AllFreeNovel
Share Us
Rob Weaver, one of the gym’s personal trainers, was manning the desk. When Anna had her days off, he took over for her. “Hey, Rob.”
“Benson. Preston hasn’t come in yet.”
He smiled. “I know. I see Anna’s not here.”
“She called me this morning and asked me to work for her. She’s sick.”
That was new. “I hope she’s okay.”
“She was coughing a lot, but she didn’t stay on the line for long.”
She probably had a gun to her head. “Thanks.”
Not wanting to answer any of Rob’s questions should he pose any, Benson left and immediately texted Preston who most likely would still be training with Alex and Liam. Chances were, he’d not see the text for a while. Knowing him, he’d ask both of the trainers to work him hard. How he’d explain his cuts and scratches to Ariel, Benson didn’t know.
His message to Preston just said that Anna had been kidnapped and that the sheriff’s department was aware of the situation. He also said that in light of that fact, Noah would be keeping watch over the clinic. And yes, Rob was watching the gym and all was going well.
Once he sent the message, he hightailed it back to his car. Only because he’d been to a party at Anna’s apartment did he know where she lived. Not that Benson expected to find her there, but he wanted to check anyway.
Fifteen minutes later, and after several knocks, it was apparent that Anna was not in bed sick.Shit.
If he and Preston were going to stop this madness, the two of them had to come up with a plan. Benson headed to his family’s house to find Preston and to speak with Liam and Alex about hiring them to be Ariel’s bodyguard. If nothing else, it would deter someone from trying to kidnap her, too.
In a way, he could understand why they took Anna. They—whoever they were—wanted the money owed to them by Trent. That much was clear. But had these people killed Samantha as a way to urge Trent to pay up somehow? The only one who might be able to shed some light on the issue was Trent himself. Benson needed to figure out a way to convince Ariel’s brother to tell him everything he knew, and that would be a tall order.
When his family’s ranch came into view, he turned down the long, dirt drive. Dust billowed up behind his freshly washed SUV. Why his father didn’t pave the drive, he didn’t know. The money his dad would save on car repairs would be worth the cost of the asphalt. Hell, Parker Granger, one of Benson’s many cousins, worked at a construction company. He should be able to get a good discount for the work.
Benson parked in front of the shabby looking barn and got out. Grunts, whimpers, and a howl came from inside.Oh, boy. It was probably a good idea to stop this beating now.
As he stepped inside, Alex was standing off to the side watching Preston and Liam going at it in their human form. That was not what Benson expected.
Preston took advantage of Liam’s momentary distraction and dragged him to the ground.
“Mind if I interrupt?” Benson asked.
Preston stood, dusted himself off, and then helped Liam up. “What’s up?” Preston asked.
Since Benson was still in his suit, he suggested they head to the main house where they could chat. The discussion might take a while. “Anna’s been kidnapped,” he announced on the way back to the house.
Preston stopped in his tracks. “Are you sure? I just called the gym, and Rob said she’d called in sick.”
He must not have looked at the message Benson had sent. “I’m sure she did, but the fact remains, Anna is not home, and the kidnapper has demanded a ransom for her return.” He turned to Liam and Alex. “I’d like to enlist your help if you’re willing.”
“Absolutely,” Alex said. No sooner had they sat down, when his mother came out.
“The kidnapper is most likely a werewolf, as is the man he works for.”
Liam smiled. “All the better. I’d like nothing more than to take down a bad guy.”
Benson was hoping they’d say that.
Since the men were rather sweaty, they sat on the porch.
“Oh, my. This is a surprise. Preston, what happened to you?”
His roommate had several cuts on his torso and lip, a bruised cheek, and probably a few other injuries. Hopefully, by tonight, the evidence of the fight would mostly be gone.
“Just trying to improve my fighting skills.” Preston then introduced the men to her. Benson’s father had met them but not his mom.
