Colton: Rogue Beginnings (A Rogue Enforcers Novel)

by Grace Brennan

  Sighing, she shook her head. “There’s no one except my uncle, and everyone knows I’m his niece. Besides, I live here at the hotel and so does he, so whether I work or not, I’ll still be here.”

  “All the more reason for you to come with me, then. You definitely can’t sleep here with them knowing where to find you. I’d never hurt you, Katia. You have my word on that. You can also give my full name and address—hell, even my license plate number and a description of my truck—to anyone of your choosing. That way you’ll have someone who knows exactly who you’re with. But we need to hurry. We’ve already been here too long, and I really don’t like that they know your name, what you look like, and where you work.”

  She didn’t like it either, and that was finally what made up her mind. “Okay, but I’m giving my uncle all your information, and if anything happens to me, I’m gonna haunt your ass until he catches up to you and kills you himself.”

  “Fair enough,” he replied with a half-smile. “Now go call whoever you need to so you can get your shift covered, but make sure they know to get here fast, because we’re not sticking around to wait on them. Pack a bag, and once I’m done in here, I’ll pack mine and we can meet in the lobby.”

  Nodding, she turned to go, pausing to look back at him. “You really should call the police, though. They can identify that finger and hopefully give you some answers about who it belongs to.”

  He froze and leaned in, staring intently at the severed digit. “I don’t need to,” he replied softly, his voice tight with emotion. His eyes were a kaleidoscope of green and yellow when he glanced over at her, and the pain she saw inside them stole her breath. “It’s Justin’s. He had a birthmark in the shape of a star on his right index finger—same as the one on this one.”

  Her heart squeezed as compassion filled her. “I’m so sorry, Colt.”

  Clearing his throat, he shook his head as his hands clenched tightly. “He’s still alive, and that’s what counts. And I’ll make those motherfuckers pay when I find them. Now go do what you need to do so we can get out of here.”

  Nodding, she turned without saying anything else, pulling her phone out of her pocket to call her uncle as she went to her room. She’d really been hoping that his cousin hadn’t been at the hotel at all. Or, if he had been, that one of the Bad Guys had somehow lost a finger and not him.

  She’d never met Justin, and maybe it was because she’d seen how much Colton cared for him and how worried he was, but the thought of him being in so much trouble made her heart hurt. And she hoped that nothing else happened to him before he could be found. It was clear that Colton loved him very much, and she instinctively knew that it would devastate him if he lost him.

  Maybe it was stupid of her, but she wasn’t the least bit afraid of going off with someone she just met. Mostly because it didn’t feel like they’d just met—it felt like she’d known him for years. Besides, the gut that so correctly warned her that the Creepy Dudes were bad news was also telling her Colton was trustworthy, so she was going to roll with it until he proved otherwise to her.

  But she was damned sure going to give Sergei all his info, just in case her gut was wrong this time.

  Colton walked back into the hotel, his gut churning. He had a sick feeling in his stomach the moment he saw the finger, and he’d suspected it was Justin’s. His cousin’s scent had been all over the room, so he’d known as soon as he walked in that he’d been there—even though, for a moment, he tried to convince himself Katia was right that maybe Justin hadn’t been—and there was no way he’d just sit around and allow someone else’s finger to be cut off. But suspecting it was his was absolutely nothing like seeing the birthmark and knowing for sure it whose finger it was.

  He hadn’t wanted to wrap it in colored plastic and throw it in the dumpster either, but he hadn’t known what else to do with it. It made him a little sick to just throw it away, but he couldn’t hold onto it. He just hoped no one found it, and that he’d done a good enough job on the cleanup in the bathroom.

  If the blood or finger were found and then tested, they’d know that Justin was more than human, and he couldn’t let that happen. Shifters kept their existence a closely guarded secret. As far as he knew, his cousin’s prints weren’t in any systems, but he didn’t want to take the chance that the blood could be traced back to him, or that they’d find DNA that shouldn’t exist in it.

  That would put all shifters in danger.

  He couldn’t believe he was even contemplating this shit, and he fucking hated the reason he had to. He’d known something was seriously wrong from the moment Justin disappeared, but seeing his severed finger drove it home with sickening clarity.

  When he found the men who did this, he was going to kill them.

  You kill them, I’ll burn the bodies, and then we’ll dance around their ashes while we celebrate, his dragon rumbled inside him, his voice fierce with the longing to do just that.

  You bet your ass we will, Colton replied, vowing to do everything in his power to make that a reality.

  He wasn’t normally so bloodthirsty, and neither was his dragon. His animal was a gentle giant, despite what he was. But they both had protective streaks a mile wide—which was part of why they wanted to be Enforcers back in the day—and they turned fierce when someone they considered theirs was threatened.

  And that was even more true for Justin, who was like a brother to him, not to mention his best friend. Which was what made his decision to get Katia out of the city instead of immediately trying to track them down the hardest decision he’d ever fucking made.

  His heart literally hurt at the thought of leaving Justin to fend for himself longer, when God only knew what was happening to him, and a heavy knot of dread was coiled tightly in his stomach. But he couldn’t leave Katia in danger, either—and his gut was one hundred percent certain that at least one of those fuckers was nearby, waiting for his opportunity to strike and get rid of the woman who could identify them.

  She was a complete innocent in this, and Colton couldn’t let her be hurt or even killed just for being in the wrong places at the wrong times. All she was guilty of was having two jobs and working too hard, and she didn’t deserve what came from being the unfortunate person to see them twice.

  And whether he wanted to admit it or not, whatever mess Justin was in… well, he chose it. Maybe he didn’t choose to be captured—or whatever the hell happened to land him with those fuckers—or to get his finger cut off, but he got himself into this situation. He’d been up to something for months before he disappeared, and he made a conscious decision to vanish without telling anyone where he was going or what he was doing.

  But that didn’t mean making the decision to get Katia to safety before rescuing Justin from whatever mess he was in—and risking the possibility of losing him forever—wasn’t painful as fuck. Especially knowing he was being hurt and possibly tortured, and that every moment he was with those bastards was another moment when his life could be ending.

  You’re doing the right thing, his dragon said quietly.

  Am I? he asked, clenching his hands tightly into fists. Scratch that. I know I am, and I know I wouldn’t be able to live with myself if something happened to her. Especially since it would be a direct result of me and Justin barging into her life. But not immediately tracking Justin down feels all kinds of wrong, and like a betrayal to the man who’s basically a brother to me.

  You know how much I love Justin. I need to find him as much as you do. But like you said, he got himself into it, and she’s an innocent in all this. Besides, he’s a grown man skilled in fighting, and he’s a shifter on top of that. He stands a better chance against them than she does.

  Exhaling quietly, he nodded, acknowledging that point. You’re right, of course. It’s just a shitty situation all around.

  That it is. His dragon went quiet inside him for a moment. Is that the only reason you don’t want anything to happen to Katia?

  He frowned, something st
irring inside him uneasily. What are you getting at?

  I’m just saying, you’ve never reacted to a woman as strongly as you did to her. Maybe you’re too distracted by everything going on to recognize it, but I can tell how much you like her.

  An image of her sky-blue eyes and pixie face flashed through his mind, and he nodded with a quirk of his lips that quickly faded. You’re right, I do. If I’d met her at any other time, I would have immediately asked her out. As it is, though, I feel guilty for even thinking about anything other than finding Justin right now.

  I don’t think you have anything to feel guilty about. If you were abandoning the search in order to pursue her, that would be one thing, but you’re not. I don’t see anything wrong with getting to know her while she’s with you.

  Nodding slowly, he considered that. Maybe his dragon was right. He didn’t know if he’d ever feel right about enjoying himself—and he couldn’t kid himself that he wouldn’t be doing just that as he got to know her—while his cousin’s life was in jeopardy. But he already knew he wouldn’t be able to pass up the opportunity to get to know her better while he had the chance.

  When he got to his room, he set to work packing his bag. It didn’t take long at all, considering that he hadn’t even had a chance to sleep in the room. He’d gotten there the day before but ended up dozing fitfully in the truck the night before, unable to fall asleep fully while he watched for his cousin—only to have Justin leave when he went in to use the bathroom and get his phone charger.

  But even though he was done quickly, it still felt like it took too long. He’d love nothing more than to run into the soon-to-be-dead fuckers who had Justin, but he didn’t want them anywhere near Katia.

  He might have strong protective instincts, but it was surprising how deeply he felt it for her. He didn’t normally feel it like this for anyone he’d just met—but with her, keeping her safe wasn’t just a want, it was a need.

  It was probably just because the men he was trying to protect her from were the same ones who had Justin, and it was clear at this point how little they cared about hurting someone. But whatever the reasons he felt it so strongly, he’d be damned before he let anything happen to her.

  He was really glad she agreed to come with him with hardly any fuss, because he’d been determined to get her out of there, no matter what. And there was no denying that it made life infinitely easier that she was coming willingly, rather than him forcing her.

  Because as much as he hated the thought of forcing her to do anything, he would have in this case. He’d do anything to keep her safe—and he was going to come back to that and examine why he felt that need so strongly as soon as she was out of immediate danger, and he could spare his thoughts and energy on it.

  Striding into the lobby, he looked around for her, brow furrowing when he didn’t see her right away. He walked a few more steps inside, his frown easing when he saw her head pop up from behind the desk as she straightened.

  Glancing up, she spotted him and smiled, knocking the breath right out of him. Damn, she was so gorgeous. He couldn’t help wishing that they’d met under completely different circumstances, and he made a silent promise that as soon as this was over and Justin was back home where he belonged, he was going to devote the time and energy to getting to know her that she deserved.

  “Are you ready?” he asked, clearing his throat when his voice came out husky.

  She nodded, walking around the counter, and he took her bag out of her hands, motioning for her walk to the door. “Thanks. Yeah, I was just checking you out of your room. I figured you might not be back for a while, and you don’t need a bunch of nights charged to your card when you’re not even staying here.”

  “That was a good idea. Thanks,” he replied absently, running his gaze over her. She’d pulled on a hoodie that was about three sizes too big, and it hung off her small frame. He figured she’d done it so that if the men were still there, it would throw them off and they wouldn’t recognize her.

  Maybe it would be enough to fool them, but Colton thought he’d recognize her anywhere—but that was probably just him. The awareness he felt when she was nearby was incredible.

  He stopped by the door, watching as she pulled the hood over her head. “Putting that on is a great idea, but I’m still going to get my truck and drive it up to the door. Hop in as soon as I come to a stop, but don’t pull the hood off until we’re well on the way, okay?”

  She nodded, her sky-blue eyes serious, and he put both bags in one hand as he pulled out his keys. Walking swiftly to his truck, he put them in the backseat and got in, wincing at the loud growl of the exhaust as he started the engine. He loved the way his truck looked and sounded, and he’d put a lot of time, effort, and money into getting it just how he wanted it, but that and the lift kit he’d had put on made it a little hard to blend in.

  He never had any clue he’d need to though, and sure as fuck not for this reason.

  As soon as the truck came to a stop, Katia climbed in, pulling off her backpack before buckling her seatbelt. He was moving before she even had it fastened, brow twitching as he realized he didn’t have any idea where to go next, other than getting her away from the hotel and out of the city entirely.

  He turned toward the interstate, thinking he’d figure out where they were going once he’d put some distance between themselves and the men who’d be looking for her. He really did believe that they’d most likely come back for her at some point—or hell, maybe they never even went far from the hotel at all and were waiting for her to leave so they could follow her home.

  As he drove, his mind raced as he tried to figure out what the hell was going on. What could Justin have gotten mixed up in that caused him to lose a finger? Try as he might, he couldn’t figure it out.

  Yeah, there’d been something up with him for the last few months before he disappeared, but whatever it was, he’d been excited about it. How’d he go from being happy and excited to being held captive and tortured?

  Once they were on the interstate, Katia pulled her hood off and reached into her backpack, pulling out a sketchpad and pencils. He glanced over as she pulled a leg up on the seat and opened the pad, flipping quickly through the pages until she found a blank one.

  “You draw?” he asked, wishing he’d gotten a better look at her work.

  “Yeah. I’ve always loved it, and one of the classes I take at night school is an art class.”

  “Is that what you’re going to school for?”

  She laughed, the sound light and wistful at the same time. “I wish. If there was a way to make a living off it, I’d do it in a heartbeat. I’m an advertising major, but I’m hoping I get to use my art in campaigns once I have a job in that field.”

  He glanced over at her, watching as her pencil flew across the page before looking back at the road. “How long have you been working two jobs and going to school?”

  “I’ve been working at the diner since I was seventeen, and I started at the hotel after I graduated high school. I didn’t start taking classes until I was twenty, though. I wanted to try to save up some money to pay for it first. I’ve been in school for six years now, because I can’t take nearly as many classes as a full-time student, but I only have eight months left.”

  Eyebrows raising, he slanted another glance at her. “That’s impressive. How’d you come to live at the hotel?”

  Her hand stilled as she looked over at him with a wry smile. “My uncle Sergei owns it. He wanted to pay for my tuition and get me an apartment, but I was stubborn and wanted to do it on my own. I took jobs at his diner and hotel instead, and insisted he take a portion of my paycheck to cover the room. He doesn’t charge me nearly as much as he should, but it was a decent compromise between what we both wanted.”

  “What about your parents? They didn’t offer to help?”

  “I never knew my dad, and my mom skipped out when I was ten. She calls Sergei every now and then, so I know she’s alive, but I never have any inter
est in talking to her. He raised me after she left, and he did a damn good job of it. Better than she ever did. But he didn’t ask for any of that, and he didn’t have to step up like he did. I felt like I owed him. I still do, honestly, and I don’t want to take anything more from him.”

  Compassion and admiration welled up inside him. She’d been dealt a rough hand at a young age, but she hadn’t let it slow her down. She was working hard to fight for her dreams, and she wanted to do it all by herself, with help from no one.

  “Your uncle sounds like a good man.”

  “He’s the best,” she replied with a soft smile. “Although I’m starting to think I listened to his stories about the mafia in his homeland a little too often.”

  “Is that where your Russian mafia comment came from?”

  She shrugged wryly as she laughed. “Yeah. I grew up listening to those stories. Even before my mom flaked, I was with Sergei more than her. He’s her brother, and he swore their family in the homeland is the mob. I enjoyed listening because I loved his accent and the stories are always entertaining.

  “It was a combination of those stories and the mystery and suspense novels I read that made me think the guys in the diner were the Russian mafia. I told myself it was stupid, but my gut said they were creepy and Bad Guys, and I couldn’t make myself shake the thought.”

  Arching an eyebrow, he glanced over at where she was still sketching away. “Why do I get the impression that you just capitalized bad guys like it’s an official title?”

  Katia laughed again, the light sound sheepish. “Because I do in my head. That and Creepy Dudes. It’s weird, I know, but I feel like they deserve it as a title.”

  Colton chuckled as they fell quiet, and he concentrated on driving while she went back to her drawing. Not only was she beautiful, but he found himself drawn to her personality. She was charming and funny, and she was strong as hell.