Deviated

by Schmidt, Esther E.

  By the time we get there I’m overly frustrated, have a major headache, and I’m still very pissed at Cullen. Yet, I long to feel his arms wrapped around me. I did mention I’m highly frustrated, right? Ganza and my father walk in front of me as we stalk toward the building. Jackson opens the door for us, and his eyes go slightly wide when he notices me.

  “We found her,” my dad states. “Mind keeping that detail quiet, and have your guys in a room where we can talk? Oh, and I do hope you have Lex still detained.”

  “Of course, Lex is still detained,” Jackson snaps. “We don’t let anyone walk out without a thorough check. Wait in there, I’ll round everyone up.”

  The three of us slip inside a large, but completely empty room. It doesn’t take long for Mark, Jackson, Liam, and Cullen to stroll inside.

  “Ben is still talking with Lex, we didn’t want to stop questioning him because we’re pushing to see if he spills some details concerning his brother,” Cullen says and he comes to an abrupt stop when his eyes lock with mine.

  “You’re here. You’re safe,” he states.

  Cullen pushes his way through everyone to get to me. His hands cup my face and anger washes over his features when his thumb slides over my eyebrow, making me wince.

  “What happened? Are you hurt anywhere else?” His voice is filled with concern as his gaze slides over me to double check.

  He’s fussing over me and it makes me feel awkward being the only woman here while we have urgent things to worry about.

  “I’m fine,” I tell him and rip my head from his hands while all I want to do is press myself against him and feel the safety of his body enveloping mine.

  “No, you’re not,” he whispers underneath his breath. “Can we have a moment here?” he throws over his shoulder.

  “No, we don’t need a moment,” I start to sputter but the room is already empty. “Great, now you make me seem like a weak woman who—” I don’t get to finish my sentence because his mouth crashes over mine as he wraps his strong arms around me and drags me against his body.

  I actually sigh in surrender and relish in the fact I’m safely in his arms. I should be angry and push him away but I simply can’t. Every time this man touches me, I feel like the earth stops spinning and I’m rooted into life the way it’s destined to be.

  My hands fist in his shirt and I try to pull myself closer. Our tongues are frantically caressing, and in this moment, there are no other matters pulling at us at every turn. There’s only me and Cullen, the electricity sparking in our veins and the frantic desire to make sure we’re alive and consume the pull between one another.

  He rips his mouth away from mine and connects our foreheads. “Are you sure you’re okay?” His eyes bounce between mine to see if I’m giving him the truth.

  The fear and concern in his eyes warm my chest because this isn’t about a case he’s working on, nor is it about my family or those connected to me; his complete focus is on me as a person, as a woman. His woman. The one he obviously cares a lot about since his eyes are overflowing with adoration and it’s as if it’s only a glimpse of the emotions coursing through him.

  I cup his face and gently slide my nose against his. “I’m fine, stop worrying. Now get those guys back in here before they get weird ideas in their heads.”

  “I don’t care,” he growls. “You’re mine.”

  His words slide over me and the many times I’ve heard bikers throw out their claims I never completely understood the need, but hearing Cullen voicing them to me lights up my whole body.

  I try not to swoon and instead roll my eyes. “Okay, now you’re just blabbering in the heat of the moment things. Calm your cojones. I’m still breathing, I’m still angry at you, and we’re still in a shitstorm.”

  His head tips back and laughter rips out until he gazes at me with a truckload of heat. “Don’t ever change.”

  “Pretty sure I will always stay locked on crazy,” I murmur.

  His hands slide to my face and he feathers his lips over mine. “Perfect,” he says and pulls back completely. He perches his hands on his hips and demands in a fierce tone. “Now tell me everything that happened.”

  I mimic his pose and snap, “Mind letting in the others so I don’t have to repeat myself?”

  The corner of his mouth twitches and he stalks over to the door to let the others inside.

  Ganza snickers, points at his own face, and says, “You missed a little lipstick there, Cullen.”

  Cullen gives him a hard stare. “My woman isn’t the type to wear lipstick on the job, asshole.”

  I can’t help but grin at Cullen’s quick reply.

  My dad smacks Ganza on the back of his head. “He’s smarter than you think, and you don’t have to test him. My daughter doesn’t fall for any idiot that comes her way.”

  Mark is leaning against the wall with his arms crossed in front of his chest while wearing a proud grin.

  “Ganza,” my father snaps. “Can you switch with Ben? I know you guys want to keep the pressure going but Ganza already knows what Esmee is about to tell you guys and Ben needs to hear it too.”

  They nod and we wait until Ben finally strolls into the room and closes the door behind him. Time to shift the attention back to the case at hand.

  I take a deep breath and tell them, “I think Lex killed his twin and is also the serial killer we’ve been looking for.”

  The silence in the room is deafening as all eyes land on me.

  Chapter Twelve

  CULLEN

  I can feel the vein on the side of my head pumping blood as my blood pressure skyrockets. The words Esmee just voiced sound insane and yet my gut tells me they ring true. I hate to be the one to ask, but I have to.

  “Did you find any hard evidence? Anything to link him to one or some of the women or his brother for that matter?” I make sure she sees and hears it clear in my voice that I support her but also need to go down the formal route.

  “I think there’s one way that gives us the physical evidence we need to show he’s not innocent,” she says, and I have to wonder what she means by this.

  “And that would be?” Jackson asks from behind me.

  Esmee’s eyes slide to his. “When I stepped into the elevator there was a guy standing near me. He seemed familiar but it didn’t click right then and there because I was distracted.”

  “And that was my fault,” I curse underneath my breath, realizing again she was hurt because of me.

  She steps closer and laces her fingers with mine. Such a small gesture and yet in a room filled with the men I appreciate it more than anything. With Esmee fighting tooth and nail to gain her place in this man’s world it’s a huge damn statement. One that makes my chest swell with pride while warmth spreads all over.

  I give our joined hands a little squeeze and she continues. “There were some words back and forth until I felt a sting in my neck. Quickly I became woozy and fought him as well as my body.”

  Anger courses through me and the only thing keeping me rooted is Esmee as she gives my hand another squeeze.

  Deeds takes over as he says, “She managed to get a few jabs in. He had to have injuries, bad enough to draw blood. Ganza took samples and we had a prospect swing by to take them to the lab.”

  I cup the side of her face, not caring who is standing here with me in the room because by now it’s clear for everyone Esmee is mine. And if it wasn’t, I will make sure everyone knows when all of this is behind us because I am not letting her walk out on me again.

  “Do you know where? How you injured him? And how did you manage to get away?” I realize all too well I should have kept my calm and let her finish her story but I never in a million years thought I’d have a woman who would balance the fine line of hazards that comes with a job we do.

  Yet she proves again how well trained she is while she’s standing here telling us what happened.

  “My pocket knife,” she says, and I know she keeps it on her keys. “I had it in my
hands, flipped it open and jabbed him three times. I must have hit his side, I’m sure I felt it sink in. We could check his body for injuries.”

  My father pushes away from the wall. “Sounds good to me, let’s check this asshole.”

  There’s a crashing sound, glass shattering while curses ring out from everyone in this room.

  “The two-way mirror,” Jackson grunts and runs out of the room.

  We all follow him and see how the door to the interrogation room is wide open. Stepping inside we see the mirror is shattered and in the other room is a body.

  “Fuck,” Deeds bellows and runs for the next room.

  Esmee dashes off and there’s a split second of doubt if I should follow Deeds, but my dad jogs off that way as the rest of us follow Esmee. I’m right behind her when the door at the end of the hallway slowly closes, indicating someone just went through there.

  Esmee kicks the door open and is holding her Glock as I’m also palming mine, everyone else is doing the same behind me. My gaze swings around when we stalk outside but the whole space is empty. Esmee glances back and points at her eyes and then at the building on the left. She points at someone standing behind me and gives the order for them to go into the other direction.

  Everyone follows her instructions as we split up and round the building from opposite sides. She gives a quick look around the corner again but this time she curses loud and jogs away. My heart leaps and I jolt forward to see her running toward Jackson, Ben, and Liam.

  “He never went outside. He tricked us,” she seethes and grabs the doorknob.

  Jackson stops her. “Think first,” he tells her. “You two double back and we’ll go through the front. My guess would be the guy figured out we’re on to him. If Lex is still inside, he’s determined to kill whoever stands in his way to get out of here alive. Clearly, the man is out of options since we’re onto him.”

  She gives him a tight nod and jogs past me but grunts, “Come on, this way.”

  I blindly follow her and there’s not one hair on my head demanding for her to get behind me. Though it would be comforting to stand between her and danger but that’s not who she is or who I sealed inside my heart.

  Shit. The realization hits me that I’ve already fallen deeply for her. Shitty timing for sure because I can hardly tell her those words now. Even if I did, she would probably think I voiced it for the “It’s now or never we might die,” situation.

  So, I keep my mouth shut and follow her inside. Voices are snapping through the air and I can make out my father’s voice along with Lex.

  “You’re aware this will get you nowhere, right?” my dad says.

  Lex’s humorless laugh flows through the air. “I wouldn’t say that, Mark. Don’t you see how easy you guys made it for me, bringing not one but three of those Broken Deeds MC scums in here? They will take the blame for everything while I can be the one who exposes them for being tainted criminals and save the day.”

  “You’re fucking delusional, asshole,” Deeds growls.

  “Not helping, man,” my dad grumbles and his eyes land on mine as I inch closer.

  He gives a little shake of his head and I curse inside my head. This little warning means he doesn’t see an option for me to interfere and I have to wait. Jackson, Liam, and Ben are on the opposite side of the hallway and I repeat the tiny shake my father just gave me so they too are aware they need to stay put.

  A shot rings out and a grunt right after. Esmee dashes up and rapidly fires three rounds and I’m right behind her as I see them impact Lex, knocking him back until he slumps to the floor. She quickly tucks away her Glock and runs toward Deeds.

  My father is pressing down on his shoulder while blood seeps through his fingers. I hear Jackson’s voice snapping orders into a phone, demanding an ambulance. I stalk over to Lex and squat down, keeping my Glock aimed right between his lifeless eyes as I check to make sure he’s dead.

  When I don’t find a pulse, I can safely put my Glock away and check on Deeds who is giving Esmee a small grin. “Hey, at least I didn’t get shot in the hand this time.”

  Looks like the bullet went straight through his shoulder, most definitely not life threatening though he needs to go to the hospital.

  “Mom will be just as mad,” she scolds but I can tell her eyes hold a small twinkle of relief.

  “Ganza?” Deeds bellows. “You still breathing, brother?”

  “No,” he snaps from behind the wall with the shattered mirror.

  “That’s good,” Deeds chuckles. “I was starting to worry there.”

  “Asshole,” Ganza grumbles.

  Luckily it doesn’t take long for the ambulance to arrive. Esmee makes a call and there are three different black SUVs arriving within a few minutes, taking over but I have to see something with my own eyes.

  I stalk over to Lex’s body and jerk his shirt up revealing his stomach and side. There is a large bandage and I rip it away to see three cuts the size of Esmee’s pocketknife. I swallow hard and fight an inner turmoil not to kick this asshole’s dead body. I can’t believe I worked with him for years while all along he was killing women.

  I feel tiny fingers wrap around my wrist and Esmee’s voice coming from beside me. “Come on, we need to get out of here.”

  I mindlessly nod and let her pull me away. There are so many things going through my head, but one thing I know for sure; the report I’m writing will hold yet again my vision of the gut-wrenching reality of my experiences. Yet this time my horizon has expanded, allowing me to see truth and reason in a whole new light, and I’m dead set to include all of it.

  * * *

  THREE WEEKS LATER

  “And you’re sure he’s the one who killed Miles?” I question.

  Esmee slides the file she was keeping in front of her toward me, tapping it with her finger. “There is a pile of evidence obtained from the storage locker Ganza found that was in Lex’s name. He buried it deep, though not deep enough for Ganza to find it.” There’s a gorgeous grin tugging her lips until it slightly falters. “Can you believe he cut up his own brother into chunks, wrapped them into garbage bags and kept all of it in a freaking freezer? Those parts have been in there for years and back then Lex wasn’t too keen with precautions since his fingerprints were all over.”

  “I’m still trying to wrap my mind around the fact one of my superiors...a guy I thought was my friend...turned out to be a serial killer. One who tried to hurt the one I— ” I barely manage to catch myself and clear my throat and add, “The one I care deeply about.”

  Yeah, that sounds better than “the one I love” because that would freak her out and let her hightail right out of here. The night we came back from the hospital after her father was shot, we went back to my cabin and she never left. Meaning we’ve been sleeping there every single night and only went by her house every few days to pick up some of her stuff.

  I would ask her to move in with me but little by little she already has. Though, I’ve been noticing these last few days that she gets bored easily now that the case is completely closed.

  She really needs the cases she takes on every now and then and I haven’t heard yet what she intends to do now that her brother has fully taken over Broken Deeds MC. And with the report I filed—along with their excellent work in solving this case—they are all cleared once again to take on new cases.

  “You care deeply about me, huh?” She smirks. “Would you still care deeply about me if I told you I signed a contract today? One where I get to work on dangerous missions? Well, obviously not all the time, but I could be.”

  My chest tightens a bit due to her words but I push down the worry she obviously tries to draw out of me and simply state, “I’m confident enough to know you can handle anything life throws at you.”

  “Good,” Esmee quips with mischief in her eyes. “Because I just accepted the job Twilight offered me.”

  “Twilight?” I choke. “As in my dad? My father offered you a job? One you accepted?”r />
  “Twilight, aka Mark. Oh, and Muff, Hulk, Dreamboat, should I go on reciting others? I know all about them, their call signs, the company, everything. It’s probably why he was so eager to offer me a job. Best thing? I can do most from home and get to do all the legwork myself to present a case they will pick up. Puzzles, I get to solve puzzles and put my mind to work. Officially. I’m one of the team.” The smile she shoots me lights up my heart and my whole damn world along with it. “I can only hope they don’t give me one of those fluffy call signs, because being called Princess for years on end was only fun and adorable when I was little.”

  I can’t help but tease her. “Oh, I don’t know, maybe your new boss can come up with something more suiting. Yeah, I think I can. I’m going with Spitfire. Your eyes flame up when I call you that, so I’m sure it’ll be a good choice.”

  Her forehead scrunches up adorably. “What?”

  “Your new boss. Me. Seeing my dad is retiring, I’ll be the one taking over.”

  Her eyes go wide but then utter joy fills her face. “Wait, what? They just hired me; how can they retire?”

  I shrug. “They’re not exactly retiring. They’re stepping back and asked me to take over most of their tasks. I accepted because after everything that happened it made me change my point of view about a lot of things. I feel the need for a different challenge while still feeling like I’m in a spot where I can make a change, keep order, and still work for the government from time to time.”

  Her eyes narrow. “It sure sounds like they are retiring. Why the sudden change? And you, you’re walking away from the CIA, just like that?”

  “Cole Security Forces still would require me to be out of the country from time to time but to be honest, I like the prospect to be in once place. Consistency.” I clear my throat and mutter, “And to be closer to you. If anything, what these last few weeks have taught me is the fact I liked being together…working together.”