[B.S. #2] Bound to Cyn (17 page)

Hearing Grant burst into the room with Lance just behind him, Angel held his head up. He couldn’t fall apart now. Why had his senses failed him when it came to Cyn?

Grant hurried over to the table and laid a paper in front of Angel. “Look at this. As I was watching on one of the monitors of the highway feeds, I thought I would dig into this Ward guy some more. He might be dead, but he might hold a clue. And I found his will. Here it is. It leaves everything to this Howard. I would have thought that the Feds had taken over the property that the commune was on, but they only took the mansion and personal items this Ward had accumulated. The property was in the Church’s name and someone has been paying the taxes on it for the last five years. I did an aerial view of it and it looks almost untouched from when the cult lived there. It might be something.”

Lance leaned over the table beside Grant and looked at the will and the picture of the aerial view of the commune property. “I can still make out the hut that Cyn lived in. Do you think maybe she’s heading back there?”

Angel stood up and grabbed the papers off the table. “It makes sense. Ward dies, Howard comes into his own, and now he is after something that the Feds missed. I don’t know why he needs Cyn, but she must be tied into it someway.” Angel hurried toward the door, clutching the papers in one hand.

“Where are you going?” Lance and Grant both enquired.

“To visit a bear in his den. We need the jet,” Angel spoke back as he made his way swiftly to the elevator at the end of the hall.

Lance turned to Grant with a puzzled look. “What the hell does he mean? What bear?”

“He’s going to see James. James, who had his honeymoon interrupted and doesn’t want to be disturbed. He needs the OK to take the jet out of state. He could take it out on his own, but with James being back, we follow a line of command. That’s how we keep track of everyone. I don’t envy him right now. He might get his head bitten off,” Grant explained to Lance.

* * * *

Angel put his index finger on the button in the elevator leading to the penthouse. It wouldn’t move until it verified his identity. Finally it beeped, the door slid shut, and the elevator started rising. Angel hoped that he wasn’t interrupting James at a bad time. He knew this time for James was special and probably any time was bad. But his lady’s life was too important to allow James the luxury.

The doors finally opened on the top floor. Angel walked to the door directly across from the elevator, took a deep breath, and pushed the doorbell. Then punched it again in his impatience. Hearing swearing coming from the other side, he knew James would soon be opening the door and prepared himself for the blast he knew was coming.

James threw the door open, his face a mask of fury. “What the hell. Didn’t you get my message the first time?” James raised his fist to lash out at Angel. Angel deflected the hit and grabbed James by the waist and hurled them both inside the door on the floor. Angel landed on top of James holding his fist tight to the floor.

“Well, boys, didn’t your mothers teach you to play nice?” Angel looked up and there was Avery standing over them, wide-eyed and looking amused.

“You bastard, Get off me.” James roared at Angel as he started to buck him off.

Angel knew he only had a minute before James would have him in a headlock as James had learnt to fight dirty from his dad the cop.

“Wait, James, it couldn’t be helped.” Angel made the mistake of loosening his grip on James’s hand and found himself tossed up and onto his back, almost taking Avery out where she stood beside them. James, now on his feet, turned and apologized to Avery for almost making her fall. The moment that James’s attention was on Avery, Angel also got to his feet. His back hurt like a son of a bitch being tossed on the marble floor of the entranceway.

James’s attention turned back his way, but before he could take a step in Angel’s direction, Avery grabbed at his arm and stopped him. “James, stop for a moment. Let’s at least hear what he has to say. If you and I agree that it isn’t worth listening to, then you can beat him to a pulp for interrupting us.”

James put an arm around Avery and pulled her to his side, brushing his hair back from his face with an impatient hand. He asked, “Angel, why did you think it was OK to come up here? I didn’t mince words down in the office about not wanting to be disturbed.”

“I need the jet.”

“Is that all? You didn’t have to come up here to ask.” James was letting go of Avery to go after Angel again.

Avery tightened her arms around James’s waist and held him beside her as she asked Angel. “Is this about the cult thing going on?”

James looked down at her with incredible blue eyes. “What do you know about the job the guys are involved in? And how did you learn that it has to do with a cult?”

Avery turned her pretty green eyes up at James “While you guys were yelling in the conference room, I had a nice chat with Grace at reception. She told me about this woman Cyn and Angel’s infatuation with her and her involvement with some cult years ago.”

Angel and James couldn’t believe that Avery had gotten the scoop from Grace. “How would she know what is going on? We always close the door to our meeting.”

“Well, she wouldn’t be very good at her job, if she didn’t know what was going on. And Brad is a little sweet on her, so that’s probably where she hears some of it. Or, maybe she just listens to all the yelling going on from the room. You guys aren’t the quietest of guys when you all get together,” Avery teased James.

“She had no right to tell you even if she knew. We are a security company and I can’t have her telling people about the jobs we’re working on. I’ll have to have a talk with her.

“Back down, James, I got it out of her by pulling rank like you do. I wanted to know what was going on and reminded her that I was now married to the boss and we didn’t keep secrets between us.” Avery gave James an innocent look.

“That doesn’t extend to the jobs the firm does and you know it,” James answered back, trying to look stern and failing.

“Yes, I do, but Grace didn’t. So I learned about the cult, Angel’s woman, Cyn, and also about some woman named Sam that is coming after Chase. We spent a nice time chatting over tea.”

“I should spank your ass red for pulling that stunt.” James just pulled her close and kissed the top of her head.

“James, watch what you say. I don’t want Angel to hear how you sweet talk me.” Avery turned a little red at James’s words.

Holding Avery with one arm around her shoulder, James looked over at Angel. “OK, I got that you want the jet. Where do you need to go?”

“I need to go to California. Cyn took off on the westbound highway and that’s the only place that makes sense that she would head to. She’s been acting strange for the last few days after receiving phone calls. We think from Howard, he used to be the second-in-command of the cult she was in years ago. And from what Grant dug up”—he held out the papers to James—“This is our best bet. I want to go down and see if I can head her off.”

“But you don’t know if that’s where she heading? Maybe you should wait a few days. She might just be off shopping or something?” James butted into Angel’s answer.

Angel gritted his teeth. “I’m going whether it is with our jet or on a commercial flight. If this was Avery, acting strange and taking off to god knows where would you wait a couple of days?” Angel turned and stomped to the door, frustration etched on his face.

“No, you’re right. If it was Avery, I would have already been gone with the jet, to hell with protocol. Thanks for following procedure and not going off half-cocked.” James squeezed Avery tighter as if he couldn’t bear thinking of Avery in danger and feeling for Angel in his desperation to find Cyn. “With Clay gone, I will have to keep track of everyone. But you can’t go alone. Who is going with you?”

“Everyone’s busy. I’m going by myself. Grant is still monitoring the club in case it’s not only Howard after the women. Brad is looking into a new job that just came down the pipeline. Clay has Laura to worry about and you aren’t finished with your honeymoon. So I’m on my own. I’ll be leaving in the next hour or so.” Angel had stopped at the door when James had started to talk. Grabbing the door handle, he turned to leave.

“Good luck. I don’t know this Cyn, but if she means that much to you, she is a part of our group and family. Take as much time as you need and do whatever you have to do.” James watched Angel close the door and leave.

Chapter Nineteen

Angel went back down to Grant’s office where he had left Lance with him.

“Well, what did the bear have to say? You’re a brave man to seek him in his den with his woman.” Grant couldn’t help asking.

“Well to say he didn’t like being disturbed is putting it mildly. Thank god for Avery calming him down. But I got the OK and will be leaving as soon as I gather some stuff together.” Angel was getting antsy and wanted to get going.

“I’m going with you,” Lance added in.

“No way. You have enough problems at the club and also, I can’t risk taking you with me. I can’t look after you and concentrate on finding Cyn at the same time.”

“To hell with the club. I don’t want it, if something happens to Cyn.”

Angel looked at Lance. He could tell that Lance would not rest until they knew where Cyn was.

“OK, but be at the airport in a couple of hours. I’m leaving whether you’re there or not.”

Lance hurried out the door as Angel turned to Grant and asked him if he had spotted her again on the highway.

“No, but the direction she’s going will take her to California eventually. She also might stop in a city along the way and take a plane down. I think you’ll have to try and get there before her so you can stake out the commune.”

“My thoughts exactly. Well I’m just going to go to my office then check out with Grace. Go home, pack a bag, and I’m off.” Angel was already moving toward the door as he spoke to Grant.

“Good luck, buddy. If I can do anything from my end, just call.” Grant watched as Angel hurried out of his office and to his truck in the parking lot.

* * * *

Angel arrived at the airport in just under two hours. He had packed two bags. One with clothes, he didn’t know how long he would be gone, and the other with all the tricks of their trade. Having their own plane meant that he could take what he would need without the hindrance of a commercial flight. Pulling both large duffel bags from his truck, he walked to the airplane and up the steps to the open door. It sounded like a party on the inside. There were voices arguing and the tinkle of glasses. As he went through the door, Angel’s eyes swept the seating area of the plane. He couldn’t believe his eyes. There sitting in the seats, were James, Clay, Grant, and Brad with Lance beside him. Looking further pass them, he also noticed Chase at the bar, pouring himself a drink. What the hell?

All of the guys just stopped talking and raised their glass like a salute at him.

“What are you guys doing here? James, what about Avery? Clay, I thought you were with Laura?

“I guess Avery needed a rest. I have been keeping her awful busy since we got married. She told me to go and back you up.” James just took a sip of his drink with a satisfied look on his face.

“Laura’s hidden. She’ll be OK while I’m gone. We can’t let you go into the trenches without the whole unit having your back,” Clay added, also taking a sip of his drink.

Grant just looked up from his computer. “I can help better if I’m on site. The club is in good hands and being monitored by the baddest Doms that you would ever want to meet, thanks to Lance.”

Chase, who had returned to his seat, said, “I’m hiding from Sam. What better place than with you guys? She would never think of looking here. She would think that you would rat me out to her. You won’t will you?” Chase glanced at the guys sitting around him.

“No, we won’t rat you out,” James added with a laugh. “But you should man up and go back. Sam’s not that bad after you get to know her. Brad should know. He’s still walking around and he put a slug in her.”

“You can laugh, James. You have a nice sweet woman in Avery. Sam’s a she-devil,” Chase defended himself.

James just laughed more. “You think Avery is a sweet woman. Your radar must be off. Better stay away from all women if you’re thinking is that skewed.”

Clay rose from his seat and grabbed one of Angel’s bags, storing it under his seat. “Angel, sit down so we can get this circus off the ground. The brothers are going at it again. I swear, the next time, I’m bringing their dad, maybe their Mom, too.”

Angel took his seat. He was humbled that the guys would back him up on such a personal mission. “Thanks, guys. Cyn means the world to me. I just can’t forgive myself for not sensing that something was wrong this morning.”

“Don’t beat yourself up over it. Sometimes we miss the clues from the people closest to us. Let’s just go find your woman and keep her safe.” Clay nodded at the pilot and the door of the plane closed. All quieted down as they fastened their seat belts and the plane started to taxi down the runway.

Chapter Twenty

Arriving in California at the small airport in Acta, they were greeted with sunny skies and two black stretch limos waiting. Angel turned his glare to Chase, who was bringing up the rear.

Chase held his hands up. “Not me this time. I’ve been away undercover, remember?”

James, who was right behind Angel, patted him on the shoulder. “I decided after our last mission that I kind of like riding in style. So I order the limos. Let’s go.” James brushed past Angel and led the way to the limos and climbed in the first one.

The others followed with a silent Lance bringing up the rear. Angel took his arm and led him away from the limos and the others. “What’s the problem? You didn’t talk all the way here and now you seem hesitant to join us.”

“I just think that with all of us and the limos showing up that it will spook Cyn if she gets a look at us. We could make it worse. We don’t know where her mind is at right now and I don’t want to overwhelm her. I think it might be better if you and the guys take a room and I go in alone.”