Her eyes had widened at my mention of knowing about the auction, and the realization that this was the end had finally sunk in.
“I lost money, and they told me I owed them fifty grand by the end of the year, or they’d use my body as payment. I’d come here originally to ask for money from James, but when his stupid bitch of a sister refused to even let me see him, I had to use other means. Then I met some biker at the park while I was watching Janie and that other little shit play. From there I was just supposed to get Janie for him, and he’d pay off my loans.”
“That’s all you know?” I asked, sickened.
“Yeah, what else is there?” She snapped.
I studied her, and believed that she was telling the truth. She didn’t know anything else. “Do you know what they were going to do, precisely, with your daughter?”
Her mouth tightened, but she nodded once, confirming that she knew they were selling her to some random person with the wallet to do God knows what to her.
The next few moments were filled with my questions and her answers.
How do you reach him? Cell phone.
What was his name? Sloan Lerng.
Did you ever speak to anybody else? No.
Where were you to deliver her to once you had her? Off the interstate, near an abandoned hotel.
“How do you feel about being raped?” James asked emotionlessly from behind me.
My heart stalled, and I whipped around to stare at him. What kind of question was that?
Anna’s eyes widened, and she started to weep. The first time she’d done so since she got over an hour ago.
“You don’t like the idea of rape? Don’t worry. I’m not that type of man. But the person that you were going to sell our daughter to is. How do you think a six year old would handle that, hmm? She’d be damaged for life, not just physically, but emotionally as well. Jesus Christ, I can’t even stand to look at you.” He said before turning and leaving the room.
“He’s right, you know. You are a piece of shit. I hope you like closed spaces.” I said before following behind James, sidestepping Jack, Winter, Sam and Sebastian as I went.
Winter gave me a reassuring smile, but I wasn’t sure things were going to be all right this time. Not until that man, that horrible awful man, was ten feet under. Only then would everything be all right.
***
I woke up to find James gone, and the light rhythmic thumping of my cat playing in the living room.
Standing slowly, and stretching my arms up high over my head, I yawned, and then grabbed a pair of shorts off the floor.
It wasn’t until they were halfway up my hips that I realized that they were a pair of James’ running shorts, but I didn’t care. They were super comfortable. Even though they fit, which was slightly depressing if I was being truthful. I didn’t even have to cinch up the drawstring.
The loud thumping, and then the scrabble of claws across the hard wood floor sounded again, and I couldn’t help but laugh to myself. The damn cat sounded like he was climbing the walls. He’d been to do that every once in a while when he saw a bug.
I peeked carefully around the corner of the hallway towards the commotion that Boris was making, and damn near fell over in a fit of laughter.
James was sitting in his recliner, and had his gun in his fist. He was moving it from side to side, and up and down. The laser that was attached to his gun moved with the motion, prompting Boris to attack it. Or try to, at least.
James looked up at my laughter, but didn’t stop. “What?”
“Just try not to shoot him, okay?” I teased.
I knew he wouldn’t shoot him. The man was a fricking genius with a gun. But still.
“What exactly are you doing?” I asked finally.
Boris wailed when James clicked the laser off his gun, and shoved it behind him, situating it into the back of his jeans. “I got a new sight in the mail, wanted to try it out and see how it fit. How it worked. Get used to it.”
The matter of fact way he just explained pointing a laser sight that was attached to his gun around the room for my cat to play with surprised me, although it shouldn’t have.
“I hadn’t intended to play with him at first. It was only when I was sighting down the barrel and Boris jumped up trying to catch the light that I started to play with him. It isn’t loaded.” He shrugged.
“You’re such a weirdo.” I chided.
He smiled, and held out his arms to me. I went to them willingly.
His arm wrapped around my shoulder as I dropped into his lap, and his large callused palm found a home on my thigh, and I wriggled in his lap trying to get comfortable.
“Jesus, please stop rubbing your ass on my dick. There’s only so much control left in me.” He ground through clenched teeth.
I stilled, and laid my head on his chest. “You wanna talk about why you’re not in bed?”
His erection deflated like it’d never been, and I mourned at the loss. However, this was more important than some quick romp. James was hurting and he needed me.
“Will you tell me about your cancer?” James rasped.
Out of all the things I’d been ready to hear him say, that wasn’t even on the planet with it. I was so startled, so surprised, that I couldn’t stem my reaction. My breath hissed into my lungs, and a sob choked me. James soothing hand worked up and down my back, soothing me as I got myself under control.
“H-how did you know?” I asked quietly.
“Your papers in your floorboard. When I went back for the cat the night you broke your arm, I found the cat in the floorboard. There were some papers there, and I read them.” James said simply.
I couldn’t be mad at him for that, I was the one who’d sent him to my place for my cat in the first place. I also remembered trying to get my cash stash out of the floorboard so I could go to the doctor, but the exertion had made me want to vomit, and I’d passed out in the bathroom not even moments after getting in there.
I nodded in understanding. “When I was a kid, I spent a lot of time in tanning beds. It was a vain thing to do, and I learned about a year and a half ago what the effect of all that tanning had done to my skin.”
I leaned my head back against his chest, and pulled up my shirt, lowering the pants I’d borrowed from around my hips, and showing him the small scar on my hipbone. “This is where I found a weird looking mole. My OB/GYN sent me to a dermatologist, who then removed the mole and sent it off to be tested. It turned out that it was a Basal Cell Carcinoma. They removed it and I had two radiation treatments on the area, but considering the area, they weren’t quite sure if I could ever have children. I haven’t had one single period since then. We’re assuming that I won’t be able to. Although I’m still on the Depo shot every three months.”
His hand ran over the area of raised skin where I’d had the mole removed, and he looked pained. “I’m sorry, Shiloh. The papers said it was negative, though.”
I nodded in understanding. “It was with the second mole I found. That one was on my foot. They just removed it.”
“Well, shit.” He sighed.
“Yeah, it did suck pretty bad. But I get a thorough exam every four months just to make sure.”
He leered at me. “I can help with those thorough exams.”
Shiloh laughed at him.
Then James leer melted away, and his face was serious again.
“When Janie was a baby, Cheyenne had taken her into her eleven month baby checkup when they thought she was showing signs of Leukemia. That was the worst six weeks of my life. They ran test after test, and I’d never been so scared in my life.” James told me.
The thought of Janie having cancer literally made my blood run cold. “What’d she end up having?”
“Anemia. Prescribed her to take those little Flintstone vitamins. Acted as if they didn’t just fuck us for an entire six weeks. ‘Oh, hey, this is Dr. Mack’s office. We just wanted to tell you that Janie’s fine. She needs to take a Flintstone Vitamin o
nce a day though. Have a good day.’
“Wow” I said in surprise.
“I’m going to kill that man who put my baby up there. I’m going to rip his dick off, chop it up into tiny pieces, and feed them to him.” James said suddenly.
The vehemence in his voice startled me, but didn’t surprise me. I knew he was having those feelings. Hell, if I had the capability, I’d do the same damn thing. Only I’d use a plastic spork to do the dick cutting.
James work pager started bleating across the room, and he sighed. Moving me off his lap, he scanned the pager and started for the bedroom. He came back a few minutes later, dressed in his SWAT gear. Damn, I was hoping it was only a ‘be ready’ notice, but it looked like it was an actual call.
James ambled over to me, dropped a kiss on my forehead, and brought his hand up to grasp my chin, angling my head so he could look into my eyes. “Don’t forget to call when you show up at any of your calls. I won’t be home by the time you leave for work.”
I nodded, and he let my face go before heading to the door. He stopped, deactivated the alarm, turned and watched me for a few seconds before saying, “I love you.”
“Love you too, J.”
He smiled at my use of his name and left, locking the door swiftly behind him.
Chapter 22
Get in my belly.
-Fat Bastard, Austin Powers
James
“Ready?” Max asked.
I smiled wide at him, showing him my teeth. Then made the ‘come on’ motion with my taped fist. Max took a step forward, and then I stopped him with a raised hand.
“Please, just for the love of God, don’t hit my face. I have something with Shiloh later. Don’t slip like last time, either.” I instructed him.
Elliott laughed from his perch on the weight bench across the room, but shortly went back to his bench pressing, shutting us out for the next ten reps. Jack didn’t bother trying to hide that he was watching the matchup. Neither did Gabe, who was coming into the room with a bottle of beer, sliding down the wall next to Jack until his feet were straight out in front of him.
“Are you drinking my beer?” I asked.
“Was it in our fridge?” He asked.
“Max’s beer was in there too.” I pointed out.
He sneered at me. “Max’s beer is for people with pussies.”
I laughed. Couldn’t help it. Max’s beer was for pussies.
“I saw you drinking my beer just the other day.” Max said indignantly.
“Ember brought it to me. It was for pussy, so kind of the same thing.” Gabe jeered.
I rolled my eyes. When Max started to take a step in Gabe’s direction, I shoved him. He took that as my signal that I was now ready, and the match began. My first punch landed in his stomach, bowing him over. His leg retaliated by snapping out, kicking me in the ribs.
“You’re dropping your right arm.” Max panted.
I corrected the mistake, blocking a blow to my face. “I said not my face, douche bag!”
“What, have you got a beauty pageant afterwards?” Elliott hooted from the bench press.
“No, I’m stripping for your women later. I just want to look good for it.” I taunted.
They didn’t have to know what I was really doing....right?
Forty minutes later, I was a sweating, bleeding mess, and my fucking nose was broken. I took satisfaction to see that Max wasn’t any better either. His eye had a cut that would probably require stitches, and ankle looked twice his normal size. Which was why we’d stopped in the first place.
“Quit bitching. I think you broke my nose.” I whined nasally.
“At least you can just knock it back into place. I think my ankle’s sprained. I have to run 10K in the morning.” He groaned.
I rolled my eyes. We’d done much worse. About five times that on a good day when we were enlisted. “Don’t be a pussy.”
The door slammed open and Ember came stomping in on a warpath. Her strides were more of a stomp then a step, and her face looked like she’d swallowed something sour. Her mascara was running down nearly to her t-shirt, and her hands were fisted into tight balls.
Gabe was laying on the floor now, eyes closed. He couldn’t see the tornado that was barreling towards him at Mach 5 speed. Fuck, but this was going to be good.
Walking in the direction of the fridge, I grabbed two beers, both man beers, and walked back towards Max. Handing him his beer, I slid down the opposite wall as Gabe, and settled in to watch the show.
“What do you think he did?” Max said gleefully, twisting the top off his beer and taking a swig.
He grimaced at the taste of the man beer, but didn’t comment on me actually getting him a dark brew instead of that watered down bullshit he always drank. “I think she’s pregnant again.”
“No, I bet she backed into something in his truck. Twenty.” Max bet.
We shook on it and waited.
When Ember finally reached Gabe, who now was blinking at Ember standing over him, I saw her pull something out of her hoodie pocket. A bag.
She then turned it upside down, and let no less than thirty sticks fell out, hitting Gabe in the chest with each of them. He watched as one by one, they hit him, and finally lifted his lip in a snarl.
“You pissed on these didn’t you?” Gabe said, flicking them off his chest with the tip of his finger.
“Yeah, but I warned you not to knock me up, and look what you went and did. Knocked me up. A-fucking-gain. Do you realize that this last week was the first time since Luca was born that I’ve had a full nights rest?” She yelled.
Not waiting for an answer, she stomped towards the door again, but stopped before she reached it. “Oh, and I backed your truck in to the light pole at Skinners.”
Max and I whooped. Gabe glared. Elliott laughed.
“Alright, I gotta get to the strip club. I’ll see you guys later.” I called as I headed into the bathroom.
They waved me off, dismissing my comment, and I went to the locker room to slip into my SWAT clothes. The more clothing I got to wear, the better. I just hoped no one recognized me.
***
Shiloh
“What is with that evil looking smile on your face?” Cheyenne asked me as we took our seats at the front of the stage.
I pasted on my best innocent look and batted my eyes at her. “What look?”
“That look,” she said pointedly.
“I just want to warn you ahead of time that you probably aren’t going to like this. Like, I really feel that maybe you should go outside and wait until one of us comes and gets you.” I tried again.
I’d told her not to come, yet she’d insisted. She just didn’t know how traumatized she was about to be.
“I’m staying.” She said firmly.
“Don’t say I didn’t warn you.” I said slowly, and then watched the crowd.
It was supposed to be gay night. I’d specifically chosen this night out, of all the nights, because I didn’t want any of the women ogling what was mine. What I’d miscalculated was that gay men had friends that were women, and it was inevitable for them to want to come. Just as mine had done.
“What’s going on anyway? I’m not sure gay night was the night to come.” Payton supplied just before she took a healthy sip of her Texas sized margarita.
It really was Texas-sized, too. It was in a fucking bucket for Christ’s sake. Not that she let the size stop her. She held it in her lap and had an extra-long straw (well, three normal sized straws taped together with medical tape) she was sucking with. The girl was adaptable if nothing else.
“If I tell you, it’ll ruin the surprise. Let’s just say, we had a bet.” I replied cryptically.
The alcohol was well and truly flowing by the time the first dancer made it to the stage.
“This’s nothing like Magic Mike,” Ember said in awe.
Her complexion was a tad pale, but she looked excited to be there, so I didn’t question her. She’d waved off the
offer of a margarita, claiming her stomach was bothering her, which would certainly explain her complexion. I had a feeling it was her husband not wanting her to come, nor wanting her to get drunk. She’d compromised by coming, but not drinking. At least, that’s what I would’ve done.
The man that was on the stage was jacked. There were no other words for it. He was just absolutely massive. Conferring with my pamphlet they’d handed us at the door of the night’s events, I saw that the first dancer’s name was Ronin. He was six feet six inches, and currently in school for biomechanics. In his spare time, he liked to do yoga and teach spin class.
“We should try spin class.” I said absently as I scanned down the rest of the pamphlet, not finding the name I was looking for until the very bottom of the page.
At the very bottom, I found what I was looking for. In italic letters it read: Special guest-Scope. Interests are- working on motorcycles. Shooting firearms. Spending time with his significant other. Shiloh June- will you marry me?
I started hyperventilating.
The crowd around me roared when Ronin ripped his pants off, exposing his grenade filled banana hammock. However, I was too busy trying to get my breathing under control to truly appreciate the aesthetically pleasing sight that was being presented before me.
“Shiloh? Are you alright?” Blaine asked from across the table.
“Uhh,” I answered intelligently.
Holy shit.
“Maybe you should slow down on the drinks.” She supplied helpfully.
“Maybe so.” I confirmed with a nod of my head, and then looked down at my own empty bucket that used to hold my margarita.
“Ladies and gentleman! We have a special treat for your eyes tonight! With a one-hit wonder type of performance, we present you with, SCOPE!” The DJ yelled over the roaring of the crowd.
My eyes flew to the stage, and what little breath I was able to catch was gone in an audible whoosh. Tainted Love started thumping through the strip club’s sound system, and I finally took a breath.
The object of every single one of my fantasies made his way onstage. He looked freaking amazing. Well, what I could see of him anyway. He was wearing his KPD SWAT get-up. Black cargo pants tucked into black boots that went up to the bottom of his calf. The trademark black SWAT shirt and black Kevlar vest. The only thing different was his the helmet that covered his face from the crowd.
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