This was his light bulb moment. Finally, he got it.
The feelings which were surging through his body were what Chris Leonard had tried to explain so many times. Until that moment, he didn't know what he meant. Now that he’d held her in his arms, kissed her, and fallen hard, he understood.
“Should we go?” she asked, still clinging to his body. It was damn hard to focus, since she was picturing him topless and freshly rumpled from sleep.
Yeah, she loved this ‘living’ thing.
It felt amazing. Once more, Jagger had been one hundred percent right.
“Yeah, we should,” he replied, releasing her body. The second she stepped away, he felt bereft.
Becoming bolder, since her kiss wasn’t rebuked, she took his hand in hers. At first his body tensed, but then he grinned down at her.
“I can’t wait for tonight to begin,” she said excitedly.
He had news for her. “It’s already begun.”
* * *
Well, where Elizabeth had expected ‘Bubba’s’ to be a total dive, it wasn’t. Half of it was indeed a bar, but the other half was a pub like restaurant. Apparently, it was popular too, because the parking lot was packed.
Callen held her hand in his as they headed for the door. Once inside, the hostess seated them. From their table, they had a bird’s eye view of the bar. That worked for them, since they needed to observe their surroundings.
Where Callen had expected to be one of the few Natives in the place, he was wrong. There was a good mix throughout the bar and restaurant. At least he wouldn’t be standing out like a sore thumb.
“Should we order?” he asked, picking up a menu. “You’re in luck. They have wings so hot, Charlie’s going to try and crawl out of your body,” he teased.
That made her snort. “How about you order an appetizer, and when Ethan arrives, we’ll get our food on.”
Callen knew what a free-for-all that was going to be. When Elizabeth didn't eat all day, she could take down her meal and both of theirs. He had better order somethings she’d like to eat.
“Works for me, angel.”
When the waitress approached, Callen ordered a beer and water for Elizabeth. After ordering some nachos, Elizabeth jumped right into work.
“Can you tell me who owns this place?” she asked.
The waitress smiled. “Yeah, Katheryn Drake does. She bought the joint a couple years ago.”
“Is she here?” Elizabeth asked. “Don’t worry, it’s not about you,” she reassured, once the waitress looked nervous. “I just need to talk to her about one of her customers.”
“She’s working the bar, ma’am. I don’t think I can pull her away. That side of the place is pretty busy this time of night. It’s happy hour.”
“That’s okay,” she replied, scanning the people there. There was a man and woman. By process of elimination, she narrowed in on her target.
Callen dropped his arm around her shoulders and began nibbling on her ear. “You smell really good, Lyzee.”
The second his body touched hers, she went all warm. “Mmmmm, so do you, Cal darlin’. I can’t wait until later.”
“What happens then?” he asked, as her hand slid up his thigh. Hidden from the view of the rest of the place, she stroked him through his jeans.
When he moaned in her ear, she grinned. “Tonight, I’m going to have my fun with you both and tomorrow too.”
He stared at her. “What’s tomorrow?”
Elizabeth laughed maniacally. “That’s when I get to play dress up and make you into my suit monkey, and your brother into my jean clad toy.”
He laughed. “Here, I thought you forgot.”
She snickered wickedly. “Hell no, Callen. I’ve been waiting for this little win for the longest time. I’m going to savor it and snap pictures to commemorate it.”
Leaning over, he kissed her. She owned his heart, and he knew she was trying to keep it light for his benefit. The kiss was in no way appropriate for a restaurant, but he didn't care. Tucked beneath his arm, Callen had peace.
Finally pulling away, he ran the pad of his thumb across her cheek. “I adore you with everything in me.”
“What a coincidence. I adore when you’re in me too,” she teased.
He snorted. “You’re all riled up tonight.”
“Hell yeah, I am! Right now, I’m going to use some of this energy to find the owner,” stated Elizabeth. When he lifted his brow to protest, she pointed. “You had your one outburst today. Save it for tomorrow,” she warned, sliding out of the booth.
He really couldn’t comment. Elizabeth had cut him a break. Watching her walk away, Callen thanked his lucky stars that she was his. There was no doubt Elizabeth put a little sway in that walk, just for him.
Yeah, and he appreciated it.
Glancing down at his watch, he sent a text to his brother. He had to be on his way there by now. Once he arrived, they’d start their evening and just be a happy couple. It would be nice to have all three of them enjoy a meal together.
It was always fun.
When he received the confirmation that Ethan was in route, he relaxed. He didn't like his woman away from him in a crowded bar, but he could see her from there.
“Excuse me, are you Callen Whitefox?” asked a male voice. The tone sent waves of awareness through him. He’d heard it before. Yet, he couldn’t place it.
Then, he looked up.
It was like life and everything in him came screeching to a halt. There before him stood an older Native man around his father’s age. Suddenly, there was the overwhelming need to vomit. Never in all his life did he think their paths would cross again.
In fact, he prayed they wouldn’t.
“Well, well, it’s surprising to see you, boy,” he said, practically leering. When he patted Callen on the shoulder, he immediately slid out of his reach.
The memories came rushing back as the fear and pain filled him. In that moment, Callen was no longer an adult.
Now, he was once more that scared little boy.
“I see you’ve gotten yourself married and to a looker, boy,” he said, taking a seat across from him. “She’s hot for an outsider. I bet she’s good in bed.”
Callen struggled to calm his heartbeat. His breathing was already ragged, and he swore he was having a panic attack. This couldn’t be happening.
This part of his life was over.
It died with his worthless mother.
This man had been dead to him for so long.
“Does she know about your past, boy?” he asked, grinning wickedly. “I’m going to bet she has no clue. You see, I watched you pull in with your fancy car and pretty woman. Outsiders like that don’t like to know their men have messy pasts. I’m betting that she’d run screaming if she knew the truth.”
Here was his worst nightmare.
His deepest fear.
Callen’s foulest secret.
Finally, he was able to get the words out. “What do you want, Dean?” Callen asked, sipping his beer to moisten the sawdust-like feel to his throat.
“I see you’ve hit it big. Who would have thought that the skinny little boy would get off the Rez?”
He wouldn’t look at him. If he did, he’d panic. For now, he was watching Elizabeth at the bar. She was all that held him safe. Callen had to hope Ethan would arrive soon to save him.
If he ever needed his big brother, it was now.
“I’ve nothing to say to you,” Callen stated. How he kept his voice neutral, he’d never know.
“Oh, well, I have plenty to say to you. I think I’m going to march myself over to your pretty little lady and tell her how much you liked me touching you.”
He nearly threw up. Callen fought against the rising bile as his secret was on the verge of being set free. His whole body shook. His life was about to change.
It was all coming to an end.
“Maybe she won’t want to be married to you then,” he stated. “Actually, when I’m finished t
alking to her, I’ll make sure she leaves you.”
Callen wanted to weep. The nightmare was back. All the times this man abused, touched, and burned him. It all swamped him as he could only hear himself as a child, screaming to be free.
There was laughter.
Evil. Vile. Laughter.
“Go away, Dean. You can’t hurt me anymore,” he said, but his voice wavered. It was all lies. He was breaking him all over again.
“I think you’re rich enough to pay for my silence now.”
Callen couldn’t hear a word he was saying. Instead, fight versus flight was kicking in. He couldn’t breathe.
He was suffocating.
“If you pay me off, I’ll disappear.”
Callen stood, his legs bumping the table. It shook, spilling his beer all over the place. In that moment, the only thing he could focus on was getting the hell out of there.
He had to run.
The fear took over, and he was that scared boy once more. That last night came rushing back, and he was reliving it. In his mind, he pictured the burns on his arms, the bramble scratching at him as he raced through the woods, and this sick bastard’s laughter. It was all there.
In that moment, he forgot about everything else in his life but the need to save himself.
He had to get away. His life and sanity depended on it. All Callen could focus on was the pounding of his heart as he dug the keys from his pocket.
Racing for the door, he hit the cool air outside and had a moment to get control.
Only, it was too late.
The fear was back. He could hear the broken whimpers of a poor scared boy, and he had no choice.
Like once before, he ran for it.
For now, he needed to be safe and anywhere but there.
Elizabeth sat at the bar waiting for Katheryn Drake to be free. When she moved toward her, Elizabeth pulled out her badge and smiled.
“I have some questions for you,” she said, watching the woman’s face.
“I run a clean place here,” she said.
Elizabeth was used to that kind of response. “Hey, I only need information on a woman and not your bar,” she reassured.
The woman relaxed. “Sure thing then. Who’s the woman?”
Elizabeth pulled up Kaylee Bain’s driver’s license. “Do you know her?”
The woman rolled her eyes. “Unfortunately! I’ve called the cops countless times to have her taken out of here. She gets shitfaced, and then tries to sell herself to the men in the place.”
“Well, who does she go home with?” she asked, glancing around. Something caught the corner of her eye. Callen was at their table, talking to someone.
That was odd. She’d never seen the Native man before in her life. Then again, maybe he met the man on the Rez while working.
“Who doesn’t she head out with?” the woman asked. “What did she do now?”
Elizabeth dropped her phone into her purse. “She ended up dead.”
The woman showed no emotion. “I’d like to say I’m sorry, but she was trouble. The men in here are looking for one thing, and she was selling it. I wouldn’t be surprised if a john took her for a ride and dumped her.”
Yeah, neither would Elizabeth. “Is anyone here one of her reoccurring customers?”
“Nah, she came in here on Saturdays. If you want to see her regulars, you need to come back then.”
Elizabeth made a mental note. Then, she could feel herself being watched. Turning her head, she could see the same man who was with Callen at the end of the bar.
He was watching her intently.
“Anything else?” Katheryn asked, mopping up some spills.
“Yeah, at the end of this bar is a man in a brown leather jacket. He has long hair and is very Native. What’s his name?” Elizabeth asked.
The woman glanced down the bar, and then back at the woman. “His name is Dean Quinlan. He’s nothing but trouble. If you’re smart, you’ll stay away from him. He’s one of those men who likes to cause problems. Last I heard, he had just gotten out of prison. He’s big into drugs.”
Elizabeth couldn’t recall ever seeing him, and there was no way Callen would be acquainted with a dealer. “Thank you, Katheryn,” she said, getting out of her seat to head back to the table.
Walking past the man, it was hard to not notice he was still watching her. The entire thing made her nervous as hell. After Patrick Parrish, the whole family was edgy. Now, she needed to find out what was going on.
At the table, she was surprised to find that Callen was gone. Looking around, she couldn’t find him anywhere. Elizabeth caught the eye of their waitress, and she rushed right over.
“Yes, ma’am?”
“Did you see where the man I was with went?” she asked.
The woman nodded her head. “He took off like a bat out of hell. I hope you plan on paying the tab. If you’re going to stiff me, I’ll have to call the cops.”
Pulling back her jacket, she flashed her badge, and then pulled cash out of her purse. “Thank you for your help,” she offered, heading toward the door.
This didn't feel right. Callen would NEVER leave his field partner alone in a bar during a questioning, and he wouldn’t EVER leave her.
Something was definitely wrong.
She needed to get to the bottom of it, and fast.
Ethan was almost there.
A car racing toward him caught his eye. When it tore past him, like it was heading to a fire, the hair on his arms stood up. It was the exact same Navigator that Callen and Elizabeth were driving.
In fact, it looked like his brother behind the wheel.
Picking up his cell, he called his wife just to make sure she was fine.
“Are you okay?” he blurted into the phone when she finally picked up.
“Yeah, I’m at ‘Bubba’s’ but I can’t find Callen. I was interviewing Katheryn Drake, and he disappeared.” As she stood in the parking lot, more confusion filled her.
The Navigator was gone.
“Ethan, I think he left me here. Why would Callen do that?”
Okay, now it was time to panic.
It was indeed his brother who flew out of there. “I was just passed by your vehicle, and it was going fast. What happened?” he asked. Blackhawk couldn’t understand why his brother would leave Elizabeth alone.
That wasn’t like him.
“I don’t know. I didn't see anything out of the ordinary,” she said, except that man.
Sticking her head back inside the establishment, Elizabeth looked around, and he was gone.
“I’ll be there to pick you up,” he said, scared out of his mind. Ethan wasn’t sure who to be more worried about. His wife was alone at a bar, and his brother was on the run.
This whole thing was odd. Callen was just as protective as him. He loved Elizabeth too much to bail on his partner while they were working.
Something had to have happened.
“I want you to stay right where you are, Elizabeth,” Blackhawk demanded.
“I’m worried about Callen,” she admitted.
“Yeah, me too, baby, but we’ll figure it all out. I promise,” Ethan reassured.
When she hung up with her husband, Elizabeth remained perplexed. It wasn’t only regarding why Callen raced out of there, but who was the man he’d been talking to.
Now, it looked like they had another mystery to solve, and her gut was already warning her.
It wasn’t going to be good.
Callen didn't stop. He kept driving.
His first instinct was that he had to get home. Callen had every intention of escaping Devil’s Lake and getting somewhere safe.
Never, in all of his worst nightmares, did he think he’d find the man who had molested and abused him as a child.
This was horrifying.
Now, the truth would come out.
He couldn’t even think straight as he hit the highway and started the three hour trek home. Nothing else mattered but putting space be
tween him and the hell he’d just had to relive.
Nothing.
With each mile placed between him and the man, who destroyed his childhood, some sanity returned. Finally, the little spark of rational Callen returned.
He remembered why he’d been in that bar.
“I’m so sorry, Lyzee. I hope you’ll forgive me one day,” he whispered as the tears began to fall.
* * *
Sitting across from Jaxon, he couldn’t help but be enamored. They were sharing crispy duck and laughing. Here, they had a great deal in common.
More than he ever knew.
They went to same college, studied the same master’s curriculum, and were on the same path, only he did it all first.
“So, why anthropology?” he asked, feeding her a piece of broccoli.
Jaxon chewed as she contemplated her answer. “I like mysteries. I always wanted to solve things as a kid. My dad used to tell me I was his biggest challenge in life. I couldn’t get enough knowledge.”
He smiled. “I bet you had amazing parents. You’re pretty spectacular.”
She didn't really want to go there. Her father’s past wasn’t exactly something to be proud of. Michael O’Banion didn't like to do things the legal way.
Ever.
“My mom was super sweet. She used to make our Halloween costumes and bake cookies. I miss her.”
It was hard not to notice that Jaxon didn't say she missed her father.
Where he knew it was likely a bad idea, Tony still pushed on. He wanted to know everything about her.
“What did they do for a living?”
She swallowed and stared at him.
Tony saw the way her body tensed at the simple question, and it sent off warning signals in his brain. “I’m sorry, did I ask something wrong?”
In that moment, Jaxon had two choices. She could lie, or she could tell the absolute truth. In her heart, she suspected that lying to Tony would only make him want to put distance between them. It was the last thing she wanted to do.
Pulling out her phone, she pulled up a picture she always kept with her. It was of her mother and father. Sliding it across the table, Jaxon let him see them.
Redemption is Here (An FBI/Romance Thriller Book 9) Page 27