It wasn’t long before they were safely in Derek’s vehicle and heading out of town. Having his mate so close and under his protection was calming his wolf and easing his mind for the moment. He sent a quick text to Henrik and let him know what had happened and that his mate would be staying with him and they would be staying at the Mansion. Derek wanted the full protection of the Alpha, Beta and Enforcers for his vulnerable human mate. His craftsman home set off alone would not due.
He noticed Leo watching him so explained. “I sent a text to my brother, Henrik, letting him know we’re on our way. We’ll be staying with him at the main house for the protection it offers.”
“You live in that exclusive gated community on the Bay?” Leo questioned but he seemed to know the answer.
“Yeah, Henrik owns the Bay Harbor community, and no one will get in that doesn’t belong there. You’ll be safe until we can figure out what’s going on.” Derek threw a side-eye in Leo’s direction. “Why don’t you tell me about your uncle.”
Leo explained the takeover that his Uncle Raymond had perpetrated on them following the death of their father. It was subtle at first and then when the criminality was becoming obvious to them it became oppressive, threatening, and sometimes abusive. Derek found his anger rising with each incident that Leo described.
“It all came to a head when I happened upon a contract that was struck between Raymond and a local with criminal ties. It proved money laundering was happening at one of my father’s hotels and probably all of them.” Leo glanced out the side window remembering that day and the fiasco it became.
“At first, he offered to pay me off to keep quiet and then when I balked at that he started making threats and even had his driver rough me up. So, Max and I decided that I needed to get out of town.” Leo could feel Derek’s tension and see it in the way he was gripping the steering wheel. “I wanted to stay and help Max fight the takeover, but Raymond made some God-awful threats against us. In the end, I ran and now my brother is fighting this alone.” Leo was so fucking done with sounding so fucking lame, but it was the truth. As soon as things became difficult, he ran.
“I should have stayed; I should go back. Max is meeting with the lawyers on Tuesday and I should be there.” Leo started to ramble as the trouble surrounding Max began to weigh heavily upon him.
Derek turned on him with a look that made the very air around them tremble. “You will do no such thing.” He thundered. “You left because it was the wisest thing to do. Your brother is fighting a losing battle and all that would have come from you staying was your likely death.” Derek turned and regarded Leo with a dark penetrating stare before turning back to the road ahead of them.
“Men like your Uncle and the people he is working for don’t discuss or respond to reason, they simply eliminate problems. You and Max don’t have the power or the back up to go against them. Running probably saved your life.” Derek ended with considerable intensity.
“Max called me earlier. He said that I might be in trouble and to be careful.” Leo was worried before but now listening to Derek his fear was spiking. “I think that perhaps those two men who attacked me the other night might have been working for my Uncle and the brick tonight was probably them too. He wants to scare me and he’s doing a good job.”
“They weren’t the same men,” Derek stated. “The men who attacked you in the alley were jackals the two men who were hanging around outside your apartment when I arrived and who threw the brick were human.” That sentence made almost no sense at all.
“What are you talking about?” Leo shook his head and turned to look at Derek waiting for an explanation. “Jackals, as in the animal or is this a euphemism?”
“It’s possible the jackals were working for your uncle as well, but they didn’t break your window tonight.” Derek talked around the request. Leo was about to reiterate his last question, but they had arrived. Derek pulled up to a large iron gate and without a word, the gate swung open and they drove inside. The gate immediately closed behind them.
“I drove by this place a few times trying to see something of the inside but it’s all too hidden with the trees and the cliff and the bay. It’s a wonderful spot for a home.” Leo talked as he looked around. It was laid out in a circular pattern which was kind of interesting. The homes were of varying sizes and sophistication but overall it looked pleasant and homey.
“Are the homes rented or do the people own them?” Leo continued his interest captivated by this secret place.
“The Pack owns the homes and the people maintain them.” Derek was talking in riddles as if he thought Leo knew what he was saying.
They pulled up to a large home, white stone and red brick with pillars on the front porch, and a gorgeous and distinct red roof, contrasting with the white exterior. It was a mansion and lay at the center of the private community on a slight hill with a lovely view of the beach below. Leo had seen many impressive homes in Napierville and Chicago but this one had a strength, elegance, and majesty that set it apart in his mind. This was not just a home this was a power source.
He could feel the importance of it the moment he exited the car and stood looking up at the grand facade. It was four stories and consisted of two large wings. At the center of the building was a fifth floor, resembling a penthouse and an ornate cupola topped the building. The building was covered in ornate details and beautiful symmetric balconies. This was more than a mansion; it was damn near a palace.
Derek watched his mate marvel at the sight and supremacy of the Mansion. It had a personality all its own and as a bonded mate Leo would be able to feel it. He was also feeling Henrik’s power and presence.
“Let’s go inside and I’ll introduce you to Henrik.” Leo nodded and fell into step beside him. But as Derek was opening the door Leo made one demand of him.
“I want you to explain to me later the things you said in the car about the pack and the jackals.” He held Derek’s gaze until he nodded in agreement.
“I’ll explain everything, but it is important that you keep an open mind and accept the reality that is presented to you. Not everything in this world is as it seems. Remember what I looked like in the alley the first time we met.” With that cryptic remark, they went inside.
Derek planned on telling Leo everything and getting the truth into the open as soon as they were settled. Leo was levelheaded and already feeling the bond between them so taking a step into the supernatural shouldn’t prove to be that hard. He gave Leo’s hand a squeeze to relieve the rising tension he could feel emanating from his mate.
Leo was feeling a little unsure of what was happening, but his instincts told him to trust Derek. He pushed aside his need to ask more questions and took in the majesty of the place.
The interior was as impressive as the exterior. It was beautiful but not in a fussy or ostentatious manner. It was warmed with the wood furnishings and made comfortable with the soft fabrics of the window treatments and rugs. It was a magnificent structure, but it was also clearly a home. It didn’t surprise him that a businessman like Henrik Vaughn would live in such a place.
Derek led him to a large room off to the left of the central stairs that looked to be a living room or a den. It was masculine in its décor and housed a full bar at the far end. A man who looked similar to Derek but outsized him in height and weight stood up from where he lounged on one of the sofas and approached. His presence had a similar power and feel like the house itself.
“Henrik I’d like you to meet my mate, Leo Russo.” Derek introduced him. “Leo this is my brother and Alpha of the Bay Harbor Pack, Henrik Vaughn.” Leo noticed Henrik glance questioningly at Derek but remained smiling as he took Leo’s hand.
“Please to make your acquaintance.” He said and Leo reciprocated. Henrik glanced again at Derek in a way that spoke to the unspoken. “Come and take a seat.” He led them both over to the sofa. Henrik took a seat in one of the chairs opposite them.
Once seated, Derek gave a quick rundown of the events and tied
in the two jackals that he’d spoken of in the car. Leo noticed that Henrik didn’t seem to be surprised by the strange terms he was using. Then with Leo’s permission, Derek explained the issues Leo was having with his Uncle Raymond that prompted his move to Eastport. They, and another man who came into the room and was introduced as the Beta, Zayn Merrick, continued to discuss the best strategies forward when Leo broke in with a question he could not hold back.
“How did you know that the men who were loitering outside my apartment building were the same that threw the brick?” He directed his question at Derek who was seated next to him on the loveseat. Henrik and Zayn were seated in chairs on either side of the fireplace. “You told me that you didn’t see anyone at the time so how do you know that it was them?”
Silence fell for a moment and then Derek took Leo’s hand and brought it to his lips kissing the knuckles before looking into Leo’s eyes and answering. “I didn’t have to see them; I smelled the brick and it carried their scent,” Derek said as if it made complete sense.
Leo recalled Derek putting the brick to his nose but didn’t think anything of it at the time. “Were you trained to be able to pick up specific scents?”
“More like born to it,” Zayn interjected. “No one can track like Derek. If he gets your scent, you’re not getting away.”
Henrik broke in and took over the conversation shutting down the tangent discussion and bringing the focus back to the situation at hand. “Your mate has a lot to enlighten you with and I’m sure he will get to it soon for his own benefit and yours.” It sounded almost like a command and the way Derek acquiesced without comment, it must have been.
Leo was getting a sense that what Derek had to explain was going to be difficult. Leo knew what the words, Alpha, pack, beta and jackal meant and it either spoke to fantasy or fact. Looking at the men around him he doubted they steeped themselves in fantasy and he feared it was going to take more than an open mind for him to get through this night.
Derek knew he was treading on dangerous ground as he continued to throw out words and explanations that confused his mate. But he wanted to get the ball rolling and get Leo used to the words he would be using for the rest of their lives. It was an attempt at laying a foundation for the explanation he would give once they were alone in their room.
Henrik left the room to make some calls regarding the individuals Raymond Russo was involved with and assess the level of risk there was to Leo and his brother Max. Henrik had a long reach and although a respectable man on the surface, he was not unfamiliar with the darker aspects of business and life itself.
His presence and power were known on every level of the business community in this corner of the world. The fact that he was unfamiliar with Raymond Russo spoke to the man’s lack of standing and influence. But the men he was working with were known and had influence.
It wasn’t long before Henrik returned to the room with surprising information that changed everything. It wasn’t the criminal underworld that was after Leo for what he knew, it was just Raymond.
“They have no interest in you Leo,” Henrik told him as he sat across from him. “What you know, or saw is of no consequence to them and they don’t see you or your brother as credible threats.” Leo wasn’t sure how to respond. “Although your uncle did present himself as someone who could not keep his family in line so their dealings with him have ended. It’s just business but he seems to have taken it personally.”
“How many men does Raymond have working for him, the criminal side of his business?” Derek clarified. Leo shrugged not sure of the number but wracked his brain to try and figure it out.
“His driver, for sure and his personal accountant. Apart from that, he has two guys that follow him around all the time, and he calls them his body men. But he can hire muscle if he needs it.” Leo looked at the men around him and wondered how his life choices had brought him here to this. He wasn’t sure if he should be thankful or afraid. He was fortunate to have them in his corner and just looking at them, there wasn’t anyone working for Raymond that could match them for size and muscle. He just wasn’t sure who they really were.
Leo could feel the serious darkness and shadows that hung in the air around these men, and he knew they weren’t helpful to others as a rule, at least not those outside their circle. He could feel their steely reserve and cool assessment since the moment he entered this home. But there was also an impression of acceptance that seemed completely out of character for everyone sitting there including the gorgeous Derek. Something important was happening here, something that was going to change his life. He wasn’t sure if that was his own thought or if it came from outside himself, but it was the truth.
“His current finances won’t take him far. He’s nearly broke and he’s trying to sell the hotels to cover his debts, but you and your brother are standing in his way.” Henrik clarified everything in those two sentences.
“Max is fighting him and meeting with the lawyers on Tuesday. Is he in danger?” Leo lurched forward in his seat and stared at the big man. His eyes were blue like Derek’s but there wasn’t the beauty there that Derek’s possessed. His gaze held him until Leo looked away.
It seemed that no one was ready to answer that question, so he went further. “Max is built like me only thinner. He couldn’t stand up to these people physically, but he believes honesty and justice win over lies and muscle. He’s . . .” Leo fell off.
“Uncorrupted.” Henrik cut in without sarcasm. Sadness laced his words, not contempt. Leo nodded. “I’ll be honest with you. Your brother is in considerable danger. Your uncle planned on you being killed in a random act of violence in a dark alley and he probably has something similar in store for Max.”
That was it, he needed to get to his brother he had to help him. “I have to leave. I have to go to Max.” He erupted and attempted to jump from the sofa, but Derek held him in place.
“You would be of no help to him, Leo,” Derek spoke firmly. “He called to warn you of the danger that you may be in, he is therefore fully aware of his own danger.” Leo didn’t want to listen but something about the way Derek’s voice penetrated his soul, he couldn’t help but take heed. It was frustrating but still, he understood Derek’s words to be true.
“I’ll call and see if he’ll meet me here in Eastport.” He said so overwhelmed with the need to do something. He stood and walked over to the far windows well away from the men sitting there. He didn’t want them to see or hear if he got emotional on the phone with his brother.
He laid out to Max what Henrik had told him, but it didn’t make a difference. “You can’t stay there Max, please meet me here and we’ll figure something out.” He was pleading but tried to keep his voice down.
Derek listened to the phone call as did the other two men in the room. Unbeknownst to Leo wolf hearing was sensitive. They could hear both Leo and Max clearly. The expression Henrik was wearing concerned Derek as it appeared tense and a little anxious whereas he was completely relaxed a moment ago.
Leo came back and sat down next to Derek who immediately wrapped an arm around him. He was disheartened and Derek wished he could make all this go away, but it would take time.
“He insists on staying for the meeting on Tuesday. He says that if he doesn’t show up then our interest in the hotels will be forfeit. Max really believes he’s going to make a difference.” Leo was frustrated.
“It will be okay. If he has lawyers around him, he should be safe.” Derek was not believing a word he was telling his mate, but he had to try and console him somehow. He was not used to caring as much for a person’s feelings and wellbeing as he cares for this little human.
“He told me he’s staying with friends for now so he’s not alone at least.” Derek could hear that his mate was not any more convinced than the rest of them. He would offer to go and get Max but if the man didn’t want to leave, then he didn’t want to leave. Grown men were allowed to make their own decisions.
“It’s late
so let’s sleep on it for tonight. Tomorrow we’ll get a fresh start tracking the men who threw the brick and also the jackals who attacked you in the alley. We’ll find them and we’ll find out who paid them.” Henrik made the proclamation and suddenly in Leo’s heart, he felt as if things would work out okay.
The guy had a force about him that made you believe and left you feeling secure in his assertions. It was the same way Derek made him feel only this man didn’t make him sweat and tremble the way Derek did.
“Call your brother in the morning and see if you can convince him to come here to the Mansion. If he can’t make it on his own, I’ll have someone go and pick him up.” That directive was pointed straight at Leo who nodded immediately.
“Yes, sir and thank you.” Henrik nodded and walked out of the room with Zayn by his side.
CHAPTER EIGHT
Derek took him to a large room with a large bed on the second floor of this amazing home. The room was as warm as the rest of the house and looked freshly made up.
“I know I’m making assumptions here, but I hope you don’t mind sharing a bed with me,” Derek asked as he walked slowly over to where Leo stood and took him into his arms. He looked down into Leo’s eyes and then kissed him long and hard.
Slowly easing back, he cocked a half-grin at what Leo was certain was a stupid look on his face. He couldn’t help being dazed and speechless whenever Derek became affectionate which was surprisingly often for such a cool acting guy. “I like your assumptions,” Leo responded at last and earned another ravenous kiss before being walked over to the bed.
“A lot has happened to you in the last couple of days and I know we have much to discuss but I need you, Leo. I need to be in you and hold you in my arms listening as you come apart screaming my name.” Derek was not just waxing poetic his eyes were deadly serious and his grip around Leo’s middle tightened with each word.
Leo smiled and pulled at Derek’s shirt and began loosening his belt. Derek didn’t wait for him to finish. He wasn’t kidding when he said he wanted him now. The urgency filled the room around them, and Leo became just as eager as he continued to help Derek shed his clothes and began to strip off his own.
Rogue: Bay Harbor Wolves Vol. 1 Page 7
