Whole-Hearted: A Malsum Pass Novel

by Kimberly Forrest

  “So, I had a thought.” Tanya said as she breezed into the room. “I don’t know why I didn’t consider it earlier, but then I was watching NCIS and the idea just kind of popped into my head.”

  The blonde who was usually so, well, sparkly was the best word Jacob could come up with, had been looking quite drawn and tired lately, but today she was practically bursting with excitement. Her eyes lit with whatever this idea was. She had everyone’s complete attention.

  “So, you had asked me before if anything or anyone at the party had seemed suspicious and I said no. I mean, Connie pretty much gets hit on wherever she goes, so that wouldn’t come off as suspicious, right?” She shook her head, tears filling her eyes. She sniffed and wiped them quickly with the back of her hand. “I wasn’t thinking clearly, you know, I was just so upset so it didn’t occur to me to mention it. After all, a man being high-handed and arrogant is nothing new, plus he was with us later in the limo.” Another sniffle and the tears rolled down her cheek.

  Daisy approached Tanya and put an arm around her to usher her to a chair, but Tanya shook her head and forced a smile. “I’m fine. I’m good.”

  “You remembered something?” Jacob asked, barely restraining the growl that rose in his throat.

  She nodded. “Connie was talking to this model looking guy at the bar.” She shrugged, “No big deal, right? But then I remembered that after Vic’s fiancé came to tell me that Connie wasn’t feeling well, that same guy, Mr. GQ, was with her again and she seemed uncomfortable. He tried to convince me that I should stay and he’d take Connie home. I had to give the arrogant douche a slap down, you know? Get him to back off.”

  “Mr. GQ?” Samuel asked, his voice such a low bass rumble that Tanya startled and just stared at the big male for several long moments.

  Jacob wanted to growl again. He realized he was actually leaning forward in anticipation of her next words. This could be the break they had been waiting for and he wanted her to spit it out.

  “Tanya?” Daisy prompted.

  To Jacob’s relief, Tanya shook herself and threw Daisy a sheepish grin. “Sorry, sorry. What was I saying? Oh, right. So anyway, I didn’t think of him when Connie was taken because he was in the limo when Vic picked me up to go clubbing. But then I thought, I don’t remember him leaving with us or even seeing much of him once we got to the club.” Tanya’s lower lip trembled and she sniffled again. “He could have left and gone back to the hotel and grabbed Connie.”

  “Do you remember this Mr. GQ’s name?” Jacob’s father asked. Tarvahl looked like he was trying to hold David Tully back. Well, the man did look rather feral at the moment as he stared unblinking at Connie’s friend, his lip pulled back slightly, dangerously close to a snarl.

  Tanya closed her eyes and put her fingers to her head, tapping. “I’m thinking Gray Suit, but I know that’s not it.” She held up a hand as if to the silence the room. “It’ll come to me.” The woman started mumbling to herself, though with shifter ears, everyone present could hear her. She started snapping her fingers as she paced in a small circle in the overcrowded room. “Gray Suit, suit, suit designer, suit retailer, tailor.” Then a bit louder, “Taylor? No, no, Taylor’s not right, dammit!” and then with a yell, “Brooks Brothers! Brooks! Graydon Brooks. The man’s name is Graydon Brooks!”

  Dev didn’t even pause as he pulled out his laptop. “I’m on it.”

  Loud voices as everyone began talking, planning. This was a good solid lead that they could look into and the excitement was palpable.

  Jacob felt a hand on his arm and he looked down into Tanya’s eyes and smiled. “Thank you, Tanya, this is a big help.”

  “She likes you, you know. I mean, really likes you.”

  Jacob raised a brow and Tanya continued. “She’ll want to kill me if she knows I told you, but then I think to myself, if this had happened to me, if I was in this situation, I’d want you to know in case I don’t…” She trailed off, choking on the thought neither one of them wanted to contemplate. Tanya cleared her throat, “She said she told you to back off, but then when you actually did…” Her voice trailed off once more. “She’s regretting that decision but now she thinks you’ve moved on. Have you?”

  He wanted to press her for more information, but this wasn’t the right place. There was too much noise, and too many raised voices all trying to be heard. “Let’s go out on the balcony.”

  With a nod, Tanya followed as Jacob pushed his way through the crowd of bodies that were talking and planning as they huddled around Dev and his laptop. The noise outside was still annoying, traffic, car horns, shouting, but it was further away and less distracting. As soon as the slider closed behind them, Tanya began speaking. “She used to talk about your brother all the time.” When Jacob grimaced, she let out a huff of a laugh. “She’d talk about him, but I could see it in her face, in her eyes. She didn’t really want him, but she was determined to have him. He was like some kind of goal she had set up in her mind, but it was almost like she resented it, you know? She was going to do it, but she didn’t really want to. Does that make sense? Half the time I don’t even think she particularly liked him.”

  Jacob remained silent, his arms crossed over his chest, as he watched Tanya, waiting for her to say more but not wanting to push her. She leaned against the railing and looked out at the city streets. “When she started talking about you.” She tipped her head his way with a small smile and shook her head. “What a difference. You, she actually liked. Totally obvious. You could see it in her eyes, hear it in her voice. She was so pissed off at that town of yours, so disappointed.” Tanya let out an offended snort. “Using you to get to your brother? Puhlease! Idiots.”

  She was quiet for a few moments, returning her gaze to the streets as she contemplated her thoughts. “I know we’ll find her,” she said finally, squaring her shoulders in determination though her voice crackled with emotion. “Don’t give up on her, Jacob. I really think she could love you. You know, real love; the ooey, gooey kind that they write songs about.”

  Jacob took a shuddery breath. “She’s mine, Tanya. She’s always been mine. I’ll never give up on Connie.”

  Tanya shot him a watery smile and nodded her appreciation of his statement before she touched her fingers to her eyes with a self-deprecating laugh. “Now, tell me about that big hunk of gorgeous with the deep, sexy, voice. Is he single?”

  “We’ve got an address!” Dev yelled from inside the hotel room.

  Jacob laughed, the sound big and hopeful. They would find his Connie. No matter what the fur traders had done to her, he would hold her, he would love her, and he would help her heal. For the first time in days, he had hope again.

  Chapter Eighteen

  After dinner, the guards had come and had escorted her back to the upper level and into the office she’d seen earlier. Connie wasn’t sure what this change in routine was about, but today was also the first day she’d been allowed outside for exercise. Perhaps this was also a daily occurrence. Her eyes went to the bookshelves lining the walls. Maybe they were going to let her choose a book or two to help alleviate the boredom of staring at walls.

  The older man, who had lectured her earlier in her cell, was sitting behind his desk, a fat cigar between his fingers. He motioned her into a chair, and the guards promptly left the room, closing the door behind them.

  Connie felt anxiety twist her belly as the man quietly observed her with those emotionless eyes of his. She was tempted to say something to break the uncomfortable silence.

  Finally, the man sat back more fully in his chair and took a long puff off the cigar. “Look around you, Miss Tully and tell me what you see.” He said, motioning around the room with the hand that held the cigar.

  Connie cleared her throat and did as he asked. The décor of the room was similar to the foyer she’d seen earlier with its dark wood flooring and paneling on the walls. Aside from the shelves of books, there were several large paintings of what she assumed were ancestors, all posed
regally as if they were important members of society. “Wealth” she croaked out, assuming he wasn’t looking for a laundry list of items.

  He nodded and smiled, seeming pleased with her answer. “Precisely. Wealth earned.”

  Connie refrained from pointing out that that wealth earned was through the blood of his own kind. Traitor. She clenched her jaw tight, and stayed quiet.

  He motioned once again with his hand. “Everything you see here has value. The books, the paintings, this house, you, me, the guards that just left, everything. The thing to remember, is where you sit on the ladder of value. Do you think you’re more valuable than these books, Miss Tully?”

  She did not like where this conversation was going, and a chill of fear raced up her spine. She licked her lips. “Yes?”

  The man’s mouth kicked up in a small smile. “You sound unsure. The question is not hard, my dear. Do you think you have more value than a book?”

  What was this about? Connie looked nervously at the door and then back to the man. “Yes, I have more value than a book.”

  The man nodded. “Excellent; and correct.” He took another puff of his cigar and tapped off the ash into a fancy crystal ashtray. “How about the guard. Do you feel you are more valuable than the guard?”

  This line of questioning was beginning to make her feel ill. But the man prompted her once again for an answer. “Come now, Miss Tully. You aren’t really going to make me repeat every question, are you?”

  Connie felt a sting of pain in her palms and realized she’d fisted her hands and her nails had dug into the soft skin. She unclenched her knuckles and slid her hands under her thighs. “We’re both living beings, so our value is equal.”

  Her answer only seemed to amuse him. “Ah, the answer of the truly naïve. I don’t suppose that answer would be the same if I brought a guard in here and held a gun to both of your heads and asked again? Would you tell me to shoot you to spare the guard, Miss Tully? Or shoot him to spare you? In that moment, who will have more value to you?”

  Connie felt her breath lock in her chest, her heart kicked in true fear. Where was he going with this?

  The door opened and Connie’s head jerked in that direction. A guard was coming in, his mouth twisted in a grimace as he closed the door behind him and approached the desk. He opened his hand and Connie spotted her hairpins, her hope, her escape, laying on the man’s gloved palm.

  The older man behind the desk, pinched the hairpins between his fingers and looked at them with a small smile and then tucked them into the top drawer of his desk. “Thank you, Arthur, you may go.”

  Connie tried to swallow the bile that was rising up to choke her as she eyed the older man. He stood up from his chair and undid the buttons on his suit coat before removing it and draping it neatly over the back of his chair. Next, he began pulling the knot on his tie. “Let me explain the ladder of value to you, Miss Tully, so you can have a full appreciation.” He said, slipping off his cuff links and laying them on the desk.

  “This house has sentimental value, but it is insured and should it burn, I would mourn, but I would also rebuild.” He said, pulling his shirt off and laying it neatly with his jacket and tie.

  Why was he undressing? Connie looked once again to the door and thought about making a run for it, but with the man standing, her chances of making it were slim. She was trembling as he toed off his shoes and continued to speak. “The doctor you met when you first arrived, now she’s extremely valuable. Should something happen to her, I would have a hard time replacing her, but I wouldn’t put her value over that of my son or over my own, for that matter. But that’s merely self-preservation you understand.” Unbuckling his belt, he slid the thick leather free of his pants. “Now, as to the question of your value versus that of the guards, you are currently worth more.” He unfastened his pants and pushed them down his legs to reveal a pair of light blue boxer shorts. He flicked a hand toward the door. “They are a dime a dozen and easily replaceable, whereas you, will be a big payday once you’re delivered.”

  Now completely naked, Connie averted her eyes, though it went against every instinct to look away from a predator within such close proximity. She heard him pick up the phone and then say, “Send in Troy.”

  Connie saw the male shift out of the corner of her eye, and her panic shot through the roof. He was a large wolf, almost solid black with just a hint of gray around his muzzle. He growled low, the sound sending chills rocketing up her spine and had every hair on her body standing on end. The door opened and the wolf snarled, bearing its teeth before it launched. Within seconds, the wolf had taken the guard to the ground and ripped his throat out.

  As if he hadn’t just killed a man, the wolf shifted back to skin, picked up a towel near the crystal liquor decanters on the side table, and wiped blood off his chin and chest. Connie promptly dropped to her hands and knees on the floor and threw up her dinner on the expensive rug.

  She stiffened as she felt a hand stroking the back of her head. The male made tsking sounds and a tissue was waved in front of her face. With trembling fingers, she took it. “In case you were wondering, my dear, he’s the one who stripped you down, including your hair, and put you in the hospital gown for your intake. He saw you naked, Miss Tully, you should thank me for killing him. What do they call it? Ah, yes, defending your modesty.”

  Connie remained silent. The man sounded like he had enjoyed that kill way too much. His tone was downright cheerful and she wanted to be sick again.

  “Come now, child. Say thank you.” The man prompted. When Connie remained silent, he let out an exaggerated sigh and Connie heard him moving around the room. “Very well. While I can assure you that the male did not touch you inappropriately, he did miss one or two vital pieces of your wardrobe.” Fingers appeared in her line of vision. Fingers holding her hairpins, her key to freedom. “For that, he was punished. You see? You’re more valuable than him or I would have simply ripped your throat out, and have been done with you.”

  Connie felt a wet splash on her hand and realized her tears were falling. Swiping at her eyes with the tissue, she took a few deep breaths and sat up. She was relieved to see the man had donned a robe. She glared at him. It was probably a pathetic display considering the pile of vomit in front of her, but it still made her feel a little better.

  The older man cocked his head to the side and smiled before relighting his cigar. “You think I’m cruel.” A chuckle as he tucked the pins back in his desk. “Believe what you will, Miss Tully. The only reason I’m not giving you to my son as I promised earlier was because it was that one’s mistake that you had access to the pins.” He said motioning to the still and bleeding body of the guard named Troy. “Should you be called to this office again, I will not hesitate to throw you to Gray. Then you’ll meet the true monster in this family.” Another low chuckle, and the man picked up his phone to call for another guard to return her to her room and come back and clean up the mess.

  Chapter Nineteen

  Once the guard had pushed Connie back into her cell and locked the door behind her, she went straight to the mattress that had been flipped. She tore at it, pleading with God that they’d missed a pin. Just one pin. That was all she needed. She could work with one. It would take longer, but it was doable. Please! Let there be one.

  By the time she was done, the mattress was shredded and all hope was lost. Sitting in a pile of stuffing and torn fabric, she cried; racking sobs that shook her frame.

  She had no more hope. She couldn’t do this. How had she thought she’d be able to save herself much less the other women held captive? Why had she thought she was capable of overpowering a guard, releasing the others, and stealing a laptop for Daisy? She wasn’t a hero. She wasn’t some ninja. She was a hairdresser and the town joke. Before she had been taken she’d never even thrown a punch in her life – she was a punchline. All her doubts, insecurities, and past humiliations came crashing down on her in a montage of This is Your Sucky Life, Constance Tully
.

  She didn’t know how long she had laid there feeling sorry for herself, but her tears had dried and her head was pounding. She was also disgusted. Had she really thought her life was so terrible before this? Oh boo hoo, everyone is so mean to poor Connie. What a naïve fool she had been. She snorted as she remembered how desperate she had been to get out of that town. How her life would be so much better if it wasn’t for Malsum Pass and now she’d give anything to get back there.

  Connie stiffened her spine as anger settled into her bones and raced through her blood. It felt good, and so much more useful than despair. She was going to figure out a way to get back home. She was done being a doormat. Everyone had been walking on her for as long as she could remember. And why? Because she had let them. She had let her mother dictate her future. She had let the town’s opinion dictate her self-worth as well as her love life. An image of Jacob filled her head. Strong, handsome Jacob with his lips turned down in a frown as he said “if you truly thought I was worth it, you’d find the strength”. What she wouldn’t give to see him again. She’d tell him exactly how stupid she had been, how much she wanted to give them a shot, and that she would fight for him, because he was worth it. They were worth it.

  He’d been so right. She hadn’t fought. She hadn’t even tried. She’d just buried her head and felt sorry for herself. Well, she was done rolling over. She would stop with the constant pity party and start using her head. She would get out of here. She would go home.

  These people may have taken her wolf from her, but her wolf was only one part, she thought as she positioned herself near the door. Her senses may now only be that of a human, but she could still use them. She’d listen, she’d plan, and when the time came. She would escape.