The Runaway Cat (Book 2 Cloverleah Pack Series) (6 page)

NO!
NO WAY! MINE! 
Griff’s roar bounced through Diablo’s head and he winced, feeling the headache returning.

It’s okay Griff.  Calm down.  It’s not like he hasn’t tried before
and he hasn’t succeeded yet. Calm down god damn it. 

Diablo was trying to calm Griff down but he wasn’t having a lot of luck. Griff was roaring in his head, a jumble of words including sentiments like
I will kill him
and more frequently
Mine.

Lying in his lonely bed
, miles from his lover Diablo waited for the storm to pass.  He totally understood how Griff felt but he couldn’t lie to the man he had claimed.  In a way Griff’s possessiveness was really soothing, even if it was a bit loud.  It felt good to know that he was wanted that badly by another person.  Someone who was big and strong enough to kill a threat, but who was kind and gentle in his passion.  This same person who would be in his life forever.  Even though the circumstances were not ideal right this minute Diablo knew he had made the right decision to claim Griff as his own.  He set his mind to remembering what it had felt like to sleep in Griff’s arms and how safe and absolutely perfect that feeling was. 

Slowly Diablo’s thoughts started to have an impact on Griff’s ranting and he felt Griff calm down.  Growly but calming down.

Look Griff, this mark is not the first one who has tried to take me, but he will be the last okay?

I don’t think that
’s making me feel any better.

As far as I am concerned this job is finished.  My last appearance is the party.  If he comes on too strong after that then I will shift and chew the bastard’s throat out.
I am a big bloody cat you know.  Does that make you feel any better?

A little bit.

I don’t want to have to kill him you understand.  I have worked for a long time to get enough intel on him to put him and a lot of other people away for life but the only one who gets my virgin ass it is you.  Okay, no one else.

You really have a virgin
ass?
Back on his bed in Cloverleah Griff was stunned and more than a little pleased.  He had a wicked grin on his face. Probably not appropriate, but hey Diablo couldn’t see him.

In his bed
Diablo blushed and was glad that Griff couldn’t see him.

Yeah well don’t make too much of a big deal about it.  It’s a cat thing I think.  We have got a lot of pride and don’t take kindly to being topped.
We tend to fight hard to stop it happening.

So you’d fight me?
Griff was chuckling now and he knew Diablo could tell.

Not a lot.  I had already decided to give it up the morning I had to leave.  Figured it might distract you from the whole claiming my mate while he was drunk in a BDSM club thing.

Sneaky kitty cat.  It would have worked too.  Especially if you had let me claim you too.

I want you to. Honestly
I do.

Griff positively hummed through their connection.  Then he remembered what they had been talking about that had lead to that honest spot of feelings.  Diablo being in danger from his mark
without back up.  He was not going to let that happen, but Diablo didn’t need to know that. He looked across at the bedside clock.  2.33 am.   He’d start making some calls first thing in the morning.  Focusing back on his mate he could feel Diablo’s mind getting quiet.  The man was probably exhausted.

Hey kitty cat are you feeling sleepy?

Mmmm yes, thanks to you I think I can actually get some sleep tonight.  I haven’t slept properly since I was in your arms last week.

I’ll stay with you until I feel you drop off, is that okay?

Thanks Griff. 
Diablo’s mind was filled with a picture of Griff holding him in a huge bed somewhere quiet and peaceful.  The room looked warm and comfortable.  He imagined Griff’s arms around him, keeping him safe and finally he dropped off to sleep. 

Back in his room Griff sighed long and hard as he felt Diablo fall asleep.  He knew he shouldn’t interfere with Diablo’s case but there was no way he was going to let the man be at that party on Saturday without some form of back up. 
Decision made Griff feel a little easier and as he fell into a restless sleep his last thoughts were of his mate.

Chapter Six

Griff woke up with a clear mission in mind.  He hadn’t wanted to interfere with Diablo’s case - lord knows the man was an adult but after what Diablo had shared the night before Griff knew he had to step in.  After a quick wash and dressing he went through to his big kitchen and put the coffee maker on.  Then he went through to his large walk in pantry and pulled some boxes out from under a shelf on the floor.  Tapping a hidden button under the bottom shelf he stepped back as a panel in the floor opened up.  Inside was a range of weapons, a couple of phones and a laptop.
  It was the last item he pulled out along with the power cord.

Fixing a large cup of black coffee, Griff sat at the kitchen table and got his laptop plugged in and booted up.  Typing in an obscure web address he was pleased when the familiar FBI logo appeared onscreen along with a login screen. 
Typing in his username and password Griff searched the resulting screen for ongoing undercover operations in Baton Rouge.  There was only one and that had to be Diablo’s.  Griff double clicked on the file name and the details of the case were suddenly spread over the screen.

The first thing that attracted Griff’s attention was a classic FBI portrait of Diablo, or Special Agent Derrick Franklin.  In the photo Diablo looked a lot younger with his blond hair cut short in a typical military buzz cut.  While Griff loved his mate’s current long hair, he had to agree to himself that the man didn’t need long hair to look good.  Without the hair the pictured man on the screen looked classically handsome with his strong face and deep, dark eyes. 
He was sporting a five o’clock shadow in the photo which was surprisingly dark but if anything it served to enhance Diablo’s look with its contrast. He looked positively wicked and Griff could feel his groin responding.  Giving in to a moment of whimsy Griff right clicked on the photo and saved it to his hard drive.

Scanning through the notes on the case Griff was stunned.  Diablo had been with the mark, Georgio Sheraton
for almost two years.  The list of information, tips, files and additional intel from this job alone was amazing.  Flicking through the data Griff found photo’s including one that looked like Georgio shooting someone in an alley, manifest lists from ships, transcriptions of calls and so much more.  Diablo was an impressive agent and knew how to do his job that was obvious.

Then Griff went through the handler’s notes about the case - Dick Corbin.  Corbin had noted early on in the file that Diablo had requested to go in solo, which Griff knew to be BS.  He had also made numerous comments about Diablo’s ability to do his job because of his sexual orientation.  Griff felt anger burn as the homophobic tendencies of the handler became more apparent with each slur he read.

He got to the last comment the handler made dated the week before.  That was the morning Diablo had left Griff.

Diablo shows extreme willingness to stay with mark and claims that more evidence would be forthcoming if allowed to stay in for a further two weeks. 
Concerned he may have developed feelings for his target however any further evidence may be useful in implicating others in the area.  Have held over warrants pending further contact.  G has been advised.

What the fuck?  Griff knew how badly Diablo wanted to get out the job he was in.  Even though he didn’t know the man very well
, hell, barely at all, he did know Diablo was incapable of lying to his mate. He said he had handed in his resignation from the FBI the morning after he had met Griff.  He flicked back through the screens until he found Diablo’s personnel file.  Sure enough Diablo’s resignation was on file dated the same morning as Corbin’s last comments.  Scanning through the document Griff went to ‘Reasons For Leaving Employment.’ Got to love government forms.  Griff smiled as he read what Diablo had written.

Personal.  Have found permanent life partner and plan to marry.

Griff raised his eyebrows at that, but he couldn’t deny the warmth he felt at the simple words on the screen.  He scrolled down further to the ‘Please Give Details.’

Agency work, especially undercover operations will place undue stress on said relationship
and I am not prepared to do that to my partner.  Have plans in place to start my own business.  After seven years undercover I am not confident I can continue with this work and be the type of partner my intended deserves.  I would rather spend the energy I put into my work, into making my partner happy.  This is
not negotiable
.

Diablo had actually underlined the last two words three times
.  He had also been a lot more personal on that form than most people would have been but Griff put that down to the man being tired, stressed and being forced into a position he didn’t want to be in.  Namely leaving Griff when he did.  Boy that made Griff feel good.

Corbin was obviously lying in his notes.  Diablo’s resignation and his conversation with Griff the night before made it clear that Diablo only went back after being told his mark might do a runner before the warrants were issued. 
Why was Corbin trying to keep him in the job longer than necessary? 

Griff clicked through another couple of files.  The warrants out for Georgio Sheraton and six other people had all been on file and ready for execution for over a month.
According to the notes from the prosecuting attorney who signed off the warrants the case Diablo had built was air tight against all seven men and Diablo would not even be required to testify if any of the cases went to trial.

Feeling uneasy, Griff reached for his phone, tapping out a number he knew by heart.  Seconds later he was connected.  Without taking his eyes off the computer screen Griff simply said, “Phone me back from a secure line.”  And then he hit “END.”
  After two minutes Griff’s phone rang and Griff picked it up on the first ring.

“Griff what’s up?”  Tony Gearson’s voice was quiet but confident over the phone.

“Are you handy to a computer?  I need you to check out an undercover job.”  Griff could hear Tony moving around and then some tapping of keys on a keyboard.

“Give me the case number.”  Griff rattled off the relevant series of numbers and letters and when Tony said, “Baton Rouge, Derrick Franklin” Griff grunted in acknowledgement.  Then he waited as Tony read through the file.  About five minutes later Tony spoke again.

“This Franklin seems like a good agent.  Got a lot of intel on the case.  Warrants in place.  I am not seeing a problem here.”

“Check out Corbin’s last message about the case.”  Again Griff waited while he heard Tony click some keys and then read the file mentioned.

“Hmmm, so Franklin has some feelings for Georgio.  Doesn’t seem to have compromised the amount of information he has put through and it is some very incriminating stuff. I haven’t seen anything so thorough for quite some time. Maybe he is just drawing out his goodbye before the man gets arrested. A bit unprofessional but I still don’t see what this has to do with you, Griff.”

Griff took a deep breath to steady his anger.  He knew that the comments Corbin had made about Diablo would skew anyone’s belief about the man’s personal integrity.

“Tony, Corbin’s comments are bullshit.  Remember how I told you about my er special condition.”

“Yes.”  Tony drew the word out as if he wasn’t sure where Griff was going with this.

“Well let’s just say that Franklin and I met while he was taking some down time.  He didn’t say anything about the case to me, because he doesn’t know about our little arrangement and he is too good an agent to divulge details of the case he is working on.  But he did tell me that firstly he doesn’t have any back up because Corbin has never given him any, on any of his jobs.  Secondly when he was contacted to go back in urgently he rang Corbin and told him he wanted off the case immediately and wasn’t coming back. He filed his resignation from the agency that same morning.  It was Corbin that made him go back.  Told him he had to put in two more weeks or the mark could do a runner. Tony, he didn’t want to go and what’s more he is not going to be able to fill the type of personal undercover role he has been given because of our bond.”

“What do you mean bond?  Is he er special like you?”

“Yeah.  And the bond thing - instant, permanent and unbreakable.  Franklin won’t be able to touch his mark without being sick. Now can you see why I am worried about this case.”

Tony was quiet on his end of the phone and Griff could tell from the click of the keys he was looking at other aspects in the file.

Tony sighed.  “Fuck the agent has no back up, a handler who has had complaints about his homophobic bent on his file a mile long and he has been forced back into a position he tried to get out of, to the point of resigning from the agency.  There was no reason for him to be in his role this long.  He had enough information six months ago to put these guys away.  You’re right Griff this stinks to high heaven. What do you want done about it?”

Griff didn’t bother telling Tony that Diablo would have resigned anyway
once he had met Griff.  At least Tony believed what Griff was saying, and not saying and was in a position to do something about it.

“Franklin let me know that he has to attend a party given by the mark tomorrow night
at his club.  He’s hoping to leave afterwards.  But after a couple of other comments Franklin has made about Georgio’s intentions towards him personally I am not happy with him being at that party without backup.  He has already been beaten up once this week. Can you check if Angel had an invite to that shindig?”

More tapping keys and Tony came back on the phone.

“Yep he did.  We didn’t RSVP because we didn’t think Angel would be interested but I can authorize that now.  Will that help?”

“Yeah, thank you Tony.”

“Okay, well you go do what you need to do and in the meantime I will do some more discrete investigating about this case and Corbin in particular.  I will get back to you as soon as I have anything concrete to report.  Will you be okay?”

“Yes Tony.  I appreciate it.  I will wait for your call.”  With that Griff rang off and checked the clock.  Almost 9 am.  Kane and Shawn would be at the workshop
.  He would call in on his way out and have a chat to them.  Packing a bag quickly, he was out of the door in ten minutes and moments later the sound of his bike filled the air as he roared to Custom Rides.

/~/~/~/

All the boys were busy at the workshop.  Griff saw Kane watching Shawn painting the tank on Diablo’s bike, a small smile on his face.  He looked up as Griff came over, noting the bag on Griff’s shoulder. Griff looked at the design he had approved just two days before, coming to life on the black tank.  It was of a large grey wolf lying down, keeping watch on a cliff, with a huge silvery moon in the background.  From what Shawn had done so far Griff knew it would look amazing.  He just hoped Diablo wouldn’t be too pissed off with them messing with his bike.  He shrugged to himself.  Diablo’s petrol tank was the least of their worries for now and it could always be repainted.  Griff looked up and caught Kane’s eye. 

“Heading off for a few days Griff?”

“Yep.  Just a couple.  But…er…can I talk to you two before I go?” Griff glanced around the workshop and lowered his voice. “In private.”

Kane nodded at Shawn who got to his feet and they all headed into the office. 
Scott, Troy and Dean looked a bit curious from their spots on the workshop floor, but they kept on working and didn’t say anything.  Griff closed the office door and looked at the man who had been in his life virtually his whole life.  He didn’t quite know how to start.

“I have found my mate, or should I say he found me.” He blurted out.

A flash of confusion ran over Kane’s face before he broke out a huge grin.

“That’s amazing Griff.  So who is he, where is he
, when did you meet and why isn’t he here with you so we can all meet him?”

“It’s…er…complicated.”

“Complicated like me and Kane or complicated like Troy and Anton?”  Shawn’s voice was quiet and deep as always but he seemed concerned.  He and Kane’s relationship was marred by initially by Shawn’s special abilities that Shawn thought would stop Kane from wanting him and the fact that his own father wanted to kill him because he was an ‘Other’. 

Troy had yet to meet his mate Anton who had found out who Troy was when he smelt his wolf on a hunter Shawn had sent to Claude’s club for an attitude adjustment. Before he could meet Troy he was deployed in a Black Ops assignment
at an undisclosed destination for three months. The two men knew they were mates through scent alone, but it didn’t make it any easier for Troy to handle having his mate so far away for so long.

Chuckling Griff said, “A bit of both actually.  Do you remember Diablo?”

Kane looked at Shawn obviously struggling to remember.  It was Shawn who answered.  “Yes, well I do but I think Kane was a bit fuddled with lust at the time.  That wickedly good looking cat shifter at Claude’s bar last week?”  Griff nodded. 

Shawn raised his eyebrows and smiled. “Really good looking guy.
  Lucky you.” Kane growled and Shawn hit him on the arm before continuing. “So what’s the problem?  He doesn’t do wolves or something?”

Shaking his head, Griff said, “No he doesn’t have a problem wit
h wolves or anything like that.” Griff could feel his cheeks flushing. “He liked me enough to claim me even though I was drunk and didn’t know about it at the time.”