Captured: A Bad Boy Romance (21 page)

Logan tried to drift off to sleep, but all he could think about was how fucked up his life had become. Everyone he cared about was in danger. He understood that. But at that moment he was worried about himself. What in the hell was he going to do if everything fell apart?

The driveway was long and dark. Where the hell was he and why? Hudson had never been to this area and he wasn’t a fan of the unknown. What if the detective was having him set up for something? It wasn’t likely, but in his line of work he’d learned that anything could happen. So he was always on the lookout for the unexpected.

Detective Larsen had called him and agreed to meet. He’d given him directions and Hudson had set out right away. He did like the fact that it was discreet. Being seen as an associate of the local police was dangerous for him. Especially right at the moment. It was a risk he’d take, simply because he had to know what was going on with Melissa. It was driving him insane.

But being so far out and at such an odd location was perfect. It’d take some serious digging to find out why he was there. It would be assumed to be more work. Or even a rendezvous with the agent if it were Guiterro watching. No one would expect Larsen to even be out here. Most thought he lived at the station, but those that knew him understood that he resided in a cheap apartment just on the outskirts of the city. He liked to be nearby because he was almost always called in.

Once he found his way to the end of the drive, Hudson saw the tiny cabin nestled into a dense area of trees. He found it funny that Larsen had found probably one of the few woodsy areas around to meet. One of the rare cabins that could be found within driving distance of Vegas. It definitely spoke opposite of all that that took place in their normal days. Hudson chuckled at the thought that there wouldn’t be any drive-by shootings or drug trafficking out this way.

He stopped the car and sat for a moment before he felt safe to get out and approach the door. He decided that if it was a trap, he’d deal with it. But he needed to take the chance so that he could find out what he needed to know.

The door had no bell, so he raised his hand to knock. It opened before he had a chance and the short and stout detective shrugged. “I’m not fond of this idea,” he spoke clearly. “But the decision isn’t mine.”

With that, Larsen moved to allow Hudson inside and that was when he came face to face with Melissa. She was fine. Alive. Not just alive. Well. Healthy. Walking around freely. He’d been worrying for nothing.

“What…I don’t…you were…” He stuttered the words, partially in happiness and partially in anger. He’d been frantic over her and she was out here living it up and perfectly content.

“They ran me off the road,” she started hesitantly. “I don’t know who so don’t ask. But somehow by pure miracle, I am fine. Larsen showed up first and he got me out of there. To here.”

“So the hospital thing is a lie?” Hudson was surprised. He didn’t know what to say or how to say it.

“It had to be,” she walked towards him, hoping he’d forgive her. “Someone is trying to kill me, Asher.”

“I know, but…” He stopped. “I don’t care. I’m just glad you’re alive.” He smiled at her and took her into his arms.

Fuller wanted nothing more than to let herself fall into this. She wanted to kiss him and touch him and get lost in the passion and romance. But she couldn’t. Lives were on the line and she had to make sure that they talked. She had to know that things were okay. Then, and only then, could she worry about their sexual relationship.

“I was worried,” he spoke softly. “Terrified.”

“I wanted to tell you, but…” her words drifted off. The unspoken said it all.

“I see,” he replied stiffly, still upset that she’d never fully trusted him.

“It’s my job,” she replied and he nodded.

“I should spank you for worrying about me,” Hudson got a familiar gleam in his eye and for a brief moment Fuller was lost in it.

Her own grin gave him the okay he needed to continue the current line of conversation.

“Grab you, bend you over my knee, bare that sexy ass and…”

“Ahem,” the detective wanted to remind them that he was still there and possibly even let them know that he wasn’t enjoying the sexual banter.

“Asher, as much as I want that,” she continued. “We can’t. Not today.
We
need to talk.”

He nodded his agreement and shot the detective a dirty look. He’d wanted nothing more than to take her into his arms and show her how he felt. But he couldn’t.

They walked over to the table that sat in the corner of the combination kitchen, living room and dining room. As he thought about his own place, Hudson couldn’t imagine residing in something so compact. How the hell would he pace the kitchen if it was only three feet in any direction?

“I have some things to share as well.” He sank into the hard wooden chair, knowing that this was their seating choice to avoid what might happen on the midget sized sofa she had bypassed.

For the next two hours they discussed everything that could affect either of them. He shared about his meeting with Guiterro and they argued over whether or not she would leave the ATF or any form of law enforcement. She wasn’t fond of the fake engagement either, especially when Hudson informed her they’d have to make it a public thing. In order to satisfy the cartel, he’d said knowing that he was slightly lying. He might enjoy it himself.

Agreeing to disagree on their personal life and her job, they began to discuss details of what was going on. Melissa shared her thoughts on the information that they had and they discussed how to handle it.

“You have to trust me,” Asher said and she flinched. “Look,” he continued. “I understand the position you are in. The one I am in. But lives are at stake. If you go nosing around, we are all dead. I can get the information without those problems. But you have to trust me. You have to work with me as a partner. Not as a cop to my bad guy informant status.”

“I never said you were a bad guy,” she said.

“I’d disagree with that,” he commented and reminded her of those days in his room. “But that doesn’t matter. If this is going to work, then we have to work together Melissa,” he said her first name which sent butterflies through her stomach. “There has to be trust.”

“I’ve spent my entire life fighting guys in your position,” she began. “Trying to make the world a safer place. For me. For kids. For everyone.”

“I know, but…”

“Let me finish Hudson,” she snapped. “Meeting you…hell, just being here…has turned my world views upside down. I spend most of my days not sure who is good and who is bad. I think I know and then something stupid happens and I realize I was wrong.”

Hudson sat quietly and nodded, waiting on her to be done.

“Everything in me is telling me that there’s no way I should work with a criminal to solve this. And regardless of the reason or the result, you are a criminal.” He nodded again as she continued. “But at the same time, I have to work with the devil I know.” Again he nodded. “And right now that is you. So yes, I will do it. I will trust you.”

Hudson smiled, even though it was not lost on him that she still found him to be a devil. It wasn’t a conversation he intended to have in that moment. He then promised her that he’d find the mole in his own group.

There were several minutes of silence and Hudson tried to work up the courage to say what he was thinking. It wasn’t until Fuller appeared to be ready for him to go that he finally did.

“I love you,” he stated to her surprise. “I love you. I realized that. And I want you to know it,” he spoke as he rose from his chair. “Just in case.”

Fuller smiled and leaned up to give him a kiss. “I love you too,” she admitted. “I want this to work.” She shook her head. “But I don’t know about giving up my life.”

“We’ll figure it out.” He kissed her before he got up to leave with a brief thanks to the Detective. Hudson knew Larsen wasn’t happy about this, but he was doing it anyway and that earned him some respect.

***

“Well, I for one am glad they left,” Amanda smiled as she spoke the words.

Logan knew that she would be. The moment his family had left, Amanda became the lady of the house. At least in her mind. But he was less than pleased with how things were going. In fact, he was quite worried. He’d tried to convince her to take the kids to her aunt’s house in Des Moines. But she’d refused and insisted on staying local and not taking time off work. He didn’t have the heart to tell her about the danger, or confess to his own actions.

“I’ll be back,” Logan stated and walked towards the bathroom. The line of coke in his pocket was calling his name.

He wasn’t an addict. Not like one would think. He just grabbed him a little bit every now and then to settle the world and focus. Right now was the perfect time. His world was collapsing and everything that mattered was on the line. He needed to be able to see things from a clear standpoint.

It wasn’t like he had a problem.

The problem with drugs isn’t the alteration that happens to your mind. It’s the fact that it’s subjective. If Logan could do them and always have the same demeanor, he would do them more often. But any slight variation in amount, consistency, ingredients, or his own frame of mind, and the reaction could change. He would handle it differently.

That was the case when he did what turned out to be three lines. At first he felt the familiar rush. But within an hour he was on the sofa with Amanda in a full blown panic attack. She was a little worried for him, assuming he’d overdosed.

“I’m scared,” he admitted and she looked at him, assuming he meant about the drugs. “We’re in danger.”

“Danger? What kind of danger, baby?” she cooed at him, stroking his hair and trying to calm him.

“The kind where we die.” He admitted.

Over the rest of the evening, Brent Logan did something he’d never done. He let down his guard and shared details with someone else.

He began with his youth. His desire to be an agent. His hard work to get there. Then he shared about that time in his early twenties when he’d had a few too many drinks after work. Against better advice he’d driven himself home. But he hadn’t made it. His car had swerved and hit another. A woman and her child. Small child.

He had been scared to death. Especially when they’d brought a helicopter in to lift the child to the hospital. He was fresh on the job, whole life ahead of him and he’d been the culprit in a drunk-driving accident.

He could only imagine the hell his dad would give him if he’d lost that position so soon after getting it. Especially for such a stupid reason. He’d panicked. But then his boss had shown up. And he’d taken him aside and told him he’d handle it and they needed to meet in the morning.

Logan confessed to Amanda that he should have known that something was up when the meeting was private and off-duty. The boss said the child had died and the mother was taking it to the media. Drunk-driving cop killing a child in an accident? It’d be a department embarrassment. Logan had been mortified.

When his boss had told him his blood alcohol content, Logan had fallen to the floor in tears. He knew what would happen. There wouldn’t be any paid administrative leave. There was the real possibility he might actually see jail time. He’d lose everything. And he couldn’t do that. Hell, he’d just put a ring on his girlfriend’s finger. They had their whole lives ahead of them.

That was when he was given a deal that was too nice to pass up. He could walk away unscathed. The women would be duly compensated for her loss, and never go anywhere near a reporter. His record would remain pristine. There was only one catch.

Next thing he knew he was running weapons locally. Working with major dealers and helping to get them where they went. He still dealt with the guilt of that accident, but he reminded himself that he couldn’t change that but he could provide for his own family. So he had done it and drowned the thoughts with drugs and alcohol.

It would have been fine, except that he wasn’t aware of the plumber upstairs that day. It was a rookie mistake. But it had to be taken care of. He’d been seen.