Chapter 4
Chapter
Four
“ I am going to fly to that tin can, find Garrick Galandel, rip his head off, and shit down his neck.” They were waiting for the car to pull around, and he was out of patience.
“Des, you can’t.” His second in command, Hamish, grabbed his arm to pull him back. “We go in, we get Alistair, and we leave. Then we tell him negotiations are over.”
“Dammit, Hamish, that’s my mate! And my baby!”
“I know that, Des. I do.” Hamish sighed. “But if you start a war, you and your mate might not get out alive.”
He blew out a breath, his shoulders coming down from around his ears. “You’re right. At the moment, they have no idea we’re coming.”
“Exactly.” The car pulled up, and he strode out to hop in, Hamish right behind him. “Guestel downtown, Kendrick.”
“Yes, sir.”
They rode in silence, but before they got to the hotel, Hamish leaned up. “Let us out here. Pull up in front, and once you see us go in, start a fuss about something. Then go around the block. We’ll be back out with Alistair.”
Kendrick didn’t even bat an eye. “Yes, sir.” He coasted to a stop half a block from the hotel, most likely out of camera range, and then moved on.
“Come on, Des. Let’s get your mate.”
He nodded, ready to get Alistair out of enemy territory. They ducked into the hotel, eyes down, and he used a little glamour to blur them in case cameras caught them and someone was watching.
They faded past the desk, and he headed for the elevator, hoping Hamish would do what he did best. Pickpocket some employee and get their badge. Only one room in this hotel would have metal shutters on the windows, ones that locked.
The penthouse.
He held the elevator for Hamish, who came in with him, and then he hit the door close button. Hamish waggled a badge in front of him. “Assistant manager.”
“Good job.”
“Anything for you, Boss.”
When the doors opened at the penthouse floor, they walked into a foyer, the door to the suite closed. A very young-looking omega hopped to his feet from the chair he’d be sitting in, his eyes wide and full of panic.
“I’m sorry, sirs. This floor is off limits.”
Des stepped forward, holding up his hands to show they were empty. “What’s your name?”
“R-Reed.”
“Reed, my name is Desmond DeBeque. Do you know who I am?”
The kid blinked rapidly, his lips trembling. “Yes, sir.”
“That’s my pregnant mate in there. So I need you to let me in.”
“But I’ll be beaten.”
Rage made him smolder a little. The kid backed off a step. “No. You won’t. We’ll take you with us.”
Those eyes lit up with cautious hope. “You will?”
“Yes.” He could almost hear Hamish’s eyes rolling.
“Okay.” The kid typed a code into the pad on the door, and it clicked open. “His room is locked too. Come on.”
“What’s your name?”
“Reed.” Reed led them to a locked door that looked like a steel security door. It wouldn’t keep Starry in if he really got his magic on, but Des knew Starry was waiting for him. Making a big scene might get him killed as he made a run for it.
Des would get him out quickly and quietly. He hoped.
“Des!” Alistair gasped, running right to him, arms going around his neck.
“Mate.” The savage need to protect this dragon and their baby filled him, and he wanted to shred things with his claws and melt them with his fire.
He held it in, kissing Starry hard instead. Then he turned to Hamish. “Take the boy and clear me a path.”
“Yes, sir. Come on, buddy. Let’s hasta.”
“Hasta?” Reed asked, following Hamish out the door.
“Bad joke. Like hasta luego or hasta manana.”
“So you mean vamos.”
Hamish groaned. “You stuck me with a literal nerd, Boss.”
Starry chuckled. “Is he coming all the way home with us, Des?”
He glanced down at Starry’s face, which was pale, lines next to his eyes and mouth from strain. But his eyes glowed when Starry looked up at him. “Yeah. He’s scared.”
“Thank you, love.”
“What were you doing, going out to lunch?”
Starry’s lips firmed. “I was doing charity work.”
“We’ll talk about it when we get home.” They went down the way they’d come up, but he knew they would have to push through the lobby in a hurry. He and Hamish both could lay down a glamour, but they would still be seen. “Hold on to me, baby. Don’t let go.”
“Got it.” Ducking his head, hiding against his chest, Starry held on tight, and as soon as the elevator door opened, he whooshed out of the carriage and made a run for the lobby doors.
Hamish picked up Reed and did the same, his speed enough to make them a blur.
“Stop!” He heard the sound of rushing feet behind them, and he crouched over Starry, putting on a burst of speed to slide into the open car door, Hamish right behind him. He took the seat facing forward, Hamish the one going back.
Starry leaned on him. “You came for me.”
“Of course I did love. You’re my mate.”
“One of your possessions.”
He scowled. “What?”
“You heard me. You came after me because I’m yours and I carry your baby. Not because you?—”
He put two fingers over Starry’s mouth, his gut twisting. “Not true. But I will discuss this with you at home.” He glanced pointedly at Hamish and Reed.
Starry did have the good grace to flush. “Okay.” He sighed, sitting back against the seat instead of leaning on Des.
Shit. Starry wasn’t mad at him. He was grieving.
Looked like in trying to keep Starry safe, he’d really fucked up.
Now he would have to try to fix it.