NAC & The Holly Group - Box set: Alpha Team

by Chelsea Handcock

  “Fuck yeah, they were watching the place. It was locked up tight. The only way that thing could have gotten out was to slither its slimy ass down the building.”

  “Did you check all the vents, windows, and cabinets?”

  “No, we didn't, your people did,” Tuck said. “The only thing left open in that place was a small window in the bathroom. Like I said, unless that thing developed hands and feet, carried a rope in its ass, and somehow learned to climb, it didn't get out that way.”

  Shit, Bas knew they weren’t ever going to find that snake because the fucker did, in fact, have hands and feet. Additionally, a Shifter wouldn't have needed a rope to jump down from a second story window without any damage. No way was he going to let Tuck in on any of that though. If he wanted to believe a snake was running wild in Defiance, more power to him. Maybe it would distract the RBMC enough to make them ignore some of the other shit that had been going on.

  “Sounds good, man,” Bas replied. “You heard Sky, she’s willing to go with me back to NAC. I would like to get the show on the road as soon as possible, but I’m going to need to make a couple of phone calls first. Can you have one of your boys gather up her shit? I don’t want her to have to go back to the apartment.”

  “You don't have to worry about that. Pix wasn’t staying with her cousin at the apartment. I think most of her stuff is out in the garage. I’ll send a Prospect over to pick it up. But you’re not getting off that easy, man. She agreed, and I’ll accept that, but there’s more you need to know. I sent my guys out to check around. As of twenty minutes ago, there are six more men who have shown up at the same motel your detainee was holding up in.

  “These guys are all dressed for combat and carting heavy artillery. They haven’t mobilized yet and seem to be waiting for something. What that is, I don’t know, but I’m sure neither of us wants to find out. My guys are staying under the radar, but have orders to call me if any of them move. If Pix is going with you, I think that needs to happen sooner rather than later. If you can’t get her to safety, then I’ll take her somewhere I know is safe.”

  Bas didn’t like Tuck questioning his abilities or intentions with Sky. The only thing holding him back from beating the shit out the RBMC President was the woman currently behind the closed door. Bas knew she wouldn’t be happy with the blood he so desperately wanted to spill at the moment. Shit, neither would his brothers.

  “I’ll keep her safe. You don’t need to worry about that,” Bas said through gritted teeth.

  “Be sure that you do, asshole, or you’ll have more people to answer to than just Senior and Jacks,” Tuck warned.

  Tuck walked away, and Bas made the call he had been avoiding for the last few minutes. Bas didn't give the man a chance start the conversation.

  “Talk to me.”

  Senior didn’t disappoint and instantly started in with a sit-rep.

  “Your new packages have been picked up, and the scene has been contained and cleaned. The unknown is a Shifter, cat family. No identification or electronic devices found on his body. The deceased victim is being transported back to Urban Oaks for further testing. Once that’s complete, Sky can let us know what type of burial arrangements she wants. The snake wasn’t found in or around the premises. That means the fucker is still at large.

  “You need to bring in your witness. She mentioned Lloyd Thomas being her father. That name is a known alias for Tobias Straight. He has been unaccounted for since 1990, but his name has been flagged for desertion from the Clan. Tobias was connected to Dean Summerfield, the possible snake Shifter the RBMC saw at the apartment. We’re only starting to put the pieces together, but Summerfield is believed to be the leader of The Association. We can’t ignore the connection between the two men or Tobias’s deflection. We don’t have confirmation, but the puzzle pieces are adding up to bad things for your witness. Get her out and get her safe.”

  “That might be easier said than done, Senior,” Bas stated. “Tuck just informed me six more unknowns have entered the territory. Could be connected, may not be, but I don’t like the coincidence. He also said they were geared up and ready for action.”

  “You’re closest to Echo, but I would recommend heading back up North. Alpha is secluded, and your systems were recently upgraded. It might be the safest place for her right now or at least until we get the answer we need.”

  “Do you think Sky is one of Franklin’s?” Bas questioned.

  “No, Son, I suspect your Sky is much more than that. Through our interrogations, we’ve learned some things. The Association has been waiting for someone, their holy grail so to speak. If these Shifters are willing to put themselves out in front of human eyes to get their hands on her, then her problems could be bigger than we know. Lock it down and keep her safe. We won’t know anything with certainty until we get her to one of the bases. If you even have the slightest unease and feel they are on to you, shift course. Your top priority is to bring her in safely.”

  “Understood,” Bas affirmed. “I’m going to go radio silent from here on out. I don’t know what kind of tech these guys have, and I don’t want to take any unneeded risks. We’ll be heading out soon.”

  Bas didn’t like what he had learned. Sure, he suspected it, but having even this bit of confirmation turned his stomach. His Sky was in more danger than either of them could have possibly predicted. Going up against humans, even with tranquilizers guns was bad, but going up against Shifters with the same tranquilizers was a nightmare. He was only one man, and Bas had to wonder if he could keep her safe until they reached the others. Fuck, he wished his team was here.

  He knew he would do everything in his power to keep her safe. Shit, he would do that for any person in need. But with a random person, if he failed in his mission, he might feel bad, whereas, with Sky, it would destroy what was left of his sanity. His bear was attaching himself to her, and Bas could feel the bond like it was a tangible thing. What was happening between the two of them was nothing like the mated men on his team had explained. He was attracted to her in a visceral way, but he was also connected to her, and they hadn't shared more than a few touches. If he concentrated hard enough, he felt her in his soul.

  None of that should be possible unless, or until, they’d fucked. Damn, he wanted that too. His dick was as hard as iron and had been since seeing her for the first time in the bar. In the short period of time he’d known Skylar Thomas, the fucker never went down. Bas was pretty sure his zipper was turning it into hamburger. Talking to her in the office while keeping separate was a test of his control. He had wanted to jump over the damn desk, strip her bare, lay her down on the desk, and ravish her. He wanted to feel her wet heat and bathe himself in the sticky liquid, imprinting her scent on his skin. But mostly he wanted that honeysuckle and vanilla scent coating his face, fingers, and cock.

  Adjusting himself, he tried to think of horrible things like dead baby kittens on the road to calm the beast taking up residence in his pants. She wasn’t a fated mate if she wasn’t one of Franklin's creations, and he wasn’t in any shape to offer her anything other than a quick fuck. He wouldn’t do that to her.

  Tuck was right; Sky was a beautiful person, inside and out. She took care of the people she loved and never once placed herself first. That was evident on how she carted Shelby around and cared for her all these years. She was loyal to a fault. The other evidence of her character was her reputation with the Clubs. Those men didn't fool easily. If she was anything but what she appeared to be, they would have called her out, and Link would have told him.

  If he acted on the attraction, where would that leave either of them? He couldn’t see her being the type to have a one- or two-night stand. She was a keeper, the kind of girl you held onto with both hands, and he couldn’t offer her that. Bas didn't even want to think of what would happen if he went rogue and tried to hurt her. Or worse yet, what would happen if he came across his fated mate sometime down the road. Sky would be left in the dust, hurt and broken. He refuse
d to ever let that happen to her. She’d already been through too much.

  He was a protector. It was his job to keep her safe even if that meant keeping her safe from him. He never wanted to see her broken like he’d seen his mother and many others.

  Tuck came back into the hall and said, “Jordan is getting her stuff together. You sure about all this, man? Something more seems to be going on between the two of you. I'm not going to ask any questions, but now is not the time to think with your dick.”

  Fuck, if it were all that simple Bas would have Sky pushed up against the wall, pants down, and his cock inserted so fast, she would be screaming his name, but it wasn't that simple. Other things were going on here besides lust, even if he didn't want to admit that even to himself.

  “It's not like that, man,” Bas assured, “but I'm not going into it either. I’m going to make some more calls, so I can come up with our next step. Are you going to come in and talk with Sky some more?”

  “Yeah, right behind you,” Tuck responded.

  Chapter 15

  Sky never really got the time she needed to get herself together. Bas and Tuck came back into the office within minutes of leaving. Bas was on the phone, but she only got clipped and curt answers from his side of the conversation. He was barking orders, and from the small things she heard, it seemed like he was making plans to head out. Tuck, on the other hand, was being standoffish, just staring at her. When she couldn’t take it anymore she asked, “What is it, Tuck?”

  “Pix, I don’t know what all is going on here, but you agreed to go with Bas, and I’m going to let you do it. I want you to keep your head down and do what he says. Things for you have already been crap, but it looks like they might be getting a whole lot worse.”

  Sky didn’t like the sound of that. She wished Tuck or Bas would let her know what was going on, but she took Tuck's advice to heart and didn’t question the man like she wanted to. Eventually, Bas would have to let her know what was going on. There wasn’t any alternative. Right?

  “I sent Jordan to get your things, and Link is getting Bas’ ride ready for travel,” Tuck revealed. “While he’s on the phone, you might want to take the time to prepare for travel, honey. I don’t think you’re going to be stopping for a long time.” Tuck walked over to her. His face softened when he said his next words.

  “This is your choice, honey, but if you need the RBMC, we will be there. All you have to do is make the call. Don’t hold back from your family. Do you understand?”

  Sky wanted to cry. Sky did understand. She also knew she would never do anything to put these men in jeopardy. Things weren’t as they seemed. The further away she got, the better off the RBMC would be. She would miss Tuck and all the guys. Maybe, someday, she could come back and explain to him how important they were to her.

  Tuck stepped out of the room and Sky took off to the bathroom. She did her business and tried to prepare herself for what was to come. Shit, she didn’t even know what was to come. All she knew was Bas held answers she needed. Looking in the mirror, she almost did a double take because she didn’t recognize the face staring back. Her face was pale, swollen, and blotchy. The makeup Sky had put on before meeting Tuck at the bar, which wasn't much—some eyeliner and mascara—was long gone now. She looked older, harder, and so lost. Sky didn't like it, but she wasn't dense either. After the things she had witnessed and had done to her today, it wasn't any wonder the damage wasn't worse. How could those things not have affected her?

  Washing her face, feeling the cool water against her skin, helped a little. Her hair was a mess. Running her fingers through the multicolored locks, she untangled it the best she could. She then took the rubber band she always had around her wrist—she was anal about keeping her hair out of her face while working—and pulled her hair up into a ponytail. Looking at her reflection, she figured this was about as good as it was going to get.

  When she walked out of the bathroom, Bas was waiting for her. His overall attitude had changed, he was quiet and focused. However, his eyes were glowing, and if she wasn’t mistaken, reflected lust and longing. Damn, what was it about this man? His moods seemed to turn on a dime and Sky wasn’t sure she liked the ride all that much.

  She allowed him to take her hand and start dragging her out of the room, but as they got closer to the exit he stopped. Sky wasn’t sure what he was doing. Expecting him to say something, she looked up and found him much closer to her than before. The man was so close, Sky could see the faint green flecks in his beautiful hazel eyes. She could also feel his warm, sweet breath on her face.

  Still waiting for him to say or do something, Sky was shocked when his lips crashed down on her own. Bas' kiss was demanding. He took what he wanted and left nothing behind. When Sky didn't open her mouth fast enough for him, he licked her bottom lip, trying to entice her into complying with his silent demand. The feeling of his tongue on her sent tingles throughout her body, distracting her for a second from his lips. When that didn't get the result he wanted, he lightly bit her lip. When she gasped in surprise, he pillaged her mouth, tangling his tongue with hers at the same time finding and exploring every centimeter of her mouth. She felt his need for her through the weird connection.

  Bas grabbed her ponytail and directed her head the way he wanted it, increasing the hot as hell kiss even more. After a couple of seconds, Sky gave up trying to be as aggressive as he was in the kiss and followed his lead. That response got a growl, and even better for Sky, Bas ground his very hard, very large cock into her stomach. Sky wanted the cock somewhere else. If he kept up his bump and grind much longer, she was going to need more than the short bathroom break she just took.

  Thankfully, the kiss took away her ability to think because if she had that ability, Sky would have to admit to a couple of things to herself, even if she didn't want to. One, she didn’t know this man and she sure as hell shouldn't be acting this way or letting him ravish her mouth. Two, she didn't do these types of things, ever. And three, she never once considered climbing a man like a pole and demanding he take her immediately like she was thinking right now. Maybe she was going nuts. The sound, then the feel of a sharp smack to her bottom, rudely interrupted her thoughts and the amazing kiss.

  He soothed the sting by saying, “Damn babe, I have wanted to do that since the first moment I saw you, Sky.” Bas took his finger and wiped away the moisture he left behind on her lip. “I wish we had more time, honey, but we need to get on the road.”

  Who was this man?

  Chapter 16

  Bas was beating himself up. He shouldn’t have kissed her like that in the office. He had convinced himself not to touch her, then when she walked out of the bathroom fresh faced with a little trepidation in her eyes, he couldn’t resist. His brothers didn’t help either when they made their way out into the common room. All three of them were there waiting for them along with Tuck. Tuck acted possessive of Sky and had from the start. Bas and his bear didn’t like it. Link handed him a duffle bag.

  “I put together some things you might need. I also sent out a few of the guys to distract the unknowns in town. You should be good until you hit the interstate.”

  Talon shocked Sky by handing her a piece of paper. She peeked and it said, “X-mas list: bike—black chrome and skulls.” She looked at him puzzled and he said, “Don’t you know, all little sisters give their brothers great Christmas presents, but if you get it done sooner, my birthday is in June.”

  Puzzled, Sky didn’t know what to say. She didn’t know if he was saying these things because of her attachment to the club or because of Bas. She got requests for bikes all the time, but never in this manner. Bas answered that question.

  “Okay asshole, no way is my girl going to build you a bike before she makes me one. It pisses me off that Tuck got one first.”

  Sky didn’t miss Bas’ glare in Tuck's direction or his word choice. Tuck, on the other hand, just smiled.

  “Yeah,” Link laughed, “and you haven’t even seen it yet
. Listen, little sister, you better make sure you don’t put some girly flowers on there. I’ll be expecting something badass for mine, beauty before age and all that.”

  Link was ribbing Bas, but it fell short as far as Sky was concerned. She just dumbly nodded her head. Then again, to her shock, Tuck, Link, Talon, and Whiskey all gave her and Bas hugs goodbye. She had expected them to do that with Bas, but not her. Well, she knew Tuck would wish her well, but she didn't know the Frost brothers well enough for them to be treating her like family. How odd.

  Why and why now? Did the three of them know something more than she did, or were they acting this way because Bas was their brother? Sky was already reeling from the kiss back in the office, and now, the men’s reaction to her only added to her confusion. Bas calling her “his girl” was nice, but still off-putting. She had never been anyone’s girl, and she didn’t know how she felt about it. Wanting a guy she didn’t know was one thing, but him claiming her in front of his family was an entirely different thing.

  Once they got to the SUV, Bas opened the door and helped her in. Then he put her seatbelt on before shutting the door. It was a weird move, but also kind of nice. No one in her life had really cared about her safety, so this display was pretty cool. Typically, if someone had tried that same move, she would have slapped their hands away and said she could do it herself, but Bas was different. Would these weird feelings ever stop? And what was up with that kiss?

  As Link predicted, they made it to the interstate without any problems. However, that reprieve didn't lasted long. Bas noticed two tails right away.

  “Okay honey, I need to do some creative driving to figure out if both those guys are following us or it’s only a coincidence.” It wasn’t a coincidence, but Bas managed to lose them using several on and off ramps and a few country roads at speeds Sky wasn’t all that comfortable with. Sky liked to drive fast and loose on occasion, but in those incidents, she was in control. Bas driving at those speeds scared her because she didn't trust him yet. That was a major reality check. She was willing to run off with him, but trust needed to be built, and it hadn't been, yet.