Chapter Twenty-Six Rey
Damn. I was hoping Abra wouldn’t push for an answer until we got back to the clubhouse. I glance nervously at my brother to find him watching us. There is no way I can mention the stolen jewelry in front of my brother. Luckily, Cicero comes to my rescue.
“That was my fault,” Cicero says. “We were on the way to the clubhouse when I decided to stop at the pawn shop. I’ve been meaning to stop there to do some research on a project I’m working on.”
Abra frowns at Cicero. “That’s not like you. You knew Rey was in danger.”
“I know! I wasn’t thinking, not until we stopped in front of the shop. That’s when I remembered how risky it was. I was just about to drive away when he came out of the store and started shooting at us.” Cicero nods at Dontel.
Before Abra can press Cicero for more information, I pinch his side. He scowls down at me, but stares into my face as I try to communicate with my eyes.
“What project?” Max asks, which prompts me to close my eyes in defeat.
“What?” Cicero asks. “Oh, my project? This is a research project I’ve been working on that involves a necklace brought over during the French Revolution.
The rumor is that a descendant of the family that brought it over pawned it at that pawn shop.
I’ve been meaning to stop by and question the shop owner. ”
Abra stiffens next to me. Max looks at Cicero for several long minutes before turning his attention to Abra and me. “This is the guy you chose to babysit my little sister?”
“Hey!” I protest, trying to pull away from Abra, but he doesn’t let me go. “I don’t need a babysitter. I’m an adult.”
“You sure are, baby, but hush,” Abra says, infuriating me further. “Look, no harm done. Cicero got her out of there, and he alerted us. Rey is safe. You have this asshole in custody. I’d say it all worked out, don’t you?”
Max shrugs in capitulation. “Fine. She’s safe, and that’s all that matters. Backup should be here soon. Where are you guys headed? Back to the clubhouse?”
“That’s the plan,” Abra says.
Max chews on his lip before speaking again. “You wouldn’t want to run by the pawn shop and let Rey take a look inside, would you?”
I look at him in surprise. Does he know that it was me who wanted to go into the pawn shop?
“I guess, why?” Abra asks.
“This asshole was pawning something,” Max says, holding up an evidence bag with a slip of paper inside. “Looks like jewelry. I’m guessing it belongs to Rey. If the asshole sees me pull up, he might dispose of the goods before I can see them. I figure if you two went inside…”
“He wouldn’t freak out. Good idea. What do you say, babe? Want to take a ride over to the pawn shop?”
“You’re going to take your bike?” Max asks.
“Of course, why?”
“Is it safe? I mean, considering Rey’s condition?”
I suck in a breath when Dontel whips his head around to glare at me. “What the fuck does that mean? What condition?”
I give Max an incredulous look and receive an apologetic one in return.
“She was scared when you shot at her,” Abra says smoothly. “Rey’s fine. She knows she’s safe with me.”
I bob my head quickly, avoiding making eye contact with Dontel. I don’t want him to see the worry in my eyes. There is no reason for him to jump to the conclusion that I’m pregnant with his child, but I don’t want to risk it. Hopefully, he’ll accept Abra’s comment and move on.
Three black and whites pull up behind Max’s vehicle. Five cops get out and join us.
“What’s going on, Detective?” the oldest of uniformed officers asks.
“I need you to take these three back to the station and book them,” Max says quickly. “Book this guy on suspicion of breaking and entering and killing a cop. Book the others as accessories. I’ll be in to question them later.”
Dontel and his friends howl and curse as the cops lead them to their respective squad cars and strap them into the backseats.
“Shit, Rey, I’m sorry, I wasn’t thinking,” Max says, moving my side and sliding a hand down my arm. “Do you think he suspects?”
We glance at the patrol car with Dontel fuming inside. Dontel is glaring at us. His expression reads as furious rather than speculative. I just hope he doesn’t remember Max’s comment and what it could mean.
“I don’t know,” I answer Max. “It’s too late to do anything about it. How long do you think he’ll be in jail?”
“I can keep him for seventy-two hours before I have to charge him. However, I’m hoping this gun is a match for the ballistics on the bullet that killed Officer Ryan. If it is, we can charge him and toss him in a cell until he dies of old age.”
“That would be ideal,” Abra says. “In the meantime, we’ll head to the pawn shop and see if there is more evidence for you there. We’ll call you if we find anything.”
“Good deal,” Max says, leaning forward to kiss me on my cheek. “Take care of yourself. I don’t like you riding on his bike. It’s dangerous for the baby.”
“Abra will take care of me. The baby is safe inside me. I probably won’t be riding once I start showing,” I assure him.
“Is it just the two of you?” Max asks as the sound of revving engines fills the air. Cicero and Levi follow Hex and the others down the road.
“I’m going with them,” Zip says, joining us.
Abra and Zip shake hands with Max before Abra leads me to his bike.
As we pull away, I spot a tow truck and a dark SUV heading past us toward Max and Dontel’s vehicle.
I know Max is strong enough to take care of himself, but I can’t deny that I’m relieved he won’t be alone on the deserted road.
Dontel doesn’t have many friends, but the two assholes with him today aren’t his only ones.
I relax into the drive and enjoy the exhilaration of the wind whipping around our connected bodies. Wrapping around the hardness of Abra’s body just adds to the thrill. I breathe in the fresh air along with the scent that is all Abra. Leather, oil, musk, and a hint of spice. He’s intoxicating.
When Abra pulls up in front of the pawn shop, I disembark and hand him my helmet.
“Before we go in, I want you to tell me the real reason why Cicero brought you here,” Abra says.
Well, damn. I was hoping he’d let that go.
I should have known better. “It was my idea. When I saw the shop, I recognized the name as the one from your journal. You wrote down the name of this shop as the one where that young man pawned his family’s jewelry to pay for his wife’s surgery.
Cicero didn’t want to stop, but I made him. ”
“What was your plan?” Abra asks in confusion.
“Turns out it wasn’t a good plan. Or at least Cicero didn’t think it was. I thought Cicero could distract the guy behind the counter long enough for me to sneak in the back and check the records.”
The look of disbelief on Abra’s face has me blushing with embarrassment. “I told you it wasn’t a good plan. Cicero explained why I wouldn’t be able to get into the office without getting caught. Which is why we were leaving when Dontel came out.”
“Well, I’m glad one of you had some sense,” Abra says, shaking his head before taking my hand and leading me inside. Zip is right behind us.
“Afternoon,” Abra calls out as the shop owner stares at us. “I’m Abra, this is Zip. We’re members of the Demon Dawgs. I’m searching for something pretty for my girl here.”
I bristle at him failing to introduce me, except as ‘his girl,’ but I realize Abra isn’t diminishing me, but protecting me. He doesn’t want the pawnbroker to know my name.
“Demon Dawgs? Jewelry? Yes, yes. Of course,” the man stutters as he moves around the counter and draws our attention to a display case nearest the door.
I move over to look, while Abra stays with Zip.
The two of them chat while I peruse the rather impressive offerings.
You’d think a pawn shop would have junk, but many of the pieces are very nice.
I immediately spot the locket my parents gave me when I graduated from high school and the bracelet that Max and my brothers bought me when I passed the bar exam.
Neither piece is unique, but I recognize them as mine.
“Can I look at that locket?” I ask.
The man unlocks the case and hands me the piece so I can examine it.
“It’s a beauty, isn’t it? That’s a real ruby. Just got it in today. A young man had to sell it to pay for his grandmother’s assisted living care. Along with this bracelet,” he says, drawing out my bracelet. “This is a beautiful piece, too. Those are diamonds and rubies.”
“They’re both gorgeous,” I tell him, turning to look at Abra, who stands alone. Where is Zip? Before I can ask, Abra steps over to join us.
“Find something you like?” he asks.
I hold up the two pieces. “These two. They’re mine.”
“Well, what do you know? Are you in the habit of selling stolen merchandise?” Abra asks the man.
The shop owner stumbles back and turns to escape, but Abra simply reaches across the counter and snags him by the shirt.
“Lock the door and turn over the sign before you call your brother,” Abra tells me.
I do as he asks. Once I tell Max what we found, he assures me that he’s on his way.