Chapter Four
A FEW DAYS after the majority of the team had arrived outside of Dallas and set up shop in a killer motel, Alex sat next to Bailey in the back of a shiny blue SUV as Eli drove them from the Dallas/Fort Worth International airport to their temporarycommand center. He found it amusing that though none of them had served a day in the military, Gideon had started acting like the Circs in New Jersey, going all militant and chain of command on their asses.
“I’m sorry I’ve been intrusive,” Bailey was saying. She held his hand on her lap, and he gave it a squeeze. Her pretty, light-brown eyes shone with unshed tears. “I don’t mean to get in your mind, I swear.”
“I know.” He sighed and pillowed her head against his shoulder. Despite the fact Bailey and Gideon had partnered up—mated, as the Circs considered it—she belonged to all of them. The team needed each other to survive. Gideon had claimed Bailey as his own, yet they all had sex with each other when the urge hit, and neither Gideon nor Bailey minded.
Alex didn’t know how he’d feel if he ever found a special partner. Would he be okay sharing her or him? Despite all evidence to the contrary, he wasn’t exactly a group sex type of guy. He’d always figured he’d find the right partner, settle down, and have a family. But now, with being Circ and having Circ needs, that would be impossible.
Truth to tell, though he and Bailey still hooked up, he felt protective of her, knowing deep down she didn’t belongtohim, though she belongedwithhim.
He shook off silly thoughts and patted her shoulder. “It’s okay, Bailey. It’s just… I need to feel mad and sorry sometimes. I have to. Katie deserves that much.”
Just saying her name hurt, and he appreciated that Bailey didn’t take that away from him this time.
“I understand.” She sighed. “Katie was my friend. I know without her help, I might have died.” She paused. “She gave her life so that we could escape. Without her, you would never have been undercover at U-Ground. And if you hadn’t been there, Gideon and the guys might not have escaped either.”
She had a point, as much as he wished he’d never been to U-Ground. He’d arranged for a rescue, involving the Circe’s Recruits team out of New Jersey. Those guys worked with a legitimate branch of the government to police rogue Circs. They now had Dr. Edwin Lang on their radar.
Alex and the guys didn’t feel comfortable working for the law, so they’d decided to branch out doing specialized work themselves. Protection and private security jobs like the kind Alex had been doing for years. It made sense to him. Working with the team felt right.
So as much as he wanted to walk away from it all sometimes, he knew he couldn’t. That he needed…pack.
Bailey squeezed his hand. “Yes, we’re a team, even as weird as it can get. It feels good.”
“Yes.” She must have been picking up on his feeling of togetherness.
“Hey, Alex. You drive.” Eli raised a brow at them in the rearview. “I want to hold the pretty girl’s hand.”
Bailey laughed. “Love you too, Eli.”
Alex sighed. “He’s such a pain in the ass.”
Eli knew it, reveled in it, and thought it his life’s mission to keep everyone on their toes.
They drove toward a tall, upscale hotel in the city. Nothing inconspicuous about this outing. Carter had found them an abandoned place to work from, but Bailey and Gideon had rejected that plan. Better to blend in and work from the city, in the center of things. Personally, Alex thought they just wanted to stay in a nice hotel. But whatever. “Do your stuff,” Eli said as he parked in the garage before they headed up to the suite Carter and Gideon had prepared.
Alex headed out and ran his hands over everything. The elevator, the walls, doors, the carpet in the hallway. Once inside their suite, he touched the fine furnishings, expanded kitchenette and office, the three bedrooms. It took him a while to sift through the thoughts and memories left from the previous tenants: a few actors, CEOs, and moguls intent on doing business.
He learned a few trading tips he’d share with the gang. Other than that, the space hadn’t been tapped or set upon by anyone having anything to do with Lang.
“We’re good,” he said to Gideon, who watched Carter’s nimble fingers dance over the keyboard of his laptop on a huge mahogany desk in the sectioned-off office space. And Carter could type. For such a large man, he had surprising speed.
Gideon nodded. “We’ve narrowed down several options of where we think Lang might have the Level 4s.”
Carter agreed and pointed them to the digital screen on a standing mount, projecting his laptop so everyone could see. A map appeared with several pinpoints marked. “These areas are likely, and we’ve had sightings of what might be rogue Circs near the eastern area as well. I’m tapping into as many sites as I can, but it’s going to take a little while. I figure you guys can eyes-on scout a few possibilities while I narrow down the field.”
Gideon pointed to Bailey. “You’re with me. Carter will be here, working his magic. Eli, Alex. You two ride together. We’re close, and we need to be careful. You see anything, anything at all—” he stared at Alex “—you report back. You don’t go in alone. Understand?”
Gideon didn’t look away from Alex.
“Yeah, fine.” Alex didn’t like being singled out, especially because he didn’t like being read so easily. Damn straight he’d go right in if he thought he could rescue more innocent women from Lang’s clutches.
Eli crossed his arms over his chest and sighed. “I’ll watch him.”
“Right. Because of the two of us,you’rethe voice of reason.” Alex snorted.
Carter glanced up from the laptop and cocked his head as he studied them. “Well, he does blend in better.”
