Page 1 of Love Above Law

1

Lex

Eat. Sleep. Repeat. That's how this whole week has gone since I was given this assignment. The FBI has been trying to gather enough evidence to take down Miguel Santino—a huge shit stain on our society. He traffics people and drugs in and out of this country and has been slipping through the fingers of justice for several years. I've spent endless hours going through every file we have on him. Studying the ways he operates. Looking into his contacts here in the states and abroad. The man has roaches working for him all over the damn world. I'm determined to help take down this piece of shit. The vile things he's been a part of disgusts me. People like him shouldn't be allowed to walk the earth.

I scrub my hand down my unshaven face and breathe out a tired sigh. It's been a long ass week, and I'd like nothing more than to go home, nurse a couple of beers, and maybe catch the tail end of the football game, but instead, I'm on my way toward my childhood home in the suburbs of Tacoma. I have a huge family; 100% Italian on my mother's side and every Sunday my mom and my sisters cook dinner. If I were to try and skip out, I'd never hear the end of it. It's not that I don't love my family—I do. We are close. The problem is they don't understand boundaries.

My phone rings. Tapping the in-dash navigation screen, I answer the call, and my sister's voice fills the space around me as I continue driving down the busy streets, leaving the Seattle skyline behind me.

"Hey, Lex," Fran speaks softly on the other end of the line.

"How's it going, sis? You sound as tired as I feel."

She sighs. "Yeah, it's been a long day. Listen, I forgot to stop and get the wine, and I still need to pick the kids up from the sitter's house on the way to mom and dad's. Could you swing by the liquor store on the way?"

I cringe inside knowing I'll have to stop in town. "I'll take care of it." I glance at the time. "I should be there in thirty minutes if the traffic keeps moving."

"Thanks, Lex. See you soon."

The call ends, and I continue the rest of my drive in silence consumed by my thoughts. This case is a big deal for not only the department but for me. I've worked on many cases since joining the FBI. Most of them happen to involve human trafficking and in almost all of them I've helped take down the pieces of shit behind the crimes. I'm good at what I do. Digging into the inner workings of the suspect and analyzing the way they think and do things has become one of my better skills. The downside to that is the isolation that comes along with it. It happens to all of us. If we aren't careful, this line of work can start to seep into all aspect of everyday life. So, as tired as I am, and as much as this weeks workload has beat down on me, I'm thankful for Sundays with my crazy ass family. They help keep me grounded when all I want to do is turn in on myself.

The liquor store comes into view, and I pull my pride and joy into a parking spot. I drive a black 1968 Chevy Camaro SS with a bored out 390 big block. When I need to let off some steam, I take her out to a secluded area and open her up. Climbing out of my car, I walk into the store.

"Well hell, I haven't seen your face in a while, Lex. How's city living treating you?" the owner of the place, Frank greets me as I walk past the counter toward the wine selection he keeps to the right. Frank is a good guy. He's around the same age as my dad, and I've known him since I was a kid.

"She's chewed me up and spit me out this week," I place two bottles of red wine on the white countertop and pull my wallet from my back pocket as he chuckles.

"It was good looking at you again. You take care of yourself," Frank bags my purchase as I place my credit card back inside my wallet.

"You too," I tell him and walk out the door. I come to an abrupt stop the moment I turn the corner of the building where my car is parked. There perched against the hood of my car is my ex. She is the one reason I avoid stopping anywhere on my way to my parents' house. Peeling my tired feet from the pavement, I make my way past her to the driver side door and insert the key to unlock it.

"The Bureau must pay you well." April runs her hand across the hood of my car as she roams around to my side and stops beside me. Her perfume fills my senses. I used to love the smell.

"April." Her name is the only word to come from my mouth and it's laced with distaste. Her hand reaches for my arm, but I avoid her touch, blocking it by opening my door. I haven't run into her in a long time. She hasn't changed much. Her hair is a lighter blonde, but that's it. I once thought she was the most beautiful woman—until she showed her true colors. I continue to look at her.

"It's been a long time. You're looking good," she flirts, and anger rises in my gut. "I miss us—I miss you, Lex."

I climb into my car, place the paper bag on the passenger seat and peer up at her. "You made your choice," and I slam the car door. The engine rumbles as I give it a little gas causing April to step back onto the sidewalk in front of me; her face morphs into anger, and her arms cross over her small breasts from my rejection. The last thing I needed was my past to rise to the surface after the week I've had. Now that's all I can think about when I catch a glimpse of her still standing there in my rearview mirror as I leave the parking lot.

My whole life all I ever wanted was to wear the same uniform as my dad and his dad before him. I wanted to be a police officer. My entire family is deeply rooted in law. My great grandfather on my dad's side was the first in the family, to put on the badge. Then my grandad and his two brothers and my father along with his three brothers. Three generations of great men served their communities before me.

My mom's father and brother are also in law enforcement. My uncle went through the police academy with my dad, and that's how he met my mom. I knew by the age of six I wanted to be just like them.

I get to thinking about Chris. Chris Parker had been my best friend since the fifth grade. We did everything together. Football is where we shined throughout our junior high and high school career. I was the quarterback for the Bayview Eagles from seventh grade until I graduated. Chris played left tackle covering my back for six years. I could have gone on to play college ball. I had a full ride scholarship, but football was never what I wanted to do for the rest of my life. A career wearing the badge was always where my passion lay. Right after high school my best friend and I went into the academy.

Then there is April Moretti—beautiful, tall, blonde hair, brown eyes. We'd been dating since my freshman year of high school. Your typical cheerleader and football player matchup, but I loved her. Like Chris, she knew my dreams of becoming a cop and supported me every step of the way. Graduating from the academy was one of the proudest moments of my life. I'd done it. I'd become a police officer, and every person who meant something in my life was right there cheering me on. I was hired on with my hometown's local precinct alongside my best friend.

April enrolled in college to pursue a degree in fashion design, but a year in dropped out to take a modeling job for a new designer in Seattle. Everything was going well. I loved my patrol job, and I shared an apartment with April. After a couple of years, I began to want more out of my career and decided to pursue the idea of working for the FBI. Doing so meant going back to school full time. I studied for four years getting my degrees in criminal law, and foreign language. I worked my ass off to maintain a 3.0 and qualified for the honors internship with the FBI. In the end, I found my place. This was where I wanted to be.

Before I began training, I decided to propose to April. Our careers were taking off, and it seemed like the next step in life to take. Chris helped me plan the surprise. I took her to the top of the Space Needle. All our families were there waiting when I dropped to one knee. The following week I left to spend twenty weeks of rigorous FBI training at the academy; training that made the police academy feel like a walk in the park. But I threw myself into it. I gave everything I had—determined to make the top of my class.

Looking back, I should have noticed all the signs, but I didn't. I was so focused on my goal I didn't see it coming. I sure as shit never thought two of the most important people in my life would be the ones to pull the rug out from under me.

After three weeks in training, we were allowed leave to see our family, so I decided to surprise April. It was late afternoon when I made it home. With flowers in one hand and her favorite Chinese takeout in the other, I unlocked our apartment door and walked in. It didn't take but a second before hearing April's moan. A moan she only makes when we make love. My heart sank to my stomach.

My grip tightens on the steering wheel as I sit at the red light and continue to let my memories plague me.

I knew what I was going to find when my feet carried me across the living room. I hesitated for a moment as I stood there with my hand on the doorknob. Torturously I opened the door to our bedroom. I watched the motions of the sheets as they moved. I just stood there then dropped my eyes momentarily to the floor. A gasp brings my eyes back up. They connect with April's brown ones. She looks up in shock at the man hovering over her body; his face I can't see, but the back of his head starts to look familiar. The color of his hair. The cut. April looks at me again. Her eyes empty of emotion. Showing no signs of remorse in what she was doing. Then the man turns his head and looks in my direction.