Bailey
I GIGGLED, RUSHING to keep up with Alison as we headed up the driveway of a house party off-campus. Alison Wade was tall, slender, and brunette. She maintained her model figure by eating next to nothing, her only caloric vice was alcohol (according to her), and she was strong, independent, and someone who took shit from no one. She had been my roommate and best friend throughout college and was the polar opposite of shy and introverted me.
“What’s the rush, Ali?”
“Come on, babe. Tonight we’re going to par-tay.”
“The nineties called…they want their saying back.”
“Killjoy,” she said with a laugh. “Come on.”
I rolled my eyes, thinking of all the things I’d rather be doing: homework, getting shots, cleaning the toilet, eyeballs plucked out by crows…you know, the usj.
“Stop with that look. It’s going to be fun,” Ali countered.
“What look?”
Alison giggled. “That look you get when you’re trying to come up with an excuse not to party with me. Stop it. We just graduated, your parents are already gone; you have days to sleep off your hangover before you have to start packing, right?”
“I guess. They’re sending someone in three weeks to pack up the apartment.”
“See? Lots of time,” Ali said. “Besides, you’ve turned down the last five parties and you promised.”
I sighed, resigned to my fate. “Okay, but why this party, specifically?”
Ali stopped so I could catch up to her. “That guy I told you about will be here.”
“Dean or Jake?”
“Dean.”
“I don’t know about this,” I said. “Dean’s got a nasty reputation.”
“Rumors.”
“Are you sure about that?”
Ali tapped her chest. “Who’s got your back, babe?”
“You.”
“Damn straight.”
I grinned. “Is he really that hot?”
“Babe, he’s a model. Yes, he’s that hot. And yes, I fully plan to get laid.”
“I thought male models were typically gay,” I pointed out.
Ali grinned. “Well, if he is, I’m going to turn him straight tonight.”
I giggled again. “If anyone can, you can.”
“Damn straight.”
I followed Alison into the house and then pain shot through my arm.
* * *
Brock
“Ali!” Bailey screamed, sitting up. She tried to climb from the bed, but I laid my hands on her shoulders to keep her still.
“Let me go!” she demanded, but I could see she wasn’t quite awake. “Ali’s hurt. I have to get to Ali.”
“Bailey.” I shook her gently. “Bailey, wake up. You’re safe.”
She opened her eyes, and then threw her arms around my neck and burst into tears. I ignored the pain in my skull as her newly set cast collided with my head.
“Shhh. It’s okay, you’re safe,” I crooned as I stroked her hair.
“They’re going to kill her.”
“Who, Bailey? Who are they going to kill?”
She shook her head against my neck.
“You can tell me. I will protect you.”
Bailey leaned away from me and gave my shoulders a gentle push. “I’m sorry. I don’t know why I did that.”
I released her, albeit reluctantly. “Who are you protecting?”
“No one.”
“Bailey,” I ground out.
“You know, I’m in a little pain.” She reached for the call button and shifted on the bed. Within seconds of pressing it, Macey walked in.
“Are you hungry?” she asked as she pushed open the door carrying a tray.
“She said she’s in pain,” I said.
Macey set the food on the side table and checked Bailey’s pain pump. “Looks like you just gave yourself a dose. How do you feel now?”
“Good,” Bailey said.
I glanced at her, but she wouldn’t look at me, and I realized pretty quickly she’d used the pain as an excuse to put distance between us.
“I think Bailey should eat and then rest, Brock,” Macey said.
“She hasn’t answered my questions, yet.”
“And she isn’t going to until she’s feeling better.”
“Mase, I’m not leaving until I get some answers.”
“Well, I’ll let Doc decide that.” Macey left the room and I stepped back to the bed.
“Since it took me a second to figure out you duped me into believing you’re in pain, I think you owe me one,” I said.
“I owe you one because you were duped?” she challenged.
“Tell me who you’re protecting Bailey.”
She sighed. “No one.”
“Bailey, you’re going to have to tell me at some point.”
She blinked up at me and her face relaxed. “Alison Wade,” she said, her speech slurring. “A foreign man has her.”
“A foreign man?”
Bailey’s pupils were pinned, indicating the meds were kicking in. She smacked her lips. “Russian maybe?”
I texted the information to Dallas. “Good, Bailey, that’s good.”
“You are gorgeous,” she said, and giggled.
I smiled. “Am I?”
She nodded. “Best looking guy I’ve ever seen.”
“Brock, what are you doing?” Alec asked as he pushed into the room and made his way to Bailey’s side.
I frowned at him, but did step aside.
“How are you feeling?” Alec asked Bailey.
She giggled. “Mmm. You’re gorgeous, too. Two hotties in one room. Damn.”
“Looks like the pain meds are kicking in.” Alec took Bailey’s pulse and glanced at me.
I wasn’t happy with her attraction to the young doctor, but didn’t know exactly why it bothered me.
“No offense, doc.” Bailey giggled. “He’s way cuter than you,” she whispered…loudly. “But don’t tell him. I can tell he kind of has a really big ego.”
Alec smiled and squeezed her arm. “It’ll be our secret.”
“Thanks,” she said, and giggled again.
“She wasn’t acting like this before,” I observed. “What did you give her?”
Alec didn’t respond as he appeared to take vitals and check her IV.
“Doc,” I pressed. “What did you give her?”
“You know I can’t tell you that.”
“Damn it! I need some answers.”
“Well, you’re not going to get them tonight,” Alec said. “She needs to rest.”
“Ali,” Bailey mumbled.
I took her hand. “Where’s Ali?”
She smiled sleepily up at me. “God, you are so cute.”
“Thanks, beautiful. How about you tell me where Ali is?”
“Is she missing?”
“You tell me.”
Bailey smacked her lips again. “Thirsty.”
I grabbed the water before Alec could, and held the straw to Bailey’s lips. “Better?”
“Hmm-mm.”
“Tell me about Ali.”
Tears filled her eyes. “Ali’s in trouble.”
“Where is she?”
“I don’t know. I think she’s dead.”
I glanced up at Alec and frowned.
“The man hit her really hard,” she mumbled, and burst into tears. “Dean tricked her.”
Alec grabbed a syringe and pushed the needle into her IV. Bailey’s tears quieted, and her breathing evened out. “That’s it for now, Brock. How about you come back tomorrow?”
I gave him a reluctant nod. I had a few more pieces to the puzzle and I knew I wouldn’t get anything else from her until the meds wore off, so I stepped into the hallway to make a quick call. I’d need to get a security detail sorted before heading out for the night.
* * *
“Dallas,” I ordered. “Find out everything you can on Alison Wade and some guy named Dean. That’s all I know.”
“I can tell you Alison Wade is Bailey’s roommate,” Dallas said. “They have an apartment off-campus. Jax and I were going to head over there to see what we could find.”
“Has anyone filed a missing person report on Alison yet?” I asked.
“No.”
“Get a detail over here.” I caught sight of a man in scrubs heading toward Bailey’s room. The scrubs didn’t quite fit and with his rough hands, he didn’t look right to me. “Dallas, gotta call you back.” I hung up and slid my phone in my pocket, following the man into the room. “Can I help you?”
“What are you doing in here?” the man demanded in a Russian accent.
“I was going to ask you the same question.”
“I’m the on-call tonight and I’m checking on Miss Harper.”
“What’s with the syringe?” I asked.
“Medicine for Miss Harper.”
I moved in an attempt to get between him and Bailey’s IV. “Doc just gave her meds less than ten minutes ago.”
“He ordered more.”
“Show me your badge.”
“It must have fallen off. I will go get it as soon as I give her medicine.”
I had to give the guy props. He made a big show as I reached for my pocket and sighed. “You’re not giving her anything until you show me your badge.”
The fucker ignored me and made a move toward the IV, which meant I was forced to take action. I wasn’t prepared for him to fight back, though, as I shoved him out of the way.
“Fuck,” I snapped as the guy punched me in the jaw.
I saw the next hook coming and dodged in time. I jammed my fist into the fake doctor’s throat, and then wrapped my hand around his neck. Gasping for air, the Russian doubled over. I swept the Russian’s legs out from under him. He hit the ground, face first. I pounced on him with my knee in the middle of his back and pulled his arm up, so he couldn’t move. Handcuffing him, I dragged him off the floor and shoved him into the hallway.
Alec and Macey came rushing toward us.
“What the hell happened?” Alec asked.
“He was trying to put something in Bailey’s IV. There’s a syringe on the floor by the cabinets. Find out what the hell is in it and I’ll take care of this asshole.”
* * *
I pulled out my phone again while I pushed the perp into a chair in the hallway. I filled Dallas in on everything that just happened.
“Jax’ll come to you and I’ll head to Bailey’s apartment,” Dallas said.
“Okay.” I frowned at the perp. “Tell Jax to grab Sergei. Just in case this bastard plays the ‘I only speak Russian’ card.”
“Got it. I take it you’re going to stay with Bailey now?”
“Yeah. Cancel the detail.”
“Okay. I’ll take care of it.”
“Thanks.” I rubbed my forehead. “What the hell has she gotten herself into?”
“No clue, brother. We’ll figure it out,” Dallas assured.
“Yeah. See you later.”
I hung up and crossed my arms, addressing the Russian. “What do you want with her?”
He sneered. “Fuck you.”
“Figured,” I retorted.
Alec walked out of Bailey’s room and held up the syringe. “I’m taking this down to the lab and we’ll find out what was in it. Macey will stay with Bailey until you get this mess sorted.”
“Thanks. Jax is on his way to pick up this piece of trash.”
Alec walked down the hall and out of sight, and I took a couple of pictures of my prisoner. To kill time, I asked a few more questions that the Russian ignored. Finally, Jax and Sergei arrived just as Alec walked back into the room.
“What did you find?” I asked.
“Cyanide,” Alec said.
“Fuck!” I wrapped my hand around the perpetrator’s throat and squeezed. “I ever see your face again, I’ll kill you.”
Jaxon pulled me off the guy, and he and Sergei yanked the Russian to his feet.
“I’ll call you when we know something,” Jaxon promised.
“Thanks.” I watched them go and then headed back into Bailey’s room.