Chapter 23 #2
I’m completely hooked.
Kyren
“Harlan,” I murmur, glancing up from my computer as I hang out in the living room with him. Syrus is fishing our omegas out of the tub, where they’ve been lounging for over an hour.
He muttered something about how Silva tends to fall asleep in the tub and ran upstairs just a couple of minutes ago.
While Izzy and Silva were soaking, we cleaned up the nest, washed all the bedding, and Silva said she’d make it back up again later. She was too out of it to protest earlier, but she’s apparently very particular about how crisp the corners of her bedsheets are.
To be fair, Izzy likes to pile the blankets just so, and he has other quirks when he’s in private. I think living here will be good for him.
Our work is important, but so is he. I’m stuck at an impasse, because a part of me would be happy to tell him to get a job in this small town and be done with our missions. However, the other part of me knows he’d threaten to cut my knot off for the disrespect.
He’s a spicy meatball of an omega.
“Yeah?” Harlan asks, bringing his coffee over to sit with me. It’s about seven at night, but our internal clocks are a little fucked.
“I got a hit on one of Silva’s foster brothers,” I reply, turning the computer to face him.
“Brad Fielding is currently in Denver for a work conference. The airport security cameras caught him on the way into the city, and then my program tracked him to Everlee Suites. After her nightmare, I plugged both brothers in to find them. I have a lead on Luke as well, but his death doesn’t belong to us. ”
“We should go then,” Harlan grunts, his eyes turning toward the stairs. “Do we tell them?”
I know Izzy would want to go, but our ways of extermination aren't legal in any country, much less ours.
“Yeah,” I say, blowing out a harsh breath. “Let me go call Sloane. Aiden is an ass and hasn’t been answering calls.”
“Don’t I know it,” Harlan chuckles. “Should I…?”
He points upstairs, and I nod.
“They need to dress warmly. It’s still snowing. The roads will be rough, but we can make it out. We’re taking Syrus. He knows the best ways to get in and out, I bet. It was insane to find Widows Peak,” I grumble.
No signage, just a prayer and some coordinates. It’s no wonder that omegas begin to come here early to beat the worst of the weather. I played it off like it was no big deal to drive in on a bum battery I managed to jump, but the truth of the matter is that this town is a hidden gem.
Shep and everyone who side-eyed us when we first came into town did it with good authority. I’m just glad we didn’t get kicked out before finding Silva.
Standing, I head out to the back porch, hoping the cold air will burn away the last of my exhaustion. I need to be sharp for this.
Dialing Sloane, I stand outside while the phone rings.
“I swear to God,” I grumble.
“I’m not the only one who disappeared,” Sloane answers. “What’s the deal?”
“We had a heat,” I reply, not giving any other information. I didn’t even pay attention to any missed calls once my phone turned back online after dying. If someone was dead or hurt, they knew where to find us. “I have an update.”
“Other than your omega having a heat?” Sloane asks incredulously. “Way to keep things close to the vest.”
I don’t bother to correct him, shrugging despite the fact that he can’t see me.
“Lexi knew what was happening to her sister,” I reply. “I know you’re scent matches. Don’t play coy.”
“Yeah, okay. You know everything, or find it out with your creepy ways,” Sloane sighs. “We’re staying next door now.”
“Good. Do you know about Lexi and Silva’s past?” I ask, not willing to spill secrets.
Lexi deserves to tell Aiden and Sloane in her own time.
“Yes,” he bites out. “Those fuckers need to pay for their actions.”
“Is right now good for you?” I joke. “I have an address in Utah for Luke. Harlan and I are taking care of Brad tonight.”
“Are you taking Silva with you?” he asks.
“If she wants to go,” I say. “Silva isn’t one to take a backseat in life, Sloane. Even in fear, she’ll stand toe to toe with the Devil. Do you want the address or not?”
“Yeah,” he bites out.
I trust Aiden and Sloane at my back, but I can feel things changing. I have always had secrets I couldn’t tell them, and that may cause a problem soon.
Rattling off the details of Luke's location, I remind him to be careful and hang up. He’s a trained assassin, a bruiser, as is Aiden. They’ll be fine. I still say it, because it’s simply what I do.
The porch is surprisingly free of snow back here, and I look around as I decide to close this in so Silva and Izzy can enjoy being outside. I’ll get some heaters and a couple of swings so they can snuggle. Lips pursed, I decide that home renovations are apparently my life now.
I still fucking hate that there’s not a fence around her house, but I’ll suck it up for now.
I guess it’s pretty and shit.
Walking back inside, I find Silva standing fully dressed next to Izzy.
“What did you find?” Izzy asks, his voice clipped and professional.
“Brad is in Denver for a work trip. I think he needs to learn an important lesson about touching things that don’t belong to him. Don’t you?” I ask.
“Denver? Fuck.” Silva looks in the direction of her sister’s house and I shake my head, almost instinctually knowing what she’s thinking about.
“He doesn’t live there,” I reassure her. “Neither he or Luke live in Colorado. There’s nothing to tell me this is anything but a coincidence, Princess.”
“Okay,” she whispers. “Okay. I’m coming with you.”
“Absolutely,” Harlan agrees. “I’m pretty sure your sister’s burgeoning pack will also ensure that Luke doesn’t live for much longer, baby.”
“You’re being very accommodating,” she says suspiciously. “You’re not going to chloroform me and leave me in the trunk or something, are you?”
“I’d have a lot of things to say about that if they were,” Syrus grunts, his arm wrapping around her waist as he steps behind her. “Preferably with my fists and my size fifteen boot, Spitfire. And then I’d let you fry their knots, okay?”
“This was very detailed,” Harlan says, shuddering as he cups his knot. “I don’t think you should be watching any more stabby movies.”
Holding up her middle finger, she drags it over the side of her nose as if she’s trying to scratch an itch. Well, three days of sex hasn’t changed her winning personality. Good to know.
“So they don’t know where we are,” she breathes. “What’s the plan?”
Dropping her hand to her side, she gazes at me to figure out why Harlan delivered the news that she and Izzy should get dressed for a trip out of town.
“It’s a four hour drive to Denver,” I begin, waiting for Syrus to blow up at me about the roads. “If Syrus is open to it, I’m going to suggest that he drive. We’re going to lure Brad out, then hunt him through the woods behind the hotel. I’m thinking hatchets could be fun to throw at him.”
“Bloody, effective, and it’ll make him piss his pants,” Izzy grunts.
“Keeps him alive until we’re done with him too,” Syrus mutters.
I blink at him but he shrugs.
“I know how to take apart a body, as well as get away with murder,” he says. “It’s why police officers who go bad get away with it for so long.”
“It’s not corrupt to put your girl’s rapist in the ground,” Izzy says.
“I didn’t say it was,” Syrus says mildly. “Guess you better gather up your toys, huh?”
“They’re in the gun case under the fake bottom of the trunk,” I smirk. “Bundle up, bring blankets, and gear up. We’ll be back by morning.”
Harlan walks out to check weapons, and I grin as I run upstairs to check the bag in my room for my cross bow. Fuck do I love that thing. It always aims true, mostly nonlethal as long as you’re careful, and perfect for demoralizing a fuckwad like Brad.
I plan to do some more research on him on the drive to Denver, but it seems that he grew up to be a boring corporate guy. He’s not even laundering money or anything that I can tell.
How fucking boring.
My guns find their ways into holsters, and I also stock up on knives and a couple of tasers for Silva. If she wants to have her fun, I won’t keep her from it.
Especially since she’s our bait.
Making sure I have everything, I run back downstairs to find Izzy swallowing down his medication with a glass of water. Silva stares at him sadly as she glances at me and I shrug.
“Lexi was on heat suppressants for a long time. She didn’t want to deal with having a heat alone, and Luke kind of ruined the excitement of finding out her designation,” she sighs. “I do understand why you’re on your medication, Izzy. It just seems to wipe out everything that makes you an omega.”
“I know,” he sighs. “If Sloane and Aiden weren’t living next door to us, I might go off them for longer while we’re not on a mission. Widows Peak seems like a good place for keeping secrets.”
“It’s the best,” she agrees, smiling at him as she bundles up.
Ironically, we’re all wearing black, perfect for the darkness outside. If Silva didn’t know the rest of our unit was living next door, she sure as fuck does now.
Heading out the door, I watch as she locks up and we all walk out to the sidewalk.
“Keys,” Syrus grunts, hand out for them. Handing them over, I watch as he examines the vehicle.
Izzy made sure to winterize the SUV, and that it had everything it needed in case we needed to move fast. Our lives are all about exit plans, and alternate routes. It’s all we know, and it’s always served us well.
“It’s safe,’’ Syrus decides, opening the backseat door for Silva.
Getting in the front passenger seat, I make sure I’m situated, and my bag is at my feet in easy reach. Syrus scrapes the ice and snow off the vehicle with Harlan after turning it on to warm up. Glancing behind me, I see Silva is wrapped up in a blanket beside Izzy.
Once done, Kyren and Syrus climb in, and the beta pulls away from the curb.
“I’m the bait, right?” Silva asks, making the SUV slide as Syrus slams on the brakes.
“Fuck,” he grunts.
“Yep,” I mutter, wincing as Syrus punches me in the shoulder.
Fuck. This is going to be a fun car ride. Glancing up to meet Harlan’s gaze in the rear view mirror, I make a face as he smirks. He’s usually the punching bag.
“Okay,” Silva whispers.
“He knows what you look like,” Izzy begins, coaching her. “Walk into the lobby, make eye contact, and rush out like your hair is on fire. He’ll follow.”
“What if he’s not in the lobby?” she asks.
Syrus begins driving again, while I take advantage of my hot spot on my phone to log into the hotel security system.
I also find a log of the activities happening at the hotel, and find that he’s still in meetings.
There’s a block of time that says “drinks at the hotel bar” which doesn’t seem like a suggestion from ten at night to midnight.
“Bingo,” I mutter. “He’ll be there. The schedule for his conference says he will be. I’ll also be able to find him on the cameras. We got this, baby.”
Nodding, she snuggles between Harlan and Izzy before she begins to fire off questions. What has he been doing all this time, how often is he in Colorado, and does he have a family.
She’s all business, though she’s not as acerbic with Harlan anymore. Every day, she settles in a little more with us. The heat was definitely a good icebreaker.
I should definitely not be in charge of a manual on how to make your omega adore you. I would fuck that all the way up.
I spend the next two hours answering Silva’s questions, digging deep into the research my computer has been pulling on Brad and Luke. At the third hour mark, she falls asleep and I relax slightly.
“Bait,” Syrus growls.
Oh, he’s been holding that one in for fucking hours. Awesome.
“How else am I supposed to get him out?” I ask. “Walking in with a crossbow and screaming ‘I challenge you to a duel,’ is probably not going to work.”
Harlan and Izzy laugh, and I shrug at the visual it brings to mind.
“It would be really cool,” Izzy admits. “I don’t think duels are fought with crossbows though.”
“I am surrounded by children,” Syrus rasps, sounding as if he’s very close to losing his shit. He’s been stewing and driving. That’s never a good mix.
“Sorry, Daddy,” I reply, not feeling very repentant.
“God, I fucking hate you so much,” he groans.
“I think we’re growing on him,” Harlan says cheerfully.
“I know I am,” Izzy shrugs. “You two are fucked.”
“Rude,” I mutter.
Ignoring us all, Syrus flicks on the radio and concentrates on driving through the mountains. I notice that every song is violent as fuck, and I shake my head.
“It’s either throttling you or music. I choose not to die on the road,” Syrus says under his breath.
“That’s valid,” I say, going back to work on my mark. By the time I’m done, I’ll even know if Brad Fielding liked to eat his boogers, or if he’d ever paid a prostitute for sex.
Whatever his darkest secrets are, I plan to find them out, and then I’m going to find the biggest online newspaper to offer his story to. Even dead, his ghost won’t rest from the humiliation I have coming for him.
I bet he’s really interested in keeping a squeaky clean image. The problem with that is that it’s never true. I’m intent to fuck up everything he’s ever worked for after making him brutally disappear. All that will be left once we’re done is his blood.
No evidence, nothing to report.
That’s how ghosts like ourselves roll.