by Anya Nowlan
All she knew for certain was that they had a reputation for getting shit done. Stories of mythical proportion floated around in some law enforcement circles, of how agents of The Firm executed missions that everyone else would deem impossible. How they made things disappear that they didn’t want around, stuff that no one else had the resources or the capability for.
And Troy is working for them… against the Crimson Claws.
She couldn’t believe it. All this time, she had been agonizing over falling for a criminal, beating herself up for getting involved with someone horrible enough to work for the Claws, only to find out she and Troy were actually on the same side.
It felt like a weight had been lifted.
But the feeling was quickly fleeting as worry and anxiety set in.
Obviously something had gone wrong for Troy to suddenly tell her to pack up her stuff and go into hiding. And now he had gone back to Chicago to do God only knows what while she was stuck here, twiddling her thumbs.
He could be in danger. She could have put him in danger. Why else would Troy insist on getting her out of town, if she wasn’t somehow involved?
Okay, calm down, there’s no need to think the worst, she told herself, but it did little to calm her nerves, her hand going protectively over her belly.
The only comfort she could find was in the fact that if he had managed to make lieutenant in an organization he was actually trying to sabotage, he must have been good at his job. The Claws wouldn’t promote someone if they didn’t trust them, that wouldn’t make any sense.
Yet the pessimistic side of her kept creeping forward, reminding her of Dempsy’s sudden disappearance and of the ruthless way the Crimson Claws operated. The likes of Culliver leading the operation, ready to pounce on any sign of weakness.
And that was what she was now, wasn’t she? Troy’s weakness.
But it wasn’t only her that could have been causing problems for Troy.
They could have found out who he’s really working for…
Hailey didn’t know a lot about being a double agent, but she didn’t have to be a spy to figure out Troy was playing a dangerous game. Juggling being a mobster and a secret operative couldn’t possibly have been easy even in the human world, the risks could only be doubled when shifters were involved.
They were predators, after all.
What if the Crimson Claws found holes in his cover story, or he got recognized by someone he shouldn’t know?
There were too many variables to even consider all at once, too many scenarios that could put Troy’s life in danger. Her mind got stuck on a loop of examining one terrible outcome after another, the lawyer side of her on high alert.
It was interrupted only when Morrison spoke, his deep voice cutting through the tangle forming in her brain.
“I can tell you’ve heard of The Firm. You would be bombarding me with questions if you hadn’t.”
“I have plenty of questions, but I don’t think you’d answer any of them.”
“The less people know about how The Firm operates, the more effective we are,” he replied, confirming her assumption. “But I can tell you a little bit about Troy’s role in it.”
Hailey nodded eagerly and straightened up in her seat, not wanting to miss a single word that came out of Morrison’s mouth. The man was becoming more and more valuable to her, both as a source of information, as well as someone to ground her in reality instead of letting her get lost in all the possible negative outcomes.
“As I said before, he was dissatisfied when he got out of the Navy, looking for that next step. It’s not easy for Alphas like him in today’s world. Sitting behind a desk isn’t for men like Troy or me. So like many shifters with a similar background to his, he ended up at The Firm.
“Since I was the one that recruited him, I was also the one that showed him the ropes, not that he needed my help. We grew close. I didn’t have a son, he was without a father, you can fill in the blanks.”
Hailey nodded. She could easily imagine Troy looking up to Morrison, finding a father figure in him.
“I watched as he took on missions not many people would, without so much as blinking an eye. I saw him throw himself into undercover work like he had something to prove. The more I got to know him, the more I suspected it was a way of running away from himself.
“Sometimes it’s easier to pretend to be someone else than to find out who you really are. I think that’s partly why he hasn’t told you about who he is. Because he’s not entirely sure himself.”
Hailey sat, entranced, staring at Morrison as he told his story. The man was lost in thought as if looking right through her. Morrison seemed immediately older when he talked about Troy, some of that fatherly concern seeping through and aging his features.
The more she found out about Troy the more she started to understand the secretive man. He hadn’t been lying on their first date when he admitted he was searching for purpose in life.
He hadn’t found it in the Navy and it didn’t sound like he had found it at The Firm, either.
She didn’t get a lot of time to contemplate that, though, as Morrison suddenly tensed beside her, head swiveling towards the door.
“What is it?” she asked, her stomach filling with knots.
“Shh! Quiet,” Morrison hissed, holding up a hand.
Hailey shut up immediately and listened intently, trying to catch any sounds.
Has whatever Troy tried to hide me from caught up with me already? she wondered as her hand instinctively moved over her stomach.
“Someone’s coming,” he growled, even though Hailey couldn’t hear a thing.
“Maybe it’s just Troy…”
A woman could hope, right?
“Not unless he learned to drive two cars at once,” Morrison replied, shooting up from the couch and heading to the bedroom.
Feeling a chill go through her, she scrambled to follow. From the urgency he was moving with, she could gather things were about to take a turn for the worse.
Morrison opened a tall cabinet in the bedroom and pulled out a shotgun.
This can’t be happening.
He crossed back over to her in two long strides and grabbed onto her shoulder just as she was about to start hyperventilating.
This wasn’t her world. She wasn’t the kind of person that could shoot people, she was the one that sent the shooters to prison!
“Do you know how to use this?” Morrison asked, holding the weapon up.
“No.”
Morrison clicked off what she assumed was the safety on the shotgun and pressed it into her hands, along with a pack of shells.
“You shove these into the gun, through the slot underneath,” he said, loading the shotgun with a shell and motioning for her to watch him. “Then, you point it at whoever is coming at you before pulling the trigger. After that, you rack it, so the empty shell falls out and another is pushed in its place.”
He gripped and slid the top of the barrel with a loud clicking sound, expertly showing her how the weapon worked.
Hailey’s hands were starting to shake as she tried to commit it all to memory.
Hailey heard it then, the distinct sound of an engine drawing closer and closer to the cabin.
“Stay in the bedroom and shoot at everything and anything that comes through the door,” Morrison ordered, giving her shoulder one last squeeze. “Don’t hesitate. Do it for your kid.”
Before she could protest, he was out of the room, pulling the door shut behind him.
Heavy boots landed on the ground outside as car doors slammed shut. Whoever they were, they were confident enough not to bother with stealth. She backed away from the bedroom door, trying to keep the motions of handling the shotgun in her head at the same time, running through them on loop.
Hailey cowered in the corner, gripping the shotgun tight, with the pack of shells in her lap. The air outside filled with roars.
I don’t want to die today. No. I can’t die today, she ame
nded, glancing down at her stomach. There’s too much to live for.
Twenty-Two
Troy
Troy almost swerved off the road, but still didn’t take his foot off the gas. Hailey could be in trouble, and he wasn’t there with her. The thought alone was enough to drive him mad.
The truck bounced along the uneven terrain as Troy squeezed the wheel tightly.
I can’t believe I was that stupid. I’m almost there, Hailey. Hold on!
Finally, the familiar clearing came into sight. He was ready to let out a sigh of relief, before noticing the two cars out in front. The door to the cabin was a splintered mess and some of the windows were smashed in. Roars tore through the air, interspersed by shotgun blasts.
Troy jumped out of his truck even before it came to a full stop and ran towards the house. His lion was snarling, thrashing, but he had to make sure what was going on before he gave control to something that was barely controllable on the best of days.
With his mate in danger? All bets were off.
He had to step over a corpse on his way up the porch steps, its throat nothing more than a mangled mess. He didn’t recognize the man. The fact that the body wasn’t decked out in tactical gear at least meant that The Firm hadn’t turned against him yet.
The smell of blood filled Troy’s nostrils as he burst into the living room. The floor was covered in ruined, splintered furniture and crimson spatters adorned the walls. Two tigers lay dead near the bedroom door while another two were circling Morrison’s lion. All three of them sported wounds, clear signs of a long battle.
Blood oozed from Morrison’s neck and sides, gashes running along his whole body. To his credit, the tigers looked a lot worse for wear than Morrison’s lion. Having taken two of them out already, the old man was showing that he hadn’t lost his edge at all.
“Hailey!” Troy called out, drawing the attention of one set of golden and two sets of yellow eyes.
The tigers weren’t Alpha shifters, the fainter color of their eyes showing that much.
So I didn’t even get the A-team to come after me.
He was almost hurt by that. River should have known better.
But there was something in the air that he didn’t like. A sinister, sleazy presence…
“I’m here,” she shouted, somewhat muffled, her voice coming from the bedroom.
She sounded like she was in the midst of a struggle. It only took Troy one whiff to figure out who was in the bedroom with her.
“I know it’s you, Culliver. Come and face me like a man,” Troy demanded, rage bubbling up inside of him.
There was some shuffling before Hailey slowly edged into the living room, with Culliver following closely behind, a gun lodged against her back. The fight between Morrison and the tigers had come to a complete standstill. The animals stood, tense, still ready to pounce at a moment’s notice, but their eyes were trained on the exchange unfolding between Troy and Culliver.
Morrison’s breath was ragged, filling the air with strained rattles every time he inhaled.
Hailey looked terrified, yet defiant. Culliver’s left shoulder was bleeding, the fabric of his shirt was shredded and stuck to the ragged flesh underneath.
“Hello, boss,” Culliver hissed, face contorting with disgust.
“Put the gun down. Your business is with me, not her,” Troy commanded as fear swept through his every cell.
It was not a feeling he was used to. Throughout his missions in the military and then with The Firm, he’d sometimes felt apprehension for his own life, but never fear. He’d watched good men die, and it had broken his heart, but they all knew what they’d signed up for. Never before had he felt the true, cold chill of mortal fear for another’s safety.
Culliver was so close to taking away everything he loved in this world. Finally, there was something entirely good in Troy’s life and something other than tearing out throats and causing mayhem to look forward to.
His hands balled into fists at his sides as he waited for Culliver’s response.
“You took my job from me, from right under my nose. But that wasn’t enough for you, was it. You had to have her, as well,” Culliver said, poking Hailey’s ribs with the barrel of his gun.
“You are delusional,” Hailey spat out. “Even if I had never met Troy, I still wouldn’t have gone out with you, you creep!”
Culliver brought his lips down to Hailey’s ear. She recoiled and closed her eyes as he whispered to her.
“Now you don’t have a choice.”
Fury exploded in Troy’s gut.
“Stay away from her!” he snarled, stepping forward.
Culliver just pressed his gun deeper into Hailey’s abdomen, until she winced in pain. Troy stopped in his tracks.
“Either I walk out of here with her or I pull the trigger. Those are your two options,” Culliver warned, eyes tinged with gold.
Troy wanted to sink to his knees, to offer Culliver his life for Hailey’s freedom, but he knew it would be of no use. He wanted to pounce and shred him until there was nothing but bone dust and a speck of blood left of him. He couldn’t do that either.
Culliver had already figured out that no physical pain could match the agony of watching him walk away with the woman Troy loved.
“And don’t worry. I’ll wait until the kid is born to kill it… wouldn’t want to mess with her reproduction, now would I? I’m sure we’ll get a lot closer when my Bonding comes and you’ll bear me an heir… Isn’t that right, Hailey?” Culliver purred, keeping his eyes on Troy.
Troy stared at her, a snarl in the back of his throat, the decision before him unthinkable. He couldn’t possibly let her go, but what was the alternative? If Culliver pulled that trigger, he would lose both Hailey and their unborn child.
Hailey caught his eye and winked.
What is she going to do? Troy thought, more on edge than he had ever thought possible.
One of the tigers must have caught the gesture, as it hissed. Culliver glanced at the animal with a raised brow.
“Hey, Culliver,” Hailey quickly said, refocusing the man’s attention to her. “How does it feel to have a new member promoted over you? You must really suck at your job,” she jeered.
Her plan is to make him even angrier?
“Shut up,” Culliver growled.
“No wonder you have to kidnap your women, who would date a loser like you voluntarily?” she continued, a vicious edge to her tone.
“I said shut up!” Culliver shouted.
Troy’s eyes were glued to the gun the man had pressed into Hailey’s ribs, terror flowing through him.
What the hell is she doing?
“You know it’s the truth! You can’t even face me, tough guy!” Hailey all but shouted, her voice trembling.
Culliver grabbed hold of Hailey’s shoulder and started to whirl her around, drawing his gun away from her side in the process.
You proud, stupid bastard, Troy thought, Hailey’s plan suddenly clear to him.
She ducked down with impressive speed, leaving Culliver grasping at air and scurrying away on her hands and feet from the man before he could grab her again.
Troy was already in motion, launching his body at the mobster. Snarls erupted from the other side of the room as Morrison’s battle resumed, the lion pouncing on the tigers before they could come for Troy.
Troy’s fist connected with Culliver’s jaw, making the man’s head jerk back. Culliver raised his arm, attempting to point the gun he still held at Troy.
Oh no, you fucking don’t, Troy thought, as he grabbed the man’s wrist and gave it a good twist.
Simultaneously, he pulled back his knee and slammed it into Culliver’s stomach. The guy’s pained groan was accompanied by a clattering sound as the gun hit the floor. The rumble in Culliver’s throat grew louder. With a savage growl, he jerked his head back, only to bring his forehead smashing into Troy’s nose.
The taste of metal filled Troy’s mouth as he stumbled backwards, seeing
stars. Culliver didn’t let the moment go to waste and shoved him, hard. Troy went down, sprawling on the floor near the front door.
Hisses and yelps filled the air around him as Morrison was still busy with his two opponents. He wanted to help, but he had to deal with his own situation first.
Troy got up just as Culliver threw himself at him. They both went flying out of the cabin, landing on the porch with a massive thump. The wood beneath them creaked and cracked, letting out a puff of dust.
Troy got hold of what was left of Culliver’s shirt and dragged the man up with him as he got back on his feet, only to knock Culliver back down with a savage jab to the nose. Before he could continue with the ass kicking, Culliver’s tall frame started to bend and meld into a new shape as he let the shift take over.
Shit.
Troy followed suit, releasing his lion. The beast burst out of him, eager to do some damage.
The two animals flew at each other, nails out and teeth bared. They had only just clashed together when pain shot through Troy as Culliver’s claws sank into him. He boxed it away, focusing on the fight instead.
Culliver’s head darted from one side to the other, trying to find a way to get his teeth into Troy’s neck. Troy ducked his attempts, if only barely. The lush mane helped with making it more difficult for the tiger to find a good grip.
Culliver was a large, impressive tiger. His coat was glossy, deep orange and black, and his frame wide. It was sort of a surprise, the strength which the tiger had a fair match for Troy. He would have figured Culliver to be all bark and no bite, but that wasn’t the case.
“Troy!” a desperate shout came from inside the house.
There was no time to play around. Hailey needed his help.
Clamping his jaw around whatever part of Culliver was closest to him at that moment, Troy crunched down. His bite landed on the man’s back, near the shoulder blades. Culliver howled in pain.
He trashed around at first, but grew still after realizing he was only ripping at his own flesh by resisting.
“You have to help him!” Hailey’s voice called out.