Chapter 6

Checking the List

He was so attracted to her that he could barely control himself. As he escorted her, his arm touched hers, and he felt the heat rolling through him. Did she feel it, too? Carler couldn't help but wonder because he rarely saw the signs that she did. Ranger insisted that the female would feel something if they were true mates. Human females would not feel as much as a dragon shifter female. Yet he said that they would feel something. He said many had a small amount of the DNA of their people hidden somewhere in their code.

Ranger also suggested that she was distracted by her past and her need for vengeance. If that was true, there was nothing he could think of that he could do about it. Old Joe seemed beyond anything they could handle, and he hoped someone could devise a plan for him to be taken out. He went through every possibility, but how could you plan to deal with someone without knowing where they were? If nothing else, Joe was good at hiding.

"I was thinking about some way to lure Joe Senior here," Viv observed.

"How could we possibly do that?"

"What is the one thing that Joe wants more than anything?"

"Besides destroying us? I suppose he wants Davy. He wants to destroy her, and if he could take her alive, I believe he would torture her. He sees her as his downfall. Even his son does not get the responsibility he deserves because, in his mind, it was all Davy." Carler admitted.

"So, all we need to do is make him think Davy is here. She doesn't need to be here. He just needs to believe she is."

"How will we manage that?"

"I heard you talking about doing an interview with a magazine. All we mentioned was to get a look-alike and have them in the background doing something Davy would be doing. We also had someone mention her name quietly but loud enough to pick it up. If he believes she's here, I have no doubt that he will take some kind of action. If that does not work well enough, we will have a trip she is going on somewhere he can get to. No one that looks anything like Davy will be there. That way, there won't be one person that is a target. It is worth a try," Viv observed.

"I have to agree with you. At this point, it is worth trying to get Old Joe somewhere where we can take him down. First, we need to go through your list and clear out anyone who is a possible traitor. Maybe we should keep one person and put them in a position where they can get the information we want and send it to Joe. That is another thing we might consider doing," Carler admitted.

"Let's work through my list, and then we can set things up."

She sat down at her computer, and he watched as she began to work through the list, one name after another. Viv sent the names through the FBI computer, and it wasn't long before she got the information back. One was a definite traitor, and there was proof of payments from Joe. The others had issues and criminal offenses, but it would take more to connect them to Joe.

His radio beeped. "Carler!"

"This is Odom in security. We've cleared out the last of the questionable ones. Security is now secure. We are ready to go after the questionable ones in other areas as soon as we get the list."

It had hurt that the security leader had turned out to be a rogue. No one had even suspected him, yet he had been working against them since the beginning of the new country. Several of those in security would move up, but that department would still have a huge shortage. Perhaps Viv would suggest how they could get loyal and capable personnel. A human would be perfect as a second in that department. However, it was difficult to find a trustworthy and capable human.

He looked at his emails and noticed that Viv had sent him something. A list of those in the casino and the hotel must be further scrutinized. Carler scrolled through the list and had no issue with any names. There were no dragons on it, and no one was questionable. It was sent straight to Odom. That would be a good start on their hunt for potential traitors. He got into other work he needed to do and noticed that Viv was still working hard. He wondered which group she would search through next.

Carler saw that it was supper time. When you worked hard, the time really flew. "Why don't you let me take you to supper, and we will discuss your plan to lure in Joe?"

"Let me finish this list. It is the Parks Department. We can go then," Viv replied.

"Let me know when you're done." She nodded at him and continued her work.

Carler continued to work as well. Maybe they would get a handle on things now. They worked a bit longer before she got to a good stopping point.

"I'm ready now."

"Let's go," Carler said.

Viv smiled at him, and he took her arm to escort her out the door. He hoped that sharing time with her at meals would help his cause. He took her to the Asian place, and when they entered, she seemed excited.

"Have you not been here before?"

"You've taken me to many places, but I don't remember coming here," Viv admitted.

"I've intended to take you for quite some time because I know you like Asian food."

"You're right. I do. The aroma makes my mouth water."

"The food here is very good." Carler offered.

He helped her into her seat and then sat across from her. The waitress arrived almost immediately. They ordered drinks, and he ordered a couple of appetizers. Now, the waitress rushed away.

"Tell me where you have gotten on the plan to lure old Joe in?"

"There is nowhere to go except that you need to plan some kind of interview and have somebody like Davy in the background. If someone else is standing nearby and they say her name, I think he will assume it's her. It will look like it was caught in the background noise and wasn't intended to be broadcast." Viv explained.

"Is your plan that we will watch closely and manage to catch Joe if he comes here?"

"If he doesn't come here, we will send a ghost Davy somewhere else to do work, hoping he makes a play for her. She won't be there, and no one who looks like her will be there. As soon as he enters the room, he will know she is not there, and we will have to spring our trap."

"That way, it will limit the danger to any of the females around," Carler observed.

"Maybe. That guy is really crazy, and no one anywhere near him will be safe."

He had to admit that she was right about that. The issues with his son and losing his position had driven him mad. His son had never really been suited to the authority that he had given him. He had other sons, but none were interested in being involved in the family business. Joe Senior had been pleased that one of his sons took an interest. Sadly, he ignored the fact that the boy was incapable. That hadn't been the only issue because his son had also been terribly spoiled and tried to take anything he could get and destroy it if he could not.

Davy had been lucky, but he wondered how many others had not. At this point, it didn't matter because the boy was in jail, and his father had lost his lofty position as a mob boss and now was just trying to get vengeance, even if it was undeserved. They were a cold, cruel, and calculating family that needed to be removed. Maybe watching the boy was possible, and he would suggest that to his assassin friend if he took the job. Doran might be able to work with this.

Normally, he would have expected a reply by now, but with everything going on, he had forgotten that he was waiting for him to say yes or no. Carler pulled up his radio and scrolled through it. There was nothing there. Now he took his phone and scrolled through it. That was where the answer was, and he had accepted the job. He checked out his phone and saw that the vibration was turned off. That may have happened during the fight in the security office. It was a surprise that his phone was in one piece.

"Something important happening?" Viv asked.

"No, I was just expecting an answer about an appointment and thought the applicant hadn't sent it. It seems he did, and I missed it. That's alright because he will just go through personnel and get started. Right now, we need everyone we can get."

"I hope he's local and won't be an issue."

"I've known him for years, but he's very picky about the jobs he takes."

"Sounds like you're lucky to have him."

The waitress brought the drinks and the appetizers. They got quiet as they concentrated on their appetizers. She loved the pot stickers and the mini egg rolls. Viv was careful not to eat too many of them because Carler was larger than her and had a bigger appetite. The appetizers were still very good, and the sauces that came with them were also good. She couldn't even say which one she liked the best.

"I'm glad to see that you like them. They have so many good appetizers that I wasn't sure what to order, but if we come again, maybe we can try some different ones."

"I really enjoyed these, but I want to try the different ones. Maybe they're better," Viv admitted.

While waiting for their food to arrive, they talked about the list Viv had already made and thought she was working on.

"It's hard to believe they did such a terrible job of vetting the employees," Carler said.

"They had nothing to lose. The only reason they were here was to mess things up, and a bad employee can mess things up as much as one who is trying to cause mischief."

"I suppose you're right. In my former job, I never worked with people who purposely did not do their jobs or were trying to cause trouble. It's hard to believe that anyone would do that. I'm afraid I'm learning about all kinds of bad things."

"Where are you from?" She asked.

"Draconis, of course. Life was much simpler before, and we didn't have to deal with many people coming in from outside."

The waitress brought their food, and the conversation stalled. Viv didn't seem very happy with his answer, and Carler didn't think she believed him. She had no choice but to accept what he told her because there was no way she would find out the truth —at least she wouldn't be finding out the truth any time soon. Once they mated, then she would know everything.

"What is your meal?" Viv asked.

"This is beef with snow peas. Would you like to try some?"

Viv seemed to have a spoon from somewhere. She used it to get a good-sized portion of his meal.

"Would you like some of mine? It is egg fried rice with chicken."

He helped himself to a small portion of it. After trying it, he thought that it was actually quite good. They continued to eat without speaking, but it was not an awkward silence but a companionable one. His meal was wonderful, and judging by how his companion ate, she seemed to think the same about her meal. One of the things that he liked about this planet was their wide selection of foods. Many foods were regional but could be found at restaurants in other areas. That was not true of his planet, where most foods were only available in their specific region.

Restaurants were not readily available anywhere, and many spices were not used there. Food was used mainly to satisfy hunger and not as an enjoyable repast. That had changed since the humans had arrived. Many of them could cook and make fabulous meals. It had shown his kind how food could be more than just a necessity. Being here on Earth had shown him and the others what a large variety of incredibly tasty foods were available.

Many brides were available here, but most were being sent to their planet. The fact that he had found a match, and his rank helped him attempt to claim her. They finished their meal, and he tried to tempt her into a dessert, but this time she wouldn't. Viv said she'd been eating too much. He looked at her closely but couldn't see she'd gained a pound. Since she didn't want dessert, he took her arm to escort her to the elevator. Hopefully, tonight will be quiet and peaceful.

When they arrived at her room, he wanted a passionate kiss again. Maybe he was moving forward since she didn't seem to be trying to avoid it or fight against him. The kiss was so amazing that he knew he would not be able to just give her a kiss next time. What would she do if he pushed for more? Carler didn't know, but he would find out next time. A male could only stand so much before he had to push for more.

At least he could tell that she felt something, too. Was it enough for her to take a chance on him? She'd been so wrapped up in her old mate Doug that he wasn't sure if he could unwrap her. It was understandable because they had meant so much to each other. Still, life was for the living, and she had to let go at some point. He needed to find out whether she was at that point. A sign that they were close to catching Old Joe might help push her into his arms. Trying to move forward might also chase her away.

After he reached his room, he found it hard to calm himself. All he could think about was Viv and their marvelous kiss. It had been so long since he had been with a female, but he knew he would not be able to be with anyone but her. The need thrumming through him could not be denied. There was only one action to take to relieve the sexual need that was taking him over. To do nothing might leave him vulnerable to his dragon taking over.

Stripping off his clothes, Carler headed to his shower. The bathroom had a relaxing spa-like feel with its earth-tone tiles, large shower, separate bath, and closeted toilet. There were mirrors where he could see himself as he walked by. Would his mate appreciate his body? Most females seemed to like tall males with hard muscles, and he fit the bill. His brown hair, which tended to curl if he let it get too long, was as common as mud, and his deep blue eyes, while not as common, still were nothing special.

He stepped into the shower and set the temperature at dragon hot, and his mind went to Viv. His hand pressed the dispenser to get a handful of soap, and he went straight to the job. Carler's cock was rock hard, and he needed relief. Soaping it up, he squeezed hard with his hand as he moved it up and down from root to tip. A moan broke loose as he imagined his mate smiling up at him as she moved her hand up and down.

"Yes, my sweet, Viv."

He couldn't see the drop of dew on the end with the soap covering it, but he knew it was there. He was so close in no time at all. His hand moved faster as he dreamed of his mate giving him relief. Faster and faster until a creamy white substance shot out of him and slapped against the shower wall.

By the gods, he'd needed that. Carler still felt weak in the knees, but he soaped his hair and his whole body down before rinsing off. He stood under the hot spray, trying to relax, and it felt good. His dragon wanted out, but they made a deal: as long as he moved forward trying to mate Viv, the dragon would stay calm and quiet. It understood she knew little of dragons and would be frightened if she saw him before they mated.

Carler relaxed so much that he almost fell asleep standing up in the shower. It was time to shut the water off and step out. After he dried off, he went to bed naked and fell into a deep sleep for the first time in a long time. All his dreams were of catching his mate. He woke up and could not deny feeling a little better. That was needed and had allowed him to relax just a little bit. It was morning now, and he intended to see about breakfast and then get to work on the list. At this point, the list was a priority, as I was going through the list and seeing if anyone was questionable.

Viv could not get that done on time, working on her own. Even giving her a few assistants would not be good enough because while they could do some drudge work, none of them were trained to interview people and make those decisions. It was all right because it would give him a reason to work closely with her, and maybe she would start to respond to his wooing. That was what he needed more than anything. If he couldn't get more from her, he thought he might go crazy. It was a shame that so much was hitting him at once.

It was time to call her to see if she had already had breakfast or if she would be willing to go to breakfast with him. She answered immediately and agreed to go with him. He told her he would come by the office and get her because he knew the perfect place to go for breakfast today. She was waiting when he arrived.

"Where is this wonderful breakfast place?" Viv teased.

"It's a secret, but you'll know once I've taken you there."

He led her to the elevator, and they went to the steak restaurant. Viv probably thought it only served lunch and dinner, but it had a special breakfast that only certain people were invited to. Those were dragons and certain guests, like whalers from the casino. Once they made it, she would be able to go there alone if she chose to. The breakfast was buffet-style, but many of the hot items, including the omelets, were made to order.

Carler already knew that his mate loved omelets. First, she went to the omelet station, put in her order, and left a plate. Then she went around the buffet, filling another plate with everything she wanted. Lastly, she returned, picked up her omelet, and went to the table. Her coffee and OJ were waiting for her, and she was ready to eat a spectacular meal. The steak and omelets were wonderful, and it was also one of his favorite breakfasts.

"Today, we will work together on the list to get a smaller list for those working on it. If we can get rid of everyone on the inside that Joe has sent here, we will move forward at a much more rapid pace." He observed.

"You think we'll actually be able to find them all?"

"I have no doubt that we will, and we will need to find them fast. You seem to do an especially good job of picking out those needing a closer look. If you don't mind, you can continue to do that and get me lists when you have five names. I will narrow down those names before I send any of them to the group working on questioning people."

"I'm fine with that. I'm already in the middle of gathering a list, and I would rather complete that." Viv agreed.

He was pleased that she was going along with his plan because sometimes she could be stubborn and fight anything he came up with. They finished their breakfast with some fruit and then took coffee with them. Humans were very attached to their coffee, and he was also beginning to like some of it. They believed the caffeine in it kept them energized, but he wasn't so sure. As his mate had told him, if she believed it, it was so. If she drank a lot of it, it did seem to wake her up, so who was he to deny her coffee?

They settled into work and were moving through the lists rather quickly. It bothered Carler how many suspicious people were working among them. He sent off a list of five that he had narrowed down from ten. He wasn't happy about them but didn't think they were here to cause trouble. They just weren't very good workers and eventually would be let go. Viv was right; not everyone was a traitor, but even an assistant in training should have picked some of these people out and kicked them off the list for potential employment.

Some of their problems were probably simply due to poor workers and not even caused by sabotage. All morning, they worked through the lists and sent them on to those who would question the ones that he found suspicious. His stomach growled, alerting him that it was time to feed the beast. They've been quiet since they removed those in charge of security and replaced them with someone better. Carler knew that it was too early to relax.

Why did thinking of trouble seem to bring it? Someone was yelling, and the peace was shattered. He jumped out of his chair and headed out of the office, and he shouldn't be surprised that she followed him. Whatever the issue was, they were on the same floor. People were running away, and here he was, leading his mate to what could only be big trouble.

The boy or girl, because it was hard to tell, was strapped with a device that might or might not be a working bomb. He stepped back and let his mate take the initiative. What did he know about what to say to a teenager who was clearly crazy?

"Hey there. What's that you're wearing?" Viv asked.

The kid was crying, and it was obvious that she felt she had nowhere else to go. "A bomb."

"Do you know those are dangerous and can kill you and everyone else around you?"

"Yes, it's the only way I can save my family."

"What's your name?"

"Darla."

"Darla, what happened to your family?" Viv asked.

"My mom's real sick. Old Joe said that if she dies, they'll take me and my sister away and put us in an orphanage."

"Is your mother in the hospital?"

"No, she's at her home, and Joe is keeping an eye on her for me. He says if I do this, he will get her a doctor, and my sister will be able to stay with her." Darla admitted.

"Do you know who Joe is?"

"He's a rich guy, and he hates dragons. I think dragons would be cool, but now I have to kill them all. I want my sister to be able to stay with my mom, and I want my mom to live."

"What do you think your mom will say if something happens to you?"

"She'll be sad, but she'll know I loved her."

"She will feel guilty that you did this for her. Why don't you tell us where she is, and we'll go get her and take her to the hospital here. We'll bring your sister along, too. Joe Senior is a little crazy, and he's not always honest. Do you see any dragons here?" Viv asked.

"No, but he says they hide really well."

"If they're hidden, how will you know if you got any of them? He'll think you didn't, and he doesn't always keep his word anyway. Do you know what a mob boss is? That's what Joe was until he made the mob bad, and they kicked him out. Now, he blames other people because he messed up, and he tries to kill them. He uses people, and he never gives them what he promises."

"How do I know you're being honest?" Darla asked.

"You don't, but I'm not asking you to kill anyone."

"Okay, but how do I get this off?"

Viv looked at him, and he moved forward slowly so the child would not get scared. It was a very simple bomb, but it could be tripped when someone tried to take it off. There was no doubt that Joe wanted this bomb to go off regardless of who was standing nearby. He went to open the window and saw the poor dumpster below. If anything went wrong, he intended to throw it out the window and hope it didn't explode until it landed. With his backup plan in place, he moved back and began to work on the bomb.

He had told everyone to move back, especially Viv, and they all had, but he was not sure they were back far enough. The best thing he could do at this point was diffuse the bomb quickly, throw it into the dumpster, and hope for the best. They needed to up their game because Joe had. No one was safe, and he seemed to target those who were defenseless.

"I believe I have it diffused," Carler observed just before the timer began to go crazy. He hurried to the window and tossed it, ducking in case it went off while it was still close to him.

The bomb went off as it hit the dumpster. Damn! That was a close one. How had a little kid like this, fifteen tops, gotten in here where there was a casino? He would need to backtrack the cameras and see what he could find.

"Viv, can you take care of the child and see if you can find her mother and sister? Use whatever resources you need, and if you find that crazy Joe, do that too."

"I'm on it. I'll get my usual partners, and they can help me after I find someone to help Darla."

His mate headed out with Darla in tow to get started on her work. He needed to get started on his. He went to the surveillance room and began to backtrack the video. He was shocked to see Darla walk in, and no one stopped her. Those employees that had seen her had exited the building quickly. Or should he say those former employees? They would no longer be working for the hotel, whether they were involved with Joe or not. They not only led her in without attempting to stop her but had not alerted anyone to the danger.

He took pictures of those employees and sent them to the new head of security. A job he wouldn't want because he was sure it was going to get ugly. Carler tried to find her at the airport, but it didn't look like that was the way she'd come in. He'd have to have Viv ask because he was sure she would let them know, especially once they found her mother and sister and brought them here. This whole situation made him angry because it was getting dangerous to be around the casino. These were people he wanted to protect, but it was becoming impossible. That young girl should have never been put in a situation like that, but Joe was a horrible person, and he was willing to sacrifice anyone.

Maybe they needed to take young Joe hostage. If you disappeared from the prison and Joe knew he hadn't taken him, maybe he would come to them. That all depended on how much he still felt for his son. While Carler knew he wanted to punish him, did he want any injury to come to him? Wouldn't he want him to be safe? It was hard to tell, but one thing was for sure: they could take him back and put him behind bars if having him here didn't work. While he knew that Joe Senior had other family members, he wasn't willing to go after anyone who wasn't involved in Old Joe's business.