by Amy Ruttan
“I can’t mate with someone I’m not bonded to. How is that right for the clan when I won’t be able to produce an heir? Cassandra is in heat, but it isn’t affecting me any. What do you think about that?”
Étienne’s face paled. “You’ve bound yourself…to a human?”
“Maybe I have.”
Étienne spat on the floor. “You can’t join with a human woman.”
“Why do you hate her so?”
Étienne shook his head. “She’s not one of us.”
“I can’t control who I bond with.”
“Is that why you’ve called this council meeting? You’re going to break it off with Cassandra and tell them you choose a human woman as your mate?”
“Yes.”
Étienne shook his head and spun around on his heel, storming out of the office outside the council chamber. Jared heard the doors slam as he walked away. He was pissed off that Étienne disapproved, but he didn’t give a flying fuck that he did either. He didn’t know what humans had done to piss Étienne off so much, but Jared didn’t give a damn. Once Étienne cooled down he’d accept Adele as a member of their society, even if it meant they couldn’t produce a child together since no known human Mukswa hybrid existed to his knowledge.
It didn’t matter. He just couldn’t go through the mating ceremony with Cassandra. He loved and wanted Adele. Her presence in his life made him whole. She made him a better man.
The door to the main chamber opened and a young clansmember peeked inside. “We’re ready for you, Chief Jared.”
“Thanks.” Jared glanced down at the picture of his dad again.
Sorry, Dad, but I love her.
* * * * *
The more Adele dug deep into Beare Enterprises financials under the helm of Clement Rideau the more she became suspicious. When she spoke with him, he’d been so edgy. Although he answered all her questions and went over the financials with her, there was just something off-putting about him.
She saved the file she was working on to her USB stick. Everything was anonymous because she needed to get a second opinion on something and her old boss at the RCMP forensic division would help her out. He’d been the only one who advocated for her return to the field. Of course, given the fact she could no longer run, that option was not viable and a desk job just didn’t appeal to her. She also wanted to investigate Clement Rideau and she had all of his information from the personnel files she had access to. Adele needed to put her mind at rest.
She stood and shoved the USB stick into her pocket just as the elevator doors slid open. Étienne lumbered out. He glared at her, and even from across the room she could see hate or anger in his eyes.
“Jared is in a meeting. Can I do something for you?”
“No.” He stopped a few feet from her, not looking directly at her. “I know…I know he’s in a meeting. I just came from there.”
“Oh.” She tried to sidestep him, but that was hard to do when one didn’t have the same agility as one used to. “Is there something else, Étienne?”
He closed his eyes and bit his lip. “Just wanted to see how you were doing on the case. Any breakthroughs?”
“There could be. I was just going to have a consult with a member of the RCMP.”
“I thought you signed a confidentiality agreement. No outsiders,” Étienne snapped.
“Everything would be anonymous. I’m not breaching my confidentiality agreement. I promised Jared.”
Étienne snorted. “And what else did you promise Jared?”
A shiver of dread raced down her spine. “What’s wrong with you? Why do you detest me so much? Is it because of my disability, because if that’s so you’re a big ass.”
He took a step back. “Did you just call me an ass?”
“I did. I’m not afraid of you, dickhead. I know you’ve been posturing since the day we met, trying to make me nervous, but it doesn’t work. I’ve dealt with worse than you.”
Étienne grinned. “I don’t hate you. You’re feisty, a fighter. You remind me of my little sister actually.”
“So, your cunt-nugget attitude toward me is because of brotherly affection?” Adele snorted. “Please.” She tried to move away, but he gripped her shoulder.
“I don’t want to see you get hurt.”
“What’re you talking about?”
Étienne sighed. “Jared is marrying someone else. He’s had a fiancée for some time. That’s what the meeting was about downstairs. He was going over final plans with Cassandra and her family.”
Adele’s world just about shattered. “Is she…is she blonde and tall?”
“Yes.”
Adele nodded. It was the woman, the gorgeous and poised woman, she saw him talking with in the atrium a couple of weeks ago. She should’ve known by the way she was touching him with familiarity.
And Adele honestly thought Jared had feelings for her. How stupid could she be? She was an easy lay. That was all. She was convenient, vulnerable and under his roof. The Ice Queen probably didn’t put out.
You’re an idiot, Adele.
One part of her didn’t want to believe Étienne. He hadn’t always been warm and friendly to her, but her instincts told her he was telling her the truth.
“Thanks for telling me,” she said, finally finding her voice, but she couldn’t bear to look at Étienne. She didn’t want to cry in front of him. “Can you do me a favor?”
“Of course.”
“Can you call me a car? I’d like to go back home. I think it’s for the best.”
Étienne nodded. “It’ll be ready within thirty minutes.”
“Sooner would be better.”
“For what it’s worth, I’m sorry.” Étienne turned and walked out of the suite.
So am I.
Adele headed off to the room and began to grab what she could, tossing it on the bed. She fished her suitcase out of the closet and set it on the bed before heading back to grab her clothing.
You’re an idiot, Adele.
She should have listened to Brianna, of course she wasn’t going to tell her sister that, but nonetheless Adele shouldn’t have moved in with Jared.
“Stupid,” she muttered as she jammed some more clothing in her bag.
“What’re you doing?”
She turned to see Jared standing in the door, watching her, confused.
“I thought you were in a meeting,” she said.
“I was. It’s over.” He took a step toward her. “What’re you doing, Adele?”
“I’m moving back to my place. I can’t stay here. It’s not right.”
“Of course you can stay here. I want you to stay here. I thought we talked about this yesterday. I promised you no more hot and cold.”
“You did,” Adele said. “Only you forgot to mention the part about your fiancée.”
His spine stiffened. “Who told you?”
“So you don’t deny you are engaged.”
“Was engaged.”
Adele snorted. “That doesn’t matter. Were you engaged to her while you were screwing me?”
Jared didn’t respond, but she knew the answer.
“I have to go.” She zipped her suitcase shut and headed for the door.
“Adele, don’t go. I ended it, doesn’t that mean anything?”
“No. It doesn’t. I’ll continue the investigation on my own, at home.” The elevator doors opened and Étienne was waiting inside. He stepped out and took her bag.
Jared snarled, his eyes flashing, his fists clenched. “Étienne, what did you do?”
“He didn’t do anything! All he did was call me a car.” She got on the elevator. “Goodbye, Mr. Stevens.”
The doors snapped shut and the elevator descended. Tears stung her eyes, but she wouldn’t shed them in front of Étienne, or any of them.
She’d finish her job and then she’d wash her hands of the whole lot of them.
Chapter Ten
“I don’t want to fight you, bro.”
Jared punched Étienne
in the face anyway, his knuckles stung as his fist came up against Étienne’s cheekbone. He didn’t care if the bastard was going to fight back or not. He wanted revenge. Étienne had ruined everything.
Adele had left two weeks ago and Étienne took a beating, daily, but still Jared couldn’t get the bastard to admit what he did was wrong.
Étienne took a step back, keeping his eyes to the floor in submission to his chief, his alpha bear.
“Why?” Jared asked, snarling. “Tell me why.”
“You need to marry within your own clan.”
Jared growled. “Wrong answer.”
“Did you love her? I’ve seen you go through countless Mukswa and human women before…”
“Before my father was killed.” Jared shook his fist, trying to shake the feeling back into his hand.
“You were a bit of whore when your father ruled.”
“Whore?” Jared asked. “If I remember correctly you were too.”
“Not as bad as you, bro.”
Jared turned his back on Étienne. “Tell. Me. Why?”
“You were engaged to Cassandra, she is one of us. You shouldn’t have been screwing around on her.”
“No, I know, but it wasn’t Cassandra I hurt.”
“I know. You hurt Adele.”
Jared spun around. “Don’t you dare say her name. You didn’t even like her.”
Étienne glared at him, which shocked the shit out of Jared. “I liked her. I thought she was a fighter and I didn’t want to see her get hurt. You were engaged to Cassandra, for the good of the clan. I asked you if you were sure about joining with Cassandra and you told me it was what you had to do. I didn’t want you to use Adele.”
“I love Adele.”
Étienne dropped his head. “Then I’m sorry for what I did, but dammit Jared you’re a good leader. You can’t continue the line of chiefs married to a human.”
“My sister is with child. If her child is a boy, I’ll leave this clan to him.”
“Unite her mate’s clan with ours?” Étienne asked, but there was hesitancy in his voice. “Why? Their clan is on the other side of Ontario and Sheridan carries their heir, not ours.”
“Uniting the clan may be the only way to save ours.” Jared raked his fingers through his hair, trying to ease the frustration building in him, trying to keep the beast at bay so he wouldn’t shift and tear out Étienne’s throat.
“You mean the missing money?”
“And the people, Étienne.”
Étienne nodded. “I know.”
“I have to get Adele back. I’ve bonded with her.”
“I know that too.” Étienne sighed. “I’m sorry, I thought I was operating under the best interest of the clan, but I wasn’t.”
“When I suggested the elders pick a suitable mate for me, I too thought I was doing what was right by our clan, but I wasn’t. How can I set a good example for them if I’m not even bonded to my own mate? I should’ve listened to you.”
“And I should’ve listened to you, but you’re right, bro. As much as I don’t like humans, you need to get Adele back.”
“You would accept her as my mate?”
Étienne nodded again. “I would.”
“She won’t return my calls.” Jared took a deep breath. “The only thing she corresponds with me on is our missing finances.”
“Have you spoken to Clement Rideau?”
Jared cocked an eyebrow. “Should I?”
“Adele thought there was something there. She has good instincts. I’ve had my men follow Clement around. He’s been acting erratic and fidgety. Adele said something about running a check on him.”
“Well, she won’t find anything.” There was nothing on any of his clanspeople in the public sector. Government records were forged, and even then, there was nothing to them. They had to keep the Mukswa secret, it was vital to their survival, lest they all be carted off and put in some government lab test facility.
“I know, but she was concerned about him,” Étienne said. “As I said, for a human, she’s got good instincts.”
Jared glanced at the clock on the wall. “Put some ice on your cheek and we’ll go visit Clement Rideau.”
“I don’t need any ice. It’s a scratch.” Étienne brandished one of his declawed arms.
“Dude, seriously. After all this shit tonight, you’re really going to question your chief now?”
“Fine. I’ll see you downstairs at Clement’s in ten minutes.” Étienne walked toward the bathroom.
Jared flipped open his phone and dialed Adele’s cell phone, but like it had for the last couple of weeks, it went straight to voicemail.
* * * * *
“Oh my God.” Adele had to say the words out loud because she couldn’t believe she’d found out the connection, and that connection scared the beejeebus out of her. Clement Rideau had been Vernon Jefferies’ accountant.
Her heart was racing.
Clement may have pulled the wool over Jared’s eyes, but Adele finally had the proof she was looking for. As much as she didn’t want to talk to Jared, she had a job to do and she promised him that she’d finish her investigation.
Once this was over she could wash Beare Enterprises and Jared from her mind. She actually was planning on leaving Winnipeg altogether, though Bri had been against it at first.
Adele needed a clean start.
She already had plans in the works and a place to stay in Medicine Hat, Alberta. Over ten, glorious, Jared-free hours away. Besides, she wouldn’t be totally alone in Medicine Hat. Her grandparents were still there, that was her place to stay.
Get it done and over with and you can move on.
Adele dialed Jared’s number.
“You’ve reached Jared Stevens. Leave your name and number and I’ll get back to you.”
Dammit.
“Jared, it’s Adele. I’ve made a breakthrough with your file and I think I know how you can start to retrieve your funds. I’m on my way over there right now. I’ll see you in twenty minutes.”
Adele snapped her phone shut then grabbed her purse and keys. She’d hand over the USB stick with all the information Jared needed, explain her findings, get the last of the money owed to her and then it was adios muchachos.
When she got outside there was a thick fog over everything, reducing visibility but not making it impossible to drive.
Great.
It was unusually warm and that, along with the melting snow, was causing the fog to blanket most of Winnipeg. She could see Beare Enterprises tower from her balcony, from the road, hell basically anywhere she went to in Winnipeg she could pick it out and it made her sad. It hurt her, because when she looked at that building she knew what was in it.
Jared.
And her heart.
I wonder if he’s married now? Étienne had said the marriage between Jared and that beauty queen was supposed to take place soon, but Jared had said he called it off.
Perhaps hoping she’d stay for a just a few fucks more?
Adele shook her head. It wasn’t her concern right now. Soon he’d be out of her life and she’d be one whole province away from him. She’d never have to look at Beare Enterprises tower again and think of that luxurious penthouse suite or the man who inhabited that ivory tower.
She climbed into her car and put the key into the ignition, but as she was turning the key, a click snapped in her ear and her blood froze from fear. She knew that sound very well.
“Don’t look back. Drive.”
The hairs on the back of her neck stood on end and she glanced in the rearview mirror to see the cold, hateful eyes of Vernon Jefferies staring back at her.
“I said drive, bitch.”
“Okay.” Adele complied and pulled out of the parking lot onto the Pembina highway.
* * * * *
“Clement, open up.” Jared hammered on the door again. He was agitated, something was off.
“He’s not answering?” Étienne asked as he appeared beside him, hi
s face bandaged.
“No. Was he in his office?” Jared asked.
“No, I have security looking for him. Henry, down at the door, said he didn’t see him coming or going today, plus is office was cleaned out. No files, no computer hard drive. What was left in his office was a disaster. It looked ransacked.”
Fuck.
“There’s something I don’t like about this, Étienne.”
“Move.”
Jared stepped aside as Étienne kicked down the door. Jared was the first inside and the first to notice the foul odor that permeated the apartment. It was the scent of death.
“Fuck,” Étienne cursed under his breath. “Shit, motherfucker.”
“You could say that again.” Saying the apartment was trashed was an understatement. It had been demolished, as if some kind of trash bomb went off. There were papers everywhere. “Looks like we’ve found the missing files.” Jared bent down and picked up one of the papers.
Jared didn’t know Clement well, but he knew Clement’s dad. The senior Mr. Rideau had been the clan’s head financial officer for his dad. Mr. Rideau died about six years ago, leaving the job to his son, Clement.
Jared’s father had trusted Clement, just as much as he had trusted his father.
Apparently, Clement was nothing like his sire.
Étienne moved past him into Clement’s bedroom. “Jared, you better come take a look at this.”
Jared walked into the room and cursed under his breath. Clement had hung himself from the ceiling fan, and by the discoloration of his face, and the smell permeating the room, he’d been there for quite a while.
“Call someone to retrieve the body,” Jared said.
“Right away.” Étienne stepped out of the room to make the appropriate calls.
Jared glanced around the room and noticed a note on the nightstand. He picked it up with a sense of trepidation and read it. In the note Clement confessed to it all, confessed to working with Levi and where he hid the funds, but he also confessed to funding other criminals and Jared’s heart sank when he read the name Vernon Jefferies.
That name was eerily familiar.
The man who shot Adele.
His stomach knotted. Had Clement recognized Adele? If Vernon got hold of Adele it would be his fault. He thought he was protecting her under Beare Enterprises’ roof, when in actuality he probably inadvertently told her attacker where she was.
