“Did I miss the memo? Is it bring your girlfriend to work day?” Agent Kelly jokes when I join him in the conference room.
I glimpse out the window to see Emi’s leaning over Nina’s desk, and they’re laughing about something.
“If I had my choice, I wouldn’t let her out of my sight.”
“Doesn’t she have a job?”
“She works from home. I’m dropping her off after our meeting. She didn’t have her car this morning, and we overslept. I’ll set her up at my desk when she’s through gabbing.”
“Speaking of gabbing, the guys are interested in what happened Saturday night.”
“What’d you tell them?”
“Exactly what you told me to.”
“They gonna keep their mouths shut?”
He raises an eyebrow with an expression that says are you fucking kidding me?
“Had to ask. This town has a penchant for gossip. I’d prefer to keep Saturday night’s festivities as quiet as possible.”
“Gossip isn’t our style. Now, Oliver, he got a huge kick out of it. Said it sounds exactly like something Emi and Maren would get into.”
When I called Kelly on Saturday night, I told him that they were there to spy on a guy Maren was interested in, not knowing anything about the club itself. Their disguises were an over the top attempt at not being recognized. I left out how they got in, and he didn’t ask. I think he suspected there was more to the story, but he agreed to tell Ross, Oliver, and Collins the same.
I hoped like hell they would keep the details to themselves. The last thing I need is Captain Corny getting nosy.
“Oliver would think it was funny. I’m just glad he wasn’t around to see them,” I grumble.
“From what I’ve heard and seen, Emi and Maren have a knack for turning heads.”
“Don’t believe everything you hear.” As the words leave my mouth, there’s a loud squeal from Emi. I spin around to see her hugging Agent Collins.
“Are you fucking kidding me?” I snarl, stalking to them.
Emi sees me coming and steps back, her eyes growing wide. When I get to her, she leans into my side, lifts on her toes, and brings her lips to my ear.
“Don’t be a caveman. He’s an old acquaintance.” She kisses my cheek and pinches my stomach.
“You could have shaken his hand.”
“And you can lose that attitude. I can’t believe you didn’t mention he was working with you.”
“Why would I?”
“Because it’s the normal thing to do? You say, ‘hey, Emi, I met someone that used to know you back in high school.’”
It’s my turn to bend into her ear. “Hey, Emi, I’m working with someone you used to know back in high school. He and his friends used to jack-off regularly to the vision of you in a bikini. Your sexy ass used to be the center of his teenage fantasies.”
“Walker!” She slaps at my chest, her face turning red.
“Whispering is rude,” Nina huffs. “And now I want to know why Emi looks like a tomato.”
“Because Walker is crass.”
“You’re the one who wanted me to tell you.”
“You’re ridiculous.”
“Where’s my hug?” Oliver joins our group with his arms outstretched.
“Emi is going to my desk now.” I steer her away.
“You really are being foolish,” she tells me when I motion for her to sit.
“Maybe, but these guys are going to great lengths to test me. Can you not encourage them?” I squat in front of her, lowering my voice.
“Hugging me is a test to you?”
“Remember, they think you were prowling for men for Maren on Saturday night at a sex club. They will do ANYTHING to get a rise out of me.”
Her expression changes, understanding that I’m not in the mood to discuss this. “Guys are so stupid sometimes. It was a friendly hug.”
“Friendly hugs are fine, but let’s reserve them for a time when I don’t still have the vision of a random stranger leading you into a demonstration where men—”
“Got it.” She puts her finger on my lips to shut me up. “But I thought I made that up to you.”
I grin, kissing her finger then backing away. “You did, not to mention, almost everyone in the vicinity knows about our mind-blowing, toe-curling, window-shaking, life-altering sex life.”
The pink tinge returns to her cheeks, and her eyes dart around the room where people are undoubtedly watching us.
“I totally forgot about that. How embarrassing.”
“If you’re embarrassed, maybe you should stop giving details of our sex life to your big-mouthed friends.”
“I am, starting today. No more details.” She does a zipping motion over her lips.
“We’ll see how long that lasts. Be back as soon as I can.” I kiss the top of her head and go back to the conference room where the guys are waiting.
“Where’s Captain?” I ask, sitting across from Kelly.
“We’re starting without him. Apparently, oversleeping is common in Charleston.”
“Highly doubt Walker’s definition of oversleeping is the same as the rest of us,” Oliver throws in.
I can’t hold back the chuckle. He’s right. I didn’t oversleep; I took my time with Emi this morning.
“Lucky bastard,” Collins says under his breath, and I shoot him an evil glare.
“Okay, here’s what we know.” Kelly gets us back on track, pulling up the men from the other night on the monitor at the far end of the room.
One by one, he goes through each of their backgrounds and what may be their connection to the drugs. One thing we confirm is that our original assumption of moving drugs along the eastern seaboard is correct.
We were also correct about the car theft ring. It’s done. They’re going to have to find another avenue to distribute. The waterways are the most logical resource. For half an hour, we brainstorm, trying to anticipate their next move.
“You know what really sucks is the waiting. I’d like to swarm the docks and bust these assholes for trying to use Charleston as a hub,” Oliver snaps.
“It’s the bigger picture. Think about the other cities and states that will benefit when we crush these motherfuckers. Our process is solid, our team is solid, and we have support from the highest office in the state. Diligence and patience is the key,” Kelly tells him calmly.
“I agree, we’ve got our work cut out for us. These five guys are going to lead us in the right direction.” I tilt my chin at the monitor. “What’s our plan to read in the other cities?”
“That’s up to the Governor and Attorney General. We’ve got a call scheduled for this afternoon. I’m pretty sure we’ll be involving DEA,” Kelly informs me. “You’re welcome to sit in.”
“After I drop Emi off at home, I’ll be back here for the rest of the day.” I stand, moving to the door.
I’m almost in the clear, no one mentioning Saturday night, when Oliver clears his throat unnecessarily loud.
I let out a sigh and turn to face him. “Something else?”
“I know you have a birthday coming up. Wondering if you’re a whips and chain type of man, or should I go with restraints? Although, I’d assume a man who carries handcuffs already knows how to use them. I mean, if Emi was mine—”
“Warning, don’t finish that sentence.”
“How’s that handling Emi thing going for you?”
I glance out at Emi and back to him, shooting him a sinister smile. “Oh, I’m handling Emi just fine.” The implication in my tone gives away my meaning.
His joke backfires, and his smile dies as the room erupts in laughter.
“Fuck me,” is the last thing I hear, leaving them behind.
Chapter 22
Emi
Walker’s quiet, too quiet. He rolls his tongue through his teeth, making a hissing sound, and the vein on his forehead is popping out.
At least his jaw isn’t ticking.
Then it starts, the
ticking.
Maybe telling him our plan to uncover ‘Felix’ wasn’t the smartest idea. But since I promised not to lie to him, and he sexually manipulated me into keeping him updated on all Trixsters business, I felt like I had to tell him.
Not to mention that we’re about fifteen miles from his hunting camp, where his parents are waiting on us to spend the weekend. My nerves are on overdrive, and I basically blurted everything out the minute I was in his truck.
Nervous Emi is not good. Nervous Emi talks fast without thinking and sometimes says completely inappropriate things.
“Walker, please say something.”
“I’m trying to keep it in check and understand how Maren and you come up with these hair-brain schemes. Do you not see all the ways this could go south? If this Stacy woman has banded together with other women who were burned by this shithead, why didn’t she come to the police? If anything, he could be investigated for fraud and extortion.”
“I can’t answer that, baby, but the fact remains, she came to us. We’re going to help these women expose him and give them some closure.”
“By using Maren as bait? By poisoning the guy?”
“We’re not poisoning him. We’re merely giving him enough laxatives to make him sick. And while he’s occupied in the bathroom, she’s going to make sure the virus is uploaded to his phone. It’ll wipe out all his pictures and videos.”
“If he’s truly a con-man, he’s going to have back-up copies on his computer. Maybe even a thumb drive, too.”
“It’s not going to matter, because when she has access to his phone, she’s going to make sure he’s no longer able to participate on any dating sites.”
“Do I even want to know how she’s going to do that?”
“It’s simple. She’s going to violate their terms of service.”
“Why don’t these women report him?”
“The videos. They’re scared of backlash.”
“You two do understand this little scheme is only going to slow him down. He can create new emails and new identities to get back on the sites. Hence why you need to forget this.”
“And she’s going to embed his email with the virus, so it wipes his computer files.”
“You still need to forget this. It’s not going to stop him for good.”
I rack my brain, knowing he’s right. Maren and I have yet to come up with an idea that would actually take down ‘Felix’ and stop his preying on vulnerable women. Our idea to hit him where it hurts looks like a bust.
“What would you suggest?”
“Tell them to come to the police.”
“Okay.”
“Okay? You’re agreeing with me?”
“Sure, it’s a good plan. After Maren and I get done with our part, we’ll recommend they are safe to go to the police.”
He groans, slapping his hand on the steering wheel. “Dammit, Emi.”
“Walker, we’re going to expose this asshole and do what we can to assure these women some sense of justice.”
“Vagina vigilantes,” he mutters under his breath.
“Why do you keep calling us that?”
“Because of fucking Marcus. He used the term, and I thought he was a crazy, but knowing what I do now, it sticks.”
“We’re not going into this blind, Walker. We’re going to do tons of diligence before Maren sets up a date. Trust me on this.”
He goes back to being quiet, this time reaching over to hold my hand.
“We’ll be careful. Maren’s already working on hooking him. She’s going to spend some time seducing him.”
“So, he’ll assume he’s getting laid.”
“That’s the plan for now.”
“I don’t like it.”
My already frazzled nerves spike again as my heart sinks. The last thing I want is to put him in a bad mood for this weekend. It’s the first weekend he’s had off in a while.
“I’ll be with her, in disguise, in case anything seems off.”
“This whole plan is off.”
Now, it’s my turn to go quiet.
“I want to know when and where this is taking place.” He squeezes my hand, his voice still strained.
“All right.”
“Look at me,” he orders a lot more gently.
I do as he says, him lifting our joined hands to his mouth and kissing my fingers.
“Two days. I want you to myself for two days. Think you can leave all this behind for that long?”
“Absolutely,” I answer confidently and without hesitation.
He may not have said it in so many words, but I know how much he’s looking forward to this time away. Agents Kelly, Ross, and Collins all went home for the weekend, all of the men taking some well-deserved time to recharge.
We ride in silence for a few more minutes, this time without the tension filling the air. That is until he turns off onto ‘Walker Scott Lane’.
“Walker Scott Lane? You have a lane named after you?”
“Not me, my grandpa.”
“Was he famous?”
“Depends on who you ask. He was a war hero, a horse breeder, and an all-around family man. He and my grandma had seven children. There are Scotts all over.”
“Seven!”
“Seven,” he confirms.
“I had no idea you had such a large family.”
“My grandparents started their family when they were living near Asheville. My dad was the youngest, so when grandpa found this land and it was perfect for the horses, he relocated. My dad was in high school and had no choice but to come. Obviously, he stayed around. The rest are scattered.”
“But why didn't I know? I feel clueless.”
His mouth covers my knuckles again, and he nips lightly then kisses the area. “I'm telling you now.”
“Seven kids. How does that even happen?”
“The instant you get off birth control, I'll show you how it happens.”
He speaks so bluntly, so matter of fact, that images of he and me and a brood of kids fills my head.
“Walker, I think we have a ways to go before we get to that point.”
He smiles, the prickle of his facial scruff tickling my hand. “Maybe.”
My heart swells at his declaration. Then my senses kick in.
“I think it would be highly frowned upon to get pregnant right now. My mom would extend her prayer circle state-wide.”
He laughs, taking his eyes off the road to look at me. “I'm sure she wouldn't mind if we were married first.”
This time my heart stops, and I draw in a deep breath, the power of his words sinking in. How did we go from him wanting to strangle me over my Trixsters’ plan to discussing babies and marriage in a matter of ten minutes?
This is huge.
This is life-changing.
This is the kind of conversation you have wrapped in each other's arms, not the conversation you have in the cab of a truck on the way to meet his family.
“Baby, breathe.”
“I am,” I squeak, lightheaded.
“You freaked out?”
“Kinda,” I answer truthfully.
“Why?”
“You just told me you loved me a few weeks ago.”
“Telling you I love you and loving you aren't the same. I thought I explained that.”
Mayday! Mayday! My brain screams at me as that damn lump starts forming in my throat. As if he can sense my impending tears, he pulls off the road and stops.
His body turns to me, holding my hand to his chest. “Emerson, I need you to focus on me for a second. Can you do that?”
I nod.
“The first time I kissed you, I thought we established I'm not big on waiting.”
I can't speak past the lump in my throat, so I nod again
“What has you freaked out? The marriage or the kids?”
I find my voice, albeit scratchy. “Neither, but how can you be so sure you want to marry me?”
“You mean, how can I be so sure I'
m going to marry you?” His grin returns as his eyes turn a molten blue. I'm struck again at how this man can mesmerize me with only a look.
“I knew I wasn't going to go to school like Marcus or go into business like my dad. I knew I was meant to be a soldier. After basic training, I knew I wanted to be an officer. I worked my ass off in every way to get to where I am today on the force. When I want something, I feel it to my soul. That's how I felt the first time I saw you. When Oliver touched your hand in the station, alarm bells went off in my head. Something inside of me screamed you were mine.”
“Dammit to hell!” I hiccup as a tear escapes and trickles down my cheek.
His grin grows. “Do you know where I stand now?” He gives me the voice I love so much—the perfect mix of huskiness and sexy.
“I do.”
“This weekend is about us, Emi. I'm going to show you a piece of my world and hope to hell you like it because it means something to me. My land, my cabin, my parents. This is the first and only time I've chosen to share this with a woman. Because when it happened, I knew it would be my future.”
GAH! He's slaying me. He's always had a way with words, but today, he's showing me a side I never knew was possible. His raw honesty has me ready to jump on his lap and give him all the sons he wants—starting today.
“I'm going to love it, Walker, because I love you. But unless you want to introduce me to your parents as a blubbering mess, and explain that I'm not actually unstable but only reacting to the most sacred and beautiful declaration of love ever made, I suggest you shut up and kiss me.”
His dimple pops as he pulls me to him. “We wouldn't want the girl who doesn't cry to be a blubbering mess,” he says against my lips right before his tongue touches mine.
I sink into him, meeting him stroke for stroke and feeling calmer by the second.
By the time we break apart, my face is flushed for a whole new reason. My whole body is alive, electricity zinging through my veins.
“You better now?”
“I am, and I think tonight may be the night you get to experiment with those wicked and filthy things when it comes to my nipple rings.”
His reaction is exactly as I hoped as his eyes drop to my chest. “Jesus, fuck. Thank God my parents live miles away.”
I start to giggle as he adjusts his pants and gets back on the road.
Trixsters Anonymous Page 23
