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Sawyer
She was a by the book woman but I knew she liked it dirty with me. It was the best secret I had discovered with Bess Geary and I planned to keep that all to myself. I planned to keep her all to myself.
I had been rough. I knew it. But she kept up with me, pushed me to new levels. I leaned over her and squeezed her as hard as I could without breaking her. I separated from her reluctantly and pulled her up as I smoothed her skirt back down over that perfect ass.
“These are done,” I said as I kicked her panties to the nearby can.
“I’ll have to remember not to wear my favorites when you’re around.”
I pulled lovely lace cups back over her breasts. Her chest was flushed there. I was sad to not have her completely naked. Later.
I helped Bess with her blouse and other than the flushed skin and tousled hair she almost looked like I had not just fucked her over her car hood. Almost.
“You’re so fucking hot. I am not sorry. I had to have you.”
“Sorry? All of sudden the garage is my new favorite place.”
I searched her face, her warm eyes, her lips. She was the most gorgeous woman I had seen, ever, bar none. I kissed her. This time softly, I had given her a lot, and she had taken it. Now I wanted to take care of her.
“Come on. Let’s get you in the house. It’s cold out here.”
She took a quick shower, wrapped herself in a robe and the largest socks I had ever seen.
“Those are epic.”
“I know. I do get cold on the wood floors.”
“Henry okay?”
“Down for the count.”
“I’m going to sleep on the couch.”
“You could probably sneak in bed with me.”
“If I do that we will eventually wake up your little camper.”
“True.” I pulled her close again and my hands wanted to go inside that robe dammit. How was it that we had just been together and I wanted to be with her again?
“Go to your room,” I said.
“Am I being punished?” She jutted her lower lip out and it was all I could do not to take it between my teeth. This woman was everything to me.
When she had called that she was being followed, I wanted to murder someone. I knew my crew had it covered the minute I called them. Still, I didn’t want to tell her how scared I was for her. It would not have served her, behind the wheel, with her kid in the backseat.
“No more going off without me. Things are heating up with the Bratva on my end.”
“What does that mean?”
“Not your concern but please understand you did the right thing by calling me last night.”
“What do you mean that things are heating up?” She backed away.
“I mean you, me, and your cop friend probably, are poking the hornet’s nest a little bit more each day. They’re going to strike back.”
“I can take care of myself and I also will not help you do something illegal.” This was the Bess I knew. I had pushed a little too far into my world with that last warning. But so be it. She needed to be safe.
“It is not your concern.”
“I cannot have you do anything illegal or unsafe.”
“You worried about me doll?”
“I am. And don’t call me doll.” I pulled grabbed the belt of her robe and yanked her forward to me. She struggled to back away but I held tight.
“I’ll call you whatever I want. You’re mine. Whether you admit it or not. I am telling you that you are not going out alone or getting into situations like last night that could have gotten you or Henry hurt. You hear me?”
She stopped struggling and softened against me. I kissed her pouting lips and hopefully that was it. She got the message. It was not safe until I had cleaned the Russians out. How I did it, was not her worry.
Bess
His? I was his? The phrase thrilled me and pissed me off all at the same time. But I pretended to agree. I pretended to comply with Sawyer McCall’s orders. Fighting him was impossible.
I was going to get to the bottom of whoever had kidnapped Alexis and I was going to do it by the book. Sawyer McCall had worked hard to clean up the Great Wolves MC in Grand City and I was damn sure he would not get dirty again on my account.
True to his word, he slept on the couch and followed close behind me as I dropped off Henry and headed to work.
“Day of paperwork and interviewing candidates.” I lied to him.
“Okay, call BEFORE you head out to get Henry,” he said and kissed me.
“Yes, Prez.”
Sure, I had a bit of paperwork but my plan was to visit Alexis again. Norm had said her foster parents called her in as a runaway. Why? What had happened? I wanted to understand and I worried about the other runaway on my client list too.
I decided to check in with Detective Murray to see if there had been any leads on Kirstin Jones.
“Not one. I’m sorry.”
“I just wondered if you’d really given it a priority.”
“Norm told us pretty definitely that her foster parents said she was online and then out the door. If there is a boyfriend. We have been over this Bess. It's the same story.”
“I gotcha. I just can’t get her off my mind.”
“That’s why you’re so good at your job.”
“Let me know if you turn up anything.”
“Of course.”
No sooner had I hung up the phone and Cassidy Parker was at my office door.
Her brow was furrowed and her lips were pressed in a tight line.
“My girl is gone.”
“What?”
“The one I told you about, DeAndra Parrish.”
“What do you mean gone.”
“Her parents just left. They told Norm and me that she ran away. She hasn’t been responding to my texts because she bolted.”
“Shit. Norm!” Norm Northcut came in.
“What the hell?”
“Another one?”
“Look, Cassidy followed all the protocols and she’s been looping me in on everything. DeAndra Parrish is a runaway.”
“Just like Kirstin?” We were failing, over and over, we were failing.
“I’m afraid so.” Norm said and Cassidy paced the floor.
“Look both of you, there’s another element out there that I’m very worried about.”
“Sex trafficking, we know they’re at risk.”
“But what if both Kirstin and now DeAndra are out there, on the streets, vulnerable, with this much more aggressive predator in the mix?”
“Sex trafficking is not new.” Norm added.
“No, it’s not, but it’s getting worse and Grand City feels like the next Flint or Toledo or any of the towns we’ve read statistics on.”
“All we can do is keep the lines of communication open with the Michigan Human Trafficking Taskforce and Detective Murray.” Norm’s concern was a degree or ten less than mine. Cassidy, however, looked like she was going to jump out of her skin.
“I suppose.”
“You know they could also just be with some dumbass junkie boyfriends. That’s just as likely.”
“The outcome isn’t great for that either but at least, they wouldn’t have the experience that Alexis had.”
“That’s really cold comfort,” Cassidy said. And she was right. I had two vulnerable runaways out of my agency to worry about now. One girl that had been through hell. I also had a fresh skepticism of the open files. There were so many young people that I could not protect. I felt sick, desperate, and I needed to prove to myself that I was good for something. That my agency could help.
I had to find out what I could about how the Russians operated with Alexis. She knew more and might be able to give something to Murray get the sex traffickers out of Grand City.
My phone buzzed with a text. It was Sawyer.
“I’ve got a picture to send you. Maybe next time you see Alexis. Or your detective friend you could have them take a look.” He was now reading my mind. That was new.
A scary looking shaved headed man appeared in the next text. I was sure I didn’t want to know how Sawyer came by it.
“Where’d you get this?” I texted back.
“Snapchat,” was the response. Fine. He was not going to tell me and I didn’t want to push it.
I texted back a thank you. I toyed with telling him about DeAndra and that I was headed to see Alexis on my own. But I stopped myself. I didn’t need or want Sawyer showing up to the halfway house.
“Call me when you’re done today, promise.”
“Promise.”
That was it. I needed to get to Alexis.
She was in the common room hanging out with some of the other girls. She was so skinny, so vulnerable, but I spied for a second. She was holding her own. A giggle escaped from her mouth at someone’s joke. Her spirit was wounded for sure, but there was still so much good to work with.
I walked in and she gave me a small smile. That she was not curled up in a ball in a dark room after what she had been through amazed me. She was a survivor of the highest order.
“Can we talk?”
She got up and came over to the kitchen. I decided to empty the dishwasher and she helped. It gave us something to do with our hands and a place to look instead of me staring her down. I didn’t want to push her so fast but I needed to. I felt like DeAndra and Kirstin were out there and could already be enduring what Alexis had.
“Can we go over what happened, not the worst stuff, just the part when they got you?”
“Sure.”
“So you’d gone to the mall.”
“Yes, I was allowed to walk around the mall, I did it all the time. I was in the food court when a man came up and sat down, slid right next to me in the booth. He was big and scary, and his English was crap.”
“Russian.”
“That’s what Sawyer said. I don’t have a degree in accents.”
“Sure, so then what?”
“I was so scared. I was about to scream when he pushed the first needle into my thigh.”
“Jesus.”
“Yeah, I felt very foggy very fast. I guess I sort of remember leaving the mall and getting into his car. It was maroon, long, old looking. But once I got in, it’s pretty blurry. I don’t know how long we drove.”
“Then?”
“Then there were other girls. We were tied to cots. I knew that. It seemed like a bunch of garages. Then we were in trucks and I know that was a long drive. I’m pretty sure that’s how I got here.”
“We’re about two hours away from Flint.”
“That seems right.”
“I was taken to another garage, a hotel; it was then that I started pretending to be stoned. Things get clearer.”
“Was the man who grabbed you around after that?”
“He was in and out. He did a lot of shuttling us I think. There were other men in charge and others who forced me into those hotel rooms.”
“So whose faces would you recognize do you think?”
“I would recognize George for sure. And if I saw him I would spit on him.”
“You’re better than me. I’d want to rip his eyes out.” I said and was not kidding.
We finished putting away the dishes. I got ready to leave, and as I did, Alexis put a hand out and grabbed my wrist.
“There’s more, I can help you with more.”
“It’s not too much?”
“No, I want to put them away. If I can help any of those girls that, I saw. They’re not as strong as I am. They’re going to die or never get out. I don’t know what happens if they don’t get out.”
“Neither do I.”
“So let’s get this Georgie guy.”
“I will. You were a huge help and maybe we talk again tomorrow.”
“Okay.”
“Movie night again, or John Green?”
“I finished the book. I can go get it so you can have it back?”
“No, it’s yours; maybe donate it to the reading area here?”
“Good idea.”
I made a note that the girl devoured the one book to her name. I would be buying more.
“Enjoy movie night. Mrs. Williams will be glad to have you.”
“See you tomorrow?” She asked with such a vulnerable hopefulness that, at once, I was thrilled that we were connecting and at the same time terrified that me, the system or the cops would let her down again. I was determined that I would not let that happen.
“Either me or your caseworker Cassidy. She’s going to start visiting.”
“You’re not my caseworker?”
“No, I’m the boss of the caseworkers. You’re getting special treatment.” I winked at her.
“Wow, so all you have to do is get kidnapped and sold into slavery and you go to the front of the line?” Her sardonic wit was decades beyond her years.
“Yes, great deal eh?”
“Yeah, fantastic.” She was breaking my heart, this kid.
I made a b-line from her to Detective Murray.
“I’ve got something.”
“What’s that?’”
“We’re looking for a Russian named Georgie. Here’s his picture.” I texted it over to his phone.
“How’d you get this?” Murray gave me a sideways look.
“Not your problem.”
“It’s from Sawyer.”
“You know if you’re going to interrogate me we’re never going to get anywhere.”
“Georgie, Russian, and somewhere in Grand City.”
“Yep.”
“And oh, one more thing, he drives a maroon sedan of some sort.”
“Well, there you go. And what do I arrest him for?”
“Alexis says this is the guy that grabbed her in the Flint Mall and brought her here, he also drugged her, and transported her all over the state.”
“A drugged up runaway’s testimony is usually rock solid.”
“Listen smartass you met her.”
“I did and she’s as bright as a penny. I’ll get to work on this George and see what I can come up with.”
“Thank you.”
“And Bess, be careful around Sawyer McCall. He and some of his crew could be just as dangerous as these Russians Alexis claims kidnapped her.”
“That’s why I came to you. Let’s do this the right way.”
“Okay, I’ll keep you I the loop.”
“Thanks.”
“Oh, and she’s going to have to look at a lineup. Can she do that?”
“She can do anything.”
“Sounds familiar.” I felt better knowing that Alexis and I had at least given the police one viable lead. It was something.
DeAndra and Kirstin were still missing but we pushed back a little.
It was late by the time I pulled back into my parking space at the office.
A giant Harley with a dangerous-to-know man atop it was waiting right next to my space.
He pulled his helmet off, shook that hair that was way too long to ever work in an office, and fixed a couple of intense eyes on me as I got out of my car. I literally felt my heart flutter when he did it. Damn he was good looking.
“Your paperwork requires you to drive to the halfway house and to the cops today?”
“How the hell did you know where I was?”
“Because I knew you wouldn’t stay behind your desk or let me help you.”
“So you followed me.”
“Let’s just say I have eyes all over town.”
“Let’s just say you’re a creepy stalker.”
“Fine. I have been called worse. Liar, though, no one ever called me that.”
“And are you calling me that?”
“If the name fits.”
“So what are you doing here now?”
“I wasn’t kidding, I’m your shadow like it or not.”
“I don’t like it.”
“Come on, a part of you likes it a helluva lot.” Sawyer’s eyes ran up and down from my shoes to me eyes. I could not help it, but I blushed.
“I’ve got an hour or so more work to do today, at least.”
“I’ll wait.”
I was exasperated and didn’t want to fight. I wanted to find these girls.
“Whatever.”
“Do you need me to pick up Henry in the meantime?”
“No, it’s his dad’s turn.”
“Okay, so I’ll be down here.”
“You may as well come up with me.”
“As you wish.”
I do not know why I didn’t just let him sit there. I probably should have.
We got back to the office with a very worried Cassidy and an eye-rolling Norm.
“I’ve made so many phone calls. I have put up flyers. I just don’t know what DeAndra was thinking.” Sometimes I forgot how young Cassidy was. Her life had been tough too and it made you think she was older sometimes. She was still learning this job and still a raw nerve when it came to her love for her clients.
“She’s making herself sick over it. I looked at Kirstin and DeAndra’s files, same deal, no one’s fault. Just runaways.” Norm lifted his hands in resignation.
“I don’t always agree with Norm, but in this case, it could very well be the case,” I told her.
I didn’t want Cassidy to beat herself up about this for days. She had done a good job on the placement, she had Norm sign off on all her follow-ups and evaluations of the file, but no matter what you do sometimes, it just does not turn into a happy ending.
“Norm you can head out. I’ll get Cassidy sorted out.” As annoying as Norm could be he was always there, that was not the case with others. My staff burnout rate was high and Cassidy would be the next one to flame out if I didn’t get her to realize it was not her fault when a kid ran away.
Sawyer had hung back and he passed Norm as Norm left.
“Hey, Cassidy, rough day?” Sawyer asked her.
“Yes, the worst.”
“Let’s all head to my office and hash it out one more time. Kirstin and DeAndra, maybe the three of us can come up with one more lead to check, one more way to reach out to the girls.”
“Come on, Sawyer reached out a hand to Cassidy and she took it. He was a protector. I had seen it with Cassidy, Dylan, and now my Henry. The man took it all on his shoulders. In that way, I had to admit we were more alike than different. I did it in heels and he did it on a bike.
The three of us talked, racked our brains, and went over the details again. Good foster parents experienced even. Then the online component was the same with both girls. Their parents reported they posted a message and in Kirstin’s case that she was running away. It was pretty cut and dried.
They both had online “boyfriends” that no one had ever met.
“And that’s what happened with Alexis too?” Sawyer said.
“Yes, I guess.” I had not actually asked her about that part. Norm said the same thing had happened with her. I made a point to ask her specifically what led her to run off. Maybe it would help me, at least, understand the other girls.
Cassidy’s own personal protection army showed up in the parking lot. Sawyer was relieved to see Craddock Flynn in the car with Dylan, waiting on Cassidy to come down.
I was relieved too. She could lean on Craddock tonight after what had been an awful day for her at work.
We hugged her goodbye and then Sawyer and I were alone. I put a little distance between us.
“You afraid that I might bite?”
“I know you will.”
“So you know I’m not leaving your side?”
“It appears that way, yes.”
“My place or yours?” We had been at my place enough. With Henry off with his dad, I decided a change of scenery was a very good idea.
“I feel like a beer with a biker outlaw. Know any?”
“Follow me beautiful, and don’t worry, I’ve got clothes for you at my place.”
“You do?”
“Size six jeans, a small t-shirt, replacement underwear from the other night which I owed you, and a toothbrush. That cover it? Otherwise, you will be naked in my bed. Now follow me with your car unless you want the staff to wonder why you left with an outlaw on a motorcycle.”
“I think they’ve figured out why.” I smiled and bit my own thumb to try to staunch the red face I had just given myself.
“God you’re cute.” He said and grabbed it out of my mouth and kissed me.
I followed Sawyer McCall to The Wolf Den.
I was highly interested in spending a little time in his world. I needed a distraction from mine.