Then start her suspension.
Nikki had thrown the sheets to the side when I told her about the interaction with Cole, asking me why I didn’t do a citizen’s arrest or some bullshit. I explained his threat to her life and she told me she wasn’t afraid. I’d grabbed her face, making her look into my eyes and hoping she could see the fear that hid in them. Because Iwasafraid of losing her, and the memory of the feelings that tore my body apart when I’d seen her in the hospital bed that first time stayed with me, reminding me how fragile she was.
Normally, I’m certain she’d complain about being forced to take time off work, but the way she backed me against the wall in the elevator as we left the hospital, grabbing my cock through my pants and whispering naughty desires against my ear, I’m sure we’d find plenty of ways to pass the time. I wanted to take her straight back to her place to play out these desires, but there was one stop Nikki insisted on making first.
Emrick’s.
I wasn’t thrilled about it, but I understood. She was taking a step in a better direction, but first, she had some loose ends to tie off. Since Nikki’s car had been a write-off, something she was incredibly upset about, I picked her up from the hospital in a cheap run-around I’d bought in exchange for a handful of moving jobs. The car idled so rough at traffic lights that it felt like it would die any second, but it took us to Emrick’s club. We were allowed in without issue, although, of course, we were patted down before being permitted to go upstairs.
Emrick sat in the same chair, glancing over the balcony atthe small crowd milling around—an afternoon crowd getting in a few drinks before the place became packed. He didn’t stir when we came in, and we waited for a beat by the door for him to say or do anything that indicated he was aware of our presence. The first sign was a smirk creeping along his face, only partially visible through his fingers as he rested his chin on his palm.
“Good to see you two love birds are still together,” he purred out.
“No thanks to you, asshole.”
Emrick’s head tilted slowly until he was looking directly at me. His smile was dark and did nothing to make him seem more approachable or friendly. If anything, it did the opposite. “The truth was going to come out eventually.”
“Well, I’m glad you had so much fun exposing it so dramatically,” I grumbled, folding my arms across my chest. “We’re not here to talk about me. We have some questions for you.”
Before I could say anything further, Nikki stepped forward, her hands on her waist and weight on one leg, tilting her hip. “I want all the information you have on Rueben Cole.”
Emrick’s eyebrows flickered upward in a moment that betrayed his piqued interest. “Was he the one who killed Murphy?”
“Yes,” she said flatly.
Emrick chuckled. “Of course he was. Murphy was nothing but trouble for him from the start… that’s a long-term feud going on there.” The dark smile returned. “Unfortunately for Cole, he couldn’t hold his own once I took over. I heard he jumped ship a few weeks back, heading to another city where he didn’t have to work so hard to wrangle with the new kid in town…me.”
“Where did he go?”
“No fucking idea, and I don’t care as long as he stays out of my city.”
I expected Nikki to argue about Emrick’s claim ofmycity, but she said nothing, her toe tapping impatiently on the carpeted floor while she watched Emrick. “What else can you tell me?”
He leaned back in his chair, his large arms falling to the sides and impressive chest on display. His hoodie wasn’t zipped up all the way, and he wasn’t wearing a shirt underneath it. “Not much.”
“Tell me what youdoknow,” Nikki growled out.
Emrick stood, crossing the floor and closing the gap between them. To Nikki’s credit, she didn’t budge, although I made sure to move in behind her, ready to snatch her out of harm’s way if Emrick tried anything. But he simply cast me an amused glance before returning his stare to Nikki. “You’d fetch a handsome price, you know,” Emrick purred, lifting a lock of her blonde hair and letting it trail through his fingers. Nikki snarled at him and twisted to the side, pulling her hair from his hold.
Reaching around Nikki’s shoulder, I snatched at Emrick’s arm, and he cast me another disinterested glance. “I’d remove your hold of me, Cade, if you want to keep that arm.” I did, but with a shove that jolted his shoulder back and forced a growl from his throat.
“Do you have any useful information or not?” Nikki demanded.
“Not,” Emrick stated. “Only that he’s been doing what he does for a long time, and he’s good at it. If he doesn’t want to be found, you won’t be able to find him.” He chuckled. “Hell, your ownfatherran half the crime in his fucking city, and you were so clueless you went and became acop.”
Nikki took a half step forward, shrugging her arm out of my grasp when I went to hold her back. She pressed a finger against Emrick’s chest, and he tilted his head, gazing at her over his dark sunglasses, his black eyes blazing with rage and challenge.
“I’m going to find Cole…” Nikki whispered, holding his eyecontact even though I could see her other hand trembling, “… and then I’m coming foryou.”
NIKKI
Eight Months Later…
Found him.
Flicking a switch on the dash, the police car siren let out a warningwhoop-whoop,a fleeting but piercing sound that couldn’t be ignored. My target was strolling along the sidewalk, hands shoved in his pockets and head ducked down, trying to make himself look small despite his rather considerable stature—all height and muscles. He paused midstep at the sound of the siren but didn’t stop and continued making his way down the sidewalk. There were a few other pedestrians around who turned their heads to watch as I rolled the vehicle alongside the man.
“Sir, stop and raise your hands,” I said, leaning across the passenger seat and projecting my voice out the window. He said nothing and kept walking. Grabbing the mic from the dash, I repeated the command through the speakers, the crackling and volume grabbing the attention of the few remaining witnesseswho had previously pretended not to notice.
