Anderson looked at Davis somberly as he wrapped his arms around her in a bear hug.
Faelan watched Davis rather than the interaction between Brie and Anderson. The man had a slight smile on his face, obviously pleased his old friend had arrived.
Master Anderson lifted Brie off the floor and walked her back over to Davis. “I came as soon as I saw it on the news.”
Davis shook his head. “I wish there wasn’t…a video of it.”
Master Anderson set Brie down, nodding in understanding.
“It hurts to watch it,” Brie whimpered, the tears starting up again.
“Young Brie, you know how I am with tears,” Master Anderson chided warmly. Faelan understood he was trying to get her to smile, but it backfired and she looked over at Faelan, her chin trembling as she tried to hold it in.
“You can cry on me,” Faelan answered, patting his shirt.
She smiled slightly—a small victory.
Master Anderson turned to face Faelan, frowning. “Explain to me exactly why you are here.”
Davis lifted his hand up, the muscles of his arm shaking from the effort. “He’s helpin—”
When he started coughing, Brie grabbed a cup of water from the bed tray and tipped the cup to help him drink as she said gently, “No more talking, Sir.”
Brie told both men, “We have to keep our questions to a simple yes or no.”
Anderson nodded, glancing at Faelan with nervous concern when the nurse rushed in to check on Davis.
It was easy to see in the expression on Anderson’s face that the man was deeply worried about his friend. Because Faelan knew all too well how difficult recovery was, he wasn’t nearly as concerned.
After the nurse left, being satisfied with his vitals, Faelan asked Davis, “Do you know where they took him?”
Davis shook his head.
“Is there someone you need us to contact?”
He nodded.
Faelan turned to Brie. “Do you know the name?”
“No,” she answered, looking bereft.
“How about you?” he asked Anderson.
“I’d suggest Titov. That’s Rytsar’s right-hand man.” Anderson looked at Davis. “Is that who you are suggesting we call first?”
Davis nodded again.
“I have his number,” Brie offered, fishing her phone out of her purse. Her hand was still shaking as she handed it to Anderson.
Faelan stopped him, stating, “I think I should be the one to call.”
“Why? Rytsar’s been my friend since college.”
“He came to me yesterday to ask for my assistance.”
Anderson furrowed his brow and turned to Davis. “Why the hell would he go to Wolfpup?”
Faelan bristled at the nickname but remained silent.
Davis looked equally surprised and looked to Faelan for the answer.
Still mindful of protecting Marquis and Celestia, Faelan told them, “It wasn’t as if I was his first choice, by any means. But Durov found himself in a tight spot and suspected he didn’t have any time. I vowed not to let Thane or Brie down.”
“This doesn’t feel right,” Anderson complained.
“He knows about…” Brie whispered the name, “…Lilly,” to Anderson, adding, “Rytsar wouldn’t have told him about her if he didn’t trust him.”
Anderson eyed Faelan suspiciously. “You know what happened to her?”
Faelan nodded.
“Where is she now?” he demanded.
“In jail.”
“How do you know this?”
Faelan pulled out his phone and showed a picture he’d taken of Lilly being escorted into the police station.
“That doesn’t look like her,” Anderson scoffed.
“It is,” Davis insisted.
Anderson shook his head, growling. “I would do anything for you both. I don’t understand why I was kept out of the loop here.” He closed his eyes for a moment and then sighed in frustration, muttering, “That sadistic bastard…”
Faelan had no idea who he was talking about, until Brie said to Anderson. “I’m sure it wasn’t personal. Todd said himself that Rytsar was out of time, and…” Her eyes started to well up with tears. “He…was. You don’t know this, but someone tried to kill him yesterday. He barely escaped.”
“What are you talking about?” Faelan asked, this being the first he’d heard of it.
“An assassin tried take him out, but Shadow saved him.”
“That damn cat?” Anderson asked in disbelief.
Brie nodded sadly, then looked at Faelan. “Master Gannon’s cat.”
“From the Sanctuary?”
“Yes.”
Faelan’s head was swimming with all this new information.
“Did you know that Master Gannon had passed?”
“Yes, it was hard news to hear. He was an exceptional man.” Faelan glanced away from her, feeling the pain of that loss again. “Gannon was good to both Mary and me.”
Brie nodded her agreement.
As far as Faelan knew, Brie was unaware of their breakup and he wasn’t about to tell her under the circumstances, so he swallowed the pain but couldn’t hide it.
The sympathetic look on Master Anderson’s face alerted Faelan to the fact he’d heard the news about Mary. Probably through Lea, Faelan guessed.
As a gesture of solidarity, Master Anderson threw out something to defuse the situation. “Young Brie, I’ve been meaning to talk to you about your little cat story…”
She blushed, a smile returning to her wet cheeks. “Did you like it?”
“Before I answer I have to know, did Durov put you up to it?”
“Oh no, I wrote the story myself. Call it…an inspiration of sorts. But when I was finished I read it to both Rytsar and Sir.” She looked at her Master lovingly. “That’s when Rytsar suggested I send it, along with the card.” She smiled back at Anderson. “He said it would cheer you up.”
“Of course he did…”
Brie looked at him with concern. “Wait. So you didn’t like the story?”
Rubbing his chin, Anderson said, “Let’s just say I found it highly unusual and a tad disturbing.”
“But I honestly believe Cayenne and Shadow have a special bond, Master Anderson,” she insisted. “I only meant to express my joy for Cayenne’s motherhood and to assure you of Shadow’s romantic intentions.”
He shook his head. “You still insist on that, knowing how it was for her?”
“Pain can be sexy, you know.” Brie grinned, her tears momentarily forgotten. “Aren’t you living proof of that?”
Master Anderson smirked. “Touché.”
“What the heck are you talking about?” Faelan asked, amused by the odd banter.
“Wondering as well,” Davis stated.
Brie turned to Sir with a look of compassion. “I read it to you, but I’m not surprised you don’t remember. It makes me wonder how much you don’t remember…”
“My memories are…a jumbled mess.”
Brie leaned over and kissed him on the lips. “We’ll unravel that together, Sir.” She lay her head on his chest and looked at Faelan and Anderson.
What she had been through, what was still ahead for them both, made his troubles seem inconsequential. Faelan glanced at Anderson with a half-smile and gave him a slight nod, grateful for the man’s sensitivity and help.
“Call Titov now,” Davis commanded.
Faelan took Brie’s phone from her and dialed the number. It rang only once before the recording stated, “This number has been disconnected…”
“It’s no longer working,” he informed them.
Davis frowned, letting out a long sigh.
“What does it mean?” Master Anderson asked Faelan.
“They are all…in danger,” Davis answered, closing his eyes, his brow furrowed in concern.
“All of them?” Brie cried softly.
Davis nodded, stating without opening his eyes, “The Koslovs are ruthless.
”
Brie looked at Faelan with desperation. “Do you have any other way to reach him—anybody?”
He shook his head. “No, Durov only told me what I needed to do. There was no backup plan.”
“Damn…” Anderson muttered. “But they all can’t vanish into thin air.”
“They must to survive,” Davis answered hoarsely.
“What do we do now?” Anderson asked.
Davis braced his arms on the bed rails and slowly forced his body to sit more upright. “First, I have to get out of this damn bed.” He started coughing again from the strain.
Brie gave both men an exasperated look as if it were their fault, before grabbing the glass of water and coaxing him to drink it.
The nurse came back in. “Do they need to leave?” she asked Davis.
“No,” he answered, followed by another round of coughing.
The nurse turned to Brie for an answer.
She shook her head. “It’s not them, it’s him,” she said, pointing to her Master. “He’s pushing himself too hard.”
“I have to get out of bed,” he growled, looking at the nurse for understanding.
“That’s going to take some time,” she told him, “but you’ll get there.”
“I don’t have time.”
The nurse looked at him apologetically.
Davis glanced at Faelan, the pain in his eyes hard to bear. “He cannot die.”
“We won’t let that happen,” Anderson assured him.
He put his hand on Faelan’s shoulder, and Faelan agreed, “We’ve got your back.”
“Would you like me to get you a sedative?” the nurse asked. “The doctor recommended it, and rest is important for your recovery.”
Davis glared at her.
Brie moved between them, assuring the nurse as she quickly escorted her out of the room, “He promises to rest.”
When she was gone, Brie returned to her Master and asked, “Sir, what can Faelan and Master Anderson do to help Rytsar?”
Faelan felt the buzz of his phone and looked down to see a new text from Celestia.
A package just arrived addressed to you w/ no return address.
Faelan immediately told Davis, “I may have something here. Give me a minute.”
He texted back, asking Celestia to give the package to Marquis. It was vital to keep her as far away from this as possible.
A few minutes later, he got a text from Marquis.
You have received several items.
Faelan understood he was being purposely vague and replied similarly.
Worth returning home for?
The answer was simple and direct.
Yes
He looked up at Davis. “I’m headed out. I may have something that could shed some light.”
“You need me to come with you?” Anderson asked.
“No, stay here with Davis. I’ll return if it turns out to be useful.”
Faelan shook Davis’s hand before leaving the room. As he was walking down the hall, he heard Brie’s voice calling behind him.
“Todd! Todd Wallace!”
He stopped, waiting for her to catch up. “You know the longer you keep me here, the more time we waste.”
“I’m going with you.”
He looked at her in surprise. “It’s better if you didn’t.”
“Sir insisted.”
Faelan glanced at the door of his room, wondering what Davis was thinking. Like Marquis with Celestia, his desire was to keep Brie as uninvolved as possible. “I don’t think it’s wise.”
“Well, Sir does, and I’m not questioning it.”
Faelan growled in frustration. “For the record I think this is a bad idea.”
Brie nodded and pressed the elevator button, asking, “Where’s your car parked?”
Faelan had to trust Davis knew what he was doing as he escorted Brie to his ’stang and sped off.
Meeting with Marquis
Brie glanced at him several times while they drove before saying in a hushed voice, “It was so terrible…”
Faelan understood she’d remained strong for her Master, even though she was shattered by Durov’s attack. “I couldn’t believe the footage.”
“He was so calm…” Her voice was tainted with anguish. “He met them straight on without any thought to himself.”
Faelan reached out to her. “It was obvious yesterday how much he cares about you and Thane.”
She looked straight ahead and murmured, “He might be dead…”
Faelan squeezed her arm before putting his hand back on the wheel, a natural habit for him because of the accident—both hands on the wheel at all times. “You can’t think like that, Brie.”
“He was prepared to die, Faelan. I’ve never seen him like that. It scares me now.”
He understood her slipup in his title had everything to do with her current state of distress and chose not to mention it to her, even though he preferred being called by that title. Surnames provided an emotional distance, which had purpose, but there were times, like this, when protocol had to take a backseat.
“Brie, we proceed from here believing he is alive. To think otherwise will waste precious energy and may cause his demise.”
Brie closed her eyes, tears rolling down her cheeks.
“I know you’re worried, and you’ve had to be strong this whole time.”
“I’m panicking, Faelan,” she stated, her eyes focused straight ahead.
Brie was teetering on a dangerous emotional cliff. Faelan suddenly realized that might have been the reason Davis sent her along. He understood Brie needed to either release it or she would be consumed by it.
Faelan felt extremely protective seeing her in this vulnerable state. He would do anything to protect her—from Lilly, from the Koslov brothers, and even herself, if necessary.
“Since you are coming with me, I must warn you that Celestia has no idea what is going on, and Marquis and I want to keep it that way. Nothing you hear or see can be shared with her.”
“Marquis knows?”
Faelan gave her a rueful smile. “Marquis was Durov’s first choice. I was an unwanted addition because I was there when Durov came to him for help.” Faelan turned his head toward her briefly. “But I am a better fit for this job, Brie. Even Durov realized that once we talked. Besides, the last thing either Marquis or Celestia need is to get entangled in this mess.”
Brie shook her head. With too much information being thrown at her all at once, she could not process. Wanting to reassure her, he said, “Just so you and I are straight on this point. My first priority is to protect you from Lilly. Everything I do will be filtered through that objective.”
He looked back at the road, hoping that knowledge would give her some comfort as she tried to take it all in.
Eventually, he felt the soft touch of Brie’s hand on his shoulder. “I’m sorry you had to get involved.”
“I’m not.”
He hit his blinker and pulled to the side of the road and turned the car off so that he could give her his full attention. “I appreciate this opportunity to help you and Thane. You gave me my life back, even if you didn’t know it at the time. So whatever happens, I have no regrets. I owe you both.”
“You don’t owe me anything, Faelan,” she said, her sincerity tugging at his heart.
“Let me put it another way then. Ever since the accident back in high school, I have lived with the guilt of Trevor’s death. Helping you is an extension of the payment I owe him for surviving.”
“You almost died yourself in that accident. You don’t owe anyone,” she asserted.
He gave her a faint smile. “Then let’s just say I want to do this—for myself.” He started the engine back up and peeled out, knowing there was no more time to waste.
Faelan didn’t bother knocking when he entered Marquis’s house. When Celestia saw Brie she cried out in joy.
“Oh my goodness. What a blessed surprise!”
It was obvious
by her cheerful reaction that she had not seen the news and had no idea of Durov’s situation.
Thankfully, Brie was aware enough to pick up on that fact and smiled kindly at her. “So you must have heard that Sir has awakened?”
“Oh yes! We were so thrilled to hear the good news when the distinguished Rytsar Durov graced us with a visit yesterday. Did he give Sir Davis the gift I sent?”
Brie faltered for a moment upon hearing Durov’s name. “No…I—”
“I’m sure in all the excitement he must have forgotten. Totally understandable,” Celestia gushed.
“Is that Mrs. Davis I hear?” Marquis called out, coming from down the hallway.
It only took one look at Marquis before Brie burst into tears.
Marquis wrapped his arms around her. “There, there… I’m sure all of this is overwhelming. Why don’t you join me in the study?”
He then turned his attention on Celestia. “Make us some tea and your famous lemon cookies, my love.”
Celestia’s face lit up. “It would be my greatest pleasure, Master.”
Faelan followed Marquis and Brie into the study and shut the double doors behind him.
“What do you have for me?” Faelan asked.
Marquis opened his desk drawer and pulled out a large envelope. “He was thorough, even in the short time he had.” He handed it over to Faelan and gestured for Brie to sit before he took a seat himself.
Faelan pulled out the contents to look them over. He frowned as he read Rytsar’s hastily written note.
Mr. Wallace,
You have access to one of my accounts. Take what you need to guarantee Brie’s safety. You will find that money acts as an excellent lubricant.
Due diligence is what I expect. Whatever it takes by any means necessary.
I am including a list of local contacts. I suggest you hire the first two on the list for surveillance purposes, but there are several who specialize in unique skills you may have use for later. I leave such decisions to your discretion.
Above all else—do not fail her.
~Rytsar
Faelan looked over the bank account information and the list Rytsar had provided with an overwhelming sense of relief. The Russian had left him with the means to ensure Lilly remained a nonthreat.