by Vella Day
“Sarah? That you?”
Her heart skipped a beat at the mention of her name. She spun around to tell him this was supposed to be a clandestine meeting, but her mouth wouldn’t work. All she could do was soak in his essence. His voice had to be, hands down, the sexiest thing she’d ever heard. Trite phrases like sex on a stick and as warm and rich as cognac didn’t do him justice.
The incredibly divine man with the perfect ratio of muscles to height strode toward her, his eyes focused on her and her alone. While she usually wasn’t into a man with dark hair that brushed his shoulders, on him, it looked good. And those hazel eyes and sun-kissed tan skin made her melt.
He mouthed the words play along.
Her tight muscles relaxed slightly. He had a plan. Good. At least one of them did. She tossed him her best smile and nodded, hoping it could pass scrutiny with the clerk. She held out her arms for an embrace. “Hey, fancy running into you.”
He closed the gap between them and hugged her, his lips brushing her ear. “Pretend we’re former lovers.”
Seriously? He had to pick lovers as their cover? When she squeezed him tight, the pressure on her chest woke up every latent desire in her body.
Stop it. I’m on assignment.
She leaned back. “Long time no see.”
“I know.” Not even looking at the items for sale, he grabbed a bag of chips off the shelf, and she, too, picked up a small box of donuts. With her gaze on him, the two of them walked to the counter to pay.
“Will that be all?” the clerk asked rubbing his hands down his pants. What was that about? Hopefully, he wasn’t planning on shooting them or calling for help.
“Yes,” she said as calmly as she could.
Sarah dug a hand into her purse to retrieve her wallet when Jay, or perhaps it was Riley, placed a hand over hers. “I have this.”
She’d play along. Lovers indeed. “Thanks.”
Once he paid, she grabbed her goods and walked out with him. “We totally have to catch up,” Sarah said loud enough for the clerk to hear, though why this man would care she didn’t know.
“I parked on the side.” This time, his tone had turned curt. When he placed a hand on her waist to guide her toward his truck, her pulse raced.
Okay, this reaction had to stop. For the past few months, grabby, nasty werewolves had surrounded her, and just because this was the first man who seemed nice didn’t mean she should go all gooey on him.
She refocused on her surroundings. He’d been wise to park his truck out of sight of the main storefront where cameras might be watching their every move.
When they reached his truck, he held open the passenger side door. “Hop in.”
She didn’t want to. Besides, wasn’t he supposed to be with Jay Wagner? “We can talk out here.”
“Oh, fuck. I’m sorry. I wasn’t thinking. You have no idea if you can trust me. I actually worked with Bill Hampton, your boss, for a couple of assignments.”
At the mention of her undercover status, the blood drained from her head and she grabbed the door. “That so?”
“I wish I could prove to you that I’m not working for Statler, but I can’t.” He chuckled, but it held no joy. “You have no idea how far from the truth that is. Name’s Riley Bishop, by the way. Jay Wagner is around here somewhere.”
She looked behind him but didn’t see anyone else. The other man was probably hiding. “It’s not that. I know who you are. I’m just… paranoid.”
He dragged a palm down his well-chiseled jaw. “I get it. I really do.”
“Thank you. Is there someplace we can go for more privacy?” Crap, that sounded like she wanted to seduce him. “I mean, I need to give you the lowdown, and I don’t like being out in the open.”
He flashed her a smile that caused her body to think more unprofessional thoughts. “Sure. How about following us back to our motel?” he asked. “To be safe, stay in your car until I’ve scanned the place, okay?”
“Sure.” She appreciated his concern for her welfare. While she didn’t believe her shadow was close by, she’d take extra precautions.
Just then another man, equally as arresting as Riley, emerged from behind the building. Whoa.
“Here’s Jay now,” Riley said. “Though he was supposed to remain hidden.”
While she was thrilled the FBI was working with the Pack, interacting with two such virile and attractive men might not be good for her concentration. Both men had sleek-looking bodies, and Riley, she’d noted, had an intelligent air about him. His gaze was piercing and his focus admirable.
Riley’s hair was longer than Jay’s, as was the scruff on his face. Whether it was his usual undercover look, or he’d been too busy to shave, she didn’t know, but it gave him that bad boy look. Once she interacted more with Jay, she might believe he, too, was a lady-killer. Jay’s eyes were closer to green than hazel and his skin, while tan, wasn’t as dark as Riley’s.
I’m here to do a job, not get laid.
Putting some distance between them might help her figure out how she was going to handle this unwanted attraction. “I’ll be right behind you,” she said then rushed back to her car.
* * *
When cutting through the woods toward the convenience store, Jay hadn’t detected any other werewolves sneaking about, but that didn’t mean the clerk wasn’t being paid to let Statler know if any new faces appeared in town. After Tyson and Ford Summerville had infiltrated his carefully picked pack of men, Statler’s level of paranoia had probably tripled.
As Jay approached their rental, he slowed, mesmerized by Sarah’s reddish-gold hair, intense cobalt blue eyes, and dynamite body. And those lush lips were made for kissing. Her photo had not done her justice. On the next step, a wave of lust hit him so hard, it not only shocked him in its intensity, he began to shift.
Shit. Shit. Shit.
He looked toward the store to check for cameras or anything else to distract him. Within seconds of not having Sarah in his sight, his fangs and nails retracted. Eventually, his pulse slowed, but not enough to push away his feral urges.
Needing to regroup, he jumped into the passenger side, not daring to glance her way. When he twisted in his seat, he caught sight of her retreating rear—and what a nice ass it was, too—and the lust ramped up again.
Riley hopped in and started the engine. He was looking a bit green, also.
“Everything go okay?” Jay asked, wanting to take his mind off the possibility that he’d just found his mate.
“Yes. She’s following us back to the motel.”
“Now?” That was a stupid comment. Time was of the essence.
Checking his rear view mirror, Riley backed up and pulled out of the lot. “We need the intel.”
“I know.”
The problem was that Jay wasn’t certain he could focus for long if he was in the same room with her. She was human. Not that he had anything against her race, but the timing couldn’t have been worse to find his mate.
They drove in silence for at least three miles. While his roommate was never chatty, this was terse even for him. “What’s bugging you? Don’t you think she’s on the up and up?” Or had Riley felt the incredible sexual draw, too?
“She’s fine.”
Not wanting to let on that he was dying on the inside, Jay let the topic drop for now. “Did she tell you anything in the store?”
“No.”
So much for communication. To keep his mind occupied, Jay kept watch on her car to make sure someone wasn’t tailing her or trying to run her off the road. When the motel came into view, Riley pulled in but Sarah sailed on by. Crap. What was she trying to pull?
Riley cut the engine, and acted as calm as could be. “You aren’t worried that she sailed on by?” Jay asked. “I didn’t see a tail.”
“She’ll be back. Head on in while I do another perimeter search.”
Given Riley’s level of confidence, he suspected he and Sarah had cooked up this diversion. With his head down,
Jay kept an even stride as he entered the room. Once inside, he spent a minute straightening up the place since the beds were still unmade. Not needing the maid to show up, he placed a Do Not Disturb sign on the door.
Ten minutes later, Riley entered with Sarah. No sooner had Jay made sure she was as comfortable as could be at the table than Riley stepped to the door. “Going to check the outside again,” his partner said, his voice sounding strained.
Riley had just done a search. “Do it later. We have a lot to discuss,” Jay said, trying not to sound miffed.
Riley glanced from Sarah to Jay. “Take notes.” He then left.
Stunned at Riley’s reaction, Jay pulled out his phone and brought up his notepad ready to jot down names, times, and places. “Okay, tell me what you know.”
She leaned forward, and her V-neck green scrubs exposed full breasts that seemed to beg for release. If she’d been a Halfling, her urges would match his and they might be satisfying their desires first. Too bad, she had no idea how much he was suffering or that he was her mate.
“The new facility is in a warehouse about ten miles northwest of here. It used to house lumber, but the company recently went bankrupt. Since Statler needed a place to keep the women safe until he sells them, he transported them there.”
“What’s their mental state?” Sarah would know. She’d been with them for months.
“As you would expect. When they aren’t drugged, many are combative, although a few have given up the fight.”
The whole concept that another person would do this to an innocent woman sickened him. “How are they housed? In separate rooms like before or in one large place?”
“They’re on mattresses on the floor in two different rooms. We didn’t have time to bring the beds.”
He wasn’t sure if he liked two large rooms or ten individual ones. “How many guards does he have?”
“At the moment, four, but only two are there at any one time. They work twelve hour shifts.”
He liked those odds. “Do you know if all four have been enhanced?” Regardless of his skill level, going against a wolf who didn’t respond to the poison in gunpowder or who would heal faster than shit, wouldn’t be wise.
“I don’t know. Two of the men are new since we’ve moved. I’m kept in the dark about a lot of things. My roommate is seeing one of the guards, but I don’t think he’s even told her whether he’s been given the treatments.”
Jay didn’t like not having all of the facts. “Can you draw me a picture of the layout of the warehouse?”
She smiled and his balls drew up tight. Look away. Jay glanced to the door. “Are you coming back?” he telepathed to Riley.
“Soon.”
This was not like Riley. Unless he was…
Well, I’ll be damned.
Chapter Three
General Armand checked his computer one more time and found the email he’d been waiting for. It was from Trax Field, his security expert. He read the update and smiled, letting the glow of satisfaction wash over him for a few seconds before heading to the conference room for the briefing. This might be his last chance to take down his nemesis, Paul Statler, and he wasn’t going to fail.
Armand had his fill of the man wielding his power without concern for others by performing unspeakable acts. With Sarah Osmond on the inside, Armand’s team just might succeed in ending the man’s reign of terror forever.
As soon as Armand stepped inside the conference room, his men immediately quieted. Everyone but his tech expert, Chris, was seated. “Gentlemen and lady.”
Never had Armand imagined having a woman on his military team, but the Pack had benefitted from Mackenzie Wagner’s talents time and time again. She and Chris complemented each other very well.
“Let me update you on our progress. Because I wanted to have eyes and ears both inside and outside of Statler’s warehouse before I send in Tyson and Ford, I had Trax and Dante head on up to a safe house in Lippett Falls yesterday to put in some surveillance equipment near and in the warehouse.”
“How do they plan to get inside, sir?” Ford Summerville asked. “His old lab had either an eye or fingerprint scanner in place on most doors.”
“Just hold on. I’ve got that covered. I know people who know people.” It was his favorite phrase and elicited the usual chuckles. “With a little persuasion, Trax and Dante were able to exchange places with the men Statler hired to do the installation. According to Alltel Security, Statler doesn’t plan to be there long and wasn’t interested in anything too sophisticated.”
“They still need to watch out. I’ve seen Statler hire outside sources and eliminate them just as they finished the job,” Ford said.
Armand had considered that. “They’ll be careful. They plan to be in and out in a day. I imagine even Statler will think twice before taking out a shifter.”
“Have Dante or Trax spoken with Statler?” Ford asked.
While Ford’s face remained devoid of expression, one of his incisors had extended, which didn’t surprise Armand. After Ford and Tyson had failed to capture Statler the last time, they were desperate for another shot, and he couldn’t blame them. Statler had captured their mate.
“Trax spoke with Statler by phone,” he answered. “But no, there are no plans for them to meet, which is a good thing. I fear Trax would try to take him out on his own, and as good as Trax is, he might lose the battle.”
“What about me and Sam, sir?” Brandon Crenshaw piped up.
“I’m getting to that. I want you two to head security here in Gulfside.”
Mackenzie, their mate, reached out and clasped Brandon’s hand. “Thank you, sir.”
Brandon glanced at his mate then back at him. “All due respect, sir, I hate the fucker as much as anyone. I want a piece of him.”
“Understood, but should Statler manage to escape again, I’m betting he’ll make a beeline toward me. The only way for him to temporarily stop the pressure on his operations will be to cut off the head of the queen bee, so to speak.” As hoped, the group chuckled at that analogy. “Chris, can you put up a map of the area, along with the PDF that Sarah sent for the layout of the warehouse?”
“Can do.” For the next few minutes, Chris described the intel he and Mackenzie had gathered on the personnel and the surrounding area.
Drake Stanton tapped his fingers on the table, probably wondering what his role in all this would be. Armand always had a fondness for him and Kurt. “Drake, I know you want to be a part of the takedown, too, and you might be. With Chelsea being so far along in her pregnancy, I want you two to stay here and help Sam and Brandon with security.”
His shoulders sagged—hopefully, in relief. “Yes, sir. Chelsea will appreciate it.”
He nodded. “As for the last two of my team, I want to keep Clay and Dirk on reserve in case something comes up we don’t anticipate. It’s possible we’ll need someone to pose as a buyer for the women.”
Clay sat up straighter. “Do you really think Statler won’t have our mug shots on file? Our acting job the last time we posed as buyers might have worked with John Hood, but I doubt we can pull it off a second time.”
“Let’s hope not, but as I said, only if we need you.”
Clay and Dirk both nodded.
“You all have your assignments. Fingers crossed, people.” He glanced at the two men who were critical to the operation. “Ford and Tyson, please stay.”
Understanding it was go time, the team stood and filed out.
* * *
Even though his partner was in the room with Sarah, Riley couldn’t remain outside for too long. His actions would imply he was a coward—and he definitely wasn’t one. Just because he didn’t know how to handle having a mate, didn’t mean he had to fold.
If he was going to be the one to break into this warehouse and help the women escape, he couldn’t afford to miss any details, but damn, he needed a clear head, and Sarah was messing with it big time.
A mate? Really? It was the last
thing he wanted or needed. Riley had seen the way his roommate’s hair had sprouted the moment he spotted Sarah, which implied she might be his mate, too. While the two of them had shared women many times, it was never with the intent of having a permanent relationship. They had jobs to do—jobs that took them away for long periods of time. If either of them had to worry about keeping their woman safe, he could lose his edge.
Suck it up.
Riley entered the room and had to exhale to keep his wits about him. Sarah had a map spread out in front of her and Jay was leaning close, his eyes almost greenish gold in color. Okay, that confirmed his suspicion. Sarah was Jay’s mate, too, which worked in Riley’s favor. He’d let those two go off into the sunset, while he did his job.
She looked up at him and smiled. Shit. His attempts to calm his libido just went out the window. Focus. “What did I miss?”
“All clear out there?” Jay asked with way too much cheer in his voice. “She’s getting to you, isn’t she?” he telepathed.
“You’re a fuck, you know that?” “Yes, we seem to be the only guests here.”
“Good. Pull up a seat. Sarah has drawn detailed plans of the warehouse and also has a list of the guards and their schedules.”
“Great.” Riley yanked the luggage stand over and sat on it. The dump was not designed to be a conference room.
“When was the last time you spoke with your boss?” Riley asked, feeling more secure when discussing the case.
“Two days ago.”
“What did he want to speak with you about?” he asked.
“Nancy, one of the captives was rather sick, and he wanted to know how she was progressing. He’s rightfully worried she might die. I suggested we send her to the hospital, but he said we couldn’t afford Nancy leaking the location. He said to pick up something in town for her.”
“I’m surprised he didn’t bring in a doctor. If she dies, or is too sick to sell, it’ll cost him,” Riley said.