Sexy Beast III. Morgan Hawke

the tip. AJ slept on, but his cock slowly elongated, pressing against her mouth.

      It was a marvelous way to awaken; if only she didn’t have to pee. The room was still dark and she had no idea what time it was. Easing herself out from under AJ’s body was tricky, but Tala managed to roll him aside without waking him. Mik merely grunted when she carefully clambered over his body and slipped off the side of the bed.

      As far as motels went, she’d give this one a ten.

      The sex tonight had been magnificent.

      The clock in the bathroom blinked midnight. She used the toilet and washed her hands, staring blankly at her tousled image in the mirror. Her long hair hung in thick, dark tangles to her waist and her lips were swollen from kisses. There were pale bruises on her breasts, and her nipples glistened deep red from all the sucking, licking, and pinching. She rubbed her palm over one and the tingle went straight to her core. There was no doubt at all; she looked like a woman well and truly loved, and her body ached in the most wonderful places.

      Still smiling at herself, she’d turned away and started back to bed when Mik’s phone rang. He’d left it in his overnight bag in the bathroom. Not wanting to awaken the guys, Tala answered it.

      “Hello?”

      She waited through a long silence. Then a voice she’d not thought she’d hear again until she’d got to San Francisco said, “Mary Ellen? Is that you?”

      “Lisa?” Clasping the phone to her ear, Tala slid down the wall to the floor. “What are you…?”

      “My God. Mary Ellen…Tala. They said you’re Tala now. Look, sweetie, I want to talk to you so badly, but there’s been a horrible emergency. Are Mik and AJ there?”

      Tala nodded, realized Lisa couldn’t hear her, and choked out a strangled “Yes. I’ll get them. What’s wrong?”

      “I’ll fill you in later. Right now I’m giving the phone to Lucien Stone.”

      Luc? Shit. If Luc was in on this it must be an emergency. Scrambling to her feet, Tala ran back into the bedroom. “Guys, wake up. Something’s happened!”

      Mik was on his feet reaching for his phone before she’d gotten the words out of her mouth. AJ rolled over and off the bed, alert, as if he’d been waiting for Lisa’s call. Both Tala and AJ immediately keyed into Mik’s thoughts.

      Anton Cheval and his mate, Stefan Aragat, and Xandi…all of them were missing: their plane either hijacked or downed. Tala realized she’d clasped AJ’s hand in hers. They drew close and his arm came around her shoulders. He squeezed her in a comforting hug.

      Lord help her, all she could think of was Lisa’s voice. Damn, she’d missed her sister so much. Ten long years. She didn’t even know the members of the Wyoming pack but she’d loved Lisa with all her heart. After their father’s trial for murdering their mother, after all the tension and stress within an already totally dysfunctional family…they’d shattered. Each had gone their own way, had been lost in their own hell.

      She knew Lisa had taken her shot at happiness with her mate in San Francisco, and knew also that Bay was part of a successful ménage in Maine with Jacob Trent and Shannon Murphy, but they’d not all been together since discovering their Chanku roots. Not for over ten years.

      Tala shivered, listening to Mik’s terse replies while he talked to Lucien Stone, remembering Lisa, wondering about all the years they’d lost. Wondering as well, and worrying, about those who were missing: the Montana Chanku, the four everyone spoke of with voices laden with awe. She slipped her arm around AJ’s waist and held tight to one who loved her.

      “I’ve left messages on all three of their phones, but they must be in an area that’s out of service. I’ve been trying to get them all afternoon.” Damn Jake and his harebrained idea to come west on the bikes. Tinker rubbed his fist over his eyes. It all felt like a nightmare. Nothing could happen to Anton Cheval. Not to him or his beautiful lady or their packmates. Anton was the key to all their mysteries, the one who always had the answers.

      Where the hell was he now?

      Lisa appeared and grabbed Tinker gently by the arm. “Mik, Tala, and AJ know, and we’ll hear from the others soon enough. Sweetheart, you need to sleep. Worrying won’t help. Even Oliver finally went to bed. Come with me.”

      Tinker looked around Ulrich’s messy office and realized he’d been talking to an empty room. He leaned over and kissed Lisa’s forehead and then wrapped his arms around her slim waist. “Anton won’t let anything happen to Keisha. Not if he’s still alive. I think that’s what scares me so much. The man is so powerful, so brilliant. We need him. All of us do, and I’m scared to death something terrible has happened.”

      Lisa reached up and cupped Tinker’s cheek in her palm. Her voice was husky, filled with emotion and love. “Have I told you lately how very much I love you? Now come to bed so I can show you.”

      Tinker gave in. He was exhausted, sick with worry, and terrified all his fears might be true. Lisa offered peace. She was his refuge of calm within chaos, the pacemaker that steadied his racing heart. He followed her down the hall to the guestroom they’d share tonight with Luc and Tia, thankful once again for the lovely lady who owned his life.