Freedom to Surrender [Freedom, Colorado 4] (Siren Publishing Ménage Everlasting)

by Melody Snow Monroe

  Chapter Five

  Tatum raised his hands in victory. While a three-game combined score that barely nudged the four-hundred mark was rather sad, it had been enough to beat Ashley and Drex.

  Ashley grinned and clapped. “Very impressive. Just think how great you’d be if you practiced.”

  He loved that she’d taken her loss well. Some women wouldn’t have. He was tempted to see if she’d be willing to bowl a few games on a weekly basis, but then thought better of it. Rushing her might end in disaster, and why chance ruining the potential? Time was on his side.

  “Could be, but I can tell with a few more games under your belt that I’d be crying in my beer at the defeat.”

  She laughed, as had Drex, which had been his intent. Tonight couldn’t have gone much better. Not only did his roommate behave himself, Tatum learned what a competitor Ashley was. It didn’t seem to matter if he goofed around or not, she appeared determined to win. While that goal didn’t pan out for her, she sure had tried hard.

  Drex sucked, but to the man’s credit, he took guidance from him and even asked Ashley for her advice. If he didn’t know better, he’d have thought his roommate was warming up to her.

  Drex nodded to the people waiting to take their place. “Let’s give some other suckers a chance at the lanes.”

  They put back their balls and turned in their bowling shoes. After Tatum paid for the games, they walked toward the exit. He placed a hand on Ashley’s back and was pleased when she didn’t tense up. “I’m going to follow you home to make sure you’re safe.”

  Brady told him where she lived, and as it turned out, her house was on the way to theirs. Tatum would have given anything to go in and spend more quality time with her, but women like Ashley needed space to figure out what they wanted. Besides, he had Drex with him. Ever since Holly had first mentioned her friend, Tatum had become more and more certain that Ashley would be the perfect woman for them both.

  The sad thing was that it might take more work to get Drex to agree to share than Ashley. When he’d asked his roommate about what it was like working with her, Drex had given him an uncharacteristic shrug. Whatever was going on in his mind, he wasn’t ready to share. Eventually, Drex would tell him. He never could hold in his feelings for long.

  When the time came for him to make love with Ashley, if Drex didn’t want to take part then that was his problem. In his heart though, he knew that Ashley would thrive under two men.

  Tatum held open the bowling alley door and escorted her to her car. She clicked open the lock, but he was able to grab the handle before she did. Clearly, she wasn’t used to being around a gentleman.

  “I had a great time, Ash. Thanks for the suggestion.”

  “Me, too.” She glanced over at Drex, but his stupid roommate said nothing.

  Now Tatum knew that Drex had it bad. Normally, he’d make some comment laced with a sexual overtone. His silence meant his mind was whirring.

  As soon as she slid in, Tatum tapped her roof and leaned over to look in. “I’ll be right behind you.” He’d let her wonder if he planned to ask her out again. From his experience, women didn’t like overly eager men. “Drive safe now. Don’t want you getting a speeding ticket.”

  “Funny.” She grinned and slid the key into the ignition.

  Once he was sure she was safely inside, he closed the door, and they strode to his cruiser. When she exited the parking lot, he followed at a safe distance. He appreciated she didn’t try to challenge the speed limit.

  He glanced over at Drex, who hadn’t said anything since walking out of the place. “Well?”

  “Well what?”

  Drex wasn’t going to make it easy for him. “Did you have a good time?” That really wasn’t what he wanted to ask, but he hoped that Drex would answer his unspoken question.

  “Sure. Not convinced I want a repeat performance of my humiliating effort, but Ashley’s a sweet girl.”

  Sweet wasn’t the word he wanted Drex to use. “I think she’s hot and nice and has a kind nature.”

  “A real Mother Teresa.”

  Never having seen this side of him, Tatum glanced at Drex. “What the fuck is your problem?” At the moment, he almost didn’t care about the answer. “You know what? Don’t tell me. You shouldn’t mix business with pleasure anyway.” He’d learned that lesson the hard way. “I’m going after Ashley myself.”

  “I thought we shared.” His words lacked conviction.

  They did, but Ashley was different. “I’m staying in Freedom for the long haul. Can you say the same thing?”

  “Haven’t decided.”

  That wasn’t good enough. “For many reasons, I’m actually ready to settle down, and I think Ashley might be the one. If you’re unsure, I’ll go solo.” That should be the kick in the ass Drex needed.

  Drex played with the door locks as he stared out the window. “Then go for it.”

  “Are you afraid?” Ashley deserved some kind of commitment.

  “No.” He shrugged, but Tatum could tell he was more affected by her than he was letting on.

  A plan formed. If he could get Ashley to go along with it, things could get interesting.

  * * * *

  The next morning at work, Brady Braxson walked out of his office with a large mug of coffee in his hand and stopped in front of Tatum’s desk. “Just got a call from the Ridgewood district.”

  “Where’s that?”

  “About ten miles west of here. It’s the site of one of those Last Opportunity Schools.”

  Tatum leaned back in his chair and clasped his hands behind his head. “I thought my records were sealed.”

  Brady cocked a brow. “What are you talking about?”

  Oh, shit. Well, it didn’t matter if his boss knew. “Can we discuss this in your office?”

  “Sure.”

  Tatum pushed back his chair and followed Brady inside. His boss closed the door then settled behind his desk while Tatum sat on the hard wooden chair in front.

  “Rest assured,” Brady said, “what you say here will stay confidential.”

  He’d briefly told Ashley about his history, but if anyone else brought it to the sheriff’s attention, his boss should be forewarned.

  “When I was a senior in high school, my life pretty much sucked.”

  Brady nodded. “Holly has shared a few things.”

  She’d promised she hadn’t told anyone about his problem with drugs. “I landed into some trouble.” He held up his hand. “The usual kid stuff. A local cop busted several of us, but we weren’t arrested or anything. The school handled everything internally, and I was sent to a Last Opportunity School.”

  Brady leaned back in his seat. “Then you’ll be perfect for this assignment. I’m not sure if the school you were at is the same as the one here, but the boys are able to go home after school.”

  “Same with me. We weren’t allowed to attend the regular school’s functions though.”

  Brady nodded, acting as if Tatum’s past was just that. “Yesterday, another fight broke out, and they’d like us to help.”

  “Doing what?” The fight was over now.

  “They want an impartial person to interview the boys.”

  He chuckled. “I know all about that. I had a friend who just couldn’t leave well enough alone. The kids would pick on him and eventually he’d get in a fight. Then the deputies would be called in and we’d all get a lecture.”

  “Boys from all over the county are sent there, which is why they are reaching out to us. I told them I can spare you for a little while. Apparently, one of the men’s wives just had a baby, so he’s on leave. If something comes up, they understand I might have to pull you.”

  “Works for me. When do they need me to start?”

  Brady looked up at the clock on the wall. “About an hour ago.”

  Tatum didn’t mind. In fact, he’d been wanting to volunteer as a Big Brother, assuming Freedom had such an organization, and this would give him the opportunity t
o give back to those less fortunate. If he’d had a male influence in his life early on, he probably wouldn’t have ended up at that school.

  He still remembered his first day there. As soon as he’d stepped foot in the place, he realized how much he hated being among so many thugs. Lucky for him, one of the teachers took pity on him the first month and gave him guidance. Tatum would be forever indebted to the man who made him turn his life around. When he walked out of there, he was actually grateful for the wake-up call. He then entered the Army, and his life was forever changed.

  Brady handed him the directions. “The second shift arrives at six.”

  “I got it under control.” He slipped a breakfast bar from a desk drawer into his shirt pocket and headed out.

  Since the sheriff’s office was located next to the park, he, Sam Cook, Brady, and the dispatcher had commandeered a few parking places. Instead of leaving town via Clark, he zigzagged up to Ashford Boulevard, wanting to pass by Wilkerson’s. Tatum debated stopping in to say hi to Ashley and Drex, but at the last minute he chose not to since they might construe his actions as being too obvious.

  While he wanted to call Ashley to reiterate what a good time he’d had Wednesday night, he needed to figure out his next move. Just this morning his plan had fallen into place. Tatum had grown up in the city streets of Denver and he’d never had the opportunity to learn how to ride very well. Just like Drex should learn to shoot, now that Tatum lived in the rural outskirts of Boulder and Denver, knowing how to ride would come in handy. No telling if a criminal would choose to escape via horse.

  That might sound like a lame excuse for a date, but it was the truth.

  While the drive to Ridgewood was extremely pretty because it took him along a mountain pass, he wasn’t taking in the beauty as much as he normally would. His mind remained on a sexy lady and what might happen at the end of that horse ride.

  A curve appeared that was particularly sharp, and he slowed. He bet the trip up these narrow roads in winter could be a bitch. As soon as the road leveled out, he spotted the sign to the school. Isolated, it sat on an empty stretch of land. When he pulled in front of the school, it looked much less threatening than the one he’d attended, though equally as depressing. The cement sides had been left unfinished. Hopefully, the boys who went here weren’t as seriously messed up as those in Denver.

  He parked, adjusted his weapon, and headed inside. When the receptionist looked up, she smiled. “Am I glad you’re here.”

  That wasn’t good. “What seems to be the trouble?” He loved that line. It sounded like he’d just walked onto a B-rated movie set. Even though Brady had given him some details, he’d like to hear her take.

  “Two of the boys were in a fight. Our nurse made sure they weren’t bleeding anymore. Now they’re being held in separate rooms waiting for you.”

  He knew the drill. “You want me to question them, I take it?”

  Before she answered, a rather wide gentleman waddled down the hallway. His face lit up when he spotted the uniform and held out his hand. “I’m Principal Hennessey. You must be?”

  Tatum didn’t think his name mattered, but he gave it anyway. “Tatum Morganton from Freedom.”

  “Great. Did Joan tell you what happened?”

  “Just that there was an altercation.”

  “The boys won’t tell me anything, but I’m hoping you can scare the truth out of them.”

  “I’ll give it a try.”

  The scare tactic, while totally unpleasant, hadn’t worked on him, but he knew what did—understanding.

  The principal handed him a folder. “Here are the names of the boys and the list of priors. Jordan Wilson is this close to being sent to the detention center.” He held his thumb and forefinger a quarter of an inch apart. “He’s a bully. The other boy is Andy Parks. He’s often picked on because of his size, but don’t think for a moment the kid’s innocent. He likes to incite others. Bad social skills.”

  “I’ll do my best.”

  The principal led him back down the same hall he’d come from, knocked on a door, and opened it. “Jordan is in the room next door.”

  Tatum stepped inside and the memories slammed into him. Andy looked so much like his friend it hurt. The kid’s cheek was swollen and his lip cut. He couldn’t be more than five foot three and was painfully thin. The report said he’d turned thirteen a few months ago.

  The kid lifted his chin. “Who the fuck are you?”

  While he appreciated the bravado, swearing at a lawman wouldn’t get him anywhere. “My name’s Tatum.” Probably half a dozen psychologists would have told him that using his first name was a big no-no, but these weren’t average kids.

  “You’re a cop.”

  “What gave it away?” He was wearing his uniform. The kid didn’t meet his glance. “You want to tell me what happened?”

  Andy shifted in his seat to face him. “What good will it do? I’ll be stuck in fucking detention for the next month no matter what I say.”

  He remembered hearing the same tone of despair coming from his childhood friend. “I’m new around here. I might have some pull.”

  For the next five minutes, the kid gave him shit, feeling him out to see if perhaps he could get out of there without saying anything.

  “You got any brothers or sisters?” Talking about something other than school might help.

  “One sister, one brother.”

  “Is your brother in here, too?”

  “He’s too little.”

  That implied his brother was headed for a place like this. One thing that prevented Tatum from doing anything really bad until he’d turned seventeen was not wanting his younger sister to suffer the consequences of having a stupid older brother in school. He’d failed, of course, but he had waited until Bethany turned fourteen before he’d gotten caught with the drugs.

  “You got parents?”

  “Just a dad.”

  He didn’t want to ask what happened to the mother. He couldn’t imagine anyone walking out on three kids. “You like him?”

  “He’s a dick.”

  Okay, this wasn’t getting him anywhere. “Is Jordan a dick, too?”

  Andy crossed his arms and ran his tongue over his cut lip. “The biggest.”

  “What did he do?”

  “He was picking on Savon Thompson and I tried to stop it. Savon’s smaller than me.”

  A small crack formed in his heart, but he couldn’t let his emotions get in the way. He couldn’t help but wonder where the teachers were when the fight started. “No one was around to stop you two?”

  “You’re dumb. No. I think they like to see us beat the crap out of each other while they stay out of the way. They’re all chicken shits.”

  That might be a fair assessment. “Has this happened to you a lot?”

  Andy’s arms tightened their hold. “Ask the principal.”

  Maybe he wasn’t equipped to deal with these kids anymore, but Tatum refused to give up. He’d find a way to do some good.

  Chapter Six

  At closing time on Friday evening, Carl Wilkerson strolled into the office they shared. “You’ve been holed up here all day.” He stepped next to Ashley and leaned over her computer screen. “What’s all that?”

  It had taken her all week to finish entering the data from his leather-bound notebook into the computer. “Between answering calls and making appointments, I thought I’d make a spreadsheet—that’s a fancy name for a report—for each customer that lists the date of repair, make and model of vehicle, the type of repair, and the cost.” She twisted the screen toward him so he could see what she was talking about.

  “I’ll be damned.”

  His comment pleased her. “That way, when the same customer returns and asks for, say, a new timing belt, I’ll be able to say we replaced it three years ago.”

  “What do you know? This might really help my company.” He smiled. “Thank you, but don’t forget you promised you’d show me what to do before som
e handsome man sweeps you off your feet and you quit.”

  He was just being nice. “No need to worry on that account.” She enjoyed this job, but it wasn’t what she wanted to do with the rest of her life. Unless she won the lottery, she wouldn’t be opening a bakery any time soon. “I have no intention of leaving.”

  “Not even if, say, Drex whisks you away?”

  Her heart nearly stopped. There was no way he could have had any inkling she was attracted to him. Oh, no. Had Drex said something? Impossible. He didn’t even like her.

  The man had to be speaking hypothetically. She was young and Drex was single and good looking, that was all. Well, she didn’t need him interfering with her love life—what there was of it. “Drex and I are just friends. Nothing more. Besides, I don’t think I’m his type.” She raised her chin. “Even if I were, we’d need both incomes to survive.”

  Carl’s eyes sparkled. “Oh yeah? What is his type?”

  Her comment hadn’t been an invitation to share, but Carl must have thought it was, because he hitched a hip on the corner of the desk. She really didn’t want to play this game, but he was her boss and he probably wouldn’t butt out of her affairs until she sparred with him. “I think Drex is looking for someone more sophisticated.”

  Carl laughed. She checked the garage and damn it to hell, Drex was looking right at her. Her freaking nipples puckered. What was up with that?

  Carl glanced over his shoulder and then back at her. He shook his head, a smile still on his face. “He’s a mechanic. He’s got no business being with a snobby woman.”

  She hadn’t said snobby, though she could picture Drex dressed up in a suit escorting a perfectly coiffed woman to a show or a party aboard a yacht.

  For some insane reason, she felt the need to protect his image. “He’s good looking enough to attract anyone he wants.” And suave enough to pull it off, too.

  Carl laughed, slapped his thigh, and limped out. “You hear that, Drex?”

  Ashley slipped down in her seat. This was not good. While Carl kept his comment to Drex out of hearing range, the sexy mechanic glanced at her and grinned. Well, shit.