Ransom

by Laramie Briscoe

  Renegade comes over to where I stand, which makes me feel better. Just to know I have backup in case I need it. “There’s a bag in the back,” he says low, so that only I hear.

  “You wanna tell me what’s going on here?” I ask him. “Because there’s some stuff that’s not making any sense.”

  “What do you mean?” he questions as he stands in front of me.

  Where my hands are at his wrists, I can feel his pulse beating rapidly and erratically. He’s sweating profusely, and he looks like he’s about to pass out on me. “I ran your plates before I came up to your vehicle. Plates don’t match, you don’t have a license, I smell weed, you’re sweating with the air conditioner wide open in that damn car. Not to mention your pulse is out of this world. What have you got in there?”

  “Nothing.” His tone is defiant, even as he spreads his legs a bit farther apart, trying to assume a stance of not really caring.

  “Be honest with me. If you tell me now, I’ll be able to help you. You don’t tell me and I find shit, I’m gonna be real unhappy.”

  “Nothing,” he says again.

  “Alright bro, I gave you a shot.” I pull him back toward my SUV. “Watch him while I get Rambo?”

  Renegade nods while I reach in, grab Rambo’s leash, and get him prepared to do a search. He can see me outside of the door. He whines loudly, and I can hear him prancing inside. I open the door, snapping his leash on him.

  “C’mon, bub.” I click my tongue. “You ready?”

  He barks loudly as I take him to the front of the car. He’s prancing, shaking his butt, and pawing at the ground. Oh yeah, he’s ready.

  “Let’s find dope.” I pull his leash along the car, then open the door and let him inside. Immediately he goes to the bag, doing his indication of smelling illegal drugs. Pulling tightly on his leash, I drag him off of it and he goes right back to it. “Good boy!” I give him praise as I get him out of the car, and put him back in my SUV.

  “He hit on that bag twice,” I tell the man in front of me. “You wanna tell me what’s in there?”

  “Nothing,” he says again.

  I chuckle, giving him a smile. “Alright, I’m gonna go open it, and when I find whatever’s in there, you’re gonna go to jail. Just remember I tried to help you.”

  As I walk back to the car, I key my radio. “This is Ransom, I need a car with a cage for a pick up on a drug-related charge. Not sure how much it is yet, but Rambo hit on a bag in the vehicle.”

  “Got it, Ransom,” dispatch comes over the line. “Havoc isn’t too far away and he’s got a cage. He’s responding.”

  Nice, I grin. I love working with my dad, even if he doesn’t work every day. “10-4.”

  Putting my gloves on, I drag the bag out of the car and open it. Inside I see more trash bags. “What the fuck?” Carefully I start to unwrap them, only to discover huge baggies of marijuana. Checking the street we’re on, I wonder if this is the shit people have been growing on my family’s land.

  “Bro? Why didn’t you tell me?”

  The guy says absolutely nothing. “Renegade, can you get his info. This bag is full of weed. So far I’m up to ten bags, and still going. These look to be in one-pound increments. I have a feeling there’s more in this car too.”

  As I hear the sirens from what’s undoubtedly my dad responding, I can’t help but smile. This right here is me doing the job I love to do.

  Stella

  “Stop!” I laugh as Kels dances around our living room, Karsyn dancing with her. The two of them are facing away from each other with their asses stuck out, each shaking it like they’re making money off of it. “You’re gonna make me snort.” I grab a pillow throwing it over my face.

  They’re giggling too as they stop and take back their seats. Both of them breathing hard after putting on their exhibition. We’re calming down, turning the TV back on, and trying to stop our laughing.

  “And that-” Karsyn grins, “-is how you shake yo’ ass!”

  I giggle again. “I never said I didn’t know how to shake my ass. I said I didn’t feel comfortable shaking my ass in front of people,” I refer back to the conversation we’d been having about dancing in public. Both Kels and Karsyn agreed they didn’t dance, but they could shake their asses. I had answered with I wasn’t sure I could, and they’d given me a lesson – which I didn’t need.

  “Either way, now you know.” Kels takes a breath and settles back into her seat on our recliner.

  Now, though, the TV show we’d been watching isn’t keeping my attention, not like it had before. Judging by the way the two of them are on their phones it’s not keeping their attention either. I figure now’s the time I need to come clean with the two of them.

  “I talked to Dr. Patterson the other day, and I wanted to tell you two in person, since we work together and you’re a huge part of my life. You know, I’ve been accepted to nursing school. What I haven’t had a chance to tell you all, because of everything going on lately, is I start next semester. Which is in a few weeks. This has all happened so fast, I’ve barely been able to wrap my mind around it myself, but there’s gonna have to be some changes. I’m going to part-time at the clinic. He told me he’d work around my schedule, in the beginning. At some point I’ll have to transfer over to Laurel Springs Medical, to start the student nursing program, but until then he’s okay with me staying on. I hope you two aren’t pissed at me, it’s going to put more work on your shoulders.” I play with the popcorn in my bowl.

  “Oh my God!” Kels screams, as she gets up and runs over to where I sit. “I knew you got accepted, obviously, because we had that cookout. But you’d kept so quiet about it, I wasn’t sure what happened and didn’t want to ask. I’m so excited for you.”

  “Thanks.” I accept the hug she gives me. “Karsyn?”

  “I’m happy for you! I knew you wanted more than what you had.” She throws some popcorn toward me. “But damn girl, you got the boy, the dog, the soon-to-be career. I’m a jealous bitch,” she laughs loudly.

  I laugh along with her as I scroll through Facebook on my phone. I get a notification that Laurel Springs Police Department has added a new photo to their page. I’m always looking to see if it’s my dad, so I can be a proud daughter. However, I’m not prepared for what I see.

  It’s a picture of my dad, along with my boyfriend and Rambo, sitting with more pounds of marijuana than I’ve ever seen in my life. Quickly, I read the caption.

  Huge congratulations to K-9 Rambo and his handler Deputy Ransom Thompson. They initiated a traffic stop tonight, along with Deputy Kepler, that resulted in numerous charges. Driving without a license, fictitious plates, possession with an intent to distribute, and trafficking among other charges. K-9 Rambo discovered 20 pounds of marijuana along with ten thousand dollars in cash and two handguns. The marijuana has a street value of well over $60,000. Good job, bub!

  I’m so proud I want to scream to the rooftops, not to mention my boyfriend is hot as fuck, sitting there with his uniform on, a huge smile on his face, and his dog at his side. “Y’all look at Laurel Springs Police Department page.” I hold up my phone.

  There are squeals all around, until I refresh and see there are already around two hundred comments. Everything from how hot the cop is, how they’d like to be arrested and searched by him, to how cute the dog is. Both the cop and the dog are mine, and I want badly to comment that on the page. But I don’t, instead I grind my back teeth together. Until I see one comment.

  Cutter Thompson: That’s my brother, and he’s single AF, ladies. But many say I’m the younger, cuter one.

  Single AF, my ass.

  Now, I give zero fucks that he told me not to text him with my dad around. I’m pissed. Growling, I get up, texting Ransom that I’ll be over as soon as possible. When I’m done with him, he’ll have marks all over his body that shows anyone who looks he’s most definitely taken.

  Chapter 25

  Ransom

  Stella’s irritated about some
thing and I’m not sure what, but I think I’m moments away from finding out. She’s out of her car and stomping toward where I’m standing on the back porch, waiting for Rambo to finish his business.

  “You okay, babe?”

  She doesn’t answer, causing nervousness to sit deep in my gut. “Rambo, come on.” I tap my thigh for him. He runs up the deck, waiting for me to let him into the house. Still she doesn’t say anything. Which makes me warier of her than I was of the guy at the traffic stop earlier. “You’re kinda starting to scare me.”

  Finally, she faces me, putting her hands on her hips. I can see that brain of hers working. “You’re mine, handsome.”

  Oookay… “Of course I am.”

  “All those ladies commenting on your picture on Facebook, they can fuck right off.”

  I can’t help it, I laugh, before letting Rambo in the house. He hurries to his food dish, which I filled up prior to bringing him outside. The two of us just got home a few minutes ago, and all I’ve had time to do so far is take my shoes off, my vest off, and secure my weapon. I haven’t been able to take my belt and thigh holsters off yet. I leave the sliding door open for him, so he can come back out after he eats. “Those women just like to look at men. They’re badge chasers, that’s all, and they ain’t got shit on you, babe.”

  “Damn right they don’t.”

  If someone was to ask me later, I’d be honest and tell them I didn’t see her coming. Even as she walks toward me, those hips of hers sway with a purpose. I’m just hoping I can keep up with her. Her hands hit against my chest, those fingers of hers flex in the cotton of my t-shirt before she pushes hard against my weight, knocking me off balance, making me fall against the cushions of the outside couch on my deck. It’s almost embarrassing how quickly the next situation happens. It feels like it’s the blink of an eye, she’s slipped my cuffs out and has my wrists bound, hooking the cuffs over the metal arm of the couch. Jerking my hands, I realize she’s got me, and I’m not going anywhere. Stella straddles me, her hands pushing up the cotton of my t-shirt.

  Rambo must have heard the cuffs, thinking we’re going back to work. “Leave,” I command. He looks at me, whines, and then goes back inside.

  “Stelle?” I’m slightly nervous, a whole lot turned on.

  “Don’t worry, handsome. When I’m done with you, there’s going to be zero question as to whether your single as fuck or not.”

  “Single as fuck? Babe what are you talking about? You’re gonna have to clue me in.”

  “Cutter,” she continues. “Commented on the Facebook post about your drug bust. Congrats to the both of you, by the way.” She smirks, but there’s a seriousness in her gaze. “Cutter told all the women commenting about how hot you are, that you’re I quote, ‘single as fuck’. And since we both know that’s not true, I’m here to claim what’s mine.”

  Goddamn Cutter. But as she situates herself on my lap and bends her head to take my nipple in her mouth, I’m torn between cursing his big mouth or thanking him for being a nosey little prick. “Fuck.” My groan is guttural, my dick is hard, and my head is spinning. “Shit…” I gasp. “What?” I grunt loudly as she unhooks my belt, throwing it down on the deck before unbuttoning and unzipping my tactical pants, pushing them down to my knees.

  “You’re so damn hot.” Her voice is soft, needy as she runs her hands up and down my stomach. “I’m not a jealous person.” She leans down again.

  “Of course you’re not.” I want desperately to run my fingers through her hair, but the only thing I can do is grip the metal my cuffs are wrapped around. I fucking move the couch with the force of my grip as she latches her teeth into my flesh. “Yes, fucking bite me.” I fight to open my eyes against the pleasure, looking up at the cloudy night sky.

  “Just don’t wanna share you, handsome.”

  “Don’t wanna share you either.” I lick my lips, biting down hard as I feel her fingers gripping the hard length of my cock. “Pull it out, fuck me, Stelle. Don’t make me wait.”

  “Never.” The motion of her moving my boxer briefs down is almost enough to take me there.

  Tonight she’s wearing a dress, but I couldn’t tell you what she did with her panties, whether she wore them or not, but it’s killing me not to see what’s going on under the length of her skirt as she slides down on me. “Ride me, Stelle, fucking ride me.”

  Her nails are digging deeply into the flesh of my stomach as she rocks against me. “God, you feel good.” She breathes deeply, throwing her head back as her nails rake against my abs.

  “Always feels good. Between us it’s always almost too much.” I toss my head back and forth, straining against the cuffs.

  “Never too much,” she argues, leaning down, nipping at my flesh, sucking and flicking her tongue here and there. I have no doubt she’s marked me, just like she promised to do.

  “Gonna come, Stelle, gonna come,” I warn her. I can’t wait much longer. She’s blowing my mind, doing everything I love, not to mention we’re on my fucking back deck. Anyone of my neighbors could hear this, especially with the way we’re rocking the couch against the wooden planks. It’s hot by itself, but to see her take me, because she wants others to know I’m hers? Hot as fuck.

  “Me too,” she whines, biting down on my neck as I feel her tighten against my length, her wetness against my groin, and the sharpness of her teeth as her body twitches.

  It’s right then that I let go, cursing loudly, grunting my satisfaction, and if I’m not mistaken, I let out a yell. Fuck if she hasn’t blown my mind. It’s a long time before we come back to ourselves, and that’s when I hear Stelle make a noise in the back of her throat.

  “Handsome, I’m sorry.” She gives me a look of regret.

  “Why?” I try to move my arms, to wrap them around her, but I’m still cuffed. “Can you let me go? Keys are in my belt.”

  As she gets off of me, I look down, she’s scratched me so hard I’m bleeding, but I can’t seem to make myself care. I’ll wear these badges with honor. As she releases my wrists, I catch her by hers. “Hey, don’t ever apologize for showing me how much you want me. It was hot.”

  She grins. “It was, wasn’t it?”

  “I’m afraid to ask.” I sit up, rubbing against the chaffed skin. “But I need to know how you learned to handle cuffs like that.”

  She rolls her eyes. “You should ask your ride-along buddy tonight. He made sure I knew how to take down a man seven different ways before my tenth birthday. Mom got me tickets to Alabama, Dad gave me self-defense lessons.”

  I chuckle as I think about Renegade taking care of his baby girl.

  “I don’t know about you, but I’m ready to get you in my bed. I’m a little too old for this couch.”

  She giggles. “Did you happen to do my laundry I left here the other day?”

  As I get up, I wrap my arms around her. “Yeah Stelle, you’ve got clean clothes, and even if you didn’t, there’s no way I’m letting you leave me tonight. I’m sleeping with you next to me, and you’re waking up with my slight snore in your ear.”

  She giggles again. “You’re lucky I like you.”

  “You wouldn’t have it any other way.” I pick her up, loving the squeal that escapes her mouth.

  “You’re right, I wouldn’t.”

  And that’s what makes her the best girlfriend ever.

  Chapter 26

  Ransom

  “How are things going with him?” Tucker, the K-9 trainer, asks me as Rambo and I get to the training field later on in the week.

  “Good, he had that huge drug bust the other day, and a couple weeks ago, he grabbed a guy out of the woods. There’s slight problems I have with him when I need him to pay attention and we aren’t on a call,” I admit. “But I think as he gets a little older and a bit more used to me it’s not going to be that bad.”

  “I agree, he’s kind of at the age a teenager would be.” Tucker rubs Rambo’s head and gives him a few soft commands. “So he’s probably trying to
test his boundaries. Unless it becomes a problem on calls, I’d let it go.” Tucker grins as Rambo licks his hand. “He’s a great dog, even if he’s a little hyper.”

  “A little?” I laugh loudly as Rambo gets up and chases his tail. “He wants to play at weird times in the morning.” I shake my head. “Like four a.m., it’s ridiculous.”

  Tucker laughs along with me. “He’ll learn. Like I said, he’s trying to test his boundaries. Just keep proving you’re the alpha and there won’t be any problems.”

  “What are we working on today?”

  “With the amount of stops you’ve been having lately, I want to actively work on the both of you going after different suspects. I’m gonna wear a bite suit, and I got a friend of mine riding shotgun. You go for the passenger, send Rambo after me.”

  This is my favorite kind of training, because it’s the most realistic to what may happen to the two of us out in the field. Inevitably, there will be another time when I have to go after someone and I’ll need Rambo to go after another subject. The two of us work as a team, and we’ve got to be a well-oiled machine.

  Getting him in the back, I get in the driver’s side, wait for the other two to get ready and then turn my lights on and chase them around the driving course located near the K-9 training course. We reach speeds of over eighty, so it’s very true to life. I don’t know when Tucker will stop the car and bail. When he does, he’s actually taken me by surprise. Getting out, I open Rambo’s door, release him and yell at him to get him, as I run after the passenger.

  When I’ve secured the passenger, I glance over, seeing Rambo with Tucker down on the ground. “Come get him off of me,” Tucker yells as I jog toward them.

  It’s important for me to be the one to get Rambo to release his grip; even if Tucker is the K-9 trainer, Rambo has to listen to me. I grab him by the collar, step over him, and grip his sides with my knees, telling him to stop. It takes a few times, but he lets go, and that’s when I give him the praise he’s learned means he’s done a good job.