by Wilder, L.
“I’m well aware of that, and like I said, we’ll see that she’s at the hearing.”
“If you say so.” He reached into his pocket and pulled out one of his business cards. As he handed it to Reece, he said, “Call me if you need anything.”
“I will. Thank you, Detective Rayburn.”
I followed Jackson outside to the parking lot, and when we reached my car, he asked, “Where’s Tate?”
“He’s at daycare.”
“Which daycare?”
“Tiny Tots off of Sycamore. Why?”
I could hear the concern in his voice. “We need to go get him.”
“Why? What’s wrong?”
“You gotta remember who we’re dealing with here, Reece. Navarro is going to do everything in his power to keep you from testifying at that hearing.”
I felt an overwhelming tightness in my chest, making it difficult to breathe as I gasped, “You really think he’d go after Tate?”
“Absolutely,” he answered flatly. “He’ll go after anyone and everyone who might sway your decision to go up against him, but don’t worry about that. I’m going to do everything in my power to keep that from happening.”
“And what if you can’t?”
“I will, Reece. You’re gonna have to trust me on this.”
I wanted to push for more information, but I knew the whole trust thing was clearly important to him. With great hesitation, I kept my reservations to myself and got in the car. Before he turned on the engine, Jackson reached for my hand and gave it a gentle squeeze. “I won’t let anything happen to you or Tate.”
“You promise?”
“Yes, Reece.” I could see the sincerity in his eyes when he said, “I’d die before I let anything happen to either one of you.”
“Okay.”
“Now, let’s go get Tate, and then we need to talk to Gus.”
“Who’s Gus?”
“He’s the president of my club. He’ll help me find a way to keep you and your family safe.”
With that, he pulled out of the parking lot and drove over to Tate’s daycare. Once we’d picked him up, we headed over to the clubhouse to find Gus. When we arrived, several of his brothers were gathered in the parking lot, and as soon as Jackson parked the car, one of them came over to speak with him. He was a big guy with blond hair and a thick beard. At first, I found him a little intimidating with all his bulging muscles and tattoos, but there was a kindness to his voice and that set me at ease when he asked, “How did things go down at the station?”
“As well as could be expected, I guess. Navarro is still behind bars, so we have that going for us.”
“Good. That’s what I was hoping to hear.” The man looked over to me and smiled as he extended his hand. “You must be Reece. I’m Blaze. I’ve heard a lot about you.”
“Nice to meet you, Blaze.”
“And this must be Tate.” He smiled as he looked back over to Jackson and said, “Good-looking kid. Thank God he takes after his mother.”
“What are you talking about? He looks just like me. Look at those eyes, brother … and that nose. Spittin’ image if I ever saw one.”
Blaze chuckled as he shook his head and said, “Nope. I don’t see it. That youngin’ right there looks like his mom.” His smile quickly faded as he asked, “You’ve had quite a day. How are you holding up?”
“I’ve been better, but I’m hanging in there. And Jackson has been really great.”
“Good. If you need anything at all, just let us know.”
“Thank you. I really appreciate that.”
Before he turned to leave, Jackson asked Blaze, “Have you talked to Gus?”
“Yeah. I told him about what went down and that you were headed this way. He’s waiting in his office for you.”
“Thanks, brother. I’ll catch up with you in a bit.”
Jackson reached for my hand and led me inside the clubhouse. With Tate still propped up on my hip, I followed him down the hall and into a large office where a man was sitting at a large wooden desk. My entire body grew tense as I stood there staring at Gus. He didn’t seem all that bad, nothing like the rumors I’d heard. In fact, he looked nothing like a cold-blooded killer. His salt and pepper hair was brushed back away from his face, revealing his beautiful dark eyes, and while he was muscular and broad, he wasn’t as big as Blaze. He walked over to us, and with a warm smile, he extended his hand. “Reece. I hate that it’s under these circumstances, but it’s good to finally meet you. And Tate, too. Handsome boy you got there.”
“Thank you. It’s nice to meet you too, Gus.”
He walked back over to his desk and sat down, and once we were seated in front of him, he asked, “So, how did it go down at the police station?”
“They want her to testify against Navarro,” Jackson answered.
“I figured that much. Did they give you any idea on whether or not he’d be released on bail?”
“Detective Rayburn said the prosecutor would do his best to convince the judge not to offer bail, but there are no guarantees.”
“I don’t know. The prosecutor might be able to pull it off,” Gus replied sounding optimistic. “Navarro’s got a lot stacked against him, and the fact that he’s a flight risk doesn’t work in his favor.”
“Let’s hope that’s enough, because the last thing we need is for him to be back on the streets. When he finds out that Reece is planning to testify, he’ll come after her, for sure.”
“He’ll come after her, regardless. A man like Josue Navarro doesn’t like loose ends, and Reece is one loose end he’s never had before.” Gus looked over to me, and his voice was low and firm when he said, “I don’t want you worrying about Navarro. We’re not going to let anything happen to you or your boy.”
The tears started burning my eyes as I asked, “What about my parents? He might try to—”
“We’ll watch after them too, darlin’. You don’t have to worry about that.” He looked over to Jackson and said, “I’ll send a couple of the prospects over to get their things. Once everything’s sorted, we’ll need to take them up to Jed’s cabin. We’ll keep them there until it’s time for her to testify.”
“Cabin? What cabin?”
“My uncle’s place. It’s a few hours from here. He’s got a real nice place up in the mountains, miles away from anything,” Gus explained.
“But wait, what about my job? How am I supposed to—”
Before I could finish my sentence, Jackson looked at me and said, “I know this isn’t going to be easy for you, Reece, but you’re going to have to go invisible for a while, same as it would be if the cops put you in protective custody. No family. No friends. No job. It’s the only way we can keep you safe.”
CHAPTER 15
Riggs
Once we were done talking to Gus, Reece and I took Tate down to my room, so she could put him down for a nap. I watched from my desk as she lay beside him on the bed and started talking to him in a low, almost whisper-like voice as she tried to coax him to sleep. The day had taken its toll on them, and it wasn’t long before they both gave in to their exhaustion. I was in complete awe as I watched them lying there together. It was only a few short days ago that I was alone, that I had no one who I could truly call my own. But with a quick wave of fate’s hand, that all changed. I’d been blessed with not only a woman who completely captivated me in every way but a son—the most extraordinary gift of them all. These two incredible souls were mine, and the mere thought of Navarro harming them in any way sent a wave of rage searing through me. There was nothing that I wouldn’t do to keep them safe—nothing.
I was still sitting there, lost in my world of thoughts, when there was a tap at my door. Worried that the sound might wake up Tate, I quickly opened it and found Blaze standing there. I stepped out into the hall and asked, “Hey, what’s up?”
“I had something I wanted to run by you.”
“Okay. What’s on your mind?”
As he glanced into
the room, he said, “Might need to discuss this somewhere more private.”
I nodded, then closed the door and followed him down the hall. Once we were at the bar, I asked, “What’s on your mind?”
“I was thinking about Navarro and what we could do to make sure that he stays locked up.”
“Yeah?”
“It got me to thinking about last night. Remember the guy they brought in to the warehouse?”
“The guy they got out of the trunk?”
“Yeah. What do you think they did with him?”
“Got no idea, but if I had to guess, I’d say they got what they wanted out of him and killed him.”
“I was thinking the same thing.” Blaze cocked his eyebrow as he continued, “They never brought him out, so that means, dead or alive, he’s still in that warehouse. If we can find a way to let that FBI agent guy know what’s up, then we’re set.”
“Damn. You’re right. If I can find a way to tie the warehouse to Navarro, we’ll have him.”
“You think you can do it?”
“I can do it. No doubt about that.”
After Blaze and I ran his idea by Gus, I went back to my room and logged in to my computer. With just a few keystrokes, I managed to change over the ownership of the warehouse from some old timer in east Memphis to Josue Navarro. Next, I created an untraceable file that contained everything I had on Navarro, including the suspicious activity at the warehouse, and sent it to Agent Hamilton. While I doubted the Memphis cops would be happy about it, I knew it would only be a matter of time before Hamilton would have that warehouse crawling with agents, and Navarro’s case would be taken over by the FBI. I was just about to go let Gus know that I’d done what we’d discussed when I heard Tate babbling behind me. I turned around and found him sitting up next to Reece, toying with a strand of her hair.
I walked over to him and smiled. “Hey there, buddy. Did you have a good nap?”
“My momma.”
“Yeah. Your momma is tired.” I reached down and lifted him into my arms. “You hungry?”
“Hun-gwy,” he repeated after me.
“Want to go see if we can find a snack?”
“Snack.”
“Okay. Let’s let your momma sleep, and we’ll go find us a snack.”
Trying my best not to wake her, I slipped out of the room and took Tate down to the kitchen. I had no idea what a kid his age would eat, so I was thankful that Louise was at the stove making dinner. She was not only a mother but the grandmother of two, so I knew she’d be able to help me out. “Hey, Louise. You think you could help me find Tate a bite to eat.”
She turned around to face me, and her eyes lit up the second she spotted Tate. “Oh my! Isn’t he a doll!”
“That he is.” I smiled. “He just woke up, and I think he’s ready for a snack.”
“Snack,” Tate repeated once again.
“I think there’s a box of Cheerios in the cabinet.” She looked down at him with a silly grin and asked, “Would you like some Cheerios?”
I could tell by his expression that he wasn’t sure what to make of her, but that all changed when she reached into the cabinet and pulled out the big yellow box of cereal. A bright smile crossed his face as he reached his hands out and said, “Mine.”
“I think we have a winner,” Louise said with a chuckle. “I think there’s a highchair in the back of the pantry if you want to go get it.”
“Yeah, that would be great.”
She then reached for Tate. “Let me take him while you go get it.”
“Thanks.” When I returned with the highchair, Louise settled him in and then poured a handful of cereal into a bowl. As soon as she sat it down in front of him, Tate grabbed a handful and shoved it in his mouth. “I think he’s a fan.”
“Of course, he is. All kids love them,” Louise replied as she knelt down beside him. “He looks just like you, Riggs. Same beautiful eyes and that lopsided grin. This little guy is gonna be a heartbreaker.”
My chest swelled with pride as I looked down at my son. “I still can’t believe he’s mine.”
“You’re going to be a wonderful father.”
“You think so?”
“Absolutely. I have a sixth sense about these things, and my gut tells me that you have a natural gift. You’ll see.”
“I hope you’re right.”
“Where’s his mother? I haven’t gotten a chance to meet her yet.”
“She’s asleep. Been a rough day for her.”
“I heard. Sounds like your girl is one tough cookie.”
“Yeah, but she’s been through a lot. I don’t know how much more she can take of all this.”
“Well, you know what they say … tough times don’t last, but tough people do. I have a feeling your girl is going to be just fine.” She must’ve sensed my apprehension, because she said, “Why don’t you go check on her? I can keep an eye on little man for a while.”
“You sure?”
“Of course. Besides, who wouldn’t want the company of a handsome fella like him?”
“Thanks, Louise. I’ll be right back.”
“Take your time, Riggs. Really, we’ll be fine.”
I nodded, then headed down the hall to my room. When I walked in, Reece was still in the bed, but she was starting to come around. I sat down beside her and smiled when she stretched wide and yawned. “Hey.”
“Hey. Did you get a good nap?”
I’d barely gotten the words out of my mouth when she shot up on the bed and gasped, “Where’s Tate?”
“He’s fine,” I told her as I placed my hand on her thigh. “He’s in the kitchen having some Cheerios with Louise.”
A puzzled look crossed her face as she asked, “Who’s Louise?”
“She’s Moose’s ol’ lady.” When her eyes narrowed with disapproval, I gave her thigh a light squeeze. “Trust me. She’s an old pro at handling kids. Has two grown girls of her own, and all kinds of grandkids running around. Has two of them living with her right now.”
Her expression softened. “Oh, okay.”
“The guys went over to your apartment and packed up the things on your list. It’s all still out in the SUV, but I’ll have them brought in. We should check to make sure they got everything.”
“Okay.”
“We also need to call Detective Rayburn and see if there’s been any developments with Navarro. I don’t want any surprises where he’s concerned.”
“Okay.”
“They won’t need you at the preliminary hearing, but I’m sure the prosecutor will want to talk to you before we leave town.”
“Jackson,” she interrupted. “Can we please slow down for just a bit? I need a moment to wrap my head around all this.”
“We can take all the time you need.”
“Can you lay down with me for a minute?”
“Yeah, I can do that,” I told her as I crawled onto the bed next to her.
We laid there in silence for several minutes before she turned to face me. “I still haven’t had a chance to see Alejandra. When do you think I can?”
“She’s dealing with some things right now, so I’m not sure.”
“What’s she dealing with?”
“Jason was a really good friend of hers. His sister is taking his death pretty hard, so she’s spending some time with her and the rest of his family.”
“I didn’t realize she was friends with him.”
“She was. I’m sure she’s having a hard time with his death as well.”
“Did Rodrigo know that they were friends? Is that why he was at his apartment?”
“I never said Navarro was at his apartment, but regardless, that’s a story for another day.”
“But—”
“Another day, Reece.”
“Okay.” Then she let out an irritated sigh. Several minutes later she said, “Tell me about the cabin we’re going to.”
“It’s a nice place right by a creek. It has a wraparound porch with s
wings and rockers all around. It’s big … Three stories with five or six bedrooms, and that’s just the cabin. Jed’s house is across the way, about five hundred yards or so.”
“Why does he have two houses?”
“That’s a good question. None of us really know but having a place to disappear to helps when you need it.”
“So, you’ve been there before?”
“Yeah, a couple of times. I think you and Tate will like it there.”
“Will it be just the three of us there?”
“No. Some of the guys will be coming with us so they can help keep an eye on things.”
“You really think Tate and I will be safe there?”
“I wouldn’t take you there if I didn’t,” I assured her.
“Thank you for all this, Jackson. You don’t know how much this all means to me.”
“No need to thank me. Besides, I have my own selfish reasons for wanting to keep you safe.”
Reece looked at me with a soul-searching stare, and I have no idea who moved first, but the next thing I knew, we were connected with her mouth pressed against mine. A light moan vibrated through her chest when my tongue slid across her bottom lip with a lazy glide and my hand gripped the back of her neck for better access as I delved deeper into her mouth. My tongue tangled with hers as she hooked a leg over mine, arching her hips towards me. Her hands slowly drifted down my chest, and when she reached the hem of my shirt, she looked at me with need in her eyes. “How do you do that?”
“Do what, baby?”
“Make me feel like you and I are the only two people on the planet?”
“I have no idea, but you make me feel the same way.”
With her eyes locked on mine, I pulled my t-shirt over my head and tossed it to the floor. Before I’d had a chance to react, she reached for her own and removed it, pitching it onto the floor next to mine. She turned back to me, and her voice was low and strained as she whispered, “I need this, Jackson. I need to feel your hands on me … feel your body close to mine.”
As soon as the words slipped from Reece’s lips, the damn broke and any resistance slipped away. My hand dove into her hair, and I brought her mouth to mine then kissed her hard, our tongues twisting and tasting each other with nothing but passion and desire. Her mouth was warm and soft, and each swirl of her tongue made the blood rush to my cock. I lowered my mouth to her neck and ran my lips softly down the curve of her jaw down to her shoulder and whispered, “You’re perfect. Every fucking inch of you. Perfect.”