Cajun Protection (7 page)

“Nah, nothing like that,
chéri
, don’t
fret none.” His large callused hand comes up and pushes a stay
piece of hair out of my face that has fallen from my pony. I can
feel the warm creep through my body from his touch, sending a zap
of excitement to my unused clit. What the hell? He is an ass,
granted one that is so damn mouth wateringly hot my teeth can melt,
but still.

“Oh okay, then what’s up?” Trying not to show
how much he is affecting me, but with my lack of a certain garment,
my sweats are sure going to show a wet spot if I move too much.

“I have my cousin, Shaylene, she is coming in
to gettcha to go shopping. The shop has my card number, as well as
Hawk’s. Get what ya want, and whatever else you think you might
need. I just ask that ya don’t leave her side. You’re safer here
than in Bostwick, but I don’t know who followed us. She’ll drop ya
off at the house when you’re done. Just don’t leave, ya hear me,
chéri
?” The deep throaty tone of his voice when he calls me
chéri
is about all I can process. Shit, now I wish I had a
good vibrator. I nod, because around both of them I turn stupid and
can’t seem to process a single thought that will require me to use
words. Maybe it’s because they intimidate me. I’m a larger woman,
but next to them, I feel like a small child.

“Good. Now Hawk has a list of things in the
back he needs too.” Oh, he is dismissing me, well fine then. I
brush past him, and as I do I hear a small growl. Huh, I will have
to remember what I did to make him do that sound again. It is
frickin’ hot.

I knock on the door waiting for Hawk to tell
me come in.

“Yeah,” is the only response I get before I
push it open. The office belonging to Hawk and Wolf is sparse, and
that is being nice. It is clean-ish. So, it has some papers
scattered on the desk and a giant board that houses various
pictures and maps. But what gets me are the pictures on the board.
Pictures of me. It is my case. I’m glutton for punishment as I make
my way to it. I see Andrew’s mug shot, and pictures of Penny, my
apartment, the police report, everything about me.

“Shit, sorry, Zoey, I forgot to turn it,” and
the board swings upside down flashing to a giant map. “You okay,
doll?” Hawk has turned me to face him now. I guess with the shock
of it all, tears must have fallen down on my face. My life is
pinned on a board with fifty-cent tacks. The reality of it is
starting to crash down that no matter what I do, I can’t go back.
Suddenly two strong arms wrap around me, holding me tight. A small
shushing sound is being made. Hawk is trying to comfort me, but to
be honest it feels good, but not in a calming effect, but more of a
sexual one. Anytime Wolf or Hawk touch me, my body responds. To
make matters worse, I have only known them for a couple days. I’m a
hussy. Fuck me, wait no don’t fuck me, well maybe, shit I need to
stop thinking now.

“Sorry. I’m good. Wolf said you needed
something while I’m out?” Trying to separate myself with work, I
avoid Hawk’s demanding gaze.

“You okay to go out, doll?” Stupid brain
again—I nod.

“Okay, well then here is a list. I’m sure
Shaylene knows what to do. You need anything, call our cells.” He
hands me a piece of paper with numbers on it, and shocking me more
a small burn type of phone. Well at least I have something for
emergencies.

“Hey, Zoey, come on out here.” Wolf bellows
from the front office. I take everything from Hawk and head to the
front. I find a bright bubbly full-figured redhead who is glaring
at Wolf, but turns and smiles at me.

“Shit, this is gonna be fun. Didn’t tell me
she is a normal looking chick and not a twig. Hey, chicky, I’m
Shay, or Shaylene. We gonna do some shoppin’ then go to lunch and
from there, avoid trouble.” She winks at me and I can’t help but
giggle. “You ready to blow doom and gloom now?”

“Sure, sounds awesome.” I grab my purse and
follow her out, finally someone who makes me laugh and doesn’t
worry about how I’m feeling all the time. If I was a dude, I would
totally love this woman, hell, I think I already do when she passes
me a large peppermint mocha.

“Let’s go have some fun.” I jump in her car
and we take off, and for once today, I feel better.

Zoey

“So by the look of you, I can guess it’s easy
to see you don’t have any clothes, so let’s go to my fav store and
start there.” Shay is so damn talkative, I didn’t know if I should
speak, but I agreed with her.

“Here we go.” We pull up to a small shop that
has several delectable looking panties and bras. As I get closer, I
can see they are a whole lot sexier than I would ever consider.

“Um, ya know, we can go to Wal-Mart or
something.” I tug on Shaylene’s arm, and she doesn’t move.

“Seriously, chick, you need to pull on your
big girl drawers and grow up, oh wait that’s right, you don’t have
any. So, shut up and follow me. Don’t make me smack your ass too,”
she chucks at me. I feel a blush creep over me as I walk inside.
The smell is sweet and sexy. Very interesting. This isn’t like
Victoria Secret or Lane Bryant, no, this is a real shop that serves
all walks of life, but am I the right person to be in here? I look
to the left and see a mannequin off to the side in a teddy with
crotch-less panties. To the right are various corset tops with
small-laced boy shorts. What the hell am I doing?

“I know the owner, and yes she carries our
size. Come on, this is the fun part.” God what did this woman do
for a living that she would think this is fun. I watch as a skinny
woman with something that resembles a nightgown come flowing out of
a back room. She is stunning and a pang of jealously hits me. I
could never look like that, ever. Some people were just born with
good genes. Then again, it looks like she has never tasted a double
fudge ice cream Sunday with whipped cream, cherries, and colored
sprinkles.

“Shay, hey there you sexy beast. I see you
brought me new blood. And she has got the cutest figure. We simply
must dress her. Please say you’re here to let me play?” I look
around the store trying to figure out who she is talking to. But
it’s just me and Shay.

“Seriously, chick, don’t you know how hot you
are, well when you don’t look like a heffalump in those clothes and
hair. You seriously need a makeover.”

“I, I don’t know. I mean, I guess I could use
some help. I always thought I had good taste.”

“I’m sure you did. Let me guess, you wore
basic panties, but black pants and dresses with bright colors. We
all have been there. I’m sure you have never showed off your girls
either. Come on, chick, let’s have fun.” And boy, was that what we
did. I swear I have never tried on so many bras that were
see-through, or lace, or sexy that actually held my boobs in place.
I selected some basic tan, white, and a few black ones, but she
just pushed her way into the dressing room like she belonged there.
After the first three times, I just said fuck it and soon even
Olivia, the saleswoman, came in with suggestions. And let’s not
forget the fact that Shay found matching panties and even some sexy
nightgowns, which I told her not to get since I wouldn’t need them.
I had no one to wear them for. But I took the damn bags, okay so I
didn’t take them, Shay threw them at me before I put them in the
back of her trunk.

“We need clothes now. We have the cake made,
now we have to decorate it.” Huh, what the hell was she talking
about? But it seems she is always like this.

“So you never did tell me what you do for a
living.”

“Let’s see, I do so many things. But I’m a
hairdresser by day, writer by night, and badass protective chick
when I’m bored and Wolf needs help.”

“Wow, that’s a lot of things you do.”

“Yeah, I like to stay busy. So how about you.
What’d ya do before the shit hit the fan?”

“Bank teller.” Suddenly saying it out loud
sounds really sad. I’m only twenty-six, but you would think I could
do something more with my life than at County Bank.

“Well at least you work, or worked. Knowing
Doom and Gloom, they made you quit. Didn’t pack anything up and
figured they knew what was best.”

“Not like they had a choice what they took.”
We stop at a small shop and grab two coffees.

“So you have a dipshit on your ass, huh? That
sucks, honey. I take it by the way the guys are acting that he’s
pretty messed up in the head too.”

“Something like that. He skinned my cat and
burned down my gran’s house.”

“Wow, okay then. I definitely think it’s time
for fun girly time and then we can pick up dinner and have drinks.
What do ya think?”

“I think, for once, I’m enjoying myself.”

Even though Zoey is out with Shay, I’m still
on edge. I felt like a shit when Zoey walked in the back and saw
her case on the board. It could have been avoided, but I didn’t
think. I have never thought about it from her perspective, I mean,
we have never had anyone in the office who was a victim, or part of
a case. It was just stupid of me, and to top it off, I made her
cry. I feel like a bastard. My mother use to cry to get my father
to stay or help her with money, it made him sick then, knowing she
was faking it. But it was different with Zoey, she made me feel
more things, things I never felt for a woman. Sure I had sexy with
them all the time, but an emotional connection was something I
never had time, nor wanted to have happen. I really need to sit and
think about what all this shit means. I’m the one who doesn’t feel,
I’m the heartless jerk with the fucked up ideas on relationships.
Sure Wolf’s parents were amazing, but they were the only thing he
saw of love. And what a stupid word that is too, love. Who needs
it, not me. But damn it if Zoey doesn’t make me actually think of
fucking hearts and flowers. Damn it.

Now she’s gone shopping and Wolf and I have
work to do. I open a drawer to my right that houses various markers
and grab a red one. Earlier I had marked the areas that have levees
too high to actually cross via boat or pirogue, so if Andrew did
get out, he did it via foot. Wolf walks in the back and in his hand
are two coffees. I look at him in confusion.

“Zoey made it. Said it’s fixed now, but it
seems she is the only who knows how to use it. You know, even
though she will be here a short term, she has some great
ideas.”

“We’ll see.” I don’t want to get my hopes up,
but shit tends to happen and roll downhill. And looking at the case
closer, it’s easy to see she is the one who is always at the bottom
of shit hill. She had a better upbringing than me, but at least
people didn’t burn down my house, they just kicked me out. Maybe we
have more in common than I want to believe.

“‘Kay, well let’s look at everything.” I take
and drink the coffee, finding it to be amazing and perfect, the way
coffee should taste. I take a few minutes and savor the true taste
and bitterness from the coffee beans as they wake me up out of my
grumpy mood. What is it Shay calls us? That’s right: Doom and
Gloom. Now I can see it. Oddly, I find it amusing. I look at the
map once again after Wolf flipped the board over.

“We need someone on the inside of town.
Someone who hasn’t been seen and can find the ins and outs. Think
Zoey knows anyone who might help her?” I have to ask, but I think I
already know the answer. From the house fire last night and seeing
her work and apartment, I would venture to guess the whole town is
in on it. Then a name comes to mind.

“What about Eddy?”

“Maroon? He’s still deployed, isn’t he?” Eddy
Maroon was in the Marines with us, but I remember him saying he was
from Bostwick. It was amazing how all the boys from the Bayou of
Louisiana ended up in the same unit. But it didn’t matter, because
in the Marine Corp you looked out for each other, but that was also
the same code when in the swamp. Eddy was the new kid who came in
later when his platoon got hit. Half went home in body bags, the
other split into different troops. Needless to say, we all took him
under our wing and the rest was history.

“He got out last month. Sent me an email
asking if we had any openings. I said I would let you know, so what
if we send him in town, have him do some snooping, maybe play town
hero and such. He might be our secret weapon.” Hell, it was a shot.
I don’t know what to expect really. I do know one thing though, no
matter what, he is loyal to his brothers so the town could suck
it.

“Could work. We need to talk to Zoey too and
see if she remembers Andrew talking about any areas. He seems like
one to boast about his accomplishments and his kin, so might as
well make use of it.”

“Works for me.” Wolf takes some notes before
sitting down on his squeaky chair at the other desk. We both aren’t
office people, but until Zoey gets the paperwork organized, we
still have shit to do.