JARED: The Justice Brothers Series (7 page)

After taking a big swig of the Sauvignon Blanc, Mitzi shook her head in disgust. “Jesus, girl. You need to get yourself some real booze. And while we’re discussing the ridiculous, how the hell can anyone get lost in the rain?” The hefty woman snorted, “Nothing like acting like the blonde bimbo you look like.”

Tara jumped to Hailey’s defense.

“Jeepers, Mitzi. Can’t you see how bad she feels? Look at her ankle?! You think she tried to get hurt? And just so you know, not all of us grew up in the woods like you and the Justice family. Some of us grew up in towns and cities where they have streetlights and don’t depend on the moon to see at night.”

Mitzi put up her hands and agreed. “My apologies, rookie. I forget how green you are. And I’m sorry you got hurt. That
is
one righteous sprain you have.”

Emptying her glass in one large swallow, Sgt. Olson poured herself another full glass and turned to Hailey her eyes bright with excitement.

“But, girl, you are hardly the news around here. The big news, and I do mean
big
news is that Lt. Justice’s brother, Jared, is back in town.”

Tara eagerly picked up the tale. You don’t know him, Hailey, but Jared Justice, the youngest of the Justice Brothers, hasn’t been back to town since he left the military.”

Mitzi glowered. “You mean since he got
booted
out of the Army for God knows what outrageous things he did!” She added conspiratorially, “Which is why we shouldn’t be surprised that now the Justice bad boy has up and declared himself to be a member of the Dragon’s Curse. Can you fucking believe it? He’s even sporting their ugly tats. Word is that he and his brothers aren’t speaking.” She shook her head and quaffed another hearty swallow of the wine. “He always was the badass of the bunch, but this is unbelievable. Looks and brains, but no character. It must break the Judge’s heart, him being sick and all.”

Tara nodded but couldn’t hide her excitement. “You’re right, Mitzi. Jared really
is
the black sheep of the family. But….”

Turning to Hailey, her bright eyes gleamed. “You know how gorgeous Commander Justice is, right, Hailey? Wait until you see his baby brother. I’m telling you, there isn’t a woman who grew up in this town who isn’t spilling her juices knowing that Jared Justice is back. If anything the tats will make him even more dangerously handsome.” At Mitzi’s outraged shout, Tara flushed then tossed her head and giggled. “C’mon, Mitzi, admit it. The women he’s screwed can hardly wait to be done again and the few who haven’t are lining up like at Disneyworld.”

Hailey swallowed hard and filled her wine glass to the brim. She decided that as soon as her friends left, she was heading to the liquor store. It was time that she invested in some real alcohol—the kind that could get her drunk enough to forget what a fool she was.

Chapter 7

J
ared yanked a chair from the table and parked himself next to Janko. Ignoring Brittany, the tatted Goth babe who’d fought her friend for the chair on the other side of him, he nodded to the wide-eyed waitress.

“A bottle of Jamesons, sweetheart. Glancing around the table at the glowering DC members and their hangers on, Jared qualified. “On second thought, honey, make that two bottles. My friends and I are celebrating.”

Janko grunted in agreement. “Yeah, man. It’s about time you showed your ugly mug.” He snorted a harsh laugh. “Fuck, Jared, you’d think Jesus fucking Christ had climbed down from the cross.” He surveyed the room and snorted. “Look at ’em. There isn’t a cock sucking motherfucker in the room who isn’t pretending they don’t see one of the righteous Justice Brothers sittin’ at the DC table. Fuckin’ A. Makes me right proud to be with such a celebrity.”

Jared laughed. “C’mon, Janko. You always were a celebrity. Of sorts. The bad sort, that is. Hell, there wasn’t a father in this town who didn’t lock up his virgin daughters when you sauntered in.”

Janko ripped the cap off the bottle the frightened server carefully placed in front of him, and grinned at Jared as he handed him a full glass of the odiferous liquid.

“C’mon, bro. Admit it. After you turned fifteen there wasn’t a virgin left in this town worth fucking. Hell, if I remember right, even the nuns at St. Mary’s kept a light on for the youngest Justice Brother. It was only when I got as big balls as you had that I gave you a run for your money.” Wrapping a big arm around Jared’s shoulder, he said, “But seriously, Bro, I’m glad you’re here.” Janko’s expression darkened and he lowered his voice. “We have some shit-kicking business to discuss.”

Jared glanced at the men who were studying him then turned back to their leader and said quietly, “That we do, Janko. That we do.”

One hour and three bottles of Jamesons later, Jared allowed himself to look over at the table where Hailey was sitting with a group of women. He’d seen her the minute he’d walked into the packed bar. Make that, he’d
felt
her. Hell, like a fucking animal in heat he could swear he’d actually smelled her. His cock had reacted to the presence of the gorgeous woman as though it was heat-seeking missile securing its target. He looked up, noting that Janko saw him looking at Hailey. Jared pointed his chin in her direction and shrugged.

“I admit, Janko, that I know most of the babes in this rowdy place.” He added with a smirk, “Like you, Bro, I know more than a few of them in the biblical sense.”

He joined in the raucous laughter, then nodded to Hailey shaking his head.

“But I sure as hell don’t remember that
particular
piece of ass. Who is she? And which centerfold did she star in?”

Janko guffawed. “Yeah, man, given her ‘assets’ she coulda been in all of them. Don’t want to shock you buddy, but that
particular
piece of ass as you rightly called her is a member of the Duluth PD.”

Jared frowned. “What? You mean she works for the City—”

Janko interrupted him with a snort. “No, Dude. Believe it or not that babe with the righteous rack works for your fucking brother. She’s a pig, Jared.”

Jared reared up in mock surprise and whistled. “Well, I’ll be goddamned. Leave it to Jake, the politically correct asshole, to hire Miss Sweden to fill out his ranks.” He shook his head and frowned. “I wonder if he’s doing her. I’ll admit that’s not his M.O. But holy Christ, if anyone could tempt him to break his ‘nobody fucks with the help’ rule it would be that sweet young thing.”

“Tell me something we don’t all know.” Including the other men at the table in his threatening glare, Janko grunted, “I got a few rules of my own. I’ve warned my guys that they’ll be chomping on their peckers for breakfast if they ever dare to fuck a cop, even one with tits like that one has.” Janko sniffed in disbelief. “Believe it or not, the word around town from the assholes who went after her, and anyone with a dick and two eyes has tried, she’s as innocent as she is hot.”

He leaned in and spoke softly for Jared’s ears only. “I dunno, Bro, after we consummate our deal how ’bout we celebrate with a little ‘barely touched’ meat? Hell, we could do her together like we used to do the St. Mary’s cunts. Dammit Jared, remember those little plaid skirts and the white cotton panties they wore under them?” Staring at Hailey, Janko shook his head thoughtfully then smacked his lips and grinned.

“Yeah, Bro, after we fuck over your self-righteous brother, let’s you and me celebrate with a sweet piece of police pussy.”

Swallowing the bile threatening to choke him, Jared congratulated himself for his restraint. Instead of knocking Janko’s teeth down his throat, Jared drained his glass and poured himself another Jamesons. Smiling at his one-time friend, he spoke evenly, “That sounds like an interesting plan, Janko. Only with a woman that sweet, I may not want to share.”

Janko barked a harsh laugh and raised his glass. “Tell you what, you arrogant bastard. How about we flip a coin—to see who gets her
first.
”

Jared rose to his feet and grinned at Janko. “Before we start letting a woman come between us, Dude, I think I better see if she’s as hot up close as she is from across the room.”

Like everyone else in the room, Hailey kept her head down pretending to ignore the ominous group at the table in the corner. She’d been shocked when Jared strolled in with the leather-clad members of the D.C. The hush that settled over the noisy bar at their entrance spoke volumes. If danger came in pairs, the five members of the DC gang with Jared bringing up the rear signaled that Armageddon had arrived.

Hailey jumped when Tara jabbed her in the side and said in an excited stage whisper, “Don’t look up, but
he’s
coming this way. OMG, I don’t
believe
it, Jared Justice is coming to
our
table!”

Keeping her head down, refusing to meet his gaze, Hailey focused on her drink.

Mitzi growled. “For God’s sake, Tara, act your age. Just because you were hot for him when you were fifteen years old…” Mitzi’s disparaging warning died when a deep voice rumbled.

“Good evening, Ladies. Don’t tell me that your overbearing commander allows his harem to frequent the bars? Doesn’t he know that dangerous men are likely to accost them?”

“Beat it, Jared. My friends and I are enjoying each other’s company. We get enough testosterone on the job. Besides, don’t you and your gangbanger buddies have some heroin or crystal to hawk?”

Jared laughed a deep, sultry sound that sent a shower of sensation sparking across Hailey’s overwrought nerves.

“Now, now, Mitzi, is that any way to greet an old friend? Hell, woman, don’t tell me wild, wicked Mitzi Olson has changed her stripes. C’mon girl, you’re not too old to remember the nights we spent at Finnegan’s Field—”

Before he could finish his sentence, Mitzi growled. “I’m serious, Jared. Get lost. My fellow officers and I spend enough work time with pond scum to deal with the likes of you on our nights off.”

“Hmm. That may be true of you, Officer Olson, and potentially, the lovely Tara, but the
least
you can do is introduce me to the Barbie Doll. What’s Miss Sweden doing hanging out with cops? She need protection from all the badasses tripping over their tongues to get close to her?”

Knowing that her face was flaming, Hailey stared at her drink and refused to acknowledge him.

Mitzi answered for her. “For your information, hotshot, Officer Michels is a
cop
and happens to work for your brother. You remember him, one of the Justice Brothers who is a credit to his family and community, not a blight on the family name?”

A shrill voice prevented Jared from answering.

“Hallelujah, girls! You’re right! It
is
Jared Justice. Damn, big guy, where’ve you been keeping that sexy ass of yours? I’m telling you half of the women in this town have forgotten what it’s like not to have to fake a climax. Thank God, the prodigal son has returned!”

Hailey looked up to see Chloe Reynolds and two other women who topped the vice squad’s list of known prostitutes crowding around Jared. To her surprise three women wearing DC tats on their virtually naked bodies, left their gang table and stomped over to join the crowd of lusty women surrounding Jared. Hailey stood it as long as she could watching the women make fools of themselves fighting to be the next one to dance with the grinning Lothario who was clearly the “Chris Brown” figure of this northern woods capital. When Brittany, one of the Goth girls, smacked Chloe across the face, starting what looked like it would become a brawl, Hailey’d had enough.

Ignoring the raucous laughter from the envious men watching the superstar in the middle of the circle of drunken women all fighting for his attention, Hailey shoved back her chair and battled her way through the crowd to the exit. Stumbling down the alleyway, she bent over to catch her breath and block the ugly sight of the women pawing Jared. Fighting back hot angry tears, she admonished herself for being such an idiot. How could she have thought that Jared was interested in her?

His sultry query startled her. “Where you going, Valley Girl? Scene too hot for your beach bunny bod?”

In seconds he was beside her, a dark, dangerous wall of muscle. He grabbed her arm and pulled her toward him. Pressing her against the wall, he growled in her ear, a low, lusty sound. “That’s too bad, Sugar, because it is about to get a hell of a lot hotter.”

At her mangled cry, Jared grabbed her hands in one of his and dragged them up above her head. He drove his strong thigh between her legs, pinning her against the wall. Hailey struggled against him, fighting both Jared and the fiery heat now flooding her body. With his free hand he lifted her chin forcing her to look at him. His jaw was rigid, his emerald eyes blazing with lust.

“Damn, woman, I haven’t been able to think of anything but you for the last week. Especially that hot mouth of yours and how I’m going to take it
and
take you.” He pressed her harder against the wall and huffed a raspy command. “Open to me, rookie, the way you did that crazy night. You didn’t want to stop then did you, baby?
Did you
?”

At her soft breathy moan, Jared couldn’t squelch his groan.

“Oh
yeah,
baby. That’s the way. Climb up on my thigh. Ride me, rookie, ride me hard! Christ, yeah, darlin’, like that!”

Hailey cried out a shaken plea tormented with desire. “Oh God, Jared. I…I…can’t…”

Running his hand over her chest, he crooned, “You can’t what, rookie? You can’t keep your heart from pounding? Can’t keep your nipples from hardening, begging me to suck them?” At her whimpering cry, he slipped his hand between her legs and groaned a deep male sound. “Can’t keep those sweet juices from soaking my fingers?”

He grabbed her ass in his big hands and jerked her against his rock hard erection. He pressed his lips against hers and murmured, “Tell you what, Angel Face. How about you don’t say another word? Just let your hot sexy body speak for you. The way mine is speaking for me.”

Jared rubbed his hand across her chest reaching unerringly for her throbbing nipple. Just when Hailey was sure that she would faint if he didn’t release her aching breast, a taunting voice reverberated across the alley.

“Hey, Bro, ain’t you jumping the gun a little, Buddy? Thought we were saving
her
for later. You know, for some of that…mmmm…two-on-one action we both like?”