“Do we know where he is yet?” Rafe asked Edward. He was ready for a fight, to take out Grayton if he was involved in any way with this business with Aidan. But he would have to still eliminate Kenneth. It was the only way. Even if Kenneth suddenly had his debt wiped out, the guy was an addict. And that wouldn’t go away. The next time Kenneth was in debt up to his eyeballs, he’d come up with another harebrained plan and possibly hurt Jade, Toby, or Aidan. Only by then, Rafe might have let down his guard.
Edward got off his phone. “He’s at an office at the track, but one of our men said he usually leaves for late lunch about this time. He either goes to a sit-down meal at one of the restaurants in Amarillo, or he heads home.”
“Let’s hope he heads home. I want to get this over with and return home myself so I can take Toby to get his new tux.” Rafe wasn’t discounting how deadly the situation could be. But he wasn’t going to dwell on it. He had more interesting plans he’d rather think about.
The ten men with him were quiet, tense, waiting to learn their role in this.
As soon as they arrived in Amarillo, they climbed into three waiting Suburbans, all black, all looking like they were the FBI in takedown mode.
“He’s at his horse ranch out in the country. Just got there. Was late getting out to lunch. Might not return to the office,” Edward said.
“If he’s not cooperative, I can guarantee he won’t be returning to the office today or any other.” Three of his men gave Rafe a thumbs-up.
Like him, they’d rather take down a wolf scumbag for good than negotiate. Especially when they knew he would continue to cause problems and put their kind at risk.
Rafe rode in the first car, Edward at the wheel.
“Nothing much out here but prairie grass, a few prairie dogs, mule deer, and a few horse ranches way off the road,” Edward said.
“It’s all good then. No one but us wolves will know what’s going to happen way out here.” Rafe thought the scenario couldn’t get any better than this.
They saw a wild turkey running through the short grasses, and the wind blew a tumbleweed across the road.
“I feel like I’m back in the Old West,” Edward said, “six-shooter ready.”
Rafe smiled. And he had to agree. “Only this time the gunmen have something more to back them up, even though it would be better if no one sees any wolf bite marks on the guy. No wolves in Texas any longer.”
“Agreed.”
The men he had situated at the racetrack remained there in case Grayton called his men to come to his aid. Rafe’s men would stop them in a heartbeat.
“So what do you think, Boss? Think Grayton knows about Aidan?”
“Aidan never knew about Grayton’s pack—he hadn’t taken blood samples from them. Kenneth must have been scheming this from the beginning. So yeah, I think Kenneth didn’t tell Aidan about Grayton’s wolf pack and had already decided to use this scheme to get himself out of hot water.”
“Think Grayton might know we’re coming?”
“He might. But the men we have situated around his land said nothing has changed. They did recon there already, so they know the layout of the place. He’s got five men there, so I suspect our visit will be a surprise. With the kind of business he’s in, I imagine he always has protection. But if he knew we were coming, he’d have a lot more men protecting his back.” At least Rafe hoped his visit would be a surprise. His men were good, so he expected the best results when they were involved. The faster they could take control of the situation, the better for all of his men.
They reached the cattle guard crossing and rolled over it. The ranch house was still not visible. Some working horses were standing under a tree in the scanty shade.
“Another half a mile on this road and we’ll see the house. If anyone’s watching out the windows or sitting on the porch, sipping a beer, they’ll spot us coming and shout a warning,” Edward said. “Our men are already in place.”
Rafe loved the men on his team. They were team players, and everyone knew the role they needed to play. They would have been there hours ago, set up and ready to take care of business. Rafe might be driving down the road in air-conditioned comfort, but the men in place would be camouflaged against the hot earth, using any cover and concealment they could, and no one would even know they were there until it was too late.
“One of our men said he spotted us. They’re moving in now to take control of the situation.”
“Any dogs?”
“No.”
“Good.” They always had orders to tranquilize dogs, not kill them, even if they were trained guard dogs. The dogs couldn’t help that they worked for bad guys.
They heard gunfire. Everyone in the car tensed. Rafe figured it would come to that, but he had hoped it wouldn’t. Still, he wasn’t putting his men at risk by telling them they couldn’t use any rounds if they had no other choice.
Edward sped up now on the gravel road, all of them eager to get there and help their comrades.
As soon as they pulled up at the side of the house with no windows, the men all got out, spread out, and were about to charge into the house when Hugh opened the front door and greeted Rafe. “Everyone’s accounted for. Mr. Grayton is sitting in his living room waiting to talk to you.” Hugh’s mouth curved up a hint. “He was swimming in his palatial pool out back, nude. He’s not happy. He said this could have been settled with a phone call, whatever the deal is.”
“Like hell it could.” Rafe knew the type. He was fairly certain the man would attempt to retaliate. Grayton was a top wolf, and this had to be a hell of a blow to his ego. “Hope you gave him a towel.”
Hugh nodded, his smile still in place.
The place was decorated as if it were a scene from the Old West: antlers over the mantel, cowhide rugs on the wooden floor, paintings of cowboys roping longhorn steer, and a soulful-looking elk hanging over the mirror above a bar, staring back at him.
Rafe glanced in Todd Grayton’s direction next. The way Rafe had checked out his place first showed Grayton the man was unimportant to Rafe in the scheme of things. He was taking his time, not showing the man the kind of respect he was probably used to. They were wolves, and it was important to show the pecking order among them. In Rafe’s presence, Grayton was at the bottom of the heap, if he hadn’t realized it before this.
“What the hell is going on?” Grayton asked, trying to rise from the leather couch he was seated on. A towel was wrapped around his waist, his chest covered in thick, brown hair that made him look like he had already partly turned into a wolf.
Edward shook his head, his dark look saying he was ready to kill Grayton this instant and ask questions later.
“No one said what was going on. Who the hell are you people? I don’t have any quarrel with you.” Frowning, Grayton settled back on the seat, his body stiff with tension, like a cornered wolf trying to figure out how to turn this to his advantage—in a hurry.
“We have a mutual acquaintance. Seems he owes you some money,” Rafe said, standing in front of Grayton, towering over him in a way that said Rafe was in charge of the discussion.
“All right, now we’re getting somewhere. Why don’t we talk like civilized men and work something out that benefits both of us. Let me get you a drink.”
Rafe motioned to Hugh to stand next to Grayton. “Sit,” Hugh growled low under his breath, standing as close as he could without bumping into Grayton.
“All right, all right. So who owes me money, and who the hell are you?” Grayton asked, still putting on the bravado, although his whole body had tensed as soon as Rafe walked into the room.
Rafe waited for Hugh to nod just once, then he said, “Kenneth Ashton.” Rafe wanted Hugh to smell Grayton’s reaction, as much as Rafe was watching the man’s expression. He had to know for certain what Grayton’s involvement was in all of this.
Grayton’s blue eyes widened.
Rafe had expected that kind of reaction. “So you tell me what kind of a deal the tw
o of you made,” he said, his voice low and dark.
“He owes me money.” As if Grayton had a death wish, or he was just too cocky for his own good, he added, “You gonna pay his debt?”
“How about I just wipe out his debt by getting rid of the ‘creditor’ in this situation.” The steel behind Rafe’s voice proved he had every intention of doing it too. “If Kenneth doesn’t have the money, how the hell was he going to get ahold of it? He’s still alive, so I’m assuming he promised he’d have it to you by a certain date.”
“How the hell do I know? I told him to get it to me by the end of this week or else he was a dead man. Satisfied? What’s it to you?” Sweat was beading up on Grayton’s brow.
“Why the end of this week? Why not last week or the end of next week? Why this specific weekend?” Rafe suspected it was due to the timing of the charity ball. And Grayton was coming up with answers way too slowly, trying to figure out what he should say to keep from losing his life.
“When was the last time you heard from Ashton?” Rafe asked.
“The prick was supposed to call me today.” Grayton’s eyes widened, recognition dawning. “Denali…” he said under his breath.
There was only one reason he would know Denali’s name in association with Kenneth paying off his debt. He had made a deal with Grayton to wipe out his debt by turning Aidan over to him.
“You see the problem I have now?” Rafe asked. He hadn’t wanted this lowlife to continue to feed off wolves’ addictions if they couldn’t stop gambling, but the business with his brother made it paramount that Rafe end this for good. Even if Grayton took out Kenneth for failing to pay his debt and Kenneth was no longer a threat to Aidan, Jade, or Toby, Rafe couldn’t trust that Grayton wouldn’t attempt to grab Aidan at some other time. He most likely had amassed enough wealth that he could hire thugs to do the job.
“I’ll cancel his debt.” Scowling, Grayton looked like it was killing him to say so, and Rafe didn’t trust he’d honor the deal.
“Who else knows about this arrangement you had with Kenneth?”
“No one. I swear it. The deal was too sweet to share with any of my men in case they decided to double-cross me. Hell, it’s happened before. I’m no fool. I’ll cancel his debt,” Grayton said again.
“It’s too late for that.” The man had sealed his own coffin when he got involved in this scheme to take Rafe’s brother hostage.
Grayton grabbed his towel and yanked it aside. Rafe knew he was going to shift, but the change was so fast—he turned into a big, brown, snarling wolf, with teeth bared—that Grayton lunged at Rafe before he could react. Rafe pulled his gun, unable to fight as a wolf when he was fully dressed. He fired on the wolf before it reached him, yet the bullet in the chest didn’t stop Grayton, and the wolf took Rafe to the floor. Rafe instantly dropped his gun and grabbed the ruff of the wolf’s thick coat to keep from being bitten by its snarling teeth.
Despite the wolf’s strength and Rafe being in his human form, Rafe wouldn’t let the wolf get the best of him. Grayton snarled and snapped his teeth, pissed off he couldn’t end Rafe’s life, taking one last act of vengeance before the rest of Rafe’s men killed him.
Edward shot the wolf, and Hugh fired off a couple of rounds. Grayton was so hyped up on adrenaline—and, hell, maybe drugs—that he seemed unstoppable as Rafe struggled to keep the wolf’s teeth from sinking into his jugular.
Another couple of rounds hit the wolf, and Grayton jerked a little.
And then Rafe felt the wolf’s strength ebbing, saw his eyes becoming unfocused, his heavy body sagging, until Grayton collapsed on top of Rafe.
“Damn it.” Rafe pushed the wolf off him with Edward’s assistance, and Hugh offered his hand to help him up. “I’d hoped we could convince him to take his own life.” Standing, he said to Edward, “Check with the other men and find out if they knew of the arrangement Kenneth had made with this slimebag of a wolf.”
“What now, Boss? If Ashton learns Grayton is dead…” Hugh said.
“Kenneth is a dead man. He has a gambling addiction. You think he’s learned his lesson?” Rafe shook his head. “He’ll be in debt again, owing some other scumbag. How much do you want to bet that he wouldn’t make the same offer? Aidan to pay off his debt? We can’t risk it.”
Edward returned to the living room, shaking his head. “Grayton’s men are all dead. They wouldn’t give up, probably figuring that if Grayton lived through this, he’d kill them for not protecting him better. Our men want to know if they can call in the ’copter, clean up the mess, and make a body drop over the Pacific.”
“By all means. We need to get home.” Rafe thanked the men working for him. “Until next time.” Only he hoped there wouldn’t be a next time. But if there was, they would all be ready.
* * *
After Rafe and some of his men looked for records that might say something about the Denalis, they found nothing in that line and headed outside. The helicopter landed, and he called Jade. “It’s finished.”
“He’s dead? Grayton?”
“Yeah. But I can’t let Kenneth off scot-free. You know that, don’t you?”
“Yeah. I hate to say it. But I don’t trust him one bit.”
“Okay, well I’ll be home in about three hours and take Toby to get his tux.”
In any other situation, he would have come home and discussed what had happened with his male friends and had a beer. Life was so different for him now, but he loved it. Loved his new family, and loved the idea of taking Toby to get a tux, especially because it meant marrying Jade. He made a conference call to Aidan and Sebastian to let them know what was up, glad this part of the trial was over.
“So Kenneth’s not off the hook,” Aidan said.
“No, not by a long shot.”
“We’ll keep looking for him,” Sebastian said. “Glad to hear everyone is safe.”
“Same here,” Aidan said.
“We’ll be getting in soon. See you then.” Rafe wished that was the end of it, but he knew it wouldn’t be until he took care of Jade’s brother, once and for all.
* * *
When Rafe arrived home, he got a big hug from both Toby and Jade, and he couldn’t have been any happier than he felt at that moment. They meant everything to him. He kissed Jade on the cheek and ruffled Toby’s hair.
Toby said, “What did you bring us, Daddy?”
Edward handed him the sack. “Your dad said we could all practice with you.”
Toby dove into the sack and found the T-ball set. “Just what I wanted forever. Can we play ball?”
“Later,” Rafe said. “We need to get you a tux.” Then he slipped a small box out of his pocket and handed it to Jade.
She opened it and smiled at the pearl necklace and earrings. “You shouldn’t have,” she said, her eyes full of tears as she threw her arms around him and gave him a hug.
“They’re pearls for the mermaid I caught in the sea.”
She kissed him full on the mouth, and he kissed her right back, wanting a bigger thank-you sooner than later. Then he had to leave before the tux store closed. “Be back in a little bit.”
“These are lovely, Rafe. Thank you. I’ll be waiting.”
“Look forward to that,” Rafe said and gave her a wink. Then he took Toby, Edward, and Hugh with him to check out children’s tuxes.
“Let Rafe spoil Toby a bit,” Aidan said to her. “Toby needs a father, and he’s eating up Rafe’s interest in him.”
She sighed. “I just don’t want Toby to think that if I say no, he can ask Rafe and he’ll get it for him.” She’d tried not to be concerned about it after what Rafe had to do today to keep his brother safe. But she knew that this business of overspending on them had to stop.
“He won’t. This is something different. He wants Toby to be as thrilled to take part in the wedding as he is. After that, Rafe will see what you want to do. He did when you were in the store before, right?”
“True.”
“Ok
ay then. Not to worry.”
When the “boys” got home from their shopping trip, Jade wanted to see Toby’s tux, but he folded his arms and said, “You can’t see it until the wedding.”
She laughed. “All right. I can’t wait to see it.”
Looking concerned, Edward said to Rafe and Jade, “May I have a word with the two of you? I just got some news.”
Aidan said, “Come on. Why don’t we take a swim?”
“Yes!” Toby ran off to get his swimsuit.
“Let me help him, and I’ll be right back.” Jade was worried about what was going on now, but also trying to concentrate on getting a wiggly Toby out of his clothes and into his swim trunks. When he was dressed, he ran to Aidan’s door and said, “I’m ready, Uncle Aidan!”
She waited until Aidan opened the door wearing his board shorts and then handed him the sunscreen. “Thanks, Aidan.”
“My pleasure.” He hurried off with Toby.
Then Jade joined Rafe and Edward in the den. Rafe pulled her to the couch and sat down. “Tell Jade what you learned while we were out shopping.”
“I was having my sources check into Toby’s father’s background to see if there was any dirt on them. But what I discovered wasn’t what I expected to find. Toby’s father was like Toby is. Stewart’s father was a wolf. He was shot and killed in a hunting accident. The hunter swore he killed a timber wolf, but when he came upon the body, it was a naked man. The guy was devastated, but he swore he’d killed a wolf.”
“Stewart’s father,” Jade said under her breath.
“Maybe that’s why you were attracted to him,” Edward said gently. “Tessa, whose grandfather was a wolf, was attracted to wolves. So was her brother. Even though she didn’t know why there was such a draw. Wolves were also drawn to her. So it wasn’t so much that Stewart was just…wild that caught your attention. He had genes that were more wolf than Tessa’s. Which could very well be why you became pregnant by a human. He was part wolf on his father’s side, though unable to shift.”
She couldn’t believe it. “Then his brother was too.”
“Yes.”