Sunday, January 28, 2024
Chapter 10: Bullets for My Valentine
Blistering winds bit at Alexa’s face, the only part of her
body that was exposed as she laid in wait near the old refinery. Thanks to
Gavin’s discovery, she had left a blackmail letter for Mayor McLintock. If she
wished to keep her name out of the papers with regard to the conspiracy, she’d
be wise to deliver half-a-million dollars in small, unmarked bills to the
designated location at noon.
The plan was to get the mayor or her cohorts to expose
themselves, allowing Alexa to get definitive proof of their involvement. Thirty
minutes past the scheduled meeting time, she heard the distinct sound of leaves
and gravel crunching under tires. A dark colored SUV was pulling into the lot.
Three men exited the vehicle. Two searched the area while the third waited near
the driver’s side door.
Chapter 09: Blood Money
Warm hands wrapped around Gavin’s middle as he quietly
worked in the garage. Taking a deep breath, he gently rubbed Alexa’s soft
skin and felt her head rest against his shoulder. “You alright, Babe?” he asked
stealing a glance behind him.
“Yeah,” she sighed before slipping around to look him in the
eyes. “Sorry about last night.”
“Nah it’s ok. I sorta figured you fell asleep where I’d left
you in Curt’s room. How’s he doing by the way?”
“Alright, I guess. The local police have agreed to put a
full guard detail on him until he’s released.”
“And when is that?”
“Not sure. Maybe Tuesday? His doctor wants to give his wounds a little while to heal and to make sure he’s safe from clotting. He’s not taking their advice and staying in bed so it’s prolonging the process.” Alexa hopped up on the table beside Gavin’s workspace as he took a seat. “How was your evening?”
“Productive.”
Chapter 08: Up All Night
Gavin raced down the
gravel road, driving furiously until he saw the devastating sight. Alexa’s car
set on its side, bright flames and dark smoke drifting from its ruins. Remi, and Gavin jumped out of
the car and ran to the disfigured vehicle. Heat still steamed off the metal in
shimmery waves.
Gavin ran up as
close as he could to get a look inside but saw nothing. He turned around in a
circle searching for clues, then looked at the cabin and saw the upstairs
windows open. He pulled out his Glock, “The house,” he said. Remi and his men
took attack positions around the perimeter of the home. Gavin tried to catch
his breath. Remi was already at the front door and gestured for him to take the
back.
Chapter 07: Hit Squad
It didn’t take much convincing. Just another seventy grand
U.S. to get Juan to locate a coyote brave enough to transport Manuel Garcia
across the border for Alexa. Although things hadn’t gone to plan down in
Puebla, they had gained some valuable Intel that could blow their case wide
open. And while it would have been more prudent to finish their hostage off and
leave his body on Julian Cruz’s doorstep, Curt was committed to bringing the mayor
face-to-face with her misconduct.
After securing Garcia in a vacant home in the woods, she and
Curt returned to her house to decompress. Plus, Alexa had been anxious to get
back and hug Willow. Gavin stood at the door as the pair pulled in and almost
instantly, Garcia’s words about his dad began swirling around her head. “Are
you ready for this?” Curt asked, noticing her apprehension.
“Yeah. Let’s get this over with,” she replied and slid out of the driver’s door.
Chapter 06: Out of Bounds
Alexa and Curt sat in a lane of thirty cars waiting for
Border Patrol to allow them into the country. Less than 24-hours ago, her
family had been attacked by unknown thugs. Now here they were, waiting in line
to get their revenge. And while it would have been ideal to fly to their
destination, which was also Curt’s suggestion, Alexa wanted to be able to get
in and out as quickly as possible.
Chapter 05: She Bangs
“Jesus fucking Christ! A hit?” Curt shouted once Alexa had
finished going over what she and Gavin uncovered at the Gala. “Are you sure?”
“It’s the only thing that makes sense,” Alexa answered. “Michael
West is a fall guy. I’m betting that if we look into his finances or those of
his closest relatives, we’ll find the payoff.”
“Fuck!” He continued pacing, burning holes in his hundred-dollar Rockports. “Why? Who would want the Commissioner dead?”
“Well,” Alexa glanced over at Gavin, seeking permission
before she continued. He nodded and she released a deep breath. “The
information was in a folder sitting in the Governor’s office.”
Chapter 04: Silent Knight
Alexa was pinned down behind the car, taking shots from an
unseen attacker to her right. Meanwhile, Curt was returning fire in the same
direction. He was shielding himself on the porch, providing Alexa with much
needed cover. “You’re gonna have to get away from there, Alexa,” he shouted
over the gunfire. “I don’t know how much more that engine block can take before
the thing blows.”
As the words escaped his mouth, the smell of gasoline met
with Alexa’s nose. Looking beside her right shoulder, she saw the fuel tank had
been punctured and a steady stream of gas was pouring into the gravel beside
her. “Curt?” she shouted in a shaky voice.
“I got you, Trouble. Just run to me. I promise, I won’t let
anything happen to you.”
Chapter 03: Bad Blood
Alexa’s eyes opened to darkness. It had only been a few
hours since she joined her husband in bed. Gavin’s smooth chest was beneath her
fingertips as he held her against him; his breathing slow and even. She smiled,
feeling his arm squeeze around her tighter. He always knew when she stirred.
Quietly, she pulled away from him. Dark eyes peered up at her
as she stood naked at the side of the bed. He leaned up for a moment, fully
alert but, barely awake. “You ok?” he mumbled, running a hand over his face.
“I’m fine.”
“I’ll be right back.” She touched his hand and his fingers
tangled with hers before she slipped away. The shirt on the floor was nearly
pushed beneath the bed and she grabbed it before walking away, pulling it on
just as she opened the door.
Chapter 02: Leap of Faith
“All this is from one case?” Gavin asked, joining Alexa out
in the garage. She was poring over the files Curt had brought over earlier
which was all stored in boxes—lots of boxes.
“Apparently, they’ve been tracking every move La Hermandad
made starting in 2005,” she said without looking up. Focusing on a particular
file, Alexa analyzed the information, combing through the notes and still
images looking for whatever it was Detective Fuller indicated toward in his
last communication.
From the urgency in his voice, it would seem he stumbled onto
something big…big enough to warrant an unauthorized trip to Mexico. And enough
to have gotten him killed.
“And Detective Monroe thinks you’ll find something they
couldn’t in all that time?”
“He knows I’m good at what I do.”
“That’s putting it mildly.” It was a whispered assertion but
not so quiet to go unnoticed by Alexa. “Does that mean you found something?”
Chapter 01: Back in Business
Water trickled down the etched lines of Gavin Stark’s hard
body as he stood beneath the warm spray. His fingers combed through his raven
black hair, allowing the soap to wash through. Alexa sat perched upon the sink,
watching as he moved his tall frame further beneath the nozzle and suds turned
to clear water as he lifted his face to let the shower rain down on him.
Heat flared to life within Alexa as she imagined those hands
gripping her thighs and rudely exposing her most intimate parts. As if reading
her thoughts, Gavin’s dark lashes opened and the depths of his steely blue eyes
locked onto hers with a look of desire and that delicious smirk. “You know, you
could have joined me,” he said, his voice echoing around the small room.
Prologue: One False Move
It was quiet again but, Detective Dennis Fuller knew that
wouldn’t last long. Like the proverbial calm before the storm, he suspected his
assailants were repositioning in order to surround and trap him before the
bullets started flying.
Ducked behind a concrete wall, he watched as the blood finally
stopped leaching from his CI’s head. Sprawled in the middle of the street like
roadkill, his body was riddled with bullet holes from the ambush and it was
only a matter of time before the same thing happened to him.
Shit! He needed to
get off the street. Detective Fuller took a look around the area, counted down
from five and made a mad dash toward the loading docks. Jumping the fence, he
entered through a backdoor and quickly located a place to hide.
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