by Sybil Bartel
I scanned the parking lot for his Mustang and cursed again when I got behind the wheel of the sexy muscle car that was all Jason. I knew he loved me. Jason loved me like I loved him. First loves never died. But I could be faithful and hold down a job and do a million other things he wasn’t capable of. So when he looked at me the same way he used to when he made love to me, it fucking hurt.
Sighing, I turned to set my purse behind the front seat and faltered.
“Goddamn it, Jason,” I muttered.
All of his clothes were in the backseat. I should’ve known he hadn’t come just to see Conner. Fighting off the anger at my own stupidity, I started the car and told myself it wasn’t my problem if Marissa had kicked him out. I wasn’t letting Jason back into my life, not even if he had to sleep in his damn car.
My phone pinged with a new text.
NC: You did not text me yesterday.
I hated the fucking universe.
Me: You knew I wouldn’t
Stupidly, I didn’t turn my phone off.
NC: I did not know that.
Jesus, even his texts were punctuated.
Me: I thought u were smart
He didn’t take the bait. Or the hint.
NC: I am coming over. Twenty minutes.
Shit.
Me: Ah, no, ur not
NC: Yes, I am.
Oh my God. Arguing over text with Viking. My life hit a new low and I added fuel to the fire, because why the hell not?
Me: I’m not alone. I have company
There, he could take that any way he wanted. I threw the Mustang into gear.
NC: Who?
Me: None of your business
His response was almost instant.
NC: Fifteen minutes.
My thumbs flew across the screen.
Me: Your funeral
Jason came down the stairs with Conner in one arm and the diaper bag slung over the other shoulder. He saw me and changed course and came to the passenger side of the Mustang. I put the window down.
“Good, you’re still here.” Winking at me, he reached in the backseat and came away with a baseball cap. “Here, little man.” He put the hat on Conner.
I glanced at his clothes in the backseat. “Jason—”
He held a hand up. “I know what you’re thinking, baby, and it’s not what it looks like. I’m not here trying to move back in because Marissa and I didn’t work out. I know you don’t want me around full-time. I just wanted to see you, is all.”
I hated it when he twisted my words. “That’s not fair. I never said I didn’t want you around full-time.”
He reached in and squeezed my shoulder. “I don’t want to fight with you, Elle. I meant what I said. I love you and I’m not a nineteen-year-old kid anymore. I know I screwed up. Things are different now.”
For some reason, that last sentence worried me more than anything he’d ever said to me. “Different because you’re prospecting for the LCs? You promised me you’d never do that.” He’d even traded in his Harley for the Mustang after Conner was born.
He smiled, wide and enchanting. “It’s all good, babe, don’t worry. Go to work. I got a date with my son.” He kissed Conner’s forehead. “Say good-bye to Mama, little man.”
“Bye-bye, Mama!”
My chest tightened seeing the two of them together and I didn’t want to argue with Jason. Even if he was prospecting, what the hell could I do about it? “Bye, sweet boy. Have fun with Daddy.” I backed out and when I looked in the rearview mirror, they were both waving at me.
I was halfway to work before I realized Viking never texted back.
AN HOUR LATER, I STILL hadn’t heard from Viking and work was busy as shit. The phones had been ringing all morning and André had called three times. Normally I didn’t do much except take messages, but lately André had me taking over his schedule and setting up client meetings as well as tracking which assignments the guys were on. The third time he’d called, he wanted a breakdown of who was on what assignment because he wanted to reallocate his resources—his words, not mine. I’d just hung up with him when the phone rang again.
“Luna and Associates.”
“Miss Walsh, please,” a male voice asked.
A prickle of alarm went up my spine. “This is Ariel Walsh.”
“Miss Walsh, this is Officer Jenkins, Miami PD. Are you aware that Jason Tanner is with your son in your vehicle?”
Oh God. “Yes, Jason is Conner’s father. He’s watching him today while I’m at work. What happened? Is Conner okay?”
“Your son is fine, ma’am, but we have Mr. Tanner in custody. I’ll hold Mr. Tanner if you can come pick up your son right now.”
Oh my God. “Yes, of course. Where are you?” The officer rattled off an address I could barely write down because my hands were shaking so badly. “I’m on my way. It’ll take me fifteen minutes.”
“That’s fine.” The officer hung up and I scrambled for my purse as I dialed André. When he didn’t answer, I hung up and dialed his second-in-charge. Tyler answered on the first ring.
“What’s up, sweetheart?” In front of André, Tyler was formal as hell toward me, but when André wasn’t around, he flirted shamelessly. “You need me?”
“I have an emergency. I have to go pick up my son. Are you on site? I need someone to cover the front.”
Tyler dropped the swagger and his voice instantly turned into concern. “What happened? Do you need a ride?”
“No, I…” I sucked in a breath to keep from losing it.
“Hang on, sweetheart, I’m almost there.” Tyler hung up and a few seconds later, the door to the stairwell burst open. Clean-cut and tall, Tyler looked more like an FBI recruit than someone who worked personal security. “Is Conner okay?”
I didn’t even know he knew my son’s name. I bit my lip and nodded. “I gotta go.”
Tyler put his hand on the small of my back. “I’ll drive you.”
Shame swept into the mix of shit emotions and I shook my head. “No, it’s okay. I just need to go.” My hands still shaking, I dropped Jason’s keys.
Tyler scooped them up and frowned. “What happened to your Land Cruiser?” He held the Mustang key up.
I grabbed it and started toward the exit before he could stop me. “I, um, I switched cars with Conner’s father. Thanks for the offer, but I don’t need a ride. Can you tell André I’m sorry? I’ll call later.” I rushed out, leaving Tyler standing in the middle of the lobby.
I was almost to the address the policeman had given me when my cell rang. I answered without looking at the display. “Hello?”
“Why did you lie to me?” Viking asked.
I turned a corner and floored the Mustang. The perfectly tuned engine roared as I scanned the street for my Land Cruiser. “I didn’t lie.”
Viking paused. “Where are you?”
“On my way to save my son.” The words tumbled out before I could think about what I was saying.
“Ariella—”
“I don’t have time for this.” I spotted two police cruisers and my SUV across the street and hung up. Pulling into a strip mall parking lot next to them, I cut the engine, grabbed my purse and rushed over. Jason was sitting on the curb with Conner in his lap.
“Elle, I’m sorry. It’s just a few parking tickets. I forgot to pay them.”
Furious, I reached for Conner. “Save it.”
“Mama? Beach?”
I picked my son up and held him close. His sweet scent filled my heart and I took my first full breath since the officer had called. “Not today, Conner.” I tossed Jason his keys. “Get your car yourself when you get out.”
Jason caught the keys and stood then leaned toward my ear. “Don’t let them search the Land Cruiser,” he whispered anxiously. “Hide them. I’ll get them as soon as I get out. Don’t let anyone—”
“Mr. Tanner, you’re under arrest.” One of the police officers stepped behind us and cuffed Jason. “You have the right to remain silent.
Anything you say—”
“Daddy,” Conner cried, reaching for him.
“It’s okay, little man. Daddy will see you soon.” The cop put his hand on Jason’s head and helped him into the cruiser as he continued to read him his rights. Before he shut the door, Jason yelled out to me, “I’m sorry, Elle!”
Another officer stepped up. “Miss Walsh?”
Oh God. “Yes.” What the hell did Jason do?
“I need to see some identification, ma’am.”
“Daddy.” Conner started to cry.
“Shh, it’s okay, baby. He’ll come back soon,” I lied as I switched Conner to my other hip and reached into my purse. I didn’t even notice the officer had his hand on his gun until I pulled my wallet out and handed it to him.
The officer studied my license while I patted Conner’s back.
“Why is Jason being arrested?” I tried not to sound nervous.
“Daddy,” Conner fussed.
“He was pulled over for a traffic infraction but he has a failure to appear and is driving on a suspended license.” He handed my wallet back.
I held Conner closer. “No parking tickets?”
“Yes, ma’am, he also has unpaid parking tickets.”
“Is he going to jail?” I wanted to know what would happen to Jason, but mostly I was freaking out about the possibility of the cop deciding to search my SUV. I didn’t know what Jason had done but I was praying there weren’t drugs in my car.
“He’s being taken into custody,” he answered noncommittally as his radio squawked with a string of numbers.
I glanced at my old Land Cruiser, hoping like hell I looked casual. “Is my car being impounded?” I was not going to go down for whatever was in there. No fucking way.
“Not today, ma’am.” He clicked his radio and spoke in what sounded like code.
“Thank you, Officer.” I held my breath. “Can I leave now?”
Before he’d finished nodding, I was putting Conner in his car seat. Don’t look in the back, don’t look in the back, I silently chanted.
“Miss Walsh.” The officer stopped me.
My heart kicked at my chest and sweat broke out across my forehead. I turned. “Yes?”
“Keys, ma’am.” He held them out.
“Thank you,” I muttered.
“Drive safe.”
I nodded, got behind the wheel and turned the key. The engine on my thirty-year-old car kicked over then died. “Shit.” Not today, not right now. Please, please, start. I held my breath and tried it again. The engine came alive.
“Shit,” Conner mimicked.
I glanced in the rearview mirror and almost choked. The back was filled with beach chairs and towels thrown all over to make it look casual but the chairs were too high up. They were covering something. “Don’t swear, Conner.”
My cell buzzed with an incoming call from Viking but I sent it to voicemail.
“Mama, Cheerios.”
Anxious to get away from the cops, I pulled into traffic then rooted in the diaper bag. “Conner, where did you and Daddy go?” My voice shook.
“Boats!”
I glanced at him in the rearview mirror. “You and Daddy went on a boat?”
Conner shook his head. “Boats, Mama.” He spread his hands out and his eyes went wide. “Big ships.”
Oh my God. The port? “Do you remember when we took a ride on a cruise ship?” I asked carefully.
“Yes!”
“Was it a big ship like that?”
“No. No white ship. Red.”
“You went to go look at cargo ships?”
Conner nodded enthusiastically like only a toddler could. “And the bear house.”
“A warehouse?” I handed him the Cheerios.
“Bear house.” He stuffed a handful of the cereal in his mouth.
Oh, my God. “Good job, baby.” What had Jason done?
I wracked my brain for somewhere secluded to go so I could search the back. I wasn’t bringing this, whatever this was, back to my place. Or to work.
Checking my rearview mirror to make sure I wasn’t being followed, I circled a mall with a parking structure a few times before pulling in. I drove through all the levels until I was almost to the top then I backed into a corner slot. I checked for security cameras but the only one I saw was at the opposite end by the elevator, and I figured it wouldn’t be able to see through my tinted windows.
I undid my seatbelt and glanced at Conner. “Sit tight for a minute. Mama’s gotta look at something.”
Conner munched on his Cheerios and watched me curiously.
My heart in my throat, my hands sweating, I steeled my nerves and opened the back hatch.
Oh my fucking God.
GUNS.
Lots and lots of guns. Big, black, lethal-looking guns. Dozens of them in three large crates.
I started to hyperventilate.
“Mama?”
I frantically dropped the lid on the crate and threw the towels back over them. “Right here, baby,” I whispered, fighting tears of rage. How could Jason do this? With Conner in the car?
Oh my God.
I sucked in a shallow breath, then another. I needed to get rid of the guns. No way was I holding on to assault rifles until Jason was released. I didn’t even know if they were legal. What the fuck was I supposed to do now? Go to the cops and get arrested? Track down an LC and ask if they were missing something?
Oh my God.
I got back behind the wheel and turned to look at my son’s worried expression. “Everything’s okay, sweet boy.” Then I did the only thing I could think of. I called André.
He answered on the first ring. “What happened? Conner okay?”
I squeezed my eyes shut and hoped to God I wasn’t making a mistake by involving him. “Yes. But I’m in trouble.” I knew André wouldn’t hold the guns for Jason or give them back. And that could put me and Conner at an even greater risk, but I didn’t have any other options.
“Don’t say anything more. I need a half hour before I can come to you.”
Two cars came up the ramp and pulled into spots a couple rows down. “I don’t have a half hour.” The parking lot would start to fill up the closer it got to lunchtime.
“Go to the office.”
“Um… that’s probably a bad idea.” I was already asking too much by involving him. I couldn’t risk his business too. Someone was going to come looking for all that hardware and Conner and I needed to be as far away as possible when they did.
“Jesus, chica.” I could practically see him rub his hand over his head.
“I’m sorry.”
André exhaled. “It’s okay. Give me a minute. I’ll call you back.” He hung up.
It was the longest minute of my life. Conner fussed, my mind raced, and I thought of every scenario that could’ve happened with the police and I started to freak, like seriously, freak.
My cell buzzed and I answered immediately. “Hi.”
“Six minutes. Sit tight.”
“I’m—”
André stopped me. “I know. We’ll talk later.”
Before I could ask how he knew where I was, I remembered him telling me he tracked all his employees for safety reasons. Cell phones or vehicles, I didn’t know which, and right now, I didn’t care, I was just grateful. “Okay. And I’m sorry. I didn’t know who else to call.”
“All good. Five more minutes. You need me to stay on the line with you?”
“No, it’s okay.”
“Copy that. Later.” He hung up.
I cradled my phone and bounced my knee for four more minutes. No one showed. Too edgy to wait there another second, I started the Land Cruiser up again. It turned over and a huge truck pulled up beside me.
I didn’t think it was possible, but my pulse ratcheted up a notch.
Viking got out and glanced around the parking structure. Unbelievably austere, he took two steps and opened my door. “Leave it running. Get in the truck.” He didn’t ra
ise his voice or sound pissed but he also didn’t look at me, not my eyes, not me, not even a glance in my direction.
“Conner,” I squeaked.
“I will get him.” He continued to scan the parking garage. “Get behind the wheel. Now.”
I did exactly what he told me to do.
One minute later, Conner was buckled in the same car seat Viking had before and the diaper bag was beside him. Looking as shell-shocked to see Viking as I was, Conner didn’t let out a peep.
Viking put his hand on the truck and looked at me for the first time. “Were you followed?”
His eyes were the color of the parking garage—cold and gray. I shook my head, too afraid to speak.
“What am I dealing with?”
I shrunk a foot in the seat and whispered, “Three crates of guns.”
He didn’t even blink. “Make?”
“Assault rifles, like the kind soldiers use.”
“Did you touch any of them?”
I shook my head. “Just the one crate closest to the back.”
“Stolen?”
“I don’t know.” I sucked in a deep breath then exhaled in rush. “My ex showed up this morning and asked to take Conner to the beach. We switched cars. A few hours later, I got a call from the cops saying he was being arrested for a traffic infraction. When I picked Conner up, the crates were in the back.”
Lines formed between his eyes. “Drive straight to Luna’s. No circling. Park in the garage. Luna’s second-in-charge is waiting.” Viking stepped back.
Oh God. “Tyler knows too?”
Viking paused and met my worried gaze. “No one knows anything except Tanner was arrested. Say nothing,” he ordered.
“I won’t.” I started to put the window up.
“Ariella,” he barked.
I glanced up and his expression this time was clear as day. Eyes narrowed, nostrils flared, jaw set—he was pissed as hell.
“Do not hang up on me again.”
I wanted to disappear into the seat or apologize about a thousand times but Viking wasn’t someone you said I’m sorry to. In his world, I was pretty sure if you had to apologize, you shouldn’t have done what you did to begin with. Not that it mattered if I did want to say I was sorry. He was already in my Land Cruiser with three crates of my problems, pushing the seat back as far as it would go.