Fighting For Their Mate

by Vella Day

  Chapter Fourteen

  Ford wasn’t sure leaving Bailey alone was a good idea, but in order to divert the heat off them, they’d both decided that Ty should be the one to speak with Statler. That left him to take care of Bailey. Unfortunately, she needed clothes and Ford couldn’t let her go shopping with him. The town of Falling Pines was small, and he had no doubt someone would notice him with a woman if he brought her with him. All it would take would be one innocent remark to the wrong person, and Statler’s men would be all over the motel room like white on rice.

  His only choice was to trust her to stay put and pray nothing bad happened. Laying down the reality of her situation had been harsh but necessary. The vibe between them was still awkward, but there was nothing he could do about it. She didn’t want him, and even though he understood why, it was still miserably painful. A classy woman like Bailey wouldn’t accept the idea of being with two men, let alone men who were shifters. Secondly, she’d been brought up in a sophisticated environment and was used to nice things. While he and Ty had saved a lot of money from their days in the service, he wasn’t sure what he could offer her other than protection and a lot of good loving, and he doubted that would be enough. Besides, she had her whole life ahead of her to find the perfect man to love.

  “Excuse me,” a young girl said as she pushed her cart around him. Damn. He’d been standing in the aisle staring. Not good.

  “Sorry.”

  Ford read the list again and headed to the sportswear section of Simon’s store, trying not to attract any more unnecessary attention. Buying women’s clothing put him out of his comfort zone. What the hell did he know about the best panty or bra? Taking off a woman’s clothes was more his style or watching her do it, one sexy piece at a time.

  He decided to go with clothes that would be too big on her, in part to cut down on his constant attraction, and part to make sure they’d fit. The jeans, shirts, and sweater were easy. Next up was lingerie. God help him. He couldn’t help but imagine what Bailey would look like wearing it, and he had to battle not to shift each time he picked up some frilly undergarment. So many were cute, but he went with the rolled up kind in a package. That way, he wouldn’t have to touch them. Instead of a real bra, he tossed in a few sports bras—anything to make her less appealing.

  Then the image of Bailey coming out of the bathroom wrapped in a towel with her hair wet popped into his head. That would be forever burned in his brain. Just the thought had his cock aching and his bones cracking. Damn it. He glanced around at the few people milling about the store to help take his mind off her. That calmed him somewhat, but it would never cure him. Bailey was his mate whether she wanted to be or not.

  Ford really needed to get his act together before something happened. He hadn’t noticed any werewolves or felt their presence, but he’d been known to miss a few on occasion.

  His last stop was for toiletries. He picked up a bar of nice-looking soap—the kind he bet Bailey was used to. If her father was a Congressman, she probably lived in a big mansion and enjoyed the finer things in life. He inwardly chuckled. That was so far from the way he and Ty had grown up. They were lucky to have food on their table, and he thought all clothes came with patches.

  He chose rather generic shampoo, conditioner, toothpaste, and toothbrush. He didn’t want her to think he thought hard and long about what to get her. The last needed item was hair dye. He had no clue what women used, but he didn’t want to make himself memorable by asking a sales clerk. He picked the most expensive brand and went with that. Too bad Bailey had suggested she wanted to have auburn hair, as that was his favorite color. Damn, but this was going to be hard being around her. They needed to free Tatum soon and send them both home or he might just have to seduce her.

  Because he and Ty didn’t pack their gear from the lab where they both stayed, he needed stuff, too. Not wanting to spend any longer than was necessary, Ford grabbed a few sets of clothes, along with three canvas duffels. He then headed to check out. He’d taken too damn long as it was, and he hoped Bailey didn’t think he’d abandoned her.

  The young cashier grinned as soon as she saw him and stuck out her tits. “My, my. You doing some early Christmas shopping?”

  In the past, he might have taken the time to find out her name and ask her out. Now, she held little interest. “A friend flew into town and the airlines lost her luggage.”

  “Oh.” Poor girl looked crestfallen.

  At the counter, he spotted reading glasses and got an idea. Those would help with Bailey’s disguise. He picked out a pair of large, black ones with the lowest magnification. “These, too.”

  He paid and left. So far, so good. The trip to the hotel was uneventful since no one seemed to be following him. When he pulled into the parking lot, an uneasy feeling settled over him. He wasn’t sure why, but his gut told him to look around carefully. He studied each car, and when he found them all empty, he drove around the back to their room, studying the few vehicles parked nearby. Looked good. He got out quickly, knowing his senses were sharper in the open than sitting in a car.

  Suddenly, his nails grew and the fur on his hands sprouted. This time it wasn’t from sexual excitement. A werewolf was near. Fuck.

  Movement from the second floor balcony caught his attention. Ford ducked out of sight. Damn it. Dram Peters was rounding the corner. Had he figured out that Bailey was here? Or was he just doing reconnaissance, hoping to get lucky? There were only three motels in Falling Pines. If he and Tony returned a few times a day, it wouldn’t be long before they saw either him or Ty leaving the place. Shit. At least Tony Kahn didn’t seem to be with him. Most likely he was scoping out another motel.

  Since Bailey wasn’t walking around and had promised to keep the drapes drawn, Dram wouldn’t catch sight of her. The question was how did he hope to find her without having a key to each room?

  A door on the second floor opened, and a maid exited pushing a cart. His heart sank. That was how. Dram was incompetent in a fight against a trained person, but he’d be able to take down a woman with little effort.

  Ford weighed his options. He could lure Dram close to his car and kill him. The negative would be that he’d have a body on his hands. If they both shifted, it would be easier to explain the fight should anyone be watching, but that assumed no one saw them in their human form first. Fuck, this wasn’t going to be easy to get rid of the guy.

  A second option would be to show himself. That would ensure the maid remained safe, but it would also tip off Dram to Bailey’s location, and Ford couldn’t let that happen. In the end, either Dram would wave and leave or they’d engage in a battle, which would result in Dram’s death. Ford couldn’t chance it.

  Decisions, decisions.

  Dram halted and watched the maid. Ford could almost see the wheels spinning. Would he rush into the room she was cleaning and grab her master key? Or would he wait to see if Bailey emerged from one of the rooms? Either way, there would be consequences for him.

  If Ty had succeeded in convincing Statler that Dram and Tony were spies, then these two would be out on their asses looking for revenge. If Statler believed these two instead of Ty, then Statler could have sent them to find Bailey. Ford let out an exasperated breath.

  Damn. If she had a cell, Ford could at least call and warn her to stay away from the window.

  The maid disappeared into the next room and closed the door, so she was safe for now. Dram pulled out his cell and made a call. While Ford had exceptional hearing, he was too far away to listen to the conversation. From the quick kick to the metal railing, Tony hadn’t found Bailey either. Too bad.

  Before Ford could decide how he wanted to handle the situation, Dram rushed down the steps, hopped in his Jeep that was parked in the back, and took off. Ford was tempted to follow him, but this might just be a trick to lure him away. For now, he’d let Dram go.

  Thinking one of them might return for another search, Ford waited a few minutes before doing anything. When he didn’
t spot Dram or Tony returning, he gathered most of his purchases and edged his way to the room taking extra care to make sure no one spotted him. After a quick swipe of the card, he pushed open the door. Something wasn’t right.

  “Bailey?”

  She must be in the bathroom. He set the bags next to the door and strode toward the back. The door was open and the inside was dark. “Motherfucker.”

  His body nearly exploded with rage, but he didn’t try to stop the transformation. While it might be dangerous to take his wolf form during the day, his wolf was a better hunter than his human form. As far as being able to follow her scent, that would be easy. Her essence was encoded in his brain.

  Ford wedged his face between the jamb and the door. One of the shopping bags had prevented it from closing. He eased the door open. Remaining still, he listened for sounds of either Bailey returning or other oncoming footsteps. Nothing but the wind whipped down the hallway. He had to take the chance that no one spotted him. If anyone did, he’d probably call for help or shoot Ford on sight. If he were hit and then loped off, the hunter would freak, but it was a chance he had to take.

  Ford dashed between two cars and stopped. He scanned the area for Bailey. Besides his vehicle and the one next to it, there were only three other cars in the lot. Two scenarios seemed plausible. Bailey had ignored everything he’d told her and had run away, or someone had found her. But who? Another one of Statler’s men?

  Fuck. Ford needed to think like her. Where would he go if he had no money and knew no one? Hitch a ride, perchance? Or would he wait until someone nice pulled into the lot. If he were Bailey, he’d borrow a phone and call home. He prayed she understood what a clusterfuck that would cause.

  At the thought of her possible defection, he expected anger to grab hold, but then realized that she might be safer in some stranger’s car. Bailey was smart. She wouldn’t mention werewolves, mostly to prevent the driver from thinking she was crazy.

  His mind cleared, and a third option surfaced. Had Bailey caught sight of Dram and tried to hide? His pulse raced. He prayed that was the case because it was the easiest scenario to deal with. His best option was to circle the hotel from the security of the surrounding woods where he might be able to pick up her scent.

  When he was certain no one was watching, he raced across the lot toward the cover of the trees. As he neared the dumpster, he slowed. While he couldn’t smell anything other than rancid food, he swore he heard scratching sounds coming from inside.

  His animal form suddenly became a hindrance since he couldn’t lift the lid and look inside. Ducking out of sight, he spun and whirled. Five seconds later, he was in his human form once more.

  He tapped the side of the dumpster. “Bailey? It’s Ford. You in there?” He felt stupid talking to a hunk of metal, but if she were hiding and he lifted the lid without announcing himself, she’d panic.

  No response. He had to see what was inside and opened the lid. Dear God.

  Shaking, Bailey looked up at him. Tears covered her cheeks and his heart nearly broke. “Ford?” Her voice cracked. “Oh, thank God. I was so scared.”

  “I know.” Before he helped her out, he made sure Dram hadn’t returned. “Come on.”

  “Are you sure he’s gone?”

  “You saw Dram?”

  “You mean Tom? Yes.”

  “He’s gone, for now.” Way to go, bozo, and scare her even more. Christ. He needed to learn some finesse.

  Ford wrinkled his nose. The rotten food nearly turned his stomach. It was the curse of being a wolf. His sense of smell was too good. He leaned over the metal lip, and when he slid his hands under her butt, his fingers ran into something he didn’t dare identify. Trying not to gag, he lifted her out and set her down. Poor thing. Some brown goo dotted her cheek, and something yellow clung to her hair. No doubt her clothes would end up in the trash.

  As soon as he stepped back, her knees buckled, but he managed to catch her before she dropped. “Can you walk? Or do you want me to carry you?” he asked.

  She dragged her palms down her legs and sobbed. “I…I…can walk.”

  He wanted to hug her and erase the entire trauma, but he feared he’d make things worse. To support her, he wrapped an arm around her waist and was thankful when she didn’t balk. “We need to get you back in the room.”

  “You think it’s safe?” She looked up at him with the prettiest blue eyes and his cock hardened.

  “Yes.” The room wasn’t the perfect place, but it would do for now.

  With his help, they made it back, presumably without being noticed. She stopped in front of the bed. “You got me so many clothes.” A smile crossed her face.

  He was thrilled there was more pep in her voice, but it hurt a little that she thought he might only buy her one outfit. She’d be with them for a while and he wanted her to have enough to wear.

  If the soap and other toiletries weren’t still in his vehicle, he might have left the purchases there until later. “There’s more in the car. I’ll get them.”

  Her back stiffened as if she were afraid to be left alone. He ran outside, grabbed the remaining items, and returned. Immediately, he locked the door and dragged on the chain. Bailey hadn’t moved; her gaze still on the bed. This wasn’t good. A breakdown now would derail everything.

  He dumped the items on the spread and handed her the nice soap, shampoo, and conditioner. “I hope these brands are okay.” She didn’t move. “Ah, you might want to shower now.”

  She twisted to face him, and he thought he caught a glimpse of cheer. “Ya think?”

  “Most definitely.”

  Suddenly, her spunk disappeared. She swallowed hard and furrowed her brows. “Did Tom see you?”

  “No. But don’t worry. I can take care of myself.”

  “I wasn’t worried about you handling him. I was worried about him finding me if he saw you.”

  Perhaps it was because they’d dodged the proverbial bullet that her sass tickled him. “You’re totally right. I was being a selfish prick again, wasn’t I?” He held up a hand. “Don’t answer that. Go take your shower.” He smiled, wanting her to know she was in good hands.

  Bailey pursed her lips. “You’d stink, too, if you had to hide in a garbage bin.” She cocked a brow. “By the way, how did you know where to look?”

  “I heard you moving around inside the dumpster.”

  Her face paled. “I thought I felt something move beneath me.” Her eyes widened. “Oh no. If Tom had come near, he would have found me, too.” She was visibly shaking.

  “No. I have better hearing than he does. I’m a trained soldier. He’s not.” He didn’t want to make it any worse for her. She probably would have nightmares because of this.

  She stared at him, acting as if she was trying to decide if he was making that up. “Oh.”

  He patted her bottom. “Go.”

  With the toiletries in hand, she rushed into the bathroom. Ford had to hand it to her. She’d been smart to hide. Dram could have gotten a hold of a master key and checked every damned room. Good thing perseverance wasn’t his strong suit.

  The water turned on. After Ford washed the goo off his hands, he went to work unpacking her clothes and removing the tags. He wanted to keep busy and not think about her being naked in the shower, but the longer she took, the harder his cock grew. Not good.

  Bailey had just been through something terrible that was perhaps more traumatic than being pricked with a needle and kidnapped to Canada. She seemed to understand that if Dram had caught her, she’d faced certain death.

  Shit. He never should have left her alone, but both he and Ty had to keep up appearances of being on Statler’s side. He snapped his fingers and pulled out his cell. He bet his two cousins, Spence and Cam Summerville, would be willing to help out. While they lived in North Carolina, if they hustled, they could be here in twenty-four hours.

  Ford paced while the phone rang. Finally, Cam picked up. “Hey, Cam? I need your help.” For the next few m
inutes he outlined what had happened. “I don’t want to leave her alone anymore. If we manage to get the sister out safely, we’ll need help getting them out of the country. Can you help?”

  “You know you can count on us. Do you want me to arrange for some passports?”

  “That would be great, though that will take time.” The delay might be worth it if they could cross the border easily. “I’ll send you a photo tonight of Bailey, but you’ll have to do some research on Tatum Nash for her picture. Her dad is a Congressman. I bet there are photos of them in the Washington Post.”

  “I’ll grab Bailey’s photo while I’m at it.”

  “Won’t work. She’s going to change her appearance.”

  “Smart. I’ll be looking for the new pic.”

  “Thanks.”

  As soon as he disconnected the call, the tension building around Ford’s eyes diminished a bit, but he still worried about whether he could keep her safe. He’d failed someone else he loved long ago, and he feared it could happen again. It didn’t matter that it would be ten years ago next week that he hadn’t had his uncle’s back during a vicious fight. His death still loomed over him.

  Ford glanced to the ceiling. “I’ll keep her safe, Uncle Ned, if it’s the last thing I do.”

  The water turned off and he realized that Bailey had walked into the bathroom without bringing in a change of clothes. Would she walk out wearing only a towel again?

  If she did, he wasn’t sure if he was ready for that.

  Chapter Fifteen

  Bailey couldn’t stop shaking, even with the warm shower. She was working hard not to think about the near tragedy and focused instead on the wonderful soap Ford had purchased. The chamomile scent was relaxing and soothing, but it wasn’t quite enough to banish the fear that had shaken her to the core. She appreciated that he’d looked for something nice. The surprise helped make what just happened a bit more palatable.