Sloan seemed to get his thoughts together before he spoke. “Jared explained a little of what happened out there.” Sloan thumbed toward the entryway. “It will get cleaned up by tomorrow. It will look exactly as it did before.” It was an order. His voice allowed no room for debate.
“I got a crew coming first thing in the morning,” Sid replied where he sat sprawled in his chair.
Sloan ignored Sid, which he did frequently. His eyes landed on Jill, then scanned to Steve before finally resting on Adam. “I am going to say this once and once only.” Sloan’s tone had a final edge, indicating he was done with the bullshit. “I have no problems transferring any of you out of here. You are not in charge of anything.” His eyes stayed on Adam. “The next time you decide to disobey orders, I will put you on report. If you are already on report, your ass is gone, and it will not be a transfer. Do you understand me?”
“Yes, Sir,” the three answered in unison.
“Good, now get the hell out of here.” Sloan’s eyes stayed on Adam as an extra warning.
Jill was more than happy to get out of the room and moved quickly, not looking at anyone.
“You stay, Jill.” Sloan’s voice stopped her instantly.
“Shit,” slipped out of her mouth before she could stop it. Sid’s chuckle reached her ears which pissed her off, because whatever she was about to get chewed out for, was his fault. Back-stepping, she found the wall again.
“Is there a problem between you two?” Sloan glanced between her and Slade.
Jill hesitated before shaking her head. “No, Sir.” Glancing over, her eyes met Slade’s.
“Slade?” Sloan pushed.
Slade turned his eyes away from her to Sloan. “Any problems between Jill and me are between us and will be taken care of by us.”
The temperature in the room dropped considerably. Sloan slammed his hand on the desk, making Jill jump. “Putting a hole through my wall and beating the hell out of someone is not taking care of it.” Sloan glared at Slade then Jill. “You need to feed. We have blood donors already in place. Use them. I don’t want to hear another word about this issue. Is that understood?”
“Yes, Sir,” Jill replied, wishing she would have kept her damn mouth shut about the whole situation.
“Get your anger in check.” Sloan turned his attention to Slade. “I need you here and would hate to have to send you packing because of something like this. It’s not worth putting a blemish on your record.”
Those words hit Jill hard. Her eyes hit the floor, her insides shaking as nausea burned her stomach. At that moment, she knew that no matter what she did, she could be a blemish on someone’s record.
“If anyone attacks a fellow Warrior with words, or physically, I will do whatever I have to do.” Slade’s voice was deep as he looked around to every Warrior there except her. “I would expect the same from any of you. So put whatever you want on my record.”
Sloan remained quiet as he and Slade stared in a battle of wills. Sloan finally broke the silence. “But she isn’t a Warrior yet.”
“No, but she is a woman who deserves respect, and I will uphold that as I know everyone in this room would.” Slade straightened off the wall. “So if you have a problem with that, then you best kick me out now.”
Jill’s eyes flew from the floor to Slade. “No.” Jill took a step forward. “This wasn’t his fault.”
“So it’s yours?” Sloan’s eyes pinned her to the spot.
“No, it’s mine.” Sid shook his head. “I will kick my own ass later. So can we stop and put the blame where it is? Jill had no idea about any of this. It won’t happen again.”
“Make sure that it doesn’t,” Sloan growled the warning. “I don’t have time to deal with this shit. We have too much going on and we’re spread thin. I can’t afford to lose anyone because they’re thinking with their cock.”
Jill’s eyes narrowed and she had to bite her tongue…hard.
Sloan glanced her way. “You better get a tough skin, little girl.” Sloan eyed her with warning. “If you want to be a Warrior, you better be prepared to be treated like one.”
Digging deep, Jill found the courage to open her mouth. She was pissed. “I have never asked to be treated differently. I was handling the situation on my own. I didn’t need anyone with a…” Jill swallowed hard, “cock to step in. I may not have a cock, but I have more heart than any of the trainees with a cock.”
Everyone had turned to look at her, but she kept her eyes on Sloan whose mouth quirked at the corner.
“It seems others in this room have a problem that I don’t have a cock, and that’s their problem, not mine.” Her voice was strong and just below a shout. Jesus, how many times had she said cock? She couldn’t stop staying cock. Her eyes burned fire. “It doesn’t take a cock to be a Warrior, and I’m going to prove it. I’ll feed from one of those bitches if I have to knock their fake asses out to do it. So this issue is finished, done and taken care of without the help of anyone with a cock. Now, am I dismissed?”
Sloan’s eyes crinkled at the edges, but he didn’t say a word, just nodded.
Knocking into chairs, she walked with purpose to the door that seemed a million miles away. Jill slowed down as she reached Slade. Reaching up, she pointed in his face. “Stay away from me and my business. I don’t need your help, and I will not be blamed for you getting thrown out of here.”
Slade stared down into her eyes; no grin lit his face, but respect gleamed in those golden eyes. When she went to move past him, he grabbed her arm. “We will have a discussion as soon as I’m done here, so do not leave.” When she went to pull her arm away, he pulled her closer, leaning down, not caring if everyone was watching. “I, for one, am glad you don’t have a…cock.”
As soon as Slade loosened his grip, Jill was out the door, wondering what the hell his words had meant. Damn him and his touch, which still tingled on her arm. Walking across the demolished entryway, Jill kicked a piece of drywall, sending it sailing through the air against an undamaged wall, damaging it. “Why the hell did you have to open your mouth!” Jill cursed at herself. “Cock…really? Oh. My. God.” She put her head in her hands letting her feet find her room.
******
It took every bit of control that Sid possessed not to bust out laughing. His respect just grew for that little girl. For her to stand in front of them all saying her piece without breaking down into tears, but standing straight and proud, was a sight to see.
Looking around at everyone, he grinned. “How many times do you think she said cock?”
At that, everyone did laugh, even Sloan.
“Damn, you guys are bad enough.” Sloan rubbed his eyes, chuckling and groaning at the same time. “But now I have a little wisp of a girl running around wanting to be one of us, and so far, she’s proving up to the task. This may actually be what kills me.”
“Well, at least me and my cock won’t be to blame. Which will be a first.” Sid smacked his hands together, standing up. “Now, if that’s all, I’ve got shit to do.”
“Sit your ass down,” Sloan demanded. “I just got off the phone with the Campbell County Sheriff Department’s Special Unit.”
“Ah, didn’t know they had a special unit,” Jared frowned. “They’re a small department.”
“They are a small department, and no one knew they had a special unit except for the special unit.” Sloan leaned back in his chair. “Seems our Ms. Fitzpatrick and her partner Amy were also working undercover.”
“You’re shitting me!” Jared frowned. “They totally ousted our cover.”
“Exactly, and that’s why I have demanded they give us any information they’ve obtained to this point and disperse the unit. If they are not working with us, they are working against us,” Sloan informed them. “After a few threats, they saw it my way when I informed their leader I would be calling the Feds to investigate their investigation. It’s too dangerous for us to be out there, not knowing who is on whose side.”
; “So let me get this straight.” Sid had leaned forward, his eyes intense. “My cover was blown all to hell because someone in the Campbell County Sheriff’s Department decided to set up their own sting without informing the area departments or us?”
“Pretty much sums it up,” Sloan nodded.
“So is the profile pic legit?” Sid’s tone didn’t have the easy-going edge it usually did.
“Yes. It seems that one of our undercover girls does have the ability to read the dead, but that’s not the best part.” Sloan smiled for the first time since he started chewing ass. “The dead seem to search her out, and she has had contact with some of the women who have been killed, but something is blocking them once they make contact. This is the reason they decided to start their sting.”
“And she’s a cop?” Sid frowned. He knew all the cops in the area, or at least thought he did.
“Didn’t get into the details, but it seems so.” Sloan replied, glancing at his phone. “Waiting for a call back from the Chief.”
Sid sat back to soak the information in. If it didn’t piss him off so badly, he’d be laughing, but to have his cover blown when he had been so close was something he didn’t find amusing.
“I’m going to change things up a bit.” Sloan eyed Sid for a few seconds. “You’re in charge of the investigation. No more undercover work. I’m surprised, with all your press photos from a month ago, you haven’t been made out yet.”
“Who’s going to be undercover?” Sid looked around.
“Slade, if we need him,” Sloan informed everyone. “He is our best bet because not too many people know about him yet. He’s been low-profile.”
Nodding, Sid looked to Sloan. “So you want me to take care of the Sheriff’s Department?”
“Be my guest.” Sloan scribbled something down, tossing it to Sid. “But don’t make me regret putting you in total charge.”
Sid grinned, “I’ll do ya proud, Dad.”
“God, what a scary-ass thought,” Sloan shook his head. “Now, get the fuck out of my office, and get that shit out there cleaned up.”
Sid was the last to leave. “So I can pull any of their people to work with us?”
“It hasn’t been confirmed, but that is what is going to happen, so if you have any problems with that let me know.” Sloan picked up his phone, tapping in a number, and dismissing him.
“Perfect,” Sid’s smile was a little evil as he walked out. He had been trying to decide the best way to get to Lana Fitzpatrick, because there was no way he was letting her get away without getting to know her better. As luck would have it, they were going to be partners. Sid laughed as another thought entered his head. Fuck the partner thing. He was going to be her boss.
******
Adam waited until the Warriors had left Sloan’s office before he stepped out of the shadows. He stepped inside to find Sloan behind his desk with his head leaning back on the chair.
“What is it, Adam?” Sloan didn’t open his eyes, didn’t move his head.
“I want back on the case.” Adam stopped in front of his desk.
Sloan sighed, lifting his head, and slowly opening his eyes. “You’re too close to this case. You’ve already proven that.”
Adam looked away for a split second before looking back. “I know what I did was wrong.”
“Do you?” Sloan crossed his arms, leaning back. “You defied my orders by going in alone to interrogate Jeff, who was close to breaking. Instead of staying back and learning from Sid, you decided to take matters into your own hands, which didn’t end very well. The only person who knows where Angelina’s is, is now dead, because you couldn’t control your rage.”
Standing straight, Adam nodded. “I know that, Sir, but I’ve learned from my mistake, and it will never happen again.”
“You haven’t learned shit.” Sloan eyed him, not pulling punches. “Just tonight, you defied me again and followed. Then, you about got yourself killed because you went after a woman who may or may not have had answers about Angelina. So no, you are off this case.”
“This is bullshit!” Adam’s one golden eye turned black.
Sloan stood, placing both hands on his desk. “Don’t push me on this, Adam. Your rage is putting you and everyone else in danger. Until you get it under control, you are in training only. After tonight, you will no longer be advised on the case.”
“Fuck this.” Adam turned, heading for the door. “And fuck this program.”
“If you think for one minute we won’t hunt you, Adam, you’re wrong,” Sloan called out.
Adam stopped, and turned his head to stare at Sloan. “What does that mean?”
“If you leave, you’re out of the Warrior program. If you fuck up out there, we will be hunting you down,” Sloan warned. “I would seriously think about what you’re doing.”
“I’m not going to sit here and do nothing. None of them would either, and you know it.” Adam turned away to leave, but added, “I quit the program.”
Heading to his room, Adam felt his rage building. He knew he was on the edge, and anything could put him over. He hadn’t meant to kill Jeff, even though he wanted the son of a bitch dead, but Jeff always knew what buttons to push with him, and he pushed him too far. Without thought, Adam’s hand had beaten the hell out of him, and then with no memory of doing it, he’d ripped Jeff’s heart out. That was how Jared and Sid had found him: kneeling next to Jeff with his heart in his hand.
He squeezed his eyes shut trying to shake the memory. Slamming open his door, he went to his closet, grabbing a duffle bag and tossing it on his bed. Grabbing whatever clothes his hands touched, he shoved them in the bag. He ignored the knock on the door and walked into the bathroom with the bag, shoving whatever he could inside.
“Adam?” Tessa had let herself in, her eyes going to the bag as he walked out of the bathroom.
“Go away, Tessa.” Adam didn’t even look at her. Grabbing his jacket, he headed toward the door, but she stepped in his way.
“Where you going?” Tessa tried to get him to look her in the eyes. “Adam, what’s going on?”
“I’m leaving.” Adam’s tone was level, no emotion. “I quit the program.”
“You what?” Tessa frowned; anger furrowed her brow. “Why in the world would you quit the program?”
“Give Gramps a kiss for me.” Adam went to step around her, but she stepped in his way again. “Tessa, get out of my way. Nothing you can do or say will change my mind on this.”
“I’m not going to let you do this, Adam.” Tessa grabbed his bag. “You need to stop acting like this and grow up. Take responsibility for your actions.”
“You don’t know what the fuck you’re talking about!” Adam screamed at her. He pulled his bag away from her grip. “It is my fault Angelina is gone, and now, I’ve been forbidden to help in the search for her.”
Tessa, being a redhead and the older sister, didn’t know when to back down. “Then you should have followed the rules.” She pointed at him. “You killed Jeff. Jared was close to getting him to talk, yet you went in there and killed him. You’re lucky all they did was take you off the case.”
“You have no clue what happened, so just shut the fuck up,” Adam hissed then, without another thought, pushed her into the wall out of his way. Her head slumped forward as she slid down the wall.
Adam watched in horror as his sister sank to the floor. “Oh, God!” he cried out grabbing her before her head hit the floor. “Tessa!” He shook her, but she didn’t wake. Checking, he found a pulse.
Tessa moaned, but wouldn’t wake.
“I’m so sorry.” Adam placed a kiss on her forehead. Grabbing his bag, he ran out the door sending a text on the run, praying his sister would be okay. She had to be okay. If she wasn’t, he would turn himself in to Jared, because his life would be over anyway. But first, he had to find Angelina.
Chapter 9
Lana frowned, twirling her finger around the rim of her glass of water. It had been two days since
she’d had her ass chewed because of the fiasco. Their whole operation had been scrapped. She and Susan had been put on leave, which was okay at the moment; she’d been informed her new boss was going to be VC Warrior Sid Sinclair, and he would contact her when she was needed. She actually moaned at the thought.
“Are you okay?”
Jerking, Lana almost knocked over the water. Her eyes shot to Doug Lawson, her date. “Oh, yes.” Damn, she forgot where the hell she was for a minute. She had already cancelled on him twice, and almost forgot about their date tonight. “Hunger pain,” she smiled, and then rolled her eyes at her explanation when he turned to wave down a waiter.
They had already ordered, but he asked the waiter for a few rolls until their meal came. Lana studied him with a critical eye. He was handsome, had wonderful manners and seemed nice enough. He was a lawyer for a firm in Cincinnati. He had kind, gorgeous green eyes; his raven black hair was business short. When he had taken her hand to help her out of the car, his felt too soft. Staring at him, she wondered what sex would be like with him. She’d bet her last dollar it wouldn’t be as exciting as sex with Sid Sinclair. She’d bet everything she had that sex with that Warrior would be an experience not easily forgotten. God, she was awful, sitting with a man who would be perfect for her, but thinking of sex with another. She had always been a sexual person, but this wasn’t right.
“I’m really glad you accepted my invite, Lana.” He smiled, taking a sip of his wine.
He wouldn’t think that if he knew she was comparing sex with him and another man. Not really knowing what to say, Lana smiled, taking a sip of her wine. Her phone buzzed in her purse, making her strangle on her wine. Grabbing her napkin, she covered her mouth as her eyes watered.
She waved him down when he started to stand to help her. “I’m fine.” She cleared her throat. “I’m fine, but I’m sorry, I have to get that. I’m on call.”
Doug nodded, but didn’t look happy.
Digging for her phone, Lana prayed it was Susan texting her about a bad date or something stupid. Taking a deep breath, she clicked it on.
Sid (The Protectors Series) Book #4 Page 7
