Crossing Paths: A Brooklyn Shifters Romance Book 1
Page 33
His bear drove him mad every fucking day even worse than before Francesca had appeared in his life. Driving him in her direction every time it got too bad. Instead, though he went outside forcing the bear to run off aches. He endured it because he had thought she didn't want him and he needed to punish himself.
Then like the first bloom of spring, she spoke to him. Basically begging him to stay. And he did. He listened to her talk of her family and he had shared his own story. He didn't want to look a gift horse in the mouth on that one. He had been hesitant, afraid she wasn't truly sure she wanted him but with the way she came to him. Teased him before they made love. It all felt so natural like they were meant to be with one another.
He knew she had to have come to the same realization he had. That they couldn't live without one another not now, not ever. Then as he gave into his primal urges his mate had told him she was pregnant. Nothing in this world or the next could make him happier. He couldn’t help the proud smile that curved onto his lips.
She no longer blamed him for her injuries. No longer blamed him for Mina's disappearance. Which Alexander felt she had every right to. If he had merely killed the man right there in the office when he proposed such a scheme, she would not have been taken. His mate's back wouldn't have been torn to pieces and Mina would be safe in her bed. Kaiser had done it all just to get back at him and get his disgusting operation off the ground.
Anger flared in him. He would kill that man if it was the last thing he was to do in his life he would rip out Wilfred Kaiser's throat. He groaned in anger the urge to hurt and kill seeping into his bones like cold rain. He needed more sleep, he needed to snuggle up to his mate who could make all the anger go away. At least for a little while.
He rolled over feeling for Francesca. And he was met with the gentle touch of the pillows on her side. The blankets had been pulled up as it was made but she was not there. It was cold, she had been gone for awhile
Where are our mates? Axl questioned a worry beginning to build in him he wasn’t used to. Alexander shot up out of bed throwing the blankets back and scanning the room. He strode around naked his cock silent as dread wriggled it’s way up his spine.
She wasn't in the closet or the connected bathroom. She wasn't anywhere and her scent was fading from their room. Quickly deciding if she was around he would have a bit of modesty because of her shyness, he donned some grey joggers pants and left.
Alexander with thunder in his barefooted steps checked the kitchen, the backyard, and the living room. He checked every nook and cranny, his panic setting in with every step. His bear was getting angry as they went, he started to claw to take over to reach the surface.
He had just held her in his arms and so soon she was gone. This couldn't be happening not when they were finally on track with each other. Not when she was growing his child, their child within her.
A slow painful throb resonated on his heart, like a bruise it was insistent. It was then he realized she was so far gone, so out of his reach he could not immediately reach out and grab her. Her aura was fading from his mind a strange dark color before going black as if there was nothing.
He stormed out the front door, the guards on either side of the door taking an alarmed step back. The cold didn't even affect him as the rage in his blood was hot.
"Sir!" They said in greeting but Alexander wasn't feeling in a particularly good mood.
"Where is she? Where the fuck is she?" His words came out grunted as he fisted the front of the left guard's suit in his hand. His jaw ached from the pressure of Axl trying to push through. His cold green eyes became bright emerald and flaring with heat. He felt his claws extend tearing through the man's clothing.
"She left." He didn't cry out, just struggled a bit not wanting to show fear. Knowing Alexander was the more dominant male he submitted simply pushing at the large hand. Alexander was losing control and fast. His frame became bigger and hairier as Axl threatened to break through. He tossed the man to the side landing him in a nearby brittle bush.
The others stepped aside as he stalked through the courtyard looking for Edgar, Costas' temporary replacement and soon to be dead man. He didn't know him as well but the other men seemed to look to him for answers. It seemed a good choice for the time being, Costas would be back soon enough.
Alexander assumed Edgar wouldn't fuck it up it was only two months. He gave the man simple instructions to watch the house and guard his mate that was it.
He found Edgar smiling with another guard near the front gate. What the two men were joking about he didn't care. He wanted to know where the fuck his woman was.
The instant Edgar saw him, he stopped grinning and he noticed a flash of fear in his features. However, the man quickly straightened up and walked up to him instead of backing away. He had to hand it to him, he had balls.
"Sir?" He questioned his face still and unchanging. He should fear Benson, the other men in the courtyard were remaining a good ten feet from him. He could see now why the others looked up to him. Maybe he would not rip this man apart today. Of course that all depended on what happened to his Francesca.
"Where is she?" The words were hard to form in his mouth as Axl raged within him pushing farther. The instant look of ‘oh shit’ on Edgars face made Alex's blood run cold..
"Tell me before I slice your ears from your head." Alexander reached out grabbing the man by the neck a fully extended bear's claw threatening to slash his throat. The man gulped hard, pressing his adams apple into the razor-sharp claw and piercing his skin slightly. A drop of crimson blood fell into the pure white snow beneath them.
"She said she had to go see Dr.Gorky. She said she talked to you first." He squeezed harder, angry the man had been so gullible.
His mate was smart, a sexy smart minx. His cock stirred. He would teach her about disobeying his wishes when he got her back. Then again if she was really in pain why didn't she just call the doctor to the house or wake him up to take her to him. He would have canceled all his meetings.
"She didn't go to the doctors." He said aloud making the man in his grasp furrow his brow. "Wh-what?" Before he had a chance to answer another one of the more brave guards came up to him. By the gods, he needed to hire other men if these were the only brave ones among the lot.
"Mr.Blackwell is at the gate sir." He didn't need this right now, what did that wolf want.
Suddenly he remembered they had a meeting today to further the efforts and get council support on a wider search for Kaiser. He had to find Francesca though nothing else mattered to him.. But he had a bit of lead so maybe she just hadn't wanted to wake him. Maybe she really had gone to see Sonya. He breathed calming enough of a fraction to function his mouth again properly.
"Open the gate." He said and then faced back to the man in his grasp. "You go nowhere." The man just stopped moving in his grasp, clearly resigned to whatever his fate may be.
Coming to a fast screeching halt in the driveway the driver's door flew open. Blackwell came bounding out. His normally appeased and cocky face twisted into a look of pure concern and anger. The normal suit he would wear was replaced with a warm looking sweater and slacks. His steps didn't falter as he looked at the scene before him.
A large manila envelope was clutched in his hand furiously. "Put him down, we need to talk." It was then he noticed Zelik with his fair hair climb slowly out of the passenger seat.
"I do not have time for this, my mate is missing." Alexander grunted out, returning his attention to the man in his grip.
"I know." His words made Benson let go of the man who landed with a thunk into the snow. Edgar got up and said nothing as he took a cautious step back. He had no fear in his eyes. He welcomed death as it was to be his end. He was a curious sort.
Alexander walked over to the wolf, his bare feet crunching through the snow. He looked at him the pain and agony, unable to be hidden in his eyes as he gazed at the manila envelope. If he knew she was missing this was something else entirely. Blackwell hande
d the envelope to him, his face one of pity.
Alexander snatched it away and forced his hands to form back so he could open it. "I went to your office and Mandie said some documents were left for you. A paperboy left this with her. He said some guy paid him fifty bucks to make sure it got you." He announced crossing his arms over his chest. Zelik came up next to him, his hands in his pockets, a steely look on his face. At that moment the normal ticking time bomb was unreadable.
"I'm sorry alexander." Were his only words of comfort as Alexander undid the flap of the envelope and took out the contents.
Pictures of his mate, his lovely beautiful woman. Francesca was hogtied, her clothes torn from her body and blood coming from her mouth. Her eyes so normally shone with love and playfulness were now fearful. He touched her image gently, anger vibrating through his whole body but he felt frozen and cold. Like a statue, he couldn't believe what he was seeing. He promised he would protect her. He promised she wouldn't feel pain again.
He failed, he failed her miserably.
A woman older than her sat next to Francesca, hands also bound but not in such a degrading way. She looked like his Frannie so he assumed it may have been her mother. They shared the same chocolate eyes with amber flecks yet she looked dead inside. She was beaten and bruised but no blood.
As he flipped through each photo bile rose in his throat. His mate, his love, his heart was taken from him again and they had seen her body in a way that was only meant for him. What if they forced themselves upon her. The inclination of the idea made him roar the sound making birds flutter from the trees.
They would all die; he would tear these people from limb to limb. He would rip out their tongues and pull each tooth from their mouths. He wanted to see them scream in agony.
He wasn't the violent one he was the money man. He was the one that people turned to for financial help. They feared him but more so because he could clean out their bank accounts within a second. They didn't see him as a violent man. But he would kill these man and he didn't give a fuck how people saw him after.
He fell to his knees unable to handle the shaking anger and pure madness trying to course its way through him. He clutched the photos crumpling them in his fist. Blackwell wasted no time continuing.
"And there was this." He removed a piece of folded paper from his pocket. Bent down to Alexander to show it to him. Probably aware the man before him who shook with anger with fear with sadness could not reach for it.
It was a handwritten letter offering Alexander a deal. If he brought four million dollars the man would hand over the women. That he would find him and the women in a dry dock in Red Hook. It was promptly signed by one Mr.Kaiser.
“Zelik got a similar letter with pictures of his sister. He’s baiting us clearly.” Alex looked at Zelik and it was in that moment he looked like the calm one where Alex looked like he was ready to explode.
“Get yourself together.” His voice was cold. “If it weren't for you she wouldn't be in this mess. My grandmother would still be alive and my sister would be at home where she belongs.”
“Mr.Husik-” Blackwell started but was promptly cut off. A flash of irritation sprang across his features.
“No, I dont give a fuck who you are anymore. I won't hold my tongue.” He stated pointedly at Blackwell who released a rare snarl of his own.
Zelik bent down getting in Alex's snarling face. “Frannie would have been better off mated to me then you. All you'll ever do is destroy her.” The potent rage that ripped through him was uncontrollable. Alex lunged at Zelik tackling him to the ground. Blackwell stepped elegantly out of the way and shook his head as they fought.
They rolled in the snow throwing punch after punch. The son of a bitch had a nasty right hook as it connected with Alexander's jaw. Alex punched him in the gut and then the face. A satisfying crunch sound coming from his nose. The two continued to fight but it was clearly not a fight to kill.
“She is mine. You will never have her.” Alex bellowed.
“Fuck your claim,” Zelik spat a slam of an elbow to Alexanders cheek. Alex kneaded the man in the side garnering a painful growl.
Arms and legs were in mid shift as Blackwell came up behind the fight and tore Alexander off of the smaller man. He flung him a few feet away and his back hit the snow the wind whistling in his ear as he went. Alex was half formed, hair bristling his body and a heavy bear's leg weighing him down.
We must kill the leopard man! He wants our mate! Axl was insistent but ALex held him back.
Though Blackwell looked physically smaller than him he was infinitely stronger. He was an arctic wolf after all. They were believed to have abilities that surpassed the common strength of a shifter. Though his friend never went into detail of what he could do, Alex was not surprised he was able to hold him back.
Zelik lay in the snow an arm fully shifted covered in the black rosettes of a leopard and blood coming from his nose and mouth. As Blackwell stood between them they heaved. “That's enough, get your damn heads out of your asses. Do you think any of this will help Miss Bianchi or your sister?”
Alexander's guards rushed to help him to his feet. The others surrounded Zelik with their guns pointed at him.
Alexander stood in a time he would think he would lose all control he seemed to have most of it. This would help nothing. Blackwell was right . He steeled himself remembering who he was and straightened forming completely back to himself.
He waved the men off and with a bloody hand he stalked over to Zelik who looked on with blazing blue eyes. Alex held out a hand to him to help him up. After a brief albeit understandable moment of hesitation he grabbed it.
Alex waved off the gunmen as well who lingered close by just in case. “You mean a great deal to her. I don’t want to have to feel the need to try to kill you all the time.” He gritted out.
“She is mine now. She carries my mark and my child.” He said as they walked towards Blackwell who had also heard him. Alexander was angry but he had seen the absolute torment in Zeliks eyes. The man had true and very real feelings for his mate. Those would not go away so easily. The small brawl had helped to score out some of his aggression and be a bit more understanding of the circumstances.
From what he could see Zelik had ten years to harbor feelings for his woman. Of course a man who was not used to giving up things he wanted would not take kindly to a man who took what he saw as his. But it didn’t matter anymore she was his true mate and they were soul bound.
Though his jealous nerve would always be frayed with Zelik around Alexander knew Frannie loved no one else besides him. Zelik had no more say in the matter and had to come to terms with that sooner rather than later.
Zelik turned his gaze up to look at him, an eye swelling a bit and turning black and blue. He had done a number on him but the little shit had deserved it. Upon seeing the truth in his eyes Zelik grunted but said nothing more. Blackwell clapped a hand onto Bensons shoulder and congratulated him.
We must get them back, Axl announced. Benson agreed. He closed his eyes for a brief moment, fear rushing him as he thought of his mate and her mother hurt alone and he was nowhere to be seen.
Once he finally opened his eyes the resolve hitting him he looked at the men in the courtyard watching him. And nodded his head only slightly.
"I will get the money ready.” He said looking at the two men before him who had become close allies even if they did piss him off.
“I don’t think you should go alone." As much as he wanted to admit it Blackwell was right.
"I agree." He looked towards the silver haired man. He nodded a small smile creeping at the edges before falling at the seriousness of the situation. He was a true friend like Alexander had never known.
Then he looked to Zelik with his broken nose and battered face. He was angry but he cared for Frannie and his sister he would help regardless of his feelings. Alex didn’t want to remove the man from Frannies life so he would try to get along with him for her sake.
Chapter 21
If Frannie was more the academic type she swore she could hold a whole seminar on the right way to get kidnapped. Step one, be the most naive individual within a two hundred mile radius. Step two, walk in a situation that you're already uncomfortable with, without anyone else. Step three, disregard the obvious. Then boom you're a prime target for kidnapping.
SHe wanted to scream and curse up a storm. It was sheer frustration, anger, and betrayal that erupted in Frannie like a tsunami.
None of that mattered at the moment. Frannie's emotions would get her killed instead of out of here like she wanted. It was freezing fucking freezing as she lay there her hands tied behind her back and then connected to her feet. Her belly flat on the cold cement. The little white light that she knew as her baby struggled slightly as her body's weight bared down on it.