Tattoos and Cupcakes [Sunset Point] (Siren Publishing Ménage Amour)

by Hennessee Andrews

  “Roger that.” Beau Rivers was out today as well.

  Bannock kept his distance and found a place to park.

  The beach was crowded. Large brightly colored umbrellas popped up from the sand, offering shade from sun. Bannock took off on foot, following the suspicious pair from a distance. Walking in boots through the sand worked his calf muscles as he trudged on. Scantily dressed women waved from beach chairs. Some were topless and some might as well be judging by the tiny slivers of fabric that barely covered their anatomy.

  This was once Bannock’s playground when the urge for sex was too strong to ignore. Not anymore, he thought and smiled to himself. He had everything he needed, wanted, and more. She was currently shopping for lingerie. He really couldn’t wait to see what she picked out. Tonight, he and Dane had a meal planned for her at their house as well as entertainment.

  Images of their plans played out in his subconscious and he could hardly wait for his work day to be over with.

  “Officer!” a woman yelled from behind him.

  Bannock turned. “Yes, ma’am?”

  A mature woman with healthy hips bustled toward him, wiggling as she walked. Diamonds the size of dimes were perched on her fingers. Her large sunhat shielded her face from the sun with fifties styled sunglasses covering her eyes. She carried a tall drink in her hand and when she stopped, she put her spare hand on her hip. “Could you please tell those teens over there to turn down their music. I have asked them more than once. I didn’t come on vacation here to be blasted by that, that gangster music!” She pointed her drink in their direction.

  Bannock nodded and wanted to roll his eyes. The music really wasn’t loud at all. Maybe she had her hearing aids turned up too high or something. “Excuse me.” He addressed the trio of young women.

  “Oh, my, my, lookie here, ladies.” A topless blonde lounged in her chair and grinned.

  The other two turned their attention to him. “Well hello, gorgeous.”

  “I have to ask you to please turn the music down a little.”

  The brunette of the group laughed. “Oh, I see, Haggatha caught up with you.”

  “I’m sorry, ladies. Please, turn it down a little.”

  “Fine.” The blonde twisted the knob. She leaned back in her chair and caressed her bare breasts in front of him. “Stop back by when your shift is over. I’ll make it worth your while, officer.”

  Bannock turned and ignored her. Before Lane, he would have taken that opportunity, but now, he wasn’t even remotely affected by the topless beauty. He searched through the crowd and lost sight of the two men he had been following.

  “Beau, are you at the resort yet?

  “As we speak.” Beau replied.

  “I’ve lost the two men. They were headed to the parking area.”

  “I’m headed there now.”

  Something felt strange and Bannock immediately began to panic. He pulled out his cell to call Dane.

  * * * *

  Lane emerged from Lark’s Designs with a bag full of the most beautiful lingerie. Of course she bought something in pink, just to see if Dane would make good on his threat. She had a spring in her step and felt carefree. If she could sing from a rooftop without causing a big commotion she would in order to let free all the giddy nerves and emotions that abounded inside her.

  She looked both ways and crossed the road. Her hour was nearly up and she still had so much to finish at the shop. As she stepped onto the sidewalk at the other side, the sound of tires screeching behind her stopped her. She turned and hoped no one had been hit.

  Two men jumped out of a van and before she could scream, they grabbed her, one clamping his hand tightly over her mouth. She landed with a thud inside and one man slammed the sliding door shut. The driver hit the gas pedal so hard she slid across the floor.

  Lane lunged from the floor and struck the man beside the door. “Son of a bitch!”

  The other man grabbed her from behind and she screamed as loud as she could, hoping someone would hear her.

  “Shut that bitch up!” The driver made a hard right and the man holding her lost his balance and they fell to the floor.

  “Let me go!” Lane struggled to get out of his hold.

  The man she hit sneered and wiped the blood from his lip. He was a large man with thick arms and a wide chest. A scar marred his face and his dark eyes looked lethal in quality. In his hand he tugged a strip of duct tape from the roll.

  “Nooooo!” Lane elbowed the man holding her but wasn’t strong enough to shake him loose.

  “What’s the matter, doll face?” The man tore the tape and threw the remainder to the floor. “You object?”

  “What do you want?” Lane struggled. The pain in her arms was intense where the other man held her arms tightly.

  “A boon for my service.” He spoke with an unusual accent, but Lane couldn’t place it.

  “Why me?” She tried to calm down. Maybe if she kept him talking, he wouldn’t tape up her mouth and restrain her.

  “Funny girl, she is.” He wiggled the tape in his hands, taunting her with it. “Ms. Erikson, I don’t play games.”

  Oh, god. He’s one of Joe’s men. How did they find here? She closed her eyes, knowing the answer. She used the phone to call her mother. The call was short, and movies had made her believe that someone couldn’t trace a short call. How long was she on the phone?

  “You’ve got the wrong girl. I’m Reece Wyatt,” she argued and kicked him in the groin when he came at her.

  “Fuck!” He fell to the floor and dropped the strip of tape.

  “You bitch.” The man holding her shook her hard and increased the crushing force on her arms.

  “Ow, you’re hurting me, asshole!” She threw her head back and connected with his nose.

  The man on the floor rose and struck her with the back of his hand. Pain seared her skin upon impact. She yelled and struggled as he held her legs and began wrapping her ankles with the tape.

  “You won’t kick me again, cunt.”

  “Go to hell.” She fought his hold on her but was exhausted. She closed her eyes. “I’m Reece Wyatt and not the person you’re looking for.”

  He tore another strip of tape off and pressed it over her mouth. “Let me tape her arms. Push her forward, asshole.”

  When she was trussed up to their liking, they pushed her off into the floor and laughed.

  “What a shame. Such a gorgeous piece of ass.”

  Lane tried to keep her tears from falling. She didn’t want them to have the satisfaction.

  “Not Lane Erikson, she says.” The man who had been holding her said sarcastically. He pulled a magazine from his bag. “You sure look like the bitch on this cover.”

  Oh, no. The cover she’d been waiting to see. Lane shook her head in disagreement and closed her eyes.

  “Let’s see.” He knelt down beside her and held the magazine beside her face. “Same whore red hair. Same green eyes and pouty lips. And looky here, the same little mole on the left side of her neck. Gee, we have picked up the wrong girl. Lying bitch.”

  The man that had taped her mouth reached down and twirled her hair. “Red on the head, fire in the hole. We should fuck her before we kill her.”

  The magazine dropped beside her head with a smack. “The boss will see that you become chum, too. He clearly said not to touch her.”

  “Yeah, well that’s only because he wants her one more time and we get stuck with the dirty work.”

  Lane listened in terror. This was it, her second chance and she ruined this one, too.

  * * * *

  “She’s been taken, Bannock.” Dane trembled with his cell against his ear. When Bannock called and sent him out looking for Lane, he no more than stepped out the door of The Branding Iron and caught the glimpse of a van roaring off. Sitting on the sidewalk was a shopping bag from Lark’s.

  “Son of a bitch!” Bannock immediately radioed for backup.

  Dane gave a description of the van, the direct
ion of travel and Bannock relayed it to the SPPD.

  Bannock cursed. “They’re heading to the airport.” In the background, Dane heard Bannock demanding that someone call the tower and suspend all flights.

  Sami stood beside Dane and was sobbing. “Who would do this?”

  “I don’t know, but you can bet they won’t get away with it.” He hugged her. “I’m going to help.”

  His Harley roared to life and he headed in the same direction. They couldn’t lose her. Everything had turned out just like he had hoped. A happy life lay in their future and now this. He zigzagged around slow moving traffic. The warm air rushed across his face as he sped through town. His own safety wasn’t a concern. It was Lane’s.

  Lane’s smiling face came into his thoughts and how she teased him earlier. God, he hoped that was not the last time he’d ever see her. He swerved and nearly lost control of his bike when he met a car full of tourists on the wrong side of the road. Adrenaline pumped and his heart raced from the near miss. Fucking tourists.

  When he roared through the entrance to the airport, numerous SPPD vehicles were surrounding the entrance and tarmac. Blue and red lights flashed. On the helipad, a helicopter sat with the blades starting to turn.

  “No!” Dane ditched his bike on its side and took off in a run.

  Officers tried to stop him, but he plowed through them like a linebacker hell bent on sacking the quarterback. His legs trembled as he forced them to move harder, faster. He put up his hands and slammed the door open wide that led outside to the tarmac. In the distance, officers stood around the helicopter with their guns raised. Bannock looked like a statue, frozen and zeroed in his target. Dane slowed as two officers stopped him.

  “She’s in good hands, man.” Diego Mendez gripped his arm.

  Dane turned his attention to Lane. Tears streamed down her cheeks over duct tape the bastards put on her mouth. His hands gripped into fists. A dark-haired man held her around the chest and had his gun at her temple. She looked so fragile and scared. He wiped a tear that trickled out. Lane was terrified and he was helpless to do anything for her.

  Bannock had a plan. Dane knew he must. His Army career had prepared him for situations just like this. But this would be more difficult since the woman he loved could potentially get caught in the crossfire.

  Jackson leaned close to Bannock and they exchanged words. They had a plan. Dane’s stomach felt queasy. Two men flanked Lane and the man holding her. Another man was in the helicopter and readying for takeoff. Bannock’s eyes shifted to the right and then to the left.

  Four shots in almost simultaneous succession rang out. There was a pause as the men holding Lane fell. Another shot echoed and Luther stumbled. Lane nearly fell trying to jerk her legs free from the tape binding them together. The man on the ground was injured and leveling for a shot at her. Before he could pull the trigger, Bannock fired, striking him directly in the forehead.

  “Clear out!” A voice shouted when the helicopter started to take off. It bounced, lifting and falling back to the ground. The injured pilot was attempting takeoff.

  Bannock gathered Lane up in his arms and began to run. A few officers stayed behind and fired rapidly at the helicopter and pilot, trying to disable it. The rotors were turning rapidly. The pilot flailed back and forth in the cockpit as he tried to gain control. Then his head fell and his body heaved forward. An officer ran to the helicopter and jumped in. He pulled the pilot back and struggled to shut the machine down.

  As the rotors began to slow, Dane turned and ran toward Bannock and Lane. He pulled Lane into his arms and her muffled cries sounded in his ear. Bannock stood behind him and was caressing Lane’s face.

  “I’m going to get this tape off, sweetheart. Count of three. One.” He yanked the tape and she screamed.

  Bannock kissed her lips gently and softly apologized.

  Lane reached over Dane’s shoulder and pulled Bannock closer. “I was so scared I’d never see you two again. All I could think was this was my second chance I screwed up.”

  “Baby, you didn’t screw up anything.” Bannock kissed her forehead.

  “Yes, I–I did. I called my mom the other day from the Wyatts’ place. Stupid, so stupid.”

  “It’s over now. You’re safe and we promise to always keep you safe.” Dane stroked her back and held her tight.

  Lane sobbed and shook with every breath she took.

  “You’re safe, Lane. Please, don’t cry.” Dane heard Bannock say.

  “They were going to k–k–kill me.” Lane shook uncontrollably.

  Bannock walked around behind Lane and sandwiched her between them. “I promise, no one will ever harm you again.”

  Chapter 11

  “Really?” Lane held the phone to her ear as Mr. Donaldson spoke. Joe Riecher had been arrested in Miami at nearly the same time as her kidnappers were killed at the Sunset Point Airport. The FBI had been notified immediately when she had been abducted and continuously updated. Agents working in Florida went to work right away and tracked the flight out of Miami. They waited for the return flight, in case she was on it. They also called in numerous agents and law enforcement officers and searched for others that may be waiting as well. Their investigation turned up Joe and a half dozen of his men in an industrial hanger.

  “Ms. Erikson, due to the circumstances and the continual investigation, I can’t say with certainty you will ever be truly safe. We have apprehended Mr. Riecher and his associates here in the US that we know of. When a trial date is set, we will be calling you as a witness. For your safety, I think it best if you stay in Sunset Point until that time.”

  “Thank you, Mr. Donaldson.”

  Lane hung up and cried. It wasn’t because Mr. Donaldson said she should stay in Sunset Point, but because a very haunting chapter in her life was almost finished. Joe was in custody, she was alive, and surrounded by people who not only cared for her, but would look out for her as well. The best part was moving on.

  “Dane, she’s crying again.” Bannock knelt at her feet. “Bad news?”

  “No.” Lane sniffled and then giggled. “I’m just happy.”

  Bannock shook his head and pulled her into a hug. “I’m going to buy a case of tissues for you.”

  “Was it my cooking?” Dane entered the living room and sat down beside her on the couch.

  “She’s just happy.” Bannock replied with a laugh.

  “Tissue?” Dane held the box where she could pull one out.

  “Thank you.” She wiped her nose and dried her tears. “I think I’m done now.”

  Bannock released her and held her face in his large hands. “We’re here for you, always.”

  She kissed him softly and turned and kissed Dane. “I’m the luckiest woman in the world.”

  Dane grinned and a dimple punctuated his cheek. “We’re the lucky ones.”

  “Okay.” Lane took a deep breath. “I have a lunch date with Liz. She wouldn’t take no for an answer.”

  “I think we should come along. You know, to keep you safe and all.” Dane looked worried.

  “Probably not a bad idea.” Bannock added.

  Lane sighed. “No, now we talked about this. I need my independence and space. It’s not like the entire SPPD and all the residents won’t be looking out for me anyway. Besides, how can you miss me if I’m always with you?”

  “Good point.” Bannock stood up. “Take your cell phone and call if anything seems suspicious.”

  Lane grinned. “I will, I promise.”

  At lunch, Liz hugged her so hard she had fought to breathe. It had been two days since she was kidnapped. She had a few cuts and scrapes, a little bruising, but otherwise, she was fine. They had a nice lunch together at Mama Lupe’s and a couple of margaritas in celebration. Lane told Liz she would be staying in Sunset Point permanently.

  Eventually Lane would have to leave for a while in order to testify. Both Bannock and Dane decided immediately they would be going with her. There were a few obstacles in
Lane’s path outside of an upcoming trial, and that was how she planned to tell her mother that she had fallen for not one, but two men. That was really the least of her worries and she reminded herself that her mother was open and would understand.

  Liz raised her glass with a little umbrella sticking out of it. “To you, Lane, may your future be bright and extremely happy.”

  Lane clanked her glass against Liz’s and smiled. “Thank you, Liz.”

  “So, when will my wedding services be needed? I assume you will have cupcakes at the reception.”

  “Whoa, hold it. There has not been a marriage proposal and that is okay with me.”

  Liz winked and sipped her drink.

  “Ms. Erikson, please stand up, I am placing you under arrest.” A deep voice spoke.

  Lane turned. Bannock stood there, dressed in his uniform. Silver handcuffs shimmered in the soft light. He looked irresistibly hot. Lane got short of breath.

  “What’s the charge, officer?” Liz asked.

  “Stealing.” Bannock smirked.

  “What? I didn’t steal anything.” Lane protested.

  “Yes, you did. You stole my heart.”

  “And mine.” Dane walked up and stood behind Bannock.

  Patrons seated nearby had stopped their conversation and listened in. A loud “Awww” echoed all around her.

  Lane shivered with anticipation and slowly stood up. Bannock smirked and directed her to turn around. She heard the handcuffs clink together and felt the cold steel wrap around her wrists behind her back.

  “Shouldn’t we frisk her?” Dane asked.

  “Later, Dane.”

  People laughed and cheered as Bannock directed her toward the door. Lane looked back at Liz and she held her hand up, two fingers crossed.

  True to his word, Bannock was arresting her. He opened the back door of his police car and seated her inside.

  Dane got in the opposite side and gave her a playful look. “Sweetheart, you are in so much trouble.”

  Bannock slid in and refocused his rearview mirror on her. “Yes, she is.”