With her eyes examining my split knuckles, she asks, “What’s going on? You don’t sound right.”
I should have known Destiny would be able to tell my mood.
“I got some bad news.”
She looks up, eyes locked with mine and pulls me toward the law office. “Come on, let’s get your hands fixed up and you can tell me all about it.”
I smirk and follow her inside. We walk past the reception area, and I nod to Nadine at the front desk. We continue past the three main offices as Destiny takes me to the back of the building into the kitchen, pulls out the first-aid kit, and places it on the dining table. She then grabs a cloth and runs it under hot water.
“Sit,” Destiny commands, and I do as I’m told. “Tell me what’s going on.”
I wince as she wipes my knuckles. “My father called.”
Quickly, her eyes come to mine. “You’ve never said much about him.”
“Didn’t want to taint you with him.” I drag my free hand over my face. “Clifford wants to meet you. He and my brother, Francis, will be here Friday.”
“A brother, too?”
I nod. Destiny opens a bottle of antiseptic and puts it on a cotton ball. She blows on my knuckles before she dabs on the liquid. With her lips like that, my cock goes hard, and I lean forward and kiss her, my hands temporarily forgotten. Destiny kisses me back, pulls away and rests her forehead to mine.
“You know I love you, yeah? But, Kade, you need to share this. You need to tell me why he’s coming and what that means to you, to us.”
I lean back in the chair as Destiny continues to clean my hands. The ring on her left-hand sparkles in the light. She’s all I have ever wanted for myself.
“We’ve never really talked about my family. My mother came from old money, lots of it. When she died, the money was put into a trust fund for me. I rarely touch it. But with the trouble with Zeke and when you saw that ring, your whole face lit up, and I knew it was the one you wanted, so I dipped into the fund. It’s also what I’ll use to buy us a house.”
“Go on.”
“Clifford saw the withdrawals and wants to meet you.”
Destiny sits back in her chair, fire in her eyes. “First of all, you could have bought me a two-dollar plastic ring, and with all it represented, I would have loved it. And secondly, does he think I’m a gold-digging stripper looking for an easy life?”
I wince at the tone in her voice. Destiny used to strip to pay her way through college, but that all changed when she was raped, and I was there to pick up the pieces and put her back together. Now, she works for Devon ‘Rush’ Rushard, Zeke’s father, as she’s desperate to get her brother, Renny, out of Glenford Maximum Security Prison.
“I don’t care what he thinks, and you being an exotic dancer has never been an issue for me.”
With her lips in a hard, pursed line, Destiny nods. She looks down at her engagement ring. “How much was this anyway?”
“It doesn’t matter. You liked it, I got it for you.”
Scrunching up her beautiful face, Destiny narrows her eyes. “So, a lot. So much, in fact, your daddy’s coming to look me over.”
I nod. “With my brother.”
“Do you care what they think?”
“Fuck no. Do you?”
Destiny scrunches up her face and slowly shakes her head. “You’re the only one I care about. I don’t know them, but I need to know you’re okay with this,” she says as she holds up her hand and points to the ring.
“Babe, the cost is immaterial. As I said, you lit up. I like it when you’re happy, so I bought it. I’d do anything for you.”
“Ditto. What do you want to do about your dad and brother then? Do you want to see them?”
My answer is immediate. “No.”
“Okay, want to go away for the weekend?”
This is why I love her. My girls sees a problem and tries to fix it.
“He would wait until we came back. Clifford is nothing if not predictable.”
Destiny smiles. “So, we don’t come back.”
I chuckle. “I love you. But if we did that, Renny would be losing his best chance of freedom, and I know you wouldn’t be happy with that.”
“And I wouldn’t be happy if my best girl, my only girl, left me to do all this work by myself,” says Rush as he walks in with an empty coffee cup.
Destiny gets up and hugs him. “You’re too sweet.”
Rush hugs her back. “No, I’m not. I’m a selfish old man who needs you.” Rush looks down at me, taking in my bloody and bruised knuckles. “And if you left Kade, my son would follow taking Cassia with him. I can’t allow that.”
“Sounds like we’re staying.” I smirk.
“Good. Now, I only caught part of the conversation, but how can I help? I’m good with financial law.”
In true Rush fashion, he’s listened to all of our conversation, and is now trying to help. Since he moved to Tourmaline, Rush has tried to get to know everyone connected to Zeke. He’s eager to help in any way that will bring him closer to his newfound son.
“My trust fund is solid. The lawyer said he would be contacting my father, but he’s got no control over the funds. My mother made sure Francis, my father, and I had enough money, so we wouldn’t need help from each other. Mine will be in the best shape as I’ve barely touched it.”
“Can I ask how much we’re talking about?”
I know Rush is asking as he’s a friend, and I know I can trust him, but people can do strange things when they know how much money you have. I frown and shake my head slightly.
“Fair enough. I was just curious. If you need any help, you know where to find me.” Rush places his cup in the sink, kisses Destiny on the cheek, and goes back to his office.
“How much are you talking?” asks Destiny.
“Does it matter?”
“It matters to you. I’ll get Rush to draw up a prenup. You need to be protected.”
I shake my head and stand. “Nope, I’m only getting married once. If you decide to leave me and take my money, so be it.”
Destiny cocks her head to the side. “It might make your family feel better. I’ll get Rush to draw up the paperwork.”
“You are my family. Are you marrying me for money?”
Destiny giggles, shaking her head. “Considering I didn’t know you had any, no, but honey, that’s not the point.”
“When my mother died, sixty million dollars was left to me.”
Destiny sucks in a breath and begins to choke on her saliva. I lightly hit her on the back until the coughing subsides.
“Sixty million? Holy fuck! You sooo need a prenup. We’re getting a prenup.”
“Babe, have you ever seen me blow large sums of cash? I work with the MC, I get a wage from the MC, and I normally live off it. You could count on one hand the number of times I’ve touched the money. It’s nice to know it’s there, but I don’t need it. I’ve often thought of donating it to a charity or just giving it away. Money doesn’t make you happy, friends…” I kiss her lips and continue, “… family, and a purpose in life do. I’d trade it all to make you happy.”
Destiny melts into my arms, her brown eyes shining with love. “You always say the right things. I swear, Kade, I’ll love you until I die.”
“And I’ll follow you in death and love you some more.”
“Oh, please. Do you two need a room?” asks Zeke as he walks in.
“Why are you here?” I ask grumpily.
“I thought you might need a friend, and Rush called. I was riding past on my way to Betty’s. But if you want to sweet talk your girl some more, I can wait outside.”
“Fuck you,” I mumble. Rush must have realized I was going to try to get her to leave early and called him to circumvent that.
“Nah, brother, I like vaginas,” chuckles Zeke.
“You know that’s getting fucking old?” I shoot back.
“I have to keep reminding you ‘cause you keep offering,” teases Ze
ke.
Destiny kisses me lightly and pushes me away. “Go on, I have work to do. Rush and I have to prepare for Renny’s court date. And I’m getting him to draw up some paperwork for you.” I scowl at her. “Sign it or don’t sign, but I want your family to know all I want is you, not what you can or can’t give me.”
I kiss her again. “If it’ll make you happy, draw it up and we can talk about it. Either way, I don’t care.” I glance at Zeke. “You can buy me a coffee.”
“Cheap motherfucker,” says Zeke.
“And now you can buy me pie, too.”
Zeke grins, bows, and gestures toward the front of the building. “After you, sir.” He straightens, and l wink at Destiny. “Now, I get to see my woman and eat pie, sounds like a win-win to me.”
Carlos
Betty’s Diner is packed today. Cassia and Izzy are both working, and it feels like the entire town is eating lunch or has called into the diner to pick up coffee. I have said hello to just about everyone and tried to avoid any conversation related to the missing women or the discovery of a body.
The bell over the door goes off again, and I inwardly groan. Sure enough, a hand is on my shoulder. I turn around and come face to face with Zeke Russo.
“How’s it going, Sheriff?”
“Good, Zeke, you?”
He nods but is looking past me to Cassia who’s smiling broadly.
“Hey, sexy, can I get you a coffee?”
“And pie,” interjects Kade.
“Hey, Kade,” I say as he punches Zeke lightly in the arm.
“Sheriff,” says Kade as he nods. “Make that two coffees and two pieces of pie, Cassia, and your man is buying,” teases Kade.
“Cheap motherfucker,” mutters Zeke with a shake of his head and a grin.
Both men look around the diner, but the only place left to sit is next to me at the counter.
“It’s busy today,” I say as I take in the locals.
“Yeah, must be the good-looking waitresses,” quips Zeke.
A couple of patrons laugh, but it soon dies in their throats when Zeke and I stare at them.
Cassia pours them both a coffee and refills my cup. “Seems like it’s been like this for a few days.” Cassia looks at both men. “Cherry or apple?”
Zeke says, “Cherry.”
While Kade says, “Apple.”
Cassia grins. “Coming right up.”
Izzy saunters out from the back kitchen area with my lunch in one hand and another patron’s order in the other. Her already happy face lights up even more when she spots Zeke and Kade. I feel myself frown slightly at her happiness with the other men. It’s not that I don’t like them, but I’d prefer it if she kept her smiles and joy for me.
She puts my burger in front of me and hustles over to a man sitting by himself near the front window. He says something to her, and she laughs, slapping him on the arm. Again, I feel myself become agitated at her familiar behavior with another man.
“Hey, Sheriff,” says Zeke as he knocks arms with me.
“What?” I growl, still looking at Izzy.
“Your death-ray glare is fucking up everyone’s good vibe.”
I twist my head quickly in his direction. “Is that so?”
“Yeah, man. It’s her job to flirt with the customers. They tip better and, more importantly, come back. It’s better for everyone.”
“So, it doesn’t bother you that Cassia does it, too?”
Zeke frowns and shakes his head slightly. “It bothers me, but it’s a job, and my girl likes it. It’ll be different when they open their own business.” Zeke’s lips turn down. “It won’t be, will it? They’ll still have customers, and they’ll still need to woo them.” I watch as he stares at Cassia as she chats to a customer while refilling his coffee cup. “Fuck it. I think I’ll work there, too.”
I chuckle. “And I’ll call in daily to make sure everything is kosher.”
Zeke grins and nods. “Sounds like a plan.”
“What does?” asks Izzy from behind me.
“Nothing,” I reply as I pull her in for a quick kiss. “Just shooting the shit.”
Izzy frowns but doesn’t question me further. As she walks away, I give the guy by himself a glare, and he quickly looks at his meal.
Kade’s cell buzzes. He frowns as he reads the message, pushing his pie away and standing. “We’ve gotta go, Zeke.”
Zeke frowns and looks at Cassia. “Damn. Where are we going?”
“Marlowe. Dane needs us to have a word with Tobias.”
Zeke’s shoulders sag as he stands. I look around him to Kade.
“Is there something I should know about your hands?” I ask as I nod at his broken, bloody knuckles.
Kade gives me a disinterested look. “Not unless you want to question the punching bag at the compound?”
“Fair enough. Ride safely to Marlowe. Tell Tobias he needs to come talk to me. The man’s been dodging my calls and my deputies’ visits. I’d like it if he came to me, but if I have to, I’ll get their local sheriff to pay him a visit.”
The sheriff in Marlowe is a hardass, and there’s no love lost between him and Tobias Dupont, manager of the Savage Angels’ strip club, The Cherry.
Kade gives me a death stare and nods. Zeke, on the other hand, chuckles.
“You know Tobias, Sheriff, he’s secretive at the best of times. But I’ll get him to give you a call or come back with us.”
“Thanks, Zeke. Appreciate it.”
Zeke nods and follows Kade out. I watch their retreating forms and wonder why they have to drop everything and go to Marlowe.
Izzy gets in my line of vision. “Your food is getting cold. Eat.”
I grin at her and pick up my burger. As always, the food here is excellent. Howie does an awesome job as the cook, and with the help of Cassia and Izzy, the place has improved. Izzy even helps out in the kitchen from time to time.
The bell of the door goes off again, but I’m focusing on my food while my eyes follow Izzy around the room.
“Sheriff Morales,” says Special Agent Wilson Blackbear as he sits next to me.
The food in my mouth turns rancid as Wilson manages to make my day turn to shit just by saying my name. I place the burger down and swallow what’s in my mouth. The conversations in the diner stop as everyone listens in onto what he has to say.
“Wilson, how’s your day?”
“Not as good as yours considering you get to sit around and eat all day with the locals.”
I look up at him and see Izzy making a beeline for us, anger masking her features.
“Special Agent Blackbear, I’ll have you know, Sheriff Morales skipped breakfast and is only just eating lunch now. You can’t expect him to catch some psychopath on an empty stomach.”
“And how would you know if he skipped breakfast?” sneers Wilson looking down his nose at Izzy.
Izzy’s face goes scarlet as she takes a step back and gasps. Her hands go to her hips, and I know she’s about to let loose on Wilson.
So I stand, square my shoulders, and clear my throat. “Izzy is right, Agent Blackbear. This is the first meal I’ve had all day, but it’s fine if you have more information for me to go over. I’m more than happy to talk to you at my station.”
“That’s Special Agent,” replies Wilson.
“You’ve got that fucking right,” murmurs Izzy, and the patrons in the diner snicker amongst themselves.
Wilson turns on her, his face morphs into an ugly sneer, but before he can say anything, I move past him, kiss Izzy on the lips, and head for the door. When I get there, I turn around. “See you later, Izzy. I’ll pick you up at the end of your shift. Special Agent Blackbear, you ready?”
Wilson glares at Izzy, then looks around the diner. The townsfolk are looking at him with disapproval. He shakes his head and barrels past me onto the sidewalk. With a sigh, I follow him out.
“What the fuck, Wilson?” I grind out.
He throws his hands in the air. “This
fucking case has me on edge. If you’d done your job properly in LA, we might not even be having this conversation now.”
I take a step back, eyebrows raised and glare at him. “You know that’s bullshit. We didn’t get close to this fucker, and he stopped. You can take those allegations and shove them where the sun don’t shine. I’m headed back to the station, and you’d best keep away from me until I get there.”
“I can drive you back.”
I shake my head. “I need air.”
I throw open the door to my station, and it hits the outside wall with a bang. I frown at the noise and walk inside. The walk here did little to ease my mood. Deputy Lucy Dalton is on the front desk, and she looks at me cautiously.
“What?” I growl.
“Ahh… Special Agent Blackbear is waiting in your office.”
I frown, open the bullpen and stalk to the back of the building. My door is ajar, so I push it open. Special Agent Blackbear is sitting in my chair behind my desk. It’s kind of like pissing on something that’s mine. Wilson looks up from his paperwork and gestures for me to sit opposite him.
“Wilson, that’s my chair,” I grind out.
“Please sit, Sheriff,” he says, motioning toward the chair in front of him.
“I don’t think you heard me.”
“For fuck’s sake, Carlos. Sit!”
“You know what, Special Agent Blackbear, you’re a self-righteous dick, and I’ve had just about enough of you. Get the fuck out of my chair, my station, and leave me the fuck alone,” I growl at the man.
Wilson looks up at me, surprised. “Your station?” I nod. “I do believe this is a government facility. And let’s be frank, I have jurisdiction in this pathetic town.”
I nod profusely, my rage at Wilson’s complete lack of respect colors my vision, so I do an about-face, slam the door shut, and walk toward Deputy Dalton.
“Lucy,” I yell.
The poor woman jumps and stands. “Yes, sir?”
I take in a deep breath through my nose and let it out slowly. “Is there anything going on around town I should know?”
“No, Sheriff, it’s all quiet.”
“So, there’s nothing else I need to focus on?”
Savage Life Page 4