6. Chapter 6

Chapter 6

Cain

S itting in the conference room is giving me deja vu. We were just in here talking about my Mate and kidnappings, and here we are again.

Deacon Marlo's a dead man.

Pres sent everyone the contract while we wait for Jake to join us. Elijah and James are away on business with neighboring packs, trying to realign those who have heard the rumors about the LLC investigation and possible hearing. Why no one thinks taking Reno over now isn't the easiest way to settle this mess is beyond me, but one thing I know for sure is that Bri is mine. No one else will lay claim to her while I'm still breathing.

I try to calm myself by rereading the contract. It uses her UNLV photo and describes her as a Reno pack member. It issues a $750,000 return fee, which is only paid if she's returned alive.

That's probably the only reason I'm not already on one of our jets.

"Have you heard from Carter?" Erik asks Dante, concern evident in his tone.

Carter is Erik's best friend; the two do everything together, and I can see the worry written all over Erik's face as he waits. Jake jogs in, cheeks flushed as Dante answers.

"He checked in a few minutes ago. Someone gave him something. Slipped it into his drink on the plane. The flight crew escorted him off and held him for medical review because he was slurring his words. They thought he was drunk and wouldn't release him until EMTs verified he was coherent. By then, Brielle was gone. She hasn't checked into her hotel, and from what we hear, no one has closed the contract."

Erik's jaw clenches, but I can see tension release from his shoulders at the news. I'm glad for him, but knowing my Mate is still missing relieves none of mine.

"I've been sweeping chat rooms and board posts, and from what I can tell, no one claims to have her yet. A post stated a possible location of her last sighting, but that turned out to be a false trail. So, right now, we have nothing, and until I fix the power issue, I can't bring HUNTER online here. I'd need to be at Berkeley to run it to its full capability," Pres says, eyes flipping to Dante, asking the silent question.

"If it comes to that, we'll send you with a team. We currently have a few leads and friends in the area we can work with. Jess has reached out to her brother, Nyxon, and he's willing to work with us to return her. I've also messaged the twins, and they are waiting for instructions. Carter will meet up with all three of them tomorrow morning to gameplan, and…" Dante's interrupted as his phone vibrates on the table, pulling all of our attention.

His eyes scan the screen before looking up at me.

"She's safe." As soon as the words hit my ears, I let go of the air I'd been holding.

"Where?" I ask, grateful she's okay but not alleviating the worry I'm carrying with the contract still in place.

"She's with Ghost," he says, before continuing. "He will keep an eye on her until she returns."

"Anyone know what his deal is with her?" Jake asks.

All eyes turn to me, and I shake my head. Bri said very little about her interactions with Ghost. I assume he helped because she landed on his doorstep, but having him linked to her a second time does seem curious.

"Is he planning to fulfill the contract?" I ask Dante, knowing Ghost usually steers clear of kidnapping, especially as it ties to women. He mentioned his sister to us exactly once as we prepared for the undercover mission in Detroit. Her death changed him.

He wouldn't do this. He doesn't take women.

"His message doesn't say anything about the contract. It says she's safe and that he will ensure she makes it home," Dante answers, eyeing me before adding on. "However, Brielle spoke to me about Ghost when she returned. She didn't know about his gift; as far as I know, she still doesn't, but he told her she was the key to winning the war. Said that she was the deliverance our world needs."

For a moment, no one speaks as we process this new piece of information, and every part of me wants to yell at him for not revealing that little tidbit earlier.

We don't keep things from each other, especially things about my Mate.

"So he's protecting her?" Jake asks, questions swimming behind his eyes.

"It would appear so," Dante says, his gaze still pinned on me as he gages my reaction.

"Does she know about the contract?" I ask, keeping the anger from entering my voice and trying to be logical.

Dante taps a message into his phone and waits.

Pres interrupts our silence.

"While we wait on that, you should know our girl didn't change any of her login information post kidnapping, well, the last kidnapping. Anyway, even though we no longer have her under surveillance, I still have access to her emails and calendar. She has meetings for the next two days at Boston Digital. Then she booked a day trip to Martha's Vineyard on Saturday and a bus tour for Sunday morning before her flight out that night. If she isn't changing her plans, we know where she will be. We can get that information to Carter so he can reestablish his tail, and it would allow us to send another team in to help protect her," Pres finishes, looking at me with a nod.

Dante's phone vibrates again, and we wait to hear the news.

"She's aware of the contract. He tried to convince her to go home, but she's staying for her meetings," Dante relays. "Jake, take Jess in the Gulfstream. Yelena can be wheels up in an hour," Dante orders.

"I'm going," I interject, knowing he won't be happy but not giving a damn. "Her safety is the only thing that matters to me, and this contract changes things," I state, not leaving room for argument.

Dante purses his lips, bringing his hand to his beard as he considers it, and turns our conversation private by sending me a mind-link message.

Dante: She specifically asked you to give her space.

Cain: That was before she had a kidnapping contract, and Jett and Dimitri after her.

Dante: She's protected by arguably the best bodyguard I could give her outside of you, and we're sending additional resources as backup.

Cain: I need to know she's safe. I need to be there. Please don't fight me on this.

I send the last mind-link, begging him not to force me into a corner. Hoping he understands I don't have a choice.

"Fine. Cain will go with Jess. Carter, Nyxon, and the twins will be rotating shifts with you, so she is always guarded. Pres, I want updates on the contract and anything else you hear. The LLC is pushing for a full investigation. We need her back in our territory as soon as possible so I can brief her on what that may mean. They've already requested to question her. I've been stalling, knowing she's trying to decide what she wants."

My eyebrows fly up at his admission.

They want to speak with her? I mean, of course they do, but why didn't he tell me? Dante answers my question before I can even ask.

"We just received word tonight. Doug Martin isn't backing down. They've requested her for an in-person interview. That's the other reason for the meeting tonight."

"How long do we have?" I ask, knowing the LLC isn't known for its patience.

"He said she needs to be in his office Monday morning," Dante responds.

"And if she isn't?" Erik asks the question flying through all of our minds.

"Then they will side with Deacon's complaint and use any means necessary to return her to his territory and supervision."

The fuck they will.

"We can't let that happen," Jake states, his tone furious, his stare on me. "Bri belongs with Cain."

Yes, she fucking does.

"Then we need her to agree. I told her she had until the new year to decide. Cain, you will need to let her know that's no longer an option. She has 72 hours to make her choice, or there's a chance the LLC will make it for her," Dante finishes, warning in his tone.

No one will take her choice away. I won't allow it, but I can't give her any more time.

I'm sorry, Firefly.