Fighting For Their Mate (13 page)

She studied Ford for his reaction. His brows furrowed then rose. The smile that followed had her heart hammering.

“Holy fuck. I like it,” Ford said. “If Statler believes those two are Pack spies, then anything they say will be discounted.”

Tyson leaned back on his elbows. “We’ll have to see what evidence we can manufacture to give credence to our lie.”

“I have an idea.” They both faced her. “One of my father’s aids decided that a member of the opposition needed a little
help
in being defeated. This aide told my dad he was taking a leave of absence, and my father granted him his wish. Carmen, the aide, then hired on with the opponent. When his new boss ducked into the bathroom, Carmen used the man’s phone to call a prostitute. He kept her on the line for a minute or two, long enough so that the opponent couldn’t say it was a wrong number. Then Carmen took a screen capture of that phone call.”

Tyson smiled. “I take it Carmen quit the opponent’s office the next day?”

“Right. The scandal was legendary until the opponent told the police that all of his calls from that phone were wirelessly recorded. When the voice didn’t come back a match, he was exonerated. Carmen, however, was not.”

“I like the concept,” Ford said. “How about if General Armand calls them? We have everyone’s cell phone number.” He looked over at her. “Since we’re security and might need to alert everyone, we were given all that information.”

She was thrilled she was able to help. “Will your General do this? If he calls them, they’ll have his number.”

Tyson squeezed her thigh. “You’re smart, you know that?”

Not really. “I just want to help.”

“And we appreciate it.” Tyson leaned over and kissed her.

Ripples of lust shot straight through her. She leaned back. “Not in front of Ford,” she whispered.

He laughed. “Ford, did you hear what Bailey said?”

Why was he doing this? “Stop it.”

Ford shrugged. “She’s embarrassed because I’m here. Don’t worry, Bailey. I’ll leave you alone.”

Most likely Tyson mentally messaged Ford what she’d said. His hearing couldn’t be that good. She should be elated that she wouldn’t have to deal with both men wanting her sexually, but a void resided in her stomach at that thought. Maybe she did need her head examined.

Tyson stood. “You want to call the General or should I?”

“Go ahead. I figure you should be the one to spill the beans to Statler. I’m not his favorite person right now. He acted like I shoved Bailey into the street, and that it was my fault she was hit by our imaginary truck.”

She didn’t want to think what Statler would do if he caught her. Yikes. He’d probably kill her by draining her blood. She shivered.

Tyson picked up his phone. “Crap. I forgot. I don’t have his number on my contact list for obvious reasons. Hold on.” He shoved his hand in his pocket, retrieved his wallet, and then opened it. “Here it is. Ford, get Tony’s number ready.”

“Wait!” she said.

They faced her. “What is it, honey?” Tyson asked with such concern that she almost didn’t want to tell him her new thought. Disappointing someone wasn’t her style.

“If you call your General, then his number will be in your phone. Who’s to say if Brad finds out you’re doing this to him that he won’t try to turn the tables on you by stealing your phone and proving you’re the actual spy?”

“Fuck, girl. You’re right,” Tyson said. “We need a burner phone.”

Ford moved toward the door. “I’ll get us two. Good thinking, Bailey.” And then he was gone.

The room suddenly seemed empty and the pause awkward. “I’d really like to shower.” Not only did she want to get clean, the hot water would help clear her head.

“Sure. Go ahead. Mind if I join you?”

She cocked a brow. “There won’t be room.” Besides, he’d distract her. Tyson wasn’t the type to share a shower and not touch her. She needed the alone time to think.

“I’ll find room.”

Tyson stepped out of his pants, yanked down the bed sheet, and scooped her up. The man was insufferable. He just didn’t take no for an answer.

A few steps later, he set her down in the tiny bathroom. “Get the water how you like it.” Tyson returned to the sink area. “Amazing. They have soap and shampoo, hon. Never would have guessed.”

She turned on the shower and let it warm. “Any conditioner?”

“’Fraid not.”

Oh, well. She was pleased they provided soap. “Do you think you could stop at a store for some supplies? I’d really like a toothbrush and toothpaste.”

Cleaning her teeth with a washcloth didn’t work all that well. And she certainly wasn’t going to wear the same clothes for days on end. She had no idea how long she’d have to stay there, but freeing her sister from that prison could take a while.

“I’ll ask Ford to get something tomorrow while I’m framing your boys.”

Her boys? Right. Her evil kidnappers were more like it. The water warmed and she stepped in. The first blast was wonderful and she let out a moan. All she wanted to do was wash away the stench from that hospital room, along with the terrible memories. Then there was Ford’s car. While it was relatively clean, she felt grungy lying face down on the carpet.

“Shampoo?” Tyson grinned. He handed her the small bottle as he stepped behind her.

“Thank you. Want to get wet?” His back was to the wall and yet he was within a foot of her. The two of them couldn’t have shared the water if they tried.

“Sure.”

Switching positions proved to be a challenge, and Tyson took every opportunity to touch her. While he stood under the flow, she lathered her hair. Getting clean never felt so good. While she waited to rinse, she took the opportunity to study his glorious body. Scars crisscrossed his butt, some wider than others. She wasn’t even aware that she’d reached out and touched his rear until his ass tightened.

He spun around. “Let’s get you rinsed.”

“Was it painful?”

“Was what painful?”

Tyson must have felt her touching him. “The injuries.”

He shrugged. “I got them long ago. Nowadays, it’s rare for a wolf to get the drop on me. But to answer your question, when I’m battling to stay alive, I push aside the pain. I heal so quickly that what ache there is disappears in short order.”

“That must be nice.”

“It is.” Instead of moving around her, Tyson pulled her close. “Lean your head back and keep your eyes closed.”

Before she could object, he’d stepped to the side to let most of the water spray the back of her head. With gentle hands he massaged her scalp, lifting it right then left get out the soap.

“I’ve never had a man wash my hair before.”

She didn’t open her eyes, but she suspected he was smiling. “There are a lot of things I’d like to do to you that I hope will be a first,” he said.

Those thoughts heated her up again. “Oh, yeah? Like what?”

He chuckled. “You’ll just have to wait and see.”

More tingles raced up her body. He lifted and rubbed her scalp with one hand while he lightly massaged her breasts with the other. She couldn’t remember feeling this comfortable with a man. Come to think of it, she’d never been with a real man before today. Her exploits were with college boys. The difference between the two was stunning.

“You’re not supposed to be turning me on.” Her hair had to be clean by now. Bailey opened her eyes and spun around. “Your turn.”

Tyson had set the bar of soap on the tub’s edge and she picked it up. “I want to wash you.”

“Front or back?”

Every gene in her body was conservative, yet somehow he brought out another part of her—one that was sexier and more daring. “Front.”

He moved closer, the water hitting his shoulders. “Be my guest.” The second she grabbed his cock, his eyes widened, and then he moaned. “I don’t know how I can make passionate love with you one minute and the next be so turned on by your touch.”

She inwardly sighed. His cock was rigid once more, but she was a bit too sore to try again so soon. She thought it better to clean him elsewhere. Bailey let go and rubbed the bar over his pecs, admiring the thick muscles covered in dark hair. His belly looked like rippling sand dunes, undulating with power, and she couldn’t wait to tackle that part of him next.

He grabbed her hand. “Ford’s back.”

She hadn’t heard him come in. Crap. Tyson had left the bathroom door open. Her breath caught and her mind spun. “Can you make sure he doesn’t come in here?”

“Why, honey? He wants you, too.”

“That might be, but I don’t want him.”

T
yson closed the bathroom door to give Bailey the needed privacy, but that prevented her from hearing their discussion. No doubt Tyson was telling Ford that she wasn’t interested in being with both of them. Ford had stated she was their mate, but she couldn’t be with both. Under different circumstance she might have enjoyed making love with another sexy man, but since she lived in a world where she had parents and friends, she’d have to settle for one.

Bailey had nothing against Ford. If he alone had saved her, she probably would have made love with him. But Tyson had been there, so she’d given herself to him.

As the hot water pummeled her body, the reality of these past few days came crashing down on her. The lies, the panic, the desperation. She found it hard to believe that she’d been hiking in the woods a mere two days ago, enjoying her sister’s crazy antics. A heartbeat later, she was drugged and carted to another country where she was about to be used as a test subject. That alone was enough to give a person nightmares. She’d been luckier than her sister and those other women. Two handsome men, claiming to be on the right side of the law, had freed her.

She hoped she had been wise to trust them. Then again, she thought Brad and Tom were good, and look what happened there. As a rule, she didn’t let her emotions be her guiding force, and now she’d gone with her gut and slept with a man the first day. Correction—she’d slept with a freaking werewolf hours after being saved by him—or was it really being kidnapped by him?

She’d lost her mind. Then again, she’d never been in this kind of dire situation before. Bailey shut off the water, grabbed a towel, and dried off. Damn. Her clothes were in the other room—a room where Ford was.

Clear thought eluded her. She was hungry and in need of sleep. That much she knew. The queen bed wouldn’t hold all three of them. Damn. Since she’d put them in a bad situation, perhaps she’d offer to sleep on the floor. Or they could order a cot—assuming a place like this had one.

With the towel around her, she stepped into the main room. Her heart lurched. “Where’s Tyson?”

“He went to get some food.” Ford’s eyes turned golden, but he didn’t advance.

Well, she couldn’t exactly stand there with dripping hair, wrapped in skimpy attire. That would be asking for trouble. Her clothes were more or less clean, so she scooped them up and hugged them tight. “I’ll go change.”

Bailey took her time in the bathroom, stalling until Tyson came back. As soon as he returned, she went out to greet him, happy to have Tyson as a buffer between her and Ford. There was something about Tyson’s twin that convinced her that if he wanted her, he’d just take her. There wouldn’t be this nice romantic dance, like she and Tyson had experienced.

“Got pizza,” Tyson announced. “I bought a Coke and a diet Coke since I didn’t know which one you’d like.”

That was sweet of him to think of her. Actually, she didn’t drink soda, but she would today. No way would she complain, as she needed these men. “Diet’s great.” While her stomach was a bit upset, she ate because she needed the energy. “What happened with your General?”

“I called him on a burner phone and he thanked you for your contribution. He’s thrilled that you escaped.”

She didn’t consider her freedom a done deal yet, nor had she technically escaped. Ford and Tyson had saved her. “Did he say anything about how he planned to get my sister out?”

“He’s leaving it up to us,” Tyson said. “After all, we can get inside and we know where the cameras are located.”

She tried to picture the call between the General and Brad and Tom. “Do you know what Brad or Tom said when he called?”

The men looked at each other. “Neither answered, so the General left a message. Even if the men think to erase it, the technicians can retrieve the call. The General made sure it was incriminating.”

She waited for them to discuss it further, but apparently they thought it best to keep her in the dark. What would the head of the opposition say to Brad or Tom? Hello, scum? I’m coming to get you?

Ford piped up. “If you’re wondering, the General asked them for a status report on getting dirt on Statler. He thought about discussing the logistics of freeing the women, but he feared that might cause Statler to increase security.”

Smart. “Your boss wasn’t afraid they could trace his call?”

“The General said it didn’t matter. He even used his regular phone so that his name would pop up in the call log. It’s not like Statler doesn’t know where our headquarters is located.” Ford stood and emptied the pizza boxes in the trash. “I need to get some shut eye.”