Mistake Me Not

by Scarlett Finn

  ‘We’re going to work on the paper trail, the money,’ Gabe explained. ‘We know most of the men were grunts that Wallace hired for the dirty work but there was a chain of command, a hierarchy. If Wallace is singing about Stone in there we’re almost sure that he’ll have covered his bases and somehow linked Stone in.’

  ‘You think he’s used Ryder’s name?’ Lacie asked.

  ‘Maybe, but that’s a bit heavy handed,’ Rocco said. ‘The money will link back to Stone or SW somehow.’

  ‘And you’re going to look for the connection?’ Lacie asked.

  ‘Yes,’ Gabe said. ‘So we can prove how bogus it is.’

  ‘Wallace was at the top,’ Rocco said. ‘We want to understand Eric’s position in the chain of command. He got out of talking to the police because he’s been in the hospital.’

  ‘He was one of the ones shot?’ Lacie asked.

  ‘Yes,’ Rocco said. ‘Now he’s not saying anything because he wants to cut a deal.’

  ‘What kind of deal?’ Lacie asked. ‘What does he know? Has he implicated Ryder too?’

  ‘We don’t know,’ Gabe said. ‘We’re trying to find out but he’s been in hospital under guard.’

  ‘But if he’s in jail now... can’t someone go and visit, just ask him outright?’

  ‘The police are still questioning him. I don’t think they want anyone talking to him.’

  ‘Does he have family, or—‘

  ‘We can’t influence his testimony,’ Rocco said.

  ‘I’m not asking you to influence it,’ Lacie said. ‘I want to know what it is.’

  ‘We’re going to work on that,’ Rocco said. ‘You’re our girl on the inside with this.’

  ‘What do you mean?’ she asked.

  ‘We have to know what the DA’s case is, the evidence he has is what we have to debunk.’

  ‘He’s not going to lay it all out for me,’ Lacie said. ‘But I’ll do what I can.’

  ‘We can wire you, if you want,’ Gabe said.

  ‘No, I’ll remember,’ she said. ‘He can’t have too much evidence against Ryder. He wasn’t involved.’

  ‘Wallace is talking, and Eric might be too,’ Rocco said. ‘If they’ve got Stone’s fingerprints on the money some place that’s the ball game.’

  ‘Ok,’ Lacie said. ‘Can I have a look at the histories?’

  ‘You’re part of the team,’ Rocco said linking their arms and taking her to where the others were looking over their paperwork.

  ‘We are going to get this done,’ she said to the group that appeared far more sinister and threatening in this setting compared to the bright kitchen. ‘Aren’t we?’

  None of them said a word but conviction burned from each of them scorching the air. This was a hell of a team and now she was one of them.

  Despite the situation, this event was the highlight of her day. The room she’d been alone in yesterday was teeming with people today. Seeing partners and children greeting their incarcerated father’s and spouses brought tears to her eyes. The men in here were scary, some were bulky; others were wiry and sly but few were the type you’d want to meet in a secluded alley on a dark night, and now Ryder had been lumped in with them.

  When he came in and sat down the rest of the room melted away, and she noted how tired he looked. They went for their phones at the same time.

  ‘You look tired,’ he said.

  ‘Thanks,’ she said.

  ‘Have you eaten?’

  ‘Have you?’

  ‘Dusty—‘

  ‘I saw the DA today,’ she said. ‘And I’ve had lunch with Shep and Sorcha. We’re getting forward movement. We’re going to get you out of here Ryder, I promise you.’

  ‘I told you to look after yourself.’

  ‘I’m here to get you out,’ she said looking at the watch on her arm. ‘I’m meeting your lawyer after this. I’m trying to get time with the detectives on the case but they’re—‘

  ‘Where did you get that?’ he asked.

  ‘What?’ she asked but knew she’d been busted by the flatness of his tone.

  ‘The watch,’ he growled.

  ‘It was uh... next to the bed I slept in last night.’

  ‘Goddamnit,’ he said dropping his fist to the counter with enough force to shake it, which had a guard sidling up behind him. ‘I told you to stay away from there.’

  ‘And I said I’d go where I wanted to.’

  ‘I can’t keep you safe Lacie, I’m in here... Not that I did a great job of it when I wasn’t.’

  ‘If you want to look after me you had better work on getting yourself out of here. I’m sleeping in your bed and if you want me out of it you have to throw me out yourself.’

  ‘There’s a gun in the—‘

  ‘I don’t need to know that,’ she said. ‘Gabe checked everything out last night.’

  ‘You were in my bedroom with Gabe?’

  ‘He checked it out for me that’s all.’

  ‘Why would he have to do that?’ Ryder asked.

  ‘You could ask me about what we’re doing to get you out. You could ask me about my underwear, or ask to see my breasts, or something. But you choose to chastise me?’

  ‘I want to see your breasts when we’re alone,’ he said. ‘We’re in a room full of people.’

  ‘And my underwear?’

  ‘Rent an apartment,’ he said. ‘I’ll pay for a hotel until—‘

  ‘Concentrate on getting out,’ she said. ‘I don’t have the time to worry about semantics. All I need is a pillow for my head. When you’re out we’ll argue about bedrooms but can we get you on the same side of the glass as me first? Please?’

  ‘I can’t protect you from in here.’

  ‘You’ve said that already. But I know what danger is,’ she said. ‘I’ve seen what evil looks like. I’m ok. You concentrate on watching your back in here. Keep your head down, keep yourself safe, and we’ll get you out soon. I promise.’

  The certainty of her words burned her throat but didn’t seem to move him. Gradually the corner of his mouth slid upwards.

  ‘It’s so incredible to see you Lace,’ he said. ‘I never believed that we’d lost you but... God, I could look at you for days.’

  ‘Get out of here Ryder and I promise I’ll let you.’

  During the rest of the conversation he refused to give her any details about what life was like inside. The duty of talking fell to her, so she went on about Sorcha and Shep; and how nice Gabe and Rocco were being. But managed to avoid telling him about her morning conversation with Will. All too soon the men were being filtered out back to their confinements. Something about not being able to touch him wrenched at her gut, a tear skittered down her face when he stood to leave, and his instant frown told her that he’d caught sight of it. But the guard was already ushering him away so all she could do was wave. Ryder didn’t deserve to be caged, just as she hadn’t, still they were kept apart, and the injustice of the scenario seared her with rage. But, for now, she would have to play the game.

  Getting back to SW Lacie was ready to carry on the work, to be updated with any developments, then to roll up her sleeves. But the air in the war room was different when she arrived back; though all the men were still bustling with activity.

  ‘What’s wrong?’ she asked.

  All the men stopped, Gabe was the one to approach her. ‘Something’s happened.’

  ‘What do you mean something’s happened?’ she asked deliberately shifting out of Gabe’s reach.

  ‘Deacon just called – there’s word of a deal.’

  ‘What kind of deal?’ she asked glancing from left to right for sign of a phone that could connect her to their allied detective.

  ‘Eric,’ Will said from the background. ‘He’s talking.’

  Fixing her attention on Gabe, she waited for explanation. ‘What is he saying?’ she asked.

  ‘We don’t know yet,’ Gabe said. ‘But...’

  ‘But, what?’

  ‘We do
n’t know for sure yet,’ Gabe said.

  ‘Would you just tell me,’ she said. ‘I’m part of the team, remember?’

  ‘It seems Wallace might have... his dirty dealings had been going on for months, maybe longer.’

  ‘Yeah, so? We had deduced that much—‘

  ‘He’s implied that... Booth... he says he knows where he is,’ Gabe said.

  ‘Yes,’ she said. ‘Wallace sent Eric to take care of the body when—‘

  ‘No,’ Gabe said. ‘He’s saying that Booth is... that he’s alive.’

  ‘Alive?’ she murmured, her jaw swung loose. ‘But, that’s not... that’s not possible.’

  ‘Apparently it might be,’ Gabe said. ‘We don’t know what’s going on exactly yet but... if Booth’s alive, with his, and with Eric’s statements, given that they don’t imply Stone at this stage...’

  ‘They can tell police what happened. They can get Ryder out,’ she said. Hope bubbled to the surface within her and her smile spread.

  ‘Be cautious,’ Gabe said. ‘We don’t know yet, we don’t know what they’re saying, and police are now trying to locate Booth. But, if Eric’s telling the truth, if Booth’s alive... Wallace could be in trouble.’

  ‘I have to phone Sorcha,’ Lacie said but Gabe took hold of her arm when she tried to pass.

  ‘Not yet,’ Gabe said. ‘We don’t know anything for sure. We have to hold position until we know. We keep working on the assumption that we have to get Ryder out ourselves. You can’t tell Sorcha now, we’re still not sure if it’s true.’

  ‘Ok,’ Lacie said. ‘You’re right. I don’t want to get her hopes up.’

  ‘Nothing changes,’ he said. ‘We keep working.’

  Lacie understood their sedate optimism and she tried to follow suit. If she got her hopes up and Eric or Booth’s testimony didn’t work in their favour then that could make matters worse. So she’d follow Gabe’s advice, his experience was what she relied on in this time of need. If she’d been working alone progress would have been slow. Lacie would follow their lead and pray that they were going in the right direction.

  Though she hadn’t been part of the team for long when she looked around at the busy squad something was very obviously missing. It didn’t matter that she’d never seen how this unit ordinarily functioned, an aura hung around them emphasising the conspicuous absence of a leader – their leader. Gabe kept hold of the reins, he directed them, tying the separate strands of their investigating together, weaving their individual findings into an increasingly strengthening rope. These men knew what they were doing; they were swift, efficient, and thorough. From watching them work Lacie concluded one major factor, all they needed was time. Once this group had an objective, an idea, a mission to follow through, nothing would get in the way of its completion. Whatever happened between now and then Ryder would be out, and he would be cleared. The sheer determination of these men was overwhelming, and being a part of such a group was humbling.

  Her role wasn’t defined but there was plenty to do. Lacie followed the lead given to her by the men, and she ended up on the phone for most of the day. Being both victim of the crime and a close associate of Ryder’s gave her access to areas that wouldn’t otherwise be easily accessed. Her queries were accepted as valid, where others asking the same questions may be seen as suspicious. Repeatedly she was told to keep herself vague and not to refer to whom she was working with or why she was asking the questions. Her crash course in covert information gathering and espionage left her head spinning and they were all still going at it when Gabe told her to go to bed.

  Initially she objected but his reasoning did make sense, hers was the face that had to be seen tomorrow, and being that it was after midnight, she couldn’t work on the phone any longer. Deferring to his experience, she left them working not wanting to get in the way or make a nuisance of herself. Only after she’d filled the Jacuzzi bath, stripped naked, and slid into the still, clear liquid did she let herself think about Ryder again. Despite their fervour and devotion, Lacie tried to tell herself that she might never share this tub with the man whom it belonged to. So much had happened in such a short time. Her life had become unrecognisable and she’d feared for her very existence, and now she feared for his sanity. Lacie got out of the tub almost as soon as she got into it; the calm silence wasn’t an environment conducive to her own sanity.

  Right now, she needed to be occupied, busy, thinking, and as she crawled into his bed, she wished for normality – only not normality as it had been. Her future had to include her work that she so desperately missed. Yet he was the one she ached for and would give up everything for, if he could only be with her here and now. The sheets might have been cold but if Ryder had been here at her side there would’ve been zero chance she would have noticed. Whatever happened next all of their lives had been affected; nothing would be as it had been. But, right now, there was a mission to complete, now she needed a game face, to be as stoic as the men she’d worked with today, and she had to do it fast.

  Lacie awoke feeling groggy and disorientated so she took her time in the shower, blasting herself with the coldest, highest-pressure setting to try and feel her way into the day ahead. Plenty would be happening, just as there would be plenty to do but still she prickled against the force that pushed right back. The job was worthy – she only hoped she was capable of the task. Wrapping herself in the fluffy white towel, she finger combed her damp hair. Ryder’s towels were clearly only meant to reach around his hips, they were so small that her breasts almost spilled out when she covered her behind, she’d never been so grateful for being small in her life.

  Though she’d slept later than she intended and showered longer than normal she knew the time was well spent in setting her up for the day, and at least she could honestly tell Ryder that she was taking care of herself... omitting the minor detail that she hadn’t eaten anything since yesterday lunchtime.

  Her luggage had been brought here as Gabe said it would be, and the things that Sonny had bought her on her first visit here were hanging up in the walk-in. Ryder had welcomed her into his home despite the fact that she’d been absent, she had her place here – physically at least. Leaving the bathroom she considered her day when the sight of a man sitting on the bed with his arms spread wide startled her backwards – until the details sank in and she realised who it was.

  ‘Ryder,’ she sighed crossing the room without conscious thought and forged up the bed between his knees, snatched his face, and locked her lips to his.

  His knees closed at her sides, his arms came around her, and his kiss was as fierce as hers. He hadn’t said a word, neither had she – except his name – but when he rolled her to her back, and dipped his tongue between her lips she locked her legs around his hips and sucked his tongue causing a growl to rumble from his chest to hers, the vibration peaked her nipples.

  Grabbing her hands he pinned her to the bed kissing her jaw, then her throat, his heated, moist mouth mimicked the chill she’d had the previous night, and it was nothing to do with the temperature. When he breathed her nipple to the roof of his mouth, her body arched automatically seeking out the solidity she needed to ground her, to fulfil her.

  His hand skimmed the length of her torso, pinching her nipple on the way down. He separated her slick folds and dipped his finger around her opening, she wriggled to attempt to urge him toward her clit but he resisted seeming to enjoy her torture.

  Getting her own back brought its own pleasure, her hands went to his jeans freeing him in an instant, his growl rumbled again, and she deliberately didn’t let him capture her hands. Wrapping her fingers around him she squeezed, stroking him, and cupping him, caressing every part of him she could reach. Dragging his teeth against her nipple, she squealed only to have the proceeding whimper swallowed by his mouth that plundered her again.

  Just as she was lulled into his security two of his fingers delved into her then he circled her clit giving her a blast of the pleasure that left her writhin
g at his mercy. Their night together had so often felt like an eternity ago that she would not let this perhaps isolated chance go by.

  Keeping her grip on his thick member, she yanked him toward her, lifting her hips to meet the fat, blunt head she craved.

  ‘Baby,’ he murmured into her but she lunged her tongue into his mouth and lifted her body again.

  Increasing the pressure on her nub his fingers slid in and out of her. So eager was she that on closing her eyes her body undulated in time with that caress, except it wasn’t enough.

  ‘Please,’ she whispered against him. ‘Ryder.’

  With that word exhaled in ecstasy, his hands left her body, and then he was in her. Her scream was half sob but she wrenched her body up to meet his, burying him to the hilt far inside her aching passage, stretching the tissues he’d expanded before but she remembered this, him in a place within her body, and soul, completion came in that union.

  Their eyes locked and neither moved, still they hadn’t spoken, and there were things to be said. He was still basically clothed whilst she was completely naked.

  Right now, there was no Perspex screen, no hooligans, or guns, or cars, or basement bars between them – they were joined together, no one got between them. All of these things were said without words and when he slid out she moved away. When he plunged back into her she shoved her hips up to meet him. In, out, the rhythm of their heart beats providing the bass of their merging.

  Heat grew in her gut forcing her chest to expand until breathing became a chore. But her panting increased, she wanted more. Their humid exhales fogged her skin, their union, in, out, faster, more, deeper, harder... her whole body begged for his, for more, never would it be enough. Never had their attention strayed, to kiss him would slow their frantic action and the heat that burst shoved her into the precipice, dislodging his name from her throat again – still he battered into her, bruising her centre with the onslaught of his passion.