AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“Down,” Bodie shouted. “Get down, Quinn.”
The yell became a growl as Bodie’s large body leapt from where he had been hiding, landing on and flattening one of Gutierrez’s men. They all seemed to start squealing, as Bodie and his men came from every direction, attacking Gutierrez. Quinn got down on the ground and was so busy crawling away, trying to get behind the planter boxes that she lost track of Gutierrez.
Bodie pounced on her, covering her with his body as the bullets started to fly. Wrapping his arms around her, he rolled them out of the fray.
“You stay here. Do you hear me?” he growled.
She could do nothing more than nod and watch him charge back into the fray. In a few moments there was an eerie silence.
Quinn could see Bodie checking the bodies. “Gutierrez? Do we have Gutierrez?”
CHAPTER20
BODIE
Bodie’s heart had stopped when Quinn arrived and approached Alvaro’s corpse. They’d been too late to save him, but Bodie had vowed one way, or another, Gutierrez would pay. At one point, he might have settled for just sending him back to South America with his tail between his legs—if capybara had tails. Now the only way Gutierrez would get back to South America was in a body bag.
He'd been forced to watch while Quinn baited Gutierrez all while maneuvering herself into a position where she could dive behind the planter boxes. Once again, he was impressed by both her cunning and tenacity. The ensuing fight had been utter chaos—men shifting between their human selves and their altered egos and using teeth, claws, guns and knives to try to survive. In the end, those with him had suffered only minor injuries while Gutierrez’s men had been devastated. Bodie wondered at the number of bodies. He and his men had been outnumbered by at least two to one.
Once he’d ensured Quinn was out of harm’s way, Bodie had rejoined his men to finish them off—or so he’d thought until he’d discovered that somehow, Gutierrez had managed to get away. Damn it. He would deal with Gutierrez as soon as he had dealt with his mate.
He walked back to where she was crouched behind the planter boxes. He extended his hand to her to steady her and help her stand.
“You’re really pissed,” she said, staring at his face.
“That, my mate, may be the understatement of the year. I told you to stay at the estate.”
“He wasmycontact, and this ismystory.”
“You aremymate, and you will obey me where matters of your safety are concerned.”
Whatever else might have been said was lost in the sound of blaring sirens heading their way. Not only was he going to have to have a reason for the number of dead bodies, but he couldn’t be sure just how much he was going to have to explain away.
Bodie pinched the bridge of his nose and tried to will away the sight of Quinn diving for cover when all hell broke loose. She shouldn’t have been there at all. She had disobeyed him, and yet when he’d told her to get down, she had done so. She was safe, and he tried to focus on that.
“I want you to go with Donato. He’ll take you back to the estate.”
“I want to stay with you.”
He reached up to touch her cheek. It was hard to believe that this time last week he hadn’t known who she was, and now she meant everything to him.
“I know,chère, but I want you out of the line of fire—literally and figuratively. It will do no good for you to get mixed up in this, especially if another reporter picks up on the fact that you were involved with this or with me. Go with Donato. He will keep you safe.” He gestured to Donato. “Take her home. Keep her safe. I am entrusting her to your care.
“Bodie…” she started.
“Now,chère. You have been disobedient enough for one day. I expect you to be at home when I return. Is that understood?”
“Shall I lock her in her room and post guards to ensures she obeys you?” asked Donato, who was more muscle than brain, but loyal to the core and a fierce warrior. Anyone wanting to hurt Quinn would have to go through Donato.
“I don’t think that will be necessary. She’s going to behave herself, aren’t you?” he asked pointedly.
A small, sweet smile curled her lips. “I’ll try. It didn’t look like any of our people were hurt.”
Her use of the plural possessive made him return the smile. “A few minor nicks and scratches but nothing serious. I want you gone before the cops get here.”
“Why don’t you come with me?”
“Because I need to get this sorted out with the cops. It’s part of my job as alpha.”
