Chasing Her Tail (28 page)

Filled with a renewed sense of urgency, she began unbuttoning the security guard’s shirt. Undressing an unconscious man, albeit a scrawny one, wasn’t as easy as she’d expected and several times Bridget heard the pop of stitches as she yanked at the sleeve.

Getting it off the second arm was much easier and she finally pulled the garment free of Ricky.

Pulling the shirt on, she buttoned it up and checked the length, quickly deciding that it was long enough to be decent. It hit mid-thigh, which was longer than a miniskirt—not that she owned any miniskirts. Bridget left the pants on Ricky, giving a half-hysterical laugh at how disappointed he’d be that she didn’t strip his pants off.

“Sam,” she called softly. “All clear!”

He ran out of the hallway where he’d been hiding and barreled toward her, crashing into her legs and huddling there. Bridget crouched down to hug him.

“Any ideas on how we could move Night?” she asked Sam, not really expecting any suggestions. “I accidentally knocked him out for a while.”

He wriggled free of her grip and ran back toward the lab. “Sam?” she questioned the tail vanishing around the corner.

He reappeared, pulling the blanket behind him.

“Oh smart boy!” she enthused, taking the blanket from him. Spreading it next to the unconscious pair, she pulled and pushed at the wolf’s dead weight, dragging him off Ricky until most of Night rested on the blanket, with only his front paws and tail hanging off.

Bridget grabbed the end of the blanket and pulled, dragging Night a few feet. After catching her breath, she hauled him across the floor again, stopping a pathetic six feet past the first rest stop before she had to take another break. Before, she’d been grateful for the carpet that muffled any clicking from their toenails. Now she cursed it, wishing for some nice, slippery marble flooring or even some smooth linoleum.

Getting a fresh grip on the edge of the blanket, she leaned into the pull, walking backward as she hauled Night across the floor. Sam tried to help, grabbing a mouthful of blanket and pulling with her. He growled fiercely as he did it, which Bridget would have found hilariously cute if she hadn’t been frantically trying to move a two-hundred-pound wolf through a crazy scientist’s security center.

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Ignoring her shaking muscles, she adjusted her grip and pulled again, managing to drag Night to the door. She told Sam to stay as she walked the few remaining feet to the door and pushed the release bar, half-expecting to hear the blare of an alarm. Instead there was wonderful silence as she gazed out at what looked like an abandoned warehouse.

Flipping the doorstop down to hold the door open, she looked around, marveling at how Carlson had built a building inside a building, hiding the lab from anyone who might peer into one of the filthy, high-set windows. The exterior of the lab was nondescript and windowless. No one would ever guess the high-tech laboratory existed. She blew out a relieved breath when she saw the smooth concrete floor leading to the warehouse’s exit. It might be dirty and littered with scraps of wood and wire, but at least it’d be easier to pull Night across than the carpet had been.

Walking back to Sam and Night, she braced herself for a long pull to the exterior doors.

“I should have known that sex-obsessed imbecile couldn’t be trusted with a woman around,” an even voice said behind them.

Bridget’s head jerked around. Carlson was standing just a few feet away, a gun aimed at her chest.

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“I’m sorry—who are you?” Bridget asked politely as her mind raced.
Need a plan,
need a plan, need a plan!

Carlson smiled but his expression had no humor in it. “Aren’t you clever, Bridget Grace. Are you trying to pretend that we didn’t chat last night?”

“Last night?” She furrowed her brow. “Were you at the Blue Donkey too? I didn’t see you there.”

He shook his head, his empty smile falling away. “Do you think I’m stupid?” he demanded. “I’m not. So why don’t you and the little puppy there get back in your cages.” Glancing down at Night, he sighed. “I’m afraid I’m going to have to wait for True’s replacement before we can get this beast back in his cage.”

Bridget opened her mouth but before she could say anything, Hammer appeared in the doorway behind Carlson. Looping an arm around the smaller man’s neck, Hammer aimed his gun at Carlson’s temple.

“My gun has bullets, not darts, so why don’t you put yours down?” Hammer suggested gently.

Carlson’s shocked face was delightful to see. Bridget grinned at Hammer.

“Nice timing—” she began, only to be cut off by a jab to the belly.

Carlson shot me, the bastard!
she thought indignantly, right before the world went dark.

She woke up in an unfamiliar bedroom. It was an unpleasant sensation, although Bridget was reassured by the fact that it wasn’t a Plexiglas cell. It was a pretty plush room, actually, with a huge bed that she’d burrowed into, creating a cocoon beneath the covers.

“You’re awake,” a familiar voice rumbled, speeding up her heartbeat at the same time it made her smile. “’Bout time.”

She sat up, pushing her hair out of her face. “What can I say?” she said to Hammer, who sat down on the edge of the bed. “Whatever Carlson shot into me was powerful stuff. Or maybe I just can’t hold my sedative.”

At the mention of Carlson, Hammer went stiff. Bridget had never seen him so furious. His eyes were almost glowing with rage.

“Stupid asshole shot you when I had a gun to his head,” he growled. “Fucking moron. He deserved a bullet.”

Bridget stared at him. “You didn’t…”

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“No.” Hammer looked disgusted. “Would’ve enjoyed it, but I resisted.” A small smile touched his lips. “I did get to punch him in the face though. Only once—he was out at the first punch.”

“What happened?” she asked. “And what time is it?”

“Almost ten,” he told her.

She glanced at a window shaded by vertical blinds. “Why’s it so dark?”

“It’s ten at night, dummy,” a mock-exasperated voice from the doorway answered.

Bridget grinned. “Hey, Micah.”

“Hey yourself.” He crossed the room and climbed onto the bed next to her. “You’re in so much trouble,” he told her, tossing an arm around her shoulders and hugging her to his side. “What the fuck were you thinking, getting caught on purpose like that?”

“Yeah, Bridget,” Hammer echoed, his tone even more stern. “What
were
you thinking?”

She shrugged, examining her comforter-covered knees. “I just didn’t want Sam to be alone,” she explained and then looked up at the reminder. “Sam! Is he okay?”

“He’s fine,” Micah assured her. “He’s sleeping. Joey got here a few hours after we did. He’s with Sam now.” He laughed. “He’s sitting in Sammy’s room, staring at him, like the kid’s going to disappear if Joey looks away.”

“You can laugh,” Hammer told him, moving so he was sitting on Bridget’s other side, “but isn’t that the same thing we’ve been doing?”

“Yeah,” Micah admitted with a shrug. “I’ve been switching back and forth between rooms though. You two both scared the shit out of me.” He hugged Bridget again, harder, and gave her a little shake.

“I’m sorry,” she said, looking back and forth between the men. “So what happened after I was darted?”

“Well,” Micah began, “Hammer was so pissed Carlson shot you that he punched the asshole in the face. Carlson passed out even before Hammer’s fist connected, I think.”

Hammer snorted a laugh. “Then Micah was pissed at me because he didn’t get a punch in.”

“Did the cops come?” Bridget asked. “I called them.”

“We heard the sirens but we weren’t sticking around to answer questions,”

Hammer said. “After erasing a few key files on their hard drive, we grabbed Sam and the two sleeping beauties and took off.”

“Oh!” Bridget straightened. “How’s Night?
Where’s
Night?”

“Why?” Micah asked. “You like him or something?”

She snorted. “Yeah, it was fun having a full-size wolf within pouncing distance.”

Bridget rolled her eyes. “Besides, if I could read his expression right, he thinks I’m an idiot.”

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“He woke up a few hours ago and took off shortly after,” Hammer informed her.

“He’s fine.”

“Did he change?” she asked.

Micah shook his head. “Just waited for me to open the back door and took off for the woods. Not a real social guy.”

“A lone wolf,” Hammer agreed, nodding solemnly, although the corner of his mouth twitched.

Bridget laughed and swatted him. “Enough with the lame jokes! Tell me what happened. I assume the ‘key files’ you erased were the ones showing me changing?”

“Hammer erased anything with you in it at all,” Micah told her.

“What about Sam’s footage? Or Night’s?”

“Left it,” Hammer said. “Figured the police would find it interesting.”

Bridget cocked her head to the side, considering the idea. “They’ll see a little boy held in a cage. Think the cops will believe Carlson doesn’t know where Sam is now?”

Micah grinned wickedly. “They’ll at least ask him several times. Plus they’ll search his house, check his bank records and all that good stuff, which means trouble for everyone on Carlson’s payroll.”

“I hope they lock up the creepy emergency room doctor,” Bridget said with a shiver.

“If they don’t, maybe an anonymous someone could tip the cops off.” Micah smiled.

“So how’d you guys get in?” Bridget wondered.

It was Hammer’s turn to grin. “We hitched a ride in Carlson’s car.”

“He let you in his car?” Bridget asked, confused.

“Mrs. Carlson was kind enough to let us into their garage. After that, we just hopped into the trunk of his car and waited,” Micah explained. “The security guard called as he was heading toward the warehouse, so Carlson was rattled. After he parked in the garage inside the building, Carlson headed in your direction. We just followed. Gotta love those luxury car trunks and their interior-release levers. It’s like they know these rich dudes are going to end up in their trunks eventually.”

“After we got the three of you out,” Hammer got the story back on track, “we helped ourselves to Carlson’s keys and took his car back to his house.”

Micah grinned. “You should’ve seen the look on Mrs. C’s face when she got a glimpse of you guys. She’ll be calling their family lawyer all right, but to get a divorce, not to help that bastard.”

Bridget gave a weak smile. Her head was spinning.

“So then Micah ran for my car, which was parked a block away, and we got you three loaded up,” Hammer continued, ignoring the other man’s interruption. “Micah has the most secluded home, so we came here and waited for you to wake up.”

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“He called the principal,” Micah said, tipping his head toward Hammer. “Said he found you wandering around in a fever, naked and without any I.D., so he took you home and nursed you back to health.” He laughed. “Hammer told her his religion didn’t allow him to send you to the hospital.”

Hammer gave a shrug and lifted his hands innocently. “Worked, didn’t it?”

“Guess so,” Micah conceded. “She seemed to believe you. He told her it was just this morning that you were coherent enough to tell him who you were and where you worked. The principal says that she hopes you feel better and can’t wait to see you back in the classroom when you’ve recovered completely. She’s going to let the other teachers know so they’ll quit worrying. Hammer called the cops too and told them you’re found. They want to talk to you about your disappearance when you’re up for it.”

“Wow.” She didn’t know what else to say.

“Pretty much,” Hammer agreed, taking her hand. “So now should we talk about how you endangered your life by walking up to that warehouse?”

Yawning, Bridget shook her head. “I’d rather not. Besides, it worked out, didn’t it?”

Both men growled. She looked back and forth between two pissed-off faces and gulped. Why had she thought this threesome thing would be a good idea? Even as her heartbeat increased speed, though, Bridget knew her stomach was fluttering as much from desire as from nerves—more, in fact.

Micah looked at Hammer. “What should we do with her?” Bridget squirmed between them, all sleepiness forgotten. While she’d been sleeping, someone had taken off Ricky’s uniform shirt and dressed her in an oversized t-shirt. Her nipples stiffened, rubbing against the soft cotton, and even that thin layer of fabric seemed intrusive.

Pushing up to her knees, she drew the shirt over her head and tossed it away.

Hands immediately found her ass, kneading and shaping her flesh. Bridget groaned, arching into their touch. It felt as if she’d been away from her two men for much longer than a day and she’d missed them terribly.

The need to touch, to taste, overwhelmed her and she turned so she could undo the button and zip of Hammer’s jeans. He lifted his hips and, catching the waistband of his boxer briefs as well, she skimmed everything off his legs and over his bare feet.

Hammer yanked his t-shirt over his head and Bridget just sat and looked at him for a few seconds, loving the sight of him, every rock-hard inch.

She turned to strip Micah but he was way ahead of her, standing next to the bed and kicking away the puddle of clothes at his feet. He knelt on the mattress, completely naked, and Bridget ogled him as well. How she’d ended up so attached to two men, she had no idea. All she knew was that she wanted both of them inside her forever.

She and Micah looked over at Hammer, waiting for direction. Bridget saw his eyes light with desire and she knew he loved this. It was a good thing, since she loved his bossiness and, judging by Micah’s huge erection, he didn’t mind it either.

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Taking his time, Hammer reached over and dug around in the top drawer of the nightstand. He pulled out a couple of condoms and tossed one over to Micah, followed by a bottle of lube. Bridget whimpered as moisture dampened her thighs, just the sight of those simple preparations heating her blood.