.jpg)
“Blaise, this is Shanty Jacobs. She’s come to speak with Flambé,” Jet said.
Terry and Jet both scanned all around them, looking up on the rooftops and over to the trees as if they were nervous.
“Are you expecting trouble?” Flambé asked, standing, drawing their attention. She didn’t come out of the alcove, very conscious of Sevastyan’s orders. “I’m Flambé, Shanty. I’m so sorry I couldn’t meet you in South Africa, but my female was rising. Her first heat.”
“I understand,” Shanty said. Her eyes were a delicate blue, but she looked as if she’d been crying for days. Her eyes were swollen, her face puffy. She looked at Flambé once and then down at the ground. A tremor went through her body.
“I don’t know about trouble, Flambé,” Terry answered. “I’ve got this feeling in my gut. I’ve had it for a while now. When I get it, it’s not a good thing to ignore.”
Jet nodded. “He’s never been wrong yet.”
“Shanty and I are going to sit here for a few minutes and talk,” Flambé said. “If you gentlemen would give us space. A good deal of it, please. Leopards have excellent hearing and I would prefer that you get out of range. We’ll put on some music to help mute what we say to each other as well, but this conversation is strictly between us. Blaise, in the cooler there are two ice-cold water bottles. Would you mind?” She gave him one of her sweetest smiles.
Blaise immediately handed the two women a bottle of water each and then stepped off the porch. “I don’t like getting too far from you.”
“It’s not like anyone can get to us,” Flambé pointed out. She made certain she didn’t look at the front door, which was only a few steps away. Inside that house was a team of Sevastyan’s men ready to surround her and Shanty with safety if she could just get Shanty to make a call to the men holding her husband hostage.
Blaise nodded and the three men left them. Flambé waved Shanty to a chair. “This must have been a very long, scary trip for you and the children. How are they?”
Shanty nodded. “I think they’re good,” she mumbled.
“Where are they?”
“They were taken to the safe house by the other members of the team.”
Shanty was speaking so low, in spite of the fact that Flambé was leopard, she could barely hear her. Flambé looked her over. The woman was thin. She looked utterly miserable. Her skin was red, her face blotchy. Flambé took a deep breath. It was now or never. She pushed a sheet of paper across the table at Shanty. Flambe turned on a small fountain set sitting on the table and leaned close to it allowing them to whisper, the water interfering if Shanty was wired.
“They’ll have toys for them. Jack and Lyndon are really great guys, they’ll watch out for them. And both men believe in ice cream treats. The kids will be spoiled rotten.” She poured enthusiasm into her voice as Shanty read the note.
Both brows came together. Her face flooded with color. It was a simple enough question. Was there a bug planted on her so someone could overhear their conversation? Shanty stared down at the note for a long time. She shook her head several times and her eyes filled with tears. Her hands trembled.
She pressed her fingers over her mouth and nodded.
“You’d usually stay at the safe house for a week before being taken to the main property where you’re housed. Because you have children, I’m hoping we can put you up in one of the little houses.” Flambé poured enthusiasm into her voice as she pushed the second note at her. “We’re trying to make one available as quickly as possible.”
Shanty read it.
Betrayal for money? Or what?
“I’m sorry. I’m so sorry. They have my mate. My Reiner.” She whispered it leaning into the fountain.
“I suspected as much.” Flambé spoke softly. The others may have moved away, but she didn’t trust that leopards might not overhear.
Can you insist on contacting him? Hearing his voice so you know he’s alive? Answer in a whisper but keep very close to the fountain. She wrote it out carefully, showed it to Shanty and when the woman nodded, tore it off, crumpled the paper and put it carefully in the pocket of her jeans.
Flambé flashed her an encouraging smile and indicated the water bottle. “Do you know who is behind this?”
“A man named Matherson. He wanted me to say I was beaten and my husband was following me. That I couldn’t get away from him. I was supposed to say I was afraid to tell that to the men. I was to tell you that he threatened to kill me and take my children.” She put the water bottle to her mouth but didn’t drink. Tears were falling and she tried to keep her face covered if anyone could see her. “I didn’t want to hurt you. I really didn’t. He said he would kill Reiner.”
“The most important thing is to find your mate and get him free before we do anything else. Can you insist on a call, demanding to hear his voice before you go any further? Just step onto the porch away from me. Say you think I’m really nice and you want to know your husband is safe before you betray me. Something that will convince them you need encouragement. You need to hear his physical voice. Make them let you talk to him. If they let you, stay on with him as long as you can.”
Shanty took a deep breath and then she nodded. She stood up and walked away from Flambé. Flambé hadn’t heard a lie in her voice. Either the woman was very, very good at deception, or her husband really had been taken prisoner. Matherson wanted Karisa, Basil Andino’s mate, back. It had become a matter of pride with him. She also had the feeling that he was just as determined to claim her. He wouldn’t keep her long, but he’d claim her.
A little shiver went down her spine. She wished she knew more good shifter males. Ania insisted there were many and that she’d introduce Flambé to them as soon as they took care of her problems and Flamme was no longer in heat. That was another thing that was a little worrisome. Her skin was beginning to feel a little prickly. It was very early in the morning, although the sun was out. They’d deliberately scheduled the meeting for early morning, when Flamme should be worn out from the night before from her run with Shturm.
Ambroise is getting a lock on the position. Sevastyan kept her informed through the small earpiece. Gorya, Logan, Kyanite, Trey and Jeremiah are on the move and as soon as they have an actual address will hit the place and secure him. Will let you know. Hopefully, she stays on the phone long enough to give us an address.
Flambé silently willed Shanty to do so. Shanty glanced at her once and Flambé mouthed for her to keep talking and then took a hasty drink of water, grateful she was farther back in the shadows, because Blaise was looking at the two women. He paced back and forth, ignoring Terry and Jet, who paid more attention to security, watching for any sign of danger. They faced away from Blaise.
Flambé’s heart began to pound. She pulled out her phone, unable to help herself, and texted Sevastyan. Worried Blaise might harm Terry or Jet.
Under control, baby, Sevastyan’s soft voice whispered in her ear.
She had to have faith that he did. Why was she so nervous? Why was she suddenly having doubts all over again? She pushed both hands through her hair, finding she was shaking. She didn’t want Blaise to be the one betraying her. All along she kept hoping they were all wrong.
Blaise had never really shown any signs of being a typical male shifter, arrogant and controlling—like Sevastyan. Like Mitya. Like so many of the others she saw take advantage of the women. He’d been sweet and friendly and always accommodating. When she’d turned him down after he’d asked her out, he’d never gotten weird with her, or upset. He took her refusal in stride. She’d made it clear she didn’t mix work with pleasure and she never had. If Blaise could turn on her after years of acting so caring, what did that mean for her future with a man like Sevastyan?
You’re crying, baby. What’s wrong? What’s going through your head? I’ll come to you right now if you need me. The hell with the plan. I’ll figure something out. The words whispered in her ear via the tiny radio.
She heard the anxiety
in Sevastyan’s voice. He would come to her. He would blow the entire operation just because she was in tears. She wiped her face with her palms and shook her head. Nothing. Being silly. I get things in my head, she texted him.
She kept her eyes on Shanty, knowing just texting Sevestyan that much was enough for him to figure out what she was thinking. He knew her that well. It was their connection through the ropes. The way he read her.
Ambroise has an address. The boys are close. Tell Shanty to end the call.
Triumph burst through her. Flambé immediately signaled Shanty, who reluctantly allowed whoever was talking to her to dictate to her what she had to do. She kept nodding her head and sobbing. Abruptly she ended the call and returned to the table.
“They’re on their way to rescue him,” Flambé whispered to Shanty and indicated the water bottle. “Are the children okay?” she asked aloud for the sake of anyone listening.
“Yes. They’re very happy. Playing.” Shanty gave a little sniff. “I wanted you to meet me in South Africa for a reason. I wasn’t being silly. It’s my husband.” She lowered her voice even more. “He’s very abusive. When the poachers came, I took the opportunity to run with the children to try to get away from him. Most of the lair went in one direction, but I hid in all the chaos and he was fighting back with the men and I was able to get out with the children without him seeing us.”
Flambé frowned and leaned forward, dropping her chin onto the heel of her hand, her gaze on Shanty as if entirely riveted. Whoever was listening and watching would definitely think that Flambé was taking the bait. They needed to give the rescue team as much time as possible to get to her husband.
“Your mate’s name is Reiner?” Flambé interjected just for something to say, to slow time down.
Shanty got the hint and took another drink of water, nodding. “Yes. He’s horrible. He likes to beat me. It excites him. That’s what he does before he . . .” She broke off and looked down at the wooden beams running under her feet. “He’s very violent when he touches me after he beats me.”
Flambé would have known she was lying even if she couldn’t hear lies. Shanty sounded as if she’d rehearsed a written script. Someone had made her repeat the words over and over until they were memorized verbatim.
“I’m sorry, what did you say?” she asked, sitting up straight as if she couldn’t believe her ears.
“He’s horrible. He likes to beat me. It excites him. That’s what he does before he . . .” She broke off, but this time she looked down at her hands, fingers twisted together in her lap. “He’s very violent when he touches me after he beats me.”
Definitely scripted and memorized. She’d repeated it verbatim down to the exact way she had acted. No one did that unless they were lying. Shanty put her hands back on the table and looked up at Flambé, almost afraid to breathe.
Flambé reached across the table sympathetically and laid her hand over Shanty’s. “I’m so sorry. That must be so awful for you. The extraction team got you out fast. He couldn’t have followed you here.”
“No, but he’ll know. He’ll find me. You know it’s impossible to hide from a leopard. No one can do it. No one. He said if I ever ran from him, he’d beat me to death. He promised me he would do it.” Shanty put her head down on the table and cried like her heart was breaking. The sobbing was genuine, a reaction to the terror of knowing men were trying to get her husband free of those holding him hostage.
“There are agencies in the United States that protect women,” Flambé said gently.
In her mind she was urging the rescue team to hurry. Every time she looked up, she could see that Blaise was inching closer to them. He couldn’t get too close. The moment the rescue team signaled they had Reiner, she was to make a break for the front door with Shanty. It was unlocked. She had only to fling the door open, get inside and slam it closed. Once inside, Blaise and Matherson couldn’t get to them. Unfortunately, that would leave Jet and Terry to the enemy, and that didn’t sit well with her.
“How are those agencies going to protect me against a shifter?” Shanty demanded, sitting up straight and dashing at her tears. “I watch enough news to know that your protection orders didn’t stop stalkers if they wanted to really hurt someone or kill them. It happens all the time. Judges throw out cases due to lack of evidence and cops don’t listen.”
Flambé sighed. “Well, that much is true. I have a man stalking me and I called the cops. I even own a very respected business and that hasn’t helped at all. They told me he hadn’t really done anything to warrant them arresting him. I felt threatened by him. He showed up everywhere I was, but until he ran me off the road and assaulted me, which I didn’t have proof of because it took place where no one was around, he hadn’t really done anything the cops considered to be dangerous.”
She rubbed her hairline where the swelling had been. “We can move you out of state, Shanty. We’ve got other businesses set up where you can work and make money. I can have my people watch the airports to see if he enters the country. There’s a man named Drake Donovan who owns a security company. I’m sure you’ve heard of him. He might be able to help. I can reach out to him on your behalf as well.”
She wanted to text Sevastyan that the team had to hurry. What if something was going wrong? She could see panic beginning to gather in Shanty’s eyes. She was beginning to feel it in the pit of her stomach. How long did a rescue take? How many men were holding Shanty’s husband hostage? Did Ambroise have that information? She should have asked. She had to keep calm so Shanty would.
She lifted the water bottle to her mouth and took a long, deliberate drink, giving herself time to mark Blaise’s position. He was a few feet closer to them, but still several yards away. He was certain Shanty was doing her job, convincing Flambé she was an abused woman.
Shanty shook her head with a little moan of fear. “He’ll find me. You know he will. You have to help me, Flambé. I know you can. I heard that you can.”
Flambé drummed her fingers on the tabletop. It would be risky to capitulate this soon. She wouldn’t do that. “I’m trying to help you, Shanty. You’re not willing to take any of the avenues I’ve got open for you. I will admit, running from a shifter isn’t the easiest thing, especially with three little ones in tow, but if he’s as bad as you say, I don’t think you have a choice. If it was me, I’d opt to make a run for it. I’d go to Donovan for help. He’s got an entire security force and he knows all kinds of places he can put you where your husband would have a difficult time finding you.”
Shanty was silent for a long time. “Have you sent other women to Donovan before?” she finally asked, her voice very low, but she made certain the sound carried enough that Blaise, the way he’d inched closer, couldn’t fail to hear, nor could anyone else who was listening through the bug that had been planted on her.
Flambé shrugged. “Once or twice it was necessary. He’s very good at making people disappear. I had considered availing myself of his services at one point. I was waiting for you.”
Technically, there was no lie there either. Blaise would hear the ring of truth. Matherson was on the other end of Shanty’s wire. He would hear it as well. Both men would think that Basil Andino’s mate, Karisa, had gone to Drake Donovan and he’d protected her by sending her to some undisclosed location. In truth, Karisa was very safe, long gone in the route Flambé had established and used very sparingly and only when absolutely necessary. Only four women aided her with that route and she used a special scent blocker perfected just for her by Charisse Mercier from New Orleans.
For the first time, Flambé felt just a little amused. She could see a hint of frustration on Blaise’s face. He believed her. He wanted the entire mess over with, almost more than she did. Terry was casting little warning glances over his shoulder, which meant his gut was telling him something wasn’t right. He’d always had good instincts. He wanted them finished so he could get Shanty out of there.
“Will Donovan be able to hide me from R
einer?” There was real desperation in Shanty’s voice. Real panic welling up in her eyes. On her face. She was going to lose it in another minute.
Flambé instinctively took a deep breath to try to breathe for both of them.
They’ve got Reiner Jacobs safe. He is with the rescue team. He is safe and unharmed. Sevastyan’s voice was calm and oh-so-welcoming in her ear. I repeat, Jacobs is safe and with the rescue team. Get inside with Shanty now, Flambé.
That was a clear order and one she would have no trouble obeying. A smile broke out on her face. She leaned close to Shanty, caught her hand and squeezed hard. “Safe. Unharmed. They have him.” She stood up and tugged Shanty to her feet. “Run.”
Flambé was already in motion, running for the front door. It was already wide open, Kirill and Matvei stepping outside with automatic weapons to protect them as the two women sprinted across the porch.
Blaise flung himself down on the ground, using the corner of the verandah column as cover, aiming his gun at Shanty. Flambé paused just long enough to allow Shanty to get in front of her, her body blocking the woman from Blaise’s aim just as Kirill and Matvei laid down covering fire.
Terry and Jet had no idea what was going on or who the enemy was. Both men had weapons out, but as exposed as they were, they had the presence of mind to go down to the ground with their hands out in a sign of surrender.
Blaise rolled under the corner of the verandah, kicked off his shoes, stripped fast, and shifted. His leopard crawled under the house to the other side and ran full out to where two SUVs with Matherson and the crews of ten shifters waited on an old little-used dirt back road behind the property.