Heads or Tails (BBW Paranormal Shapeshifter Werelion Romance) (Quick & Furry Book 4) (3 page)

“Another agreement from me.” Once again Colton raised his hand.

Oscar growled at them—again—but put the SUV into drive. As quickly as they’d whipped off the road, they roared back on, the tires squealing when they finally hit asphalt. They’d talk about his poor driving when she felt a little safer. Right now, with Tony and Niccolo’s guys so close, she didn’t give a damn how they got away.

The SUV ate up the miles, leaving the older rundown part of the city and gradually they entered nicer, more populated areas. People. Lots and lots of people were good things. Human, lion… Hillary didn’t care. There was one thing those two men hated, and that was witnesses. Sure, she knew they generally “took care” of those problems, but even they couldn’t take out an entire city. Though, she had heard Tony talk of leveling a whole block before… With the occupants still inside the buildings.

Hillary eased to the side so she could look into one of the side mirrors to see the vehicles behind them. So far, so good. She hadn’t spied any of the typical vehicles. That didn’t mean the guys weren’t trying to lay low and driving something else.

“No one is following us.” Oscar tried to be reassuring, but there was just something itching between her shoulders that said otherwise.

“Look, I get that you’re trying to soothe me or whatever, but—”

“That’s what mates are for. I want you to know I can take care of you. I’ll kill anyone who tries to come after you. And you’re going to tell me more about what’s been happening to you as soon as we get to Pride Tower.”

Hillary kept going despite his words. Because really, the guy wasn’t listening. “
But
I don’t think you realize what you’re up against. Especially if you think Tony and Niccolo are out of the game.”

She took another peek behind them.

“I said—” Her mate really was getting snippy. Which was kinda hot.

“And I said you don’t know anything. I’m also saying that yes, I’ve been with them for twenty years, but it wasn’t like I never tried to escape. Each time they found me. No matter what, they’d find me. So excuse the fuck outta me if I’m a little worried.”

Oscar growled—he seemed to do a lot of that. “I can take care of you.”

“I’m sure you—”

Hillary didn’t get to tell him what she was sure of because another SUV roared toward them and T-boned their vehicle. The threat hadn’t come from behind but their left. Of course, they went after the driver’s side. They didn’t want to injure her. Fucking bastards.

Metal groaned as it crumpled and bent, while glass shattered and the small bits tinkled and flew through the air. She fought to remain loose as the vehicle slid over the asphalt, tensing would merely ensure more injuries. Apparently sliding wasn’t enough for their SUV, because it lost its hold on the street and flopped to its side before finally rolling and resting on its roof.

She hung from the seat, belt keeping her in place. Blood dripped from her head and she realized at some point she’d become intimately involved with the side window.
So much for airbags.

She took a quick moment to prod her lioness and see if any other parts of them were damaged. The cat was annoyed and Hillary was surprised to find the beast in that state. In the past, it had always cowered beneath injury, but now it seemed almost ready to take on Tony’s guys. Or Niccolo’s. She wasn’t sure who was handling this round of “Hunt Hillary.”

A groan came from Oscar and she turned her attention to him, noting the odd angle of his arm and the blood flowing freely from his head wound. She twisted and took a look toward the back of the SUV and spied Colton in a crumpled heap. He whimpered, so she knew he was still alive, but the man had to be in a lot of pain.

Someone didn’t buckle up.

A heavy thud reached her, and she turned her head toward the sound. The scrape of shoes on glass announced someone’s approach and then a pair of high-end Italian loafers came into view. Yep, just as she suspected. They’d found her. Sure, there could be any number of people who wore those type of handcrafted shoes, but going by experience, she was looking at a pair that belonged to…

The owner of those shoes crouched and looked into the vehicle. Hillary cleared her throat and closed one eye to avoid blood getting into the orb. “Hey, Guido, how you doing? How’s the fam?”

“Good, good.” His sweeping gaze took in the other occupants. “Got yourself in some trouble, huh?”

Hillary shrugged, well, tried to considering the seatbelt holding her in place. “You know how it is, a couple guys find a girl in a deserted house and locked behind a door… They try to do the right thing. That’s all they know, Guido. They were just trying to help out.”

“And you didn’t try to dissuade them from that plan?”

“I wouldn’t be much of a captive if I didn’t try to get away.”

Guido nodded. “Right, right. Well, Tony is going to take care of the guys at the house.”

Translation: Tony’s hired gun was going to make sure they were dead in the next hour.

“And now I got to take care of this situation.” The man waved his finger toward Oscar.

Fuck, fuck, fuck. Hillary’s lion pushed to its feet in the back of her mind and growled—actually
growled
—its objection. Damn, it seemed her cat had grown a pair since meeting Oscar. Oscar her mate. Oscar who, if she didn’t do some convincing fast talking, would end up being taken care of by Tony at the house.

“They’re just the wrong good guys at the wrong place at the wrong time.” She tried to sound uncaring and nonchalant as she delivered the partial truth.

“Uh-huh. But the boss says—”

She really fucking hated “the boss.” Her lioness stepped nearer, anxious and twitchy, silently offering its help. In all these years, it’d never leant its assistance voluntarily. Apparently Oscar was worth growing a backbone for. She let the feline come forward, making sure her body didn’t transform despite her inner beast’s presence, and welcomed the power that filled her.

An omega was a lot of things. It calmed and soothed those who were in pain and needed treatment. She could steal the fight from others and end the violence before it began. And then there was the fun bit of manipulation.

Hillary sensed her vocal cords changing, slightly altering as the magic of her nature imbued her. “
The boss says that as long as they know nothing they can live. You heard him say that. Didn’t you?
”

His gaze became detached, eyes focusing on the distance as his pupils dilated and she knew she’d been successful, but hearing the words helped as well. “Yeah, that’s what he said.”

“
These men know nothing
.”

“Right, right. They know nothing. I’ll have the guys get you out of here.” With that, a still-dazed Guido pushed to his feet and yelled as he rose to his full height. “Get those people the fuck back and get her the fuck out of there before trouble shows up.”

Trouble. Meaning the cops.

Movement to her left had her focusing on Oscar. Her mate’s eyelids fluttered and finally opened so he could focus on her. “Hillary?”

She opened her mouth to respond, but her seatbelt trembled and she glanced right to find one of Tony’s men cutting at the band. Another set of arms reached for her, keeping her from tumbling when she was finally freed.

Her mate’s eyes widened, anger and fear making their way across his features. Any moment, she’d be on her own feet outside the SUV and she only had a split second to speak to him. She wanted to tell him that she’d be fine. Tell him it was wonderful having a mate for an hour. That even though they spent a good chunk of their time together arguing, she’d cherish those moments forever.

Instead… “Goodbye.”

*

Oscar watched his alpha work, and damn, it was a thing of beauty. Oscar observed from the sidelines, leaning against the far wall of the locked room while the alpha did his thing in the middle.

He knew Marcus was the strongest lion on the continent and that he’d earned his position, but he’d never seen the lion truly use his power. He’d never seen the raging, unbending, unyielding animalistic side of the male. Thankfully, he didn’t know this side because he’d never done a thing to rile that part of his alpha’s nature. He’d be scared shitless if it were him facing the alpha.

It seemed the only one about to lose his shit was Tony Davis. And Marcus still hadn’t laid a hand on the male.

In truth, he was kind of disappointed no blood was flowing yet. Mainly because he ached to tear strips from the incarcerated lion. It was obvious there were quite a few things the pride leaders didn’t know, but there was someone who did. Someone who was going to talk. He just didn’t know it yet.

“One last chance, Tony.” Marcus leaned back in his folding chair, pretending to be uncaring as he propped his feet on the metal table that separated him from Tony. “I want to know about the rest of your holdings and where I can find them. I wanna know what else you have your fingers in. Who else do you have behind locked doors?”

“I have no idea what you’re talking about.” Tony shook his head and Oscar fought the need to rip the man’s face off. This bastard knew and wasn’t talking and that was unacceptable.

“No?” Marcus shrugged. “Is that your final answer? I’m giving you one last shot. Tell me now or things will get ugly.”

Oscar almost wished the man would remain silent because he was all for getting ugly.

Tony shook his head. “No way, man. You don’t understand…”

Marcus removed his feet from the table and stood. “Okay then. I’m done.” The alpha focused on Oscar. “He’s all yours.”

Oscar raised his eyebrows in question, wanting to make sure he’d heard his leader right. “Seriously?”

“Yup.”

“What’s going on here?” Tony’s attention sprang between Oscar and the alpha. “I have a deal. One you’re already violating by asking me about the business.”

Marcus shrugged. “You had a deal that encompassed all the bullshit between you and Niccolo Colletti. The ‘business.’ This is about kidnapping and the fact your guys are currently holding Oscar’s mate.” The alpha put his hands on the tabletop and leaned forward. “Mate trumps deal. So, you either tell me what I want to know or I let him at you.”

Tony’s denial was quick. “No, Niccolo and I aren’t into that kidnapping shit. I don’t know who you think has your mate, but it’s not—”

“Hillary Stewart.” Oscar threw the name down and he didn’t miss the way the other lion paled.

“No,” Tony whispered. “You… She… It’s not really kidnapping if I had her—”

Marcus took a step back and Oscar took his place. He crossed his arms over his chest and glared at the prisoner. “Yes. And you have five seconds to tell me where I can find her. To tell me where your guys have hidden her. For every second after that,” he raised his hand and let his claws slip forward. “For every second after that, I slice a strip of skin from your body.”

The criminal focused on Marcus. “But that’s illegal. You can’t let him—”

The alpha shrugged. “You’re interfering in a mating, plain and simple. You need to decide if you’re gonna get carved up by Oscar or tell us the truth. I’ll do my best to keep him under control, but it’s his mate. If you stay silent, you’re on your own.”

Tony’s gaze couldn’t seem to choose between them, his attention bouncing back and forth before he finally settled on Marcus. “Okay, I’ll tell you.”

Dammit. Oscar had really been looking forward to venting his frustration on the asshole. Instead, he was forced to listen to a laundry list of homes and businesses, small little hideaways, and places to find a private plane or two.

Oscar committed each one to memory while also typing a few notes into his cell phone. The minute the “interview” was done, he’d get his fellow enforcers working on the problem. Now that he had a path, he’d chase it until he found Hillary. He wouldn’t rest until she was back in his arms.

Marcus turned and strode toward the exit, a ringing cell phone in hand. Oscar lingered. His leader wrenched the door open and stepped through, instantly pressing the phone to his ear. Which gave Oscar the chance he needed.

Not hesitating another second, he cocked his fist back, leaned over the table, and let his punch fly. The crunch and crack of bone echoed the sound of his fist striking flesh. He was gratified when Tony’s chair tipped backward and he went sprawling across the floor.

The door immediately opened, Marcus poking his head through. “Everything okay?”

Oscar shrugged. “He tripped.”

“He was sitting,” the alpha drawled.

He shrugged again and moved toward the door. “I dunno, maybe he’s gifted at falling.”

“Right.” Marcus rolled his eyes but didn’t say another word.

Both left the interrogation room and focused on locating Hillary. Marcus pulled every string, Brett made every call, and each enforcer went to every damned location with murder in mind, though no one in the pride really thought of it that way. The truth was, the mate of one of their own had been taken and that was all they needed to know.

Funnily enough, Colton located her back in that greasy, rundown part of town, but this time the lion didn’t bitch, moan, groan, or complain about dropping to all fours. The only thing he did whine about was that they decided to wait for nightfall.

Honestly, Oscar wanted to pout like a little bitch as well. Unfortunately, Marcus overruled them both. They had superior night vision and wouldn’t truly be sneaking up on their prey, but they were less likely to be bothered by human authorities if they acted a little circumspect.

Oscar was tempted to tell his alpha where he could shove his circumspect. Instead, he simply sat in an SUV down the road, never taking his attention from their destination. It hadn’t taken much to confirm his mate within the house, Austin was great at hacking into the traffic camera system, and a few discreet inquiries supported their assumption.

Hillary—his Hillary—was inside that house with at least three other males. Three soon to be dead males.

The hours slowly ticked past, but eventually night fell, blanketing the street in a dark cloak. His lion’s eyes easily adjusted to the dimness and it was no trouble to make his way to his position. It took less than fifteen minutes for them to settle in place, fifteen minutes of anxiousness that nearly killed him. He wanted to go
now
. Not later, not in a minute, not even in thirty seconds. Now.