Ruby (20 page)

“
Go on out of here.” She
stood up and leaned over to kiss his forehead. “That man of yours,
he’s not gonna like you smooching up to some strange man like
that.”

“
No he’s not. It’s what
I’m counting on.” He was still laughing when she stepped out into
the hall. Smiling to herself, Ruby made her way to the nurse’s
station and stopped when someone touched her from
behind.

“
You scream and I’ll kill
you right now.” Ruby put her hands up and said nothing. “Where is
Josh? I want you to call him up and bring him here now. And no
funny shit either. I will kill you right here.”

“
He’s at home with your
other lover. Sad really that you’ve fucked over two really nice men
because you’re a psychotic bitch. Oh sorry, a murdering psychotic
drug dealing bitch. With an underline on the last part.”

Ruby knew that she should learn to
curb her tongue. And when something hit her in the head from
behind, she had an idea that she was lucky that this woman needed
her too much to have simply shot her. Turning slowly, she faced her
enemy. Ruby had to smile. This was who everyone was afraid
of?

“
You certainly don’t look
like someone who is this supposed drug lord. I expected someone
with a little less…what the hell have you been rolling in? Shit?”
The gun, she could see now, started out again to no doubt pop her
in the head. Ruby stopped it with her hand before it hit her again.
“Once was more than enough.”

“
You’re going to take me
to Josh.”

Speaking of Josh, he touched her mind
as the idiot continued on about what she was going to do with her
if she didn’t cooperate.

Your girlfriend is here.
She’s under the impression that I’m going to be ever so helpful to
her.
He asked her who
. I think it’s Teri. Not sure. She and I haven’t been
properly introduced as yet. She smells like she’s been rolling in
crap, and her clothing has seen better days.

What is she doing there?
And why haven’t you ripped her throat out? You’re not thinking of
going shopping with the bitch, are you? That could be…well, you’re
not much of a shopper, are you?
Ruby
laughed
. Are you okay? Should I come to
you?

Yes, but not alone please.
Come with Blair and the others. Not that I don’t trust that you can
hold your own, but we both know your wolf is a little on the
unstable side.
He growled at
her
. Blair is your alpha for all intents
and purposes. He’ll be able to hold you if the shit hits the
fan.

“
What the fuck is wrong
with you? Are you even listening to me?” Ruby smiled at Teri.
“You’re nuts. Do they let nurses like you work here in your
condition?”

“
I’m a doctor. Surgeon, as
a matter of fact. And when I’m done with you, there won’t be a
doctor in the world who will be able to put you back together.”
Ruby let her wolf go just enough for Teri see her. “She’s just
dying for some fresh meat.”

“
You’re not right.” Teri
backed away, her gun dangling from her fingers. “There is something
wrong with you. You just…fur. There was fur all over your
face.”

“
That’s because I’m a
wolf.” Ruby gnashed her teeth together and laughed when Teri leapt
back. “You should also know that Josh and a lot more people like me
are coming to get you. And they’re gonna tear your ass
up.”

Rufus appeared in front of her. Teri
started screaming and suddenly dropped to the floor as he stared at
her.

“
I’ve no use for screaming
women. Why do they do that? Are they really thinking I’m going to
not kill them when they start that shit? What is wrong with her
anyways? You show her the bill for some titty job you did on her?”
He looked back at Teri, then at her. “You should have given her
more tit. Hers are wee little.”

“
Very funny. That’s Teri
Summer.” This time he walked over and looked down at the woman
sprawled on the floor. “She wanted me to take her to Josh. But he’s
coming in with the pack.”

Two nurses came down the hall, and
Ruby sent them on their way. There was no way they were going to
get close enough to the mad woman for her to hurt one of them.
Rufus picked up her gun and put it in the back of his pants. Then
winking at her, he disappeared again.

Asshole.
He laughed in her head, and she smiled.
What are you going to do now? Leave me with the
mess?

She’s your mess.
Then he sobered before continuing.
She smells of the man I saved, the homeless one
at the hospital. Perhaps he’d be happy to know where she
is.

That’ll bring Manson and
his cohorts closer to Josh and Dwight.
She
thought for a few seconds.
I suppose that
would be good. They’d be on our turf.
Yeah, she thought, that’s a great idea. She just had to run
it by Blair and Josh.

But she was pretty sure they’d love it
too.

Chapter 13

“
Absolutely not. I will
not use you or anyone else as bait for this half-assed plan. What
if he has silver? What if, heaven forbid, he knows what you are?
Did you think of that?”

Josh wanted to laugh. Christ, Blair
was acting like an old woman. And Sapphire? He’d never seen a woman
so relaxed, so…he supposed serine would be the perfect word. Then
he realized she was speaking to someone. Josh looked around the
room and tried to narrow it down. Then he saw her. She was talking
to Ruby.

Josh stood up and walked around the
living room while Blair continued to rant. It was what he was
doing, he realized. Ranting. When he paused to draw a breath, Josh
cleared his throat.

“
Manson is coming whether
we’re ready for him or not, right?” Blair started to argue, but
Josh was ready for him. “And when he gets here, who do you think
he’s going to try to kill first? Me or Teri?”

“
Teri. But that does not
mean that I have to put her out there like a sacrificial lamb. We
need a better plan than to simply jump him when he arrives.” Josh
agreed and said so. “Well good. We need to see how he might be
coming in. I’m assuming it will be by some sort of personal jet or
plane.”

“
He has three.” Lila
handed him the paperwork he’d had her looking into since they’d
picked up Teri at the hospital. She walked by Josh with a wink
while she continued. “Cartwright also has a fleet of cars, but none
of them have left the compound as of this morning. There’s this guy
by the name of Duncan Shaken—and no, I’m not sure that’s his real
name—that has called Cartwright about ten times today. I think he’s
someone that is tracking our girl.”

Blair looked over the information
before looking at Josh. “He should be here soon, if not already.
His house was raided this morning by DEA, and they were not happy
to find him gone.”

Lila laughed as she nodded to Blair.
“Not only were they not happy, but they are still sorting through
the crap that is his house. Apparently there is some discussion
about how he acquired the house as well. They have it down as the
owner being a woman in her late hundred and twenties. I’m thinking
he isn’t that old.”

Dwight answered this time. “No, he’s
about fiftyish. Not much older than that. Heavy to the point of
being scary, and he’s a very well dressed man. Scar running across
his face that looks like it’s pretty old. Also, as I’ve said
several times, he’s very used to getting his own way. This time
will be no different.”

Dwight looked at him, and Josh knew
just what he was going to say. “If you tell me you’re sorry again,
I will shift and tear you up. It’s done and over with. Let’s move
on.” Josh looked up as three more men walked into the room. His
wolf growled low, and Josh had to breathe slowly so as not to
shift.

“
These are my brothers.
Actually, they’re my in-laws, but we’re also pack. Thad Galloway is
married to Diamond; Quentin, you know…he’s Jade’s husband; and
Opal’s mate, Sloan Crane, is a vampire. He and Rufus are working on
something else at the moment.”

An older man came in just behind a
woman with a large tray. This man was Allen Henson; he’d know him
anywhere. Blair introduced him as his dad.

“
I met you once. A long
time ago. I was guest speaker at a boot-strapping convention. You
were there talking about making it on your own.” Allen shook his
hand. “I had no idea until Ruby told me that you were related to
this family.”

“
Well, someone here has to
bring out the charm. And the ladies need a shoulder to cry on when
these buffoons mess it up.” He winked at him. “How much you messing
things up, my boy? Need any help with the little Ruby?”

Josh looked at Blair when he started
waving his arms. The word “no” on his lips was comical, and Josh
laughed. Allen turned to see his son slicing his fingers over his
throat and shaking his head.

“
Pay him no never mind. If
it weren’t for me, he’d be single living in a hovel somewhere. Had
to do some fancy talking to keep him and my little Sapphire
together.” Sapphire looked up but only smiled. “Men like my son
don’t do romance.”

“
Oh, I don’t know about
that. I’m pretty good at doing it up right for my wife.” Sapphire
snorted, and Blair looked shocked. “You don’t think I’m
romantic?”

“
Honey, showing me your
abs while you flex your arms is not sexy.” Sapphire walked over and
kissed her husband on the cheek. “But you do make wonderful babies,
and I love that you try so hard.”

Josh was still laughing at the big man
when Sapphire sat down with Blair. He put her on his lap and held
her to him and for some reason, Josh didn’t feel like a third wheel
as he usually did when he was around another couple. When Ruby sat
next to him, Josh took her hand. It was all he could do not to
throw her over his shoulder and find a dark corner.

“
Sapphire and I have been
talking. And while the idea of using Teri as bait has its appeal,
we have a better one. One that I think you’ll even agree to.” Ruby
looked at Josh before continuing. “You having a little trouble with
your wolf might come in handy. Not to mention, I don’t think that
Manson has a clue that shifters exist.”

“
Why?” Fair question, and
he was glad that Allen asked it. “You thinking that using young
Josh here, you’ll be able to get the drop on him?”

“
No. I’m thinking of using
Josh here to scare the shit out of him when he thinks he’s got me
as bait. I’m sure that we can arrange him—”

Josh stood up and looked around at the
other men there that were nodding at what Ruby was suggesting. “You
cannot be serious. She is not going to be bait for anyone.” Ruby
stood up as well, and he could see that he’d pissed her off. “You
could be…I know that you’re very experienced at this wolf thing,
but what if you get hurt? Or killed?”

“
I won’t. That’s where you
come in.” He still wasn’t sure this was a good idea, but if he
could be near her, or better yet with her when this happened,
perhaps it wouldn’t be so bad. “You’re going to rescue
me.”

“
Okay then.” He looked at
Blair. “I think that this might work then. What do I do? Go in and
shoot him? Maybe let my wolf tear into him a bit? I’m game for
that.”

“
No. You’re going to just
stand there and let him piss you off. Once you’ve shifted—and you
will when you hear the rest of the plan—then we’ll take the bastard
down.” Josh looked at Sapphire, who smiled at him when she
continued. “Cartwright is going to beat the shit out of Ruby, and
we thank you for going along with it.”

He’d been had. Josh looked around the
room, then at Blair, who was shaking his head. “You knew about
this?”

“
No, but I know my wife
and sister. You were had all right. And it was well done of them
too, if you ask me.”

Josh decided right then and there he
was going to start paying more attention to these women. They were
a scary, sly bunch.

~~~

Manson moved into the elevator and
felt his temper almost get the better of him when the couple that
had been waiting with him moved away. He knew that he was heavy,
but there was no way he’d break the thing. He was going to have to
do something about this and soon. The stares were making him lose
his patience with people.

“
We have them located.”
Manson nodded as he moved down the hall toward his room. Duncan was
holding out a thick envelope, but Manson didn’t take it in favor of
opening his door. It had been a long and nasty flight, and he just
wanted to sit on something wider than the seat on the plane. “That
woman, Erickson, she’s a doc, not a nurse. A woman doctor. Can’t
see that.”

“
I’m sure there are a
great many things that you will not understand fully.” Manson sat
and felt his feet sigh with relief. “And why should I care if she
is a doctor or a nurse? Unless you’re planning to be injured and in
need of her assistance.”

“
A girl? I don’t think so.
Any hoo. She’s there most of the time, but that Ewing guy is there
too. I think he works there.” Manson knew this and was ready to ask
him to get to the point when he continued. “Teri has got herself
arrested too.”