Chapter 23
CHAPTER TWENTY-THREE
DAMON
Blake’s glaring at me from across the restaurant like I knew she would. Too bad, though. I’m not going to take any chances. Not after our cameras picked up the same car outside Blake’s house multiple times in the past two days.
I won’t tell her. There’s no reason to get her more stressed and upset. It’s her birthday week and I want to make it the best one she’s ever had.
“Are we going to pull up some chairs and join them?” Leon asks. “Or is this a covert thing?”
“She already saw us come in, so we may as well join them,” I answer.
“Sweet, I’m starving. What do you think’s good here?” Jasper grabs a menu from a table occupied by some young college kids and flashes them a shit eating grin. “Besides Blake.”
I punch his arm, not caring that it’s his “bad” arm. At this point, I’m convinced he’s milking it for all it’s worth. Either that or those painkillers he’s still popping work too well. We reach the table and Blake’s friend, Falin, slowly turns her head to look us over.
“What are you guys doing here?” Blake asks, irritation in her tone.
“Don’t be rude, Blake. Introduce us to your friend,” Jasper cuts in. There’s nothing discreet about the way he checks Falin out.
“Do you mind if we grab some chairs and join you?” Leon asks, laying on the charm.
Falin and Blake exchange a silent conversation—all wide eyes and raised brows. Finally Blake relents. “Fine, I was just telling Falin about you guys actually, so I guess the timing isn’t terrible.”
“All good things, I hope?” I grab a chair from a vacant table and squeeze it in as close to Blake as it can get, resting my palm on her thigh. She tilts her head onto my shoulder so I can brush a kiss on her cheek.
“We haven’t gotten to the good parts yet. I’m Falin Sinclair, by the way.” She scrutinizes each of us with smoky gray eyes. “You’re obviously Damon,” she says to me. “And I’m guessing the huge blond is Jasper.” She turns to her side where Leon’s just pulled a chair beside her. “And you’re Leon?”
“Good guesses,” I say.
She shrugs. “I’ve always had a way of reading people. Grew up with a family of cops, even the ones who aren’t blood related. The chief is my godfather, the entire department showed up to my college graduation. Some things are just second nature.”
“Intimidating… I like it.” I glance at Leon and can already see the wheels in his head spinning. Falin could be a huge asset in finding Bailey.
“Can you handle a weapon?” Jasper asks.
She rests her chin in her palm and smirks at Jas. “Of course I can. Big, small. I can and have handled them all.”
The server stops at our table to take our order and in the distraction, Jasper leans and whispers loud enough that both Blake and I can hear. “I think I’m in love.”
“Absolutely not,” Blake scolds through closed lips. “Hands off my best friend.”
“Aww, sweetheart, are you jealous? Don’t worry, you’re still our best girl.” I raise a brow in warning just as Blake kicks him in the shin under the table. “Ow, Christ! What are those, steel-toed boots?”
“No, but thanks for the idea,” she says with a mischievous smile.
We order lunch and right away Leon and Falin fall into conversation about the tech world. It’s nice to see Leon being talkative. He’s been so reserved lately. Jasper and I can barely get a few words out of him that aren’t about work.
I whisper to Jasper, “You may have some competition, buddy.” He scoffs but throws Leon a dirty look. Damn, I love stirring the pot.
“I was thinking, maybe it would be okay if Falin and I stay at Brennan’s. I won’t be alone there, and you guys can keep an eye on things,” Blake suggests.
“No way. It’s not safe for either of you,” I say. Jasper chimes in his agreement beside me.
“What’s going on? Why wouldn’t it be safe at Brennan’s?” Falin asks.
Blake answers before any of us have the chance to. “There’s these people, bad people, who might be after me. They left a stack of photos outside my door the other day.”
Falin’s tone grows solemn. “Why the hell would people be after you?”
Blake meets my gaze and I nod. “They’re targeting her because of us. This group must have figured out that Blake and I were growing close, so they’re trying to intimidate us, but don’t worry, nothing will happen to either of you.”
“Do I want to ask why they’re after you guys?” Falin doesn’t beat around the bush. I like that in a person.
Leon nods my way and Jasper says, “Tell them.”
“I can’t tell you everything, not here, but long story short… Jasper’s sister, Bailey, was taken about a year ago. She was out with some friends and left for the night but never made it home. Once the police did everything they could, which was absolutely nothing, we left school and now we spend our days trying to find her.” I pull my hand through my hair and release a breath. It’s been a while since I’ve talked about Bailey, not unless I was pulling information from someone strapped to a chair with my gun to their temple.
Blake squeezes my hand and murmurs an apology. This is news to her as well. I let her in on aspects of what we do, but not the full story.
“Let me guess… Your methods aren’t exactly on the up and up?” Falin asks.
“It’s nothing you need to worry about,” Leon answers. “We have everything under control and we’re closer to finding her than we’ve ever been.”
Falin locks eyes with Blake, conveying messages silently. “I’m sorry for your loss. I can’t imagine how difficult it must be. If Blake’s good with it, I don’t mind staying at your place.”
The tension in my chest lessens and I rub circles with my thumb over Blake’s thigh. “What do you think?”
“If we can steal your room then I’m good,” she says with a smile. “And you guys gotta give us some space to breathe. I have a long weekend off from classes and my best friend is here. This might be the only chance I get to enjoy myself until the holiday break. Even then I’ll be studying.”
The server drops our plates in front of us one by one and we thank her before digging in. Falin takes a sip of soda between bites and says, “That’s why I’m here. All work and no play makes Blakey a dull girl.”
“ The Shining . I love that one,” I say.
“I prefer A Nightmare on Elm Street ,” Blake adds, winking at me.
I smirk at her. “Keep it up. One of these days, you’re going to regret saying that.”
“Why do I feel like we’re talking about more than movies?” Jasper says, darting his eyes between us.
“No reason,” Blake says as she tucks a strand of hair behind her ear. She’s too damn cute and she knows it.
Falin watches our exchange with a grin. “This weekend is going to be so much fun.”
My arm is slung around Blake’s shoulder as we head out to our cars. The hardest part of my days are being apart from her, but I know she wants to settle in with Falin, and we have some shit to do.
“We have to check on a few things. Go right to the apartment and lock up when you get there.” Wrapping my palm around the back of her neck, I bring her in for a kiss. “Be good and if you see anything at all or even get a weird feeling, call me.”
I walk them to Blake’s car and open up my app that detects GPS trackers, releasing a breath when I find her car clear, with the exception of my own device. I’ve been checking it multiple times a day. Can’t be too careful. Once I buckle her in safely and watch them pull away, I turn to the guys.
“One of you can drive. I’m too fucking anxious.” My sweaty palms would slide off the steering wheel.
“Fuck, you never let us drive your car. You wanna talk about it?” Jasper asks. I toss him the keys and he hops in the driver’s side. Leon climbs in the backseat and I sit passenger.
“Blake will be okay,” Leon says. “I have cameras all over the place. I’ll get alerts if a leaf falls within their boundaries.” He pats my shoulder but I shrug him off.
“I’m fine. Let’s just go and get this over with.” Leon shakes his head and leans back in his seat. I know I sound like a dick. Like finding Bailey isn’t important to me anymore. And fuck, maybe that’s partly true. It’s been over a year of this and I’m worn the fuck out. Blake’s brought me back to life and there’s no way in hell I’ll lose her. Not for Bailey, or anyone. If that makes me a shitty friend then I don’t care.
The rest of the car ride to Blake’s house is silent, each of us stewing on our own thoughts. We hop out and start a perimeter check, although everything looks clear from the driveway. I pay extra attention to Blake’s bedroom window, testing it to make sure it’s still secure.
“Is Ray meeting us here?” I ask Leon. He texted us earlier saying he has an update.
Leon checks his phone. “Girls just got to the apartment.” He smirks and adds, “And apparently they bought out the liquor store.”
“Lemme see,” I say, grabbing his phone. There they are, getting out of the car with bags on their shoulders and bottles of wine clutched in each hand. “Should be an interesting weekend.”
Leon chuckles. “Interesting is an understatement. I have a feeling Falin brings out a side of Blake we haven’t seen yet.”
He might be right. If so, I can’t wait to see. Every side of my girl is perfect—her shy side, her feisty side, her nerdy side. She’s got me by the balls.
“About Ray? Is he showing up?” I remind him.
“I’ll text him now and tell him to meet us inside.” He types the message out and leans against the house. “I fucking hope he has good news. It didn’t sound like it though.”
I brace myself for the worst, but that doesn’t stop the pit from sinking deeper into my gut.
Jasper finishes his side of the property and finds nothing out of place. We head inside and do the same. There’s a musty smell in the main spaces, like it’s clear the house has been empty for a while. It’s lifeless without Blake’s presence. Where the hell is her brother and his girlfriend?
Ray texts Leon that he’s outside, so we finish up and gather around the kitchen island. Ray looks nothing like the middle-aged, washed-up, off-duty cop that I thought he’d look like. He’s taller than Jasper and built like a linebacker, maybe only in his thirties or early forties. He’s got a heavy New York accent, clear as day from the first words out of his mouth.
“Nice office you got here,” Ray says, looking around the place. “You know why it’s been empty for so long?”
“Blake, the one that they’re targeting, is staying with us. This is her brother’s house. He and his girlfriend are traveling for work.”
Ray nods and scratches the stubble on his chin. “Something don’t seem right about that. Your girl… she say that’s normal behavior for her brother?”
“Yeah, as far as I know,” I answer.
“Well, try to get more outta her. Not like these rich folks to leave and not even hire a gardener or cleaner.” He swipes his index finger along the baseboard and rubs it between his thumb.
“What do you have for us?” Leon asks. Jasper quits fucking around on his phone and locks in.
Ray pulls out his phone and zooms in on a photo of a car. The same one we caught on camera. Only this time, he has a clear shot of the plate number. “Followed this car when I saw them poking around. They took me on quite the scenic journey.” He swipes through a few photos of Blake’s campus, Main Street, and finally the front of our house.
My heart beats out of my chest as Leon holds his hand out to stop him from scrolling. “When was this?”
“Yesterday,” he says. “That’s your place, ain’t it?”
“Fuck!” I kick the cabinet under the island. “We need to get back.”
“Wait, there’s one more thing. You know this girl?” Ray swipes to the next photo and it’s an image of a woman, long, straight brown hair, dressed in scrubs. I narrow my eyes, and it hits me. “Shit. Yeah, she’s friends with Blake. Her name’s Julie.”
“Well, I’d check in on her. She had a few followers yesterday, nothing nefarious looking but I don’t trust ‘em.”
I lock eyes with Jasper and he nods. “Ray, we’re going to need all the addresses from yesterday and anything you can get on that plate number.”
“Sorry man, I checked and the plate’s a dead end. One of them fakes that are popular in the racing community.”
My jaw is clenched so tightly it’s beginning to throb. “We gotta go back to that club. I know it’s been a ghost town but we should see if the car matches anything around there.”
“I can do that,” Leon says. “Why don’t you and Jasper go check on the friend?”
“What about Blake and Falin?” Jasper asks. “I don’t feel right leaving them unprotected.”
“They can come with us,” I say. “I’ll text her now.”
“Anything else you need from me today?” Ray asks. “I got a hot date in a few hours, and I need to get myself ready. Jerk off a few times so I last.”
I spy a wedding band on his left finger. Poor lady doesn’t even know what she’s in for… or maybe she does. She did marry the guy. “Taking the wife out?”
He catches me eyeing his ring and chuckles. “Nah, she’s at home with the kids. This one’s young and hot. Just turned twenty-one.” He rubs his hands together and smirks. “If you need me tonight, you don’t. If you catch my drift.”
My fists are balled at my sides as Leon places a firm hand on my shoulder. “Have a good night, mate. Thanks. I’ll call you when we find something.”
Ray leaves and we settle on a plan before heading out. Leon will scout the club again. Now that he has a solid photo of the car, maybe we can make a match. Bonus points if we see the asshole who drives it. Blake and Falin aren’t thrilled about having to come with us, but I used my powers of persuasion.
Before long, we’re heading to Julie’s apartment a few blocks from campus. I notice how close it is to Ethan’s. “Is this campus housing?” I ask Blake.
“Sort of. It’s mostly grad students that live over here,” she says. “What exactly are we looking for?”
“You’re gonna go check on her,” I say. “Tell her you need notes or something.”
“You really think this girl could be in danger?” Falin asks. “I never expected to be living a shitty episode of Law and Order on this trip.”
Jasper cackles beside her. “Good one.”
“Should I call her first?” Blake asks. “It feels weird showing up unannounced.”
I think it over but decide on the element of surprise. If she’s in danger, they’ll be watching her phone. “Nah, we can play it off like you forgot your phone at home.” She nods as we park a block away. “Alright, I’ll go with Blake and you two hang out around the corner of the building. Check for any cars matching the description.”
I slide my gun into my jeans and go around to open Blake’s door. She’s chewing her bottom lip, but otherwise staying strong. I lean in and whisper, “If we see anything in there, you run like hell, okay, baby? Run to Jasper and he’ll take care of you.”
“Yeah, okay.” Her voice is a worried whisper. I pull her into my arms and kiss her forehead.
Julie’s apartment is on the ground level, easy enough to access. Blake squeezes my hand before ringing the bell. “I don’t even know if she’s here.”
“We’ll see in a second,” I say.
When there’s no answer, I knock hard a few times and Blake calls her name. The pain in my jaw draws its way down my neck and into my shoulders. Blake turns the handle but it’s locked. “What should we do?”
“Step aside,” I say and give the door one more pound with my fist. When I don’t hear footsteps, I take a step back and kick the door in as hard as I can. It flies open with a bang. “Julie!”
“Julie, it’s Blake.”
Music plays from a room down the hallway, and I lock eyes with Blake, mouthing for her to get behind me. Pulling out my gun, we stick to the sides of the wall and follow the sound. The door’s closed, but I recognize the music… It’s Nickelback. Fucking weird choice. I put up my fingers and count down from three with Blake’s wide eyes watching my every move.
At one, I twist the handle and peek inside before busting the door wide open. There’s Julie, ass naked on her back, with none other than mama’s boy Ethan, fucking her with a dildo from the bottom of the bed. They jump out of their skin, the dildo flies out of Ethan’s hand and smacks the wall, and Julie screams louder than a cat in heat.
“What the fuck is this?” Ethan yells, throwing a blanket over Julie. Then his eyes widen as he spots Blake behind me. “Bee?”
“Oh my God, Ethan? What’s going on? Julie, you’re with him now?” Blake swivels her gaze from each of their guilty faces and then around the room. There’s a camera set up on a tripod facing the bed.
“What the hell are you doing in my apartment?” Julie screeches. “Get out!”
I cross my arms and look Ethan over. He’s still in his boxers… Too bad, I would have liked to see my handiwork. I can tell the second he recognizes me. His jaw drops and his eyes pop out of his head. “You?” He points an accusatory finger. “You’re the asshole from the bathroom!”
I smile and alter my tone so I come across as playful. “I don’t know what you’re talking about. I’ve never seen you in my life.”
“Bee, are you with this psycho?” Ethan’s voice trembles.
Blake flashes me a smile and I sling my arm around her shoulder. “Yup. And this psycho treats me like a queen. Better than you ever did.”
“Why are you still here?” Julie yells. “Ethan, make them leave.”
“Enjoy him, Julie,” Blake says. “He’s all yours.”
“What’s left of him,” I say, leading Blake out of the apartment. Once we’re outside, I hold her close. “You okay?”
She releases a deep breath and attempts a smile. “I really am. I think I needed that. Now I don’t have to feel an ounce of guilt about him.”
“You never did. He’s the scum of the earth, Angel. And he’ll never bother you again.” I wrap my fingers into her hair and pull her in for a kiss. Her lips are so fucking sweet and so is the way she melts against me.
“Sucks about Julie,” she says as we walk toward where Jasper and Falin are waiting. “You were right about her, I guess.”
“You’re making me hard. Say it again,” I tease.
She rolls her eyes. “You were right.”
I moan suggestively and she breaks into laughter. “Come on, let’s go do something about this boner.”
“You’re absolutely insane,” she says.
I stop and press her against the wall of Julie’s building, letting her feel what she does to me. “Insane and all yours.”