Mike tried to speak, but only a strange whimper came from him. Jordan lowered the man back to the ground but still held his throat. Mike reached up, again trying to pry Jordan’s hand off him. He was no match for Jordan.
Finally, the man nodded his head with some effort. Jordan released him and the man instantly bent down, holding his knees. Mike was panting and coughing. He spat on the ground several times.
“All right. I’ll be back in a few days.” He looked up while still bent over.
“No, tonight. You’ll be back tonight.”
“Fine. I’ll see you in a few hours.” He took a deep breath and then stood. “Have the money.”
Jordan balled his hands into fists. “I’ll have your precious money. Just do your job.”
Mike slowly nodded before reaching up to rub his neck. As he turned around, he swore under his breath. “Goddamn shifters.”
Jordan watched the man walk back toward his car. He put his hands on his hips, exhaling a deep breath. This was the first step in his plan. If the man returned and said Riley was in obvious pain, Jordan would send back a message, some sort of apology wrapped in a plea. If the man returned and said Riley looked happy and content, he didn’t know what he’d do. Hopefully, not kill the messenger. Well, maybe he didn’t care if that happened.
She needs me. I know it.
Mike started his car and Jordan turned away from it. He started to walk toward his house until he could no longer hear the engine of the car. Then, Jordan shifted. He snarled, letting his fur stand up. Jordan bared his teeth. He decided to run through the forest for a while, shed some of his stress-filled energy.
As he took off, an image of his slave danced in his mind.
I need her. She knows it.
Chapter Thirty-Five
It had only been a few hours since Jordan had sent the man to check in on Riley. It felt like a month had gone by, though. Jordan paced near the meeting spot as his human self, not trusting himself as a wolf right now.
If Mike came back with bad news, or if he simply acted like a dick, Jordan was likely to rip his throat out. Jordan didn’t need blood on his hands tonight.
It was dark and quiet. The moon was full, though, creating brilliant shadows on the ground. The air was still and Jordan could hear for miles.
He paced for what seemed like another hour until, at last, he heard a car creeping through the woods, along the barely worn path. Not many people came to the woods which held shifters. People were either frightened or disgusted. Both were fine with Jordan as long as they left him and his brothers alone.
Jordan turned, shading his eyes from the headlights that were just rounding a large oak tree. The car slowed to a stop several feet away. Jordan didn’t walk toward it. He needed the man to come to him. After several agonizing minutes, Mike walked around the front of his piece of shit car. This was a man that could hear money talk.
“About time.” Jordan tried to rein in his anger and anxiety. It wasn’t easy.
“Geez, you only gave me a few hours. How do you expect me to gather good intel in that amount of time?” Mike pulled a pack of cigarettes out of his coat pocket.
Jordan lowered his head, staring, fuming. The man slowly flicked a lighter to life, lighting a cigarette. Jordan growled as the man took a few puffs. Was he trying to get himself killed tonight?
“You better start talking or that cigarette will soon be lodged in your throat.”
The man took another puff and stepped closer. “You have the money?”
“Start…fucking…talking.” Jordan reached up and grabbed the man’s cigarette.
He crushed it in his hand, red burning end and all. Jordan dropped the smashed and unlit stick to the ground, never taking his eyes off the man.
“Ok. Damn.” Mike shifted his weight, a bit more nervous now. “I saw your girl. She was home and she was miserable. Is that what you wanted to hear?”
“Tell me the truth, not what you think I want to hear.” Jordan’s heart was in the back of his throat.
“That’s the truth. I saw her at home. She was laying on the floor crying. She moved to the couch and cried some more. She took a break to head to the kitchen, came back, cried on the floor some more. It was starting to get too depressing to watch.” The man reached into his pocket for his pack of smokes.
Jordan stared down at the ground. She’s brokenhearted. This was wonderful news, but it didn’t feel good in his soul. He looked back up at Mike just as he lit another cigarette.
“That’s it?”
Mike blew the smoke out to the side. “Well, I have one more bit of information, but it’s extra. It’ll cost extra.”
Jordan took a deep breath, wondering if he should kill the man or offer him more money. At this point, he just wanted this over. “Fine. What?”
“Your girl has a stalker.” He puffed on his cigarette again.
“What?” Jordan stepped to him, grabbing his coat with both hands. “Talk, motherfucker.”
“Jesus!” Mike dropped his cigarette.
“Spill your guts before I spill them on the forest floor!” Jordan’s nostrils flared and he felt his eyes starting to change to their all black animal form.
Mike inhaled sharply as he trembled just a little. “A man! There was a weird man lurking around her place. He was still there when I left. I-I’m lucky he didn’t see me.”
“What did he look like?” Jordan pulled the man closer to himself, inches from his face.
“I don’t know, dude! He was wearing a…a long, black duster.”
“Fuck me! Buio.”
Jordan shoved Mike backward and turned away. That fucking dark shifter! Dark Leader. He’s going to steal her. He’s going to try and kidnap her as an extra slave. Or worse, he’s going to kill her because she’s mine.
A rock of sickness and urgency rested in his stomach. There was no time. Jordan took another step away from Mike before he called out.
“Hey! My money!”
Jordan turned around, digging into his pocket. He pulled out a small wad of cash and didn’t bother to count it. He threw it at Mike and then quickly turned away from him. Within seconds, he was a powerful white wolf, running at top speed through the trees.
There was no time, but he needed his brothers. Jordan was going to get just close enough to their houses that they could hear his howl for help. Then they needed to head into town. Truce or no truce. His girl was in danger. Serious danger.
Chapter Thirty-Six
Riley finally managed to force herself to get in the shower. It was late, but she wasn’t tired. Her eyes were burning from her almost constant crying since she had left Jordan. Her tears had momentarily stopped, but she knew that was just because her body could no longer produce them.
Her stomach hurt badly, but not as badly as her heart. Riley pictured Jordan, broken, in his home. Maybe he was furious with her. Maybe he was waiting by his front door for her to return. That thought was the worst of all.
Why did it feel as if there was a war between her parents’ memory and her Master? She couldn’t pick one over the other. But she also couldn’t live her life miserable, and that was exactly what she was at the moment.
“Maybe I’ll just get over him.” As she let the warm water run down her back, Riley’s heart told her that was impossible.
Riley turned off the water but didn’t get out of the shower right away. She stood there, staring at nothing, letting her skin gradually cool. Soon, goosebumps broke out over her skin as the steam started to disappear.
A shiver went down her legs, but she stood there longer. This bit of discomfort was combating the numbness that was threatening to overtake her. Riley didn’t know how much longer she could do this. How long could she deny herself Jordan?
Riley stared up at the ceiling while shivering slightly. She closed her eyes and exhaled before finally deciding to exit the shower. She opened the door, stepped out, and grabbed a towel. As she dried off, she looked at her watch on the counter. It was late,
very late. She should force herself to go to bed.
“Maybe a stiff drink will do me good.”
Riley dried her hair with the towel and then grabbed her white robe from the hook on the back of the door, wrapping herself in it before quickly running a comb through her damp hair. She rubbed her burning eyes for a few seconds before finally leaving the bathroom.
She made her way to the kitchen and was soon pouring herself a Rum and Coke. Riley took a large sip of the overly strong drink. After she swallowed, she held the back of her hand to her lips, letting the ice cold liquid warm her throat and then her gut.
Riley took several deep breaths before taking another large drink from the glass. “Two more of these and I may be able to sleep tonight.”
She set down her drink and went to grab the ice tray to add more to it. Just as she dropped one into the liquid, a noise had her heart speeding up. There were a series of clicking sounds coming from her living room. It didn’t sound like anything she recognized.
Riley slowly set down the ice tray and started toward her living room. She stiffened all over when another noise sounded. It was a man’s voice and he was laughing. Jordan?
Stress tightened her chest. Riley lifted a hand up to her robe, holding the top closed. She inhaled a shaky breath before starting to walk again. Memories of the night the two idiots had kidnapped her ran through her head.
She stopped and a bit of calmness loosened her chest and her grip on her robe. What if this was déjà vu? What if Jordan had hired the men to bring her back to him? That thought warmed her gut. Didn’t the fact that she was looking forward to being kidnapped and brought back to her Master give her her answer?
I do love him. I can’t live without him.
The admission to herself felt like pure bliss. She closed her eyes for a moment, picturing Jordan and what he’d do to her once she was back in his arms. If she was taken against her will, well, she would make it seem that way, then some of her guilt would melt away.
Yes, her parents may have been against this, but they had never met Jordan or his family. Riley was fairly certain that if they knew how gentle he could be, they would eventually grow to accept him.
I want to be his slave. A small smile tugged on her lips, but she quickly smothered it.
She whispered to herself as she opened her eyes. “Time to act like a good victim.”
Riley almost felt like her old self, not an empty shell, as she started to walk toward the living room again. Once she got a glimpse of what was to greet her, though, that happiness and calmness were gone. Panic and fear replaced them as she froze.
A tall man stood in her living room. He wore a long, black duster with matching boots. He was removing black leather gloves from his hands and stuffing them into his coat pockets. He hadn’t looked up since she entered the room so Riley took one timid step backward, trying to leave as quietly as possible.
“Don’t go,” the intruder said without looking up.
Riley stilled, her body rigid. She held her breath as the man lifted a hand to his black, felt cowboy hat. He slowly pulled it off his head, holding it to his chest. Riley’s breath rushed from her as he slowly lifted his head.
The man’s eyes stopped on her and more fear surged into her chest. The man’s eyes were a bright yellow. He took a step toward her and Riley took one back.
“I told Jordan he was too soft on you. I’ll never let you run away from me.” He took another step toward her.
Riley tried to step back, but her feet felt heavy and rooted to the carpet. Her hands started to shake by her side.
“Who are you?”
The man came closer still. “I’m your new Master. Jordan has lost you, which is good news for me. I was looking for a third slave, anyway, so it’s great timing. You know, for added pleasure.” He cocked his head to the side and smirked at her. “Plus, it’ll kill him to know I have his marked one.”
Riley tried desperately to step away from the intruder but again, couldn’t. She briefly wondered how much of that was fear and how much was possible magic from this man. He stepped closer still and lifted a hand to her face.
Riley leaned away, but he managed to run his hand down her cheek. His yellow eyes moved their stare down to her cleavage which was partially visible in her loosely wrapped robe. Her hands shook again.
“Who are you?” Riley’s voice trembled.
He removed his hand from her face and then turned, dropping his hat on her couch before facing her again.
“Well, some know me simply by my title ‘Dark Leader’, but you will call me Master Buio.”
Chapter Thirty-Seven
Jordan stopped in a clearing which he knew was just in earshot of Ryan’s house. He lifted his head and let out a loud howl of urgency. After a few seconds, he heard his brother’s return howl. Jordan paced back and forth, his fur ruffling in the night breeze.
After three minutes, two white wolves appeared through the trees. Jordan instantly turned toward town and started to run. Before he got too far, though, Brody bounded in front of him. Jordan tried to run around his brother but soon, Ryan jumped in front of him, too.
Jordan slowed to a stop and growled, lowering his head. The other Ward boys stood in front of him and returned the warning growl. Jordan knew this was wasting too much time, but they wouldn’t follow him into town without some sort of explanation.
He quickly shifted and the other two wolves did the same. “We don’t have time for this! You have to follow me. Riley’s in danger!”
Jordan took a step and Ryan lifted his hand to Jordan’s chest.
“Whoa, wait. Follow you where?”
Jordan lost his temper. He slapped his brother’s hand off his chest and got in his face. “Follow me or get out of my way!”
Brody jumped in then. He put his arm between the two men. “Guys, chill. This isn’t helping.” He turned toward Jordan. “What’s the problem?”
“Riley. She ran away and now Dark Leader is after her.” Jordan tried to take a few calming breaths, but it didn’t help.
Ryan squinted at Jordan. “What? Ran away? Why?”
“Goddamn it!” Jordan ran his hand through his hair, stepping back from his brother. “She’s in danger! I’ll answer all these questions when she’s safe! Ok?”
Brody stepped between them. “He’s right. If any Ward slave is in trouble, we all need to protect her.” He looked back and forth between his brothers.
Finally, Ryan nodded with a grunt. “Fine. Where?”
“She’s at her house. I think Buio is going to claim her or kill her. Either way, we need to get to her. Now!”
“Her house? You know, as well as anyone, we can’t go into town.” Ryan put his hands on his hips.
“Fuck the town and fuck the truce! Did you hear me?” Jordan swiftly stepped to his brother, jamming a finger into his shoulder. “I said my slave is in fucking danger!”
“All right, all right.” Ryan held his hands up. “Lead the way.”
Jordan stepped back and looked over at Brody. He simply nodded and then effortlessly returned to his wolf form. Jordan turned back to Ryan in time to see him shift, as well.
“Let’s save my girl and kill that asshole.” Jordan shifted and the three wolves were off running toward town in a flash.
* * * *
Dark Leader turned away from Riley, looking around her living room. “You’ll thank me once I get you back to my house. This place is a shithole.”
Riley was finally able to move her feet. She took a step back, grabbing the top of her robe. “Look, I don’t know what you think you know, but Jordan let me come home to pack up. He’s coming for me soon.”
Buio turned to face her. He wore a crooked grin. “Aahh, you are such a bad liar.” He walked toward her again. “You ran. That means you can be claimed.” He reached up and grabbed her chin.
“I’m not a lost puppy. You can’t just come in here and claim me.”
Buio lifted her chin. “Who’s going to stop me?�
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“He’ll kill you. Jordan will find you and kill you.”
Buio snorted and turned her chin to the side with a bit of force. “No. If he comes for me, I’ll kill him.”
He released her face with a shove. Riley stumbled back a step. She narrowed her eyes on the intruder. What the hell should she do next? I’m an idiot. Riley quickly scanned the room, looking for something she could use as a weapon. Nothing jumped out at her.
She turned to look down the hallway. If I can make it to my bedroom, I can lock the door, grab my phone, and hop out the window. She looked down at herself. She wore no shoes, only a robe. She didn’t even have underwear on underneath. I can’t worry about that now.
Riley watched the man who called himself Dark Leader. He was casually pacing, just taking her house in. What was he looking for? She guessed it didn’t matter. She was in danger and she was alone. Buio ran his hand through his dark hair before turning to face her again.
“I had planned on taking you straight away, but I’m getting another feeling right now. I think I’ll ‘try you out’ here, in your own setting first.” He stepped to her. “Solidify the fact that you are now my slave. Then, I’ll take you home. Most likely, in chains. You seem like a fighter.”
Riley reacted without over thinking it. “You’re right. I am a fighter.”
She swiftly kicked him between the legs. Buio instantly bent at the waist, bringing his arms up in front of himself. Riley took her opportunity. She turned and ran down the hall. She heard him groan loudly and then it sounded like he stumbled into the wall.
Riley didn’t look back as she ran into her bedroom. She quickly locked the door but knew that it would never stop a powerful shifter for long. She quickly debated with herself if she should try to move a dresser to block the door or just go straight for the window.
“It’ll take too long.” She grabbed her phone off her nightstand and started toward the window.
Jordan's Marked Mate [The Ward Brothers] (Siren Publishing Allure) Page 11
