Authors: Faith Gibson
Tags: #paranormal romance, #domestic violence, #shapeshifter romance, #gargoyle romance, #alpha shapeshifter, #postapocalyptic adventure, #boxing romance
Frey interrupted her, “He’s supposed to have
someone sitting on him now.” Frey looked to Jasper, eyebrows
raised.
“
Jasper, who is on duty?”
Rafael asked.
“
Vaughn. I talked to him
on the way over here. He hasn’t seen any movement. Other than
George coming and going, neither did I.”
“
What did George look
like?” Frey asked.
“
He’s about six foot, dark
brown hair. Average build.”
“
Same as Quinn, only he’s
not average. He’s a little bulky.” Frey dialed his phone. “I’m
calling Sixx.”
“
Are you thinking they
pulled a switch?” Dane asked.
Frey nodded and spoke into his phone, “Hey,
I need a favor. Look up both Troy Quinn and George Novak’s driver’s
license photos and send them to Rafael’s home computer.
Thanks.”
Rafael opened his computer and waited for
the photos to come through. “If Quinn is loose, you’re going to
have a hard time suspending him,” he told Dane.
“
What if the bastard shows
up to work for his shift tomorrow afternoon. We could catch him
then,” Jasper said just as Rafael’s computer sounded with an
incoming email. Everyone in the room stopped moving while Rafe
opened the message. He turned the laptop around for everyone to see
the side-by-side photos.
“
I’ll be damned,” Frey
expressed what everyone was probably thinking. From a distance, the
two men could definitely be mistaken for each other.
“
Dane, put out an APB on
George’s car then head over to Troy’s house. If Troy is there,
arrest him and bring him in. If George is there instead, ask him
where Troy is. If he won’t talk, bring him down to the precinct,”
Kaya said.
When she stood, Rafael grabbed her around
the waist. “Just where do you think you’re going?”
“
I’m still the Chief until
I resign tomorrow morning. I’m going to do my job.”
Dane was stuck between a rock and a hard
place. Before he had transitioned to a half-blood and joined the
Stone Society, his first loyalty had been to Kaya, his boss. Now,
his first loyalty was to Rafael, his King. Kaya, as his Queen, was
second. “I’m on it. Kaya, I’ve got this.” When she started to
protest, he held up his hands. “You’re stepping down tomorrow
morning. There’s no need for you to come downtown this afternoon.
Besides, you’re needed here.” Dane glanced over at Jasper who was
staring at nothing.
Kaya followed his gaze and nodded. “You’re
right.”
Rafe asked Frey, “Since Quinn knows Abbi’s
with you, do you think your house is safe? Do we need to put extra
security there?”
“
Lorenzo is there with
Matthew. I think between the two of us, we can handle one human.
But I do need to call him and give him the rundown.”
Victoria told Frey, “I will have the divorce
papers ready tonight. As soon as Dane locates Quinn, I will serve
the papers. We might as well hit him with both his suspension and
divorce all at once.”
“
You’re going to need
security as well,” Rafael told the lawyer.
Dane took in everything going on around him.
Both Frey and Jasper were in the middle of shit storms all because
of their mates. Julian was off to Egypt to help his brother find
his mate. Dante had just returned home from rescuing his mate.
Rafael was holding on tight to Kaya, who he’d nearly lost. The
bright light in all the madness was the Clan. Not once did they
think twice about helping each other. No one said they didn’t have
time, or they had other obligations. This was family. This was now
his family, and he couldn’t be more proud.
Chapter
Twenty-Nine
Abbi understood why Frey considered
Priscilla a mother figure. The older woman had Abbi feeling right
at home amid the chaos that was Rafael Stone’s manor. Priscilla
kept her busy helping prepare supper. When Abbi asked why she was
cooking so much food, the woman said they had a big family. If the
people coming and going were any indication, she could believe it.
While Frey was busy talking to Rafael, several more of the Amazon
tribe arrived. The huge men walked right in the back door without
knocking. Somehow, they knew who Abbi was, and they all did that
crazy fisting their chest thing Uri and Lorenzo had done.
Priscilla must have seen the odd expression
on her face, because she patted Abbi’s arm and said, “That means
you’re family,” as if that explained it. Priscilla wasn’t the first
person to tell Abbi she was now family. How could that be,
though?
“
I hear you’re a teacher.
That must be so exciting, to be around little ones all day.”
Priscilla was a pro at keeping Abbi out of her own head. Anytime
Abbi got lost in thought, her new friend would bring her right back
out into the present.
“
It really is. Too many of
them don’t get the attention and nurturing they need at home. I try
to fill that void as much as possible. It’s hard not to get
attached to them, though.”
“
I know exactly what you
mean. I never had children of my own, but I have Rafael and the
boys.”
“
So, you never married?”
Abbi hoped she wasn’t being rude by asking.
“
No, I knew my place in
the world, and it was always here, taking care of the manor. I have
Jonathan. I know he’s my brother, and this may sound strange, but I
never needed anyone else. He and I have taken care of this
household for over thirty years now, so it’s sort of like he’s been
my husband. In a purely platonic way, of course. He and the boys
have given me so much love that I haven’t missed not having a
romantic partner.”
Abbi admired this woman deeply. She reminded
Abbi of her mother, full of love. Frey and Dane came into the
kitchen. “Abbi, may I speak with you a moment?” Dane asked.
“
Of course.” Abbi washed
and dried her hands and followed the men outside.
Frey moved behind her, placing her back to
his front, and wrapped his arms around her waist. While it should
seem like a sweet gesture, she had a feeling he was offering her
strength. If he thought she needed it, she probably did. She placed
her hands on his arms and held on.
“
Abbi, it has come to our
attention Troy was the one driving the car that attempted to run
you and Frey off the road. While we assumed he was at home, it
seems he borrowed his friend’s car. What can you tell us about
George Novak?” Dane was in full detective mode, flip notebook and
pencil in hand.
Abbi was shaking. She knew Troy would come
after her, but try to kill her? Frey tightened his arms around her.
“He and Troy have been friends forever. I think they even went to
kindergarten together. You rarely saw one without the other. They
went on double dates together, and George spent a lot of time at
Troy’s house while they were growing up. When we graduated high
school, George went to the same local college I did. I think he did
it just so he could keep an eye on me for Troy. If he’d had a
decent father figure, he might have turned out different. Him and
Troy both. Anyway, he graduated college, but he never really
pursued a career in anything. He’s gone from one odd job to the
next.
“
He was married for a
short spell, but it didn’t last. He cheated on his wife the whole
time. When she found out, she left him. He spends a lot of time at
my house on the couch, mooching off us. I mean…”
Frey tightened his arms around her. “It’s
okay, Sweetheart.”
Dane asked, “Is there anywhere you know of
that Troy could hide out, other than George’s house? Do either of
them have any other property like a hunting cabin, or relatives
they would go visit?”
“
Not that I know of. The
only family Troy has left is his mother, but she pretty much
disowned him after high school. She lives in a trailer park down in
New Valdosta. George never knew his dad, and his mom died a couple
of years ago.” The hickey on Troy’s neck came to mind. “Troy often
comes home smelling of other women. One of them might hide him out,
but I wouldn’t know where to tell you to start looking for
them.”
Dane snapped his notebook shut and sighed.
“I’m sorry, Abbi. I can’t imagine what you’re going through. Thank
you for the information.”
“
Sorry I couldn’t be more
help. You’d think I could tell you more about the man I’ve lived
with for this long.”
“
No, I think it just
proves you’ve been living with the wrong man. Now, if you’ll excuse
me, I’ve got an asshole to locate.” Dane walked down the steps and
disappeared around the house. She was still pressed up against
Frey’s body, and she didn’t want to move. She felt safe in his
arms. Content. Abbi leaned her head back against his chest and
closed her eyes. Frey pressed his lips to her temple.
“
Oh, sorry. Didn’t mean to
interrupt.” Abbi opened her eyes to yet another member of the
tribe.
“
It’s okay. We probably
need to get going anyway. Abbi, this is Deacon. He helps run the
penitentiary. Deacon, Abbi.”
Deacon fisted his heart and bowed his head
slightly. “My honor, Abbi.” At the other man’s words, Frey
tightened his grip and placed another kiss to her hair.
“
It’s a pleasure,” she
responded. By now, she was getting used to the men in Frey’s life
all being massive and all treating her like she
mattered.
“
You two not staying for
supper?” Deacon asked as he took the steps to the patio.
“
No, we need to get back
home to Matthew,” Frey told the new guy as if he should know who
Matthew was.
“
I feel ya. Broken ribs
are nothing to sneeze at. Listen, tell Lor if he needs a break to
call me. I’d be happy to hang out with the kid.”
“
Will do. Thanks Deacon.”
Frey and the man knuckled bumped each, and Deacon disappeared into
the house.
Abbi turned in his arms and looked up at
him. “Just how big is your family, anyway? And I don’t mean how
tall. I realize the gene pool was very selective when it came to
you and those you know. I mean, how many of these Amazons are
there?”
“
Honestly? There’s a whole
Clan of us. A Society of thousands ready to lay down their lives
for you and Matthew. Now, let’s go say our goodbyes and get home to
our patient.”
In that moment, Abbi believed Frey’s words
to be the truth. They returned to the kitchen where Rafael had Kaya
wrapped up much the way Frey had been holding Abbi. The only
difference was his hand was protectively placed on Kaya’s stomach.
Abbi observed the police chief’s face and realized she was
pregnant. Abbi prayed that was another difference between them.
Before they left, Priscilla dished out
plenty of food for them to take home. “We’re on the bike,
Priscilla; we can’t carry all these dishes.”
“
Here,” Deacon tossed his
keys to Frey. “Take the truck. I’ll bring the bike
later.”
“
Thanks, Brother.” Frey
didn’t hesitate to let the other man ride his motorcycle. He must
really trust him. Frey and Abbi grabbed the food and headed out the
door. When the food was secure on the back floorboard, Frey opened
the passenger side door and helped Abbi into the tall four-wheel
drive. She liked the way his hands gripped her waist, firmly while
still being gentle. While he was walking around to the driver’s
side, their morning deck encounter came back to her mind. She had
never acted so wanton in her life. With Troy, she had no desire to
rub against him. Even in their earlier days, he’d never made sex
anything other than a means to an end, either him getting off or
her getting pregnant.
With Frey, just being in his arms had her
wanting to lose her clothes as well as herself. When she first met
him, she couldn’t imagine being with someone so big. Now that she
knew him a little better, she had no doubt he could be gentle while
making her feel good. Just thinking about her orgasm had Abbi’s
core coming to life. “Abbi,” Frey husked from the other side of the
truck. She started to ask “what” but the feral look in his eyes was
the same one she’d seen when she was rubbing against his erection.
Could he possibly know what she was thinking about? Instead of
answering she bit her lip. A deep growl sounded from his chest as
his eyes landed on her mouth. Before she knew what was happening,
Frey had her across the cab of the truck, straddling his lap.
His mouth clamped down on hers in a kiss
that stoked the fire between her legs. God, the man knew how to
kiss. The dance between their tongues was a sensuous samba. Abbi
pressed her breasts to his chest, rubbing back and forth. Her
nipples ached with a need to be touched. Frey’s cock grew hard
between their bodies. She wanted to unzip the jeans that held him
prisoner and give him pleasure. Sucking Troy had been a chore,
especially when he held her head down making her gag. Taking Frey
in her mouth would be like worshiping at the Amazon altar.
“
Abbi,” Frey warned again,
breaking the kiss.
“
What?” she did ask this
time, a little frustrated that he pulled away.
A horn blew answering her question. “Oh,
crap,” she said as she tried to scramble off his lap. His strong
arms banded around her waist, holding her in place. Frey didn’t
roll the window down to speak, but he did throw up a two finger
salute to yet another member of that Society he spoke of. As soon
as the man was out of sight, Frey kissed her gently, pecking her
lips several times.
“
Let’s take this somewhere
a little more private,” he said with a grin.