Dalton: NAC & The Holly Group (Alpha Team Book 2) Read online

  “Yeah, I had the dealer take them off,” he said as he walked over to the passenger side door and opened it.

  He then walked to where Emma was standing. Scooping her up off the ground with his one arm supporting her neck and the other cradling her knees, Emma was so startled that she wrapped her arms around his neck.

  Dalton could feel his anger surge forward. Emma weighed practically nothing. He lifted her with hardly any effort. He was sure that even without his Shifter strength, he could have carried her around all day without even breaking a sweat. The bulk of the coat had disguised her true size. When he first noticed her, he had the odd thought that maybe she was trying to hide the size of her body like some women did with baggy clothes, but he knew differently now. She was tiny. He noticed that she was getting self-conscience because of his actions, so he tried to light up the hostile mood he was projecting by the state he had found her in.

  “That way I get to cuddle all the beautiful girls,” he said, placing her in the passenger seat. “Now buckle up, honey, safety first.”

  Dalton didn’t want to let on that he was pissed when he picked up Emma. He knew he tensed up and was thankful that she blushed instead of protested at the action. She hardly weighed a thing and he was aware that he had carried gear in the military that weighed at least twice her weight. He needed answers. He shut the door for her and grabbed the bags off of the hood.

  Emma was still bright with embarrassment. It wasn’t every day that a hot guy took her into his arms, even if that was just to place her where she needed to be. So, all she did was nod her head. She was starting to wonder if she would ever be able to have a real conversation with this handsome man. He made her feel like that shy teenager she had once been, back in during a time she could hardly remember anymore. Life had a way of taking the naiveté out of a girl.

  Needing a couple of minutes to get his temper under, control Dalton took the long way around the truck. He opened the back door first and placed everything in the back seat, except for the bag Ruby had put together from them. When he was about to close the door, he remembered that Emma didn’t have anything other than what was on her back and her purse.

  “Honey, do you need me to get your stuff from your car?” he asked.

  Emma didn’t want to tell Dalton that she didn’t have anything else, so she tried to play it off.

  “No thanks, that won’t be necessary. Once your friend checks me out, if you wouldn’t mind bringing me back, I would be very grateful.”

  Dalton shut the back door and took a couple of deep breaths. Emma’s fear seemed to get more potent with every question he asked and it bothered him more than he would like to admit. She didn’t appear to be afraid of him. But she appeared to be scared of everything else. Finally getting some control, Dalton jumped into the truck, buckled his seat belt, and pulled out of the parking lot.

  Hoping to lessen some of the fear that was wafting off of her he said, “I know we should wait, but honey, I am starving. Why don’t we have a little snack on the way?”

  Emma was starving; literally. She couldn’t remember the last time she had eaten. Being on the run and having an only little bit of money hadn’t helped. Before that, well, she didn’t want to think about before that right now. Taking one of the sandwiches, she unwrapped the brown paper and handed it to Dalton. God, when had bologna and cheese looked so good?

  Dalton didn’t like the fact that Emma was staring at the fucking sandwich like it was prime rib, when all it was a simple bologna sandwich. When she didn’t make a move to take the other sandwich, Dalton decided that he needed to step in.

  “Oh, come on, honey. If I am going to spoil my dinner, so are you. Ruby put two sandwiches in that bag and the other one is for you.”

  Emma's hands were shaking so badly at this point, she wanted that sandwich more than her next breath. But she wasn’t going to take food away from the only person she had met that was willing to help her. She could wait.

  “No that’s okay you go ahead,” Ryleigh responded.

  “Sorry honey, but the rules in this truck are: when we are in here you have to do what, I say, kind of like Simon Says, but use Dalton instead” he said with a laugh. “Now eat up.”

  Chapter 9

  Dalton knew that he shouldn’t have used those words because of the undertone they brought to the situation. He also knew he should be ashamed of himself but the truth was he wasn’t. He was starting to like Emma. If the sounds she was making while eating the sandwich were any indication, she was an incredibly passionate woman and he would like to get her to make those noises in another way. Fuck, his mind was not where it should be. Those thoughts might be appropriate for picking up a woman in a bar, but not for this situation. He also knew that he needed to get his mind out of the gutter and figure out what he was going to tell Cash. Dalton was going against SOP by bringing an unknown back to their base and he knew Cash was going to have his balls. But damn it, he knew it was the right thing to do.

  Emma couldn’t resist, so she dug in. The sandwich was fantastic and that showed how desperate she was because bologna and cheese on soft white bread was not her favorite sandwich. But at that moment, it was the most fantastic fare she had ever tasted. So, she inhaled it, never looking back. She knew that she needed to slow down, but it had been so long since she had anything of real substance, she literally could not help herself. When she finally looked up she noticed Dalton still had most of his sandwich left and was looking at her in what she hoped wasn’t disgust.

  “Sorry I guess I was hungrier than I thought.”

  Emma was embarrassed and she wondered if she would ever feel normal again. She wasn’t acting like herself, but she had to wonder if anyone in her situation would at this point. Looking down at her hands, she noticed her knuckles were white. She had been wringing her fingers so tightly that the blood had drained from them. Damn, before all this happened, she was never like this; showing weakness at every turn and it was starting to make her mad. She wondered if she would ever feel like herself again.

  “No need for apologies’ honey. Here, he said handing Emma his sandwich, “why don’t you eat the rest of mine.” I am dying to sink my teeth into one of Ruby’s famous turnovers anyways.”

  Emma was going to protest but she took the sandwich. She ate it a little more slowly than the first one, savoring it, grateful that Dalton didn’t make a big deal out of her behavior. She would never think of a bologna sandwich in the same way again. When she finished, Dalton handed her a bottle of water and the last turnover.

  “Come on, honey, you haven’t even had the best part yet. You’re going to think you died and went to heaven after just one bit.”

  He wasn’t kidding. The cherry turnover was beyond delicious. The outside was perfectly crisp with just the right amount of icing to make it decadent. Biting into it, Emma got the sweet and savory right off the bat perfectly. Then after another bite, she got to the homemade cherry filling. It was perfect; not too sweet and not too tart. It was the perfect combination with the flaky pastry. She was sure Ruby could have sold these to an upscale bakery and made a fortune. They were simply perfect. Licking the remaining confection from her finger, Emma sighed in contentment. She was sure that she had never had anything quite so perfect. Dalton had been right, in that moment she did feel like she had died and gone to heaven.

  Dalton was kicking himself. He should have gotten her more food at the diner. The woman ate the simple sandwich like it was going to jump right out of her hands and run away. When was the last time she had eaten? Fuck, he needed to get some answers before they got to base camp. Cash was going to be all over him when they got there. He needed to arm himself with as much ammunition to hold him off before he got there.

  “Honey, I know that you don’t know me well enough to trust me yet, but can you tell me if I should be watching out for a tail? Is the person you are running from following you? I only ask because there are other people at my house that I need to protect and if we are going
to have a gun-wielding ex-boyfriend show up, then I would like to prepare myself for them.”

  Emma was ashamed of herself. She should have never accepted Dalton's help. No way would she put others in danger. This was her problem; Dalton and the other were just innocent bystanders. If those people came after her again and Dalton or one of his friends got hurt because of her, she wouldn’t be able to live with herself.

  I am so sorry, Dalton. I don’t want to put anyone in danger. If you would just take me back to my car, I can hit the next town. I promise I will get my hands looked at there.”

  Emma could feel her dinner coming up her throat. She didn’t want to do this alone anymore, but she would never put anyone else in danger. Maybe she could just write a note to Ryleigh Quinn, no Ryleigh Thorp, to warn her. That might work, wouldn’t it? Then she could get to Uncle Frank’s cottage and hide out long enough to figure what to do next. No one would find her there. The man that owned the property couldn’t be linked to her in any way. At least she hoped that was the case.

  “Honey, I’m not worried. We can handle anything that comes up. I just want to be prepared. So, if you can tell me anything, that would be appreciated.”

  Emma owed him that much. But as soon as she got the chance, she was going to make a run for it. It was the right thing to do. This was her problem, not Dalton’s.

  “I don’t think anyone followed me. I was going up to a friend’s cottage about an hour north of here. It is entirely off the grid and isolated.”

  “Do you think that is the best idea? That just means there won’t be any witness if someone is following you.”

  Dang-it, Emma couldn’t help the fear that shot up her spine. He was right; she kept on making one stupid move after another. Emma also didn’t like the look of disapproval that came over Dalton’s face when he made that comment. She wanted to please this man and that brought up all kinds of thoughts. After what she had just gone through, shouldn’t she be freaked out by any man’s attention? Or was Dalton something different? She just didn’t have the energy, even with the food she had just eaten, to look into those thoughts further.

  “I didn’t think of that, Dalton. I can tell you that someone is after me, at least I believe that they are, and it is not an ex. But I honestly can’t go into much more. I just met you and even though you have been really kind to me, I just can’t lay all my cards on the table right now. I also know I need the medical help if your friend can take a look at my hands, I would greatly appreciate it. But then I need to be on my way. I think I just need to keep moving. Maybe the city would be a better choice than the cottage.”

  “Okay honey, I understand, but please keep an open mind. We can help you; NAC and The Holly Group have ways of helping people hide if they need to. You need medical attention, more food, and you need some sleep. Please take what we have to offer, even if it is just for the night.”

  Emma knew this was probably a bad idea, but Dalton made her feel safe, and that hadn’t happened in a long time. She wanted, no needed, just one night to gather her strength so she could face the next day.

  “Thanks Dalton, and I think I will, even if it is just for the evening. I will not put anyone else in danger because of the mistake I made; it wouldn’t be right.”

  Dalton wanted to shake her; she needed help but was more worried about everyone and everything else rather than taking basic care of herself. It reminded him of Ryleigh. It also reminded him that if he couldn’t get Ryleigh, a person he thought of like family, to do what was needed, how was he going to convince this woman?

  “Honey, no one could have made enough mistakes to have deserved those bruises and cuts you have all over your hands and wrists. But I am glad you are willing to let us help for the night.”

  Emma whispered not even realized she was speaking out loud, “You say that now, but you don’t know what I did. If I could have just kept my mouth shut, I might not be in this position now.”

  Dalton filed that information for later. They were coming up on the lodge and he needed to get his game face on before Cash had a chance to rip it right off. Thank God Jacks was out on a mission. His Alpha would kill first and ask questions later if he thought that Ryleigh was in danger. Dalton knew he would protect this woman with everything he had, he just hadn’t figured out why yet.

  Emma hadn’t been paying attention. She didn’t know how long they had been driving, and she was once again ashamed of herself. She was on the run and here she was blanking out, not paying attention to her surroundings or even where this stranger was taking her. It was laughable. After everything she had been through, she knew better. When Dalton turned down an unmarked drive Emma started to panic.

  Dalton noticed immediately when Emma began to panic; the smell of fear was still pronounced but had been lessening during their short time together. He had been able to get a slight whiff of her natural scent, but once he turned down the drive to his home, the scent of her fear amplified once again. Not wanting to ramp up her fear anymore he did the only thing he could think of and lightly grabbed her wringing hands.

  Emma couldn’t believe the reaction she was having to Dalton. Once he placed his hand on hers, coaxing them apart and then intertwining one with his, she immediately calmed down. Staring at their intertwined hands for a moment, Emma realized this stranger made her feel safer than she had ever felt in her life. Even though that should scare the crap out of her, it didn’t. Looking up, Emma saw a beautiful lodge come into view. The place took her breath away.

  “Dalton, this home is beautiful and huge. Do you live her alone? It looks like several families could live here.”

  Emma wanted to laugh. Here she was in stolen clothes, dirty, and ashamed, and Dalton was driving her up to the equivalent of a wilderness mansion. There honestly wasn’t any other word to explain the sight she was seeing. His home was huge; the kind of estate a person expected to see in Colorado or Swiss Alps. Emma wasn’t sure. To her, it was just beautiful, majestic really. From her vantage point she could see the log mansion that boasted at least three stories of hand-hewed logs that fit perfectly together. There was a covered porch, of course, littered with rocking chairs and the entryway blew her away. She had never seen a door that big in her life. It had to be at least ten feet tall and had, not one, but two large doors made out of oak or another sturdy wood. Being a city girl, she had no idea about such things. The mansion was built on a gentle rise that sloped gradually away from its sides, making it the focal point that it should be. Not that Emma thought anyone looking at the home could miss it. The uneven road they had been traveling on had turned into a well-kept circular drive, which impressed her because they were clearly well away from civilization. It was like someone had carved out this piece of heaven in the woods to place the beautiful home there just for her. The only part of the property not covered with trees and wildlife was the drive, and Emma loved it on sight. She had a strong feeling of home but wouldn’t let herself be deluded in that way.

  Emma was once again totally freaked out. Dalton looked like a simple man. Dressed in worn jeans and a simple t-shirt, she wouldn’t have placed him as privileged. His truck was nice but nothing extravagant. She had been expecting, well heck, she didn’t know what to expect. But now that she was thinking about it, a house this size had to cost a fortune and that made her question her decision to come with Dalton. Maybe he was in league with the people that placed her in this position. What did she know about the man she was currently sitting next to? What if he was leading her right to the people who had her before?

  Just before she could go into a full-blown panic mode Dalton responded. “Yeah, she is a beauty, isn’t she? My NAC team owns her; we all live here. But don’t worry; most of the team is out on a mission. It's just my Second, myself, and Ryleigh right now.”

  Losing a little of the tizzy she had worked herself into, Emma relaxed just a little bit. She hoped NAC was nothing like the people that held her, but she couldn’t help but feel that she was putting a lot of trust in
to the reputation of a woman she had never met. She hoped Ryleigh Thorp was worth it.

  Parking in front of the lodge, Dalton asked her to wait so that he could help her down from the ramped-up truck. Once down, he grabbed the bags of food from the back and escorted her into the lodge. It was even prettier on the inside.

  Dalton didn’t want to leave her alone, but at the moment the coast was clear. His bear didn’t sense Cash was close at the moment. But when he got there, Dalton needed to have his hands free. It would only take him a second to drop off the food.

  “Honey, let me put this stuff in the kitchen and get Rye. You can put your coat in the closet right there on your left. Why don’t you wait here and I will be right back?” Dalton said, briskly walking to kitchen.

  Emma stood in the entryway debating taking off her last piece of protection. She didn’t want Dalton or anyone else to see how bad of shape she was actually in. She was considering her options when the biggest, scariest man she had ever seen walked into the room, not making a sound. He was huge; at least four or five inches taller than Dalton and he was larger than any bodybuilder Emma had ever seen. Dalton was big, but this guy was a mammoth. His head was shaved bald and he had a goatee that was just as menacing as all the piercings that littered his face and ears. At first, he looked just as surprised to see her standing there as she was to see him, and then he looked pissed. That is when Emma started shaking. When he reached for the gun that was holstered under his arm Emma almost lost it. This man was scary; he didn’t even need the weapon that he was currently taking out of the holster. She was pretty sure he could kill with just a look. At least that was what her rapid heart rate was telling her. Emma was pretty sure that it was only a matter of time before it stopped beating altogether.

  Chapter 10

  “Who the hell are you and what are you doing in my house?” the man demanded, pointing his gun at her.