“I’m visiting my family,” I reply, and she steps closer.
“Oh right, I saw you were on some press campaign thingy. How’s that working out?”
“You don’t get to do this,” I stop her words with another look at her. “You don’t have some right to talk to me like we’re friends or that we’re anything.”
“I need another drink,” I hear to my right and look to see Cassie standing there, before she steps to my side and wraps her arms around me, oblivious to Brooke.
Cassie’s touch relaxes me, and I let out the coiled tension Brooke brought on me and I kiss Cass’s forehead. Turning to face the bar and my back to Brooke, I nod for the bartender to come over, Jace shooting me a look over Cassie as she orders. A few minutes later, my brother announces he needs to take a piss and leaves us.
“Brooke––”
“I thought that was her,” Cassie finishes my sentence after swallowing a gulp of her drink. “What did she want?”
“Nothing,” I reply, because it’s the truth and I don’t want to taint any time Cassie and I spend together.
Eventually, and after many puppy-dog-eyes and promises of future sexual favors, Cassie gets me out to the dance floor. I’m not a terrible dancer, I just would much prefer to watch her. She’s all hands when she’s not grinding her ass against my dick, shooting me playful looks that have me considering taking her into the bathroom and fucking her. We get stopped a few times through the night by old friends, and strangers wanting selfies with me and I can see it makes Cassie happy to know her scheme for my revamp is working. After a trip to the bathroom, Cassie announces she wants to leave and Jace and I agree. It’s not particularly late, but we’d had a busy day and need to get up in the morning to work on the ranch.
Jace’s engine revs as I floor it over some rough terrain and Cassie eggs me on to go faster. Of course this spurs me on to drive like a formula one driver, turning the wheel quickly to hit all the bumps and dips of the land. It’s fun and we all are hanging on for dear life as we behave like juveniles. The roads are vacant and we’re not at risk of hurting anyone but ourselves. Even though this is a blast, Cassie’s laugh is what I’m enjoying, what I’m focused on and seeing her have unabashed fun.
No surprise and only maybe ten minutes later, blue and red lights flash behind us and we laugh as I slow to a stop. Clearly, none of us are surprised. It doesn’t ever take long for the cops to realize when someone around here is up to a little mischief.
I watch as the policeman steps up to the lowered window on the driver’s side and note that it says, ‘Bounty County’ on the badge, next to his name. Hunt.
“What are you guys up to?” he asks, and I get the distinct feeling the question is rhetorical and he knows exactly what we’ve been up to.
“Just having some fun, we have a guest, showing her some Montana hospitality,” I answer.
“Got some complaints. I’m going to need to see license and registration.”
We all hand him our ID’s, Jace also passing the registration for the truck. The officer goes back to his car as we sit there, the spotlight from the car shining in on us.
“Ms. Argent,” Officer Hunt says when he returns, and we all look over at him.
“Yes.”
“I’m gonna need you to step out of the vehicle.”
“What?” I spit out in question and confusion.
“Okay,” Cass says, but she seems just as confused.
I open the truck door and get out as Cassie follows and I see another officer has arrived and is on the other side of Jace’s truck.
“What’s this about?” I ask him, but he doesn’t reply.
“Ms. Argent, you’re under arrest for assault and battery,” Hunt says, taking Cassie’s arm and turning her to face the truck bed while he handcuffs her.
“What the fuck?” I ask stepping toward them and the second officer puts his hand on my shoulder.
“Calm down sir,” he tells me.
“I’m not gonna calm down.”
“You have the right to remain silent, you have the right––”
“Cassie,” I begin, because I can’t read her expression. She’s not looking at me and seems confused, but isn’t asking questions.
I take another step and the hand on my shoulder pushes me back. “You need to stop or I’ll have to arrest you too.”
“Arrest me then,” I tell him and he’s turning me to face the truck as he handcuffs me, Cassie being escorted toward one of the cop cars as I call her name once more with no reply.
“Jake?” Jace says, questioningly.
“Just meet us at the station,” I tell him before I’m being lead to the second squad car.
Chapter 19
Cassie
You know that overwhelming feeling you get when you have so many things racing through your mind at once you are unable to catch a single thought? Yeah, I don’t have that. I probably should, but I don’t. What I have is the opposite. Just one recurring thought. Protect Jake.
As I’m guided into the back seat of the Bounty County patrol car by Officer Hunt, handcuffed I might add, all I can think is that I need to get Jake out of this. Typical of the strong, moral & protective man that I know him to be, he’s just allowed himself to be arrested. Trying to protect me, defending me. As I look out of the rear passenger window of the vehicle, I see the other officer, a huge guy with dirty blond hair whose name I didn’t catch, escort Jake to the other county vehicle. Jake’s eyes are holding my own the whole way, pleading with me to tell him what’s going on…but I can’t.
As the door to the second patrol unit closes, the blond guy walks over to Officer Hunt and the two lawmen exchange low words just outside my closed window. I notice their loose posture, alert but not tense. They’re no rookies that’s for sure, and their body language tells me they’ve worked together a while. I wouldn’t be surprised if they were friends off the job, they’re professional but relaxed with their interaction. I wonder if they’ll stay that relaxed when they realize they’ve just arrested a United States Congressman? As Hunt turns away to get into the front of the vehicle, I catch the badge of the other guy. Hamilton. At least they’re easy names for the press to spell when they write their articles. I don’t know why, but that thought strikes me as funny, and I giggle a little before stopping myself. Jesus Cassie, pull it together, you’re gonna need your A-game here, now is not the time to crack under pressure.
I don’t talk at all on the way to the station, the drive taking us along all sorts of back roads and short cuts that I’m sure these officers would use all the time, but you’d need to be local to know about. The dark haired, blue-eyed lawman driving doesn’t talk either, and part of me wishes he would, but I get the feeling he’s a ‘by the book’ kinda guy.
I can’t stop thinking about my time on the ranch with Jake, how easy it was. Even the no-holds-barred talk with his mom is something I look back on as easy, because it was a turning point. Once I’d decided to try harder to let Jake in, the sense of calm I’d felt was indescribable. It was the kind of feeling I’d not had in such a long time, I’d forgotten that it even existed. Whether it was getting my brains fucked out, looking for lost stock or eating bison burgers at the Reid family dinner table, in the last two days, I’d created plenty of memories with Jake.
The hilltop overlooking the ranch though, the site where Jake shared that he planned to build his home; that was the one I held closest to my heart. Try as I might, I can’t stop my mind forming pictures of what it would be like if Jake were to build that house, with me, and it was ours. It would be…everything.
I don’t know how much time passes, when the vehicle I’m in slows further as it swings around a corner. As I brace myself against the seat using just my thighs and ass, I see we are coming to the rear of a station house building. Officer Hamilton is already parked and pulling Jake out from the back of his vehicle. My door opens and Officer Hunt helps me out, holding the chain between my cuffs as he closes the door behind
me.
“Cassie! What the fuck is going on? What is this about?”
Jake calls to me across the parking lot, his body surging forward to remove the distance between us.
He’s pulled up short as Officer Hamilton yanks him back using a big hand to Jake’s shoulder. Jake spins around and in that moment, time stops. If Congressman Jake Reid assaults an officer of the law, there is no two-week bus tour on the planet that would get him out of that pile of crap. I watch them closely as I’m being moved forward towards the station’s rear doors, and I see that Officer Hamilton is calmly talking to Jake’s and even though Jake still looks pissed, he’s nodding. I breathe a little easier, but I won’t breathe properly until I get Jake out of this station and out of my mess.
Which brings me to my other problem.
I had no clue why I’d been arrested.
* * *
I sit in a cold interrogation room, my teeth chattering with the temp or it’s from the alcohol wearing off. Either way, I’m freezing. Freezing and confused. I still have no idea why I’ve been arrested and for all things, assault and battery. I’m drunk, but not that drunk. I’m about to stand and stretch when I hear the latch on the door click open, my tapping fingers on the table stop and I watch as Officer Hunt walks into the room, taking the seat across from me. I’m really trying to keep my cool, knowing that an outburst from me is not going to help anyone. I just want to get to the bottom of this fuck-up, and get Jake out of here as quickly as possible.
“Ms. Argent, sorry to keep you waiting,” he tells me.
“Are you going to explain why I’m here?” I ask.
“Do you remember your time at Cadillac Ranch Club tonight?”
“I do, but nothing I did warrants an arrest in my opinion.”
“You don’t recalling punching a female in the face, threatening her in the bathroom?”
I groan and roll my eyes, “Is that what she’s claiming?”
When I went into the bathroom, I wasn’t surprised when Brooke came in moments after and was pretending to fix her hair in the mirror as she waited for me. I gave her a smile before washing my hands and checking my overall appearance from dancing and drinking.
“You’ll bore him. You think he’s all fun now, going out and drinking, but his work is his only love.”
“Excuse me?” I ask, schooling my facial expression to one of confusion.
“Jake. Please, I saw you practically fucking him on the dance floor. I recognize you from being in his press tour crew. Do you work for him? That’s real professional behavior in that case, not clichéd at all. Ella must be bummed Jake’s diddling the help…and it’s not her. You’ll see though, he’s all about you now, but soon…” she trails off, looking me up and down.
I give her a sympathetic look before returning my eyes to the mirror in front of me and running my fingers beneath each eye.
“I’d say I’m sorry it ended between you, but I’m not.” Turning to face her, I step closer and lower my tone. “And really, I should thank you. You being frigid and not liking Jake going down on you means he’s really stepped up his game, so when he goes down on me…it’s like magic.”
With a growl, she starts for me, but I move aside and she trips, knocking her face against the metal garbage can with a thud before hitting the floor.
“Do yourself a favor and forget him, he’s forgotten about you.”
“And that’s all that happened. I didn’t threaten her, and I certainly didn’t punch her.”
“Well, she’s claiming you did and she’s determined to press charges.”
“Well, I didn’t! This is ridiculous…she’s making it up! I’ve never been in trouble. I’ve definitely never hit anyone in my life! I can’t believe this bullsh––”
Officer Hunt holds up his hand, so I close my mouth, grateful he didn’t let me finish and make things worse for myself.
“There’s no witnesses, my record is clear, doesn’t this only need a warning and I get to leave?”
“She’s not backing down from her claim Ms. Argent, it’s your word against hers. I’m afraid that until this is sorted, by law you will remain under arrest and you will be detained here.”
I can deal with that, shit I’ll move into the fucking station if I can just get Jake out.
“Cool, I get it. I’m here for a while…but can you please let me see Jake?” I ask.
“Hamilton won’t tell you anything different to what I have, Ms. Argent.” he states, matter of fact and if I’m not mistaken, a little pissy.
“What? Who?”
I’m confused, and clearly Hunt is not only a little bit of a dick, he’s competitive too.
“I mean Jake Reid, the congressman. I was with him and his brother Jace when I was arrested. I need to see that Jake please?”
Officer Hunt is shaking his head no, so without letting him shut me down completely, I immediately try another approach.
“He’s got to get out of here before the press discovers he’s been arrested. He was only protecting me, the stupid, sexy, macho idiot, and I’m fine. Besides, he almost demanded to be arrested, didn’t he? That’s got to count for something, right? So, can he go? Please?”
“I’m sorry Ms. Argent. While you were both arrested at the same time, the reasons for your arrests were different. Your cases are not linked, and therefore I can’t discuss it with you.”
Now, I’m throwing the stink eye, and my instinct was right. Hunt may be a hot-looking specimen, but he’s absolutely a bit of a dick.
“I can tell you that the Congressman is in good hands. Our precinct is small, we’re tight knit, and there’s not a large press contingent hanging around. Now, you asked for your phone back to make a call? It’s not protocol, so that can’t happen, but when I leave this room, the phone in the corner will have an outside line when you pick it up.”
He stands to leave, but as he gets to the door, he turns back and says, “By the way, when I come back I’ll be moving you into lock up. While it’s not the Hilton, it’s more comfortable than sitting in a metal chair in an ice block of a room for however long this is going to take.”
Well, isn’t that just fucking fantastic.
* * *
I desperately want to call Jake, but then remember he’d left his phone back at the ranch. Making the only call I know I can make, I dial the number.
This bullshit I’ve found myself in, even the potential of losing my job for having a client arrested on my watch, none of that is even my worry. Protecting Jake is all that matters. I know I didn’t assault Brooke, and to me, my knowledge is more powerful than anything anyone will try to say about it.
Hearing a muffled voice as the call is picked up, a voice I’m sure I recognize but will not acknowledge that I’ve heard, I don’t wait for her to speak.
“Sawyer, it’s me. Something’s happened.”
“Cassie? What’s wrong, why are you calling so late? Don’t tell me you’ve been photographed in an indecent position with the Congressman?” I can hear that there is a smile in her voice, remembering her warning to me a week or so ago.
I wish it were that simple.
“No,” I breathe out. “No compromising photographs…but we have been arrested.”
Other than shuffling, there’s only silence and I imagine Sawyer is shifting quickly into business mode.
“Tell me. Where the hell are you and what in the name of holy fuck has happened?”
I spend the next twenty minutes filling my boss in on what I know and answering her questions. I can hear a pen scratching against paper as we talk and then I clearly hear Drew in the background. I think he must also be on the phone, already making the calls I’m sure Sawyer’s been silently instructed him to make. Before we even got past the first five minutes of the call, she had reassured me that everything would be ok, and that she’d get us out as soon as she could.
“Okay Cassie, hang tight and keep doing what they’re tell…just a minute.” Sawyer muffles the phone and I wait until
she comes back on the line.
“Cassie? You still there?” she asks.
“Yeah.”
“Devon is on it. He’s making some calls and we should have you out in a couple of hours, four tops.”
“Devon? Devon Scott, ESM Director?” I ask, a little confused as to what Devon, who usually does little to be productive, is going to be able to do.
“The very same,” she says in a way that makes me think she’s used to people being surprised to find out that Devon is actually, well, useful. “Other than being a company director and my ex-husband, the man-child is a lawyer. Non-practicing now of course, but quite a talented one…and could have been one of the greats if he’d chosen to use his skills for good and not debauchery.”
That last part is almost muttered, so I chalk it up to being an unguarded Sawyer moment, and the least I can do is to make out I didn’t hear it.
“Okay then, I’ll sit tight and wait to hear from you,” I confirm. It’s not like I have a lot of choice in the matter. “Oh, and Sawyer? Thank you, I just need to know that Jake is––”
“Cass, we’re on it. A call has already been made to Jake’s staff and someone one is on their way. There are no media reports, no leaked mug shots, no rumors or whispers. It looks like the Sheriff there in Bounty County runs a tight ship. Everything will be fine.”
As I hang up I feel a small thread of confidence that Sawyer is right, things will get sorted out. As for the, everything will be fine, part? That’s where I still have niggling doubts.
* * *
I’ve still not seen or spoken to Jake since we’ve been arrested, but as I move from the cot in the corner to the metal bench bolted to the floor of my holding cell, I feel relief having learned from one of the officers that Jake was being released. No longer under arrest, I’m not clear on all of the details, but it would seem that logic and cooler heads prevailed. I’m reminded again of how lucky we were to have been in Bounty County when this went down. Another county might have been far less professional.
Act of Congress Page 16