Chapter 3
MARCUS
It was about a six-hour drive from Baton, New Mexico, to Colorado Springs, where Burke was keeping the kid in police custody.
Marcus had borrowed Alexis and Jake’s car, figuring it would be easier to smuggle a kid out of a police station in a car than on the back of a motorcycle.
Plus, Marcus wasn’t sure how good the kid would be on the back of a bike for six hours, clinging to a complete stranger. He might feel weird or uncomfortable.
Stepping out of the car, Marcus stretched his back and winced.
He needed to start taking more breaks on long drives because his back was no longer twenty years old.
While he still hit the gym five days a week and was as large as a tank, the truth was that nature was starting to catch up to him.
But there was no way in hell he was letting any of the guys know that.
No. He kept pushing them hard at the gym to prove to the guys that he still had control and could be relied on to lead. Nobody wanted to be led by a biker who had back problems and whose knees cracked whenever he got up—which they did.
Fuck, getting older sucked.
Marcus had left Baton around six a.m., so it was just after noon when he arrived at the police station.
Burke had decided that after the kid was checked out by the doctors, the next safest place for him was the police station. So he had him tucked away in one of the cells, where at least six officers could keep an eye on him.
Once Marcus stepped into the station, the officer behind the front desk glanced up and gave Marcus a head-to-toe. He wasn’t sure whether the woman was impressed by the hotness of his swollen muscles or by the size of his six-foot-four, tatted frame.
Perhaps she was wondering whether someone had left a cell unlocked, and Marcus was kindly returning himself after taking a leisurely morning stroll.
Either way, he’d take the compliment.
“How can I help you?” the woman finally asked once she was done eye-fucking Marcus.
Marcus placed his hands on the counter and began tapping his fingers on the surface.
“I’m here to see Sheriff Burke. Name’s Marcus.”
“Marcus!” a voice shouted from down the hall.
The woman pointed over her shoulder to where Burke was standing next to an office door, signaling for him to come in.
“Thanks,” Marcus said, giving the woman a nod as he walked around the counter and into the “Police Only” restricted area.
“Marcus, thanks for coming,” Sheriff Burke greeted, patting Marcus on the back as he entered the office.
Another man was already seated behind the desk.
“Please, have a seat.” Burke motioned to the empty chair sitting in front of the large, cluttered desk.
“This here is my cousin, Quaid. Officer Pike, if you will.”
The officer behind the desk leaned forward and offered Marcus his hand. “It’s a pleasure to meet you, and thanks for coming.”
Marcus took a seat, just as the officer from the front desk entered, carrying a coffee for Marcus.
“Umm, thanks,” Marcus offered, taking the mug from the woman and setting it down on the desk.
The two other men in the room looked up at her, mouths slightly open.
“You two can get your own damn coffee,” she said before exiting the room.
Marcus let out a snort.
Officer Pike huffed, then fixed a few of the papers that were thrown across his desk.
“Whatever. Look. I’m grateful that you’re willing to do this and help us out, but as I’ve mentioned to my cousin, I’m not exactly keen on having a criminal organization protecting one of our witnesses. What kind of message would that send?”
Marcus sat up and leaned forward.
“Criminal organization?” Marcus asked, pressing his arm against the man’s desk as he studied his face more closely. “To which crimes are you accusing my club of participating in?”
The man’s eyes went wide when it finally sank in just how big Marcus really was.
“Look. We both know that you’re selling more than just booze down in that sleepy little town my cousin likes to call home, but I’m serious when I say, the media will have a shitstorm when they find out that one of our witnesses is being protected by The Mountain and his biker gang.”
Marcus wasn’t sure how he felt about being compared to the large beast of a man in Game of Thrones, especially since his face was all burned to shit. Was the man calling him ugly? Or just big and scary?
“I thought the whole point of this was to make sure that nobody—the press included—finds out where this kid is hiding? Trust me, serial killer or not, nobody is going to try and get to this kid with a bunch of scary biker dudes standing guard, protecting him,” Marcus growled back.
Sheriff Burke smirked. “My thoughts exactly.”
He sat his ass down on the edge of his cousin’s desk and crossed his arms against his chest.
“From what we know so far, the kid was on a date with the guy, then went back to his place for a bit of fun. The bastard drugged him, then tried to force himself onto him. The kid fought back and managed to escape. He’s lucky.
He could have been victim number seven if he hadn’t managed to get away. ”
“So, the kid knows where the killer lives?” Marcus asked. “Why aren’t you there arresting him?”
“That’s the problem. The kid was so drugged up, he doesn’t remember escaping or where the guy actually lives.
He gave us a description of the guy, but it’s pretty generic.
Black hair, blue eyes, strong jaw. He gave us a name as well, Robert Ashford, but we aren’t even sure if that’s a real name.
He said he was a plastic surgeon, but we can’t find a Dr. Ashford anywhere in Colorado or neighboring states. ”
“So basically, you got shit,” Marcus huffed, leaning back in his chair and picking up his cup of coffee. He gave it a blow before taking a sip.
What a bunch of fucking morons.
“We have a team reviewing video surveillance to retrace the kid’s steps. Even if we find this guy’s address, he’s probably long gone since someone can now ID him,” Burke’s cousin added.
“What we need right now is for you to keep this kid safe and out of harm’s way while we search for this bastard,” Burke continued. “Do you think you can do that?”
Marcus locked eyes with the sheriff. While he liked to bust the guy’s balls, he wasn’t a monster. Of course he would help protect the kid—even if he had no interest in being a glorified babysitter.
“On one condition.”
“Oh? And what’s that?” Officer Pike asked, locking his fingers together as he waited.
“Even when this is all said and done, there’s no mention that my crew and I helped you out with this investigation.” Marcus stood. “We got a reputation to keep, and helping lazy cops like yourself would make us look weak.”
Sheriff Burke smirked. “I think we can arrange that.”
“Good! Now let’s go see your kid,” Officer Pike announced, getting up from his desk and walking around to where Marcus was waiting. “Right this way.”
They walked down the hallway and through a locked corridor until they came to a row of single jail cells. Some cells were occupied, while others stood empty.
Marcus followed the sheriff and his cousin to the very last cell, where a young man lay on a bench, his arm thrown over his eyes, his legs bent at the knees, apparently enjoying a nap.
“It’s time to wake up, Sleeping Beauty,” Officer Pike announced, placing his key in the metal slot and turning it until the cell unlocked.
A groan came from the man, whose body barely moved an inch.
“First, you stick me in this hideous outfit, then you refuse to leave me in peace. Since when is the victim of a psychopathic murderer locked up in jail and held without bail?” The young man threw his legs over the side of the bench and sat up in one smooth motion.
The young man was pretty, in that Disney prince sort of way. His hair was dark, but his eyes were as blue as the waters in Fiji.
His lips were smooth and perfect, with just enough plump to turn those bad boys into dick-sucking machines if given the right opportunity.
There was something about the way the boy was sitting, mouthing off to those in authority—not taking shit—that was kind of giving Marcus a chubby.
He liked the boy’s sass. His sarcasm and defiance. It made him want to bend the boy over his lap and teach the little prick a lesson.
“Oh! You brought friends,” the fairy-tale prince announced, jumping from his seat and flashing them all his biggest smile.
Marcus half expected woodland creatures to appear and start singing. Perhaps a mouse or two would pull out some fabric and start designing a new outfit for his highness.
“Gavin, this here is Marcus. He’ll be taking care of you for a while,” Officer Pike explained, pointing at Marcus with his thumb.
“Taking care of me? Well, hello, Daddy!” the boy said with a boost of enthusiasm that was not lost on anyone in the cell.
Marcus took a step forward, crossing his arms over his chest, and glared at the bouncing boy. It was important to assert dominance over your subject early in the relationship.
“Think of me as your jailer. You’ll be under my custody for the next several weeks. I am God to you. Whatever I say, goes. Is that understood?”
Gavin’s eyes dilated.
“Big, strong, and bossy. Damn, I like this one, Officer P.,” Gavin exclaimed with a mischievous smirk on his face.
This one was going to be trouble.
“You’ll be staying with Marcus until we’re able to locate and arrest the man who attacked you,” Sheriff Burke explained.
The light from the boy’s eyes suddenly dimmed, and the once flirty and cheery prince had suddenly vanished.
“I don’t need protecting. What I need is to get the fuck out of this cell, then go home, shower, and jerk off.” He locked eyes with Marcus. “You can always come join me in the shower if you want, Mr. Mountain Man. I’m great at giving back rubs.”
Marcus glanced over at Burke. “Are we done here?”
The man nodded.
“Good,” Marcus said, stepping into the cell and grabbing Gavin by his hips. He then tossed the startled boy over his shoulder without warning—or effort.
“Hey! What the fuck?” Gavin screamed, clinging to Marcus’s shirt as he hung upside down over his shoulder.
“Can you grab the door for me, please?” Marcus asked Officer Pike, who was looking at him with wide eyes and a gaping mouth.
Marcus stepped out into the hallway and began heading toward the front door.
“Hello? Police? Does anyone see this man kidnapping me and forcing me to leave with him against my will?” Gavin called out to the dozen or so smiling faces who stood back and watched as Marcus walked with him through the precinct and out the front door.
A few officers outside glanced at them briefly, appearing to wonder if they should intervene. That is, until they spotted Officers Burke and Pike shaking their heads.
Apparently, kidnapping was okay, so long as your bosses gave you the all-clear.
“Let me go, you behemoth gorilla!” the boy yelled.
He began pounding his fists against Marcus’s back, which only made things so much funnier. It was like having his own personal masseuse massaging his sore back muscles, getting him ready for the long ride home. He could get used to such premium service.
Stopping at his car, Marcus fished the keys from his pocket and popped open the trunk.
“Oh, you’ve got to be kidding me,” Gavin argued the moment he spotted the open trunk. “Don’t you d—” Gavin landed with a thud into the bottom of the trunk.
“Enjoy the ride,” Marcus said with a smirk as he slammed the hood down, nearly decapitating his newest passenger.
Fists pounded, and screaming ensued, all to Marcus's smirking pleasure. He was so glad he agreed to this gig. It was going to be so much fun.
“Umm, sir? Is that a person in your trunk?” a pimply-faced, new recruit asked sheepishly as he nodded toward Marcus’s trunk.
“Oh, don't worry, this is just one of our kinky little sex games."
“No, it’s not! The man is trying to abduct me! I heard him say something about having a micropenis, and this was his way of seeking vengeance on all of us well-hung twinks! The man is deranged! Please let me out!”
Marcus leaned forward as if trying to hear what the young man was saying.
"What’s that? Sorry, but I can't hear you, babe. Try removing that ball gag from your mouth and speaking clearly, sweet pea."
“Argh! You’re such a fucking asshole!” the young man screamed.
“See, everything’s good, here, Officer,” Marcus noted, smiling at the man as he rounded the car. He gave Burke and Pike a wave as he got into the driver’s side.
Once inside, he turned up the music and reveled in the tortured curses of his newest assignment.