Wrath Read online

  “I didn’t kidnap him, damn it. This isn’t what it looks like. We need to go. Drive! I’ll explain it all to you later but he’s in danger.”

  “You know how friends tell friends when they’ve lost their mind?” Amanda licked her lips. “This is that time.”

  Lauren lifted her head enough to see her friend’s flushed face and glared up at her. She opened her mouth but just closed it. She was too tired to yell at that moment. She decided to just be honest.

  “You need to trust me. Please drive, Amanda. This really isn’t as bad as you think.”

  “Where do we go?”

  “Your place.”

  Amanda nodded. “Okay. Oh man, are we in deep shit. You better have a hell of a reason. I can’t believe I’m doing this.”

  Lauren wanted to use Amanda’s cell phone to call the police but didn’t dare after being ordered not to. She prayed the team arrived but wasn’t willing to stick around to make sure help came in time. Getting Wrath out of there was the priority, the only thing she could do.

  Chapter Ten

  Lauren had managed to stop shaking by the time Amanda pulled into her garage. The electronic door sealed them inside and the interior light stayed on. Amanda turned off her engine and stared at her best friend.

  “Do you think he’ll press charges? Forget that. Of course he will. You knocked him out somehow and kidnapped him. What were you thinking? We’ll get you help. Let’s go inside and call someone. It’s not too late to fix this, okay? We’ll get you the best attorney. Insanity is a great defense. I never meant for you to do something so drastic to get me a man.”

  “Stop that,” Lauren sighed. “It’s not like that.”

  Amanda frowned. “Then why did you drug him and bring him to me?”

  “I didn’t drug him.” Lauren shook her head, tired, frustrated and wondering if her friend needed some therapy. “It’s a long story. How are we going to get him inside your place? Any ideas?”

  Amanda turned in her seat and studied Wrath, frowning. “I don’t know. He’s a big one. Did you have to lose your mind and kidnap the biggest guy you could find? I know I said I was desperate for a date but Jesus, Lauren!”

  “Stop it!” Lauren shot her a glare. “He’s not a sex toy that I stole for you. I haven’t lost my mind and I didn’t do this in some misguided attempt to get you a man. His name is Wrath and he’s in danger.”

  “I thought you said his last name was Williams.”

  “I don’t think he has a last name. His real name is Wrath. It’s a long story.”

  “I guess we have time for you to tell me what is going on since we have to think up a way to get him out of the car and up those steps.”

  Lauren hesitated. “Did you notice his features?”

  “Who cares about his face when he’s got that great body?”

  “Look at him, Amanda. Look at his nose and think of your ultimate hero on television, the one you drool over. Here’s a hint. Justice North.”

  Amanda turned in her seat so she could get a better view of the man behind her. She stared, tilted her head slightly and the color slowly drained from her face. Her mouth dropped open and she gaped at Lauren.

  Lauren nodded. “He’s New Species.”

  “Holy shit. What have you gotten me into? He’s like an endangered species, right? They have really strict laws about them. Lauren, what were you thinking? We’re going to get the electric chair if something happens to him. If you kill one of them, even accidentally, it’s the death penalty for a hate crime.”

  “I didn’t do this. The people at my work shot him with some kind of drugged dart and it knocked him out cold.”

  Amanda blinked. “Why? Did he have bad credit or something? I know your boss is a bitch but that’s even harsh for her.”

  “Very funny,” Lauren snorted. “It’s complicated and a mess. I guess I worked with some jerks who used to work for Mercile Industries. They saw him and did this to him. They planned to take him away but I got him out of there first. We need to hide him in your condo until I can get him some help. His team and two of my coworkers who aren’t involved in this mess are back at the office. I could only save him. I didn’t know what else to do.”

  “Who are you going to call? The police?”

  Lauren shook her head. “No. The people Wrath works with told me not to call 9-1-1 so I guess I’ll have to leave them out of this.” Lauren climbed out the car. “Let’s get him inside.”

  Amanda climbed out of the car and frowned at Lauren over the roof. “How? I don’t have a crane handy in here to lift him out of the car and up the steps. He’s heavy.”

  Lauren studied the steps leading into Amanda’s condo and had a thought. “Do you still have that twin air mattress you use when your niece comes to visit?”

  “The princess one?”

  “Yeah. We could inflate it, put him on it, and drag it into the kitchen.”

  Amanda sighed. “I’ll go get the electric pump and fill it.” Amanda’s gaze drifted to the backseat as she stared through the window. “I wouldn’t do this if he wasn’t hot. He’ll owe me.” Amanda suddenly grinned. “He really does look hot in those clothes. Once we get him inside it would only be kind to take some of them off him.”

  Lauren groaned. “Amanda!”

  “What? Just his shirt. Be a friend. I was the getaway car driver and hell, I should get some kind of reward after we drag him into the house. I think I already got a hernia from getting him in the car.”

  Lauren shook her head. “I think you would benefit from taking drugs and I worry about you.”

  “You should be worried. If I don’t get laid soon I’m going to shrivel up and die.”

  “The things I put up with,” Lauren mumbled.

  “You? I just helped you dump the body of a hunky New Species guy in the back of my car and I’m harboring an endangered species in my home!”

  “Good point. You’re the best friend ever.” Lauren smiled. “Go get the mattress. Don’t you have some tarps in here somewhere from when we painted your bathroom last month?”

  Amanda pointed to the corner. “Somewhere over there.”

  Lauren turned to search for one while Amanda entered the condo. Lauren found a few of tarps folded under a shelf and opened the back door of the car, checking on Wrath. He remained heavily drugged. She spread out the tarp on the floor next to the open door and was grateful that Amanda had a double car garage with only one car so they had plenty of room to work. Amanda returned, lugging a big pink inflatable mattress she dropped on top of the tarp.

  “He is really heavy.”

  “I know,” Lauren agreed. “I’ll get his feet and pull him out. You climb in the other side and watch his head. I don’t want to bump it when we get him out of the car.”

  “Okay.” Amanda laughed. “Are you sure we can’t take his clothes off? It would drop a few pounds off him.”

  “I’m sure.”

  “Damn. I always wonder if they have tails or any fur hidden anywhere. You know there’s talk that some of them could have those. They could shave their arms and faces to hide some hair issues. We could totally find out.”

  Lauren gripped Wrath and tried to ignore Amanda. She was glad the boots were solidly on his feet as she straightened his legs and pulled on him by the ankles. Amanda gripped his arms, kept him from falling out of the car when his ass slid off the seat, and both of them struggled to get him flat and centered on the mattress.

  “I should get to keep him since I think I just threw out my back and I’m going to need someone to take care of me.”

  Sweat trickled down her body and she knew it would only get worse when they had to lift him up the stairs. There were only three steps but it seemed an impossible task. Lauren kicked her shoes off and out of the way. She leaned down and grabbed the sides of the tarp and lifted.

  Amanda grabbed the other ends and stared down at his face. “He’s really good-looking. What color are his eyes? Do you know?”

  “Dark brown