Chapter 29
Slate’s head spun with all the information he learned at the meeting with his brother and father.
Neither had any problem with his decision to stop traveling, so he could be close to his mate.
Once he trained Carson and his new PA, his father wanted him to take charge of all the new construction that was about to begin on the Blackwood Pack land.
Hurrying to the kitchen where he’d left Dakota, Slate couldn’t wait to put his mate’s worries to rest. He found Dakota sitting at the island, writing in a notebook, muttering to himself. “Hey babe, what’s the problem?”
Looking up, Dakota grinned at his mate. “How did it go?”
“Uhh, I asked you first.”
Smirking, Dakota said, “Lack of supplies. I don’t know how Oracle and Steel used up so much in just a few days, but I have to put in a new order today. Your turn.”
“No you don’t. My brother can do that. I’m taking you out to dinner to celebrate. C’mon.” Slate took the pencil from Dakota’s hand, and set it down before pulling him to his feet. Kissing his mate’s forehead, he said, “I have lots of news to share and before you ask, all of it is good.”
“Really? You won’t have to travel anymore?”
“Right! But that’s all you’re getting out of me until we’re sitting at a candlelit table waiting for our mouth-watering entrées.”
Grinning at the thought, Dakota asked, “Do I have time for a shower?”
“As long as we shower together,” Slate said, leading his mate out of the kitchen.
~/~/~/~/~
“Artur, your son isn’t in Scotland anymore and no, I don’t have any idea where he went. One minute I could sense him and the next minute, nothing…like he vanished.”
“What the fuck are you talking about? He’s staying with the members of the Blackwood Pack in a hotel in Edinburgh. Did you fly over the hotel?”
Sighing, the dragon answered, “Yes, but he’s not there.”
“He has to be. My men swore he’s inside. Fly over again! Find him!”
“Listen. To. Me. Your son isn’t in Scotland anymore.
I’m sorry but I have to leave. I’m sure he knows I’m here and has told his guardians who will alert the High Council.
I need to get out of here before I’m discovered.
Let me know when you find him and I’ll be glad to help you but until then… don’t bother me.”
Slamming his phone down on the scorched desk, Artur roared, flames burning it to a crisp, unable to control his anger yet again.
Rising from his desk chair, he stalked around the room, damning the stupid people working for him.
“Disappeared! What bullshit! Stupid assholes! Fuckers can’t do anything right! Damn ‘em all to hell!”
The night gave way to dawn; Artur was still mumbling about the ineptitude of the men he’d hired.
“Fuck…the finest money could buy…what a load of crap.” Finally, his anger spent, he sat down at his desk and sorted through what facts he knew.
“Shit! Of course!” He remembered a piece of information about the Blackwood Pack his investigator told him.
“That’s how that gay fucker disappeared!
” Now, knowing what he was up against, he spent the rest of the morning devising a new plan.
~/~/~/~/~
Logan placed a room service order for everyone who would shortly be arriving for brunch at his and Kieran’s suite.
Last night was too close for comfort and he’d called Jackson earlier, waking his brother up.
Not happy about that, Jackson grumbled about inconsiderate brothers but once he heard what happened, he agreed with Logan’s plan to safeguard the young dragon.
Jackson promised Logan the arrangements would be made after everyone had awakened and he could speak to Cody and Dylon.
Relieved his brother had agreed with him, now all Logan had to do was convince Fionn it was for the best and was hoping Kieran would help with his plan.
Walking into their bedroom, Logan chuckled at the sight of Kieran on the floor, his pert ass sticking up in the air, wiggling, as he reached for something under the bed.
“Hey, babe, is that your way of asking for another fuck because I have to say, it’s certainly convincing. ”
Kieran pulled his arm out from under the bed before looking over his shoulder, grinning at his mate.
“I was trying to get my earring that rolled under the bed but I could always use another fuck…maybe some rimming thrown in because that would certainly make up for me losing my earring. Hey, I was thinking when I was down here we could go get your nipples pierced today because I know you’ll love that, especially when I pull the rings with my tongue when I play with them.
Maybe nice gold ones or maybe silver would look better with your gorgeous green eyes.
You would look hotter than fuck wearing them with the leather harness the next time we go to The Meat Locker. ”
“I thought I looked hotter than fuck last night.”
Giggling, Kieran said, “You did but with pierced nipples you’d look even hotter.”
Getting down on his hands and knees, Logan peered under the bed, looking for Kieran’s lost earring. Finally spotting it, he stretched his arm until he grasped it with his fingertips, dragging it out and dropping it into Kieran’s hand.
“Thank you, macushla,” Kieran said, sitting back on his heels and inserting the earring into his left ear. “Now, about that fuck…”
“Sorry babe, I’ve already called room service and they should be here any minute. Besides, I wanted to talk to you about Fionn before everyone arrives.”
“Is something the matter? Does it have to do with the dragon he told us about last night?”
Logan rose, pulling his mate up next to him. “In a way, yes. Go put on some clothes so your sexy ass stops tempting me.”
Kieran giggled as he walked into the closet, teasing his mate by swiveling his hips to show off his perfect pink ass cheeks. Pulling on his tight jeans, he yelled out to Logan who was now sitting on the bed, “What’s the problem with Fionn?”
“I’m pretty sure the dragon Fionn sensed last night wasn’t his father but someone who was sent to kidnap him.
It was just fucking lucky all the enforcers with us were able to stop it from happening.
However, I’m sure there’ll be another attempt so it isn’t safe for Fionn to stay in Scotland any longer.
I think it is just too risky. I called Jackson this morning and after I told him what happened, he agreed Fionn should fly to California as soon as Steel can arrange a plane to come and get him”
“So what do you need me to do?” Kieran asked as he walked out of the closet and over to his mate, ending up on Logan’s lap.
“Help me convince Fionn that it’s for his own safety. I want him to go to California.”
“I don’t think he’ll object. Last night he was very scared even though he tried not to show it.”
“Yeah, I’d imagine.”
“Do you think this was the danger our spirit sensed when we were driving to the club?”
“Very likely…the whole thing wasn’t just a coincidence. I think everything that happened last night was part of a plan to snatch him.”
“I wish I could meet with Fionn’s father. Maybe I could help rid him of his hatred for his son.”
“No mo anan cara, please don’t think of doing that. Fionn’s father is dangerous both to you and our squirt,” Logan said, afraid of what Artur could do to his mate.
Sighing, Kieran said, “I know you’re right but, macushla, it makes me so sad Fionn is losing his father after losing his mother. Children need their parents.”
“Babe, some parents don’t deserve to be parents because of how they treat their children. Fionn’s father is one of them. He’s responsible for the death of his wife, but unfortunately, he’ll never pay for the treatment…or should I say…lack of treatment he gave her when she fell ill.”
“I know. I just can’t understand why there are so many evil people in the world. Hate takes so much energy compared to love. Why do people waste their lives hating when they could be so happy loving?”
Chuckling, Logan said, “Babe, that’s a question as old as time yet no one has been able to answer it. C’mon, our food has arrived and that means everyone else will be here shortly.”
~/~/~/~/~
“Sir, your son is in the hotel. My man saw him when he went in to remove the dishes this morning, but there isn’t any way we can get to him.
The entire floor is now closed off to everyone except serving staff and even they are surrounded by enforcers who accompany them from the kitchen to the private floor and back again. ”
“Fucking dragon. He told me my son wasn’t there. Well, fuck it, I have something else in mind.”
“What do you want me and my men to do?”
“For now, just make sure the dungeon is ready. As soon as I decide what I want done, I’ll let you know. In the meantime, stay out of sight. I don’t want anyone knowing who you are.”
“Will do.”
~/~/~/~/~
After brunch, Logan met with Groose in the suite’s study where they viewed the video the manager of The Meat Locker had sent over. After seeing what the two men had done to Fionn, Logan was furious. “Could the manager identify these men?”
“No, neither he nor his security people had ever seen them before.”
“Fast forward it; I want to see what happened to them after you left with Fionn.”
“There was another guy who came in to help them. By the time my men went back to check, all three had already left the club.”
“Wait,” Logan said. “Back it up…stop it…yeah right there. See that guy? Have you ever seen him before?”
Groose studied the man. “Maybe. Do you know him?”
“No, but I know that face…but where,” Logan mused.
“I’ll get prints made of the three of them.”
“Yeah, good idea,” Logan said, again studying the face that seemed so familiar to him.
“I’m also sending a copy of the video to some friends of mine who work for the High Council. Let’s see if they can use facial recognition software to find out who they are.”
“Good, I’ll ask Jackson to have my brother Zane check it out also.”
“Sir, if I may suggest something,” said Groose.
“Go ahead.”
“While I know my men will do everything possible to protect Fionn, in my opinion, he is too exposed here and would be safer somewhere else that had more limited access to him.”
Logan smiled. “Already in the works, Groose, but first I have to talk to Fionn about what I’m planning. As soon as the plans are finalized, I’ll let you know what’s been decided.”
“Fair enough. Talk to you later then, sir,” Groose said before he left.
Logan rejoined his mate in the living room where everyone had gathered and waited until there was a lull in the conversation before asking the young dragon, “Fionn, last night, you said that you sensed another dragon?”
“Yeah.”
“I’m assuming it wasn’t your father,” said Logan.
“No, it wasn’t but I don’t know who it was. My father never let me meet any other dragons so all I know is there was a dragon in Scotland last night.”
“Do you think your father sent the dragon?”
“Honestly? Yeah, I do. My father will never stop until he gets my hoard.”
“That’s the same conclusion I came to, also. And it’s the reason I think you aren’t safe here anymore, even with all of us around you.”
“But the dragon has left Scotland,” Fionn said. “Really! I can’t sense it anymore.”
“I believe you, but that doesn’t mean it won’t be back.
Look Fionn, it just isn’t the dragon I’m worried about.
Last night on the way to the club, I narrowly avoided a dangerous situation because I was alerted in the nick of time so I could tell the driver to take a different route.
But after what happened at the club, I’m pretty sure you were the target.
I’ve also reviewed the surveillance video sent over this morning and I have a few questions.
Did the men who took you to the back room ever mention anyone else? ”
“Hmm…well not by name,” Fionn said. “One guy told me someone wanted to meet me but then the enforcers found me and got me out of there before anyone else showed up. Why?”
“Because the video showed a third guy helping the two who attacked you, escaping before Groose’s men could get back there again,” explained Logan. “No one had ever seen these men before, so the fact they showed up there for the first time on the same night as you did strikes me wrong.”
“Fionn,” said Kieran, quietly as he sat down and put his hand on Fionn’s thigh, “my mate and I are worried about you and what your crazy-ass father will try next.”
“I get that, Ki, I really do, but seeing as the High Council has done all it can do and it still hasn’t stopped my father, will I ever be safe as long as he’s alive?” asked Fionn.
“I don’t know,” said Logan. “But my brother, Jackson, who is the Alpha of the Blackwood Pack swore to me he would do everything possible to protect you.”
“So where do you want me to go now?” Fionn asked, trying not to show how upset he was.
“As soon as Jackson’s mate wakes up, he will arrange for a private plane to pick you up and take you to California to stay at the pack house,” answered Logan.
“And you think I’ll be safer there?” asked Fionn.
“Yes, there are four Dire Wolves, along with my brothers who will protect you. I know you wanted to hang with Theo, Norman and Kieran, but it won’t be long before we’re all home again.”
“Will my guardian be there?”
“Yes, both of them…Cody who is my brother and his mate, Dylon…so it would be a good time to talk to them about getting your independence. I’m sure our lawyer will want to meet with you and can answer any questions you have,” Logan said.
“I’m really sorry you are going through this with your father, Fionn, but believe me, if there is anyone who can help you, it’s Jackson; he won’t let anything or anyone get in his way when it comes to making sure you’re safe. Will you go there?”
Nodding his head, Fionn softly murmured, “Yeah, I’ll go.”