Loaded (19 page)

He waited until the
aftershock subsided before he pulled her back against his chest and wrapped his
arms around her waist. “You’re amazing,” he whispered.

She smiled. “Funny, I was
about to say the same thing to you.”

“You’re everything I’ve ever
wanted,” he whispered in her ear as he flattened his hand on her stomach. “I’m
never letting you go.”

She tensed in his arms.
“Tucker…”

His grip tightened as he
whispered, “Never.”

Tucker was wading through a
mound of paperwork the next day when Jake threw his office door open.

He didn’t bother to look up.
“Come on, man. I’ve got to get through this shit, so I can get out of here.
Whatever it is will have to wait.”

“Dispatch just got a 911
alarm from Rachel’s studio, Chief. I thought you’d want to handle it
personally.”

Tucker’s mind went blank.
Suddenly he wasn’t thinking like the chief of police with years of training. He
was the concerned boyfriend who knew instinctively the woman he loved was
fighting for her life. “That fucker has her,” Tucker said, jumping up.

“Who? What are you talking
about?” Jake asked, following closely behind him.

Tucker wasn’t in the mood to
answer questions. He needed to get to Rachel… now. “I need to handle this
alone,” Tucker said to the team preparing to answer the call.

Jake grabbed his shoulder,
hauling him back. “Hey, I don’t mean to second guess you
—
”

“Then don’t!” Tucker shouted
as he shook him off. His gut told him Rachel needed him, only him, and nothing,
not even a well-meaning friend, would stop him. “I call the shots around here,
just remember that.”

Jake sighed. “Man, you’re not
thinking clearly. You can’t bust in there without knowing what you’re walking
into. Don’t be stupid. You’re not going to be any good to Rachel if you get
yourself shot.”

He knew Jake was right. He
would never have allowed one of his men to go into a similar situation without
back-up, but he didn’t know what the hell he was walking into, and he didn’t
want to risk setting that psychopath off by parading in with a bunch of cops. “I’m
going to handle this my way, Jake. It’s not up for discussion.”

“You know what’s going on,
don’t you?” Jake said, following him out into the street.

Tucker scanned the area for
unfamiliar cars. There was a black Ford truck with tinted windows parked in
front of Rachel’s studio. “Run the plates on that truck,” Tucker said,
inclining his head toward the offending vehicle. The studio was in darkness.
The shades were drawn, and he had no doubt the door would be locked.
Thankfully, Foley’s blue pick-up was parked in front of Mavis’s diner. “Get the
key from Foley. I’ll meet you around the back of the building.”

Jake didn’t question the
directions as he jogged across the street to meet the old man.

Tucker was trying to calm his
erratic breathing. Ever since his buddy had said those few words, his world
started spiraling out of control as he imagined the scene he might be walking
in on. Had he already killed her, raped her, or was he getting off on torturing
her again? Tucker knew it would take every ounce of willpower he possessed not
to kill him on the spot.

Jake was right, he was way
too close to be involved in this situation, but half a dozen men wouldn’t have a
prayer of holding him back. Tucker was going to be the one to cuff that bastard
and see that he spent some serious time in jail for what he did to Rachel.

He sprinted across the street
several stores down from Rachel’s studio and weaved his way between two old
brick buildings. The rear doors were steel, and the chance of breaching them
without a key or tool was slim. He had no choice but to wait for Jake. He just
prayed Rachel’s landlord kept a key on him. Without that, he would have to
waste more time going back to the station, and he knew that in a situation like
this, a wasted moment could mean the difference between life and death.

“Jesus,” he muttered, bending
at the knees as he tried to draw air into his lungs. He never panicked, no
matter the situation. He was always the one who maintained a clear head, until
now. He had never felt fear like this. It snaked through his body, stealing his
power to move, think, or even breathe.

Jake came up behind him and
slapped him on the back. “Hey, you okay?”

“No.” He slumped against the
wall, cursing the tightening sensation in his chest.

Jake held out a single silver
key. “You’re the best cop I know. If my life were at risk… if I was in that
building, or Jessica, or even my son, you’re the man I’d want going in there,
Tucker.”

Tucker took a deep breath and
forced himself to do what he’d asked of Rachel last night. It was time for him
to face his fear. “Okay, gimme that key.” He grabbed the cold piece of metal
and gripped it in his fist. “Stand down. That’s an order, Jake.”

“Whatever you say, boss.”

Tucker looked his friend in
the eye. “I can’t lose her.”

“You won’t. Now get the fuck
in there and find out what’s going on.”

Tucker took his weapon out
before slipping the key into the lock. He turned the knob slowly, not knowing
whether he should brace for a hail of gunfire. He wished he’d taken the time to
don his bulletproof vest before he left the station. Had this been any other
call, any other victim, he would never have made such a rookie mistake, but he
couldn’t think clearly knowing that Rachel was in there, in the hands of that
sadist again.

He cracked the door and held
his breath as he listened, praying he would hear the sound of her voice.

Her sobs were deafening,
heart-wrenching. “Please, Glen, don’t do this. I’m begging you, please…”

“I said take your fuckin’
clothes off now, bitch. If you don’t, I’ll carve you up like…”

His voice trailed off and
Tucker got the sense he was taking her into another room until he heard the
sound of clothes tearing.

“Yeah, let me cut them off.
Much better.” He laughed. “Fuck, you are so hot. You’re getting wet just
thinking about taking my cock again, aren’t you?”

Tucker peeked inside.

She was on her knees, in the
submissive position, and her tank top was hanging off her back.

Tucker couldn’t see a gun.
The sharp blade Glen wielded seemed to be his weapon of choice, but Tucker would
still rather have the element of surprise working in his favor in case he was
armed. If he could slip inside unnoticed, he would have a better chance of
bringing him down without putting Rachel at risk. Unfortunately, he didn’t have
time to waste because if that prick laid one hand on
his
woman, Tucker
knew he wouldn’t be able to control his actions.

“You really thought I was
going to let you take my little girl away from me? Man, you’re stupider than I
thought. Didn’t you know I’d hunt you down like a dog?”

Rachel whimpered. “I’ll do anything,
please, please don’t take my baby, Glen.”

“You know there’s a warrant
out for your arrest, don’t you?” He cackled. “Wait ‘til you have to go to the
joint. Those bitches are gonna fuck you up but good. Two, three, four at a
time.” He threw his head back and laughed. “I hope you like eating pussy,
‘cause you’re gonna be getting a lot of it.”

Tucker was still trying to
process the news she had a daughter she’d never told him about when the dirt
bag lowered his zipper.

“Suck my cock, bitch.”

Tucker slipped inside the
door and drew his gun, aiming it at the back of the man’s head. “Drop the knife
or your fuckin’ brain matter will be splattered all over the walls.”

Glen froze as Rachel lowered
her eyes to the ground.

Tucker was a millisecond away
from pulling the trigger. “Nothing would give me greater pleasure than to put a
bullet through you, you sick fuck. This is the last time I’m gonna tell you;
drop the blade or I shoot to kill.”

The clatter of metal hitting
the tile floor seemed to echo off the walls as he dropped his weapon.

“Now turn around slowly with
your hands on your head.”

He did as instructed and
Tucker stared into the darkest, most depraved eyes he’d ever seen. How could
Rachel have ever willingly given herself to this man?

Tucker tried not to focus on
Rachel’s trembling, sobbing form as he kicked the knife across the floor and
secured his suspect’s arms behind his back. He cuffed him, ensuring the
bracelets were tight enough to restrict blood flow, before he shouted out
Jake’s name. He had no doubt his buddy would be out there, waiting, in case he
needed back up.

Jake glared at the suspect.
“You want me to process him, Chief?”

“Yeah, I’ll be back there in
a few minutes.”

Jake grabbed Glen and pushed
him through the door with enough force to cause the man to fall forward. “Pick
up your feet, asshole.”

Tucker waited for Jake to
close the door behind them before he turned his attention to Rachel. He had
more questions than answers, but it was obvious she needed him now. He went to her,
grabbing her shoulders as he pulled her to her feet.

“I’m so sorry,” she
whispered, looking up at him. Her big green eyes were brimming with tears and
her make-up was streaking her face. “I didn’t want to lie to you. I never meant
to hurt you, Tucker.”

He felt the weight of her
words when he realized he’d been holding out hope her ex had been the one
lying. Obviously not. “You have a kid with that piece of shit?” He was livid,
knowing that she had that bond with someone else. “Where is she? Where is your
daughter?”

“She lives with me and my
mother.”

He turned away from her as he
scraped his hands through his hair. Who the hell was this woman he’d allowed
himself to fall in love with? “That’s why your trail ran cold when I ran a
background check on you, isn’t it?” He turned back to face her. “You’re in
hiding because there’s a warrant out for your arrest?”

When she failed to respond
right away, he grabbed her shoulders. “Answer me, damn it!”

“Yes!” She choked back a sob.
“There’s a warrant for my arrest in Arkansas.”

He couldn’t believe this was
happening. “What did you do?”

She squared her shoulders and
looked him in the eye. “I did what any mother would do, Tucker. I ran to
protect my baby. He used the belt on her. I saw the marks, and it was either
take her away or put a bullet between his eyes.” She shrugged. “I figured if I
ran, she’d be safe. At most, I’d get a year or two. If I killed him, I’d get
life and I’d never get to see my little girl grow up. I couldn’t do that to
her.”

He was stunned by her
bravery, but he was still mad as hell that she’d lied to him. “Is Rachel Morgan
your real name?”

She lowered her head. “Rachel
is my middle name. Morgan was my maiden name. My real surname is Walsh.” She
offered a small smile. “I think I’ll stick with Rachel, though. I’ve always
preferred it to Constance.”

He didn’t give a damn about
her name right now. He wanted to know who the hell she was behind the smoke and
mirrors. Was the woman he’d made love to, the woman he’d fallen in love with,
the real Rachel, or Constance, or whatever the hell she preferred to call
herself, or was that part of her act? Did she think getting involved with him
would help her case somehow? Did she actually think he’d risk his career to
protect her after she’d lied to him about everything?

“So Dixie knew everything?
She was harboring a fugitive this entire time?”

“No!” She grabbed his biceps.
“Please don’t blame her. None of this was her fault, Tucker. She encouraged me
to turn myself in, but I couldn’t bear the thought of leaving Maddie and my
mother alone to fend for themselves knowing that maniac was still out there
somewhere.”

“Maddie?” He thought back to
the day he’d visited the school. “God, I met her that day, didn’t I?” He
remembered a little girl with a gap-toothed grin, strawberry blonde hair, and
bright green eyes. Had he known Rachel had a daughter, he would have had no
problem picking Madison out of a crowd. Too bad she hadn’t trusted him enough
to tell him the truth.

“Yes, you did.” She pulled
the torn tank top around her mid-section. “She really liked you. She said you
were funny.”

He scrubbed his hands over
his face. God, what a mess. What the hell was he supposed to do now?

She touched his shoulder.
“Tucker, I know what I have to do.”

“What?”

“I have to turn myself in.”

“Jesus,” he whispered,
lowering his head. He didn’t want to think about her having to spend even one
night behind bars. He was hurt, angry, confused, but he still cared about what
happened to her and her daughter.

“It’s okay,” she whispered,
reaching up to stroke his face. “I broke the law. I have to face the
consequences of my actions.”

He’d always been the biggest
proponent of law and order, so why did his beliefs seem to be mocking him now?
“If you’re worried I’m going to turn you in…”