The four of them were worked quietly, each making notes as they continued to rifle through the papers."Ya know," Charity mused about an hour into their session. "I assumed, for some reason, that these would be close to one another. However, going through just what I have here, of the home invasions are all over the county. Bowling Green City responded to some, Warren County Sheriff's responded to some, and even Kentucky State Police responded, so it's no wonder no one's put two and two together yet. There's no pattern in any district, because he's purposely not making one.""I wonder when we put everything together, how many we're going to see, and how many families will be affected," Mandy mused."Going by what we have here? At least twenty-five."For hours they labored, deep into their work. Every once in a while, someone would whistle or take a deep inhale of breath. They knew then that whichever invasion it was it was bad. Out of nowhere, Drew's cell phone went off, making
"How's it going, Squirrel?" Drew asked as he and Dalton arrived at the predetermined meeting place and got off their bikes."I've been better."Taking a good look at the other man, Drew realized he spoke the truth. Squirrel had definitely seen better days. His skin was pale, and it looked like, even though it was not a hot day, he was sweating. As they got closer, they could smell the stench of an addict needing a fix. He'd obviously been sweating for a while, and the blood on his arm told them both he'd taken the fixation of picking at his skin."You're not gonna go crazy on us, are you?" Dalton asked, pulling back his cut to show Squirrel that he carried. "I don't want to hurt you, but I will if I have to. Don't go insane, stay level. You got me?"Squirrel scratched his arm, his eyes darting this way and that. "I got you, but we're gonna have to hurry, because I'm gonna need my fucking money."Drew widened his stance and braced his feet. "Nah, man, you don't tell us what we
As they went further into the county, Drew turned on his phone and enabled the GPS so that Travis could track where they were going. That served two purposes. The other members of Heaven Hill would know where they were if help was needed, and later, if they wanted to come back out here themselves, they would know how to get here. Drew had learned to live by his gut, and his gut was telling him now that this was okay. They weren't going to be ambushed once they got there. This was honestly a man who knew they needed information and he needed money. Business transaction, plain and simple.Squirrel stopped his truck in front of a building and motioned for them to come around. "I'm not going inside," he told them as they idled their bikes next to his truck. "If Dixon knows I'm the one who showed you, I'm dead."Drew wanted to tell him he was dead no matter what. The drugs would probably kill him before Dixon could or would."How do we get in?" Dalton asked, looking at the outside, wo
Charity stood up from the kitchen table, stretching her back. Mandy and Dalton had left over an hour ago, and she had spent that time plotting locations on a map and looking for something that would give her an indication of a pattern. So far, nothing."C'mon." Drew walked around the table and grabbed her by the waist. "Dad just called and said they're having a bonfire at the clubhouse. I don't know about you, but I could stand to get out of here and away from this for a while."Earlier, she'd gone to her apartment and gotten some clothes, not sure if she was ready to go back yet. He hadn't seemed like he was having an issue with her staying, so she would do it as long as it felt right. "I think that's the best idea I've heard in a long time."They were having an unseasonably cool October, and a bonfire sounded like a great idea to her. "I'm gonna go change into something that's a little warmer." She indicated the T-shirt she was wearing."I've got a jacket and hoodie you can w
Riding on the backroads of Warren County towards the clubhouse took Charity to places she hadn't been in years. In her mind, she thought back to all those nights she and Drew had snuck out of their respective houses and met each other in a field, in a barn, behind the clubhouse, wherever was available. She gripped him around the waist as he took a curve at a higher rate of speed so that her stomach did a somersault. No matter how fast he went with her on the back of his bike, she felt safe; she'd always felt safe with him.She figured that was one of the reasons she'd agreed to help Meredith with this case, and why she'd decided to come home. It had been long enough, but too, she knew that no matter what, Drew would keep her safe. Oh, she wasn't stupid; if he'd had a woman in his life, she would have declined the plea for help and found someone in the area she knew could take care of business as good as her, but when she'd called Mandy and asked what was going on in Drew's romantic l
She quickly did her business and flushed before walking over to the sink. Turning the water on, she soaped her hands before looking up into the mirror. The woman staring back at her wasn't someone she recognized. There was life in her eyes and redness in her cheeks.Back in North Carolina, it had been about doing anything she could to get ahead and stay ahead. Here, she realized, she was taking things easier. Even though she was working on the case, she was finding time, like now, to live. That was something she had been missing there. She knew the reason for that was Drew.Smiling to herself, she finished up and wiped her hands off before walking out and back towards the kitchen. As soon as she got there, she was met head-on with Tatum."So you knew my brother back when he was my age?" she asked as she loaded the fixings for s'mores into a basket."Tatum," Denise reprimanded. "I told you to leave her alone.""No." Charity shook her head. "It's okay. I did know your brother b
"We've got company."Drew heard the shouted words coming from Jagger and lifted himself up from where he'd been bent over a car checking the spark plugs. Those words hardly ever garnered a reaction in him, but today, his blood started pumping, his heart started pounding.Walking around from behind the hood, he saw two older model pickups pulling into the lot. He wasn't sure who he expected to step out of the driver's seat of one of them, but it sure as fuck wasn't Dixon McCall."Which one of you boys was over at my place the other day?" he asked as he spat out a stream of tobacco juice, standing tall as he faced off against the members of Heaven Hill.Drew and Dalton looked at each other, wondering how he'd found out, but neither one of them were scared."That was me." Drew stepped forward. Purposely he stood with his booted feet apart, lazily wiping his hands on a rag.Dixon tilted his head to the side, appearing to size him up before he strolled over to Drew. When he was
Drew had never been so scared in his life as he raced across town towards Charity's office. He thought about calling her, but then he was afraid she would leave on her own. Right now, he knew at least where she was, and there was help around the corner at the sheriff's office if she needed it.Racing down Louisville Road and blowing through a red light, he thought about all the things that could happen to her if he didn't make it there in time. He worried about what kind of man Dixon was and the things that he'd done to the people he'd supposedly cared about. Dixon didn't give a shit about Charity; she was expendable.Horns honked and people yelled at him as he sped through the streets, but he didn't care; he had one goal, and that was to get to her, get her out of her office, and make sure she came home with him. As he turned onto the quiet town square, he breathed a sigh of relief as he saw her car parked out in front of her building. Parking the bike, he took his helmet off and
The temperature in the cab of the truck was downright frigid as Remy drove to Tyler's house to drop off Addie first. Tatum refused to meet his gaze and that flat out pissed him off. If she was going to give herself to another man and then have the balls to sit in front of him like this, she should at least have the decency to meet his eyes when he looked at her."Am I going to have to explain to Tyler why I'm dropping you off at one in the fucking morning?" Remy glanced in the review mirror of the truck, looking back to where Addie sat in the extended cab."No," she shook her head, looking about as tired and unhappy as he felt. "He's at the clubhouse. He and Mom had planned to stay and they took Caelin with them."Well, thank God for small favors, because the one person besides Liam he didn't want to face off with tonight, was Tyler."You're lucky I don't call him and tell him where the hell you've been. How could you let her go up there with him?" he questioned her, the irrita
Tatum's heart beat through her chest as she followed Gavin upstairs to a much quieter part of the house. Her mouth was dry – the result of her nerves, or the alcohol she'd consumed – she wasn't sure which. Her hand gripped Gavin's tightly, but she knew it wasn't because she was excited, it was because she wanted to yank on it, and stop him from leading her into the empty bedroom. Part of her wanted to put a stop to it, the other part wanted to go through with this so she could throw it in Remy's face. Those stubborn traits she'd inherited from her dad were alive and well tonight.She glanced over her shoulder, spotting Addie pulling out her phone and making a call. The worried look on her friend's face told her all she needed to know. Addie was probably calling in reinforcements and her time had suddenly become very limited."You feelin' good?" his deep voice questioned in her ear, causing her hair to stand up and goosebumps to appear on her arms. This time it was different than wh
Remy was in a piss-poor mood, had been since the night of the Christmas party and everything that had gone down with Tatum. He bit off the head of anyone foolish enough to ask if he was okay. He'd been eating lunch by himself, and overall had been a miserable fucking loner. Even right now, while everyone else was partying their asses off, his big date was being in the gym and beating the ever-loving shit out of a heavy bag. It was the only thing that seemed to calm him the last few days.Hearing his fists connect with the bag felt good, even if it was muted by the gloves he wore. His arms burned, his shoulders and back ached, his chest heaved, and sweat poured down his forehead and into his eyes; making them sting. The sting felt good though, because it distracted him from the guilt he felt for the way he'd treated Tatum. And that guilt was pressing down on him like he was trapped under a thousand-pound boulder.He'd felt every emotion on the spectrum since she'd walked out on him
Tatum's blue eyes took in the party-goers around her. In different parts of the room, she could see members of her graduating class, some kids that were now seniors, and a few college kids. God, this had never been her thing, she'd never found high school or college parties worth anything to her. She could see everything that went on at them and more, at the club parties. Plus, this was a mob mentality – everyone here went along with everyone else, and it was so boring. Nobody had any individuality. Normally, she'd have tossed the invitation in the trash can and not even thought twice about it. She would have spent the night at the club's New Year's party and have an actual good time with her friends and family.Tonight though, she was on a mission."Do you see anybody?" Addie asked as they surveyed the room.Tatum took a drink from the bottle of Strawberry Boone's Farm she carried in her hand. It was the bottom shelf stuff, guaranteed to get you loaded in the least amount of tim
Tatum had never felt anything like the all-consuming lust that blasted through her as soon as Remy grabbed her hip and pulled her deep into his body. She'd thought she had but damn, she was wrong. Her fingers grasped at his shirt, trying to ground herself in the feelings, when she felt his bare palms slip up under the hem of her dress. The sharp intake of breath, and the way he nipped at her lip indicated he'd discovered she'd worn a thong."Fuck, Tate," he moaned as he pulled his lips from hers.She almost cried as he abandoned her lips and smeared his mouth down her neck. She felt the sharp nip of his teeth down to the core of her body. It caused her nipples to tighten further against the lace of strapless bra, and before she knew what she was doing, she was rubbing up against him."Please, Rem," she gasped out when she felt one of his hands on her ass venture back over her hip, and closer to the wetness and heat she felt between her thighs."Has anybody touched you?" he grow
He knew the second she walked in, just like he'd known when she'd entered the bakery. Even seven shots of Pappy in, he could feel her, he knew she was there by the way the hair on the back of his neck stood up, the goosebumps he got on his arms and the way his dick stirred to attention. He wasn't sure what kind of hold Tatum Walker held over him, but it was strong, maybe dangerously so, like some sort of Jedi Mind Trick he'd never be able to resist. And dammit if his hand didn't shake as he took his next shot."Too much for you?" Drew asked as he noticed the slight tremble of the other man's hand.How did he tell the man sitting beside him, he was hard up for his little sister? Easy. He didn't."Nah, I'm good, but I gotta hit the head. Be back."Plan number two when plan number one didn't work? Run and hope she wouldn't follow. As much alcohol as he had consumed, he wasn't sure he could push her away this time. After all, he was only a man and he wasn't immune to the way she lo
He should have brought a date. Those were the first words Remy thought when he walked through the door of the clubhouse. It hit him like a ton of bricks, and all he wanted to do was turn around and head back to Cash and Harper's. Normally, he lived at the clubhouse, but he'd had dinner at their place tonight. He could relieve the babysitter watching Maddy, and he wouldn't have to worry about keeping his guard up.Couples were paired off, which meant anyone without a plus one would be inevitably thrown together. Looking up, he saw mistletoe was hung randomly around the room. Shit. Since he was the youngest, he seemed to be one of the few without a woman on his arm. Sure as the world turned, he'd find himself thrown toward someone tonight.Gazing around the room, he didn't see Tatum and for that he was extremely thankful. He'd been able to avoid her since the day at Harper's bakery, but it'd hadn't been easy. Not that she'd gone out of her way to be around him but they were in the sa
Remy told himself to slow down as he grasped her neck, hauling Tatum closer to him. He cautioned his lust-drunk body not to make a fool of itself. He warned his libido not to let this go too far. They were in the middle of the bakery, in the middle of downtown. Anyone could walk through that door from some dumbass off the street, to her brother, to her dad. But he couldn't stop, couldn't force his hand not to trail down her body and grasp her tight ass in his fingers. He wanted desperately to pull her lower half into his, wanted to shove his thigh between her legs and feel the heat he knew would be there. His tongue was forceful as it made its way into her mouth, testing how far she'd let him go.Turned out she'd let him go as far as he wanted to.His brain tried to warn him that this was progressing too quickly. It was getting too out of control, too fast. If he didn't watch it, he'd be picking her up and putting her ass first against the nearest wall. He was losing his mind, losi
Son of a bitch. Something in the way Tatum's gaze met his made him think he'd said those words loud enough she could hear them. But fuck, she looked amazing. Even more than she usually did. Tatum had been gorgeous for a long time, but with her hair in this new cut, she looked sexy, and almost… sophisticated. But this was Tatum. She'd never fully be a lady, not really. She didn't do dresses unless she had to, she didn't do caked on makeup, and she could hang with the guys – no matter how raunchy it got."Do you like it?" She asked again, this time looking much more unsure than when she'd started out. Very slowly, she ran her fingers through her hair, giving it a tousle.Remy cleared his throat, not sure how honest he wanted to be, but at the same time knowing he couldn't help but be honest. If he lied to her, she would know, and it would do nothing to help the situation they seemed to always find themselves in. The two of them always seemed to be either pushing or pulling at each ot