Authors: Bailey Bradford
“Ick, what a rejection,” Daan said loudly and happily. Adam craned his neck and saw
Todd propped between Daan and Sim, still unconscious, and fear spiked in his gut, hot and sharp.
“Fuck you,” Peter groused, glaring fit to kill.
“No fucking you, that’s for sure,” Adam spat out.
Peter raised his hand and Adam tried not to flinch but his eyelids slammed shut
anyway.
“I wouldn’t do that, Peter,” someone said in a low voice filled with menace.
Adam opened one eye as little as he could get away with and still be able to see. Peter had turned white as could be as he dropped his hand back to hold Adam’s arm.
“I wasn’t—I was just trying—” Peter sputtered, red dots appearing on his cheeks. Hell, Adam could even smell his panic, and when he cut his eye to where Peter was staring he knew why. There on the step in the doorway stood the biggest man Adam had ever seen in his entire life. The term ‘hulking’ came to mind, certainly. With shoulders that filled the doorway and a head he bowed to keep from touching the top of the frame, there was no other way to describe him. Except for terrifying, perhaps.
“You obviously would, and have,” the huge man continued, his cold blue gaze raking
Adam then Todd. He nodded once then turned a fierce look on Peter as he stepped fully out of the doorway and walked over. “You will wait in my office.” He towered over Peter, who was now shaking like a man caught naked in a blizzard. “You will, I am sure, seek to find a way to justify this mistreatment of my guests. And I almost certainly won’t believe you. Then you will accept your punishment.”
Peter gulped. Adam felt like gulping himself. It really pissed him off. Peter all but dropped him and ran inside. If the big scary guy hadn’t hooked an arm around Adam’s shoulders he’d have probably fallen on his ass.
Adam glared at the man, determined not to be cowed. “Guests? What a presumptuous
load of—”
“I assume you have come looking for Jameson.”
The words shut Adam up.
“I am Maarten Visser.” Adam felt the first stirring of hope.
“Visser?” He searched the man’s blue eyes, took in his dark brown hair and build. He could see some similarities, or could he? Was he just seeing what he hoped to see?
Maarten nodded. “Yes. My brother, Luuk, is Jameson’s mate.”
Adam wanted to believe it, but what difference did it make if Maarten was telling the truth? He’d had them abducted, and drugged their friends, and had them beaten…although, as mad as he’d looked when he’d spied Peter fixing to hit him, maybe Maarten hadn’t
ordered that last bit. Or he had, but was fucking with Adam’s already messed-up head.
“I will explain what I can when we get you and your…” Maarten glanced back at Todd.
“Husband,” Adam growled, and dug in his heels. For all intents and purposes, that’s
what Todd was to him, and he was the same to Todd. He figured that would be clear and easier for Maarten to understand, too. “Uncuff me, right the fuck now. Unless you intend to harm us…more.” He dared Maarten with his posture, his eyes, his tone, everything. The man was definitely an alpha, and wouldn’t like it, but fuck if Adam cared. Maarten could show him respect, and Todd, too.
Maarten looked more amused than angry, which predictably infuriated Adam, but,
since he pulled a key from his pocket, Adam decided to shut up for now. In seconds, Adam’s hands were free, and Maarten had tossed the key to Sim. Adam started to turn around but Maarten caught him by the shoulder. “Inside first, please. Then I promise you can see to your husband. We are at risk every moment we are outside.”
“Well, you sure didn’t seem to care before,” Adam snapped. “And I’m checking him
now.” He pivoted and promptly gasped, having turned too quickly. His knees gave out, and only Maarten’s quick reflexes kept him upright once again.
“What is the saying? Doctor heal thyself?” Maarten muttered. “You are hurt, too. Come on. I gave you my word you can tend to him, but you can’t do so if you are unconscious as well.”
“That’s a bullshit line in this case,” Adam protested, but, the truth was, he could hardly breathe, much less walk. He felt battered from head to toe, his nerve endings screaming with pain. He had no choice except to let Maarten help him inside. To his complete surprise, he and Todd were placed in a spacious bedroom. Windowless, which didn’t surprise him and cast more doubt on their host, but there was nothing he could do about it right now.
“I will send someone in to see to you both,” Maarten said. “I know you are a
veterinarian, but your husband is a man, and you are hurt. You haven’t anything to work with, either.” Maarten frowned at him then studied Todd. “What did Peter do?”
“What the hell does it look like he tried to do?” Adam shouted, patience eradicated by hours of fear and hurt. “Fucking look at us!”
“He was very hateful and hit Adam several time,” Daan said from behind Maarten.
“And made threats to Todd unless Adam was very nice to him. That is when Adam threw up on him outside.”
If Adam thought Maarten had looked furious before, it was absolutely nothing
compared to the thunderous expression he wore now. “Get Spiegel in here,” Maarten
ordered. “I will go take care of Peter.”
With that ominous threat, Maarten left the room, Daan running off with a “Be back with the doctor,” right behind him.
Adam sat on the edge of the bed and felt the fluttering pulse at Todd’s neck. Was it stronger? It wasn’t weak, but it was erratic. Adam flipped on the bedside lamp and gently touched Todd’s cheek. His gold-tipped lashes cast shadows on his fair skin, and Adam fought back the urge to weep. It was a ridiculous urge, but he knew the stress and pain and fear and anger and all the other chaotic emotions bouncing through him were truly fucking with him. He wanted Todd to open his eyes, wanted to see their pretty colour…
Adam swiped at his eyes then felt carefully around Todd’s head. The bump on the back was worrisome, certainly. He touched again, and Todd whimpered, and Adam thought it
was the most beautiful sound he’d ever heard, even if he did regret causing Todd pain.
“Todd?” Adam leant down, rubbed his nose against Todd’s cheek then brushed a kiss
over his parted, chapped lips. “Baby, please open your eyes for me. I’ve been so scared.”
Todd winced but his lashes fluttered, his eyes darting behind the closed lids. Slowly, he opened his eyes and Adam barely kept himself from whooping. As it was, he sucked in a sharp breath and nearly passed out from the pain of it.
“Adam?” Todd ground out, his voice sounding uncomfortably raw. “Where—”
“I don’t know.” Adam stopped trying to hold back his tears. Everything had been too
much, and he hurt, and Todd hurt, and he didn’t know what was happening. He hadn’t even asked Maarten about Jameson or Luuk! He was too worried about Todd, and until he knew Todd would be okay—
A sharp rap at the door startled Adam into another gasp, which made him sway as he
struggled not to pass out. He made out a blurry shape, not a big one, so not Maarten then.
“I’m Dr Spiegel,” the blurry shape said. “Please allow me to check you both.”
Adam didn’t think he could stop the guy. He was barely managing not to keel over as it was.
“Todd first,” he insisted, though. Then he scooted up and held Todd’s hand,
determined to keep a staunch watch over him.
Todd glared at the man sitting on the floor at Maarten’s feet. Peter was nude and
battered, and Todd probably should have felt bad for him, but fuck it.
“He had a chance to defend himself,” Maarten said, interrupting Todd’s angry
thoughts. Todd jerked his head up to look at the freakishly big shifter. Adam had filled him in on what had happened, but Todd wasn’t about to trust anyone other than his husband.
“I don’t know how things are done in North America, but, here, I give my betas a
chance to apologise properly and accept punishment or fight those they’ve wronged, myself included, in the ring. Peter chose…” Maarten glanced down at the man who hadn’t yet
looked up from the floor, “unwisely.”
“From the moment he broke into our room,” Todd snarled, glaring at Maarten even
though it made him want to piss himself. The guy was just scary. Adam linked his hand through Todd’s and leaned against his side. Todd thought about the bruises and scratches.
Adam’s ribs were just bruised, thank goodness, but they were sore as hell and who was really to blame? “So since you have offended me…” Oh shit! What was he saying?
Maarten looked startled, too, blinking owlishly and sitting back in his chair. “By?”
Todd wanted to whoop the big ox…wolf. “You’re the one who sent that jerk after us.
What kind of leader doesn’t know his own men?”
Maarten actually appeared to shrink a little at that accusation. He muttered something Todd couldn’t hear and rubbed the back of his hand over his mouth.
“Maybe he’s just not very bright,” Adam chimed in, whispering and knowing full well the shifters would hear.
Daan made a choking sound and Sim shoved a fist in his mouth and stared at them
with wide eyes. Peter didn’t so much as twitch, and Maarten growled, a low rumbling sound that made every hair on Todd’s body stand up, but he didn’t back down. He could growl, too, if that was the way the shifter wanted to play this chest-thumping game.
“You couldn’t touch me in the ring,” Maarten finally said, not without a little mockery.
Todd’s cheeks heated but he kept his own tone bland. “Who said anything about being
in a ring?” Todd scrambled for an alternative, because, yeah, Maarten would clobber him in a heartbeat.
“Why should he have to?” Adam asked. “You orchestrated this whole thing, and expect
us to think you aren’t a bad guy? What the fuck is wrong with you?” Adam had worked himself up to a furious ball of indignation. “You drugged our friends! Or had them drugged, whatever! And you sent psycho-fuckwit along in charge! If you’re the leader of the shifters here, they are so fucked!”
“I’m not,” Maarten snapped, “not more than those who live here in this house with me.
We are rebels, outcasts, whatever, of Luther’s regime! I want him dead, and my brother back in his rightful place! As for your accusations—”
“Facts,” Todd interrupted, “there’s no accusation to it!”
Maarten growled again and clenched his hands on the armrests of the chair. Todd
heard the material rend, heard wood crack. “Fine, then. Yes, I sent him, as a test! I suspected he was sent to me to spy by Luther, and he was. I did not order him to drug your friends…exactly.”
“What the fuck does that even mean?” Adam shouted, then groaned and went white as
a ghost as he clutched his side.
Todd murmured soothing words to him and cradled him to his side carefully, all the
time glaring daggers at Maarten. Maybe he’d have two wolf rugs.
“I just said not to bring them.” Maarten huffed and looked up at the ceiling. “Fine, yes. I didn’t want the other shifters here because I do not know or trust them, and they are strong.
You two are just humans.”
“Oh, fuck you, asshole,” Adam hissed, his voice was pitched higher than usual and
laced with pain. “My human can shoot you before you can blink.”
“He doesn’t have a—”
Todd did, though, since Daan and Sim had brought his bag. He didn’t know how
Marcus had managed it, but he’d assured Todd he could get his handgun through and he had. Now Todd got to give Maarten a thin smile while pointing his nice .357 at him.
“…gun,” Maarten finished lamely. He twisted to glare at Daan and Sim. “What kind of help are you two?”
Daan shrugged even as he blanched. “We didn’t go through his bags. You said you
wanted their help, which was why we couldn’t understand Peter’s behaviour.”
“Couldn’t understand why you made him a beta in the first place,” Sim sneered.
“You both do remember there is a very large calibre gun pointed at me?” Maarten
asked. Todd was wondering the same thing himself.
Daan looked at him. “He won’t shoot you. Todd is a very honourable man.”
Damn it. There went any leverage Todd had and he knew it. So did Adam, judging by the soft sigh he gave. Maarten faced him and arched a brow. Todd set the safety and tucked the gun in the back of his waistband under his shirt.
“You’re still an asshole,” Adam informed Maarten.
“I am,” he admitted easily. “I suspected Peter’s duplicity and put you and your friends at risk unnecessarily, but I did manage to beat some information out of Peter. At least I know Luther hasn’t yet found Luuk or Jameson.”
“Are you sure they’re even alive?” Todd asked even though he hated to do so. But
Adam deserved the truth.
Maarten shook his head. “I have no proof, but I believe they are. Luuk went to America and, somehow, he met his mate. Europe’s shifter politics have been unstable for a very long time. When Luuk went to America, I believe he intended to meet with the Alpha Anax there, Marcus Criswell—”
“Whose brother you had drugged,” Todd pointed out. “Hate to be in your shoes.”
Maarten shrugged. “I honestly did not think Peter would drug them. But, as you have
both said, he is my responsibility. I would not defend myself against Marcus Criswell any more than I would against either of you.”
Todd was getting really tired of the head games. “You said—”
“That you couldn’t touch me in the ring, and, no, if it were an actual fight, you couldn’t.
But I did cause harm to you and your mate, or husband, whatever you call Adam, and to you. There wouldn’t be a fight. I would give you your pound of flesh, as it were.” Maarten shrugged one massive shoulder. “I am a fair man, and honourable too, even if my judgement wasn’t the best.”
Todd was almost glad he hadn’t shot him. “If you really are as honourable as you claim to be, then send someone for our friends, or contact them and tell them how to get here.”
Maarten lowered his head and his expression hardened. “I will not give your friends