The woman didn't stop. She ran from one charity board meeting to another, then did her father's accounting. After that, she'd head out with friends occasionally, sometimes meeting with clients or other people she needed to impress. It seemed she needed an entire damn team of bodyguards to keep pace with her, as Thian was getting winded just from the whiplash of marking off her movements.
The Mayor had approved of it, though. He didn't care as much for his own safety, as long as Adele was kept sheltered. Did he realize the damn woman was headstrong and impossible? Really, Thian felt dealing with her deserved hazard pay. More than once, she'd come damn close to kicking him in the balls as he'd carted her over his shoulder to put her back in a safe place where he could keep an eye on her.
She hated keeping the curtains closed. She liked to stand in front of the windows whenever possible. Claimed the natural light was 'good' for her and he should try it sometime. Every time he turned around, she was off talking to someone else he didn't know and she hadn't vouched for. He had scratches on his lower back, and at least one bite mark on his ass cheek where she'd sunk her teeth in after he'd removed her from the sun-room that had 360 degree open-access windows.
He'd finally settled down to rest for the night after seeing her safely upstairs when he heard her door clicking open once more. She probably thought he couldn't hear it, as he was downstairs and most normal people would be none the wiser. He was thanking his lucky stars for his enhanced hearing at this point. Otherwise, he'd have no goddamn idea what she was up to half the time.
Scowling, he stood, moving into the shadows by the stairway as he watched her tiptoe down the steps, glancing around as if looking for him before she headed for the back door off of the kitchen. Slung over her arm was a towel, and she was dressed in a bathing suit. She was headed for the fucking pool.
Did the female listen to a damn thing he'd said?
Biting his tongue to avoid tearing into her for her foolishness, he followed her silently, keeping his senses alert. He could still scent the shifters, the tracks fresher now. They'd been here again recently, within the last few days. He didn't know what they were looking for, but it was now clear that the Mayor had gotten himself into some shit he couldn't easily extradite himself from. The woman was playing with her goddamn life.
He could take on a few, if necessary, in an ambush attack, but if more were lurking in the darkness, he doubted he'd be able to handle them all. She didn't know what was after them wasn't human, but shit, a bullet at this range would be even easier. Whether the enemy happened to be a human or a shifter, she was still a sitting duck as she walked from the main house to the pool.
Once she was safely in the pool house, he felt some of the tension relax from his shoulders. He could protect her better in an enclosed space, at the very least. Stubborn, fool-headed female. Slipping inside soundlessly, he watched as she sat the towel aside before she stepped into the pool. He shouldn't be in here. He knew that, yet he couldn't force himself to leave. Watching as she swam her laps, the way the water glistened on her skin... it was too much, and not enough.
He felt dirty, hiding in the corner, watching her. He figured he had a choice... head outside to cool down, or alert her to his presence now, before he felt too goddamn gross. He wasn't willing to leave her alone, so outing himself was the best option. Standing in the darkness, he spoke, knowing she wouldn't be able to pinpoint his location easily, as the pool house echoed. “Nice night for a swim, Princess.”
Her tiny squeal and muttered oath would have been humorous had the situation not had him so pissed off. Stepping into the light, he crossed his arms over his chest, staring down at her. She at least had the decency to look ashamed that she'd been caught for a moment, before the familiar fire and vinegar look entered her expression.
“It is, I thought so myself. Seeing as how I'm on my own property and a grown ass woman, I figured... you know what would be nice? A swim. So I got myself dressed, and what do you know, I was able to walk myself out and take a swim. Funny how that works.”
She was going to be the death of him. Between her smart mouth and her looks, he wasn't sure which part of her beguiled him more. Shame that he didn't have time to enjoy the way she fought him, as it literally could be life or death.
“You don't seem to understand why I'm here, Princess, so let me make this absolutely clear. Someone has threatened your life. Now, you may not think that warrants much attention, but I'm being paid to keep your smart ass alive. If you die, I don't get paid, understood?”
She didn't need to know the Club had already gotten paid for his services. It served to further drive home the importance of his job here if she thought his pay depended on keeping her safe. Narrowing his eyes, he continued, keeping their gazes locked so she could see the anger in his eyes.
“I suggest you start taking this seriously. Anyone could have shot you coming from the house to the pool. They could have snatched you and no one would have heard you scream. It was sheer goddamn luck that I was still awake and heard you on the stairs. Do you really want to test this?”
As her expression changed, he realized she hadn't known the whole story. Sighing heavily, he sat down on the edge of one of the pool chairs. Leave it to the Mayor to not fucking tell his daughter how much danger she was in and expect Thian to simply anticipate her moves and deal with them accordingly. Whether it was his shitty way of protecting her or not, he'd caused more harm than good.
No wonder she'd been acting as if this was a game... she thought it was. Adele didn't realize the threats were serious, as her father must have downplayed them. Maybe he hadn't even told her some of them had been directed towards her. She was a sitting duck, walking out of the house blind. Fucking idiot.
“He didn't tell you, did he?”
At the slow shake of her head, he let out a low curse. Thian wasn't sure how much to tell her, but something had to be done now. He'd already let enough slip that she'd be asking questions. That, and she had to know more if he was going to keep her safe. He couldn't do it alone, he needed her to actually help in her own safety. This running after her constantly crap was exhausting.
“Your father is facing some shit at work due to the recent disappearances. There have been threats made. Some have been against him, but others have been against you. For him to feel the way the parents are feeling right now, by going through what they are. Obviously, they were taken seriously enough to have me brought in. I'm not a regular bodyguard, Princess. I'm the last resort. For him to have called me in? Shit's gotten serious, and you need to take it as such.”
It didn't make sense, even to him. Why not bring in law enforcement? Regular security? Nah, this entire situation stank. The only thing he could figure was that the Mayor was dirty and didn't want normal channels involved. How dirty, though? There was low-stakes dirty, and there was 'behind all of this shit' dirty. That's what he needed to figure out.
In the meantime, his job was to protect Adele. He didn't really give a shit about the Mayor. If he'd gotten ensnared with rogue packs and had anything to do with the disappearances of females in the area, Thian had no pity for him. He'd dug his own grave. Let him suffocate in it.
Adele, however... if she'd truly had nothing to do with it, if she didn't know what her father was up to, then she was an innocent bystander. She didn't deserve to go down with him. He just didn't know how to prove that she was clean.
The biggest issue? He wasn't sure if his need to protect her, to prove that she had nothing to do with the situation was coming from instinct, from being able to take a read of the situation, or from the cat screaming in his head that she was his mate and couldn't possibly be involved in something so heinous. It was absurd. They'd had things happen before where mates had gotten embroiled in bad shit. It wasn't unheard of.
Still, his cat and heart screamed at him that it couldn't be Adele. She was too kind, too pure-hearted. She couldn't know what her father was up to, he had to be doing it behind her back. Otherwise, she'd have
said something before now.
Was he compromised?
If he was, could he still do this job? If it ended up that Adele was involved, what would he do then? Could he accept that and deal with the consequences of losing the mate he'd just found, or would he break his own vows to the Club to protect her against his better judgment? Truthfully, he didn't know.
That knowledge scared him most of all.
Chapter Seven
Thian felt itchy and claustrophobic. Adele had slapped at his hands multiple times, admonishing him to stop fussing with himself. The tailored suit she'd forced him into was uncomfortable and made him feel like a goddamn puppet on a string, simply there for everyone else's amusement. He'd attempted to make the case that his leathers were far more intimidating, and she'd vetoed that immediately. He was, under no circumstances, showing up at a fancy charity event looking like a slob. Her words.
So, for her, he'd put on this damn clown suit. He looked utterly out of place, no matter how she'd dressed him up. He figured he'd done his duty by wearing the clothes. Anything else couldn't be helped. He didn't belong in polite upper class society. Putting nice clothes on him wouldn't change that.
He kept close to her as she flitted from one small group to another, the highlight of the party. He envied her that, the way she managed to converse with everyone as if they were her best friend. He'd never been one for small talk, he found it grating and tiresome. She'd made a career out of it, and she was damn good at it.
Adele lit up the room, and people genuinely seemed happy to see her. Every time she stopped by a new group, they welcomed her into the conversation like an old friend, even if she'd already told him they were new attendees. He didn't know how the hell she did it and made working the room seem like it was so damn natural.
In the white toga-style dress she wore, she was a vision, truly one of the most stunning women there. He couldn't take his eyes off of her, though whether she actually was the most beautiful woman there or it was simply in the eye of the beholder, he couldn't say.
Every time a male got too close, a hand cupping her elbow or waist, his cat inwardly growled, leaving Thian feeling entirely out of sorts as the evening dragged on. He had no claim to her. He had to frequently remind himself of that, even when every part of him wanted to rectify it immediately.
He didn't have time for a mate. Especially not one potentially embroiled in the kidnapping and sale of fellow shifters. She was a complication he didn't need, a distraction he couldn't allow. Even as he argued mentally with his cat, he could almost visualize the bared teeth in return. Clearly, logic and sanity were lost on his cat. He had no idea how some managed to find companionship with the furry assholes.
A band played music quietly at one end of the ballroom, while the floor in front of them had been reserved for those who wanted to dance. On the other end, a small raised dais had been set up, where speeches and raffles could be done when the time came. Circular tables filled the middle section where dinner would be served by men and women in the usual penguin suits.
All in all, it was meant to be a classy affair, showing off the money and wealth of those invited, making them feel obligated to donate to the charities the night was funding. He had to admit, the subtle shaming was brilliant, as he'd noticed more than one person head to the donation box after they'd glanced around and spotted the set up. Still more went over after a few drinks from the open bar. Another of Adele's ideas. He wondered how many would have donor's regret in the morning after the hangover wore off.
When dinner was served, he stood against the wall, watching the crowd silently. He'd noticed the regular hired security giving him a wide berth, occasionally with nasty looks as well. That was alright, he didn't mind. He was well aware he was stepping on toes. He just didn't much give a damn. He'd been hired for one person, not the entire damn place. They had too much going on to be able to give attention to an individual person, which meant they couldn't protect her.
He wasn't taking anything from their jobs, or sucking from their paychecks. They could glare at him all they wanted, he wasn't budging from his spot until Adele moved. He didn't even really care where the Mayor was, truthfully. He'd been originally brought on to handle both of their protection details, but the Mayor had switched it to focus more on his daughter once they'd realized she wouldn't stay put for safekeeping.
Thian was absolutely fine with that. He kept an eye on the Mayor as well, of course, but not as close as he normally would have. He knew no one could get a gun in the place, so that particular worry was calmed. A knife would be easier if they'd come in as part of the catering crew. They could always approach in animal form, which would make for a surprise and cause pandemonium. It would definitely give them the time to pick off who they wanted in the ensuing chaos.
Still, he didn't anticipate the rogue pack would show themselves inside the building tonight. If it was him, he'd be laying in wait at the residence, when they'd be relaxed and were coming home tipsy and tired. Their guard would be down, they'd have let themselves believe the night was over and the danger had passed. There'd be no hired security, no eyewitnesses to raise the alarm. It would be the best time to strike, if the pack was smart.
As the night wore on, the raffles were awarded, drinks were flowing more freely, and people were dancing to the music that had gotten increasingly louder. Adele had dragged him onto the dance floor despite his steadfast resistance and learned he had lead feet. He'd tried, at least, but even though she'd attempted to lead him in some easy dance moves, he just wasn't a dancer. The amusement shining on her face made his embarrassment worth it, however, so he persisted in spite of himself. For her smiles? He'd gladly look like a fool.
Sometime around midnight, he caught a scent that caused him to pause. It couldn't be... they wouldn't have dared to come into the event, would they? He'd anticipated having problems outside, or once they'd gotten home. He'd never expected the pack themselves might infiltrate the Starlight itself. Apparently, they were more brazen than he'd thought.
He didn't want to leave Adele's side, but he couldn't adequately protect her without knowing where the threat was coming from. Pulling her aside, he explained quickly that he'd thought he'd seen something suspicious and to stay visible and near the rest of the board members, before he slipped away. Turning back, he was pleased to see she'd moved over towards the rest of her coworkers, worried face glancing his way. For once, the woman had listened. Thank fuck.
With any luck, he'd be able to quickly get a few visuals of the shifters he was searching for. Maybe he'd recognize some of them. Shifters were a rare breed. Most humans were unaware they lived and worked alongside people that could shift into animals. It was safer that way, kept them protected. The few times humans had been aware of 'others' in their midst, it hadn't gone well for the 'others'.
Due to that, most shifters were aware of each other, if they didn't outright know each other from run-ins they'd had. It paid to keep track of who was sniffing around in your territory, who'd set up camps in the area. Especially for a Club like theirs... you needed to know if someone was poaching on your suppliers, your sales. If someone was running shit you didn't tolerate in your backyard. Who ran with who, who didn't fuck with which clubs. Knowing could save lives.
Scouting along the edge of the crowds, he traced the overlapping scents of humans and animals. He found several of the shifters he'd tracked at the house, so he knew he was on the right path. Somehow, some way, the Mayor had gotten tangled up in whatever the shifters were doing with the missing women.
Knox had confirmed the dates last night by text. The payments in the ledger Thian had found had come every morning after one of the women had gone missing. He was being paid off to either allow it, or to look the other way and ignore it. Now? The shifters were here, and Thian didn't think it was to celebrate Adele's sponsorship.
At least four shifters that he could scent had been in the main ballroom at one time, just a little bit ago. Two had branched towards a smal
ler room off of the larger ballroom. The other two headed deeper into the maze of hallways that made up the Square.
Since the two inside the Square weren't headed back towards the ballroom where Adele was, he ignored them for now, instead heading towards the smaller room. Hearing hushed voices, he froze just outside of it, recognizing the Mayor's strident tone as one of them.
“Look ... it's gone too far now. They're threatening my daughter. I didn't realize when I agreed to this that she'd be in danger. I don't know what you are up to, and I still don't want to know, but if I'm putting Adele in danger, then I want to know the benefits are worth it.”
Another voice answered, lower, edged with amusement. “Are you truly attempting to blackmail us, Mayor? Do you understand the perilous position you find yourself in? You've already passed ordinances that benefit us. We've paid you handsomely for that. You know damn well who we are and what we do, you're just pretending you don't so you can walk away clean. You knew getting into this that we weren't the type of men you make deals with.”
Thian's hackles rose. The Mayor seemed to be insinuating that if Adele's life was at risk, he wanted to be paid more. Not that he wanted to call off whatever deal they'd made together, just that he wanted more money.
More money... for the potential cost of his daughter's life. As if she meant nothing to him but a bigger payday. Like the risk was worth the benefits if they'd simply up the cost of the deal. If Thian didn't need to keep a low fucking profile, he'd slaughter the asshole himself.
Clenching his hands into fists at his side, it took everything he had not to push the door open and stride in, announcing his presence by curling those hands around the Mayor's throat and tightening until his eyes bulged.
The Mayor stuttered slightly, attempting to walk back what he'd said, before it seemed like his resolve stiffened. “If you can't find a way to make a further relationship worth my while, then I will take my business elsewhere, and stop hindering investigations into the disappearances. Surely your bosses don't want that to happen.”
Wayward Son (The Wayward Trilogy Book 1) Page 4
