Page 32 of Act of Passion

“Aye.” Striker put a hand out to him, helping him up. “They’re nae stopping me from wanting to do you greatharm.”

Garth snorted. “He had hopes for bedding the redhead. We tried to tell him that was never going to happen. He saw it as a challenge. You’ve gone and ruined that for himnow.”

“Aye.”

Malik’s jaw tightened and he desperately fought to keep from showing his raw emotions. “I know I don’t deserve her but I’m asking for your help here. I need to find her. I need to know she’s okay. I need her to understand that I chased her away because I claimed her, not because I didn’t want her. She’sallI fuckingwant!”

The room fellsilent.

Garth spoke next. “You claimed ahuman?”

Malik rubbed his eye, fighting pending tears. “Yes and no. I mean, I couldn’t stop myself from biting her during sex and sayingmine, but she’s human so it doesn’t count. That doesn’t mean I want her out of my life. I want her more than I’ve ever wanted anything and I have to know she’sokay.”

Seconds ticked by before Corbin took out his cell phone. “This is Captain Jones. I need some information on the following two humans.” He lowered the phone. “Malik, what is Brooke’s fullname?”

Malik gasped. “I don’t know. I didn’t ask. Why didn’t I ask? I asked her to marry me and move in with me but I didn’t stop and think to ask hername?”

“Fuck me sideways. Tut asked a woman for something serious?” Duke shook his head. “They’re ice skating inhell.”

The men shared a look and Corbin hung up the phone. Corbin looked around at the men. “Fan out and ask the staff if they know where the women went. We’ll assure they are safe and well and then we’ll get Malik as far from the woman aspossible.”

Malik tensed. “W-what?”

“The suppression drugs are messing with your mind, dude,” said Boomer. “You claimed a human. That’s seriouslywhacked.”

Rurik nodded. “Yeah,whacked.”

Garth tossed Malik a pair of shoes and a shirt before walking towards the door. “We’ll check with the front desk for any leads. Malik, why don’t you ask the valet service if they know the women’sdestination?”

He nodded, put a shirt on, not bothering with the buttons, and slipped on his shoes before rushing over and grabbing his cell. He hurried out of the room. Striker was right behind him. They took the stairs and were in the lobby before Garth and Rurik exited the elevator. Malik ran out of the resort and looked around out front, catching the faintest hint of honey andlotuses.

He called Brooke’s phone from his. It rang and rang but she didn’t answer. Her voicemail picked up. “Brooke, my sweet, I’m so sorry. Please call me the second you getthis.”

Striker was staring off in the other direction, his gaze narrowed as Malik disconnected thecall.

Malik tensed. “What isit?”

“Maybe nothing,” said Striker. “Call the lassagain.”

Malik did as requested, and Striker ran over to the landscaping near the front door. He stepped into it and came out with Brooke’s bag. It wasringing.

Malik’s stomach dropped as he remembered Brooke telling Edee that she never went anywhere without thebag.

Garth came out front, his face long. “Malik,” said Garth somberly. “Rurik has the front desk man in the back, pressing him foranswers.”

Striker put his hand on Malik’s shoulder but looked at Garth. “What is it? What did hesay?”

Garth sighed. “That they were paid handsomely to look the other way while men in large vehicles took the women against theirwill.”

Nothing else was heard by Malik as his lion thrust upwards. He caught sight of Boomer walking out and Garth motioning to him. Boomer ran at Malik fast, a tranq dart inhand.

Try as he might, Malik couldn’t contain himself, and knew his friends would do what they thought was best to protect him, even from himself, but that didn’t change the fact that someone hadBrooke.

Someone had hiswoman.

Chapter Eleven

Present Day…

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