“Excellent,” Ranger says, looking like he wants to escape. He never told me his name, but when Faye texted me, she said I’d be meeting with Ranger. What kind of name is that anyway? How’d he get it?
“I’ll call you and let you know how it goes,” I say when he stays silent. “Will you let me know if you find anything else?”
He nods once, throws some money on the table . . . for my coffee? Then stands and leaves before I can protest, my mouth open, about to tell him that I can pay for myself. He didn’t even have anything to drink, and he left a twenty-dollar bill.
Who exactly is this man?
• • •
The next day, I decide to call Faye instead of Ranger with the bad news. Another girl has gone missing—the same one from the video footage. I let the police know what we found out, and place some undercover cops in the area. Why didn’t we think to stake out the bar? Sure, I went there a few times, but I didn’t set up cameras. How did the club even set up the video surveillance? Never mind—I don’t want to know. These bikers think that the law doesn’t apply to them, that they have their own set of rules, but this time it benefited the case, and possibly will save lives, so how can I complain? I just want my cousin back, and the truth is that I’d lie, cheat, and steal to make that a reality.
With the bar now under surveillance, hopefully we catch one of the men involved and can bring him in for questioning. Until then, I’m pushing the media to share Elizabeth’s face. I want everyone to be looking for her, and maybe, hopefully, someone has seen her, so we’ll know in which direction to look. I tap my fingers on my desk impatiently, wondering where my time will be best spent today. Lucky the sheriff is a friend of the family. Because of that, she’s giving me more leeway with this case than she would any other officer.
“Jo,” Travis, my partner, calls out as he approaches my desk. He’s dressed in his uniform, his brown hair spiked up like it usually is. He wipes his brow with his hand. “Fuck, it’s hot outside.”
“I know,” I say, forcing a small smile. “Sorry I couldn’t go with you today. Was everything okay?”
“Yeah,” he says, blue eyes softening. “Any leads on Elizabeth?”
“Not yet,” I say, shoulders hunching. “Time is running out, you know? I just feel like if we don’t find someone ASAP, we never will.”
“Don’t give up just yet,” he says, moving behind me and gently massaging my shoulders. “Her face is all over the news. Someone has to have spotted her at some point.”
I nod, but I don’t feel so confident.
What if I never find her?
Travis has met Elizabeth a few times—he’s basically like family to me. I remember her asking how come I never dated him, because he is a good-looking man. He has a perfect build, a handsome face, and charisma that attracts women by the thousands, but to me he’s just my good friend and partner, someone who I trust inexplicably to have my back and vice versa. I’ve seen how women throw themselves at him, and it amuses me. He’s a good man though, and an even better cop. Yes, he asked me out once, when we first became partners, but I turned him down and now we pretend it never happened.
“That’s what I’m banking on,” I say, standing up and turning to face him. “All right, I need to get shit done. You coming?”
He nods. “Whatever you need, especially if you’re going to meet that hot lawyer chick.”
I laugh at his description of Faye. “You want to die, don’t you?”
“I’m not scared of those fucking bikers,” he mutters, lips tightening to a thin line.
“They’re not scared of you either,” I point out, feeling amused.
“I laugh in the face of danger.”
I stop, eyes widening. “Did you just quote The Lion King?”
He wraps his arm around me and leads me outside. “I’m just playing. I’d never go for a biker chick. Could you imagine? A biker and a cop?”
I have to agree with him on this one. The biker lifestyle is a criminal one; it really is like they live in a world of their own creation. I follow the law, and it’s my job to uphold it. The only cops who associate themselves with bikers are dirty. I’ve never heard of an innocent friendship between the two. Faye seems to be the exception, but even then, I’m wary. Bikers are rebellious and don’t like authority.
We are the authority.
“Sounds like a recipe for disaster,” he adds, shaking his head. Ranger’s too-handsome-for-his-own-good face flashes before my eyes.
I couldn’t agree more.
• • •
Two days later, we hit a lucky break. We get one of the men from the surveillance video in custody, and someone phones in with a sighting of my cousin. It’s everything I hoped for, giving me something to work with. She was spotted about one thousand miles from here, so I’m taking the next flight out. The con? Ranger is coming with me. I don’t know why Faye isn’t; all I was told is that she’s unable to leave at this time.
I don’t really understand why Faye is involved at all, to be honest, but for whatever reason, the feds put her on the case. I have to admit, I’m curious about this woman. Essentially she’s a criminal with a law degree, but the feds think she’s useful to them. Maybe they need her biker contacts and influence. The worst part is now I’m going to be stuck with Ranger, on the flight, in a car . . . we’re pretty much going to be living out of each other’s pockets. I don’t know why I need him anyway. The local police will help, and without his club at his back, just how useful is he? Why is he working on this case? Or any case?
I don’t have time to argue about it though. I need to get over there as soon as possible before we lose one of the only leads we have. As I throw some clothes in a duffel bag, my phone beeps with a text from an unknown number:
Meet you at the airport in an hour.
Ranger?
Must be.
I reply with a simple Okay, then continue to throw things into my case like a madwoman. I can’t deal with Ranger right now.
Elizabeth, hold on.
FIVE
Ranger
“I DON’T see why you can’t come,” I grumble, slamming my suitcase closed. “You’re the one who dragged me into this.”
“Please. You got involved in this because you know Elizabeth, not because of me,” Faye replies, lifting her chin. “You’re one of the only men here who has no problem saying no to me.” She pauses and grins. “Don’t worry, I’ll grow on you.”
When I continue to stare at her silently, unimpressed, she says, “I can’t just up and leave, Ranger. I have two children, and we don’t know how long you’ll have to stay out there. I can come up for a few days or even a week if you want, but there’s no way I’ll be able to last longer than that without seeing my kids. Besides, you don’t need me there to hold your hand. Is this about Jo? She’s cute, right?”
I narrow my gaze on her. “I haven’t noticed anything besides the badge she wears.”
A lie.
Faye smirks, stepping to my suitcase and locking it. “Even I noticed that she’s a babe. Great ass, right?”
“Faye,” I snap, not having the time to deal with her shit right now. “I better leave or I’ll miss my flight.”
“Who’s driving you?” she asks, leaning against my bedroom wall.
Not you, I think to myself.
“I don’t know. Where’s Talon? He can take me,” I say, lifting up the suitcase. Faye hands me the little key for the lock and I put it in my pocket. “Thanks.”
“Why do you want Talon to take you? Don’t you think you should get to know the other men too? I’m sure Rake or Tracker can take you. They’re sitting outside doing nothing right now.”
“It’s just a ride to the airport, Faye,” I grumble. “Where’s Shayla?”
I feel comfortable around Vinnie’s woman, because she’s Talon’s cousin and I’ve been around her multiple times before.
“Exactly, it’s just a ride,” she says infuriatingly. I ignore her presence and walk to th
e door, but she runs up next to me.
“I’m worried about you.”
“Don’t be,” I tell her, softening my tone.
“Do you like it here? Are you happy?” she continues, the concern in her tone sincere.
I stop and face her. “Sweetie, let me find Elizabeth, and then we can have this discussion. Deal?”
She nods. “Okay.”
“Good.”
Luckily for me, Talon is out front, waiting for me.
“You ready to go?” he asks, getting into the club’s black four-wheel drive.
I nod and look down at Faye, lean forward, and kiss her on the top of her head. She’s a pain in the ass, but she’s right, she is growing on me. “Stay out of trouble.”
“Find her,” she says. “And be safe. I know you can do this.”
Is she a motivational speaker now too?
I put my suitcase in the back and then slide into the passenger’s seat. Loud music flares, but Talon lowers it. I spare him a thankful glance.
He grins as he starts to exit the parking lot. “Sounds like Faye’s music.”
I make a sound of agreement.
Talon laughs, then turns serious. “Are you sure you don’t want me to come with you? You say the word and I’m there.”
“I’ll be fine. I’m just making sure the cops are doing everything they can. There’s nothing you can do to help. Stay with your woman and your kid.”
Talon has his own little family now: his woman, Tia, and her son, Rhett, who he’s taken on as his own. Talon might have been the Wild Men president, but being part of the Wind Dragons seems to be working out for him really well. I’ve never seen him so happy.
“I know you can handle yourself. Just know that I’m here if you need me.”
“I know,” I say, and I do. “I really want to find her, you know? Even though I’m not keen on working with this cop.”
“No shit,” Talon says, groaning. “Fuck, never thought I’d see the day. Be careful. You know you can never trust them.”
“I know,” I say, leaning my head back against the headrest. “We’re going to have to just deal with each other and work as a team, forget the cop and biker shit until we find Elizabeth.”
“Easier said than done,” Talon says, gripping the steering wheel. “But you’re right. I really hope you find her, brother. I know she meant something to you.”
“Yeah,” I say softly. “She did.”
And she does.
Not finding her isn’t an option.
• • •
She’s sitting at the gate when I see her.
I drop into the seat next to her. She’s wearing a blue top, jeans, and pink-and-black sneakers. She looks fuckin’ adorable, and it annoys me. I shouldn’t think she’s adorable. I shouldn’t think she’s anything except someone I’ve called a temporary cease-fire on. We’re on the same team for now, but as soon as we’re done here, things will go back to normal. We’ll step back onto our opposite sides and pretend we never knew each other.
“Finally decided to show up, hey?” she murmurs, not bothering to look up from the magazine she’s flipping through. She doesn’t have any polish on her nails—they’re just short and blunt—but her fingers and hands are still pretty and feminine.
“It’s a domestic flight, no need to be hours early,” I decide to point out.
She glances at her watch. “Cutting it a little close, don’t you think? I’d rather be early than take any chances. I want to get there as soon as possible.”
Yeah, I almost missed the flight, but she doesn’t need to know that.
“What are you reading?” I ask her, relaxing in the chair, stretching my legs out. “How to be a feminist in 2017?”
She smirks, but I don’t get a rise out of her. She simply ignores me, which makes me want to push her more. Get a reaction out of her. What makes her tick?
What is she like in bed?
I shake my head as if that will get rid of that thought. Fuck, my mind doesn’t need to go there. Nope, not at all.
“You going to be quiet the whole trip?” I prod, wanting her to speak. “Do we have a plan for when we get there?”
She closes her magazine, which is actually Guns & Ammo.
I get hard.
Fuck.
“We need to liaise with the local police there. They’re expecting us. Well, at least they’re expecting me.”
“Didn’t tell them you’re bringing along an outlaw biker with you?” I tease, grinning at my own comment.
“No,” she simply says, turning her body toward me. “I think I’m just going to surprise them with that one.” Then she mutters under her breath, “I’m sure they’ll be just as thrilled as I was.”
I grunt in agreement. I can’t pretend like I was looking forward to this, but that was before I saw her. I scrub my hand down my face. No. Her looks don’t change the fact that she’s a cop, and I can’t ever go there. Not only would I never be able to trust a cop, but I’d lose respect in my world for fraternizing with the enemy.
“What, don’t you like Faye?” I ask her, twisting her words around a little. “I’ll be sure to pass on the message to the woman who is helping find your cousin when she doesn’t have to.”
Her eyes narrow to slits. “I wasn’t talking about Faye, and you know it.”
Her lips.
They’re flawless. Heart-shaped and the perfect size. I’d like nothing more than to close the space between us and taste them. Why don’t I ever want something that’s good for me? I never seem to choose the easy route. Maybe easy is boring. Maybe I’m just a person who can never get what he wants without a fight.
I’m okay with that. I fought to leave the trailer park where I grew up, to become something, even though it may not seem like I became someone to be proud of, but in my mind, I did. When my mom was alive, she was so proud that I was in college. She never lived to see me graduate, but I know it would have been the happiest day of her life. Would she want me to be a biker instead of using those three degrees? Probably not. But it is what it is, and I am what I am. I joined the Wild Men right before I finished college. They became my family, and I never looked back, using any skills I gained in school as an asset to the club. I made them money with investments and playing in the stock market, shit like that. I didn’t need to get a “real” job.
“We’re going to have to get along until we find her,” I say, offering her my hand. “Why don’t we call a truce for now?”
We’re here for one reason, and that’s to find Elizabeth. Yes, I’m attracted to Johanna, but it’s not like I’m going to act on it. I’m a grown man, and I can control myself.
I think.
She eyes my hand for a second before placing her small one in mine. “So I’m not a cop, and you’re not a biker? We’re just—”
“Ranger and Johanna.”
She nods and lets go of my hand, even though I don’t want her to. The airline personnel call us to board, and I follow behind her, wondering what the fuck I’m getting myself into.
• • •
I’m not a small man, so when I see that Faye put me in business class, I send her a little prayer of thanks. Johanna sits right next to me, and even though we just declared a truce, I kind of wish she was seated somewhere else, because she’s a distraction I’m trying to avoid, and it’s hard when she’s so damn close. I guess I better get used to it though. Still, if we were in economy I’d be pressed up against her, and now we have space between us. I catch her glancing over at me but pretend that I don’t notice it. Maybe I should pretend I’m asleep or something. Fuck it, I’ll just watch a movie. I’m about to put on my headphones when she speaks.
“Ranger?”
“Yeah,” I say, turning my head to the right and looking into her eyes. Her beauty hits me. Fuck, she’s stunning.
She wrings her hands together, then winces. “I’m not a very good flier.”
I sit up straighter. “What do you mean you’re not a good flier? Do you
get sick?”
“Sometimes,” she admits, the color leaving her face as the plane starts to move. “I usually just feel nauseous and drowsy. Light-headed.”
I undo my seat belt, get up, and crouch in front of her seat. I know I’m not meant to, and I’m about to get told off, but I can’t exactly leave her to suffer. Fuck the rules. “You’re only mentioning this now? Isn’t there some motion-sickness medicine or something you can take?”
“No, no, I’m fine,” she says, forcing a smile. “I’m only telling you in case I pass out.”
My eyes widen. “Pass out? Fuckin’ fuck, Johanna! Should I call a flight attendant? I’m sure they’ll have something that will help you.”
She shakes her head. “I’m fine. I shouldn’t have said anything.”
She waves me off, even though I can see she’s not feeling well. She’s clearly stubborn.
“Excuse me, sir, but you must be seated and have your seat belt on for takeoff,” a flight attendant tells me. I sit back down but ask her if she has anything that can help Johanna, who, from the side, denies needing any kind of assistance. The attendant fusses over Johanna for a little while, gives her some water and a bag, in case she needs to be sick. Johanna convinces her she’s fine, so the attendant leaves us alone.
“You’re not fine,” I growl, narrowing my gaze on her. As the flight ascends, I can see a sheen of sweat appear on her brow. I wait until the stupid seat belt light is off, then return to her side. She doesn’t even react to my nearness, just keeps her eyes closed and her head back against the seat. Getting tired of her shit, I undo her seat belt, lift her up in my arms, and lift her into my lap.
“Ranger? What are you doing?” she asks in a soft voice. She must have a killer headache, because she seems so disoriented, nothing like the feisty cop I met at the café. She doesn’t even try to move from my hold, something I’m sure she’d have done if she were feeling normal. I sit back down, with her cradled in my lap, rubbing her back gently. She presses her cold, clammy face against my black T-shirt, so I start to give her a gentle head massage, hoping it helps with the tension. It must work, because she relaxes against me, her body going limp. Soon after, she falls asleep on me, her soft snores making me grin. Just who is this woman in my arms? Not just her job—who is she, other than a cop? If all of that was peeled back, to the very essence of her, that’s what I crave to know. I, too, close my eyes and try to sleep. I don’t think we’ll get much rest after this flight, so I should take advantage of it.
Crossroads Page 3
