Wolf with Benefits
Page 125
And yet beneficial. Because Chris was so focused on the worshippersespecially the young female oneshe didnt notice that Chuck had been pulling money out of the Cayman accounts and moving them to his own in Geneva. Another couple of days and Chuck was out of here. Hed be leaving the crazy far behind.
Opening the door just a bit to see who was standing therea lot of homeless people came to the church asking for food or a place to sleep for the night and Chuck was definitely not in the mood to deal with any of that bullshithe saw a gorgeous, dark-haired woman standing there in tight jeans and a V-neck T-shirt. She smiled at him.
Hi, she practically purred.
Hi. Unable to help himself, Chuck eased the door open. Can I help you?
Her head tilted and her eyes reflected the streetlight back at him. Like a cats.
Without thought, only abject fear, Chuck went to close the door in the womans face, but a hand from behind dug into his hair and a knife pressed to his throat.
Hello, darlin, another female voice growled in his ear. You dont mind, do ya? But me and Malone here have just a couple of questions for ya.
The one he assumed was Malone walked inside the church, closing the door with her foot. She smiled again, and thats when Chuck would swear he saw fangs.
Come on. Lets go someplace comfortable to talk.
Then the woman who held him, who was so damn strong, dragged him down the hallway and Chuck knew this couldnt possibly end well.
A notebook? Toni shook her head at Dee-Anns words. What notebook?
No idea.
If all Delilah wanted was a notebook, why didnt she just take it? Cooper asked. She had to know that taking Freddy would set us off.
I can only think Freddy didnt have it for some reason.
He probably hid it, Oriana said softly while holding a bag of frozen peas against her swollen forehead. He does that sometimes. Like a Labrador, hell dig a hole and put something that means a lot to him in it.
Well, it cant be one of his notebooks, Toni reasoned. He doesnt care about his own shit. So it had to be something he stole and . . . She looked across the kitchen table to Irene, but her mothers best friend immediately shook her head.
I havent had anything missing and you know Id notice unless it was food. But then Irene looked off, her hand briefly covering her mouth. Oh, no.
Whats wrong?
I think I know where this started. She rested her elbows on the table, dug her hands into her hair. Miki.
Kendrick?Irenes mentee and friend who theyd just visited at the hotel only a couple of weeks ago. What about Toni nearly slapped her forehead. The box of tissues.
The box of tissues.
He stole a box of tissues? Cella asked.
No. But he was alone in Mikis room for a bit. He adores her. Hed take one of her notebooks. His way of keeping her close. He wouldnt give that to Delilah.
So she took him? Ricky asked.
He has a photographic memory. If she couldnt get the notebook, taking him would be just as good.
Standing tall by Cella, Dee-Ann folded her arms across her chest, and stared hard at Toni. What do you want us to do?
Toni didnt hesitate. I want you to find out who shes going to sell this information to. I think they wanted to bypass her and thats why they broke into the house and then just tried to take him. She pushed her hair out of her eyes. Dee-Ann, I want you to find out where this is coming from and deal with it.
And you?
What do you think? My mothers upstairs sobbing. My fathers trying to keep the younger kids calm. She gestured to her fifteen-year-old sister. She split Orianas head open. Toni barely managed to bite back a growl when she saw how swollen poor Orianas face currently was. Im going to go get my brother back.
Ricky didnt bother arguing with Toni. There was no point. Instead, he turned to Vic. What do you have?
We traced the license plate number Troy got off that car to a farm upstate. Dug a little, its owned by the church.
Good. Ricky focused on his brothers. Reece, I want you to stay here. I want this place locked down until you hear from me.
Its done, Reece said, then he got up and walked out of the room.
Rory, I want you with me.
Yep.
Yall take care of this, Dee-Ann said. Take Barinov and Malone with you.
Dont you need backup, too, Dee? Oriana asked, sounding remarkably kind since that hit on the head.
Arent you just the sweetest little thing?
No, Oriana answered honestly. Not really.
Dee snorted and headed out. Yall be careful, she ordered before she left.
Toni got to her feet. Irene
Ill take care of your mother. You just . . . fix this, Antonella. Fix it.
I will.
Yeah. Ricky didnt doubt that for one second.
Opening the door just a bit to see who was standing therea lot of homeless people came to the church asking for food or a place to sleep for the night and Chuck was definitely not in the mood to deal with any of that bullshithe saw a gorgeous, dark-haired woman standing there in tight jeans and a V-neck T-shirt. She smiled at him.
Hi, she practically purred.
Hi. Unable to help himself, Chuck eased the door open. Can I help you?
Her head tilted and her eyes reflected the streetlight back at him. Like a cats.
Without thought, only abject fear, Chuck went to close the door in the womans face, but a hand from behind dug into his hair and a knife pressed to his throat.
Hello, darlin, another female voice growled in his ear. You dont mind, do ya? But me and Malone here have just a couple of questions for ya.
The one he assumed was Malone walked inside the church, closing the door with her foot. She smiled again, and thats when Chuck would swear he saw fangs.
Come on. Lets go someplace comfortable to talk.
Then the woman who held him, who was so damn strong, dragged him down the hallway and Chuck knew this couldnt possibly end well.
A notebook? Toni shook her head at Dee-Anns words. What notebook?
No idea.
If all Delilah wanted was a notebook, why didnt she just take it? Cooper asked. She had to know that taking Freddy would set us off.
I can only think Freddy didnt have it for some reason.
He probably hid it, Oriana said softly while holding a bag of frozen peas against her swollen forehead. He does that sometimes. Like a Labrador, hell dig a hole and put something that means a lot to him in it.
Well, it cant be one of his notebooks, Toni reasoned. He doesnt care about his own shit. So it had to be something he stole and . . . She looked across the kitchen table to Irene, but her mothers best friend immediately shook her head.
I havent had anything missing and you know Id notice unless it was food. But then Irene looked off, her hand briefly covering her mouth. Oh, no.
Whats wrong?
I think I know where this started. She rested her elbows on the table, dug her hands into her hair. Miki.
Kendrick?Irenes mentee and friend who theyd just visited at the hotel only a couple of weeks ago. What about Toni nearly slapped her forehead. The box of tissues.
The box of tissues.
He stole a box of tissues? Cella asked.
No. But he was alone in Mikis room for a bit. He adores her. Hed take one of her notebooks. His way of keeping her close. He wouldnt give that to Delilah.
So she took him? Ricky asked.
He has a photographic memory. If she couldnt get the notebook, taking him would be just as good.
Standing tall by Cella, Dee-Ann folded her arms across her chest, and stared hard at Toni. What do you want us to do?
Toni didnt hesitate. I want you to find out who shes going to sell this information to. I think they wanted to bypass her and thats why they broke into the house and then just tried to take him. She pushed her hair out of her eyes. Dee-Ann, I want you to find out where this is coming from and deal with it.
And you?
What do you think? My mothers upstairs sobbing. My fathers trying to keep the younger kids calm. She gestured to her fifteen-year-old sister. She split Orianas head open. Toni barely managed to bite back a growl when she saw how swollen poor Orianas face currently was. Im going to go get my brother back.
Ricky didnt bother arguing with Toni. There was no point. Instead, he turned to Vic. What do you have?
We traced the license plate number Troy got off that car to a farm upstate. Dug a little, its owned by the church.
Good. Ricky focused on his brothers. Reece, I want you to stay here. I want this place locked down until you hear from me.
Its done, Reece said, then he got up and walked out of the room.
Rory, I want you with me.
Yep.
Yall take care of this, Dee-Ann said. Take Barinov and Malone with you.
Dont you need backup, too, Dee? Oriana asked, sounding remarkably kind since that hit on the head.
Arent you just the sweetest little thing?
No, Oriana answered honestly. Not really.
Dee snorted and headed out. Yall be careful, she ordered before she left.
Toni got to her feet. Irene
Ill take care of your mother. You just . . . fix this, Antonella. Fix it.
I will.
Yeah. Ricky didnt doubt that for one second.
