REBEL: #4.5 The Beat and The Pulse

by Amity Cross

  His eyes blazed as his shoulders heaved. He was absolutely enraged. Not at me but himself.

  “I’ve been shot at, hit, knifed…” I trailed off. “I might not be a criminal, but I live alongside it every day. Serve and protect.”

  “From people like me.”

  “No.” I shook my head. “Serve and protect…everyone.”

  Rebel just stood there, frozen like a fucking lump. I realized that deep down he didn’t think he deserved this…us. He blamed himself for his parent’s death.

  “It wasn’t your fault,” I whispered. “It wasn’t your fault they died, Kane.”

  “Don’t.” His voice was thin…strained.

  “I want you. I still want you.”

  He sucked in a deep breath, his gaze fixed on mine. “I’m trying to get out,” he said. “I want to start over.”

  I nodded.

  “I need the money.”

  “That’s why you’re fighting?”

  “Nobody wants to hire a fuck-up like me. This is the only way.”

  I stepped closer, desperate to touch him. “You don’t have to explain it to me.”

  “I do…” His entire body was coiled, ready to pounce, but I wasn’t sure in which direction.

  “I wanted you before, and I want you now,” I said. “Nothing has changed. I’m in as long as you are.”

  “You want…” He sighed, his shoulders slumping.

  “I think this is worth hanging onto and seeing where it goes, don’t you?”

  Rebel tilted his head to the side, a ghost of a smile tugging at his lips. “The Underground?”

  I still hadn’t decided what to do about that. Maybe I should drop the investigation, at least until Rebel got what he needed. I could let him get clear of the place before it was brought down. Now that I knew his story…it seemed like the thing to do. I’d have to think about that, but right now, I just wanted to reassure Rebel that I was in it with him.

  “I’ll play the game.”

  “But—”

  “I want to see you fight,” I said through a sigh. “It’s who you are, and it’s fucking hot.”

  “Charlie.” Rebel’s eyes blazed and he struck.

  Pressing me back against the wall, he buried his hands into my hair, his body grinding against mine. Our tongues clashed hungrily, kissing the anger and despair from one another, as our hands groped for flesh, desperately peeling clothes away from skin.

  This was what I felt for this man. Despite coming from different walks of life, me with my protect and serve and him with his eat or get eaten mentality, I felt something that was uncontrollable. He devoured me. Risking my life in the very place that could save his seemed the least I could do if I wanted to stay by his side.

  Lifting me up into his arms, I clamped my legs around his waist, and he entered me, pinning my body against the wall. He thrust hard, over and over, and all that was left was pleasure.

  Pleasure and a promise. We were in this together.

  Chapter 12

  Charlotte

  I glanced at the text on my phone and smiled.

  Rebel: You coming to see me win tonight, Sweet Lips?

  I’d put his name into my contacts after leaving his place the day before. We’d decided it might be a good idea to have a day or two apart before whatever this thing was devoured us whole, but it seemed Rebel couldn’t help himself. I’d never shacked up with a man so fast in my entire life, but nothing had ever compared to the bang with which we began. It was dive in the deep end head first or nothing.

  Unlocking my phone, I tapped in a reply. Sure thing, hot stuff.

  Going back to The Underground was a risk, I knew that, and it took walking on the wild side to a whole new level. I wasn’t just having a romp with a sexy fighter, I was dealing with the devil for daring to conceal who I was. They all did it, though. Fighters took on pseudonyms, nobody gave out last names…and everyone kept tight-lipped on what was going on in that warehouse and where they’d come from. I was no different, except for the fact I was the one person who wouldn’t be welcome.

  A cop was a cop no matter what you dressed her up as.

  I found myself daydreaming all day at work, my alertness off-kilter to my usual performance. I’d been stuck on an armed robbery out in the suburbs. It was an old case that had yet to be closed and I was sure Hunter had put me onto it to punish me for my unsanctioned snooping around The Underground. Man, if only he knew. I’d spent the whole afternoon canvassing witnesses that had already been canvassed weeks ago, or at least I’d tried to. I did end up getting some solid leads that I thought were worth looking into, so it’d suck to be Hunter when I cracked it.

  When my shift came to an end, I hightailed it home to get changed and made it to The Underground with minutes to spare until Rebel went in for his fight.

  I found him waiting by the cage entrance, shaking out his muscles, looking every inch the pure specimen he was. When he caught sight of me, his lips curved into a shit-eating grin. He stepped into me, and I wrapped my arms around his neck and kissed him. Hard.

  “Hey,” he murmured against my lips.

  “Hey.”

  “You miss me or somethin’?”

  Smiling, I replied, “I can still feel you.”

  Rebel’s eyes widened slightly, his hands tightening around my waist. “Fuckin’ good.”

  “I expect you to win, you know.”

  “It’s a sure thing, Sweet Lips.”

  “We’ll celebrate later.” I wiggled my eyebrows up and down.

  Like a typical man, Rebel’s eyes widened at the suggestion of sex.

  “Against the wall, in the shower, on my knees—”

  He placed a hand over my mouth and laughed. “Stop it, Charlie, or I’ll skip the fight all together and have you right here. Do you want an audience? Because I sure as fuck don’t want to share you with anyone.”

  Wrapping my hand around his wrist, I tugged, freeing my lips. “Then you better win good.”

  “Record time.”

  Letting me go, he backed away as his name was called. The cage door closed, and he blew me a cheeky kiss. I could feel the jealous eyes on me, but I didn’t give a shit. It was just me and him, and I didn’t like to admit it, but I was in so deep I wasn’t sure I was getting out. If this fucked up, I would never be the same again. What man could compete with Kane ‘Rebel’ Sturgess? None.

  Fuck, we were like one of those annoying loved up couples. It was all new and fresh, and we couldn’t keep our hands off one another. I’d used to look at people like that and throw up. Yeah, I’d been jealous, but I got it now. The rest of the world ceased to exist when you felt like that.

  The crowd jostled around me as the fight began, and I was pushed backward. Turning, I threaded my way out of the throng and rounded the back of the bleachers. I’d never sat up there before, but it would afford me an uninterrupted view of the fight. Glancing toward the fighter only area, I stilled.

  The entry was unattended, and suddenly, my cop sense flared into life.

  Looking around, I noticed nobody was watching, all eyes were plastered on the cage. This was my chance if I was willing to take it. Everyone was otherwise occupied watching the fight and wouldn’t notice if I slipped into the office. I’d have to be quick about it.

  Not wanting to draw any unwanted attention to myself, I wandered forward. Stepping into the hall, I began walking fast, my boots thudding against the concrete floor.

  “Hey!”

  I froze, my heart skipping a beat or ten, and I turned slowly, plastering a fake smile on my face.

  “Hey,” I said, waving to the security guard.

  “You’re Rebel’s new girl?” he asked, looking me up and down.

  “Charlie,” I said, fluttering my eyelashes at him.

  “What are you doing out here?”

  “What do you think?” Imply sexy thoughts.

  His eyes widened slightly, and after a moment, a sly smile appeared on his lips. “Okay, go straight bac
k and wait in the change rooms.”

  I flashed him my best smile and backed away. “You got it.” Idiot.

  Disappearing into the empty change room, I waited a moment before peering back around the corner. The security guard was walking back to his post after having waited to make sure I did as I was told. He moved through the door and back to his post.

  The hallway was empty, and I had a chance to get into the office. Pacing back down the hall toward the security guard, I knew I might not get another chance. It was now or never.

  An image of Rebel flashed in my mind, and I shook my head. I had to keep my eye on the prize.

  Trying the door to the office, I found it unlocked, and I slipped inside, closing it softly behind me. I was alone, the room dark, and I took out my phone to light the way. There was a desk in the middle of the room, the surface littered with papers, and toward the back, there was a huge safe and a filing cabinet. It was pretty bare other than those things, and I wondered if this was it, the entirety of their operation, but experience told me it wasn’t. Not by a long shot.

  There was no hope of me cracking the combination to the safe, so I decided to have a flip through the filing cabinet to see what I could find. Any evidence I collected would be useless, but not if I handed it in anonymously. Opening the top drawer, I began thumbing through the files. How was I going to take credit for it, though? Hand it into myself? I’d have to be careful how I went about that and cover my tracks.

  The sound of the door opening behind me made me still, and instantly, I knew I’d been made. Fuck. I’d been stupid. So fucking stupid.

  The light flicked on, and the sound of a low growl echoed from behind. Closing the filing cabinet, I turned on my heel, my hands in the air. My gaze collided with a man I’d never seen before. A hard looking guy, stocky with a shaved head and an air of danger that was all too familiar.

  His face twisted into a scowl and he asked, “Who the fuck are you?”

  I should’ve listened to my conscience on this one because I was in the shit. How the fuck was I going to worm my way out of this without revealing who I was? I’d promised Rebel I’d play the game, and when he found out… Shit, we’d be over.

  I opened and closed my mouth, trying to think of a plausible story for poking around in a filing cabinet at an illegal cage fighting operation, but nothing came out. I had no excuse.

  The man strode forward and grabbed me around the arm. I twisted, trying to break free, but he pulled me tight against his chest.

  “I won’t ask again, pretty girl. Who the fuck are you?”

  Yeah, I was in it big time.

  Chapter 13

  Rebel

  It was an easy fight.

  Torment went down without too much trouble—the guy was way too green for this place. He was the same age as me but inexperienced. He held back on his blows like he was afraid of hurting me, but it was his weakness. If he could get over the fact that it took blood to win, he’d be pretty fucking formidable. He’d be a contender for the top prize. As he was now? He was cannon fodder.

  I took the win out in record time and left the cage, looking for Charlie. Even to me it was strange how much I wanted to be with her. I’d always been solitary, a fuckin’ loner content to have my fun and be done with it, but with her… I wanted to be with her all the time.

  I did a round of the arena, clutching my hoodie in my hand and not giving a stuff that I was wandering around with my shirt off, sweat dripping down my back. The women were loving it, but I couldn’t seem to find the one that I was looking for.

  Where was Charlie?

  Stopping by the bar, Lori hadn’t seen her. The bookies hadn’t noticed her, and she hadn’t placed any bets. On my way out back, I asked the fuckwits on security, but she hadn’t passed for a while. Charlie was nowhere to be found. Usually, I’d just dismiss it and move on, but now that I knew who she was and what she did—something didn’t feel right. Both times she’d seen me fight she’d waited for me right after. I assumed she’d do the same tonight.

  Striding out to the change room, I checked my phone, but the screen was blank. I shot her a quick text and began unwinding the wraps around my hands. Once I was done, I checked the phone again despite it being silent the whole time. Fuck.

  “Rebel.”

  I glanced up at Max as he appeared beside me. He had a grimace on his face, and instantly, my blood began to run cold. There was no reason he’d seek me out unless—

  “What?” I asked, slamming the locker closed.

  “Your girl—”

  “Charlie?”

  “She’s a cop.”

  My expression fell even further. If he knew…

  “What have you done to her?” I asked, getting up in his face. I’d crack his fucking skull open if he’d touched her. I’d kill him with my bare hands.

  “I haven’t done anything,” he replied, staring me down. “But Simon has.”

  “Simon?”

  “You know, Simon, the whiny bastard in charge of bribing the entire police force?”

  “I know who Simon fucking is,” I snapped.

  “He’s making a play for The Underground,” Max said, ignoring me. “He’s using your girl as an example.”

  I knew it. I fucking knew it. I’d told Ryan the other day I’d suspected as much. He’d told me to keep my fingers outta it, but if Charlie had gotten herself mixed up in it, I had to get involved. My hand had been forced.

  Flexing my fingers, I asked, “Where is the bastard?”

  “Let’s make one thing clear, Rebel,” Max said. “I want The Underground. I want Simon out. I’m prepared to overlook your girl being a cop—”

  “You need my help,” I snapped. “Charlie for The Underground.”

  Max narrowed his eyes. “We go now, we might get her back before it’s too late.”

  Turning, I grabbed my keys and phone from my locker before slamming it closed. “Lead the way, but I’m driving.”

  I’d been through a lot of fucked up shit in my life. A lot of fucked up criminal activity, but nothing got to me more than the drive to find Charlie. Maybe she was already hurt or worse…dead.

  I’d only just found her.

  “Here,” Max said, pointing to a house up ahead.

  It looked deserted, or at least it did from the facade. The garden was overgrown, the veranda rotting, and the house itself looked like a squatters den. It was wreathed in a darkness so complete it even gave me the chills.

  “What is this place?” I asked, pulling the car up a few houses back and killing the engine.

  “Simon used to use it to sell drugs back when he was a dealer.”

  Fuck, I knew the guy was a piece of work but drugs were the worst. Drugs were what killed my parents in a roundabout way. The driver of that semitrailer had been loaded, had careened into our car… I shook my head and unclipped my seatbelt.

  “Don’t do anything stupid, Rebel,” Max said, following suit. “Follow my lead, and we’ll get her out.”

  “I know you’re using me,” I said. “You get what you want, and that means I get her. I’m not a fucking idiot.”

  “Then I was right to trust you.”

  Glancing at him, I rolled my eyes. “Get out of the car.”

  Sliding out, I closed the door behind me, waiting for Max to take the lead. I was the brawn on this operation, and he’d made himself clear. I was the backup incase he needed me to beat the fucker senseless.

  The front door was open—the door itself was falling off its hinges—the wood brown, and the paintwork was peeling off in flakes. Inside, the place felt like ice and stunk like rotting wood and damp, the floorboards creaking underfoot. Typical drug den, a squatter’s delight. Fucking filthy.

  There was a thud from further back in the house, and Max strode forward through the darkness with purpose. Simon was still here, so maybe it wasn’t too late. As we approached the rear, a murky artificial light began to break the darkness. Someone was home alright.

  Max s
tepped into the room first, and it wasn’t until I’d followed him in that I realized the extent to which things had blown up. Simon was standing in the center of the room, a gun in his hand. A dangerous man with his finger on the trigger, the barrel pointing right at my girl.

  My gaze landed on Charlie, and my breath caught. She was sitting on a chair, her hands behind her back—probably bound—her eyes bright and wild. There was a red mark on her cheek, marring her perfect, creamy skin. She’d been hit. Bastard.

  “What the fuck, Simon?” Max exclaimed. “You tryin’ to fuck us all up?”

  “She’s a cop,” he snarled.

  “I know,” he replied.

  Simon shook his head in disbelief. “You know?” he roared. “You know where I found her? With her fingers in our files, gathering evidence.”

  I glanced at Charlie, and her gaze was fixed on mine. I could see the truth echoed in them as clear as fucking day. She’d been using me to get into The Underground. She’d said she’d play the game until I got out. Was that a lie?

  “Charlie,” I said, shaking my head.

  “No,” she pleaded. “Don’t even think it.”

  “Shut up!” Simon roared.

  “Put the gun down,” Max said calmly. “Last thing we need is to put a girl in the ground.”

  “She’s not a girl, she’s a fucking pig, and we need to make an example out of her.”

  “Stop fucking around,” Max snapped. “You and I both know that this is your play, Simon. It’s been a long time coming, right?” He edged forward. “You want the entire pie for yourself. The whole fucking Underground. You want to be king.”

  “Fucking right,” he spat. “You and Graham are running that place into the ground.”

  “That’s bullshit,” I hissed.

  “Stay out this, Rebel,” Max said, holding his hand out to silence me. “This is between us.”

  “Not with a gun pointed at my woman’s head, it isn’t.” Turning my attention onto Charlie, she shook her head. I could read her thoughts and they said, don’t try anything stupid.