Sugar and Sin Bundle

by Stacey Joy Netzel

  “Then why the fuck are you trying to feed me this line of bull?” His voice echoed throughout the empty house before he brought it back to an almost whisper. “Now. Tell me the truth.”

  “Okay, okay. Nitro gave me a joint. Said I’d done a good job. Since I can’t smoke at home, I smoked it in the car. I didn’t speed though. I swear. I know how important this is to you, so I was being real careful not to do anything to attract attention.”

  “So you were being careful. Maybe even going a little slow?” Everyone knew that going too fast or too slow was an instant red flag to the cops.

  The kid gulped. “Yeah, maybe.”

  “Then what?”

  “A cruiser pulled out behind me, lights flashing. I didn’t want to get caught with a joint because then that bastard Gauthier would revoke my bail and lock me up. So I gunned it.”

  Had he ever been so young? So naïve? Chaz sighed.

  “She sped up and tried to block me so I threw the joint out the window, stopped the car and ran into the woods.”

  “Where she tried to kill you.”

  Corey shrugged. “Anyways, she drove me to Chief Whitedeer’s house. Everything was going fine until Rémi told her to arrest me.”

  Chaz’s head jerked up. “He what?”

  “I couldn’t believe it either. She started reading me my rights and would have hauled me in if Chief Whitedeer hadn’t convinced her to let me go.”

  He ground his molars. “You dumb fuck.”

  Like a guppy, Corey opened his mouth then closed it again several times. “What’s the problem, man? She doesn’t know anything.”

  “You’ve already been arrested twice. Next time, you’ll be locked up. Don’t you think she’s gonna be dogging you from now on?” Chaz rose from his recliner and started pacing the living room floor. “You could have blown the whole operation with this idiotic stunt. Any attention from the cops is bad news.”

  “I’m sorry, Chaz.”

  “Not good enough. I thought you wanted to help return this tribe to the old ways. You can’t do that if you’re drunk or stoned. Are you gonna be a weak dumbass like your father—a part of the problem—or are you going to be a part of the solution? The choice is up to you.”

  “But you sell drugs!”

  “Because I need the money to fund the cause, to finance the future of this tribe.” He stopped pacing and held the kid’s gaze. “Life is all about survival of the fittest. Guardians aren’t weak. We don’t do drugs. But hey, if you want to ruin your life, that’s your decision.” And Chaz would have no qualms about crushing him if he made the wrong choice.

  “You sound just like Rémi.”

  Rubbing his cheek, Chaz considered his response. “Drugs are the only issue we agree on. As for the rest, Rémi is short-sighted and sees life through the green eyes he inherited from his white daddy. He doesn’t see that the white man is trying to destroy us. They’ve locked us in these prisons they call reserves and created laws that guarantee the disappearance of First Nations people in just a few more generations. Unless we take control of our destiny.”

  Corey grinned. “He sure looked ready to destroy me when he found out I took his car.”

  “You took Rémi’s car?” Laughter bubbled up in Chaz’s chest and roared out. The situation read like a bad headline: Kid Steals Drug Counselor’s Car to Make Drug Delivery. He almost felt sorry for his cousin. Almost.

  But what to do about the kid? He’d strayed from the Longhouse, gotten involved in drugs. “No way am I putting this operation at risk for one kid. You’ve got potential as a Guardian, but you screwed this up. Royally.”

  The kid had balls. He’d make a great addition to the Guardians, if Chaz could harness his potential. And that would give Chaz hope. Because if he couldn’t save this one kid, what did that say about his hope of saving the tribe?

  Corey chuckled. “Royally funny is what it was.”

  The kid’s balls were too big. And too big balls needed to be deflated. He stepped around the coffee table and got in the kid’s face. “That’s the last time you don’t take me seriously.” He stabbed a finger at Corey. “Do not fuck up again.”

  The kid did his best to appear unfazed, but the scared little boy expression on his face made it clear he’d gotten the message. “I won’t let you down.”

  He pulled the boy to his feet, then clapped him on the back. “I know you won’t.” With his hand on the back of Corey’s neck, he asked, “When’s the last time you went hunting?”

  “Since before the trouble with my dad.”

  This was one area where he could help, fill in for kid’s father and show the kid how to live off the land. “Meet me here at ten tomorrow morning. I’m taking the boys hunting. You’re coming with us.”

  Running a hand through his long hair, the kid averted his eyes. “I… uh… I’m supposed to meet….” His voice trailed off, his body tensing.

  Chaz spread his fingers on Corey’s neck, digging them in-between the raised tendons. The fragile vertebrae below the thin layer of skin shifted. People didn’t realize how vulnerable the neck really was. One snap, that’s all it took. “You’re going to have to prove that we’re on the same team, kid. Are you going to be a Guardian, or are you going to be a dead fucker?”

  CHAPTER 5

  Rémi opened the door to the Three Sisters diner and paused, giving his eyes time to adjust to the dim lighting. At least that’s what he told himself. Truth was he needed the extra minute before facing Alyssa. She was going to laugh in his face when he told her Corey hadn’t shown up for their session this morning.

  Tension stiffened the muscles in his neck. He should have listened to her and followed the little shit. She hadn’t voiced her thoughts, but he’d seen it on her face: she thought he was naïve. And he hadn’t done a thing to disabuse her of the notion. Corey was making him look like a bleeding-heart fool. That was going to change.

  Stepping out of the alcove, he scanned the long counter to the right and recognized all five patrons seated on bar stools, each enjoying the best Iroquois cuisine around. Every dish contained at least one of the Three Sisters: corn, beans, and squash.

  He glanced over at the dozen or so tables to the left and spotted Alyssa at the far corner booth he always chose. Smart woman. Her back to the wall, she could see the entrance, the door to the kitchen, and the parking lot through the wide picture window. When their eyes met, she smiled and waved him over.

  As he made his way across the dining area, he stopped several times to speak with people he knew. He could feel their gazes boring into his back as he sat across from Alyssa. At least she wasn’t wearing her uniform today. Even though it turned him all-the-way on. The fewer people who knew she was an SQ cop, the better it would be for both of them.

  She handed him the menu she’d been perusing. “How’d things go with Corey this morning?”

  Although the look she gave him wasn’t precisely what he’d call smug, it was definitely knowing. He hadn’t even opened his mouth, and yet Alyssa already knew he’d failed. That he’d been wrong. Oh so casually, he stretched his legs and flung an arm on the back of the bench seat. “He didn’t show.”

  Without saying a word, she continued to study his face. Which really ticked him off. Giving up the casual façade, he straightened and squinted at her. “How’d you know?”

  Gaze shifting to the window, she broke the stare-off. “I’ve spent four of my six years in the SQ with the organized crime division. I’ve seen so many kids like him. I know what he’s going to do before he even knows.”

  “How so?”

  She brought her focus back to him. “He’s searching for something to replace his father. Drugs and alcohol fill the void for a while, but he wants more. He wants to feel like he belongs, like he’s a part of something bigger, something more important.”

  As she spoke, her voice lowered and her face softened. Vulnerability flashed in her amber eyes before she blinked it away. He’d seen a lot in his life and during his time
with the Montréal PD, but he could only wonder at the things she’d seen and done to put those shadows in her eyes. “Don’t we all want those things?” he asked.

  “Sure, but because of his circumstances, he yearns for someone strong to guide him. A father figure who’ll also give him a family. Like Oliver Twist. Like every kid who joins a gang wanting to belong.”

  Yeah, Rémi had to agree. He’d spotted the kid often enough with Chaz or Pete to think Corey was working to get into the Guardians.

  Alyssa rummaged in her purse and pulled out a notebook and a pink pen, making his lips twitch. “Travelling light?”

  Her head jerked up. “Excuse me?”

  He indicated the pen. “Purse too small for the feathered number?” The expression on Gauthier’s face when she’d handed it to him at Corey’s bail-signing had been priceless. As her cheeks turned a pretty pink, the perfect match to her pen, laughter exploded from his chest.

  “It was the only one I could find.” Her eyes shot arrows at him. He grinned, holding up his hands in surrender.

  Ellie arrived to take their orders, saving him from certain death. After a glance at Alyssa, Ellie deposited two glasses of water and straws on the table. “Hey, Rémi. Haven’t seen you in here for a while. How have you been?”

  “Busy, but good. You? Enjoying your summer vacation?”

  She wiped the back of her hand across her forehead. “I’d enjoy it a lot more if it wasn’t so freaking hot. The humidity is doing a number on my asthma.”

  “I hear you. Ellie, this is Alyssa Morgan. Alyssa, this is Ellie Redleafe.”

  Alyssa held out her hand. “Nice to meet you, Ellie. Are you related to Councillor Redleafe?”

  “Yeah, she’s my mom. She told me you guys were working on some sort of task force together?”

  “That’s right. I’m sure you’ll be seeing a lot more of me before this is over.”

  Ellie’s smile was tight as she pulled a pad out of her apron pocket. “Ready to order?”

  “I’ll have the corn soup and some strawberry drink.”

  Rémi handed Ellie his menu. “I’ll have the same. Thanks.” As she left, he angled himself sideways and watched her walk behind the counter to call in their orders. With her long dark hair, high cheekbones and large doe eyes, the girl was turning into quite the beauty. Councillor Redleafe would have her hands full with this one in a year or two, if she didn’t already. “Ellie is Corey’s girlfriend.”

  Alyssa lifted her brows. “We’ll have to question her. Friendly-like of course.”

  “She may know something, but we have to be careful. She’s just a kid.” He glanced over his shoulder and noticed that several of the tables had cleared out. “When she brings our meals, I’ll ask her to join us.”

  Closing her eyes, Alyssa pressed her glass of water to her neck. “I can do the talking if that makes you feel any better.” Although he heard the words, it would have taken an act of Parliament to get him to respond.

  The heat of her skin caused the condensation on the glass to liquefy. Like a tractor-beam, his gaze followed a drop of water as it slid down the long pale column of her neck, followed the curve of her right breast and slipped under the collar of her blue cotton T-shirt into the V of her cleavage. Oh fuck. He wanted to be that drop of water. He wanted to be snuggled between her warm ripe breasts. His cock swelled and lengthened, letting him know that it wanted to be there too.

  He squeezed his lids shut and willed his hard-on away. This wasn’t the time and certainly not the place for Mr. Happy to make an appearance. But the more he tried not to think about where the drop had gone, the more he did. He’d thought he was a leg man, but he knew the truth now. It had slapped him in the face. He was a breast man. An “Alyssa’s breasts” man, and he fucking wanted to see them, to feel them, to taste them right now.

  Opening his eyes, he grabbed his water and “accidentally” dumped it in his lap. Looked like he’d pissed his pants. Fuckit. That had to be better than looking like he was going to shoot a load in his jeans, like some horny teenager on his first date. As the water and ice hit his crotch, he barely held back a holler. But then the coldness did its job. Crisis averted.

  Alyssa snorted. “Feeling better?”

  Glancing up, he saw that knowing expression again. Was the woman a mind reader? He really hoped not.

  Ellie came to the rescue with some napkins. “Rémi, you all right? What happened? Here, use these.”

  He tore his gaze away from Alyssa and smiled at the young girl. “The glass slipped.” Taking the napkins, he mopped up the water puddling on the vinyl seat.

  “Okay. Well, here’s your soup, your drinks, and some fresh corn bread.” She placed the items on their placemats and, after setting down utensils rolled up in napkins, added, “Let me know if you need anything else.”

  Leaning forward, he inhaled the aroma rising from the bowl. It brought back memories of his first full day on the reserve. Aunt Anne, Chaz’s mother, had made corn soup for his first meal with the family. “This smells delicious. When you have a chance, could you join us? I’d love to catch up.”

  She smiled tentatively. “Sure. Let me get table five’s order, and I’ll be right with you.”

  Rémi picked up his spoon and dipped it into the thick soup. Bea Longhorn, the cook and owner of Three Sisters, made it the traditional Iroquois way by soaking Indian white corn in lye to de-hull it, then cooking it for a couple hours before adding in pigs’ feet, turnips, carrots, and kidney beans. Flavor erupted in his mouth as the hot liquid hit his tongue.

  Hearing a moan, he looked up and was startled to see the grin on Alyssa’s face. She raised the glass of strawberry drink to her lips and moaned again. “If you’re tempted to take another table bath, please use my water and leave me your strawberry drink. This is seriously good stuff.”

  “Bea will be thrilled you think so.” Not really. The Longhorn family was one of the most traditional and would be less than pleased to have an SQ officer eating at one of their tables.

  Ellie arrived with a tall glass of iced soda and dragged over a chair. “Everything’s good?”

  “Wonderful,” Alyssa said, taking another sip of her drink.

  “So, what’s up, Rémi?” Ellie asked, ignoring Alyssa.

  Alyssa arched a brow, and Rémi shrugged. She’d better get used to it. This wouldn’t be the last time she’d get the deep freeze from someone at Blackriver. But maybe this time, he could smooth things over a little. “Your mom, Alyssa, and I, are trying to find the solution to some of the problems we’ve been having on the rez.” He slid his gaze between the two women, hoping Ellie would get his message.

  “So?”

  He sighed. Subtlety was lost on the young. “So, we’re hoping you can help us out.”

  “Yeah? How?”

  “Maybe you could be our ear to the ground. Let us know how the young people feel about the policing issue.”

  “Why aren’t you asking Corey? I thought you two were tight.”

  “I’m not sure I could trust the information he gave me.”

  She took a sip of soda before brushing at the long strands of hair sticking to her neck. Her eyes swung to Alyssa before settling on him. “You mean because he’s been hanging out with Chaz?”

  Now they were getting somewhere. He kept his voice low and languid. “Yeah. They spend a lot of time together?”

  Her full lips pursed into a pout. “They’re practically dating.”

  “That bad, eh?”

  “Worse. Like last night, we were supposed to go to the movies in town. At five he called to tell me he had to run some errands, but that if he got back early enough, we could still make the nine o’clock show.” Her pout morphed into a grimace. “At ten, I called his mom. And guess what?”

  Out of the corner of his eye, he caught Alyssa leaning forward on her elbows, listening intently to the conversation. Careful not to spook the girl, he cocked a brow and nodded sympathetically.

  “She thought he was with me!
”

  “Uh…” What did you say to a teenage girl in a situation like this? He might be a counselor, but he sure as shit didn’t know a thing about relationships. He shot a pleading look in Alyssa’s direction.

  She touched Ellie’s arm. “I had a boyfriend use me as an excuse like that once. It really pissed me off.”

  The girl seemed momentarily startled by the intrusion into the conversation, but not one to pass up an opportunity to dish, Ellie turned in her seat to face Alyssa. “No kidding. And you know what’s worse? When he called me at midnight, I asked where he’d been. Of course, I knew you’d brought him back in your patrol car; the whole rez knows. Guess what he said?” Alyssa shook her head. “He told me he was out shopping with his mom! What an idiot. Did he think I’d never find out?”

  “Boys always think they’re smarter than us,” Alyssa said. “Did you call him on it?”

  “Yeah. He finally admitted he’d gone to see Chaz.” Shifting in her seat to face Rémi, Ellie colored a little. “That’s where he is now, you know.”

  “Chaz’s house?” When he’d called there searching for Corey, Sarah had told him Chaz wasn’t home.

  Ellie shot him a small sad smile. “No. They went hunting.”

  “Ellie, dear. That just proves what I’ve been telling you all along.” Rémi turned to see Councillor Redleafe approach the table. She put her hand on Ellie’s shoulder as she acknowledged him and Alyssa. “Rémi, Sergeant Morgan.”

  “Please join us, Councillor Redleafe,” Alyssa said, scooting over on the bench.

  “Call me Martha. And thank you, but I’m on my way to an appointment. I just stopped by for a quick hello.” She ran a gentle hand over Ellie’s head.

  “Mom, why are you always on Corey’s case?”

  “Sweetie, if Corey went hunting today, that means he missed his session with Rémi.” She glanced at him. “Right?” When he agreed, she continued. “Every word out of his mouth lately is ‘Chaz this’ and ‘Guardians that.’ And he’s been stopped twice by the police in the last week or so.”