“Delgado took my cat,” I said absently, pulling my hand away.
Wheeler snatched my wrist and leaned forward. “Say again?”
“When I went back to my apartment to get my things, he’d left a note on my door.”
“What did it say?” Wheeler sat up.
I shrugged, hesitant at first about how much I wanted to confide in him. But we had made a promise in this room, and I needed to give back some of that trust that I’d taken. “Delgado wants me to work for him.”
“Doing what?” he bit out.
I snatched my wrist away. “Not dancing. He took Misha, and for that, he’s going to pay. I want to find Skye and anyone else he’s holding.”
“And how are you going to do that?” he asked, cocking his head.
“A girl has her resources.” I leaned on my left leg and sighed. “My father was a great warrior. He was much older than my mother, and he died of old age. You two have a lot in common. He spent time in the panther pits, starved and tortured. My mama said he carried a tremendous guilt on his shoulders and spent the rest of his life in servitude, helping those in need. He fought other people’s battles—even saved a pack from rogues once. He did what was right and protected those who were weaker. Maybe that makes him a superhero in my head, but I’ve inherited his tenacity. I don’t run from my problems, Wheeler. Maybe what you see isn’t always what you get.”
He scoffed and shook his head.
I grabbed his chin and turned it my way. “Do you think growing a beard and putting ink on your body makes you tougher? Don’t underestimate me just because I get a pedicure and Brazilian wax. You don’t know a thing about what I’ll do for my friends. Lexi has an idea, but that’s just scratching the surface,” I said, speaking close to his mouth.
“And what do you plan to do?”
“Either hunt him or play his game and turn the tables. I’m a born predator,” I said with a purr, stroking the prickly hair on his jaw. “The only thing that frightens me is being caught off guard like when those men were following me. Maybe now that everyone knows I’m a panther, I feel more in control than ever.” I traced my finger over his bottom lip and felt his hot breath beat against it. “Delgado is going to pay.”
“I want in.”
“In what?” I tilted my head and half smiled.
“Whatever you plan on doing. I want in.”
Wheeler closed his mouth around my finger and suddenly flipped me onto my back. Ancient heat coursed through my veins, and a dark hunger began to emerge. Wheeler sat back on his legs and lifted my foot, holding it below his chin. His eyes briefly skated between my legs since my nightie covered nothing.
“I like this,” he said, flicking the loose chain on my toe ring.
Without warning, he put his mouth around my middle toe, clasping the ring between his teeth and slowly pulling it off. Seeing Wheeler perform that act sent liquid fire through my body, and I moaned in response.
When a fist pounded against the door, Wheeler jumped to his feet and vanished in the darkness. I sat up, my heart thundering against my chest.
I’d never be able to erase that visual from my mind.
“What the hell are you doing in here?” I heard Reno ask.
“Checking up on our guest. She didn’t eat, you know. And what exactly are
you
doing here?”
It was interesting to hear all the accusations and suspicion in the inflection of their tone without seeing them.
“Both of you come in,” I said, scooting to the end of the bed. “There’s no sense in playing games since we’re all playing the same one. Turn on the light and let’s talk about Delgado.”
***
That evening, we snuck out of the house. The Weston pack was used to the comings and goings of the family, so hearing the Camaro firing up raised no alarms. Everyone assumed I had gone to bed for the night. Instead, Wheeler had crept into the laundry room and found a pair of jeans and a dark T-shirt that would fit me, along with some sneakers.
“You look good dressed down,” he said when I climbed into the backseat of his Camaro. I didn’t like dressing so boyishly, nor did I like how constricting the jeans were. It felt like a costume, so it was weird to have a man compliment me on clothes that weren’t sexy.
The car rocked when Reno sat in the passenger seat with his laptop. Delgado hadn’t called, but Reno said they’d be able to track his number—something about using towers. Thank God for men and their electronic toys; I knew little about such things.
“You sure you want to come?” Reno asked in a gruff voice, twisting his neck around so he could see me out of the corner of his eye.
“You strike me as a man who’s done this before, and because of that, I’m absolutely positive. The sooner we move in, the better. Skye is my only concern, but if Delgado is there, then perhaps we can kill two birds with one stone.”
“I got a big fucking rock with his name on it,” Wheeler murmured.
As soon as my phone rang, Reno perked up. “Same number?”
“Yes, same one.” I took a calming breath before answering so my voice wouldn’t waver. “Naya speaking.”
“I’ve got someone here who wants to say hello.”
The car lurched to a stop and Reno’s hand flew up in front of Wheeler, signaling him to stay quiet. The engine cut off.
“Hello?” a shaky voice said.
In that moment, whatever fear I’d been suppressing emerged. “Skye? Please tell me you’re okay. Did he hurt you?”
“Naya?” Skye wept, her voice broken. “How’s my baby? Can you tell her Mommy loves her so much? Please tell my baby girl I’ll always love her and I’m so sorry.”
Tears streamed down my cheeks, and I didn’t bother to wipe them away.
“Is that sufficient?” Delgado asked. “She’s alive, and I assure you she’s in good hands. I’ve met my end of the bargain, and you have what you need. That’s all I can give you.” It sounded as if he was walking. He was out of breath as he talked.
Oh my God, what if there wasn’t enough time for Reno to do his trace?
I had to stall.
“Let me speak to her again. I have to tell her that her baby’s okay.”
“That’s not what we agreed on. I’m a reasonable man, Naya. Not a man you can lead around by his dick. I’m not going to lie—I’d love to show you the life I can provide you, and it’s not an offer I’ve made to just anyone.”
Wheeler and Reno had turned around completely in their seats to watch. I sat in the center, staying calm and focused.
“You’re a man of your word, Delgado. And I’m a woman of mine.”
“That’s what I like to hear,” he said in a voice as smooth as bourbon. “Where should I have my men pick you up?”
“If I’m coming of my own free will, then you should give me your address like a gentleman,” I said with a sly chuckle. “This isn’t just about good business but also mutual trust. It’s a misconception to think forcing submission and mistreatment will make a panther angry enough to fight. Let me tell you a little something about panthers. We’re savage predators, but if frightened, wounded, or angry, we don’t think clearly. I want to believe this is a good deal for both of us. I’m a woman who looks out for herself, and money is a language I’m fluent in.”
“Hmm,” he murmured. “This should be an interesting arrangement.”
“Ever been with a panther?” I said seductively. “There’s nothing like it.”
I let the thought linger while giving a dramatic roll of my eyes to temper the volcanic look on Wheeler’s face. Delgado needed incentive.
Delgado recited an address, and I committed to being there no later than tomorrow afternoon. He said he had somewhere important to be and that my little diversion was stalling his evening. I graciously apologized and ended the call on a good note. Humans were so gullible. Shrewd businessman or not, every man had a weak spot, and it was usually between his legs. Delgado liked to be in control, but I could also sense he preferred fealty over fear. He was a man who wanted to feel like a king in our world, and having a panther at his side would bring him one step closer to that fantasy.
Wheeler drove around while Reno continued typing on his computer.
“Got it,” Reno finally said.
Wheeler stopped at a light and glanced at the bright screen on Reno’s laptop.
I leaned forward and tapped Reno on the shoulder. “He was on the move, so it looks like we’re on a rescue mission, not seek and destroy.”
Reno looked around when Wheeler pulled his car into a parking place in front of a fast-food restaurant. “What are you doing?”
Wheeler unlatched his seat belt. “Five seconds.”
“Now? You better get it in check, brother.”
Wheeler popped him the middle finger and shoved his door open. When it slammed, I leaned close to Reno, picking up the subtle scent of his cologne. Funny how I hadn’t given it much thought before, but now that I was near Reno, I realized how much I preferred Wheeler’s natural smell to something out of a bottle.
“So what’s the plan?” I asked.
“If Delgado took off, we’ll just stick to the original plan of getting the girl out. The location he was calling from isn’t where I thought it would be. See that?” He pointed at the screen. “Not the area of town where you would keep Shifters caged. I think he moved her to a different location for your benefit.”
“To his house?”
“Could be, or just one of his many homes. Rich bastards like to wipe their feet all over the place. I don’t know about this. Usually they keep them caged and lightly guarded. But in the city? He’s probably got a handful of men on the property. If this doesn’t go down as planned, one of them could make a call and tip him off.”
“So? Let them,” I said flippantly. “I’d love nothing more than to meet the man himself. The legendary human who walks among us like some kind of untouchable titan. That’s a man I want to knock on his ass.”
Reno’s lips eased into a grin. “My kind of girl.”
Wheeler reappeared, and the moment he slammed the door, a heavy scent filled the car. He turned around and handed me a paper bag. I peered in at two hamburgers wrapped in thin paper. Maybe I should have raised a complaint that I wasn’t hungry or scolded him for taking a detour for burgers, but a wolf had brought me food. My panther stirred with approval, recognizing a male was providing for her.
“Guns blazing?” Wheeler asked.
“No, but I’m packing.” Reno shifted in his seat to look at both of us. “We’ll drive around and scope the property first. I’m curious if he has Breed or human guards. I ain’t gonna church it up for you: if they’re Vampires, we’re up shit creek. They’ll hear us coming before we even ring the doorbell.”
“What makes you think Skye is in there?” I asked. “If you lock a person in a bedroom, they’re going to try to escape, even if it means burning the house down.”
“They might have her tied up,” Wheeler suggested. “Handcuffs, in the basement… Chains can wrap around pipes nice and tight.”
Reno shot him a hard glare. “Park at the end of the street. I brought some equipment that’ll pick up any shortwave communication devices. You two sit tight in the car while I scope out the property. Once I have the information I need, I’ll tell you the plan.”
“Then why don’t
you
drive?” Wheeler suddenly pivoted around and crawled between the seats.
I scooted all the way to the right and ducked when he pulled his legs into the backseat. Meanwhile, Reno simply got out of the car and walked around. The car only had two doors, so I was stuck in the back.
“Comfy?” I asked.
“Damn,” he grunted, situating himself. “I didn’t realize how snug it was back here.”
“Never tested out the backseat of your own car?”
“That’s such a human thing to do,” he quickly said, rolling his head to the side to look at me. “Nothing could turn me on in this cramped space.”
Reno got in and moved his seat back for more legroom.
“You’re an ass,” Wheeler barked out, shoving at the seat in protest.
I smiled playfully, wondering why Wheeler had switched seats. “Miss me already?”
“I can’t drive and twist my neck around to hear you talking. What did he say?”
I ate the last piece of my burger and sighed. “Delgado wants to take care of me. I’m not sure if he’s serious or is saying anything to get my panther in his clutches. He’s tempting me with money and a high position.”
Wheeler stretched one of his legs over to my side. “That kind of thing goes on, you know. I’ve seen it. Not everywhere, but some owners treat their prized warriors like champions instead of animals. I’ve seen men get rich with the right owner.”
Reno started messing with the radio and stopped on “You Shook Me All Night Long.”
I slowly unwrapped the second burger and offered it to Wheeler. “Have a bite.”
Wheeler pinched the whiskers on his chin. “I bought those for you.”
I scooted closer until our bodies touched and held it to his lips. “Open your mouth.”
His lips parted, and Wheeler took a small bite from the burger.
“Thank you for thinking of me,” I said quietly, so Reno couldn’t hear. “I’m less jittery when my panther’s been fed.”
I sank my teeth into the same spot Wheeler had bitten into.