by T. S. Ryder
He hurried back downstairs to his garage and jumped into the Jaguar. He tore out of the driveway and sped toward the little blinking dot—the only thing he had to go on to find her.
He drove as fast as he could without getting caught. He’d thought a few times that maybe he should just call the police. But what could he tell them? His… friend? Roommate? Hadn’t come home and wasn’t answering and because she had a stalker, he assumed she’d been kidnapped? And his only evidence was that her phone was far away? They’d think he was nuts.
He called his gorilla family. They would come any time he called for them. They kind of had to since he was the alpha, but he knew they would anyway. By the time he hung up the phone, Katherine was on her way to get Stella and Bella.
He drove for a half hour, and the logical, rational side of his mind started to take over. Yes, he was a gorilla shifter and had a gun. He could take Will out if he had to, and would do it for Kaelyn in a second. But he’d also spent a lot of hours in office buildings in white collar settings and hadn’t been in a fight—aside from his scuffle with Will—in many years. He never doubted himself when it came to investments and business decisions, but when it came to a kidnapping? He could be out of his realm of expertise, and that could get Kaelyn hurt or killed.
He picked up his phone, dialed the police, and asked for the officer who’d been working on Kaelyn’s case.
“I have reason to believe that this stalker may have kidnapped her,” Hayden told the officer.
He relayed the day’s events, how she’d quit her job because he’d left a torn stuffed animal on her desk—that was a veiled threat, wasn’t it?—and now how she wasn’t answering and was far away.
“Where is she right now?” the officer asked.
“According to my tracking app, she’s two hours north of the city, but she’s still moving.”
“And what is this app?”
“It’s for parents to be able to track their kids. I put it on our phones in case something happened with Will. Something like this.”
“Any idea how accurate this app is?”
Hayden tried to recall if any marketing had given information on that. “I’m not sure.”
“And you know for sure that she didn’t just decide to go for a long drive after an upsetting day?”
“She would answer my calls and texts. She would have told me, especially with all that’s going on.”
“Okay,” the officer said. “Well, problem is, she’s out of our jurisdiction.”
“But the crime happened here.”
“Alleged crime. We don’t have proof of anything, but I can’t just drive to where you think she is and knock on the door if it’s not my jurisdiction. I’ll have to call that department.”
“Okay, and will they call me or something?” Hayden tried to keep his voice calm, but he was anything but. He was so frustrated that no one seemed to be able to do anything about this.
“They will. I’d expect to hear from them just as soon as I can call and relay the information of the case.”
“So that’ll be soon, right? I mean, who knows what he’s going to do. He could kill her, for all I know. He may have already.” His throat was thick when he thought of it. That couldn’t be true. Will couldn’t have hurt her. He wouldn’t allow his mind to even think it. They were going to get to her in time. She would be fine. Scared, sure. The emotional repercussions were enough, but she would be unharmed.
“I wouldn’t worry too much, Mr. Lynch. Based on what we know about this case, I doubt it would escalate that fast.”
“Okay, well, thanks for your help.”
He tossed his phone aside and pressed on the gas. At this point, if he got pulled over for speeding, it might not be a bad thing.
Katherine called to check in. They weren’t far from him at all, surprisingly. Katherine did always like to drive fast. He gave them the updated location.
He’d driven for an hour before his phone rang. It was the police, calling to get an update. Hayden went through much of the same information with the new officer that he had with the first one. He gave him an update on their location. Kaelyn’s dot seemed to have stopped, but he was still a little bit away.
After the call, he was feeling antsy and sped even more. The cops were headed in her direction, but they didn’t have any way to track her like he did, and it wasn’t like he could give them an exact address or anything. His family was close, too. They might all arrive at the same time.
When his location and her location were on the same screen on his phone, his heart started to race. This was all taking too long. How long had she been with Will? What sort of condition was she in right now?
His phone told him to turn off the highway and he was now on small back streets. He texted an update to Katherine and, soon after, they texted back that they’d also just gotten off the highway.
When he was very close to the location and had an address, he texted Katherine and called the police to give it to them. They were in the area patrolling but hadn’t had the address. They advised him to stay in the car and wait for their arrival.
Hayden drove slowly down a dirt and gravel path, thick with forest on either side, to an old house. It looked like it might be abandoned. Sitting in front of the house was Will’s car. He got out of his car as Katherine pulled up behind him. He jogged to their car.
“Hey, ladies. I’m going to circle around and see if I can get in the back.”
“We’ll try the front,” Katherine said.
They approached the house. Hayden went to the back, where the door was locked, and met the ladies on the side of the house.
“Front door is locked,” Katherine said.
“Only one thing left to do.” Will started stripping right there in the yard and the ladies followed his lead. They all shifted into gorilla form and charged the back door together.
The door splintered into pieces under the force behind Hayden’s shoulder. His shoulder ached, but they were inside. The four gorillas tore through the house. Stella and Bella found the basement and bounded down while Katherine ran around the main floor and Hayden went upstairs.
He heard some commotion coming from one of the bedrooms. He saw the door slam shut as his feet hit the top of the staircase, then something that sounded like heavy furniture moving in front of it.
He didn’t pause. Hayden charged at the door, sending his other shoulder into this time. This interior door was less sturdy than the back door had been and it broke with little effort. His pure animal strength sent shards of wood flying through the room.
There was a dresser in front of the door and he knocked it over with one shove of his thick arm.
On the bed, he saw Kaelyn. She was tied up, in her underwear. Will cowered in the corner, holding out a gun with a shaking hand.
“Don’t come any closer,” Will said.
The biggest downfall of having to shift to get inside was that now his own gun was sitting outside with his clothing. All Hayden had was his thick skin. Then he heard the heavy footsteps on the stairs. He had his family.
Hayden took a step forward as the ladies entered the room behind him. Will didn’t know where to turn. He pointed the gun at Hayden, then Katherine, then each of the twins. When he pointed it at Bella, Katherine, who was the farthest from her, bounded forward and crashed into Will. The gun fell from his hand.
Katherine stood on top of him, while Stella and Bella pinned down his arms and legs. There was no way he was moving now.
Hayden shifted back into human form. In the distance, he heard what sounded like several cars driving down the gravel path.
“I think the police are here,” Hayden said. “Bella, can you get our clothes?”
She hurried away and Hayden ran to Kaelyn. “Are you okay?” He pulled down the bandana that had been tied around her mouth, keeping her from making a noise.
He worked to loosen the ties from her wrists.
“I think so,” she said, groggily. “He drugged me.
”
“What?” Hayden looked at her more carefully. Her eyelids looked heavy and she was moving slowly, but she seemed okay.
He paused in his untying to put his hand to her cheek and kiss her. “You’re okay now.”
Bella ran in and dropped the clothes in a pile on the floor as she pulled on her pants. “The cops are here.”
Hayden quickly got dressed. “Bella, can you finish untying Kaelyn?” He picked up the gun and pressed it against Will’s forehead, kneeling on his back to keep him from moving. “Get dressed,” he said to the others. All they needed was for the cops to see them in gorilla form or half naked. How would they explain that?
They hurried to dress and Stella went to help Bella get Kaelyn untied. They heard footsteps on the lower floor. Katherine pulled her shirt over her head and stood at Will’s head, waiting for him to try to make a move.
Before the cops reached the stairs, Hayden drew back his fist and punched Will hard in the kidneys. Will groaned in pain. He knew it would hurt—that was one of the worst places to be punched. For good measure, he punched him again.
Hayden leaned close to Will’s ear. “If you ever come near Kaelyn again, if you talk to her, text her, follow her, write notes to her, or have any contact with her in any way at all, I will kill you.” He yanked Will’s head back and slammed his face into the floor.
The cops walked into the room as blood began to pour from Will’s nose.
Four officers came in. They pointed guns and told Hayden to get off Will. They put both of the men in handcuffs to talk to them, but by the time they’d all given their version of what happened, they took the cuffs off Hayden.
“I hope you understand, Mr. Lynch. Anytime there’s a fight, we cuff everyone involved to make sure it doesn’t get violent,” the officer who unlocked his cuffs said.
“I know you just need to do your job.” Hayden looked across the room to where Kaelyn sat on the bed, getting medical attention. “Are you done with me?”
“For now, yes.”
Another officer took Will from the room, still in cuffs. He was being arrested and they were taking him to jail.
Hayden went to Kaelyn’s side and put his arm around her. “How are you?”
She nodded and took a sip of her water. “Okay.”
“Are we almost done?” he asked the medic taking her blood pressure.
“Just about.” The medic checked her reflexes and handed her some pain relievers.
When everything with the cops and the medics was finally done, they walked together out to their cars. They exchanged hugs with Katherine, Stella and Bella. Then, he was finally alone with Kaelyn. He took her into his arms and held her for a long moment.
“I was terrified thinking he’d kill you or do something awful to you,” Hayden said. “Well, more awful than what he did.”
Her face was buried in his shoulder and she cried softly. “I’m so glad you came. Thank you.”
He brushed her hair back, squeezing his arms tighter around her. “I don’t know what I would have done if he’d hurt you worse. You’ve only been living with me a short time, but I can’t imagine life without you.” He pulled back to look her in the eye. “Kaelyn, I’m in love with you.”
“You are?” her voice was small and surprised. She started to cry harder and squeezed her arms around his neck. She whispered in his ear, “I love you, too. Can we go home now?”
Chapter Nine
After such a horrible day, and with the drive home being long, Kaelyn fell asleep in the car, leaning against the door. She felt the car stop and heard the garage door. She was just waking up as Hayden opened her door and scooped her into his arms. She rested her head against his chest as he carried her upstairs and into her room.
He lay her gently on the bed and bent down to kiss her before standing back up.
“Hayden?” she said softly.
“Yes?”
“Will you stay with me? I don’t want to be alone right now.”
He slid into the bed behind her, wrapping his arms around her middle and making her feel safer than she’d felt in days.
She turned over so that she was facing him. They stared at each other for a long while, then she leaned forward and kissed him. There was nothing more she wanted in that moment than to be as close to him as possible, to have him touch her in every way possible.
He kissed her back passionately and she slid her legs between his. He put his hand on her hip and caressed her waist and thigh. She pressed her body against his, murmuring into his ear.
“I want you,” she said.
“Are you sure?” he asked, tracing his fingertips along her jaw and chin. “It’s been such a hard day.”
“I have wanted you for a long time, Hayden. I had a crush on you in high school, you know.”
“You did?” He pulled half his mouth into a smile. “I love that I knew you before. I never have to worry that you’re not into the real me.”
“I love the real you.”
“I know you do. And I love you for it.”
He pressed his mouth to hers again and this time, their kissing intensified. Her body felt hot all over and every time he touched her, a wave of pleasure ran through her.
She tugged on his shirt, pulling it awkwardly over his head. He pulled hers off and reached back to unhook her bra. When her breasts were free, he caressed them, squeezing and pinching her nipples. He leaned down to suck on her nipple. She let out a moan and ran her fingers through his hair.
She wiggled out of her pants and waited for him to do the same, then he pulled her on top of him. She hadn’t thought much about it, and maybe he hadn’t either, but being on top felt freeing. Earlier, when she’d been tied up by Will, she had been lying there helpless while he climbed over her. He hadn’t done more than look at her and squeeze her breasts roughly, but still. He’d been on top of her. He would have done much more if Hayden hadn’t come in to save her. But, had Hayden climbed over her, it might have upset her without him meaning to.
She smiled at how he seemed to instinctively know what she needed. She pressed her hips down, rubbing herself against his hard erection. Her panties dampened as he continued to kiss her and rub his hands all over her.
He slipped his hand under her panties, then slid his finger inside her. She moaned and moved up and down against his hand. She could feel her wetness getting all over him.
He slid his finger out, leaving her wanting more, and pushed her panties down. He took off his boxers and now she could rub against his bare cock. After just a few slides of her clit against him, she had to have him inside her.
He growled into her ear, then took hold of his dick and positioned himself at her opening. He found his way in and she sat up, pushing him fully inside her. She paused a moment as they both let out a moan.
He grabbed her hips and moved her up and down on his cock as she bounced on him, slamming in deep again and again. With each thrust, she grew closer to orgasm. She tried to put it off, to draw it out as long possible, but he felt too good.
She let out a loud moan as she came. He growled and sped up his thrusts. His face twisted and he groaned as he orgasmed. She lay down beside him and he pulled her into his arms.
She snuggled into him, hot and sweaty, and quickly fell into a peaceful sleep.
Chapter Ten
Kaelyn woke to Hayden’s arms around her. Her mouth stretched into a wide smile and she made a soft moaning sound as she pressed back into him.
He stirred and squeezed her harder. “This is the best feeling in the world,” he said.
“I was just thinking the same thing.”
She turned in his arms to face him and kiss him.
“I was thinking,” he said, rubbing his nose against hers. “Maybe you shouldn’t bother getting your own place. I love having you here, and it makes things much more convenient for, umm, our late night activities.”
“Really? You want me to move in with you?”
“Technically, you’re alread
y moved in.”
“True.”
“But yes, I want you to live here with me. I want you to be mine.”
She kissed his lips, then his nose, then his forehead. “And I want to be yours.”
“I can keep you safe and away from stalkers and creepers.”
“You’ve done a good job of that so far. When you knocked the door down, you don’t know what that did to me. I was overcome with relief. It was like the second I knew you were there, nothing could ever be wrong again.”
He trailed his fingers along her arm. “There is something I should tell you about that. Didn’t you wonder how I knew where you were?”
She pulled her eyebrows together. “Hmm. I guess I didn’t think about it. I was just so happy to see you. But now that you mention it, how did you know?”
“I installed a tracking app on your phone. I did after Will showed up and I was worried he would do something. I only used it when you went missing, though. I wouldn’t invade your privacy or anything.”
“Oh.” She thought about this for a moment. “Well, it would have been nice if you told me, but it did save my life, so I can’t be too mad.”
“The only reason I didn’t tell you sooner was because I didn’t want you to feel watched. I knew I wouldn’t use it unless there was an emergency. We can take it off now.”
“No. I feel better if you can see where I am, actually. It’s not like I have anything to hide, and if I know, then it’s not like you’re invading my privacy.”
“You sure?” he asked.
“Yes. And we’ll do the same for your phone so I don’t worry that something happened to you.”
“Fair enough.”
“What do you think will happen to Will?” she asked.
“There’ll be a trial. I’m sure we’ll have to testify and all that. Kidnapping is pretty serious. They’ll probably nail him with sexual assault, too. I’d guess he’ll get a few years at least.”