Taken (Sinful Series - book 1)
Chapter 20 - Snooping

Violet

It took one shower for Violet to feel refreshed, and as back to normal as possible. The trash her house guest left irritated her to no end. She was still thankful to him for taking care of her, but that did not change the fact he was such a slob. While his motives still remained unknown, his name wasn’t. Violet tapped the card with a nail, wondering where to begin her research. He already knew far too much about her, so it only seemed fair to dig into his life. A Google search showed no results, which was to be expected with weres. Weres did not age at the same rate as humans did, so it was quite common to relocate, assume new identity, and continue on with their lives under a new name. Luckily, Violet knew a guy.

She dialed the phone number and tapped her fingers against the countertop. Jack Devaro was the best forger in the western hemisphere. It sure helped he had tech buddies – his Grey Hats as he called them – trotting the internet to create fake trace behind the new identities. This history so to speak breathed life into the new identities, which held up nicely even after a thorough scan. All the work behind those fake IDs came with a hefty price. A price Violet could never afford, much less even become privy of, had it not been for an accidental introduction - an artist in need of protection to a bouncer than was recently let go from “Velvet”, the club in which Violet had just started working. They had quickly become a feared team which provided exceptional customer service for the elite. Since then Jack had been a very dear friend and client of V’s.

V’s was Violet’s business. Cheesy to name your business after the first letter of your name, and add the possessive s at the end, but it was hers.

Simple. Plain. Clean.

She was the business, and it made perfect sense for its name to reflect that. Violet wanted to help wolves like her, souls who the system not only failed but abused. Psychology taught her facing your fears, and accepting your past were the foundation of happier, healthier life. A life filled with abundance and peace.

Harmony.

Violet still remembered the difficulty of coming up with a vision board of where her life would be in five years. It was one of the projects before graduation from the program. Jack, being the nosy artsy guy, completely took over her board. He even went out of his way to lease the space for her and help her clear her message: a withdrawn wolf, without a pack or Alpha allegiance rendered any Alpha commands useless, and assured the ultimate confidentiality. This unique experience was packaged nicely with a sip of mystery, exclusivity and lavish office design. She was thankful for his support, which would hopefully translate into a steadier life style. Jack kept on encouraging her it was he who would benefit the most of their partnership. What potential he saw in her business of extending a helping hand to others, she did not know, but she would gladly accept any help she could get. It wasn’t like she could afford to do by herself any of the great things they envisioned together.

Violet knew in Jack’s world information was a key of making or breaking a cover. Information made the narrative seamless, therefore natural. Jack’s talent was knowing just how many realistic details a story needed to make it believable. His vision was to refer her client, so that Violet could unearth personality traits which could make an identity cohesive.

“V, what can I do you for?” Jack asked her after a short greeting.

“Does the name Landon Wesley mean anything to you?” Violet asked before she could change her mind.

“How do you know him?”

Violet had been around Jack long enough to know how to read between the lines. His question, confirmed he knew of Landon, and was not particularly fond of discussing him. Violet’s interest was peaked.

“Funny thing. You know how you’ve always said my work would eventually catch up with me? Well, it did. My drink at the Inferno last night was laced with Creed. Landon helped me out,” Violet recapped the events for Jack. At the silence from the other side, she asked, “Are you still there?”

“Yes.”

“You can say I told you so,” Violet replied.

“Violet,” Jack started then sighed, “I’m so sorry it happened to you, and I am glad you’re okay. Just like you once told me I need someone like Glenn to watch my back, I am telling you now. You need the training and a guard. You are too precious to walk around unprotected.”

“You know how to make me feel appreciated. Thank you. But I take it Landon is not just anybody, so that’s why you’re so tight-lipped about him,” Violet sighed. Just her luck to have met the one person Jack would not freely discuss. Whatever the reason, it only confirmed her initial impression. Jack knew something about Landon he was not willing to share. She could only speculate for his reasons to withhold that information from her. “At least tell me, is he a good guy?”

“For the right price,” Jack supplied.

“Damn, you’re so chatty tonight,” Violet’s irony came through when she faced with Jack’s evasiveness.

“You have to be careful with him, Violet. He’s too ‘by the book’ when it comes to Pack Order. Alphas, and businesses, heck even Pack Order are known to use his services to handle problems or people. He is a fixer, a damn good one at that. You don’t want to be caught within an issue he is handling or you will get burnt.”

Violet appreciated Jack’s opinion and listened to his warning up to the last sentence. Her mind drew a whole different picture of Landon ‘handling’ her. Violet had no doubt she would enjoy such attention.

“So he is a fellow entrepreneur,” Violet continued.

“Violet. He hasn’t taken a task, he hadn’t completed. With such a success ratio, he selects his own gigs. His allegiance is first to himself, then to the person who issued his current task. Now think. You don’t just run into a person like him. He replaces you. The question is, are you his task.”

“If Karim wants to off me, he wouldn’t pay prime dime to do it in style with a drug,” Violet argued.

“I’ve taught you nothing if your prime suspect is still your ex. All those secrets you have stored in your head are high-valued weapons that could destroy leaders and packs. Think big scale. Pack expansion, assimilation, a destruction. Karim is nothing but a dust in the sand compared to how important you’ve become.”

“Information is king,” Violet recited Jack’s mantra.

“Damn straight,” Jack agreed.

“You think he slipped me the Creed to get into my head.”

“No. He has charisma. He can wiggle his way into his target’s life in a much subtle way,” Jack started and then continued, “It’s frustrating not knowing his reasons. But make no mistake, he is dangerous.”

“For my panties,” Violet thought.

“Stay away, and let’s play it safe before we have all the information, okay?”

“Sure,” Violet agreed.

Her imagination brought images of condoms. She sighed at the provocative thoughts. It had to be some weird side effect from Creed, Violet told herself.

“I’ll call you soon,” Jack replied and hung up.

Landon

A shower and six hour stretch later, Landon felt hungry. He needed a good snack before he reevaluated his approach. The nights spent at Biker and Co were starting to wear him off. Even his love for his Harley was not enough to keep his sanity at bay in the cluttered space of a garage. The smell of oil and metal that once brought him peace, now only frustrated him to no end.

He made himself a sandwich and coffee then sat at the kitchen table, aka his office, looking at the board on the opposing wall. The little threats were color coded by supplier. He was still missing a critical peace that even Ethan could not help with. He needed introductions, access to the higher management. Pack Law was known for their vast network of confidential informants, and Landon knew he could use some help just about now.

Noah’s death was not accidental. He sure enjoyed a good drink or two, but the blazing amount of Creed in his system pointed elsewhere. He knew something and someone did not want him talking. Now it was up to Landon to catch the bastard and cripple Creed’s supply line. Not just take out the runners, and middle management. No. This was now personal. Landon wanted a face to face meeting with the creator of Creed.

Landon slowly sipped his coffee, letting its flavor awake his body. Every single job started with a benefactor and price. The price justified the restless nights and days until the job was resolved. Landon lived for his job and came to love the intriguing ways the mind worked. He enjoyed figuring out what made people click. Investigating the trail which led him further up the supply line and piecing together the motives and key players became his obsession. If you had the right motivation, you would replace the means and the opportunities you sought. Bottom line was Landon was born for this type of work.

Resting his sandwich on the table, he reached and readjusted the string on his board. There were three major branches of any organization. Someone had to be in charge of financing the operation, producing Creed and distributing it. Of course, behind it all was the Mastermind, who Landon was hunting. So far the only real progress he had made was in distribution. He had started at the lowest level of dealers, followed and unraveled connections to higher ring-leaders then mapped supply runs by bikers’ crews, only to discover port irregularities that confirmed the drugs were arriving in containers across international waters.

He still had no idea where the manufacturing took place. Once that was figured out he would have the scientists and they would lead him to the money trail and slowly but steadily the noose around Creed will tighten until all the players were indentified and justice could finally be served on behalf of Noah.

The key was to be patience. Just like a cartel of this magnitude took time to form, he wouldn’t unravel it overnight. Since this was personal, he would rather not involve his usual contacts in Pack Order until he verified personally, they were not compromised. He wanted everyone to pay badly, preferably with their lives as he had little trust in the system. Landon did not believe in giving a warning to the enemy. Just as they operated in shadows, he preferred stealth and precision. Those had yielded the greatest results for him so far.

Violet

Ever since the call to Jack, she felt uneasy. Wasting six hours easing all signs of Landon’s presence in her apartment, could not get her mind away from him. He was an enigma, her brain struggled to solve. A handsome enigma at that.

It would be a lie to say there wasn’t an instant attraction to Landon. He was a brand name eye candy, who glared down to all store-named products in the same aisle, daring them to look up. He was also a bully. Unfortunately, Violet liked that smug arrogance he carried around him. She suspected it was just a farce, his defense against the world. That did not stop her to admired him for being cocky enough to do what he pleased. His behavior was liberating her tortured Ego. Although she would never admit it, she was excited, he had kissed her. All those times she wished to be swept off her feet by a romance, not asked for permission. She needed to be chased, not chasing her interest. But he had all but thrown his lips at her, and she had gladly accepted them.

In fact, her panties missed the know-it-all. The grump had quickly become a big part of her being without even trying. Violet went back to the kitchen island and looked at his card. There were things that Jack had hinted about in their conversation that still plagued her mind. There was only one way to confirm the in between hints.

“Hey, Jacob,” Violet breathed into the phone. She was always nervous when she spoke to Jacob. He managed to see through her, and point out things she wasn’t ready to hear.

“Hey, Stranger. Everything good?” Jacob immediately shot, as if he could sense her concern over the phone. How managed to do it time and time again, never ceased to amaze her.

“Yeah,” Violet replied, wondering if calling him was such a good idea as she initially thought. But if she couldn’t trust him, then who could she?

“That didn’t sound too promising.”

“I wanted to pick your mind on a matter,” Violet proceeded before she could change her mind.

“I am all ears,” Jacob replied and filled in the uncomfortable pause over the phone. “Flattered you chose me over Jack.”

Jacob never approved Violet’s association with Jack and although he put up with his presence. Jacob made sure everyone knew Jack was only tolerated, but never accepted. Short snarky comments or jokes on Jack’s behalf were often dropped.

“Don’t be until you hear about it. Apparently, I am nosing around the wrong person,” Violet warned him.

“Now you really have to tell me, who had Jack crapping his pants,” Jacob jested.

“Landon Wesley.”

“No wonder,” Jacob laughed loudly.

Jacob’s reaction was troubling. Where Jack was intimidated if not flat out scared, Jacob was on the other spectrum – carefree as never before.

“At least you are not as tightlipped as Jack was,” Violet told him. The vague short answers she got from both so far were anything but uplifting, she quickly asked the question she dreaded. “Is Landon some sort of a serial killer who has something on you. Is that why you’re both so evasive when I ask about him?”

Jacob laughed, “No, he’s legit.”

“So you vouch for him? That’s good. For a while there…” Violet started, laughing at herself for letting her imagination spin things out of proportion.

“His kills are always legit.”

“Pack Order?”

“They wish,” Jacob chuckled. “He’s a Fixer, an independent contractor if you will. Why are you asking about him?”

“Apparently my drink in Inferno was spiked with Creed. He drove me home. I am fuzzy on the details,” she told him then continued, “Should I be worried he knows where I live?”

“You’re safe. He doesn’t kill for fun, unless maybe you ask him very nicely,” Jacob laughed at something that awfully sounded as an inside joke. “He drove you?”

“Yeah. My car is in the driveway. I don’t remember driving here. Why?”

“Nothing,” Jacob shrugged it off. “He’s a good guy.”

“I’ll take your word for it,” Violet sighed.

Landon was yet another topic Jack and Jacob did not see eye to eye. She personally liked Jacob’s take on things. Despite his obvious lack of manners, Landon had helped her. Hell, he had gone above and beyond what you’d expect from a bystander. So what if he was messy? She personally liked the idea he was not fully domesticated. It only meant he was not seriously seeing someone, and he was fair game. Well above her level but still who would blame her for drooling over his body or engaging in some harmless flirting with him? It was not as if he’d ever pay her any attention. Violet was sure he’d dealt with much savvier she-wolves.

“How’s everybody?” Violet changed the topic of the conversation quickly. She hadn’t really seen the group in a while.

“Too busy to come and say hi? I taught you better,” Jacob teased her then added in serious tone, “We’ve missed you. Friday, at 8?”

“I’m working. But I’ll see you on Thursday for dinner,” Violet told him, hearing Jacob’s cell phone ringing. “Darn it, Mr. Busy Alpha. Just when I was asking you out.”

“Saved by the ring,” Jacob laughed. “Ryan says hi.”

“I’ll see ya guys in couple of days. Now shoo, and don’t work too hard.”

“Workin’ it is your thing, dear.” Jacob jested.

“You are just jealous my workin’ it is more fun than yours,” Violet laughed. “Be good, Alpha.”

Landon

Landon was just about to swear at the voice message, when Jacob finally picked up his phone.

“Must be my lucky day,” Jacob said, but in Landon’s mind he sounded like the Cheshire Cat with a giant ass smile.

“Easy there, buddy. It’s only noon, and you’re tipsy.” Landon teased.

“Now don’t be an ass, Landon.” Jacob cheerfully responded, “What can I do for you in this lovely afternoon?”

“Do you know a Violet Preston?” Landon asked wondering where Jacob’s chipper came from. He surely sounded too buzzed from his natural gloomy mood. Landon missed that Jacob. Misery did love company.

When Landon first decided to do a background check on Violet, he briefly considered it invading her privacy. The expectation of privacy was null and void. He had singlehandedly saved her life. Now that the threat to her life had passed, Landon had questions that required answers. The events from last night kept repaying in his mind, making little to no sense. Landon needed to know at least she was legit.

“Is she in trouble?” Jacob replied with a question, indirectly admitting he knew her.

“She was Creed-ed last night. I help her out. Next thing I know Pack Order appears just as we’re leaving Inferno. You tell me what I am supposed to think,” Landon explained.

“Double whammy. You got the girl and their attention,” Jacob teased him.

“I don’t believe they were there coincidentally. They were there waiting for us to come out. I need to know if she’s the person of their interest, or if they are still trying to recruit me back,” Landon explained.

“Both.. neither… You know well enough Pack Oder sometimes carries contradicting missions, so they are in with the cool guys, whoever they end up being,” Jacob replied. “How is she?”

“Shaken, but fine. Why would she be on their radar?”

“You talked to her, right? You should know by now she has a gift to put the mind at ease, untying loose tongues. Counselor, profiler, interrogator, she could be any of those. Not to mention her connections… She could be valuable to them, especially if they give her a proper motivation.”

“You think Pack Order will go so low to Creed her, then rescue her wooing her to the cause?” Landon asked although he knew deep down he should actually suspect this as a possibility.

“I don’t need to tell you the war against Creed is a huge undertaking and may justify any means necessarily. For ‘the greater good’, you know. Did they send friendlies?” Jacob inquired.

“Yes, plain clothes team. They must be either the best covert team they’ve had in a long time, or the runts of the litter. I got the feeling they didn’t recognize my mug. Is she with you?” Landon continued.

“Landon, you need to come to the meetings more often to know who attends,” Jacob teased him with evasiveness. Jacob really knew how to sale his next gathering, “It will do you some good. You stayed the night?”

“Coming out of Creed is not easy,” Landon replied instead of an answer. “Is she pack?”

“She’s as much pack as you are,” Jacob covertly explained, then sighed, “I should stop bringing rogues into my territory.”

“Nah, you have an eye for talent,” Landon argued.

“Some will argue for trouble,” Jacob said. “So are you done with your adventure? Ready to be my Beta?”

“Told ya’, offer it to someone else,” Landon replied.

“But I have my eyes set on you,” Jacob huffed.

“Suit yourself, but don’t cry to me, if your Gamma decides to quit on you,” Landon replied.

“Ryan would never do such a horrid thing. But now you’re giving me an idea, I will just unleash him on your sorry ass, so he can take the vacation he has been pestering me about.” Jacob joked.

“Then you’d be searching for both Beta and Gamma, coz me and Ry’ are tight,” Landon laughed.

“Don’t want to put you on the spot, but seriously, how long till I have my Beta?”

“Till there is no Creed,” Landon replied. “Could your Violet help me?”

“I’d prefer if you don’t involve her in your investigation, even if it means I don’t ever get you. She’s been through a lot, man,” Jacob replied.

“Who hasn’t?” Landon snorted. “Besides she’s already involved.”

“I need your word you’d keep her safe,” Jacob pushed.

“She’s pretty, but I ain’t a baby sitter,” Landon replied.

“So not only did you take her home, but now she’s pretty, ah Landon? Landon and Violet sitting in a tree…. K-I-S-S-I-N-G. First come the love, then comes….” Jacob hummed, teasing Landon but before he could finish, Landon hang up.

As if that would ever happen.