Chapter 17

"I'm a dirt person. I trust the dirt.

I don't trust diamonds and gold."

–Eartha Kitt

Jameson

Whatever I had felt for Rayne before easily doubled after she stormed out of the bar.

"It's possible that woman has actual balls," Felix joked, causing everyone at the table to chuckle.

I had been asked to take the day off for this meeting and another run into the bayou. I had yet to determine where the funds or the drugs were coming from.

"She's not wrong," someone said. I turned and looked at Remy. He was probably the oldest member of the gang. Usually he just hung out with his old lady, Candy.

"No, she's not." Felix nodded. "I'll see to it." He sipped the beer that Rayne had purchased for the table.

"What about her?" Remy asked, motioning to where Rayne had just disappeared. "Now that Jameson isn't keeping an eye on her, how do we know she's not poking those pretty little tits where they don't belong?"

"She's not. She's way off course." Felix smiled. "I have someone watching her. If she gets close, I'll know about it."

I instantly wanted more information, but then Felix started talking about another party at his place. This party, according to Felix, was going to be the big one.

Most people involved in illegal activities liked to show off their wealth with the scum that worked for them. Felix was no exception.

The elaborate parties he hosted were filled with booze, drugs, guns, money, and, one time, a fight-club event.

"Jameson," Felix said, gaining my attention. "Tonight I need you to pick up the party favors for tomorrow night's festivities. I have a little surprise in store for this party. Something different."

I nodded quickly as Felix turned to the next member and rattled off more requests.

It wasn't the first time I'd picked up drugs for Felix. Most of the time it was small stuff. I figured this would be no different.

I knew the drill. I'd get a text message minutes before with the location and time for the pickup. It still made me wonder why he didn't use any of the drugs at the Nest. Since Evelyn's death, Declan had remained hidden. I didn't even know if the man knew of her death yet.

Felix and Ben weren't talking about it and something told me not to ask. I was on their good side and needed to stay that way. One positive thing about Declan being away, besides not having to deal with him, was that I was now Ben's number-one guy. Which made me number three in the entire operation.

When a few more members walked into the bar and Felix had finished delegating for the party, everyone scattered.

I headed over to play a round of pool and desperately tried to avoid Izzy. At least for a little while.

It was funny that Bayou Brews and Blues was where the Reapers chose to hang. The dimly lit bar was a place where they felt they could let loose. They acted as if they were home.

Tonight, the air was thick with the scent of beer and whiskey and the sound of laughter, music, and the cheers of the patrons glued to whatever ball game was playing on the television sets behind the bar.

Felix was in top form that night. He walked around and gave each member his attention, his presence commanding respect from everyone. It was as if Rayne's earlier challenge had stoked his need to feel important.

As I nursed my drink at the far end of the bar, I saw Henry Taylor stumble into the place. I could tell that he was very inebriated. After glancing around, he pushed his way over to Felix, who was sitting a few barstools from me, talking with Nadia.

Henry jerked Felix around and exchanged hushed words with him. I couldn't hear what they were saying, but Henry's face was twisted with rage and when he started to raise his voice, Felix yanked the man into the hallway right behind me.

"I trusted you!" Henry's words echoed in the dimly lit hallway, making it so I could hear them perfectly. "And you repaid me with murder!"

My heart skipped a beat. Was Henry accusing Felix of being involved in the murder of his wife, Sharon?

I strained to catch more of their conversation, but the noise of the bar swallowed their words, leaving me with more questions than answers.

As the tension continued between Felix and Henry, Izzy practically fell in my lap. She flashed me a dazzling smile, her eyes sparkling with mischief.

"Oops," she giggled as her breasts pressed against my arm. "Hey there, stranger," she purred, leaning in close enough that I could smell the scent of her perfume mixed with the unmistakable odor of alcohol on her breath.

I offered her a polite smile, trying to keep my distance. "Hey, Izzy," I replied, my voice carefully neutral.

But Izzy wasn't one to take a hint. With a careless laugh, she gestured wildly, sending her beer sloshing over the rim of her glass and onto my shirt. "Oops," she giggled, her fingers trailing dangerously close to the buttons of my shirt as she attempted to wipe away the spill.

I jumped up from the barstool and stepped back instinctively. "Izzy, don't you think you've had enough?" My voice was firm but gentle as I gently pushed her hands away.

But Izzy wasn't about to give up so easily. With a petulant pout, she glared up at me, her eyes flashing with anger. "You're such a buzzkill, Jameson," she spat, her voice rising above the sound of the bar as she stumbled away, leaving me with a sinking feeling in the pit of my stomach.

As I watched her disappear into the crowd, I wondered what other trouble she would get into before the night was over. For now, I had more pressing matters to attend to—like figuring out what the hell was going on between Felix and Henry.

I'd missed a lot of the conversation and now, as Felix and Henry parted ways, I debated following Henry and trying to get more out of him.

Then my phone chimed with the pickup time and place, and I had to leave to fulfill my role. When I left, both Felix and Nadia were gone.

There were some rumors that the two were involved. It was strange how little Felix acted like he cared for women, yet Nadia still stuck close to the gang. She didn't strike me as a woman who would allow herself to be pushed into the background.

Hell, she probably could out-bench me. She often came into the gym with Felix, but it was very apparent she had her own set up somewhere else. You didn't get arms like hers without lifting daily.

Jumping on my bike, I headed to the pickup spot, a cheap motel on the other side of town.

I staked the place out first, watching who came and went for almost half an hour before it was time for me to head over to room two-twelve.

I knocked on the door and was completely shocked when someone familiar opened the door. Ryan West, six foot two, one-ninety pounds, and all muscle. His jet-black hair was longer than I remembered and was pulled back into a ponytail at the base of his neck. He still wore stupid gamer shirts and jeans with holes in them along with his cowboy boots and hat, which was sitting on the bed next to a backpack that I assumed was full of the drugs I'd come there to purchase.

The guy looked like your all-American country kid just making a buck on the side.

"Shit," I said under my breath and quickly glanced around.

Ryan smiled brightly at me and, much like I had done, glanced around outside.

"We're clean," Ryan said under his breath.

"Ditto," I told him. "I'm solo."

He jerked his head, motioning for me to come into the cheap motel room, which stank of cigarettes, booze, and sex.

When I stepped inside, he shut the door and then held out his hand and shook my outstretched one.

"Fancy meeting you here." Ryan laughed.

"What in the hell." I shook my head. "How long has it been?" I asked, sitting down when Ryan motioned to the chairs.

He narrowed his eyes. "LA?" He shrugged. "I heard you did good work in Vegas."

I nodded and glanced around. "Heard you were in Houston. I expect this is the same setup as LA?"

Ryan nodded. "The guys are in the next room," he said. "Stand down, he's DEA," Ryan said firmly. "After this gig, I'll head back to Houston. I'm just standing in on this one."

"This is just a simple pick up for me." I sighed. "If it goes south, it will ruin what I've got going. I'm hoping to tag much bigger fish on this one."

I'd worked with Ryan on a couple of small-time busts. He'd been the rookie back then, and while I had gone on to larger stings, apparently he still worked the small hotel gigs.

"I'll have my guys check with…" He waited.

"Jasmine Thompson, Supervisory Special Agent, DEA," I supplied and knew that the agents next door would call Jasmine to confirm my gig. No doubt, I'd walk away with whatever drugs had been arranged for the pickup.

"Lucky, I guess, that you got the gig to pick up." Ryan sat down and got comfortable. "If anyone else had shown, we'd have hauled them away."

"Yeah," I said with a frown.

"Think it was on purpose?" Ryan asked.

"Do I think they knew this was a bust?" I asked.

Ryan nodded.

I thought about it quickly. If Felix knew this pickup was a sting and had sent me along for the sole purpose of figuring out if I was a narc, then if I brought the drugs back, he'd have his confirmation. Then again, if he knew Ryan was a sting and I got busted, Felix would trust my loyalties.

But in truth, I'd made a dozen or so pickups since Declan had gone into hiding. Each one had been from different people and places. Any of those could have been stings. If he was questioning my loyalty, why now?

I quickly played through the last week or so and knew deep down that I hadn't done anything to raise his suspicions.

"No," I said, shaking my head. "Not unless you were obvious. Knowing you, you weren't," I added.

Ryan nodded. "So, what's new?"

I shrugged. "I'm thinking of taking a break after this gig."

Ryan's eyebrows rose. "Washing out so soon?"

I laughed. "I found someone worth the break. I'd like to explore what's there. This"—I motioned around me—"is hindering it."

Ryan's smile grew. "Yeah? Does she know what you do?"

I nodded. "She's local PD. A detective." I thought about Rayne. Of how ballsy she'd been facing off with Felix earlier. "What about you?" I asked.

Ryan laughed but his eyebrows were furrowed. "You don't find too many women willing to put up with what we do. Besides, I'm still young." He laughed. "And I'm currently married to my job."

"Ever get back to Texas?" I asked, remembering he'd left his family, a twin brother, just before I'd met him.

He shook his head and I saw sadness flash behind his green eyes. "Not yet. Next gig has me heading back to Houston." He shrugged, then he paused, his eyebrows shooting up. He smiled. "Looks like you get to take the prize home tonight." He motioned to the bag of drugs on the bed.

I nodded and stood up, holding out my hand again to him. "After this, we should meet up for a beer and swap stories."

"I'd like to hear all about Vegas. I heard you had to ride a horse?" Ryan asked as he shook my hand. "It's been years since I got on the back of one. Sure do miss it."

I laughed. "It was a camel."

Ryan laughed as he shook his head. "Damn, I bet that was crazy. Good luck out there."

"Thanks." I took out the envelope of cash Felix had given me. "Gotta cover our tracks." I handed him the cash. "I'm sure Jasmine has told your SSA to clear out of these parts," I added. "I guess I'll be seeing you sometime." I shook his hand again. "Stay safe."

Ryan nodded and tossed the envelope of cash on the bed as I took the bag of drugs and threw it over my shoulder.

"Later," I said and walked out. The ride back to the bar was pleasant until the rain started. By the time I parked next to Felix's truck and tossed the bag in the back, I could barely see a foot in front of me. There was no way I wanted to ride the bike the few blocks in this mess to my place, nor did I want to head inside soaking wet.

Most of the bikes were gone, which signaled that everyone who had ridden there had left before the rain started. I was pulling my bike under the stairs that led up to the apartment above the bar and was just about to step out of the shadows when Henry Taylor stumbled out the back door with Faye.

"I told you," Henry said as Faye opened an umbrella and held it over them. "All my money is tied up in this deal."

"But rent is due," Faye whined.

"Once things settle, you can move in with me," Henry promised as they started up the stairs.

"Promise?" Faye asked.

"This is the big one. The last time. After what happened to Sharon, I'm through being indebted to anyone," Henry said. "Once I pay him back, no one can touch me or anyone I care about ever again," Henry added as they disappeared into Faye's apartment above my head.

Henry Taylor owed someone. Someone powerful enough that he believed they killed his wife and were now threatening his livelihood.

Once the couple had disappeared up the stairs and into the apartment above, I glanced around and figured the rain wasn't that bad. There was no way in hell anyone knew I was here. I rolled my bike two blocks and parked it in the garage next to my car. Then I pulled the car out and headed towards Rayne's place as the rain continued to flood the streets.

I made sure to check the mirrors several times to make sure I wasn't being followed. I pulled up into the dirt lane a few yards from her place and slid my car into the bushes. Then I hiked through the rain once more. When I stepped onto her front porch, soaking wet, I wasn't surprised that she jerked open the front door, a gun pointed at my chest.

"Jesus!" she gasped. "What in the hell?"

I smiled at her. "Hi."

She frowned and glanced around, then gripped my jacket and shirt and yanked me into the house.

When I stepped inside, I almost slipped on the tile floor as she turned off the lights in the hallway.

"What in the hell are you doing here?" she hissed. But before I could answer, she pressed her body and mouth to mine. "Don't answer that." She sighed after she pulled away. "Wait, do." She shook her head. "I don't have a safe room."

"You won't need one," I said, my hands running over her hips. "Everyone's occupied tonight running errands for Felix's party this weekend."

"Okay," she said slowly.

The news I had come here to give her could wait. What I wanted—no, what I needed—far outweighed the update on her case.

"You're soaking wet," she said with a chuckle. "And now, so am I."

"Then let's put our clothes in the dryer and shower. I need to warm up." I started to tug her shirt over her head.

I hadn't realized it before, but she was dressed in cotton pajamas with little hearts on them.

Hell, I didn't even know what time it was or how she'd known I was on her porch. Later. I'd ask her later.

Once her shirt hit the floor, I leaned down and sucked her nipple into my mouth as my hand explored the rest of her. The amount of desire I felt for her was overpowering. We fell towards the wall and I used it to hold us up while I took what I needed from her, using her as much as she used me.

When her fingers wrapped around my cock, I jerked in response and then had to concentrate really hard on not just exploding in her hand.

I became an animal in those few moments. My body and desires completely took over from my mind. It wasn't until after I'd slipped inside her and we started moving together that my needs settled some.

Her legs wrapped around my hips as I pushed deeper into her, wedging her between me and the wall. I felt her convulse around me as she cried out my name and followed her. The burst came in waves as I held onto her, wanting to never let go.

"We should get some sort of award," Rayne sighed against my shoulder.

I chuckled. "I honestly didn't come here for this," I said into her hair. "It's a nice bonus though."

I felt her nod. "Why don't you let go of me and we can dress before you tell me exactly why you are here?"

"Part of me doesn't want to let you go," I said honestly as I looked at her. She smiled and brushed her lips across mine.

Then I remembered everything I'd learned earlier and eased away from her.

We dressed quickly in the dark. Since my clothes were soaking wet, I slipped on a pair of sweatpants she swore were her father's. After stuffing my clothes in her dryer and turning it on, she took my hand and led me to her bedroom. She shut the window blinds before she turned on the light.

Her bedroom matched who I imagined she was perfectly—no-fuss furniture and a minimalistic esthetic. I expected the rest of her house to be the same.

She sat on the edge of the bed and motioned for me to sit next to her. I did and quickly filled her in on everything I'd overheard that evening.

"Who is the ‘he' in the conversation?" she asked when I was done.

"I'm assuming Felix," I said with a frown. "Since they were having heated words earlier."

She narrowed her eyes. "Why haven't you made your move on Felix if you think he's the mastermind?" she asked.

"Because I know that Felix isn't in charge," I answered quickly.

"So why do you think he's the one pulling Henry's strings?"

I shrugged and thought about it. "I guess I don't." I sighed and leaned back on the bed. "Who do you think he's talking about then?"

"I have some theories." She leaned back beside me. "Until I find solid evidence, I'm keeping them up here." She tapped her head.

"Problems?" I asked and shifted to be closer to her.

"Someone has broken into my office a few times and gone through my files," she admitted.

I thought about what Felix had said after she'd left the bar earlier that day. "Felix says he has someone watching you. That as of right now he doesn't think you're getting in his way."

To my surprise, she smiled. "I keep my real data on my phone not in my office or files now that I know someone has been breaking in."

"Smart," I admitted.

"I have a few tricks up my sleeve. Besides…" She reached over and brushed her fingers through my hair. "I have a secret weapon." I arched my eyebrows in question. "You," she said and then leaned over and kissed me.