Diamond (Rare Gems #2)(40)
Ward moved back from the man as far as he possibly could when he sort of…shifted. Gone was the huge burly man with dark eyes, and in his place was a snarling f*cking huge wolf.
When he moved close enough that Ward could feel his hot breath in his face, for the second time in his life, he pissed himself. And if he didn’t know better, he would have thought the wolf was laughing at him. Ward looked up when the shadow that seemed to be over him disappeared. Now an entirely different man stood over him.
“Sam said you were to get the f*ck out of here and not return so long as we’re here. I’d listen if I was you. Alpha left him in charge, and he ain’t gonna be none too happy when he finds out you was here f*cking with his foreman.” Ward struggled to stand and the man snickered at Wards pants front. “Got you a little scared, did he? He’s good at that. Sam is my sister’s mate, but he scares me too. She calls him a teddy bear, but me? I don’t think so.”
“I’ll sue for this.” The man nodded. “When I’m finished, I’ll own this company and you’re all going to be sorry.”
“I don’t think you’re gonna have much luck with that there, buddy, but you go right on ahead and try.” He looked around before he smiled at him. “You try and f*ck with this company and you’ll never see the light of day again.”
Ward was on his way back to his hotel, not remembering how he’d gotten into the taxi but how he’d gotten the tear in his suit. Not that he planned on keeping it. After all, the man had soiled it for him. Ward looked down at his stained pants and tried to reason how someone had gotten the drop on him and peed down his front.
Things were not going well for him, and he wanted to talk to his brother. When he was back at his hotel, the lady at the desk said his name, but he was in a hurry to get to his room and take a long, hot shower. When someone tapped him on the shoulder, he turned to snarl at them, but saw it was the lady from the desk.
“This came for you,” she said. He nearly dropped the package she’d shoved in his chest. “There is no need for you to sign for it, and I’m pretty sure you weren’t going to tip the guy, so I did both.”
Before he could tell her she was stupid if she thought he was going to tell her thanks, she was gone. This was the rudest bunch of people he’d ever met. And to think he’d been about to stay another few days.
He opened the envelope on the top of the package and read the letter.
When you get this call me, a cell phone to reach me has already been programmed in. And the phone only has two hours of minutes on it so don’t think you can call your friends…if you have any left. I’m in no mood to piss around about this, Ward, so don’t f*cking put it off. Thad Galloway.
Ward waited until he got to his room before he opened the package itself. The nerve of his brother treating him this way was beyond what he deserved. Had Thad simply been where he should have been, they could have had this settled days ago. After his shower, he sat down and took out the cheap phone.
It didn’t even have a camera on it. And the flip type opening had him snarl at it. What was wrong with a nice expensive one? he wondered. It wasn’t like Thad couldn’t have afforded it. Hell, he thought, he could have owned the company if he wanted. It might be something Ward could talk him into when they were back at the office.
The phone was answered on the first ring. “What the f*ck are you thinking? Or are you?” Before he could answer Thad, he continued. “I come to Texas to see what mess you’ve gotten yourself into only to find that you’ve taken off to God knows where to get into something deeper. I’m f*cking not bailing your ass out of this one.”
“What are you talking about? And I don’t appreciate the tone you’re using right now. Take a deep breath and tell me what mess you think I’ve gotten myself into.”
Silence. All Ward could hear was his own breath. Looking at the phone, he wasn’t surprised to see it still counting the seconds for the call. Thad could be terrifying when he was quiet like this.
“You murdered a man. In cold blood, and then had the f*cking nerve to rob him too.” Ward felt his heart pound in his chest. How did he know? How had they found out he’d done it? “Stay put. I’m coming home and will be there in five hours.”
Ward closed the phone and hopped up. There was no f*cking way he was going to wait for his brother to come and find him. He was going to be long gone before that happened. Slipping the phone in his pocket, he went to the bedroom to pack. He was out of there right now.
Chapter 13
Thad’s plane landed at close to midnight. He was exhausted and wanted nothing more than to go to bed and sleep for an entire week. As soon as he entered the quiet terminal, he felt the weight of the past five days leave his body. Reaching for his bag, he was startled to find someone take it from him.
“You look like you could use a good soak in a tub.” He stared at Diamond for a full ten seconds before she spoke again. “Did you forget me while you were gone?”
“Hell no.” Dropping everything he had in his hands, he pulled her to him and kissed her. She tasted of honey that she drank in her tea, as well as sex. He pulled from her mouth with a great deal of reluctance, but didn’t let go of her. “I should have taken you with me. I’m sure I would have felt a great deal better.”