Theirs to Master: Miami Masters Book Six

by Wane, BJ

  She pleaded with her eyes for Master Jace not to leave, but he didn’t know her well enough to decipher the panic slithering under her skin. With a throng of people keeping Damien from getting a close-up look at her, she couldn’t rely on him to come forward until Jim tried to usher her outside.

  “My pleasure. I didn’t know you were waiting for someone, Penny.” The censure in Jace’s voice didn’t hurt her as much as the prick that broke her skin, the sharp pain enough, she knew, to draw a bead of blood.

  “She likes to push my buttons. I’ll take her in hand for that discrepancy.” Jim shifted in front of her, keeping his arm around her waist and the handle of the small knife hidden in his palm as he held her tightly against him.

  His nearness caused nausea to churn in her gut, but Penny refused to look away from his disguised face, his features distorted enough she wouldn’t have recognized him in the dim lighting, at least not right away. He’d dyed his brown hair black, wore brown contacts to alter his green eyes and had done some creative makeup around his nose and chin. But there was no mistaking the cruel twist to his lips or the coldness in those eyes. Her mind whirling, she thought back over the last year, recalling when Troy mentioned the date of the first attack. Guilt stabbed at her chest as she put two and two together.

  “It was you. You hurt those women, and me,” she accused in a rush of blind disbelief. “How did you manage it, living in South Carolina?”

  Jim tried to sway with her to the slow song but she refused to step in tune with him, holding herself rigid despite his scowl. “It was easy enough once they gave me my own office and left me answerable to no one. You know most investigative work can be done through computer research, but not all. It was easy to take off for a few days here and there on the pretext of hunting down leads. But I have no intention of discussing this here, or now. Come with me, sweetheart. We have a lot of catching up to do, starting with your nerve in returning here. Apparently, I didn’t hurt you bad enough to keep you from whoring yourself again.”

  Anger coiled like a snake hissing, ready to let loose with a strike, replacing her fear as she let Jim maneuver her off the dance floor and toward the exit. Once he’d ushered her out from the mass of gyrating bodies, she caught Damien’s eye, and all it took was one look at her face to have him straightening with an expression that scared even her. And then all hell broke loose.

  Damien kept his pace slow and measured as he approached them, but Troy and Trevor beat him to the rescue when they came up behind them, freeing her from Jim’s tight hold by catching him by surprise. Penny stumbled when his arm fell away followed by Jim’s sharp cry of pain. She pivoted and saw Troy holding Jim’s arm twisted behind his back, the cop’s gaze zeroing in on her.

  “Penny? Is he…”

  “Yes, he’s the one. He’s also my ex, Jim Bates.” She shook from the inside out as she stared at the man she’d wasted a year of her life on before drawing her arm back and slapping his face with as much force as she could muster.

  Damien grabbed her arm before she could swing again and didn’t hesitate to deliver a double-fisted punch that took Jim to his knees despite Troy’s hold on his arm. Paige sidled around Trevor, adding to Jim’s woes by snapping, “You fucking asshattery twatwaddle!” before sending a well-aimed knee into his crotch as Troy hauled him up.

  Trevor crossed his arms, a small smile kicking up the corners of his mouth, his eyes hard as he stared at Jim and murmured, “That’s our girl.”

  “It looks like you and I get to leave here and go have a nice chat.” Troy cuffed Jim, ignoring his blustering threats of reporting police brutality as he ushered him toward the exit. “You guys need to follow me so I can get Penny’s statement,” he tossed out in passing.

  Penny grinned when Trevor snatched Paige and kissed her before he asked Damien, “Would you mind taking Paige home, then driving Penny to the precinct so I can accompany Troy? I plan to prosecute and want to watch the interrogation from the start.”

  Damien nodded, his arm going around Penny and pulling her close. “We’ll be along shortly. I need to get someone to close for me.” Penny had never appreciated his tight hold as much and leaned against him while her heartbeat took its time returning to a normal rhythm.

  “Damn, that felt good.” Paige smiled when Trevor released her to catch up with Troy. “Are you all right?” she asked Penny, looking her over carefully.

  “I am now, but maybe you can check my back where he…” Penny gasped when Damien whipped up her top with a curse.

  “You’re bleeding. Come on. I’ve got a first-aid kit in my office.”

  Paige followed them down a short hall and into Damien’s office, still shaking from the scare Penny had given her. Thank God the guys had taken one look at her face and moved fast. Jim never heard them come up behind him, and when Troy noticed the knife point, he hadn’t hesitated to act. Now, looking at the beaded blood drops on her sister’s back, the fear and anger came swooping back. She sucked in a deep breath, reining in both emotions, neither of which would help Penny now.

  “Are you sure you’re okay?” she asked again, needing the reassurance as she watched Damien dab an antibiotic ointment on the cut.

  “Yes, just a little shaky,” Penny replied, sinking onto the small sofa across from Damien’s desk. “I still can’t believe it. It was him, Paige. Jim hurt those girls, and it’s tearing me up inside with guilt. I should have—”

  “Stop right there,” Damien snapped, towering over her and holding her face up to meet the displeasure snapping in his eyes. “He’s a sick fuck who took his anger out on helpless women, that’s all there was to it. If it hadn’t been your break-up, it would’ve been something else that set him off, or, he would’ve done a lot worse to you. Not another word.”

  Penny clammed up, her eyes softening with relief. For the first time, Paige didn’t feel uneasy or put out about their relationship. Damien truly cared about her sister, and in light of everything else, she now felt nothing but happiness for her. She still couldn’t reconcile with Troy and Trevor’s willingness to give a relationship a try, but she’d just witnessed another reminder life was too short to pass up a chance to explore what might be.

  Her phone beeped, distracting her from her thoughts, and she pulled it from her purse to read a text from Mel. After replying, she sent a message to the guys then said, “If you don’t need me, Mel’s in a bind and asked me to come in. I’ll catch a cab to the bar. Troy and Trevor can pick me up when they’re done at the station.”

  “You go on, sis. There’s nothing for you to do now, but thank you, for everything.”

  “Hey, that’s what sisters are for.” Paige narrowed her eyes at Damien. “You take care of her.”

  “Go, before I turn you over my knees myself,” Damien retaliated, his cool tone belying the grin tugging at his lips.

  * * *

  “Let’s try this again,” Troy stated with exaggerated patience. Jim Bates, aka Don Meddleson and several other aliases, sat cuffed to the chair across the table from him, denying the attacks. “We have Penny’s testimony you admitted to her attack, we have your disguise, and I’ve already contacted Savannah PD to search your residence and office. We can keep up this dance routine, or you can save yourself a lot of trouble and come clean.”

  “Fuck you. I want a lawyer. No stupid cunt is going to take me down,” he sneered.

  “No, but a smart woman will. I’ll be adding the threats you left for Paige to the charges. I imagine once our handwriting expert matches the writing on those notes you wrote, that’ll just be icing on our cake.”

  Jim frowned in confusion. “What the hell are you talking about? I haven’t been near that bitch, let alone threatened her.”

  Troy’s gaze jerked to the two-way mirror, and he wished he could read Trevor’s impression. As a DA, he was an expert at seeing through lies. Bates’ confusion appeared genuine to him, which had him shifting in his seat with unease. Pulling the two notes from his folder, he slid them across
the table. “Are you denying you wrote these and left them on Paige Wilcox’s windshield?”

  “That’s right, asshole, I am.” Jim shoved the bagged notes back over to Troy. “I wanted nothing to do with Penny’s sister when we were together, and I sure as hell didn’t change my mind after we split. Want a sample of my handwriting now? I don’t need a lawyer to give you that.”

  Both Troy and Trevor had received Paige’s text about going to the bar to work a few hours. He knew she was safe now, even more so surrounded by cops, so why couldn’t he shake the cold knot of fear cramping his abdomen? Pushing back from the table, he grabbed the case folder, saying, “Wait here. Someone will escort you to make your call and then to your cell.” Ignoring Jim’s foul rebuttal, he sped out of the interrogation room where Trevor was waiting for him with a concerned look.

  “Something’s not adding up, I feel it too. Let’s go.”

  * * *

  “Take it up with Mel when he gets back, Detective.” Paige turned away from Evans’ angry, inebriated glower. He had already reached the belligerent, drunk stage when she’d arrived at The Precinct. She’d done her best to ignore him after serving him a drink that Mel stated would be the last for the night before he’d left to run his nephew home. God, she hoped her boss got back here soon. She wasn’t in the mood to put up with this shit.

  Evans leaned over the bar and tried to grab her arm, but this time she was too fast for him. “You fucking bitch, who do you think you are to dictate to me?” He slammed his glass on the bar top. “I said pour me another.” Several heads turned their way, but, as usual, none of the cops stepped up to interfere. That pissed Paige off as much as Evans’ attitude.

  “No.” She waved her hand, as if shooing away a pesky gnat. “Go back to your table and quit harassing me.” Detectives Calhoun and Marshall signaled her from their table, and she took that opportunity to leave Evans blustering alone at the bar. Drawing two beers, she carried them over with a strained smile. “Here you go, guys.”

  “Thanks, kid.” Calhoun cast a resigned look toward Evans who had turned his belligerent, loud rant on his partner. “The commander ordered him into counseling. Let’s hope it helps.”

  Paige thought the cop’s attitude had deteriorated enough to require tougher consequences than talk, but knew when to keep her mouth shut. These guys stuck together, no matter what. Troy and Trevor were the only ones she’d ever known to speak up against Mike Evans’ behavior.

  “Is your sister back on her feet?” Marshall asked, changing the subject, she was sure, on purpose.

  “Yes, thanks for asking. And, as of an hour ago, she helped catch the guy who assaulted her and several others.”

  “That’s the best news I’ve heard all day. Carlson’s got to be relieved to put that case to bed.” Calhoun raised his glass in a silent toast to success.

  I’d like them to put me to bed, she thought with a sigh of longing for the night to end. Paige saw Mel come back in and step behind the bar. “Later, guys,” she told the pair before returning to the bar and telling her boss, “Now you’re here, I need to haul a load out to the recycle bin.”

  “Okay. I’ll announce last call. Thanks for filling in. Any problems?” Mel sent a pointed glance toward Evans where he had resumed his seat with his partner.

  “Nothing I couldn’t handle. Be right back.”

  Chapter 17

  Paige hefted the bag of empty bottles and slipped out the side door Mel had just come in from. The short hall opened out back where the two large trash bins stood off to the side. Lifting one lid, she heaved the empties in, but before she could close it, a hard hand landed on her shoulder and spun her around. She barely had time to blink before a beefy fist came flying toward her face and pain blossomed across her cheek, the punch sending her reeling back against the metal container. Stars filled her vision, shocked surprise and excruciating pain robbing her of a few precious seconds before anger overrode everything else when she recognized the voice cursing a blue streak at her. Stepping to the side, she kicked out and caught Evans behind the knees before he could follow through with another punch.

  He stumbled but didn’t go down, rounding on her instead with a feral glint in his red-rimmed eyes. “You dare?” he hissed, reaching for her again. “You stupid cunt. You should’ve heeded my warnings. I’ll make you pay for that.”

  She skipped back again, wondering what he was rambling about and then enlightenment dawned. “You left those notes on my car?” she squeaked in surprise.

  “I told you you were stupid. Of course I did. Everyone knew about your sister’s attack, and with a few clicks on the computer, I learned your address. You’ve been a fucking thorn in my side long enough.”

  He lurched toward her, this time grabbing a handful of her skirt as she tried sidestepping him again. With a hard yank, the material ripped, but she still fell toward him while he reached with his other hand toward his holster. Paige cried out and tried to execute another kick aimed at his hand when she spotted Troy and Trevor rushing out the back door. Relief settled her panic but didn’t calm her anger.

  “Stay out of this, fuckers!” Evans glared at the intruders, as if daring them to intervene. “I’m arresting her sorry ass for assaulting an officer.”

  That ridiculous statement along with her throbbing face forced a gasped, stuttering response from Paige. “You freaking douchnozzle moronic imbecile!” Before she could follow through with another kick, Troy and Trevor dashed forward, barreling into the other cop before he could draw his weapon. They took him down and then hauled him up, pinning him against the dumpster as people filed out of the bar with Mel leading the way.

  Taking one look at her face, her boss shouted, “That’s it! You’re banned from my place, Evans.” Striding over to Paige, he stood next to her, crossed his arms and glared at his long-time customers, daring them to argue.

  Touched, she laid a shaking hand on his arm, her eyes widening in stunned surprise when Trevor stood at her other side and resumed the same pose and glower. After snapping on cuffs, Troy left Evans standing there and moved to join her and mimic their stances, their show of support in front of their peers making her eyes swim.

  Aaron Devri, Evans’ partner, stepped forward, holding out a placating hand. “Come on, guys, let’s go back inside and I’ll spot a round for everyone. Mike’s just under a lot of pressure right now. Mike, apologize to Paige…”

  “Forget it, Devri,” Troy snapped, his turbulent eyes shifting to Paige’s swelling face then back to Evans. “You’re not getting away with assaulting a woman on my watch.” He looked back at the rest of his fellow cops. “Some lines are worth crossing to right a wrong. Evans is done even if it means I end up turning in my resignation.”

  “And I’ll be right with him. Take a stance and do it now.”

  Paige had never heard Trevor speak in such a cold, controlled tone, never felt his body quake with such suppressed rage. The warmth filling her chest from their support spread throughout her body, dissipating the icy fear Evans’ assault and threats had generated. When both Marshall and Calhoun stepped forward in a show of support, the tears blurring her vision fell. One by one, the rest of the men and women she’d befriended in the past year nodded their approval and then turned to go back inside, leaving Evans alone to face his partner and Troy.

  “Get these God damned cuffs off me,” he demanded of Aaron with the belligerence of someone who didn’t know when he was beaten.

  With a lingering glance of remorse at Paige, Aaron shook his head. “Sorry, Mike. I’m done standing by you.” Without another word, he spun on his heel and followed the others back inside.

  “Get him out of here,” Mel ordered before giving Paige’s shoulder a light squeeze. “Go home and put something on your face and then get some rest.”

  “I’ll call a cab for us, sugar. Troy, meet us at her place when you’re done?” Trevor flicked Evans a scathing glance.

  “Yeah. This won’t take long. Let’s go.” Disgust laced T
roy’s voice, but his eyes conveyed sadness for the downfall of a once good cop.

  As they walked around to the front parking lot, Paige tossed Evans a bone, wanting to take the pressure off her guys after their public show of support and caring. “If you agree to rehab and counseling, I won’t file charges.”

  “Like hell.” Trevor glared at her, pulling her to a halt as they reached Troy’s vehicle. “I’m not letting him get away with this.” He ran his knuckles over her sore cheek.

  Evans showed no remorse for his actions, or acceptance of her generous offer. “Screw that. These charges will never stick, Carlson. I’ve got fifteen years on you. That’ll work in my favor, not yours,” he sneered as Troy opened the back door.

  “Time will tell, won’t it?” Slamming the door, he turned to Paige, cupped her face and drew her up against him to meet his descending mouth. After brushing her cheek with his lips, he settled over her lips in the softest, gentlest kiss he’d ever given her. “Like I said earlier, you’re ours. And no one touches you like that.”

  “That’s right.” Trevor wrapped an arm around her shoulders. “Now, let’s go home. It’s been a hell of a night.”

  Paige couldn’t agree more.

  * * *

  Six months later

  “And you promise this is just a short get together, right?” Paige finished the last of the candy bar Trevor handed her before they’d left home just as Troy pulled into the Gold Star Marina lot.