Captured: A Bad Boy Romance (20 page)

“You have one hell of a fan club all of the sudden,” Larsen smiled as he shut the door behind him.

“Who now?” Fuller asked, glad to have some company.

“Hudson, Agent Shepard, and about fifteen random people that you probably don’t even know…doctors and nurses and reporters.” He shook his head. “Seems you’ve become a household name Agent Fuller.” The detective began to laugh as he made his way to the chair in the corner.

“I appreciate all that you are doing for me Detective.” She smiled and offered him a cookie from the basket in front of her.

“Maybe just one,” he teased as he grabbed three from the basket.

“How is Hudson?” she questioned.

“I don’t know,” Larsen confessed. “I told him I was too busy to meet.”

Melissa understood why the detective felt like he did. But she was worried about the guy. He would be extremely upset that he’d let her leave knowing that she was in danger. He would blame himself. More than anything he would need to see her.

She couldn’t let anyone outside of those already on board know how she was doing. Unfortunately that also meant Asher. She wanted to see him. To kiss him. To touch him. But she wasn’t sure at that moment who was or wasn’t trustworthy. She’d only discussed any of this with him and she was run off the road as soon as she left. Everything inside of her wanted to believe that he wouldn’t play a part in something like this. But she was an agent and that meant being careful.

She wished she could let him know she was fine. But that would be risky. So she had no choice but to keep him in the dark with the rest of them.

That night had scared her half to death. She was driving along the road back to the city when a set of bright lights appeared behind her. Melissa had slowed down hoping that they would pass so she could see again.

When she saw them switch lanes to go around her, she breathed a sigh of relief—until she felt the first thud against the side of her car. Then another and she realized that they were trying to run her off the road. She couldn’t see who it was, and wouldn’t when her car slid sideways.

Trying with everything she had, she’d pressed the brake and tried to turn the wheel slowly. But the car spun out. Sliding across the road, she had enough time to mutter a quick prayer when the tree came straight for her. What she didn’t notice was the fairly deep roadside ditch. The moment her tires had touched the dip, the car had begun to flip. It did so several times before slamming into the tree. Glass shattered all around her and the sounds of the engine, radio and hissing from the damage all seemed to echo in her ear. She was sore, but it had seemed like she was okay.

It wasn’t long after that Larsen and some of his officers had shown up. With a few quick moves they had her out of the vehicle and on her way to this place. She couldn’t complain. He was keeping her safe. And it was probably difficult on his end to pull off the show he was putting on.

Larsen’s goal was to catch something and end this once and for all. The problem was that so far, nothing grand had happened. And so she still sat there daily, stuck and unable to even communicate with the people in her life.

“Detective…” She paused to wait on him to acknowledge that she was talking. At that moment he was looking at his phone, probably answering more questions about her. “If we know that Hudson is working…”

“Look,” the detective came over to the sofa where she currently sat, “I know he’s not as bad as we thought. But someone is telling someone something. It may not be him. But it’s someone. I won’t tell you what to do. But I will say that you need to be sure before you make a seriously life changing decision.”

“How else can I be sure?” Fuller asked. “How do I know without any doubt? I mean he’s never hurt me. He has been protective and caring. He even kept me alive when he wasn’t supposed to.”

“Then why do you have doubt?” Larsen asked.

“Honestly? Because he’s different with me than with them. He’s romanced people before to stay out of trouble. And I just don’t know who I can trust anymore.”

“You trust me,” he offered. “Maybe you should sit down and think about why you trust me when I’ve done less for you and you can’t trust him when he’s done so much.”

The words made sense. But she didn’t have an answer. Melissa sat back and closed her eyes, thinking about what her friend and partner in this thing had just said.

Why did she trust the detective that she barely knew without question? Probably because he’d helped her from day one. There’d been no force. No sexual stuff. Nothing but just him doing the things that she needed him to do.

“I guess because he and I have a different sort of relationship,” she confessed.

“Agent Fuller,” he began, “You have a very strict perception of the world. Probably one that you grew up with. You have clear lines of wrong and right, good and bad. Not all of us had that luxury. We learned a long time ago that there are demons where there are supposed to be angels and vice versa. I think you are seeing that now, correct?”

She nodded. 

“I read something yesterday. I forget the exact wording or who said it. But it was something about how we are all the same. We have to endure the same hell. We just have different devils to answer to.”

Melissa thought that over as he continued.

“The key is to determine which of those devils you know and which you want to steer clear of.”

“I think I know him,” she answered softly.

“Well it’s time to figure it out. The game’s about to begin and we need to know who is on our side.”

“And if I want him on my side?”

“I wouldn’t be keen on the idea,” Larsen admitted. “But I’d deal with it.”

“What if it meant trusting him to get the info we used?”

The detective seemed to think for a few minutes. That was a lot to ask. To base ones actions on the ideas of a known criminal. It was ballsy. But after she gave her reasons and backed them up, Larsen knew it was the best idea.

“Sure,” he agreed and pulled his phone back out to signal the conversation was over.

***

Amanda knew what they thought of her. All of them. She could see it in their eyes when she was around them. It had been that way at work. Now it was that way here. Hell even when she went to the grocery store she got the same glances.

It didn’t matter. He didn’t look at her that way. She made him happy. They both knew that. If she tried to leave he wouldn’t let her. It was romantic. Kind of. In that weird way he had of being romantic. He was just scared of change. She knew that.

It’s the reason he’d never left that cold heartless bitch that he was married to. She didn’t love him. Hell everyone could see that too. She was mean and bitter to him. What kind of a woman had no desire to be with her man? Especially a man like Brent Logan? It made no logical sense.

He worked hard. He bought them everything they wanted. He provided a nice life. That alone would be reason enough to drop and blow him when he wanted. It wasn’t like he was rude. He would talk all sweet during it. He was just under a lot of stress and needed to blow off steam.

She knew he loved her. It was clear in the way he wouldn’t let her go very far. It was also the reason she didn’t always tell him what she was doing. Like the night before last when she’d snuck off to see Gary. He was her high school sweetheart and he’d wanted to have dinner.

She let him take her to a nice little diner on the outskirts of Vegas and she’d laughed at all his jokes and he’d complimented her appearance and humor. After about an hour they’d ended up in the back of his van. She felt a little guilty, but it wasn’t like she was committed to anyone.

Besides, Gary knew exactly what she liked and sometimes Brent forgot what to do.

He wasn’t happy when she’d came in so late. He’d been waiting up on her which she thought was just the sweetest thing ever. She made it up to him in his most favorite way and then they’d parted ways.

She wasn’t thrilled that she was pregnant any more than he was. In fact, she’d cried when she saw the results of the test. Why in the fuck did she have to end up with the kid on the way? She liked the way it was.

Naturally her first thought had been the same as Brent’s.  But then he’d freaked out and she realized that she wasn’t going to let him force this. He didn’t want to be with her full time so he couldn’t inject his opinion. Besides, what better way to guarantee her room in the house?

But it sure was fucking with her emotions. Especially as his son looked at her like she was trash.

“Did you need something?” she heard herself snap and she tried to calm down just a little bit. He was just a kid.

“Why are you here?” A smartass one she decided as she heard the words.

“I’m your nanny.”

“Bullshit. You’re here for my dad.”

“Well,” she paused. “Some things are just not your concern.” She offered. “I am here to watch after you kids.”

“You aren’t doing a very good job.”

Amanda had to force herself to stay calm. She wasn’t sure why this kid thought that it was okay to speak to adults as he was. Well aside from the fact that his mother was a bitch. Maybe she taught him it was okay.

Just as Amanda thought of her, she walked in the front door.

“MOM!” he screamed and ran towards her.

“Hey bub,” she smiled at her son. Amanda noticed she did that more often than she smiled at her husband. “”How was your day?”

“It sucked,” he looked at Amanda and she wanted to slap him. “I’d rather have been at school.”

“I’m sorry bub,” she patted his head as if he were a baby or had spoken in a respectful tone. “Why don’t you and your sisters get ready, and we’ll go to dinner.”

“With dad?” he asked eagerly.

“I think he’s working late,” she answered halfheartedly. “Maybe next time.”

“Sure.” He smirked at Amanda and ran up the stairs.

“Amanda,” she spoke politely. “Were they okay today?”

“Actually,” Amanda began, “Bryce got a little mouthy with me…” she let the idea hang in the air for a moment. “He seemed to believe it was okay to question me about my place here and my relationship with his father.”

Amanda watched as she processed this information and decided what to do with it. Hopefully she would see the point in this. How could she tend to a child that showed no respect for her?

“Honey,” the woman smirked at her. “If you don’t want people to think you are a whore, then maybe you shouldn’t be one.”

“Manny!” Hudson faked an enthusiasm he did not feel. “We weren’t expecting you in town this week.”

It wasn’t a lie. Asher had not been given any warning of his new associate’s impending visit. In fact, he’d been sitting at the cottage and stewing over the fact he knew nothing about Melissa when Dakota had called.

It was a jolt that brought him immediately back to reality. In their business a surprise visit was not a good thing. It meant that there was either an issue or a concern over a potential issue. And that scared Asher. Because Manuel Guittero was not a man you wanted to have issues with. It could land you six feet under.

The current situation made Hudson a bit nervous. His club was losing faith. His girl was somewhere in god-knows-what condition. He wasn’t entirely honest with any of them. And somewhere in his organization was someone out to get him—someone telling his secrets to the authorities.

Now he was face to face with a very dangerous man and he still wasn’t sure why they were meeting so unexpectedly.

“It was a spontaneous decision,” the Mexican cartel leader replied. “I was made aware of potential problems and decided a phone call wasn’t enough.”

Hudson felt his heart race slightly. He had known that eventually he was going to have to answer to Guiterro, but he was hoping it’d be a time when he had more answers. Maybe even a time when his brain wasn’t so scattered with worry that he could think of answers.

He reminded himself that he was where he was because he could handle any situation. Until Fuller had stumbled into his closet, he’d believed that. But knowing that she was hurt and possibly in more danger, he wasn’t positive that his strength was enough to convince a man like Guiterro.

“Is that so?” he questioned as though he were surprised. “Well, have a seat and we can resolve any potential issues.” He smiled at his associate and waved towards the sofa that had housed the man not long before. A quick glance at Dakota signaled for him to bring a drink to the guest. “What’s bothering you Manny? I was under the impression that our relationship was solid.”

The slightly paunchy Mexican adjusted in his seat, twisted his hands together and stared eye to eye with Hudson.

“I was under the impression that the federal agent was no longer a problem.”

“I assured you then, and I continue to do so, that the agent you are speaking of is no threat to either of us or our business dealings.”

“Mr. Hudson,” Manny began. “I’ll assume that you understand my concerns about any type of law enforcement’s impact on business.” He nodded as he said the words. “Given the nature of our discussions and all.”

Hudson let the words sink in. His face remained hard and showed no signs of a break in his wall of confidence. But inside, he was scrambling for how to assure the man that Agent Fuller was of no concern. Besides the obvious of telling him things that would put his own life in danger.

“I agreed to work with you Hudson,” Manny continued. “because you spent a long time earning my trust. The effort you put into doing so showed me commitment and loyalty to your word.”

“Of course,” Hudson replied.

“Then explain to me why you resolved my concern over the Agent infiltrating your home with promises of her being removed from the situation,” Manny leaned back and folded his arms. “When you and I both now know that no such action was completed.”

Hudson thought deeply for a way to answer the man. He had no real response that would ease the tension in the room. Yet, he knew that his guys were just across the wall, listening and debating how to feel about their suddenly noncompliant leader.

“Manny,” Hudson leaned forward as if he were having chit-chat with the person who held his life in their hands. “Sometimes we have situations that change the course of things.”

“Please explain,” Guiterro offered. “But it better be a damn good reason, or those guys eavesdropping in the next room will be cleaning your brains from the carpet.”

Hudson swallowed deeply and decided he would just be honest. Well, at least a form of honesty. He would give Guiterro a reason that would be palpable.

“Manny, if you want the truth,” he leaned back again and took another deep breath. “I became involved with her. It wasn’t something that had been planned. But well, you know how it is with women,” he snickered and winked at Guiterro, who reacted like most men with a smile. “She and I have very, um, compatible private interests. It changed the game just a bit.”

“Maybe on your end Hudson,” Guiterro went back to business. “On my end, it made my life dangerous. I don’t like being in danger. The one thing I won’t do is go to prison. If I do, it will be for something real.” The words hung dangerously in the air.

“I understand,” Hudson replied with confidence. “But Agent Fuller will not be an issue. She is not actively pursuing a case against me or anything else as far as I’m aware.”

“So you say,” Manny spoke. “But how do you really know?”

Hudson couldn’t answer that. The truth was, he’d always known. He just did. There was never any doubt about Melissa’s feelings. Never any question as to whether she could be trusted. It was only a question as to whether or not she posed a danger to them or herself just by affiliation.

“We’re engaged,” he announced in a lie and heard the sighs and questions of the men in the next room. “Once we’re married, she won’t be able to use anything she knows against me.”

“But not I,” Manny pointed out. “Here’s the deal Hudson,” he continued. “I don’t care who you fuck. I don’t care who you marry. I don’t care about your free time. Until that free time becomes a threat to me.” He sat forward and his face went stone cold. “You have two weeks. She either disappears or is no longer an agent.”

Hudson just nodded. He really had no words.

“Let me just clarify,” Manny leaned forward to where he was almost face to face with Hudson. “If you do not take care of this, I will. And if I have to, then our trust is broken and you become a liability. As well as anyone else privy to our dealings. Are we clear, Hudson?”

He nodded and mouth an almost silent yes as Guiterro stood up.

“I will return in two weeks. I hope that at that time I see the same man that worked so hard to earn my trust.”

Hudson showed Guiterro to the door with assurances that he would be satisfied with the results. A promise that he wasn’t entirely certain he could keep.

***

“Whiskey, straight,” Logan ordered at the bartender on duty.

He wasn’t in the tavern for a friendly meeting or to find a quick romp in the nearby hotel. This was business. His actual real world boss had demanded a meeting and Logan had insisted on carrying it out in public and on his own turf. That led them to the tavern he frequented when he wanted to escape the daily grind.

The man was sitting in a corner booth. Logan had seen him the minute he walked in. It wasn’t that he was avoiding the meeting. He simply needed to seem aloof and confident and that would require a drink or two before he approached the table. That was the plan anyway. But there was no way it was going to happen. He had barely taken the glass into his hand when his text went off.

Not a game Logan. I don’t have all day.

Logan ordered another drink and made his way to the table with one in each hand.  He hoped the man waiting on him didn’t presume they were for him. Both of these were going to be much needed.

“Director,” Logan stated as he sat down, reminding himself that in present company he was not the guy in charge.

“Agent Logan,” the Director spoke sternly. “I’d like to say pleasure to see you again, but I think we both know that I’m not here on a social call.”

Logan was accustomed to running the show. He was the lead Agent in his local field office. Normally there would be a director, but theirs had left the job and Logan was in line to replace him. That had been his goal and the agency had deemed him capable. That had allowed him to play interim director over the agents though no official job promotion had been handed down so far.

This left him directly answering to his higher up, which would normally be the deputy director, but at that moment was the head honcho.

“Drinking on the job?” the Director nodded towards the glasses in Logan’s hand and then shook his head. “The irony astounds me.”

“I’m off-duty, sir,” Logan offered. “I took the afternoon off to handle some personal business.”

“I see. Well, before you get to that, how about you explain to me what in God’s name is going on in your office?”

Logan took a deep breath and began to try and salvage his job and possibly his ass.

***

The drive home seemed long and monotonous. Probably because he’d chosen a remote location for the meeting. He didn’t need Larsen or any of his jackass deputies to think that he’d lost his credibility. And having someone like the Director of the ATF meeting with you definitely showed signs of problems.

Logan had hoped that his meeting, although very unpleasant, had satisfied the Director’s concerns and potentially led to him gaining access to Agent Fuller. That was something that he needed desperately.

He hadn’t enjoyed the meeting. Logan wasn’t a man that liked to be spoken down to. But sometimes it was a necessary evil. This had been one. He’d had to cower down and take the criticism and offer reasonable answers for what had happened. Fortunately, with Wallaby out of the way it was easy to pin most of the mess on his fuckups. Even though Logan had known all along that Wallaby didn’t fuck up.

He wanted to get home, grab a glass of whiskey and relax from the trying day he’d had. But just as with anything else he’d tried, that plan wasn’t going to work out.

“We’re going to have a serious problem very soon,” Amanda attacked him just as he walked in the door. “Your wife has no right to call me a whore and your son has no right to treat me the way he does.”

Logan had no clue what was going on or what Amanda was talking about. What he did know was that she was pregnant, the situation was already tense and he had bigger things to worry about. The last thing he needed at that moment was to sit and argue with his side chick about what his wife had said in her own home. Hell, they were lucky it’d gone as far as it had. If that bitch tried to divorce him she’d get nearly everything just because he had his mistress living down the hall.
Goddamn it all to hell and back.

He tried to explain that to Amanda but she wouldn’t hear of it. And his head hurt too badly to fight. So he agreed to talk with her and to discipline Bryce before going to his recliner to rest. Amanda mumbled something about a girl’s night and that she’d be late and he gave her a quick kiss to satisfy her. Truth was he didn’t care much about where she went or if she came back at all that night. He just needed to de-stress.

Of course his wife wasn’t going to allow that. She came barging into the living room, hand on her hip and looking as though she was going to explode. Bryce and the girls were standing only inches behind her.

“One of us is going to go,” she ordered. “Her or me.”

“I’ve had a long day,” he responded. “Really long. Can we discuss this some other time?”

“No,” she demanded. “She treats my children like they’re beneath her. Here, in
my
house. Do I have to remind her just whose house this actually belongs to?”

“Of course not. But it’s complicated.”

“It always is, Brent,” she sighed. “It always is with you.”

“She’s pregnant,” he stated without much feeling. “I’m in a bind. And right now work is going really shitty. So I’d like to handle what I can as I can. But first, I’d like to rest.” He closed his eyes and hoped she’d go away.

“You son of a bitch.” She whispered and he hoped that she finally understood where he was at. “We’ll be out by the weekend.” And With that, she took the kids and stormed upstairs.