by Lynn Hagen
“Where are you?” Sal said as soon as he answered. Renny heard the worry in Sal’s tone, but also anger.
“An old shoe factory about ten miles from Maple Grove.” Something settled inside Renny at the sound of Sal’s voice. He’d been gone only a few hours, yet he missed his mate fiercely. “I’m sorry for taking off.”
“Then why did you?” It sounded as though Sal was running.
“I thought that if I told you I was going to look for my brother that you’d stop me.”
“But you didn’t bother to find out.” A door slammed. What was Sal doing?
“I couldn’t take the chance that you’d make me stay put,” Renny said. “I can’t let Roberto face Molimo alone. He called me while you were in the shower.” Renny told Sal about his conversation with Roberto. “He needs me.”
“That doesn’t make you taking off any better,” Sal argued. “What if you find Roberto and Molimo is there? Then what? What could you do to save him? Your heart is in the right place, but you could’ve been killed.”
Renny heard the anguish in Sal’s voice, which made his guilt multiply. His mate was right. Even if Renny had found Roberto, he was no match for a demon. But the grief in Renny’s heart for what might happen to Roberto had driven him out the door, had made him steal Sal’s truck, and had him driving around looking for his lifetime hero.
Even if he’d just found out that his hero was tarnished. That didn’t matter to Renny. Roberto could have his flaws, just as long as he didn’t die at Molimo’s hands.
“A group of guys just picked me up,” Sal said. “You stay put, you hear me? I’m on my way, and we’ll search for Roberto together.”
“A group of guys?” Renny asked. “Could you sound any more cryptic?”
“One of them is an old friend of mine,” Sal said. “I’ll save the introductions for when I have you safely tucked in my arms.”
It seemed Sal was turning out to be Renny’s hero, as well. Even despite the fact that Renny hadn’t given Sal the benefit of doubt. “I’m in the parking lot,” he said. But did Renny really need some knight in shining armor to save him? Couldn’t he be the hero Roberto needed?
“Stay in the truck,” Sal warned. “Don’t you dare go inside. The men I’m with can handle the situation, Renny. It’s what they do.”
Renny sank low when he spotted a guy coming out of the back door. Although the truck was still running, he was glad he’d already doused the headlights. Would the stranger see the exhaust coming from the tailpipe? It was cold enough that the vapors would be visible.
Renny bit his lip and waited for what felt like forever before he eased up and looked over the dashboard. The guy was gone.
This had to be the right place. Who else would be here? Now all he had to do was devise a plan to rescue Roberto.
Renny jerked and gave a small shout when someone knocked on the driver’s door window. He looked up and saw it was the same guy who’d just been at the back door. The guy was good-looking, in a thuggish sort of way. His dark hair was in a ponytail, and he wore jeans and a sweater. No coat. His dark eyes seemed to bore right into Renny as he continued to stare at him through the glass.
“What’s wrong?” Sal asked.
“I think I’m busted,” Renny said. “There’s a stranger outside my door scowling at me.”
He heard Sal shout at someone to drive faster. Renny wasn’t sure how far away they were but doubted Sal and his buddies would make it in time.
The stranger waved his hand, and the door opened. He braced his arms on the frame and stared inside the truck. “Mind telling me why you’re out here spying on this place.”
“Academic study?” Renny said.
The guy gave him a doubtful look. “You’re studying abandoned warehouses?” He gazed past Renny to the passenger seat. “Where’s your camera and laptop?”
“My what?” Renny straightened. There was no use staying hunkered down when he’d been caught. Besides, trying to tuck himself under the steering wheel was hurting his back.
“If you’re studying warehouses, shouldn’t you be taking pictures and notes?”
Renny hadn’t thought of that. Clearly he sucked at on-the-spot lying. This guy was too smart to fall for the manufactured story.
“Left them at home.” Renny hoped Sal got there soon. Roberto had said that Molimo was meeting with some guys. Was this stranger a part of Molimo’s crew, or was he with the other men? Did it really matter?
“Come on.” The guy backed up to give Renny room to exit the truck.
Renny didn’t move. “I’d rather not get out. It’s cold out there. In fact, could you close the door? You’re letting the heat out.”
Renny liked all his body parts where they were. He didn’t want to get roughed up or worse. This guy looked as though he could put a world of hurting on Renny if he wanted to.
“Don’t make me yank you out,” the stranger warned.
“But I haven’t done anything wrong,” Renny argued, trying desperately to stall. The longer he was able to stay in the truck, the more time Sal had to get to him.
“Fine, let’s do things the hard way.” The guy pulled Renny out by his collar and forced him toward the back entrance of the warehouse. He was shoved through the entrance and led to a small room on the first floor.
A dozen men were inside, and at the back of the room stood Molimo. “So good of you to join us, Renny. This is turning out to be quite the family reunion.”
In the far corner was Roberto, a gag in his mouth, and he was tied to a chair. His eyes narrowed as he wiggled his body around, clearly trying to get free as he mumbled behind the rag that had been stuffed into his mouth.
“And here I thought I would just have Roberto to punish.” Molimo pressed his hands against his waist and smiled evilly at Renny. “Having you here will make things a lot more interesting.”
“Can we finish our business before you start playing with the humans?” a tall, slender man with classically handsome features asked. “We don’t have all night.”
Molimo looked at the guy who had hauled Renny inside. “Take them to a room upstairs, Blaine. They don’t need to be privy to my dealings.”
“Sure, boss.” Blain tugged Renny from the room, but not before Renny saw another guy untying Roberto from the chair, but his hands were still bound. As soon as the meeting was over, the torture would begin.
Some hero Renny turned out to be.
When they were both in the room, Blaine untied Roberto and removed the gag. “I’m warning both of you not to try and escape. They’re gonna be two guards posted outside your door, and you won’t like what they do to you if you try to leave.”
Blaine was the nicest bad guy Renny had ever encountered. “Thank you for not tying me up.”
Blaine shrugged. “Why torture you before you’re tortured?” He gave them a stern look. “Don’t let my kindness fool you. Take my advice and stay in here.”
Renny watched Blaine leave, closing the door behind him, but not before Renny saw two men with horns on their heads take up stances by the door.
“Why on earth did you come here?” Roberto asked. “I told you not to, and now Molimo is going to make you suffer right alongside me. God, you never listen.”
“Me?” Renny glared at him. “If you hadn’t taken off in the first place, we wouldn’t be in this mess.” He held up a hand. “Let’s take this back one step further. If you hadn’t tried to cheat Molimo, we wouldn’t be stuck here waiting for our demise.”
Roberto slammed his fist against the wall. “I didn’t ask you to go to that card game with me, and I certainly didn’t ask you to rescue me. You just had to tag along, even after I told you to leave.”
“Sorry I wanted to make sure our parents were taken care of,” Renny shot back. “You might think me weak and naïve, but that doesn’t mean you always have to take on the burdens by yourself.”
“Don’t I?” Roberto paced the room, as if looking for another way out besides the door. “How
many times have I had to rescue you over the years? How many times have I had to bail you out of the trouble you got yourself in? Watching over you is a full-time, thankless job.”
Wow. Renny was taken aback by the hard slap of Roberto’s words. He was also pissed that his brother felt like Renny was a burden. He hadn’t gotten into that much trouble. Childhood bullies and Roberto having to chase away Renny’s ex-boyfriend did not make Renny a hardcore screw-up.
“If I’m that much trouble, why do you keep dealing with me?” Renny gave Roberto his back, refusing to let his brother see the tears in his eyes. He really didn’t know Roberto at all.
“Because we’re family and Dad made me promise to always look after you.”
“Well, I’m releasing you from that promise,” Renny snapped. “If we make it out of here alive, then you don’t have to babysit me anymore.”
Renny’s heart hurt that Roberto had been harboring ill feelings toward him all these years. He hadn’t known, and Roberto had never let on that he had been saddled with the unwanted responsibility.
“Look,” Roberto said. “I didn’t mean—”
“Save it,” Renny said. “No matter what you say now, I know the truth now.”
“I’m just frustrated and scared.” Roberto placed a hand on Renny’s arm. “I’m terrified Molimo is going to kill you, Renny. I’ve never thought of you as a burden. Never. I’m sorry I said those things to you.”
Renny cleared the tears from his throat and nodded. He wasn’t sure he was ready to forgive Roberto just yet. His brother might be trying to make amends, but that didn’t mean he wasn’t telling the truth.
He’d heard people say not to meet your hero in real life. Unfortunately that had been inescapable for Renny since his hero was his brother. There had been no avoiding that train wreck. Here, in a gloomy, abandoned warehouse, with death hanging over their heads, Roberto’s knightly armor had fallen away, leaving him tarnished in Renny’s eyes.
But maybe Renny shouldn’t have put Roberto on a pedestal. The guy was human, made mistakes, and it hadn’t been fair of their father to place such a responsibility on Roberto’s shoulders.
“We’re good,” Renny mumbled. He would never look at Roberto with rose-colored glasses again, but that didn’t mean he loved the guy any less. It just hurt like hell that Roberto had thought of him that way.
“So, any ideas on how to get out of here?” Roberto asked.
Renny was shocked his brother had asked him for ideas. Roberto had always made the decisions for both of them. “Sal is on his way. He’s got buddies with him. He knows where I’m at and should be here soon.”
Roberto looked relieved, but still worried. “Hopefully they get here before the meeting ends and the fun begins.”
Renny furrowed his brows. “You and I have different definitions of fun.”
They stilled and grew quiet when they heard noise just outside their door. The sound was so low that Renny thought he’d imagined it.
Roberto grabbed Renny’s arm and tried to shove Renny behind him, but Renny refused to go. “I don’t need you protecting me,” he whispered.
“Habit,” Roberto whispered back.
Renny’s heart thundered as the door handle jiggled. On second thought, maybe he did need his brother’s protection. Renny began to shake as the door eased open.
A stranger—who was dressed in black fatigues like he was on some mission for the government—stepped inside and put his finger to his lips. He waved for them to follow him, and Renny wasn’t sure he should. What if this was some kind of trick?
Roberto grabbed Renny’s hand and yanked him toward the door. They slipped from the room, and Renny nearly gasped when he saw the two guards lying face down, unmoving. Were they passed out or dead? Renny had never seen a dead body before and felt bile rise to the back of his throat as he stepped over them, fearful they’d wake up and grab him.
The stranger led them down the musty hallway and up a set of steel stairs. The man leading them moved in silence. Not even his boots made a sound as he walked up the steps. It was as though he were floating while Renny winced at the noise he himself was making. It wasn’t loud, but when trying to be quiet, every little tap of feet on the steps, every single breath he inhaled and exhaled sounded amplified.
He prayed they made it out of there in one piece. All Renny wanted was to go back to Sal. His mate. His protector. His polar bear. He wanted to feel those large arms around him, to smell Sal’s dark scent, to hear his mate say that everything would be okay, even if it wasn’t.
A squeak of terror burped in Renny’s throat when gunfire erupted behind them. Renny froze in fear. He couldn’t take another step.
“Go, now!” the guy leading them shouted. “Move it!”
They raced up the stairs and burst through a door. They were on a roof. Now what? Renny looked frantically around, but he didn’t see an escape.
“This way.” The guy led them to the edge of the building. Did he expect them to jump? The building might have been only two floors, but when Renny looked over the side, it was a long way down. He would break his bones and possibly die if he tried.
The gunfire sounded closer, too close for Renny’s comfort.
Then he noticed the fire escape. Renny scrambled over the side and nearly fell because he was moving so fast. When his feet touched the ground, he was hugged so tightly that he feared his ribs would break.
That familiar dark scent surrounded Renny, and those strong arms that he’d been desperate to feel around him were there. Sal was holding him so close, so tightly, that Renny felt like the demons would never be able to get to him.
“You’ll have time for that later,” the guy who’d rescued them said. “We tried to take Molimo down, but he and most of the men escaped. We need to get moving.”
Sal rushed Renny and Roberto to his truck, and all three scrambled to get inside. “What about your friends?” Renny asked. “We can’t just leave them.”
“Trust me, they can handle themselves.” The tires spun on the gravel as Sal sped away. Renny looked back to see four men racing toward a dark SUV.
“How many guys were with you?” Renny asked.
“Four.”
“Then they’re all accounted for,” Renny said, feeling relief flood him that none of the men who had risked their lives had died. “I just saw them get into their SUV.”
“Good.” Sal nodded, but Renny could tell the bear shifter was beyond livid. His jaw was clenched tight, and his narrowed eyes were concentrating on the road.
The ride back was silent. Renny opened his mouth a couple of times to say something, anything to erase the angry look from Sal, but in the end, he kept his trap shut.
Chapter Eight
“Once again, thanks.” Sal gave Elliot “Shadow” Harper a quick man hug with the standard two taps on the back before they broke apart.
Elliot finished it out with a clap on Sal’s shoulder. “When I found out it was you who needed help, I didn’t hesitate.”
Back in the day, when Sal was still wild and carefree, he and Elliot had partied hard, getting themselves into quite a bit of trouble. They had been as close as brothers, and Sal still considered Elliot family. Had he known the guy was in town, he would’ve invited Elliot over for drinks and to rehash their good old days.
But he knew Elliot was here on business. The nostalgia would have to wait for another time. If ever. He had a feeling that Elliot’s work would keep him on missions, and he wasn’t going to fool himself into thinking there would ever be time for them to reminisce about a life neither of them had anymore.
“How did you end up in this group?” Sal looked the other men over. They were standing in Sal’s driveway, talking among themselves. They all appeared no-nonsense, with hard glints in their eyes. They didn’t seem the kind of guys Elliot would’ve gotten mixed up with, but it had been a long time since Sal had seen his friend.
Elliot looked over his shoulder then turned his attention back to Sal. “That�
��s a story for another time. We have to get going. We’re here on a different mission.”
“The arsonist,” Sal guessed.
Elliot nodded then used the back of his hand to tap Sal’s chest. “We’ll catch up some other time. It was good seeing you.”
“Same here.” Sal watched Elliot join his team before they got into their SUV and drove away. It had been good to see Elliot, but his friend was a changed man. He was no longer the hothead partier who laughed a lot and drank like a fish. This Elliot was put together, reserved, and, from the look in his eyes and the way Sal had watched him work back at the warehouse, deadly.
They had chosen different paths in life, and although most men fantasized about being a total badass, Sal liked his career. And in a way, he was a total badass because he put out fires and rescued people from the clutches of a smoky death. He just didn’t chase down the bad guys. Or at least he hadn’t until the other day.
But even with the local police department going after the fire starter, the guy had gotten away. Maybe he wouldn’t have if Sal had stuck around. He’d like to think that, though he doubted that would’ve been true.
Sal looked at the house and wondered how to handle things with his mate. He could definitely be tough if he wanted to be—claws, sharp teeth, a deadly swipe to end it all—but he would use none of those when dealing with Renny.
Sure, he was disappointed that Renny hadn’t trusted him enough to include him in his little plan, but Sal wasn’t the shouting type. He liked talking more than he liked throwing his weight around. That was what made him a good chief. His men respected him.
With a sigh, Sal went into the house and closed the door behind him. Roberto was laid out on the couch, his eyes closed, an open bag of Doritos resting against his chest as he lightly snored. Sal grabbed the bag and set it aside before Roberto could turn over and spill the contents all over the rug.
Sal grabbed the blanket that had been tossed onto the recliner, a blanket that was frizzy from too many washes and plenty of use, and draped it over Roberto’s sleeping form.
