by Dale Cadeau
“It’s my job, well, a version of it anyway. So no thanks are needed. Call Jared and Stan and fill them in.” Devlen opened the door leading to the cells and waved at James as he closed the door behind him.
James walked down the steps and jumped into the SUV. It was a tight fit with seven large men, but they managed with Clay and Brad sitting in the cargo hold in the back and made it back to the office in under an hour.
Back at the penthouse, James and Angel wanted to call their wives for an update, but it was so late that they made due with just calling Jared and Stan.
Jared and Stan filled them in on the goings-on at Angel’s house and how the girls had settled down about an hour ago. James told them about how their mission went and got their agreement to babysit the women the next day so they would be free to question the men.
As they finished the call, Chase arrived and the three went into the kitchen where they found everyone sitting around having a beer. Clay got up when he saw them and fished them each one out of the fridge. Handing them each a cold one, Clay asked Chase about Charlie.
“She’s fine now. I made sure she was safely in her home before I left. I think she’s so beat and tired that she’ll probably sleep like a log tonight, being in her own bed.”
Clay picked his beer off the kitchen table and, looking at the guys standing around, said, “Why don’t we take this into the living room? The kitchen reminds me too much of the office after the last few days I’ve spent in here.”
The men all agreed and they sprawled out on the couches and chairs, with Angel sitting cross-legged on the floor.
“Well here’s to Chase,” James said, raising his beer bottle. “You worked like a pro. Sam did a good job. I’ll have to call and tell her.”
“I wish you wouldn’t, James. Just let it go,” Chase said, picking at the label on his bottle.
“But Chase, this is something to celebrate. Sam will want to know,” Clay said from his seat on the couch, his feet propped up on the coffee table in front of him.
“Just let it go, will you?” Chase said, not looking up from his seat in one of the large armchairs.
Clay gave James and the others a look. James just raised his eyebrows and nodded his head no.
“Sure, Chase, we’re just all pumped up right now. You’re right, let’s let thing settle first. Well, Grant.” Clay turned his attention to Grant, who was sitting at the end of one of the couches, his head down, and seemed too focused on his beer.
“How does it feel to be a free man tonight?”
Grant looked up. For a man that was just given his freedom, he didn’t look too happy. “Great I can’t wait to get home.” Putting his half-drunk beer on the coffee table, Grant got up and moved to the door. “I’ll see you guy here at 7:30 so we can go up together.”
James got up from his seat. “If you’d rather we handle this part, we don’t mind. You had three days locked up, it might be good for you to stay home and just rest.”
“No, until I find out why they took us, I won’t rest. I couldn’t come up with anything. See you tomorrow morning.” Grant opened the door of the penthouse and left.
Before James could sit back down, Chase got up. “I think I’ll just go back to my apartment. I could use the rest also.”
“Do you think that is wise? We don’t know the whole scope of the kidnapping. There could be others.”
“I’ll take a chance, James. Like Grant, I’ve been tied to this apartment for days. I just need to get out.” Putting his beer on a side table beside the chair, he got up and left.
“Watch your back,” James yelled at him as the door closed. James then turned to look at the others and sat back down.
“Did that seem strange to you?”
“Sure did. Chase should be over the moon celebrating that we let him lead one of our missions, a very personal one to all of us, and he succeeded with flying colors. I don’t understand it. He has been wanting this for so long and it’s the reason why he trained,” Clay agreed.
“He’s been acting strange since he came back from his training at Sam’s. I have to admit that I didn’t have time to dig it out of him with Avery needing me and then having the baby.”
“I admit I don’t know him too well, but it seems to me that he might be suffering from a case of unrequited affections on his part,” Tony said.
“You got to be kidding me. No way, not Chase. He has the ladies running after him,” Angel added. “You should have seen him at Lance and Cyn’s club. The subs loved him. He almost got his ass handed to him by some of the Doms not liking their subs fawning over him.”
“You’re probably right. I don’t know him enough. But he does look like he has lost something precious.”
“I agree with you, Tony, he does look that way. But there is nothing that I know of for him to look that way. He just came back from Sam’s not that long ago and I haven’t heard of him hooking up with anyone,” Brad added.
“Could it be Sam?” Gage interjected.
“No way, Sam wouldn’t give a playboy like Chase the time of day. No, it has to be someone we don’t know about,” Clay responded.
“Okay, let’s leave off on Chase. I’m sure we’ll find out eventually. What do you make of Grant? He didn’t look any happier being released.”
“Maybe Grandma was right. They might have needed more time together, and maybe we cut it too short,” Angel said, putting his beer on the floor and leaning back on his arms.
“Grandma probably is right, but you know yourself that we couldn’t put it off any longer. Tomorrow was payday. We couldn’t take a chance that they might slip up and reveal too much or that one of the guys holding them would have taken one of them out,” James told Angel.
“Yeah, I know. I just hope that whatever is bugging him comes to light soon.”
“I don’t like this. We all seem to have been taken down one by one,” Clay said, taking another sip of beer.” I don’t know if it’s a curse or if just our dumb luck, but we seem to be brought low every time by a woman.”
James sat up. “I don’t think I would put it like that, Clay. Isn’t it good luck that you have Laura? What about Brad, he was floating around with no direction until he met Raven.”
“Speak for yourself, James. I remember you going off half-cocked before you even met Avery,” Brad told James.
Turning to Angel, Brad continued, “And this big guy even went to a BDSM club and met Cyn.”
At Tony and Gage’s unbelieving look at him, Angel got up off the floor. “Shut up, Brad. Anyone else want a beer?” he asked as he headed to the kitchen.
James laughed and picked up the remote and turned on the big-screen TV. “I think that’s our cue to relax and watch a game. I think we’re all too wound up tonight and are sprouting nonsense.”
Chapter Twenty-Eight
Charlie lay in her bubble bath, luxuriating in the feel of the warmth surrounding her. After she had gotten rid of Chase by reassuring him repeatedly that she was all right, he finally left. Even with her mind in a jumble, she tried to take in the last few days, let alone the last hours. She knew that she wouldn’t start to feel like her old self without getting out of those clothes and wiping some of the grime off.
Sure, she had a quick shower at the cabin, but she was a bath girl. She loved her baths and a shower just didn’t do it for her. She also liked to do most of her in-depth thinking when she was immersed up to her neck in bubbles.
Tonight she had more than her usual worries. She went over everything that had happen to her and Grant before their rescue. Grant had been wonderful, how he had reassured her when her nerves had been strung too tight and she had started to panic. His steady voice and gentle touches made her believe that everything would be all right. His easygoing attitude toward their meals and situation had kept her spirits up. She couldn’t have asked for a better partner.
She cringed a little and dipped down more in the water as she thought over her planned seduction of him. It had turned out ok
ay, but looking back, she knew that Grant wouldn’t have let her seduce him if he hadn’t wanted it also. Grant, she had learned, was a very private person, a man that couldn’t be led to do anything he didn’t want to.
Remembering his hands and lips sliding over her skin, she felt her nipples raise even in the hot water. His kisses had been powerful and controlling in a good way that let her know that he wanted her as much as she wanted him. She had never had a man take her to the heights that Grant’s lovemaking did.
Just reliving the experience in her mind had her reaching a hand and placing it between her legs. Now that she knew what to expect, her body wanted more. Even the misunderstanding between them after didn’t lessen the impact Grant had made on her.
Charlie was tempted to take the edge off and forget about everything else, but knew that she was just putting off the inevitable. Pulling her hand back, she picked up a washcloth and started to clean the grime off herself.
What had happen to the Grant that had taken care of her so well? A man that just kept stepped back and let Chase look after her. He had looked cold and hard, not the man she had come to know.
She didn’t understand why he had deserted her. It was like his watch was over. He had seen her through the worst and was passing her on to someone else, like unwanted baggage.
Oh, she could tell herself that there was too much going on in the moment, but he hadn’t even tried to get in the same truck or talk to her. No, she had been dropped in Chase’s hands.
Not that Chase wasn’t great, but he was like a big brother to her. Their time working together over the years had formed a tight friendship, but even with his reputation of being a playboy, he had never tried out any of his charm on her. There had never been any attraction between them sexually, not like the kind that had slammed into her when she had first spotted Grant.
She remembered her sweaty palms and heightened awareness as she caught sight of him across the room talking to Chase. God, she wanted him in that moment.
A tear came to her eye as she felt the loss. She knew she wanted him, but now she craved him. With one a taste, she was hooked. Their days and nights in the cabin had sealed it for her. He was the only one for her.
Mopping wasn’t going to get her anyplace, so she pulled the plug on her bathtub and got out and toweled herself dry. Pulling her nightgown over her head, she gave herself a pep talk.
Why was she was giving up without a fight? That was not like her. She spent her days hedging her bets on the stock market. She was a gambler at heart. She just had to look at Grant the same way and gamble that she could make him want her.
She felt better that she had a plan, a weak one, as of yet. Tomorrow she would flesh it out. Then she would act. Grant didn’t know what was coming. Climbing into bed, Charlie fell asleep with a smile on her face.
Feeling more optimistic in the morning, the inkling of a plan taking shape in mind. Charlie called Chase first thing. She just needed a little help.
“Hi, Chase,”
“Charlie, are you okay? Do you need anything?” Chase asked, sounding concerned.
“I’m fine, Chase. Just want to know what was going on today and get an update.”
“Today we are all going back out to the sheriff’s office and question the two guys that grabbed you and Grant.”
“Is Grant going with you?”
“As far as I know, he’s going. Do you want me to tell him something?”
“No. What about James and Angel? Don’t they have to be back with their wives and babies?”
“Well I talked to them earlier and it seem like the girls are happy bonding at Angel’s place. So James is going to try and wrap this up as soon as possible so his and Angel’s life can get back to normal.” Chase’s voice turned deeper and more serious.
“This is serious, Charlie. We still do not know the motive, or who is really behind the kidnapping. We cannot have you or any of the girls or ourselves, for that matter, having to look over our shoulders all the time. We have to get to the bottom of this.”
“Yes, I agree. You said the women are at Angel’s place. Do you think they would mind a visit? I would like to thank the women for allowing the men to come and rescue us,” Charlie replied, distracted, her mind in a whirl as she plotted.
“Sure, I think they probably would like a firsthand account of what happened. I know the girls like to be involved and I doubt that James and Angel are too forthcoming. They like to try and keep their woman wrapped in cotton wool.”
“Okay, Chase, I will give them a call. Keep me informed of what happens. If you need me, call me at Angel’s. I have to replace my cell phone.” Charlie said a hasty good-bye and took a sip of her coffee. She had plans, now she just had to put them into action. This could be fun, she was betting her whole future on it.
Chapter Twenty-Nine
Grant was still brooding the next morning when he arrived at the Braden Security office. Saying hi to Madge at the front desk, he walked down to the conference room. He found the guys sitting around the table, discussing everything that went down and how they were going to approach questioning the two men.
Grant listened to them go back and forth about different theories, and if the one guy turned out to be good and maybe letting him off the hook.
“Can’t we just get on with this?” Grant impatiently broke in on their conversations.
James turned to Grant, stopping his conversation with Angel. “Yes, we’re just about ready. However, I wanted us all to be on the same page in regards to how we are going to approach this. We can’t leave anything to chance. We have this chance to finally put some pieces together, and I am not going to rush. This could be our break we have been looking for. Why? Are you in a rush to be somewhere?
“Yes, I want this over and done with and put behind us,” Grant said, shifting in his seat, anxious to get going.
James noticed from Grant’s tone of voice that the easygoing guy they all knew wasn’t with them today.
Looking around at the others around the table who had also clued in on Grant’s mood and unrest, they all rose in unison from their chair, preparing to leave.
“Okay, let’s go.” James led the group out of the office down the elevators and to their trucks.
James, Angel with Clay, and Chase took one truck. Grant ended up with Brad, Tony, and Gage.
By the time they got to the sheriff’s office, Grant could have strangled Brad. He kept on at Grant, wanting to know more about his and Charlie’s relationship. How they spent their time together, alone in a small room.
In fact, if Brad nudged him one more time with raised eyebrows and a smirk on his face, Grant was going to deck him right here in the truck.
At least Tony and Gabe kept their interest under wraps with only a grin here and there while listening to Brad go on and on, speculating on his time spent with Charlie.
As soon as the truck stopped, Grant opened his door and almost bolted from the truck. James and Clay, who had arrived a few minutes ahead of them, looked at him strangely, as he abruptly passed them and walked into the office.
Grant stopped suddenly just inside the door blocking the doorway. James pushed him out of the way so he and the others could also enter. James noticed with one quick look what had caught his attention.
Standing in front of the sheriff’s desk was a four-star general talking to him. The general turned their way, watching them file in the door. Coming to a stop, they all stood up straighter and saluted him. The army life had been deeply bred in all of them and showing respect was one of those things.
“At ease, men. Come in and sit. I was just finishing up with the sheriff here,” the general said after returning their salute.
“Begging your pardon, sir, but what are you doing here?” Clay asked.
“Devlen’s former commander got in touch with me last night and brought me up to speed on what was happening in his county. As a favour to him, I decided to come and question the men this morning.
“Thi
s man called John MacDouglas was hoodwinked by General Brown. I firmly believe this. We haven’t been able to reach all our men in the field, most are undercover, to tell them about Brown and his underhanded ways. John was the patsy this time. He had just come off a deep undercover sting, something that I can’t go into, but knew about. Brown and our CIA gave his mission to him.
“So, he had no misgiving in believing anything the General would tell him. The man, didn’t even have time to let down before Brown sent him stateside on this mission. The other guy you’re holding is different story. We have been worried about him for a while.
Since he has has been under Brown’s command, we have noticed that while he does his job, some things just don’t add up. Missions that he were sent on have had people accidentally getting in the way of bullets. People which we wanted to be capture alive because of the information that they had and we needed seem to get in the way of these bullets too many times. Also, drugs captured on raids seem to always come up short from what we were expecting. This kidnapping just enforces our position and with your permission, I will be taking him back with me for further questioning.”
“We had the same thoughts on the two men. While we don’t want to get in the way of the army doing their thing, we also need some questions answered,” James insisted.
“Yes, we need answers. They kidnapped Grant and Charlie, demanded money, and wanted Carlos Casteel broken out of prison. We have to find out the connection between the two,” Clay added
“I know that it’s going to be hard for you to let us handle it, but this is the only way. You will not get anything more out of that guy than I did. If I had to guess, it would be that Brown and Carlos must have had some dealing together over the years. Same trade, same country,” the general told them sternly.
