentle squeeze. “She probably needs it after you kept her locked up for days.”

  He almost snarled out a reply, before she gave a soft laugh to show she was teasing.

  “Give her another half-hour,” Donovan agreed. “Then we can go looking for her. Though I’m sure Sienna’s right and Sage is just fine.”

  “She’d fucking better be.” Because he’d kill anything or anyone that harmed a hair on her head.

  The realization didn’t even alarm him anymore. Hell, when had he grown so protective of Sage? So possessive? Even though the time they’d known each other had been brief, his connection to her—his need for her—had grown gradually. Steadily.

  “In the meantime, check this out.” Donovan stood and waved a smart phone at him. “It’s Alicia’s.”

  Nathan caught his breath and strode forward to grab it. “How the fuck—”

  “Borrowed it from evidence over at the agency pretty much the minute it was confiscated.”

  “Borrowed, huh?” Nathan glanced at the outgoing and incoming phone call list. “And it’s unlocked.”

  “I picked up some tricks from that Latina chick I dated in digital forensics—oof.” Donovan broke off in a gasp as Sienna’s elbow slammed into his side. “Years—decades—ago, darling.”

  “Hmmph.” She rolled her eyes. “Like we said earlier, we both had doubts that you killed all these people. I didn’t realize Warrick here had swiped the phone from the evidence room though.”

  “The less you know, the less you can be convicted on, Sienna.”

  “Always looking out for my best interest,” she chided, but there was warmth to her tone.

  “I found some interesting stuff,” Donovan continued. “A few texts that don’t really paint a good picture for you.”

  Nathan went to the text section and saw his name on several of the texts. He read them and frowned.

  “These texts aren’t from me.”

  Donovan arched a brow. “And yet your name is on them.”

  “My name is listed in the contact field for that number, but that’s not my number.”

  “Bingo. I caught that too.” Donovan nodded.

  “So she labeled someone else’s number as yours?” Sienna frowned and peered over his shoulder at the phone. “Weird. What do the messages say?”

  “First one she sent ‘me’ says her dad wants her to back out of the wedding. Supposedly ‘I’ reply with rage and threats. She says she’s afraid I’m going to do something rash, and I need to calm down.”

  “And you didn’t send those?” Sienna reiterated.

  “No.”

  “Looks like she was setting you up.” Donovan jerked his chin toward the phone. “Or someone did by changing the contact name to appear that way.”

  Nathan scrolled through the list of recently dialed numbers, made a mental note of the unfamiliar names, and then handed the phone back to Donovan.

  “Can you jump back on the computer and see if you can find out who’s number that really is?”
<
br />   “The one listed as yours? I’m on it.” Donovan returned to the open office and began typing away.

  “See. Here she is.” Sienna moved to stare out the window. “You were worried for nothing.”

  Nathan jerked his attention outside and breathed a little easier as he spotted Sage moving up the steps on her front porch.

  The door opened a moment later and she stepped inside.

  “I was getting nervous.”

  She’d had her gaze on the floor as she entered, and jumped at his words.

  Her head rose and she glanced his way and offered a small smile. “Sorry, I got caught up with my thoughts and lost track of time.”

  But just as quickly as her gaze met his, it slid away. That was the first clue that something was off. The second was the tension that had her muscles wound so visibly tight, she seemed ready to snap.

  “So, did you guys discover anything new while I was gone?” Her voice though, was just as bright and cheerful as it always was.

  “Come here for a moment,” Nathan ordered softly.

  Sage froze and her eyes rounded. He could swear she wasn’t even breathing as she walked over to him.

  The scent of another alpha—her brother—slammed into him when she was still several feet away.

  He forced his expression to remain the same as he took her hand and asked lightly, “You encounter any mountain lions this time? Species with questionable intent?”

  “Nope.” Her voice stayed bright. “Just the usual humdrum of nature and my thoughts to keep me company. Exactly as I like it.”

  Son of a bitch. His stomach sank. She was blatantly lying to him. He knew she’d somehow met up with her brother—had she planned it?—while out on that walk. If it had been a random, innocent meeting, she would’ve told him.

  “So I really need to get back to my writing, because it’s finally on a roll. But maybe later we could go for a walk together,” she said quickly, before lowering her voice and squeezing his hand. “Spend some time alone.”

  “Sounds like a plan.”

  She flashed him a smile, but her gaze wouldn’t quite meet his. When she tried to pull away, he curled his fingers around her wrist to halt her.