Chapter 5 #2
The reason Maverick had finally tossed aside his career in law enforcement, choosing to write about the horrors he’d witnessed had been because of an uptick in corruption within the system. Not one of us hadn’t experienced sleepless nights.
“Why the hell did you get the information and not Hudson?” Kendrick asked, just as enraged as I was.
Chase flanked my side before answering. “There’s concern that the Delgados are in a war with a drug lord from Colombia. Word on the street is that they arranged a deal for the Undertaker’s release so he could be placed back in service for very special needs.”
Needs.
That meant slaughtering their enemies.
Snorting, I brought the glass of whiskey to my lips, trying to rationalize the reckless decision.
There was a quiet in the room that rarely occurred when the five of us were together.
They all knew the toll the case had taken on a half dozen people, including the victim’s wife and daughter and the brave witness.
My mind wandered to the same filthy place that had gotten me into trouble months before. The way Valentina had laughed. The spark in her eyes. The light touch of her hand.
And the sweet taste of her pussy. Fuck me. My dick was hard.
“Fuck,” I hissed, rubbing my eyes. I don’t think there’d been another case that had affected me so greatly.
“Now you know why I mentioned taking justice into the hands of the people who could do something about it.” In Chase’s past, he’d been known for his short fuse, almost getting himself kicked off the police force.
From what I could tell, being asked to join the DEA had been good for his anger management.
He had more hands-on activity involving criminals.
I had to sit behind a bench and remain impartial. There were some days it pissed me off. “Yeah, well, I don’t think becoming a vigilante would do our careers any good.”
“But it might do some good for our souls,” Kendrick said, which shocked the hell out of me.
Turning slightly so I could see all four of them, I glanced from one to the other. “What are you talking about?”
“Not vigilantes. Assassins. Removing the worst of the worst.” I could tell in a few seconds Chase wasn’t kidding.
Maybe my laughter was based on slight surprise.
Or maybe deep down inside I liked the idea.
“Where are you going with this, bud?” Maverick was genuinely curious as well. I had to wonder whether it was his structured law-abiding citizen brain working or the one where he created thrilling, dangerous worlds from his professional experiences.
Chase shrugged. “I don’t have it all worked out yet.
I’m thinking a group of talented men, some with a military background, others with law enforcement and potentially even bringing in some nonviolent criminals and hackers to help with the endeavor.
Discovering information. Breaking into buildings.
That kind of thing. They’d have to be a core group completely walled off to the rest of the world.
Private with all information collected as protected as the people involved. ”
I found myself staring at the man in disbelief. “You are serious.”
“To a point. I realize what I’m suggesting. Every bit of it is dangerous as fuck.”
“And against the law,” Kendrick added, but there was a look in his eyes that told me he wasn’t completely against the idea.
“Hold on here,” Gabriel threw in. “While I realize you’re thinking this core group would be the five of us, I should remind you that assassins are highly successful for a reason.
They’re trained, skilled in everything from reconnaissance and weaponry to breaking and entering.
No offense, gentlemen, but we aren’t those men. ”
“Speak for yourself,” Chase snorted. “I’m in the best shape of my life and the four of you know I’m a skilled marksman.
Hudson is a former Marine, for God’s sake.
Kendrick, you run marathons and know more about weapons than any man I’ve ever known.
Maverick, your research alone would make you valuable.
And Gabriel, you have connections all throughout the world that could prove helpful. ”
There was another moment of silence until I started laughing. “Crap, buddy. You had us thinking you were serious.” Why was it that I liked the idea the more I thought about it?
“You know,” Kendrick said, still laughing. “I had a case dismissed just last week that I was prosecuting. For the first time in my career, I argued with the judge. Loudly. He threatened me with contempt of court.”
“What was this case?”
Kendrick glanced at me. “I was prosecuting a ringleader of a sex trafficking operation involving young women. Runaways, women without families. In my discovery, I learned they abducted several women off the streets. Most never heard from again. They were sold to men who have no qualms about the sadistic lengths they’ll go to with the women they purchase. ”
“What the hell happened?” Gabriel asked, narrowing his eyes.
“The judge dismissed the case. He said there wasn’t enough evidence.”
“What the fuck?” Maverick hissed.
I knew Kendrick well enough to know once angry, he was almost uncontrollable.
“It happens more than you think,” Chase added. “One in five cases involves human trafficking. Kids. Women. They don’t give a shit. Even the mafia is turning away from drug and gun running to this because the sale of humans is much more profitable.”
This was the last thing I needed to hear tonight.
All I could think about was Valentina. Would the bastard try to get to her?
Fuck. I couldn’t believe the system had failed her.
Hell, I’d failed her. I’d assured her that Jacob would go to prison for a very long time.
“How did you manage to stay out of jail?”
He smirked and held up his drink. “I headed toward the bench and told him that there was a little black book of corruption with his name printed inside and that he should watch his back.”
“Wow,” I said. At least one other did as well.
We continued studying each other for a full two minutes before Maverick sighed. “Good in thought. But we are all law-abiding citizens.”
“Yeah,” Gabriel said. “To right versus wrong.” He held up his glass in a toast.
For some reason, the toast felt hollow. Maybe before we were all experiencing the same thing.
The longing for justice.
“There should be concern for the attorneys and the members of the jury with regard to Jacob Jones,” Kendrick reminded us.
Chase nodded. “From what I heard, they were warned.”
“Why wasn’t I offered the same courtesy?” My anger was only increasing as the news continued to settle.
My buddies looked at each other. “Good question,” Maverick answered for all of them.
I was angry, furious with the people involved and the entire system. Sitting back, I mulled over the best options as I sipped my drink.
An hour later, they were all headed out.
I polished off my third drink of the night while Chase collected his winnings.
The quick clap of thunder was followed by an electrified sky, lit up by lightning.
I used to find storms comforting. Tonight, nothing would be able to calm my anger or soothe my nerves.
“My house is up next,” Kendrick said. Suddenly, he appeared as exhausted as I felt.
“Sounds good, buddy. Hey, make sure you have better snacks than this old dude,” Maverick tossed out.
We all laughed, but an underlying feeling of loss lingered, a strange tethering for men who’d worked their lives for the greater good. It was as if we’d failed.
When I closed the door behind the last one to leave, I backed against the wall. I’d done my best to control my fury, but now that they were gone, I was at the point of losing my shit.
Refraining from my lurid thoughts was all but impossible. She’d created a permanent stain in my mind and my cock. Jones had threatened her. While indirect, he’d made a point of threatening everyone. In subtle ways. That only saving grace was her immunity from being identified.
I stormed back into the room, thinking about how smug the son of a bitch had been during the trial.
He’d acted as if he was merely annoyed with the proceedings.
He rarely spoke but he’d been overbearing, threatening to the women on the jury.
When the jury had come back with the conviction after only deliberating one hour, I’d caught the look of shock in his eyes. It was brief, but I’d seen it.
That was the moment he chose to threaten me and hunt down the witness. It wasn’t so much the words he’d used but the expression on his face.
Fuck. Just thinking about her brought back the same desire I’d felt earlier.
Valentina was a beautiful woman with long dark hair and eyes so blue they could hypnotize a man from across a room.
I’d been captivated by her beauty the moment she’d walked into my chambers.
Every thought after that had been fraught with sinful yearnings that had no place inside a courtroom.
Every word she’d whispered in her soft, but determined voice had me staring at her voluptuous lips, wondering what it would be like to kiss her. I’d never had that reaction to a woman before, certainly not one seeking justice.
That’s why sharing the single night had been so enthralling. She’d been everything I’d craved and so much more.
My cock ached even now, my balls tight. The last time I’d seen her after crossing the line, there’d been so much to say and no adequate words.
So we’d both walked away, content with just one night.
Touching her had been inappropriate. If discovered, my behavior could have been grounds for dismissal, let alone the case could have been jeopardized.
For a few seconds I worried our affair had surfaced and the technicality was based on our actions.
No, I would have heard by now.
How many nights had I lain awake in a sweat from thinking about her?
I scrubbed my jaw, trying to shove aside the ridiculous thoughts. She could be in danger. He could be worried she’d resurface, once again putting him behind bars.
Tomorrow morning, I would find out exactly what the fuck had happened.
Just before refreshing my drink, I noticed Gabriel had left his hat. While in his down time, no one would ever know he was a snazzy dresser as a judge, even more so than I was.
Chuckling, I returned to the door where I’d been standing before, watching the rain driving against the surf. I’d killed people in the line of duty protecting my country and freedom. I’d done so without remorse, without second guessing myself. But being in the Marines was entirely different.
Or was it?
I took a gulp, holding the amber liquid in my mouth.
When I heard a knock on the door, I assumed Gabriel had returned for his favorite hat. I grabbed it on the way to the entrance foyer. As soon as I flung the door open, a strange feeling fell over me. Whoever the visitor, she had her back turned toward me.
There was also a moment of apprehension. I hadn’t thought I’d need a gun with me just to open my own damn door.
“Can I help you?”
Slowly, she turned around, peering up at me with wide eyes while she tried to keep the rain from the child she was holding in her arms. In a few seconds, time ceased to exist, the past returning with a heavy hit that I hadn’t been expecting.
I was shocked from both the effect her presence had on me and the horrible fear resonating in her beautiful features.
In my gut I knew my life of protecting the law was about to change.
“Judge Armstrong? I’m sorry, but I had nowhere else to go. I’m in danger and you’re the only man who can help me.”