“They’re all right where they are. And before you let that beast of yours go, you should know that each of the men behind me have silver in their rifles. And they will not hesitate to use them.” The man sat down on the couch and pointed to the chairs across from him. “This will go so much better if you cooperate, Dr. Robinson.”
Thatcher sat, but he wasn’t happy about it. “I’m assuming that you know that Rogen is in the hospital. What you might not know or care about is that she’s my mate.” That surprised the man, but if Thatcher hadn’t been looking right at him, he would have missed it. Glancing out the window, he saw something that the man might not be aware of. “If your men do not let my brothers go, then you’ll leave me no choice but to protect what is mine.”
“You think so, do you?”
The breaking of glass and screams was heard a split second later. The man, now with a large wolf at his throat, was down on the couch and his men were all down as well, each of them with a large pissed off tiger on their chest.
“While I’m sure that it will take some effort on their part, I’m positive that those cats can tear though their body armor in seconds. And they will tear their throats out with only a small signal from me. Also, the wolves have been joined by my leap, sir, and you’ll give me answers or I’ll have you in a pit so deep that you’ll never see the light of day again.”
“I had to see. If you could protect her on your own. I should have— Christ, he’s cutting into my neck.” Thatcher didn’t ask Shane to let him go; he still had no answers. “I didn’t know that she was your mate. If I had, I might—I would have done this differently. Can I be released now?”
“Not just yet. Who are you?” Agent Donaldson had bitten off a bit more than he could chew, it seemed. “And my mate, she works for you?”
“I’m her direct contact. She actually works for you and everyone else in the United States. If you’d allow me to get up, I can show you a few things.” Thatcher said that if he reached for a gun, he was personally going to rip his arm off. “You’re very violent, aren’t you? I have to say; you and Rogen will get along splendidly. By the way, you will see more staff at the hospital. They’re there for her protection as well as yours. Rogen Hall is very important to a great many people. And when she came up missing, it took us several days to find her.”
“We didn’t think it would be good for her or her brother to put out there where she was. But the paper put out an article before I could ask them not to.” Agent Donaldson sat up and reached very slowly into his jacket pocket. “Just so we’re clear on something. You come back here like this again, and I won’t wait for the wolf pack to come and distract you. I will kill you. Simple as that.”
“I was wrong about you. I know you and Rogen will get along just fine. She’s a lot like you. Strong, pig headed. A little on the scary side.” He handed him a thumb drive. “That’s the aero shot of what happened that day, if you’d like to see it. When I did, I was first sickened at her pain, and then pissed at her stupidity. But she saved them all, as you know, at the risk of getting herself killed. And you will want the pack leader to know that a man is out to kill his pack, one family at a time. Here is the plate number that we took off of Rogen’s cell phone that morning.”
“And you want me to put this in one of those computers in there, like there might not be a virus on them.” He said that he’d have to learn to trust him sooner or later. “I don’t right now. And that’s the point, I think. I don’t know you from anyone.”
Thatcher’s cell phone rang, along with all his brothers’ phones that were scattered all around the floor. He didn’t know what was going on, but he thought that the man in front of him had a great deal to do with it. When Donaldson suggested that he answer it, Thatcher did.
“Hello, Thatcher. My name is Winnie James. Mr. Donaldson works directly with me and the president. If you would be so kind as to do as he asks, I won’t have to send in the bigger boys to make you. I’ve had a really long day, and as you can imagine, you’re fucking with my day even more.” Thatcher laughed. “Yes, well, you won’t think I’m so funny if I have to come there, sir.”
“Did you catch that Rogen is my mate?” She asked him to hang on, and that’s when Donaldson’s phone rang. “I don’t think she’s going to be any happier with you than she is me at the moment.”
Thatcher could hear the woman talking to Donaldson. She wasn’t loud, but she was pissed off. And about every other word that came out of her mouth was a four letter or more word that didn’t bode well for the man. When he put the phone down, he handed him the thumb drive.
“Thatcher, could you pretty please with sugar on top put the thumb drive in?”
Thatcher laughed and could hear his brothers doing the same thing. It wasn’t until he stood up that the men on the floor were released. Taking the drive into the large room, he pushed it into one of the computers. It was Rogen, running in a bright green running suit and reflective shoes.
“As you can see, we know where she is at all times. This is routine for her, an early morning run. I can’t get her to stop it, or at least go at a different time; she refuses. Something about waking the sun up.” Thatcher looked at the man as Rogen, the one he’d never seen before, ran down the darkened street. “I suppose you understand.”
“Yes. She likes the time between the darkness and the sun rising. I don’t run, but I do watch it come up, cresting over the hill wherever I am.” He looked back at the screen. “You have a camera on her at all times? Isn’t that sort of routine for you as well?”
“I suppose. Next, you’ll see the car go by. She might not know the family, but I went back and looked. She sees them just about in this same spot every day through the week. Waving at the young man in the back seat.” He told him his name. “We knew the family only by this, but we know them all now. You can see the accident occur, but not well. We were looking at her, not the car.”
He saw it then. The smoke, the skidding car, and the other one racing off. Donaldson asked him if he knew the car. Thatcher said that he didn’t, but he might know the person if he could see him.
“You can’t. We tried to get a better shot of him, but he’s very clever. He’s the one that caused the initial accident. Watch her come up on the scene.”
The video came into crystal clear focus, like he was right there with her. Rogen ran to the car, and he could see how she got the husband out, then the wife. The point where she messaged herself the plate number. All the time she worked, Thatcher could see every pain that she had each time she was burnt again. The babies were taken out one at a time, their little bodies clinging to Rogen’s. Thatcher could almost hear them screaming, their cries breaking the morning quietness. Then when the car came back, throwing what looked like a Molotov cocktail into the burning car, Thatcher wanted to go there and grab her when she started flying backward with Levi in her arms.
“She literally did save their lives. Do you think the would-be killer would have known she was there?” Donaldson said that he didn’t think so but wasn’t going to take any chances. “Neither will I.”
“We’re playing right now on the assumption that he wanted the pack member dead, as well as his family. Since we can’t ask the ‘would-be killer,’ as you called him, yet, we have to be careful who knows the entire story here.” Thatcher asked him why the papers put out that she was a hero. “Yes, but that’s all they know. If you’ll notice, the paper doesn’t say that she lives in this town. Nor that she has any family members. She was just a person, Rogen Hall, that was out for a run and happened upon them. Basically, this is true, but we don’t want anyone to come for her.”
“Her parents.” Donaldson asked him how he knew about him. “Rogen’s brother. Jamie. I talked to him. He’s terrified of his parents that may or may not be coming for them. His words, they don’t like him.”
“Wait. Rogen has a brother?”
Chapter 3
Rogen was sure that she was dead. All she could see was white. And she
felt odd, like there was something moving over her skin. When a pair of clean white tennis shoes were in her vision, she listened while the man talked, presumably to himself.
“Why they have to do this today is beyond me. Stupid asses. I would like for someone to say, just once ‘Hey Dawson, thanks for doing a good job. Would you mind going in to help your brother out? He seems to have disappeared off the face of the fucking earth.’ I know just where he is, and I’m going to—”
“I don’t think I’m dead, am I? I mean, hell might sound like this, but I don’t think I’ve been that bad. And angels would not, I don’t believe, curse like that. Do you think?” The shoes jumped out of her vision and she waited. “I don’t know who you are, Dawson, but I thank you for doing a good job. Unless you’re here trying to kill me; then, sorry, no kudos from me.”
His face suddenly appeared in front of her face. He was bent at such an odd angle that she was reasonably sure that he was very tall. Dawson had a smile that would win him any argument, she thought, and never leave him without a bed partner.
“No, not trying to kill you, my dear. But to keep someone from giving you too much in the way of fluids. You’re supposed to be getting off them a little at a time. I’m Dawson Robinson. Doctor. But you can call me Dawson.”
“Rogen Hall. Where am I?” He told her she was in the burn unit of the local hospital. “Burn unit? Oh, the family. Are they all right? Did anyone get them help? I’m so very sorry that the little boy was burnt, but I did try my best to—”
What’s the matter? She looked at Dawson and realized that it wasn’t him that was talking to her. Rogen, I’m in a meeting about you and your job. Can you tell me if you’re all right?
“Hmm. Dawson, there’s a man talking to me in my head. Perhaps I did die?” Dawson laughed and said it was Thatcher. “And this Thatcher person, does he go around talking to strangers?”
“No. Normally, no. But he did make it so you could talk to him. He’s talking to me now and would very much like for you to answer him.” She asked him how she was to do that. “Just think of...no, that won’t work. Just think of answering him and you can. Just think up your answer and he’ll hear it.” Well, she had a few things to say to this Thatcher person. And damn it, she was going to.
Who are you, and what the hell does your brother mean, you “fixed it so I could talk to you”? You fucking bastard, if you’ve planted something in my head or my ear, so help me, I’ll find you. And you can go to the bank on that. His laughter caught her off guard in her rant. It was just too sexy and nice. Who the fuck are you?
Thatcher Robinson. Dawson, who you’ve met, is my brother. We’re both doctors. You are my patient, and since I couldn’t be there to check up on your dosage of fluids, he said he’d do it for me. She told Thatcher that he should thank his brother more often. I do. I think he’s talking about the head of the hospital. He’s a mean prick that has risen above his level of competency.
Rogen thought of the people she knew who had done that. Risen up into a position of authority but didn’t have the first clue on what they were doing. Other than pissing people off and fucking up her day.
Those people that were in the car. Did they all get well? I mean, the man was shot, and the little boy was hurt badly when I was too long in getting him out of the car. He didn’t say anything. Then it occurred to her what he’d said he was doing. You said you were in a meeting about me. Why?
I’ve come in contact with your boss, Donaldson. There’s another shit head that has gone above his level of competency. Anyway, he was getting a hard time from me—not that he didn’t deserve it—but then Winnie James stepped in. She’s scary, isn’t she? Rogen told Thatcher that she’d trained Winnie. I can see that, I suppose. You’re supposed to be very scary too, aren’t you? And you do a hell of a job for the country.
She felt her body flush with embarrassment. Rogen didn’t do well with praise. She supposed it was because she seldom received it and had no idea how to react. And most of the time, if not always, it wasn’t sincere, just something that was said to someone. But this man, for some reason, made her feel like he meant it. Every word.
I would like to get out of this contraption. Is that even remotely possible? And I have a brother, Jamie. I have to see to him. He told her that Jamie was with his parents, learning how to cook, and the contraption would have to wait until she saw him again. And if I just leave? What will you do then, Mr. Bigshot Doctor?
Well, I’d like to think that you’re a reasonable person, and will wait until you’re released so as you don’t get an infection in those burns. She’d forgotten about the burns. The pain of them. Her heart started to race—her breathing wasn’t right. It wasn’t until she was ready to pass out that she heard the voice in her head and the one in front of her. Just calm down. Breathe. Or Dawson is going to have a heart attack. Breath for me, Rogen. Close your eyes and think of a place that calms you.
The first thing that popped into her head was a big bed, silky sheets, and a man that filled the bed up, and her. When she heard his sexy laughter again, she thought of other things. This man tied up, his arms and legs spread out so that— She could almost see him naked, his body hard for her.
You have to stop that, love, or I’m not going to be able to leave this meeting without a large box in front of my cock. Embarrassed again, she didn’t want to talk to him. I’ll be there soon. I think they’ve told me about all they’re going to. And I suppose, if you’re willing, you can give me the rest. Are you all right?
Yes. Why wouldn’t I be? And that wasn’t you I was thinking of. It was someone else. From a long time ago. Not you. He told her that she was still a virgin. How do you know what I am?
I could taste it. She had no idea what to say to that, so didn’t comment. I’ll be there in about a half hour. Talk to Dawson, love. He has all the information you might need on the family. But trust me, you saved their lives, and the entire pack is grateful to you.
“Thatcher said that I should talk to you.” He raised her up by pushing a button, putting her face level with his after he sat down. “What is this thing? Some sort of rotating bed?”
“Something like that. Since you can’t be rolled to your back because of the burns, we have you on this rotating bed that can flip you over or stand you up, like you are now, to keep the blood circulating. If you notice, your feet are on a platform so that you can stand and get blood to your feet and legs.” She thanked him. “No problem. What else did you want to know? And whatever you ask me, you must know that I cannot lie to you. Not even a white lie. All right?”
“Why? Why is it that you can’t lie to me?” He looked away, then back at her. “This is something that your brother has to tell me, correct?”
“Yes and no. I can tell you that he’s healed you. And since I’m sure you’re aware of what a shifter is, I’ll tell you that we’re all cats. Tigers, as a matter of fact.”
She nodded, then got what he was telling her. “Oh no. No, no, no, no. I am not his mate.” Dawson laughed and said that she was brilliant. “Brilliant or not, I am not going to be a slave to any man. And I won’t be sending my brother away, nor will I quit my job to wait on his fucking ass hand and foot. He’s in for a huge awakening if he thinks I’m a pushover.”
“I don’t think anyone would ever think that you’re a pushover, Rogen.” She told him she was sorry. “No reason to be sorry. I like you. And your brother. I’ve talked to Jamie. He’s a nice young man, by the way, and is very happy that you’re going to be all right. He told me about your experiences with shifters—the neighbors of yours. We’re not like that. First of all, Mom would beat us to death, literally. And second, you would too. And to be honest with you, Rogen, I’m terrified of both of you.”
“I’m not much of a fighter, Dawson.” Something moved over her, and she closed her eyes. There it was. A tiger. Opening her eyes, she looked at Dawson. “I’m a cat. That’s how I survived this, isn’t it? That man, Thatcher, he changed me to keep me in line.
I won’t have it—”
“My parents changed you. Out there on the road before anyone knew what you were to Thatcher. And while I like you, Rogen, very much, you really need to take it down a few notches. No one is out to get you. There is not one person in our family that will harm you. And most of all, Thatcher is the nicest and most generous person I know.” He stood up. “If you would just get that chip off your shoulder for one moment, you’d realized that the only reason that you’re alive and healed, for the most part, is because my family stepped in and saved you.”
Rogen started crying. She wasn’t normally this emotional all the time, but the last few...well, she had no idea how long it had been. But she rarely cried, and she wasn’t snippy. She’d have to apologize to a great many people if she kept this up. And when a man came in, she knew that he had to be Thatcher.
“I’m sorry that Dawson upset you.” She said that he hadn’t. Just told the truth. “Yes, well, he can be too blunt at times. How are you feeling?”
“Emotionally drained. I think I insulted your entire lineage. Not to mention upset your brother and a nurse from last night. She startled me, and I had no idea where I was.” He sat down. “Am I to assume that you’re the famed Thatcher Robinson, my mate?”
“Your temper is showing again. And yes, to both. Do you have a problem with being my mate, or is it just me?” She told him both. “So, you don’t have a problem with me, just with being a mate to anyone in general.”
“I know that Dawson, who looks a great deal like you, by the way, he said that I’d been wrong about mates. But I saw it firsthand what being a slave to someone is like.” He asked her if she wanted to get out of her contraption now. “Don’t do that. Don’t fob me off like a child when you don’t think I can handle the answer.”
“I’m not. I’m simply asking you if you’d like to stand on your own two feet. Dawson said that you were doing well enough, he thought, and when I came in, I saw that you’re nearly healed. Would you like to get out of the bed?” She nodded, not sure at all what was wrong with her. Thatcher moved behind her and she could feel him working on something that was holding her. “You know you’re a cat, but I would suggest you hold off for at least two days before shifting. You’re very weak, and she will be as well.”
Thatcher: Robinson Destruction – Paranormal Tiger Shifter Romance Page 3
