Chapter 3
THREE
BECCA
“This guy better be legit, or I’m going to kill him.” I dish out what I know is an empty threat from where I sit next to Audrey in the back seat of a car loaded with mercenaries.
At least that’s what I think they are. At least someone in the car is capable of murder in case I need a hand. Even if they’re kind of a pain in the ass.
I still think reaching out to Audrey was a great idea, but holy crap has it started a shitstorm.
One that has made it impossible to go back to my house, leaving me holed up in a hotel, wearing clothes one of the dudes in the front seat picked out for me, and forced to sit on my hands since no one can know where I’m at.
Because—based on all the shooting—we’ve gotta assume the guys who came to my house weren’t there for a friendly visit.
“You’ll have to get in line.” Maddox sits on Audrey’s other side while Luca drives us through downtown Memphis. “But if it makes you feel better, I’ll let you kick him when I’m done.”
Yeah. Pretty sure that won’t be good enough. “I’ll think about it.”
Alaskan Security thinks they’ve located someone on the police force who will actually help us. I’m skeptical, but Maddox and Audrey keep trying to reassure me. Makes me think they know how close I am to ditching them and going back to working on my own.
“Pierce believes him.” Audrey says it like I give two shits what Pierce believes. I don’t know that guy from Adam. His opinion has no value to me. “And Intel didn’t find anything sketchy when they looked into his background.”
It’s not enough for me, but apparently it’s enough for the three men driving us to a hole-in-the-wall Chinese restaurant on the other side of town to meet Officer Romero.
I have about as much faith in Intel’s abilities as I do in Pierce’s beliefs. “I guess we’ll find out if they’re as good at what they do as you say they are.”
“If he’s full of shit, I’ll take care of it.” Owen, the guy who nearly wore my barf down his back, turns in his seat, his attention coming to me. “Nothing bad’s going to happen today.”
“You mean nothing bad’s going to happen to me.” I stare him down. “Because I’m pretty sure my sister’s day is still going to be total shit.”
“Not for long,” Luca pipes up. “We’ll find her soon.” His eyes find me in the mirror. “I promise.”
I turn to Audrey. “Why are they being so fucking weird?”
I can’t tell if the men in the front seat are trying to keep me from freaking out, or if they’re just as bad as I am at knowing when to say something and when to keep your mouth shut. They’re not bad guys, I just don’t get their angle. And don’t have the inclination or energy to figure it out.
Thankfully, Audrey shifts the conversation to the task at hand. “It’s probably a good thing you haven’t heard of Officer Romero. It means he likely wasn’t involved in the screw-up with your sister’s case.”
“I guess.” I lean to peer between the seats, trying to figure out where we are. “Are we almost there? I need to pee.”
I was so eager to find out what this guy might know, I ran out of my room without taking the time to empty my bladder. And that was a significantly bad idea following a morning of pouring coffee down my throat hoping the caffeine might improve my outlook.
It did not.
“Five minutes.” Luca gives me our ETA, his gaze once again lingering in the mirror.
I widen my eyes at him, because what in the heck does he keep looking at?
When we finally pull into the lot, I’m out of the car before anyone else. Luca and Owen aren’t far behind me, their long legs eating up the distance twice as fast as my shorter legs can go. They stick to me like glue as I rush into the restaurant and head straight for the ladies’ room.
Fortunately they stop outside the door, because I need a minute alone as much as I need the facilities. To breathe. To get my head in the game. To convince my mouth to be on its best behavior. I can’t fuck this up by being weird or mean or blunt. I have to try to be…
Normal.
Which isn’t my strong suit.
I use the toilet first, then wash my hands, giving myself a little pep talk as I dry them off.
“You can do this. Don’t say anything out of line.
Don’t ask anything prying. Sugarcoat the truth instead of just saying it.
” I blow out a breath, because why does it have to be so hard to freaking exist?
Why can’t interacting with other people be simple?
Cut and dry. Why do I have to tiptoe and bullshit and censor?
It’s exhausting under the best circumstances. And these are not the best circumstances.
With one last deep breath, I straighten my shoulders and march out of the bathroom, striding past where Luca and Owen are waiting for me, determined to make a good impression with Office Romero. He’s my best shot at saving Amanda, and I can’t—
“What the fuck?” My feet skid to a stop as I stare at the man talking to Maddox and Audrey.
“What in the hell are you doing here?” I’ve been so focused on how I was going to act that it takes my brain a second to add everything up.
“Holy shit.” My stomach clenches. Maybe from nerves.
Maybe from excitement. “You’re who we’re meeting? ”
“I…” Butch—Officer Romero—stares back at me. “How are you involved in this?”
“My sister was abducted by Audrey’s ex-husband, Trevor Hawthorne.”
I can’t stop myself from moving closer to him.
Butch drew me in from the minute we met almost a decade ago, and I guess that still stands all these years later.
I take him in, cataloging what’s the same as the last time I saw him.
What’s different. I point to the full sleeve covering his arm. “That’s new.”
Butch glances down. “I had to cover up the tattoo I got when I joined The Knights.” His gaze comes back to me. “You look good.”
I can’t take my eyes off him. Off the changes I see. “You look… Different.”
“It’s been a few years.” One hand moves to smooth along the dark hair at the side of his head. “I’ve probably got a few more gray hairs.”
My eyes flick to the movement, but shift away from his hair immediately. “No. That’s not it.” I study his features, his expression. “You look tired.”
The words are out of my mouth before I can stop them. Before I can consider if it’s the right—acceptable—thing to say.
The look on Audrey’s face tells me it’s not.
But Butch just smiles. “Your powers of observation continue to be unparalleled.”
His expression sobers a little as he pulls out a chair and motions for me to sit. I barely hesitate before taking it, my lungs struggling as he takes the one right beside me, scooting it even closer as he sits down.
“How are you doing?” he asks, the rumble of his deep voice moving through me in a way I’d never experienced before he entered my life.
Or after he cut me out of his.
“Not great.” I cross my arms, trying to put a needed barrier between us. “You’d know that if you hadn’t disappeared on me.”
“I had to.” Butch leans closer, his voice low. “You were going to figure me out. It was only a matter of time before that brilliant brain of yours connected all the dots.”
I should be flattered. I love knowing things. Figuring out the world around me. Instead, I’m a little hurt. “I wouldn’t have told anyone.”
Butch lifts one hand, and I stop breathing, thinking he’s going to touch me. But then his hand drops. “It wasn’t about you telling people, Becca.”
I study him, dissecting his expression. Analyzing his words. He’s being honest, and I guess I can see why it might not have been in my best interest to know he wasn’t who or what he was trying to appear to be.
Even though I’d suspected it from the minute we met.
“Still. I would have liked to know why I never saw you again.” It would have given me closure I desperately needed. Instead, I was left reeling, filled with emotions I’d never had and a kind of need I didn’t know existed.
“I know.” Butch’s dark eyes hold mine. “I’m sorry. I wish things could have been different.”
It’s like no time has passed. Like I’m the me from ten years ago. The me who blurted out what she thought and asked questions no one wanted to answer.
The me who wanted to be touched by him in a way I thought didn’t interest me in the slightest.
A loud screeching sound breaks the spell Butch holds over me as Luca drags a chair across the floor, shoving it in at my other side before sitting down.
He glares past me to where Butch is still so close we’re almost touching.
“Are we gonna talk about why we’re here, or are you gonna keep trying to explain why you walked out on her? ”
Butch scoots even closer to me, draping one arm across the back of my chair, his tone low and threatening as he stares Luca down. “It wasn’t like that.”
“It doesn’t matter what happened.” Audrey breaks through the weird tension building between Luca and Butch. “What matters now is stopping Trevor and getting Becca’s sister back.”
Luca and Butch glare at each other a second longer before Butch’s attention comes back to me. “How long has she been gone?”
I swallow hard. Even with Audrey and the three guys she brought surrounding me, I’ve felt alone. Like I had no one to rely on. No one I could really trust.
But I trust Butch. I always have.
“Three weeks. She called me once, but couldn’t tell me where she was.” I point at Maddox. “I gave him the number she called me from.”
Butch’s eyes flash to Maddox, lingering for a second before coming back to me. “And you’re sure Trevor Hawthorne is who has her?”
“I’m sure Trevor is responsible for her disappearance, but I don’t know who has her now.
” My voice cracks a little. I’ve tried so hard not to think about this part, but I have to tell Butch everything if I want him to be able to help me.
“She could be states away.” My throat tightens.
“Or five minutes from where we are now for all I know.” I grab Butch’s hand, needing something to hang onto before I start to spiral.
“That’s why we need your help. I tried to make the police understand she wasn’t a runaway, but they wouldn’t listen.
You can explain it to them. Make them look for her. ”
Butch’s hand slides from mine as he leans back in his seat, scrubbing the palm that was just touching mine over his face. “Fuck.”
Audrey pulls out the chair next to him, her expression filled with worry as she sits down. “What’s that mean? What’s wrong?”
“Are you ready to order?” The waitress cuts in at the worst possible time and I almost yell at her for not reading the room. If I can learn to do it, anyone can.
“Give us a few minutes.” Maddox sends her away before I can tell her to get lost, then turns to Butch. “Are you saying you can’t help us?”
“I’m saying I’m not sure there’s anyone at that station who will help you.
” He glances around, narrowed gaze raking over Owen and Luca before going back to Maddox.
“There’s a reason no one’s looking into this, and I’m not sure me being involved will do you any good.
” He sighs. “It might actually hurt your odds.”
“It’s because no one wants to touch Trevor.” Audrey looks like she’s about to cry, and I feel bad. She’s not responsible for any of this. The blame for it falls on the shoulders of her ex-husband and the men around him.
“What?” Butch seems genuinely confused. “No.” He shakes his head. “Trevor’s not the issue.” His thumb barely brushes my shoulder through the fabric of my hoodie. “This is way bigger than some pissant state senator.”
“Wait.” Audrey’s brows pinch. “Trevor isn’t in charge of this thing?”
Butch snorts. “Trevor’s a dumbass they’re using as a wall they can hide behind.” He shifts in his seat, the solid line of his thigh coming to rest right against mine. “And from what I was able to find before they shut me down, he’s who they plan to throw under the bus if everything goes south.”
“You keep saying they.” Maddox takes the seat beside Audrey. “Who’s they?”
“If I knew that, we’d be on our way to find Becca’s sister right now.” Butch’s nostrils flare, his jaw clenching. “Whoever they are, the number of cops they have in their pocket is pretty fucking high.”
Audrey slumps in her seat, but I’m not surprised by what he’s saying. It explains why none of them would help me.
They were too busy helping Trevor.
Maddox exchanges looks with Luca and Owen. I watch each one. I don’t know these guys well enough to identify what they’re thinking for sure, but I’ve got a guess.
And I’m guessing they’re on the same page I am.
“I guess that means we have to find her ourselves and kill everyone who gets in the way.” I know I should probably hesitate to plan multiple murders, but some people just need to die. I’m not trained to do it, but the men around me are. Hopefully they’re willing to put their skills to good use.
“She’s right. The cops aren’t going to help.
The corruption in the Memphis PD runs deep.
I tried to show them, but they didn't want to see it. Makes me think it goes higher than I expected.” Butch meets each man’s gaze one by one.
“If you want to save Becca’s sister, you’re going to have to handle it carefully and discreetly, because there’s no way to know who’s involved. ”
“You know part of who’s involved.” Maddox tips his head toward Butch. “Can probably make some educated guesses based on your years working undercover.”
Butch’s thumb accidentally brushes against me again. “Probably.”
“Do you think you can stand on both sides of the law for a little while?” Maddox asks.
Butch laughs, the sound bitter. “Man, I’ve been straddling both sides of the law for years.”