Carter Brothers: Adrian (Rated R)

Prologue

"Ma'am, I don't believe this is the right building-"

"Don't be stupid, Briggs, this is where the arrow points to-"

"Are you sure it's not the building behind because you know those things can be quite-"

"Are you Deputy Chief or am I?"

"You are Ma'am. But-"

"Briggs!"

"Yes Ma'am," he dejectedly sighs while tagging along with another officer to conduct the search.

The honey blonde rolls her deep chocolate brown eyes and adjusts her badge; the sparkling star that she wears with so much bride and dignity. As she's thinking back to her dedicated years earning the position, a flustered young secretary rushes up to her.

"Officer Torres! Mr Carter requests to see you immediately. It's about the search warrant Ma'am-"

"What about it? It's completely legitimate-"

"Yes Ma'am but he insists I escort you to his office. Please Ma'am," pleads the woman. 'Carter?' Questions Officer Torres. A niggle of doubt eases into her mind but she quickly shakes it off. He must be some sort of manager, just below the big boss-Paolo Santiago.

"Fine, lead the way," sighs Torres adjusting her cap.

She follows the seamlessly harmless looking worker through a series of corridors and up a flight of stairs to the translucent glass doors. Clearly printed on the glass door were the words 'Adrian Carter' and underneath 'CEO'. Adrian Carter...For some reason that name feels familiar in her mind, like a name heard in the passing. Perhaps he's one of her sisters previous conquests. Before she can read the rest the woman's knocked on the door gently and ushered her in.

The first thing she sees is the sleek black desk, on-top of which is a slim silver desktop system and other various stationary. But in the middle on the desk a full head of waved, silky dark hair is visible as the owner pours through the warrant that she'd handed the front desk minutes ago.

"Officer..." starts a baritone voice. The man starts to stand, pushing his rolling chair backwards and picking up the document whilst continuing to scan it. As he stands Officer Torres feels a jolt of female arousal shoot through her. Like any female of age, she knows a worthy mating companion when she sees one. His body is toned and muscular and beautifully wrapped in the ash-grey tailored suit. Her primal urges perk up as does her wolf spirit. The introduction of this side of her causes her great surprise particularly as she usually neglects and suppresses that part of her. The spirit had previously put up a brief fight but once loosing that, submitted and faded...or so she had thought.

"Sam Torres," states the man, glancing up from the document. Sam's eyes connect with the most striking shade of blue she's ever seen on anybody and the backlash from that has her immediately focusing her gaze on the bridge of his perfect nose instead. She quickly takes in the rest of his features and with dismay realises he's...incredible looking. A beauty that's incomparable. A beauty that's unrivalled. And with his flawless light golden skin tone, high cheekbones, strong jaw line and 5 o'clock shadow stubble; it would be difficult for most men to match up.

"Oh," he comments in surprise, bushy eyebrows rising in action, "For some reason, I'd expected a male."

That comment froze all train of thought in Sam's mind. They never do expect her to be female. To be straight, even.

"Yes well...Surprise!" somewhat sarcastically replies Sam much to Adrian's amusement.

"Look, Mr Carter, as you can tell that is a very authentic and very much real search warrant and it would be in your best interests to co-operate with this investigation."

"And I fully intend on doing that, Deputy...which is why I have to tell you that you have the wrong building. This address is for the warehouses behind."

The colour from Sam's face just drains with realisation.

"Excuse me?" she exasperates before sighing and continuing in a cold, detached tone, "You must take me for a fool to believe that. Now where's Santiago?"

"Who?"

"Your boss. We know all about the operation you have going on, so don't try to play dumb."

Bright blue eyes narrow as he assesses the situation.

" 'My boss'?You have definitely got the wrong place. Now if you don't leave Ma'am, I will call the Chief-"

"The Chief? As if he would be involved in your filthy operations. You have a pretty good disguise, I'll give you that much but you guys are nothing more than just a bunch of low-life criminals with jacked up superior complexes."

"That's it! I'm calling the Chief. I will not have the police department charge into my business with a search warrant that's completely wrong and then have the Deputy start insulting me!"

"Fine, call your 'Chief'!" shouts back Sam, her tone loaded with sarcasm.

Adrian pulls out the sleek smart-phone from his pocket and within a few seconds, he's on the line to the Chief of Police.

"Chief Daniels? It's Adrian Carter."

"Adrian! What's with the sudden call, boy?"

"There seems to be a situation here, Chief. Your deputy is standing in my office while her team is conducting a search throughout the building. I have tried to tell her she has the wrong address but she's...unconvinced. I was hoping you could talk some sense into your Officer," he sums up.

"What? What the hell is my Deputy doing there? Jesus. Right, okay, let me talk to her. And I'm sorry about this son."

Adrian gives a grunt in response to the apology and strides to the stubborn policewoman with phone held out. He can sense the panic in her deep brown orbs but her face remains in stoic and unapologetic. For some reason Adrian feels his heart strings pluck at seeing the worry deep in her. But he shakes it off; telling himself the reaction is completely illogical. He takes a small step back, analysing the woman in front of him as she is preoccupied being scolded by her superior. The uniform she has on is nothing like the 'sexy' police officer uniforms he's seen on many women before. This one is plain and cut horribly and hides so much of her femininity. Not that she seems to take the effort to look all that feminine. Her face is clean of all make-up and although it's not necessarily needed with her golden tanned skin and cute freckles, Adrian has to admit that sometimes a little bit does make a woman all the more appealing. Even her hair is pulled right back and hidden in a low sleek bun and the standard officers' hat means he can't even see the colour. Though he's unsure as to why exactly he'd want that. There's just...there's just something about her he can't quite place.

Since leaving college Adrian's thirst for plain dirty sex was quenched only to be left feeling slightly hallow. He'd tried long-term relationships but the longest one he'd managed was 1 month before she said it was working out. Nowadays he doesn't bother trying anything other than the occasional booty-call when that frustration builds up too much. However with his brothers all finding their soul-mates, Adrian is forced to himself of his own lack of companianship and it's implications on not only him but also his family.

"Well...It seems there's been a mistake," exhales the Officer clearing her throat. Adrian's attention snaps to her once more, amusement overcoming him as he witnesses the embarrassment clouding her oak eyes.

"Precisely what I've just been saying," responds Ade pocketing the phone from her. The woman starts to roll her eyes but mid-roll she seems to catch herself and remember where and who she is.

"...Yes, I realise that now. I'm sorry for the inconvenience Mr Carter...Good-day," she grits out with some effort. Ade watches as she nods and spins to leave and as upon reflex his hand catches her by the wrist causing her to return to face him.

"Just a second...mate."

Sam's eyes go wide in shock. She hadn't expected him to figure it out so fast. But if he knows what a soul-mate is and he knows that she's his...it can only mean...that he's a werewolf himself. But...for some reason her wolf spirit isn't sense him as a normal werewolf, which is certainly odd. And even odder is the feeling that she has of...bowing to him, to just...submit. And that scares her slightly because Sam Torres never submits to a man, or at least not anymore.

"I don't-I don't know what you're talking about. Now, let go," adamantly states Sam.

However the slight quiver in her voice betrays her and unfortunately for her it doesn't go unnoticed by Adrian. He pulls on her wrist causing her to stumble forward before gaining her balance and tugging at his steel like grip.

"Mister, I mean it, let go," forcefully grunts Sam squirming in the hold while anger fills her. She's never had a long fuse but that doesn't mean she doesn't try to control it. And usually it takes longer than 5 minutes from meeting someone to having her riled up, but shockingly the man in-front of her has managed to do just that.

"Do you know how long I've been searching for my mate?! And you think I'll just let you go?" he rhetorically questions. Sam's heart starts to double its pace, fear slowly seeping through her system. Along with his words the darkening of his eyes also indicate how serious he actually is and that's something Sam has seen countless times on crime thrillers. The dominating psychopaths always sound like that.

Adrian sighs and eases his grip on her wrist, not quite wanting to let go of the soft, tanned skin.

"Sorry, I'm sorry, I didn't mean to sound...so crazy. But I have been waiting for my mate for a long time. And now...It's fate. And we shouldn't waste the opportunity. So why don't you give me your number and we'll go out on a date," he sighs.

Sam stares at him startled.

"No," she states much to his shock.

"No?" he questions.

"No, now let go."

"I can't-"

"Ma'am? May I have a word with you, please? It's urgent," interrupts a voice, it's owner popping his head from the glass doors. Sam mentally sighs in relief, using her opportunity to slip from her mate's hold and escape to through the door. Never had she been gladder to see Briggs.

"Ma'am this really isn't the right place-"

"I know Briggs. Let's go, come on, tell the boys to pack it in and let's get out of here," rushes out Sam still a little freaked by her unexpected encounter with the one person she's been dreading to meet.

Outside with a moment to herself, Sam sighs in relief and frustration at the mess that's just happened. First she gets the building wrong and then charges into the office of some dude who seems to be Chief Daniel's best buddy or something. Not only that but he also happens to be her 'soul-mate'. The very person she's been trying to avoid for all these years, hoping to never meet him. And now, not only is he successful but sexy as sin and unbelievably, he seems to want her. Or rather her as a 'soul-mate'. But Sam knows better than to trust that. Men are like that you see. They start of passionate and appearing to be head over heels with you but enter the blonde with a kick-ass body and a free ticket for the ride; and you'll be left in their dust. And maybe all guys aren't like that but Sam just can't afford to take that risk. Not when things are going so well for her...with the exception of this particular day of course.

As the tall building disappears in the rear-view mirror, Sam tries to forget all about Adrian Carter and refocus her attention on her job.

Adrian however stares down at the fading cop-car as steely determination sets in. He's waited far too long for this woman and he'll be damned if he just let's her go without even so much of a struggle.