"The car accident?"
The brakes screeched loudly as I braked hard.
"Remember when we speculated about why the ring shares few personal details for their listings?"
“Because not all theitemsare in their possession.” High risk targets were easier to snatch and taken to a storage facility. Low risk targets lived their lives out in the world, unaware they were in danger, until an outright buyer was found or an auction drew nearer and the group felt certain the interest level for them was enough to require the risk.
Details about the mates up for grabs were usually kept light, just species or potential powers, gender, and an age range. They had to be careful buyers didn’t find out which mates weren’t in the broker’s possession or their identities. Buyers would take matters into their own hands. It sounded like that happened here. Lucas was discovered. That meant…
I forced myself to pull over as it hit me that Lucas was the target all along. Crashing into oncoming traffic wouldn’t help.
“The first attempt happened shortly before the DSA opened here,” Temple filled in. “Hodge found his merchandise in the real world and acted, knowing he’d be under more scrutiny once Merritt started an official investigation.”
Yep. Good thing I stopped. The Hodge mention would have sent me through the glass windows of the Mexican restaurant across the street.
“Bolton eventually found Lucas too and made his own attempt,” I filled in even as the Hodge part stunned me. “So he tried to grab Lucas at the gas station and then gave up on any subtlety and approached him at his apartment. Bolton was bought out, that’s why he provided the mistaken identity story. He lied and said he found Lucas through me. So we think it’s over when it’s not.”
"I’m almost impressed Chase, though I handed you most of it."
"Well, there’s something I don’t get. Bolton can’t ID Hodge but you can.” Part of me hated thinking it even though it was so obvious. He tried to access the protected files on Hodge. There was always something fishy about him just up and transferring here out the blue. But when it came down to it, I couldn’t believe, he had to say it himself.
“Oh, come on. That part is obvious,” Temple said. “I’m Hodge’s inside man.”
26.Stuck or Saving the Day?
Lucas
Blackness. A distant pain near my temple. Words started to drift in.
"—Should pay me extra for labor and bringing him here."
"Lucky I’m paying youat all.Treachery nearly cost you both sales."
“The risk—"
“We’re so far off the map that the authorities won’t—ah, our guest of honor is awake.”
Struggling to sit up, my hands were tied behind my back and I rested on a hardwood floor. A single bulb lit a bare room. Absolutely nothing in here but me and the two men blocking my exit. My captors. The last thing I remembered… Jack dropping to the ground… Gary rushing me…
Hardly able to believe the memories, yet there he was, the man I thought I knew so well. And with him…
“H-Hodge?” A sinking feeling formed in the pit of my stomach.
"Hello Lucas.” He nodded once, matter of fact, as he crouched down to my level. “I do apologize for the inconvenience. I wanted you the second I heard a fox shifter was available, even offered a generous sum to buy you outright. Itshouldhave been a simple, neat transaction.”
Hodge craned his head back to glare at the man behind him. He was already looking back at me by the time I realized I should surprise him and do something.
“This whole thing could have been much quieter. But I had plans for you andcompetitionforced me to act."
"Oh my god," I whispered.
My uncle offered me up to the highest bidder. To Hodge, the man who kept inserting himself into my path. And he seemed to think the only regrettable part was all thefusswebothhad to endure to get here.
Even without the element of surprise, I decided to try headbutting anyway. I’d barely started shifting my weight back when he revealed his reflexes were still sharp, getting back up on his feet and moving away from me a moment later.
"No matter now, it’s all been resolved.” Hodge looked me over with too keen eyes, nodded once, and stood up. “I’m satisfied. I’ll be right back with your payment,” he told my uncle. To me, he added, “Guards are outside if anybody gets bright ideas.”
He betrayed me. My unc—Gary. No, no. Focus. No time to waste on Uncle Gar—dammit, on Gary’s betrayal. I had to push away the shock and horror and deal with it later. Because Hodge wanted to become my mate and steal my raw power. He wanted to chain me to him. Make a pet, a captive to control. My answer to that was a resounding hell no.
