Page 66 of Chase Me

Her trail landed them standing outside the US Embassy.

“They aren't going to let us in there. None of us even have passports, bro.” Shit. Ky was right.

“Speak for yourselves,” Cage said. “I've had a passport for years, but not on me. It's not like I flew here commercially.”

“Dammit, I'll tear the building down.” Jakob paced back and forth in front of the gate.

Match put a hand on Jakob's shoulder and stopped him. “If she went in there, she’s safe. Come. Let's find a place where we look a little bit less like a group of terrorists scouting the US Embassy. We’ll figure out our next move then.”

They walked around the corner and into a little gastropub. Cage grabbed them beers and they sat at a table in the corner.

Before any of them could come up with a suggestion for what to do next, a group of young men entered the bar.

Their loud voices told Jakob that they were probably American tourists, except the one that ordered from the barkeep spoke pretty good Czech. Maybe he lived and worked here.

“No, you guys. I'm telling you she was like a hobo in a ball gown. And the second I told her I was a US Marine she burstinto tears,” he said as soon as he joined his friends with the beers.

He was in the middle of a story and his friends were enjoying it immensely. “Dude, the sight of you does make most women cry.”

The group laughed, but Jakob and the rest of the Wyverns got very quiet. It was more than wishful thinking that they were talking about Ciara.

“What would make you dickheads cry was the sight of her double D's about falling out of that dress. She had curves for miles. I would've escorted her all the way home, if they would let me. If you know what I mean.”

If they were talking about his mate, he was going to eat them all for dinner. Two of the men raised their glasses in a toast to the asshole’s dirty mind.

One of them prompted their friend to continue the story. “And she said she'd been kidnapped? Who the hell kidnaps an American woman and brings her to the Czech Republic?”

Who else could they possibly be talking about?

“I don't know, man. He must be one sick motherfucker, because she also said he tried to force her to marry him.”

Fuck. He’d done no such thing. Had he?

“Jesus Christ, this dude needs to get a life.”

“I don't know, maybe we ought to hook him up with your sister Maria.”

“Shut up, man.”

“So, when can you see her again? Maybe show her a little comfort, Marine style?”

The story teller got serious. “Assholes, the lady has been through a serious trauma. Show a little respect.”

They didn’t know the definition of the word. Jakob’s fists clenched. He would teach them.

“In other words, they sent her back to the States, didn't they?”

“On the military transport that left today.” The table erupted into laughter again.

Jakob pressed his fists down on the table and slowly stood up. He had no doubt they were talking about Ciara. Had she really said all of those things about him? He had kidnapped her, but this story made it sound like he was a monster.

One of the other Wyverns grabbed at his shirt to stop him, but he was solely focused on the man telling the story, and how he was going to rip his head off.

He walked up to the group without saying a word and lifted the young man up into the air by his collar. “Where is she?”

No one was laughing now. The rest of this young man's comrades stood pushing back their chairs, ready to defend their friend. What he needed now was some of Ciara's calming influence.

“Where. Is. She?” He growled and could feel his dragon pushing toward the surface.

---