Badge of Honor [The Town of Pearl 9] (Siren Publishing LoveXtreme Forever)

by Dixie Lynn Dwyer

  “Who the fuck are you? I don’t have to tell you shit,” she stated firmly, drawing some attention from other patrons in the room.

  Harper leaned closer. “Lower your voice. We’re not the enemy. We’re here to help you.”

  Her eyes widened.

  “So you did just show up in the woods to try and gain my trust. You lying bastard,” she exclaimed.

  But then Harper cupped her cheeks with his palms and held her firmly.

  “What in God’s name are you talking about?”

  She covered his hands with her hands.

  “You lied. You were told to find me in the woods over a week ago and then to become friendly with me so you could get information.”

  “No. I didn’t. We met by chance. I couldn’t get you out of my head so I told my team about you. But then we heard from a man we do special jobs for and he mentioned you,” Harper explained.

  “I don’t believe you,” she stated and turned away from him causing his hands to leave her cheeks. She felt the loss of his touch, and that manliness of his embrace.

  “I’m not lying, Lauren,” Harper told her again.

  “Enough of this. It doesn’t matter. What matters is your safety. You’re a new member of this community,” Galvin told her as Michelle arrived to take their food order.

  Lauren rambled off the grilled chicken salad with diced apples and raisins because it was the first thing she saw on the menu. The others ordered burgers.

  “You know what? Those sound good. Forget the salad and make my order a burger, Swiss, mushrooms, and those fried onions that he ordered,” Lauren told the waitress as she directed a thumb toward Gus. The men watched her closely and Lauren wondered what they were thinking. Then she warned herself to stay on guard. For all she knew, these men could accept a payoff to kill her if they were offered the opportunity and the right amount of money. Trust no one, Lauren. No one but yourself.

  * * * *

  For every question or transitional topic that could lead back to Lauren revealing more about herself or the incident in New York, she had a counterresponse that drew attention away from her. She was very good at counterinterrogating, too. That became apparent as she got Harper to talk to her about them being SEALs and how they all lived together in one house.

  Galvin watched her closely as he received text messages with updates from Mace and Orin.

  They informed Galvin that Lauren was a very highly accommodated detective who’d received numerous awards in her profession as a cop since the academy. He was impressed.

  “So what made you decide to become a cop?” he asked her after Michelle brought over the burgers.

  She had just taken a bite of hers and watched him.

  “Someone has to find and lock up the bad guys. You know. Make the streets safer,” she said in that thick New York accent that was pretty damn sexy. Galvin popped a fry into his mouth.

  “Want to save the whole world, do ya?”

  She held his gaze and looked him over. He felt those blue eyes of hers as if they had the power to penetrate through his skin. He felt the tingle.

  “How about you? Why the SEALs? I mean out of all the branches of the armed forces.” She took a bite of her burger. There she went again, avoiding questions, manipulating the conversation to go into her control.

  “You first. Why a cop?” he pushed.

  She lifted the napkin to her mouth and dabbed the corners.

  “I guess it was my calling, my vocation in life. I like people. I also have strong feelings about the law and upholding it. Becoming a cop just fit, I guess.”

  She ran her finger along the rim of her drink as she spoke.

  Galvin had respect for that, for her choice in a predominantly male profession.

  She was tough. That was certain. She had to be to sustain three bullet wounds and survive. Mace was texting more stuff. He even mentioned previous injuries. Stitches from a knife wound and even a head injury. But she was so damn beautiful. He didn’t like thinking of her getting injured.

  “Well it is the same for me with the SEALs. I knew I wanted to join the service. Went through basic and heard about this elite group, and decided to go for it. I never looked back,” he shared with her.

  “And you guys? What made you choose the SEALs?” she asked Gus and Harper, and Galvin listened as Harper told her about his brother Gerry who was killed while serving pre-Desert Storm and how much of an influence his brother had been in his life. Galvin watched Lauren as she listened and genuinely appeared interested and saddened by his loss.

  “It’s never easy to lose a loved one,” she said and then went back to eating.

  They ate in silence until Harper asked her some more questions. They found out that she had lived in upstate New York and went to a community college for criminal justice and had two sisters.

  “So right now your sisters have protection from Dmitri?” Gus asked.

  “Dmitri? That’s the guy’s name who’s friends with Mary?”

  Galvin didn’t realize that Lauren didn’t even know who was protecting her and her sisters.

  “Yes. That’s his name. I’m sure they’re safe and sound,” Harper tried to reassure her.

  “Does this Dmitri have a last name?” she inquired in a way that put Galvin on edge and made him immediately get her tone. She would ask more questions and push for answers. How much should they tell her? After all, she was a cop, and Dmitri was a made man with the Russian mob, and they worked for him from time to time. Nothing illegal. Just standard guns for hire, intimidation, and security to enforce protection on new businesses and old.

  Would she think of them differently than a few minutes ago when she praised their commitment to the country by their service as Navy SEALs?

  “Wait, you’re not going to tell me who this guy is, and you expect me to tell you everything about me?” she challenged.

  “You’re on a need-to-know basis when it comes to Dmitri,” Gus warned her as he held her gaze with an intense one.

  “And I don’t need to know?” she replied.

  “What made you become a cop in the city instead of in the suburbs?” Harper asked her in an attempt to change the subject. Thank goodness the waitress came over to collect their empty plates. He wouldn’t put it past Lauren to make a scene here.

  “I was living in the city, and saw how busy and I guess kind of wild New York was. You always have to be aware of your surroundings, and keep an eye on things around you so no one can get the jump on you. You walk quickly, keeping up with the traffic and the other people heading to work. There’s a very different feel to walking in New York City than other cities.”

  “But why become a cop? Out of all the other professions out there and available in a city like New York, why not corporate, business, or fashion industry?” Galvin asked, and she shook her head as if annoyed.

  “I’ve always been a go-getter. Give me a challenge and I face it head-on. New York City was a constant adrenaline rush. The people, the activities, you know, the city that never sleeps. That appealed to me. You know, just like the movies with all the criminals running amuck and the typical New York beat cops going in and kicking butt,” she told them and Galvin stared at her. He admired her beauty, her ability to act so tough and capable yet appear feminine and sexy. He didn’t like imagining her rolling around on the ground with a bunch of thugs, or having to scale fences and tackle thieves. It was a bit concerning. He never saw himself as a chauvinist, not with all the females he had worked alongside in the military. But Galvin had this sensation and concern about Lauren. It was strange.

  “I can understand that. To have a calling for a specific profession and duty. But without coming off as some chauvinist dick, you’re a gorgeous woman. Why would you want to roll around on the ground with thugs and thieves?” Galvin asked, his curiosity getting the better of him.

  Lauren gave him such an annoyed, yet almost defeated expression. It was quick. Like a glimpse of her guard down, but she quickly recovered.
<
br />   “Well, Galvin, some women are good for more than just looking pretty on a man’s arm or a roll in bed.”

  He shouldn’t have been shocked by her reaction to his question, but for some strange reason he felt guilty and kind of upset that he insulted her. It was like he didn’t want her to not like him. Which was strange and it pissed him off. She was so different from other women. She was more than just tough and beautiful. The woman had an appeal he just hadn’t expected.

  “Why did your family move from upstate New York to the city? Especially with three young girls?” Gus asked, changing the subject before Galvin said something else to make Lauren cause a scene.

  She looked at him and then cleared her throat.

  “Well, I’m done. Enough with twenty questions. Let me just pay for this and be on my way,” she said and reached into her backpack.

  Gus moved closer and she jumped as if he touched her under the table, perhaps placed his hand on her thigh to stop her from moving.

  “Remove your hand,” she said, holding Gus’s gaze.

  “I wouldn’t hurt you. What’s the deal? What happened upstate to make your parents move you to the city?” he pushed.

  Galvin knew that Mace was working on going back pretty far into Lauren’s past. But he hadn’t heard anything from him yet.

  “What is this? What do you want from me?” she snapped at Gus.

  Gus looked her over and stared at her lips.

  “Before we sat down in this place and started talking, I wanted to know who you were and what the hell happened to you back in New York. But now, well now I’m curious.”

  She looked at Gus and seemed at a loss for words.

  “Well entertain your curiosity elsewhere. I’m of nothing important. I’m just trying to survive and hide out a while. I don’t need your help or your protection, as you call it.”

  Gus squinted his eyes at her then looked over her lips. She lost her focus and then Galvin spoke.

  “Darlin’, about those rules I mentioned earlier? They’re inevitable. We are going to watch over you and ensure your safety. In fact, we can discuss where you’re going to store that gun of yours as we leave.”

  Galvin stood up and tossed the money on the table to pay the bill. Then Gus and Harper got up and Harper offered Lauren his hand to assist her from the booth but she ignored him.

  They headed out of the restaurant and then Galvin held out his hand.

  “Give me your gun and I’ll place it in safe keeping.”

  She crossed her arms in front of her chest.

  “The fuck you will. It’s my gun and it stays with me.”

  “You’re too on edge. You drew it on Harper without a thought. The sheriff and the rest of us want it in safe keeping,” Galvin added.

  She ran her palm along her back and smiled at Galvin. Well it was more like a smirk. Men got their heads blown off for less.

  “It’s quite safe right here on me. Thanks anyway.”

  She started to walk away when Galvin grabbed her upper arm and pulled her close. Her chest pressed up against his chest and he felt the feminine curves of her breasts and the scent of her shampoo.

  “This is not up for discussion, Lauren. You’re our responsibility now, so hand over the gun.”

  “Kiss my ass.”

  She went to pull back and he gripped her tighter, wrapped an arm around her waist, and hoisted her closer.

  Galvin just stared into her eyes as his nostrils absorbed the scent of her perfume and the fragrance of her hair. The soft golden locks whipped around and against him. He took her words as a future invitation to kiss her intimate parts, and boy, did it arouse him. He was nearly entranced by her beauty and the attraction he felt.

  He took a breath and gripped her a little firmer to get his point across.

  “Oh, we may take you up on that offer real soon. But for now, why don’t you cooperate, so we can make sure that Pearl is a safer place.”

  She struggled a moment to get free and then she practically snarled her words.

  “I’m not giving you my firearm. I don’t give a shit who told you to take it from me or who appointed you to protect me. I can take care of myself. “

  “Trust is earned, Lauren. You’ve got to earn our trust before we give you any privileges,” Gus warned her.

  “Privileges? I think it’s you guys who need to earn my trust. I don’t know you. I don’t need your protection and I’m certainly not handing over the only weapon I have to protect myself, Mary, and Beth. Not happening.”

  “There’s no use in fighting it. The order’s been issued and you’re our responsibility,” Harper told her.

  She swung her head around to look at him.

  Harper pressed closer, placed his hands on her hips, and spoke firmly. “I would listen to Galvin if I were you. He’s our leader, and what he says goes.”

  Galvin watched the fire ignite in her blue eyes. She was bullheaded, resistant to authority, and a typical street cop. Why did that fact arouse him even more?

  “He may be your leader but he’s not mine. Who do we need to call to resolve this? To get you out of this so I can be left alone?” She pulled from them and stepped back. Lauren looked at them as if they were out of their minds and could hurt her.

  “No one to call. No changing the order. You’re just going to have to get used to us being around. In fact, I think it would be a good idea if you stayed with us,” Galvin told her.

  “Ha! Are you out of your fucking mind? Is this how this town works? You just take control of a woman’s life and demand her to move in with you so you can have your way with her body? You’re fucking crazy!” she yelled the last part.

  “Let’s discuss this.” Gus walked toward her.

  She put her hand up. Galvin and Harper stood there with their arms crossed and feet slightly spread apart. Galvin felt ready to react and teach this woman about taking orders.

  “I think we’ve discussed enough. Fuck off,” she stated and began walking away from them.

  “You’ve got one hell of a mouth on you, woman. Seems to me you need some discipline and maybe a bit of soap,” Galvin threatened her.

  She swung around and flipped him the bird.

  Gus chuckled and so did Harper.

  She looked both ways before she crossed the street and then continued on her way to the store.

  “Follow her,” Galvin ordered toward Harper then Galvin pulled out his cell phone and indicated for Gus to follow him.

  “Mace, I want you and Orin to dig deeper. I want everything on her, and I mean everything. Every fucking boyfriend, her Goddamn grocery list, you name it. I want it yesterday.” Galvin closed up the phone and continued down the street toward their SUV.

  “What do you think?” Gus asked him.

  “I think she’s got secrets, and I think she doesn’t want anyone coming close enough to figure those secrets out. In fact, text Harper. Have him keep Lauren busy for an hour or so. You and I are going to visit Mary Higgins.”

  “Do you think that’s a good idea?” Orin asked as Galvin’s cell phone rang.

  He answered it on speaker as he pulled out of the parking lot.

  “There’s someone here at the house to see us. Are you on your way?” Orin asked.

  “Who?” Galvin replied.

  “Mary Higgins,” Orin told him.

  Galvin gripped the steering wheel and glanced at Gus.

  “We’ll be there in ten minutes.”

  Chapter 9

  “Stephan, what do you want me to do? These little bastards want to make an arrangement,” Vladimir told his boss, Stephan Koldovic.

  “What arrangement?”

  “These three men from Tenth Street gang. Orlando, Miklos, and Rafael want in on the territory that Dmitri has money invested in. The avenues along the river and East Harlem? They say they can make more money for us. They can tap in on what Dmitri is ignoring.”

  “Are you out of your fucking mind? You even having a conversation with these shits could g
et us killed. No one double-crosses Dmitri Sanclare. He’s part of the heads of the families. These fucking lowlife border rats don’t know who they’re messing around with.”

  “I hear ya, boss. How do you want us to handle it?”

  Stephan thought about it a moment, his mind whirling with a few different ideas.

  “Tell them we’ll be in touch.”

  “Seriously?”

  “Just do it, then get back here.”

  Stephan ended the call and then took a deep breath before he walked back into the office. He made eye contact with the man waiting for him in a three-piece suit. The man had a cigar between thick fingers resting on the arm of the chair. Maxwell Ortega was an extremely wealthy Columbian businessman who had ties to everything black market.

  His resources came in handy and Ortega was a good man to have access to, but today it seemed Ortega wanted something from Stephan.

  “Sorry about that. Now, what can I do for you, Maxwell?” Stephan asked.

  Maxwell nodded his head and then took a puff from his cigar. “It seems I’ve come across some information you may find interesting.”

  “Information?”

  “I’ve heard that the Tenth Street gang are looking to expand their territory, and in doing so they’ve already placed men into positions at various key locations in Harlem, and the waterfront.”

  “They can’t do much. That’s part of my territory as well as Sanclare’s. They wouldn’t be so stupid as to step on our toes and push us to take some power away from them.”

  “I believe they’re trying to send a message.”

  “What message would that be?”

  “That they’re not afraid to start a blood war.”

  “A blood war? Like they would have a chance against the Russians?”

  “Word is, they’re looking for this woman. A detective who took out Aces and eight of his best men. Rafael, Miklos, and Orlando want revenge. They want you to give up the location of this woman. Otherwise they’re set to take further action.”

  “So you come here for them to threaten me and to push for a location on some woman I know nothing about? This isn’t good business, Maxwell. It makes me question your loyalty to me.”