There was something strange in the way he felt protective of her. He’d felt it the moment he’d seen her. Her body was on full alert. She’d looked ready to take down rhinoceros. The way she’d run straight into danger had left an impression with him.
He’d seen Zuri before. She was the kind of woman it was hard not to notice. She was beautiful, feminine, and there was a self-possession about her, like she knew what she wanted from life and she was prepared to go and get it. For some reason that he didn’t understand, he wasn’t willing to leave her in what might prove a dangerous situation.
No, he would take her home where he could keep an eye on her just until he found Ava and any of the other girls who might, even now, be missing.
A tingle ran up his spine as he remembered Zuri’s words, Why didn’t you shift? You could have saved her. Was that true? Would he have saved the girl if he had shifted?
A sinking feeling pulled at his gut. Would there ever come a time when he wasn’t responsible for hurting other people?
It had been so long since he’d had anyone else on his bike with him that the extra weight of Zuri made him unsure of himself. He took the turns slowly, always afraid that she’d fall off and then he would be responsible for yet another woman’s fate.
The roads outside of town were winding. The air was fresh and cold as it pushed against his face. Even though he was happy for the sharp chill he thought for a moment about Zuri. She must be cold. She wasn’t dressed for a ride or for the cold.
Chaz made a turn a bit too fast and he felt Zuri’s hands grab his torso. The suddenness of the feeling was almost enough to make him ride straight off the road, off the side cliffs, and into the unforgiving water and rocks of the Pacific Coast.
He clenched his hands around the handles, unable to move his mind from the spot where her hands still clasped at his sides.
They were only a few minutes from his house. And in a flash Chaz realized what he’d done. He had invited this woman into his living space. A space no woman had entered. In fact, he’d never let anyone in. It had been his sacred space.
He tried to imagine the state of his affairs but he hadn’t even been home in a few days and couldn’t remember how he’d left the place.
Chaz felt his stomach tighten. It would only be for the day, he reminded himself. Zuri didn’t want to be there any more than he wanted her there.
As they pulled up, he put down his feet and he felt Zuri’s grip loosen. Her hands slid back and he stopped the bike, waiting while she maneuvered herself off. She wasn’t any too graceful trying to get off but he squelched the urge to help her.
He turned off the motorcycle and tried not to look at Zuri as he headed toward the house. Out of the corner of his eye he could see her push both hands into her jeans pockets. She had thick hips, sprawling female curves, milk chocolate skin, and a mound of black curls that highlighted her face. It was a good face if he were noticing that sort of thing, which he wasn’t.
Chaz opened the door to his house and pushed it open. Reaching inside he flipped on a light and walked in. His eyes roamed over his possessions. Everything felt stark and very gray suddenly.
“You live alone?” Zuri asked as she turned around in his living room.
“Mmm hmm.” He bent and picked up a stray leaf that must have either blown in or come in on a shoe.
“It’s…nice…” She said it as if she were trying to be polite. It struck Chaz that he really didn’t know this woman at all. He turned to try and see what she saw but as he did Zuri took a step back. He realized that she was probably scared of him, at least apprehensive, which she should be. He’d taken her up to his cabin in the woods, his stark, ascetic, gray cabin. He was a bear shifter who worked for the strongest and most dangerous motorcycle club in the northwest.
Thinking about it, he wondered how she’d ever conceded to coming with him in the first place.
“A bit bare,” she added with a half tilt of her head, “but really nice. Did you just move in?”
Chaz felt his face grow hot. “No, actually. I’ve been here for…well, maybe five years.”
“Really?” Zuri looked genuinely surprised. “You live…light. I mean, that’s a good thing, if that’s what you like…” She trailed off and Chaz felt his face grow hot again.
“I’ll just…” He made an awkward gesture and disappeared into his room. He stripped the bed and put fresh sheets on. “You’re probably tired. The sheets are clean now if you want to sleep.”
“I’m not sure I can sleep. I could go for something to eat though.” Zuri gave him a look that told him she didn’t think he had any food.
Chaz walked into the kitchen and he heard Zuri’s footsteps behind him. He opened the fridge. Not much. He heard a cabinet open behind him and he turned. Zuri closed the cabinet guiltily.
“Sorry,” she said as she tried to look around innocently.
“No, it’s fine. Make yourself at home.” Chaz hoped he didn’t sound sarcastic. Zuri smiled again in the same guilty manner.
He closed the fridge and opened the freezer. Relief flooded over him.
“I have some microwave meals.” He pulled out a turkey dinner and handed it to Zuri. She smirked.
“Great, thank you.” She took it from his hands and began to unpeel the box. “What are we going to do about Ava?”
Chaz watched Zuri fumble with the box and frozen dinner inside. He resisted the urge to take it from her and do it himself.
“We aren’t going to do anything. I am going to go back into town. I’ll talk it over with Anthony, get some more information. We’ll get her back.” He wondered what Anthony would say if he knew that he had a strange woman in his house right now. If he knew what Chaz had already promised her.
“Anthony? He is…” her question trailed off.
“The head of Magus.” He peered at her. How could she have lived in Cliffs her whole life but not know anything about them?
“Oh, right.” She nodded. “I’ve seen you around town a few times.” Zuri looked up. “What is it you do for Magus?”
Chaz had a flash image of a bloody face in front of him. He thought of the enforcing he’d had to do and what it looked like. The broken faces, broken bones, men screaming for mercy. What would a woman like this think of his work, of his ruthless, unforgiving nature?
“I watch over certain neighborhoods, keep people in line when it’s necessary.” He didn’t want to say how often it was necessary or how he kept people in line.
“You protect the drug lords, don’t you?” She turned to him with accusation in her eyes.
“Certain people pay Magus to look out for their interests…but we hold loyalties only to our own.”
Zuri’s jaw tightened. “My mother was an addict her whole life, she died of an overdose because of those drug lords.”
Chaz stood staring at Zuri. Pain surfaced in her eyes and he opened his mouth to respond but thought better of it. He wasn’t used to confrontation that didn’t involve his fists.
Zuri took a long slow breath. She seemed to be grounding herself and she looked around again.
“Don’t you get lonely out here?” Zuri changed the subject.
“No. I like being alone. I like to keep myself to myself. And I always have my brothers in Magus.”
The microwave beeped and Zuri jumped at the sound. He hadn’t realized she was so jittery. He felt a momentary need to protect her, but quickly pushed it away.
“I’d better go and see what there is to find out. You’ll be safe here.”
“When will you be back?” Zuri’s question sounded strange to him. It had been a long time since anyone needed or even wanted to know where he was going or when he would be back.
Chaz turned away from her and grabbed his keys. In a flash he wished he hadn’t jumped in to save her. That he hadn’t felt the impulsive, burning need to protect her from those men. He wished he’d left well enough alone.
“Just try to get some sleep. I’ll be back when I’m back,” g
rowled.
Chapter Five
Zuri stood, unmoving, in the kitchen for a long time after Chaz left. She heard the reminder from the beeping microwave but ignored it. She was hungry, and if she was honest she was also exhausted, but now that she was left alone she didn’t feel like eating or lying down.
She’d heard the motorcycle’s roar then heard it patter out of earshot. Her heart sank as Chaz left. She did want him to go, she wanted to find Ava, she needed him to find Ava. But she also felt horribly lost without his presence to distract her.
Her mind kept pedaling through thoughts of Ava. Where was she now? Was she safe? Was she hurt? What would those men do with her?
“Stop, focus on something else,” she said out loud to herself.
Zuri took the plastic tray out of the microwave and walked over to the sofa. There was one plain brown sofa, a television, a side table, and a fireplace. She put the tray on the side table then walked to the bedroom. A queen bed stood in the middle of the room, a large window opened out to the forest beyond the house. There was a large closet and Zuri opened it. Inside were a few articles of clothing. She let her fingers run over the material. There were some shoes on the ground and in the back she saw a heavy looking black box.
Despite herself, Zuri turned to make sure she wasn’t being watched. Chaz was gone and he wouldn’t be back for some time, she reminded herself. She turned back to the closet and got on her hands and knees, pulling the box forward.
Zuri pushed at the heavy lid and opened the box.
The first thing that she saw was a photo. A pretty faced girl with red hair looked up at Zuri. The girl had freckles across the bridge of her nose and smattered across her cheeks. Her eyes were light and laughing in the photo, her arms were hooked around the neck of a man.
She paused and looked again more closely.
The girl’s hands were around the neck of Chaz. Zuri hadn’t even recognized him. His face looked completely different. He looked happy. His face was partially buried in the girl’s hair and he was…smiling.
Zuri stared at the photo, pulling it in close to her face as if she might notice some detail that she would otherwise miss. Slowly she lowered the photo to the floor and looked back into the box.
A letter was next, Zuri looked at the pale white envelope. There was no name on it, no address, no stamp. A pang of guilt swept over her. What was she doing going through obviously personal items like this?
She looked back into the living room. The good thing about Chaz’s motorcycle was that she would hear it coming in.
Despite the guilt that still tugged on her stomach, Zuri opened the envelope and pulled out a thin sheet of paper.
Rebecca—there is not a moment that goes by, not a day, not a second that I don’t think of you. I’m sorry. I’m so, so sorry.
Zuri turned the paper over. That was it. Nothing more. Zuri turned the name over in her mind. So the red haired girl’s name was Rebecca. And what had become of her? Had she left him? Maybe he had cheated on her?
A whole load of questions came tumbling into Zuri’s mind. But why did she care? Chaz meant nothing to her, she’d only just met him after all. No, she was just curious. Wasn’t that part of the human condition? Being curious about the people around you?
Zuri put the letter on the floor next to the photo. She had to make sure she put everything back just the way she’d found it.
Under the letter were a few odds and ends. There was a purple hair tie, a green silk scarf, a small bottle of perfume, and under everything else there was a ring. Zuri smelled the perfume, and wondered what emotions and thoughts the smell elicited for Chaz. She tried to imagine Rebecca in this house, but try as she might she couldn’t. The house was too bare. How could a woman have ever lived here?
When her imagination came back to the present moment Zuri pulled out the small diamond ring.
The sight of it suddenly made Zuri want to cry. Could such as man as Chaz have ever picked out something so dainty, so lovely and unique? Maybe once upon a time the Chaz in the photo was capable of such a thing, but certainly the man she’d met only a few hours before was not up to such a task.
Zuri placed the ring back into the heavy box, put each item back just the way she’d discovered them, then closed the lid and slid the entire box back into the closet where she’d found it. She stood up and brushed off her pants. There was a small chest of drawers and Zuri rummaged to find a clean undershirt and a pair of old sweatpants.
She pulled out a towel that appeared to be clean and turned on the shower. Steam filled the bathroom and Zuri dropped her dirty clothes to the floor. She looked herself over in the mirror. The round peaks of her breasts, the full lines of her body, the gentle pull of her waist.
When her mother was alive she would tell Zuri to go on a diet. Always pushed her to lose weight. Her mother had told her that men didn’t love “fat girls,” but Zuri knew that she wasn’t fat. She was just herself. She loved the curves of her body, loved the deeply feminine hips and the lines that made her feel substantial and fully alive.
She liked food and hated starving herself and Zuri, unlike her mother, was not willing to be someone else’s idea of a perfect woman. She was not willing to melt her body down to be loved by a man. Zuri had seen men walk in and out of her mother’s life. Her mother let them walk all over her, verbally put her down, physically abuse her. And somehow after all that her mother still thought she could teach Zuri about relationships.
When she was only twelve Zuri had tried to runaway from home. Her mother was bringing a new man home during those nights and Zuri didn’t like the way the man looked at her. She’d tried to talk to her mother about it but it was no use. So, Zuri packed her backpack, hitched a ride, and was about to get on a bus when she had realized that she had nowhere to go.
Sometimes Zuri still wondered about that night. What would have happened to her if she’d run? Would she have survived? Maybe she could have found the sort of parents she’d always dreamed of. In all likely hood she would have been a lost cause.
The streets in her neighborhood were filled with young girls who didn’t have a lot of options. They turned to prostitution, drugs, went from man to man, place to place, until they simply had nowhere else to go.
Those girls died young. They caught diseases their body couldn’t handle. They overdosed. They killed themselves on purpose or by accident.
Zuri stepped into the shower and let the hot water flow over her body. She soaped up and tried to let her muscles relax after such a trying morning. She stayed there for a long time, lost in the water, her mind running too quickly for her to keep up.
When she turned off the water she stepped out of the shower, reaching for her towel. As she leaned forward her foot slipped. The tile in the bathroom was unexpectedly slippery and Zuri let out a surprised shriek as her body slid across the floor, her torso flailing for something to hold onto.
Just as she found her equilibrium and righted herself the door to the bathroom swung open.
Zuri turned and shrieked again. Chaz looked ready to fight off an intruder, he looked around her body as if expecting to see someone.
“I’m naked,” Zuri cried and grabbed the towel she’d left on the sink. As the words came out Chaz seemed to realize that Zuri was indeed naked and there was no one else in the bathroom.
Chaz’s face turned white. He opened his mouth to say something, then closed it again. Chaz shifted his eyes from her body and almost walked into the wall. Then he turned and ran partially into the door before making a full escape from the bathroom.
Zuri clenched the towel around her body, her mouth gaping open.
That had been unexpected.
She patted herself dry slowly. For the moment she could not imagine going out into the living room after what had just happened. She looked her naked body over in the mirror one more time before pulling on the undershirt, that dropped below her hips and sweat pants.
To stall for time she washed out her clothes and hu
ng them over the shower rail to dry, then with a breath she walked out of the bathroom and into the living room.
“Sorry about that,” Chaz said awkwardly when she came back out.
“It was my fault, I didn’t hear you drive back in and…well I screamed…so…” She looked around her trying to think of something that would change the subject.
“I see you found some clothes?” He looked her over. Zuri wondered if it had been presumptuous of her to go in his drawers. She nodded.
He looked away then quickly back again. “I got some take out…and it doesn’t look like you ate any of…” He nodded to her uneaten frozen dinner that she’d left of the side table and completely forgotten about.
Zuri walked over to the bag he’d put on the kitchen table. The smell of General Tso’s chicken rose up to meet her and her mouth immediately began to water.
“I love Chinese food,” she said as she took the small boxes, chopsticks, napkins, and fortune cookies out of the bag. There were lo mein noodles, the chicken, and a box of broccoli and beef.
Too tired to pull all the food out onto plates, and not certain that Chaz owned any plates, Zuri took the boxes to the couch.
“What’s your poison?” She gestured to the three boxes.
“No preference.” Chaz walked around the sofa, then sat down on the far end.
Zuri picked up the chicken and her chopsticks. She had to keep herself from moaning after the first bite. She’d known she was hungry but now that her stomach actually had real food she was starving.
“Did you learn anything new?” she asked. Chaz picked up the box of beef and broccoli and sat back into the sofa.
He exhaled deeply as he processed her question. “We think the Ukrainian’s are trafficking women and girls. There might be some drugs involved as well but we think that human trafficking is their main game. They were here a few years ago but we drove them out, they are back with more men this time.”
Zuri stopped chewing. What did that mean for Ava?
“Don’t worry, Ava can’t be far. They will probably make a sweeping collection before moving their…merchandise.” He said the word with disgust and Zuri felt it keenly in the pit of her being. Ava was being held as merchandise. Ava was going to be sold to the highest bidder.
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