From his scent she knew he was a wolf.
Big Mike grabbed the male’s hair and forced him to look at her. “Recognize him, Catty?”
She shook her head. “No.”
“Hmmm. So you don’t know Mitchell. That’s interesting.” He released the guys hair and walked to the other side of room. “I just figured since you knew one Guardian, you knew them all.”
“What are you talking about? I don’t know any Guardians.” Did Big Mike know about Zane? Could he have found out Zane was her brother?
“Let’s try this again. Here’s a familiar face you might recognize.” Big Mike grinned and turned the spot light on the wall.
Nausea rolled up into her throat. Horror settled in her gut as she looked at the man on the wall.
All he wore was jeans. His bare feet didn’t even touch the floor as the chains that bound his wrists lifted him up into a crucifixion position. His head lolled down and he struggled to speak. He lifted his head and blood ran down his face from a deep cut near his eye. His face was almost unrecognizable from the beating he’d received. But she would know those eyes anywhere.
Lucien.
***
“Fuck!” Barrett growled and glared at his cell phone.
“What is it?” Damon looked over at him as the rest of the Guardians got off their bikes and gathered around the parking lot off Bourbon Street.
“Fucking Lucien. That asshole went against my orders and went to find the missing Guardians on his own.” He held up his phone so Damon could read the message.
“So there’s a tunnel under the Triple X.” Zane cocked his head. “Why does New Orleans have old tunnels?”
“Because years ago they were going to use it as a way of transportation. That’s before the highway and trains took over. And plus, there was the flooding issue.” Jayden shrugged.
“So what’s the plan?” Damon looked at Barrett.
“The plan is to go in and get all my Guardians out.” Barrett looked at all his men. “I don’t care what the condition the body or bodies are in. I want them back. All of them.”
“You got it, boss.” Jayden nodded and flexed his fingers.
“The other part of the plan is to survive.” He met each of their gazes. “Do whatever it takes to survive.”
They nodded at the meaning of his words. He turned and tucked his phone away and hurried toward the club with his men right behind him.
Chapter Thirty-Three
“Don’t hurt him,” Catty cried out. She tried to go to Lucien but two of Big Mike’s men came from out of the shadows and restrained her arms. She kicked and screamed but she couldn’t get away.
“Aww. Isn’t that sweet.” Big Mike slapped Lucien’s face. “I think she likes you, man. You know, I remember a time when she couldn’t wait to crawl on top of me and ride me like a horse. Catty’s quite the professional in the sack, wouldn’t you say?”
Lucien growled and tried to lunge, but the iron restraints held him back.
“You see, Catty, it’s important that Lucien see you for what you really are. Just a stripper who will take her clothes off for anyone. Guys like him don’t mate with females who are dripping with sin. And that, my girl, is what you are.”
“And you are the devil himself,” she spat out.
“Yes, I am.” He stepped closer. “If I had known that Jill had started putting ideas in your head, I would have killed that girl sooner.”
“You killed Jill? Why? She didn’t do anything to you!”
“Jill got too nosy for her own good. She came in to get her last paycheck and she followed one of my men down here. She hid until after he left when she saw old Mitchell strung up like a Christmas goose. Stupid girl. She was trying to free him when I found her down here.” He shrugged. “I had to kill her. Didn’t have time to bury the body. I’m a busy man and got shit to do. So I told my men to dump her in the shipyard. Let the birds feed on her pretty face.”
“You bastard.”
“Now, now. That’s no way to talk to your old friend.” Big Mike looked from her to Lucien. “If you thought you had a chance with Lucien then he was lying to you the whole time. He’s a Guardian, you know.”
“No he’s not.” She looked from Big Mike to Lucien. He didn’t have the tattoo. Guardians always had the tattoo. Big Mike was lying.
Big Mike barked out a laugh. “Wait a minute. He didn’t tell you he was a Guardian, did he?” Laughter rolled out of him. “That’s fucking priceless.”
“Leave her alone.” Lucien growled.
“Lucien? Tell him it’s not true.” Unease snaked down her spine and she knew when she met his gaze, he’d lied to her.