Sid (The Protectors Series) Book #4 (9 page)

“Perfect
,” Sid’s smile was a little evil as he walked out. He had been trying to decide the best way to get to Lana Fitzpatrick, because there was no way he was letting her get away without getting to know her better. As luck would have it, they were going to be partners. Sid laughed as another thought entered his head. Fuck the partner thing. He was going to be her boss.

******

Adam waited until the Warriors had left Sloan’s office before he stepped out of the shadows. He stepped inside to find Sloan behind his desk with his head leaning back on the chair.

“What is it
, Adam?” Sloan didn’t open his eyes, didn’t move his head.

“I want back on the case.” Adam stopped in front of his desk.

Sloan sighed, lifting his head, and slowly opening his eyes. “You’re too close to this case. You’ve already proven that.”

Adam looked away for a split second before looking back. “I know what I did
was wrong.”

“Do you?” Sloan crossed his arms
, leaning back. “You defied my orders by going in alone to interrogate Jeff, who was close to breaking. Instead of staying back and learning from Sid, you decided to take matters into your own hands, which didn’t end very well. The only person who knows where Angelina’s is, is now dead, because you couldn’t control your rage.”

Standing straight
, Adam nodded. “I know that, Sir, but I’ve learned from my mistake, and it will never happen again.”

“You haven’t learned shit.” Sloan eyed him, not pulling punches. “Just tonight
, you defied me again and followed. Then, you about got yourself killed because you went after a woman who may or may not have had answers about Angelina. So no, you are off this case.”

“This is bullshit!” Adam’s one golden eye turned black.

Sloan stood, placing both hands on his desk. “Don’t push me on this, Adam. Your rage is putting you and everyone else in danger. Until you get it under control, you are in training only. After tonight, you will no longer be advised on the case.”

“Fuck this.” Adam turned
, heading for the door. “And fuck this program.”

“If you think for one minute we won’t hunt you
, Adam, you’re wrong,” Sloan called out.

Adam stopped,
and turned his head to stare at Sloan. “What does that mean?”

“If you leave, you’re out of the Warrior program. If you fuck up out there
, we will be hunting you down,” Sloan warned. “I would seriously think about what you’re doing.”

“I’m not going to sit here and do nothing. None of them would either
, and you know it.” Adam turned away to leave, but added, “I quit the program.”

Heading to his room
, Adam felt his rage building. He knew he was on the edge, and anything could put him over. He hadn’t meant to kill Jeff, even though he wanted the son of a bitch dead, but Jeff always knew what buttons to push with him, and he pushed him too far. Without thought, Adam’s hand had beaten the hell out of him, and then with no memory of doing it, he’d ripped Jeff’s heart out. That was how Jared and Sid had found him: kneeling next to Jeff with his heart in his hand.

He squeezed his eyes shut trying to shake the memory. Slamming open his door
, he went to his closet, grabbing a duffle bag and tossing it on his bed. Grabbing whatever clothes his hands touched, he shoved them in the bag. He ignored the knock on the door and walked into the bathroom with the bag, shoving whatever he could inside.

“Adam?” Tessa had let herself in, her eyes going to the bag as he walked out of the bathroom.

“Go away, Tessa.” Adam didn’t even look at her. Grabbing his jacket, he headed toward the door, but she stepped in his way.

“Where you going?” Tessa tried to get him to look her in the eyes. “Adam
, what’s going on?”

“I’m leaving.” Adam’s tone was level, no emotion. “I quit the program.”

“You what?” Tessa frowned; anger furrowed her brow. “Why in the world would you quit the program?”

“Give
Gramps a kiss for me.” Adam went to step around her, but she stepped in his way again. “Tessa, get out of my way. Nothing you can do or say will change my mind on this.”

“I’m not going to let you do this
, Adam.” Tessa grabbed his bag. “You need to stop acting like this and grow up. Take responsibility for your actions.”

“You don’t know what the fuck you’re talking about
!” Adam screamed at her. He pulled his bag away from her grip. “It is my fault Angelina is gone, and now, I’ve been forbidden to help in the search for her.”

Tessa, being a redhead and the older sister, didn’t know when to back down. “Then you should have followed the rules.” She pointed at him. “You killed Jeff. Jared was close to getting him to talk
, yet you went in there and killed him. You’re lucky all they did was take you off the case.”

“You have no clue what happened
, so just shut the fuck up,” Adam hissed then, without another thought, pushed her into the wall out of his way. Her head slumped forward as she slid down the wall.

Adam watched in horror as his sister sank to the floor. “Oh
, God!” he cried out grabbing her before her head hit the floor. “Tessa!” He shook her, but she didn’t wake. Checking, he found a pulse.

Tessa moaned, but
wouldn’t wake.

“I’m so sorry.” Adam placed a kiss on her forehead. Grabbing his bag
, he ran out the door sending a text on the run, praying his sister would be okay. She had to be okay. If she wasn’t, he would turn himself in to Jared, because his life would be over anyway. But first, he had to find Angelina.

Chapter 9

Lana frowned
, twirling her finger around the rim of her glass of water. It had been two days since she’d had her ass chewed because of the fiasco. Their whole operation had been scrapped. She and Susan had been put on leave, which was okay at the moment; she’d been informed her new boss was going to be VC Warrior Sid Sinclair, and he would contact her when she was needed. She actually moaned at the thought.

“Are you okay?”

Jerking, Lana almost knocked over the water. Her eyes shot to Doug Lawson, her date. “Oh, yes.” Damn, she forgot where the hell she was for a minute. She had already cancelled on him twice, and almost forgot about their date tonight. “Hunger pain,” she smiled, and then rolled her eyes at her explanation when he turned to wave down a waiter.

They had already ordered, but he asked the waiter for a few rolls until their meal came.
Lana studied him with a critical eye. He was handsome, had wonderful manners and seemed nice enough. He was a lawyer for a firm in Cincinnati. He had kind, gorgeous green eyes; his raven black hair was business short. When he had taken her hand to help her out of the car, his felt too soft. Staring at him, she wondered what sex would be like with him. She’d bet her last dollar it wouldn’t be as exciting as sex with Sid Sinclair. She’d bet everything she had that sex with that Warrior would be an experience not easily forgotten. God, she was awful, sitting with a man who would be perfect for her, but thinking of sex with another. She had always been a sexual person, but this wasn’t right.

“I’m really glad you accepted my invite
, Lana.” He smiled, taking a sip of his wine.

He wouldn’t think that if he knew she was comparing sex with him and another man.
Not really knowing what to say, Lana smiled, taking a sip of her wine. Her phone buzzed in her purse, making her strangle on her wine. Grabbing her napkin, she covered her mouth as her eyes watered.

She waved him down when he started to stand to help her. “I’m fine.” She cleared her throat. “I’m fine, but I’m sorry
, I have to get that. I’m on call.”

Doug nodded, but didn’t look happy.

Digging for her phone, Lana prayed it was Susan texting her about a bad date or something stupid. Taking a deep breath, she clicked it on.

To whatever your name is
, aka Lana Fitzpatrick.

555 Apple Lane
. Take a right onto dirt road. Stop at the hill. I expect you in the next 15 minutes. Your time starts, now.

Sincerely
, your boss,

Sid
Sinclair

“Shit!
” Lana looked at the time on her phone. There was no way she was going to be able to make it back home, change and get to this address in fifteen damn minutes. “What an asshole!”

“Excuse me?”
Doug glanced around, giving a nervous smile to the older couple next to them.

Dammit
, she’d forgotten where she was again. This date was a total failure. She was pretty sure this would be the last time Doug asked her out, and what she was about to ask him would surely make that a fact. “I need a favor.” She gave him her sexiest smile, hoping it would do the trick.

*****

Sid stood staring at the bodies of two young girls. He had always been able to separate his feelings when it came to cruelty, but this was a little too much. Flashes from the crime scene camera illuminated the woods. Sid looked away to the time on his phone. Glancing up the hill, he watched a car pull to a stop.

“Make sure you send a copy of those to me
, Dana.” Sid turned and started up the hill, but stopped. A man he didn’t know got out, walking quickly around to the passenger side. Opening the door, he helped a woman in a tight, black short dress and ‘fuck me’ shoes out of the car. Her hair was silky black, smoothed back on one side and hanging loose to her breasts on the other. The V of her dress dipped low, exposing enough cleavage to make a man go to his knees. She turned sideways, and Sid’s eyes slid down her body then back up in a slow appreciative slide. Her voice made its way to his ears, and he immediately knew who it was. “Jesus.” Sid felt his body respond. A growl rumbled in his chest as the man slid his hand to her lower back as she looked around.

“Okay, got the shots. Pretty much finished
, so when the coroner gets here, they can do their thing.” Dana said, walking up next to Sid. When Sid didn’t respond, he glanced up the hill. “Damn man, who is that nice piece of ass?”

Sid didn’t even look his way
; he couldn’t pull his eye off her. “You like your job, Dana?”

“Ah, yeah.” Dana frowned
, looking away from the woman.

“Then watch your fucking mouth.” Sid looked away long enough to shoot the skinny crime scene photographer a warning. It didn’t matter that he was thinking the same thing, but now that he knew who it was
, he didn’t like anyone else thinking it, and didn’t that just surprise the shit out of him.

Dana didn’t say a word
; he knew better, so he headed in the opposite direction.

Jared, who just finished walking the crime scene
, passed Dana, who looked like he was ready to piss himself and stopped next to Sid. “They weren’t killed here?” When Sid didn’t respond, Jared glanced up the hill and laughed. Knowing right off who it was, Jared shook his head. “Oh, shit. Sid has left the wooded clearing.” Jared walked away, knowing Sid was on a mission to score with the hot little number up the hill.

Sid didn’t look his way, but continued to watch her. Finally
, she spotted him, and then looked at the hill with a frown. Grabbing onto the man’s arm, she took off one shoe then started for the other. Sid cursed and climbed the hill quickly.

“Who the fuck are you?” Sid eyed the man who was busy looking at a nice display of shapely leg.

The man’s eyes shot from her legs to Sid
, who stood intimidatingly close. “Doug Lawson.” The man looked Sid over from head to foot, a frown forming across his face. “Her date. Who are you?”

Sid cocked his eyebrow at that. “
Her boss. Sorry to cut your night short,” Sid grinned, indicating he wasn’t sorry at all.

Lana just stood watching the men
, not sure exactly what was going on, but the air crackled with testosterone.

“Take your time.” Doug smiled down at Lana
, who was pulling his donated sweater over her breasts. “I’ll wait here for you unless you need me.”

“I think we got this, Dan.” Sid nodded
, stepping over the railroad tie, holding his hand out to Lana.

“It’s Doug.”
The man’s eyes narrowed.

“Whatever.” He helped her step over the railroad tie and decided to take
it a bit further. “We’re going to be a while. I’ll make sure she gets home safe.” With that, Sid picked her up and headed down the hill.

“What are you doing?” Lana squirmed
, wanting down. She looked over his shoulder at Doug, who was staring at them. “I’ll call you. I’m sorry about this. Thanks for a wonderful evening.”

“Dave is a douche
,” Sid growled, setting her down as soon as he heard the car pull away.

“His name is Doug
, and he’s not a douche.” Lana frowned, pulling her dress that had ridden up to her thighs down. “He’s a nice, successful lawyer.”

“Lawyer?”
Sid snorted. “So he’s a successful douche who is an expert liar.”

“Did you do that to make him mad?”

“Yes.” Sid smiled, showing his sharp fangs. “But since you took off your ‘fuck me’ shoes….”

“
My what?” Lana’s head snapped back.

“
‘Fuck me’ shoes.” Sid grinned.

“That’s sexual
harassment.” Lana eyed him, crossing her arms, which inadvertently pushed her breasts together. The sweater Doug had tried to cover them with had parted.

“So is that dress, but you don’t hear me complaining.” Sid looked her up and down
, an appreciative gleam in his golden eyes.

Lana rolled her eyes. “I was on a date
, and you didn’t give me time to get home and change into work clothes.” When he started to say something, she continued quickly, not giving him a chance to speak, which made him smile. “So what was so important that you needed me so quickly?”

“Two dead girls
, which I believe are connected to all the missing reports.” Sid nodded down the hill. “I was hoping you could use your voodoo hoodoo stuff to see if you can get any information.”

Lana frowned up at him. “I don’t do voodoo or hoodoo. I’m a medium.”

“Whatever it is, we need you, but is it safe?” Sid glanced at her neck. She wore a pale red silky scarf as a choker around her bruised neck, and damn if that wasn’t sexy as hell. He wanted to tear it off with his fangs.

Lana stared at him for a long time. “I guess since I’m working with you
, I need to be honest.”

“That would be a great start to our working relationship
,” Sid agreed with a nod. “But if doing this is going to be a repeat of what happened before, we will find a different way to find out information.”

“I think it will be fine
,” Lana replied. “Lead the way.”

Sid bent down
, picking her up to carry her the rest of the way. “Next time, keep a change of clothes in your car with a pair of shoes.”

“Next time
, don’t call me while I’m on a date, or at least give me enough time to change,” Lana shot back.

Sid frowned. “Until this is over
, your dating life is being cut short.” At least, he was going to make sure she was too busy to date. When Sid saw something he wanted, he became territorial. He decided as soon as she stepped out of that car, that he wanted her. Hell, who was he kidding? When she had punched him in the face, he had wanted to grab her, throw her down and take her in so many ways it even shocked him. Okay, that wasn’t true; it didn’t shock him at all.

“You may be my boss now, but that doesn’t include my off time.” Lana frowned at the side of his face.

“Wanna bet?” Sid’s response was confident and final.

******

Lana wanted to respond to Sid’s cocky remark, but as he slid her body down his to put her down, her complaint disappeared. He had a wicked gleam in his eye that caused her heartbeat to pick up and her mouth to malfunction. Oh boy, she might be in a little trouble where this huge vampire was concerned; she wondered briefly if the trouble would be worth it. The heat in his eyes and the tingling between her legs told her it would be very worth it.

“What do you need me to do?” Sid asked
, his eyes never leaving hers.

And wasn’t that a loaded question. Getting naked would be a start. “About what?”

A sexy grin tipped his lips as if reading her mind. “As soon as we are finished here, I will be taking you somewhere that I can really answer that question, but right now, we need to focus on work.”

That snapped Lana out of her horny thoughts.
It had been way too long since she had sex with a man and not her well-used vibrator, Thor. Yes, she named her vibrator. “That’s what I meant. I was talking about work. What do you mean what do I want you to do…about work?”

Sid chuckled. “I’m going to enjoy you.” Sid’s eyes crinkled at the corners, but the heat in his eyes burned her to her very soul.

Not knowing what the hell to say and afraid of opening her mouth for fear of what would come out of it, Lana looked around. Spotting the police tape a few yards away, she frowned, pushing thoughts of Sid naked to the back of her mind.

“Who found them?” Lana
headed down a clean path, easier for her feet to take, toward the girls.

“Two hunters.” Sid watched the ground
, making sure the path was clear. “Be careful, there’s some thorns.”

Lana avoided the prickly thorns
, totally surprised by his consideration. Taking a glance at his strong profile, her stomach did that weird jittery jump indicating that she was in deep trouble. Inches from the tape, Lana stopped and grabbed onto Sid’s arm, her eyes going blank and staring straight ahead. “They’re here,” Lana whispered.

“Who’s here?” Sid
’s body went on guard as he looked around, his body ready to protect. “Who the fuck is here, Lana?”

“Them. The girls.” Her eyes cleared as she looked over at the bodies. “The brown
-haired girl is Megan Cooper.”

Sid’s eyes widened slightly. “She told you that?”

Lana shushed him, but didn’t let go of his arm. “Dammit.” Lana’s body tensed.

“What?” Sid looked around for a threat.

“Someone is trying to block me from connecting with them.” Lana’s face was pinched. “Come on, girls, fight. Tell me more,” she demanded.

“I seriously don’t know if I like this.” Sid
, still in warrior-mode, looked around, ready for anything that came their way.

Jared had made his way next to them
, hearing the conversation. “Honestly, it creeps me the fuck out.”