Lindsey's Wolves (22 page)

“She’s very private. Fun, outgoing, intelligent, but
private
.” Trevor looked pointedly at both Ryan and Alex, his eyes wide, pupils lifted with his chin tucked. “Neither Justin nor I have really spoken to her much. We’ve mostly only been around her in passing. She sort of seems to avoid us. Like she doesn’t want to confront us, or something. She and Kara and Lindsey are very close friends. I assume one of these days she’ll relax around us and we’ll get to know her better. Could be that she’s just uncomfortable with our living arrangement. Whatever the reason, her body language and lack of eye contact make it perfectly clear she isn’t ready or willing to discuss herself.”

“Imagine that.” Alejandro’s sarcasm caused everyone to smile.

Ryan raised an eyebrow and continued, “So what do we know about these religious people? Did anyone find out anything new?”

Justin started, “We went by the apartment. Sure enough, a car matching the description Jess gave was out front, but they sped away when we approached. Tried to do some research on the church, but there isn’t much info to be found. Seems rather secretive. Attending isn’t possible either. They don’t allow outsiders just at random. Weird.”

Alex paced in front of Ryan, running his hands through his hair. “I don’t like it. What the hell do they want?
Ay Dios
.” His voice rose in pitch as he grew more frustrated.

“Wish we had more info than that, but right now, we just don’t.” Trevor looked as worried as everyone else. “Jess wants to go home though, so I think we’re going to have to let her and hope these guys are innocuous even if they’re annoying.”

Ryan’s gut clenched. “Lindsey’s going to want to go with her.”

“She can’t. No way.” Alejandro shook his head.

“What do you want to do about it?” It wasn’t as though Ryan could shake a magic wand and make her see reason.

When three women appeared on the stairs, hands on hips, Ryan took a deep breath.

Lindsey spoke first. “Jess and I are going back to the apartment.” She held her head high and bit her lower lip after she spoke, belying the fact she knew this wasn’t going to go over well with two aggressive wolves. Well, four.

“
Joder
.”

Ryan held up a hand to keep Alex from speaking out loud. His ire was over the top, emotion radiating from his thoughts to Ryan’s. “We’ll take you. We’ll discuss it further there.”

He turned to Alex, hoping the look on his face would keep the man’s mouth shut.
“It’s just a trip to their place. Doesn’t mean anything yet. Maybe if we go along for the easy parts, she’ll bend a little when it comes down to something more serious. She can’t stand for us to boss her around, tell her what she can and can’t do.”

Alex breathed in and out of his nose, as loud as possible. His lips were pursed.

Lindsey scooted between them, heading for Ryan’s truck, Jessica on her heels, not saying a word to anyone.

Once they were inside, squished in the tight back seat, Kara spoke. “Just let them check it out, please.” She pleaded with all four men, glancing at each of them in turn. “If you demand they can’t go home, you’ll regret it. Believe me.” She was serious.

“She’s right.” Ryan headed for the driver’s side, head hung. He knew Alex did the same on the passenger side.

No one spoke during the drive. At least not out loud. Alex never stopped huffing, puffing, and complaining into Ryan’s mind the entire ride. He was worried.

Ryan couldn’t blame him. He felt every bit as uncomfortable as Alex.

When they arrived at Lindsey’s place, Ryan motioned for everyone to stay seated and held out his hand. She damn well better give up the keys and let him check the apartment out first or he’d probably embarrass himself in front of Jessica.

His expression was clear enough. In short order, the key was in his hand, his contrite mate biting her bottom lip in the back of the car as he walked away. If anything happened outside, Alex could handle it.

The door wasn’t tampered with, and when he opened it nothing seemed amiss.
What did you expect? A break in? Jeez, calm down
. Ryan’s shoulders relaxed as he wandered around inside. He wouldn’t know if anything was out of place. He’d never been there. But it wasn’t ransacked. At least not the front area. The bedroom that had to be Lindsey’s looked like a hurricane. He smiled. Their mate was a slob.

When he headed back to the front door to give the all clear, he found the others all standing at the entrance.

He glanced at Alex.

“Did you think I was going to tie them up and gag them in the back of your truck?”

Ryan stepped back and let them in.

“You two have to stop this.” Lindsey gripped her hips with both hands, her face ablaze. “This is my home. I will not allow some crazies to terrorize me in it.”

“Nor will we,” Ryan agreed. “That’s why we’re here.”

“Well you can’t stay.”

When no one spoke, her jaw dropped. “You didn’t honestly believe you were going to sleep here did you? I’m fine. I’ll call you in the morning.”

Jessica tiptoed from the room and disappeared down the hall.

Ryan spoke through a tight jaw. “It’s not even noon, Lin.”

“And I’ve been gone for several days. I have stuff to do. Please give me a little space.”

Alex paced again, his obvious method of coping. “How about we order lunch. Some pizza? We’ll stay out of your way. Hang out in the living room. Watch some TV. Let you regroup a while.” He ran a casual hand over his hair again. To no avail. The long locks just fell back where they’d been.

Did Lindsey find that sexy? Ryan wished he could get inside her mind and read her thoughts already. It’d be so much easier.

Taking a stance, Ryan sat on the couch and pulled his cell from his pocket. A quick Google of the area provided him with the phone number of three close Italian restaurants. “Which place do you want me to order from? Jess,” he shouted without waiting for a response. He tipped his head to the side as though it would help his voice travel down the hall. “What do you like on your pizza?”

“Pepperoni, sausage, anything really. I’m easy.”

“Fine,” Lindsey pouted. “Get whatever you want. I’ve got a bedroom that has met with disaster and needs my attention.” She turned back on her way out and glared at Ryan. “But you already figured that out, didn’t you?”

The afternoon was long and tense, but in the end, Alex was relieved they’d come.

He nearly jumped when the doorbell rang. Both men froze.

Lindsey and Jessica padded down the hall silent as mice, eyes wide.

Lindsey peeked out a side window, pulling the curtain back only an inch. She turned and mouthed, “It’s them.” She held up three fingers.

Alex pointed down the hall, glaring at her, demanding silently to let him handle this.

When the women disappeared, at least from sight—he knew they’d not gone far—he opened the door about six inches, his left foot blocking it from being flung open any farther.

“Can I help you?”

“Hello, sir. Yes. We’re hoping to have a word with Lindsey Walters.” The tall slender man dressed a bit like a Catholic priest spoke. His hands were clasped in front of him. The Roman collar around his neck looked too small and threatened to choke him. His clothes were all black and his thinning hair was too long, one side flipped across the top in a vain effort to keep others from knowing he was balding. Why did people do such stupid things? Alex would have laughed out loud under normal circumstances, the guy was so comical. Except this wasn’t funny.

“She’s unavailable right now. May I ask what this is about?”

“She’s a member of our church congregation. We haven’t seen her in a while. We like to check up on our flock when they are absent.” His smug look made Alex want to slap him. He gripped the door frame so tight, his knuckles began to hurt.

“Did she not leave your church about four years ago? How long do you continue to stalk old members exactly?” Alejandro narrowed his gaze, hoping to intimidate the man and the two lambs alongside him.

The slender gentleman gasped and grabbed the white collar at his throat, probably so he could breathe. “We don’t stalk anyone. I assure you, sir. But we are particularly worried when one of our family is lost.”

Alex cleared his throat and spoke slow and clear, not mincing words. “Lindsey is not lost. She has made it perfectly clear she is no longer interested in attending your services. Let’s make this the last visit to her apartment, what do you say?”

The man shook his head. “We really must speak to Lindsey directly. We’ll wait.”

Wait? What the fuck is the matter with these people? Can’t they take a hint?

“Look,
cabrón
.” Alejandro grabbed the edge of the door to avoid punching the guy in the face. “I said she doesn’t want to see you again. Do you understand English? She. Is. Done. With. Your. Type. Of. Religion. Asshole.”

The man’s mouth fell open, but he didn’t back down. “If it’s all the same to you, we’ll still wait.” The jerk actually turned to face the street and stood unmoving on the front step, his sheep beside him.

Frustrated, Alex slammed the door and turned to face Ryan. “
Hijo de puta
, that guy is pissing me off. Ideas?”

Lindsey meandered into the living room. “How about I just talk to them? Maybe that’ll work.”

“No.” Both Alex and Ryan shouted at the same time.

“Fuck no.” Alex shook his head.

“I’ve talked to them before. Maybe they just want to make sure I’m okay, or whatever.”

“Not a chance.” Alex leaned against the door. “Something’s not right. They were too … calm.” What was it? He couldn’t put his finger on it.

Lindsey glanced out the small space between the window and the curtain. “They’re still there. How long do you want to wait? If I tell them to go, maybe they’ll go and we’ll be done with this insanity.”

“What do you think?”
Alex glared at Lindsey, his thoughts projecting to Ryan.

“I don’t like it, but she has a point. We’re right here. What could go wrong?”

“Let me know when you work out my problems without including me … once again, boys.” She cocked one hip to the side and glared at them.

“This is crazy and I don’t like it.”

“I’ll go out with her, pretend to be her boyfriend.”

“Pretend?”
Alex chuckled out loud and then sobered when Lindsey shot daggers his way.

Ryan turned to her. “I’ll go out with you. Put on a good show of being your boyfriend.”

“Fine.”

Lindsey marched over and flung the door open once more, pushing Alex out of the way. She wasn’t sure who she was angrier with right now, the unrelenting jerks on the inside of the house, or the … well, unrelenting jerks outside.

The priest-looking fellow whipped back around. “Lindsey. Please, a moment.” Pastor Stone motioned toward the street.

“Right here is fine.” She crossed her arms as Ryan saddled up beside her and grasped the back of her neck with one hand.

“We-we’d really prefer to speak to you in private.”

“And I’d prefer to stay here on the front step.” She tapped one foot and glared at the trio. Gripping her hands tucked under her arms, she managed to avoid shaking in front of them. The last thing she wanted was for them to see her fear.

Stone glanced at Ryan over her shoulder and then back at Lindsey. “Lindsey, my lost, lost lamb of God, I’ve known you your entire life. Surely you don’t believe I would harm you? Some privacy would be prudent.”

Exasperated beyond reason, Lindsey shook Ryan’s hand from her shoulder and took several steps forward. The good Pastor and his flanks backed up to accommodate her.

Even without the ability to communicate with Ryan telepathically, she could feel the hostility at her back. His eyes burned into her. He wouldn’t hesitate to pounce given the opportunity.

“What? What’s so damn important, you can’t speak to me in front of my friends? I left your congregation four years ago. I’m done. You’re not going to convince me to return. I’ve moved on.”

“My lamb, it’s customary, at a certain point in our lives, for our members to … grasp their religious convictions fully and with intent.”

“What the hell are you talking about? I’m not grasping anything,” she hissed. She didn’t know why she was bothering to practically whisper just because this asshole chose to.

“Your twenty-second birthday is next week. Traditionally—”

“What business is that of yours? What does my birthday have to do with anything?”

He cleared his throat, looking only marginally appalled by her forceful words.

“Your grandmother, God rest her soul, had made arrangements for your place among our flock…”

“My grandmother? My dead grandmother? She’s gone. Who cares what she arranged. Look,” she lifted both hands, “I don’t care what Grandma Walters may or may not have desired concerning my soul, I’m done with you people. You hear me? Done. D. O. N. E. Done. Stop coming here. Stop terrorizing my roommate. Enough is enough. Got it?” She shook with anger.

One step back and Ryan clasped her arm, dragging her backward. “You heard the lady. Don’t return.”

“Take some time to mull it over, my lamb. God needs you on his side. Pray about it, I implore you.” He held up a worn Bible and bowed his head in silent prayer as Ryan yanked her into the apartment.

“God almighty,” he said as soon as he shut the door. “What the hell was he spouting about? He’s insane.”

Ryan pulled Lindsey into his embrace and Alex sandwiched her from behind.

A sob escaped her, and then another, until she was full-out crying. Sniffling. Eyes watering. Crying. Like she was a toddler.

Both men soothed her with gentle caresses.

“Are they gone?” Jess’s voice forced Lindsey to glance up as her friend handed her a tissue.

“I hope so,” she sputtered.

Jess glanced out the window. “Nope. Not gone. They’re standing in the same spot, arms lifted in the air, fucking praying… Oh, wait, now the tall guy is kneeling on the ground pleading with his fire-and-brimstone God to save us all from our sins.” She let go of the curtain. “At least that’s what I assume.”