Total pages in book: 87
Estimated words: 84871 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 424(@200wpm)___ 339(@250wpm)___ 283(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 84871 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 424(@200wpm)___ 339(@250wpm)___ 283(@300wpm)
“For?” I rasp out. “Is Trevor okay?”
“He’ll be fine. I popped in to check on him before coming to see you. They’re already on the way to the hospital with him. One of the officers is calling your sister.”
I relax, thankful that he’s alive and family will be told.
“I feel stupid,” Tanaka admits with a scowl. “I seriously thought you were the rat.”
“Same to you, buddy.” I grimace when another wave of pain explodes inside my head. “I mean, what police chief can afford to drive a Porsche?”
“One who married into wealth,” he says, shaking his head. “We fucked up.”
That we did.
“I came here from Seattle because of the corruption of the previous chief. From experience, I’ve learned there’s not just one snake, but usually a couple. I’ve been watching everyone but then got distracted by your…pursuits.”
“And I,” I say with a sigh, “found out a little too late that Bishop was the real source of infection in our department.”
Tanaka gently touches my arm, and surprisingly, I do find comfort in it. “We were both fooled. It won’t happen again.”
“There’s someone else too,” I tell him, cautiously side-eyeing the female EMT.
“I know.” His eyes flicker knowingly. “Montgomery actually cracked things wide open. He’s been watching Bishop’s interactions for months now and even followed him to a couple of meetings. The other person in this equation is being apprehended now.”
Relief floods through me, knowing the mayor’s not getting away with his part.
“What about that sick piece of shit biker president?”
“On his way to jail with all his buddies.” He squeezes my arm. “We could have avoided all this had you stayed at your desk like you were instructed to. Imagine my surprise when I came out and you were both gone.”
Great timing, Sloane.
“How did you know where to find me?”
“Officer Patel said she got a bad vibe when she saw you leaving with Bishop. She was ready to rescue you, guns blazing. We weren’t sure where the two of you went. Both of your phones were turned off. But when he turned around to come back, he switched his phone back on. Then, to our surprise, he came in with an outlandish story about how your nephew had taken you hostage.”
“You had to go along as though you had no idea,” I grumble. “I bet that sucked.”
“Indeed. I had to send Patel home because she was seconds from blowing the lid off the entire operation.”
A smile tugs at my lips as I think about Aisha ready to rip Bishop’s head off for me. She really is a good friend.
“What now, Tanaka?”
“Now we let justice prevail. Those men are going away for a long, long time.”
“Good.” I smile at him even though my bruised face hurts. “Next time, let’s try working together instead of against each other.”
He smirks. “Fantastic idea, Thurman.”
Dempsey
“I’m sure she’s fine,” Gemma says as she watches me pace Sloane’s living room. “Probably just working late. She’s been gone a long time. I bet her boss gave her a boring task like organizing the file room.”
Her babbling, though I don’t believe a word of it, soothes me. Just like always. It’s why I called her first—why I always call her first. Plus, she has our car until I get one of my own. I don’t like being stranded.
“Or,” she continues, “maybe she went to see her family. You said they’re getting along better.”
I rub my hand over my face, unable to shake the terrible feeling in my gut. She’d have called or responded to my texts if that were the case.
“Does it make me a psycho boyfriend if I drive around looking for her?”
Gemma sniggers. “Yeah, kind of. It’s still weird knowing you two are a thing and Mom and Dad are okay with it.”
“Something doesn’t feel right, though.”
Headlights flash through the front windows and my heart does a somersault. Thank fuck. I’m going to bend Sloane over my knee and spank her pretty ass for giving me heart palpitations. Dating a cop—one who’s been shot in the line of duty—is hard on the nerves.
“I guess you don’t need me anymore,” Gemma says as she stands, tossing her long brown hair over one shoulder. “See you in the morning.”
I give her a fist bump as she leaves. Until I find a car, she’s been picking me up for school since our university schedules are pretty much the same. She’s gone for ten seconds or so before she’s walking back in, a frown on her face. Kaden bursts into the living room behind her.
“Aunt Sloane’s at the hospital,” he says, tears in his eyes. “Trevor too. The cop dude came by our apartment to tell Mom. I told her you’d want to know, but she didn’t have your number.”
Holding up a hand, I rasp out. “Wait. What do you mean she’s at the hospital? Did something happen to Trevor?”