Chapter 6
SIX
BUTCH
I think it’s funny those asshats believed they could put Becca somewhere I wouldn’t be able to find her.
I don’t think it’s funny they aren’t even trying to make sure she’s taken care of.
Makes me extra glad I took the time to stop at the drugstore on the way here.
All the supplies—even though I got the smallest boxes I could—took up precious space in my bag, but seeing how much better she feels is worth the sacrifice.
“You want the temperature adjusted?” I hold the remote for the heating pad in my hand. “Hotter? Cooler?”
Becca sighs, her body relaxing against the mattress as her eyes flutter closed. “It’s fine.”
This is why I’ve always liked her. Most people are full of shit. I’ve crossed paths with lots of them, and almost every single one told me what they thought I wanted to hear. What they believed would get them where they wanted to go.
Not Becca. She doesn’t sugarcoat shit. She doesn’t feel obligated to say things she doesn’t mean. And she doesn’t conform to societal expectations. She’s honest. Real. Smart and engaging. I think she’s the only person besides my niece who can get me to say more than a handful of words.
I came here figuring I would just drop off some items then go sit outside in my car to keep an eye on the place. But now that I’ve seen what a shitty job they’re doing taking care of her, I find myself reluctant to leave.
Once she’s settled and comfortable, I stretch out on the bed beside her.
Not close, but also not far away. There can’t be too much space between us, because I’d like our conversation to stay in this room.
And there’s no doubt in my mind someone is doing their best to listen in from the hallway outside.
If they aren’t, these fuckers aren’t worth half a shit, and I might as well take her out of here and put her someplace I know she’ll be safe.
I might do that anyway.
As the mattress sinks under my weight, Becca’s eyes snap open, widening as they roll to watch me shift around. She lays very still as I turn onto my side, curling one arm under my head.
“Are you staying?”
The hope in her voice satisfies me on a level not much does. Especially not now when everything is such a fucking nightmare.
I’ve been planning to talk to her about what she knows in regards to her sister’s disappearance. I’m positive Becca has more information than she’s given up, and it makes me proud she’s being careful. But instead of fishing for that information, I find myself asking, “Do you want me to stay?”
Her eyes go to the door, holding a second before coming back to my face. She leans in, closing even more of the distance between us. “I can’t decide if these guys are really capable of helping me or not.” Her words are barely a whisper.
My head rocks in a nod. “Agreed.”
Becca’s dark eyes drop to my mouth, the tip of her tongue running across her lips before her gaze snaps to mine. “But I know you’re capable of helping me.”
Again, I nod. “I am.”
I’d like the opportunity to show her I’m capable of much more than that, but that’s going to have to wait.
Becca and I didn’t have the opportunity to get to know each other well—not in any honest way—before.
She’s always been the one who slipped through my fingers.
And once all this is over, I fully intend to see if there really is something between us.
Or if I just wanted to believe there was a person in this world who would find me tolerable.
Becca rubs her lips together. Rocking her small frame from side to side, she wiggles closer. Once her body is practically against mine, she leans in, mouth so close to my ear I can feel the warmth of her breath against my skin. “I didn’t tell them everything I know.”
Figuring that if she feels comfortable being this close to me, she might be comfortable with me being that close to her, I lean just like she did. Indulge myself—just a little—letting my lips brush against the shell of her ear as I say, “Neither did I.”
Becca takes a shaky breath, the temptation of her tongue slicking against her lower lip once more. I can’t help but follow its path with my gaze, wondering what she tastes like there.
What she tastes like other places.
Maybe me staying here isn’t such a brilliant idea.
Because I know without a shadow of a doubt, that should the opportunity arise, I would happily make sure the men listening in the hall understand they don’t have a fucking chance with her.
That when the time comes, there will only be one name on Becca’s lips.
Mine.
But I’m sure the last thing she’s thinking about while her sister’s suffering is my mouth on her skin. It should be the last thing I’m thinking about too.
But I’m an asshole. It’s common knowledge.
“Hey.” A fist bangs on the bedroom door. “What the fuck, Butch?”
I’m a little surprised it took them this long to start shit. If one of them took Becca into a bedroom and barricaded them in, I would’ve already kicked the door down.
It worries me they won’t be willing to do whatever it takes to keep her safe. Not the way I would. I’m also worried they won’t do whatever it takes to find her sister.
I think Becca is concerned about the same thing.
I ignore whichever of the two fuckheads is pissed off in the hall, keeping my focus on the woman beside me. “Don’t tell them anything you don’t have to. Not until we know whose side they’re really on.”
After months—maybe years—of no one having my back, it feels too fucking good to finally have someone in my corner. Someone who wants to take these bastards down just as much as—probably more than—I do.
Becca nods. “You either.”
“Don’t make me kick the door down, prick.” The banging gets louder, and I have to think it’s Owen on the other side. His interest in Becca is obvious to everyone. Except maybe her.
For someone so smart and observant, she’s oddly unaware of the effect she has on men. She’s tiny and reserved, with an air of false fragility, and that can really call to the baser side of us. Make us want to pull her close and protect her.
Even me, and I know she’s not nearly as fragile as she looks.
Reaching up, I lace my fingers into her dark hair, curving them around the back of her head as I pull her against me, sealing my mouth against hers. It’s not more than a chaste meeting of lips, but hopefully gets my point across. We’re in this together. I’ve got her, no matter what.
Also, don’t even think about being interested in Owen.
Releasing her, I roll away, getting to my feet just as the first kick bounces off the door. I go to where my prop is keeping it closed, knocking it loose so I can twist the knob and remove the barrier right as Owen attempts to kick it again.
He’s put so much force behind the action that his body careens forward, flying off balance and sending him face first onto the floor.
I stand over him, shaking my head. He should have fucking seen that coming.
I prop the door brace over my shoulder—I’m sure it’s the first thing they’ll take from her anyway—giving Becca a wink. “Don’t give them too much hell, B.”
Then, even though all I want to do is stay by her side, I stride out of the room, whistling a tune as I skip down the stairs.
Going straight outside and climbing in my truck, I back out of the driveway and circle the block, positioning myself in a location where I can see the backside of the building, but I’m hidden by a decent amount of overgrowth.
They should fucking guess that I’m back here, but I’m not so sure they will.
Maddox was decent enough, but I’m starting to think it was only because of Audrey.
He was motivated to take Trevor out because of his feelings for her, and his teammates were motivated because of him.
Now he’s gone—whisked Audrey to Nashville and out of harm’s way—and I’m stuck with dumb and fucking dumber in charge of Becca’s safety.
I don’t fucking like it.
Shutting off the engine, I settle back into my seat, pulling out my binoculars so I can keep a close eye on things. The house is in a well lit area, with plenty of ways to get in and out, so if shit goes down, I’m confident I can get to her and get her to safety.
It could definitely be much worse.
I’ve only been watching for about five minutes when my phone starts to ring, and I can’t stop the smirk that works onto my lips. Unfortunately, it slips one I see it’s not Becca calling me.
I connect the call, letting my aggravation from earlier bleed into my voice. “What do you want?”
“I have to admit, I was expecting you to be happier to hear from me.”
I may not be able to differentiate between Owen and Luca’s voices, but Pierce’s is way more memorable and distinct. A combination of stuck up and condescending that can only come from a man who has the money to back up anything he says or does.
“Why?” I honestly don’t get why this guy isn’t as leery of me as I am of him. He doesn’t know me from fucking Adam. For all he knows, I could work for someone trying to take his company down. Or be using him to get back at the department that fucked me over.
“Because we're working together, and both focused on the same goal.” Pierce lays it out like a fucking Pollyanna. Like the possibility one or both of us could be trying to screw the other over doesn’t exist.
And that makes me trust him even less. Makes me think he knows something I don’t. I understand the irony in that since I’m holding back information of my own, but until I’m sure where he stands in regards to what’s going on, Pierce is only getting half the story.
“What do you want, Pierce?” I lift the binoculars to my eyes again, zeroing in on the window of Becca’s room.
The blinds are partially open, but angled in a way that only allows me to see upward toward the ceiling.
I glimpse the occasional shadow indicating movement, but that’s it.
As soon as this call is over, I’m going to text her. Make sure she’s doing okay.
“I wanted to let you know we’ve got everything handled at the safe house. Owen and Luca are more than capable of keeping Becca safe until we figure out our next step. Go home. Get some sleep. You need the rest and my team needs time to track down leads.”
I lower the binoculars, absorbing everything Pierce is saying.
And everything he’s not. “I thought you had the best investigative team in existence?” He might not have used those exact words, but that’s the gist of what Pierce claimed.
That Alaskan Security would be able to find information I can’t, and that his team was capable of tracking anyone down.
I wanted to believe it was true since they had no problems tracking me down. But if they don’t already have leads, that’s a big fucking problem.
Because if I had spent the day working this case instead of making sure Becca was taken care of, I would absolutely have a fucking lead.
The phone is silent for a minute. Probably because he’s not used to someone not kissing his ass. When Pierce finally speaks again, his voice is a little tighter, making me think I’m not the only one irritated right now.
“It would be best if you don’t question the competence of my employees, Mr. Morelli.”
Maybe a decade ago I wouldn’t have. But I’ve seen how power changes people. And Pierce and his employees sure seem to have access to a lot of power.
“If you don’t like being questioned, it would be best if we parted ways, because I’m not a fucking sheep.” And if that’s what he’s expecting, Pierce is going to be in for a rude awakening.
“Question me all you want, but do not ever question my teams.” He's trying to lay down the law with me.
And that’s gonna be about as effective as a limp dick at a sex party.
“Yeah. That’s not gonna work for me.” I pick up the binoculars again, looking for the easiest way to get in and out of the safe house without being noticed.
“In my experience, people who don’t like questions being asked have shit to hide.
” Usually bad shit. “So I guess this is sayonara, kiss my ass, enjoy your life.” I hang up and pull the battery out of the burner phone I gave them the number for.
Reaching across the console, I open my glove compartment to pull out my backup phone so I can text Becca. Give her my new number and let her know I’m coming to get her.
I’m in the process of getting it powered up when movement in the distance catches my eye. I snap the binoculars into place, squinting at the back of the house as something falls out her window.
“Fucking hell.”
I’m out of the truck before my next breath, leaving the door open as I race away, cutting through the brush blocking my path. It was great when I needed it to hide behind, but dammit, it’s in my fucking way now.
I train my eyes on the ground under the window, heart pounding as I look for Becca.
Where she landed. It’s not the farthest drop in the world, but it’s definitely enough to hurt her.
And I swear to God, if she gets hurt while those dipshits were supposed to be keeping an eye on her, the list of men I’ve killed will grow by two.
But there’s no sign of Becca on the ground. What I see instead is a thin ladder slightly swaying in the breeze. I reach the end of the tree line just as a leg pokes out the window. I stop in my tracks, tucking my body behind the tree as I figure out what’s going on.
Pierce and I might not be on the same page, but Becca and I sure are.
I can barely breathe as she makes her way down the side of the house, the bag I carried in earlier packed full and strapped to her back.
Becca isn’t used to shit like this, but her movements are steady and sure, and the second her feet reach the dirt, she’s turning away from the house and starting to run.
I don’t know what sort of a perimeter they have set up, so I step from the shadows, keeping my voice as low as possible when I say, “Stop.”
Her feet skid as she freezes, eyes sweeping the darkness as she looks for me.
“Come this way until you’re in the shadows.
Then give me just a sec to make sure you’re not going to set off an alarm.
” I do a quick check of the area she’s gotta pass through, finding a set of sensors at ankle level.
I step over the invisible connection between them, holding out one hand. “We’re good.”
Becca doesn’t hesitate to put her palm in mine, squeezing tight as she says, “Let’s get the fuck out of here.”