He also had a niece to help raise. A baby girl who now smiled and did “grabby hands” whenever she saw him. And cried when Rook didn’t hold her.
Dyna might not be able to talk yet, but he heard her. And he, Cage and Jemma were determined to do everything in their power to give her a good life. Especially after Dyna’s birth mother dumped the baby because she didn’t want her. Just like Bebe dumped him and Cage. And Jemma’s parents had been pieces of shit, too.
Between them, Dutch and the club, Dyna would never feel unwanted. Not for one fucking minute.
But he hated this shit. Being forced to comply. Not only by a pig, but a female one.
He blew out a breath and reluctantly announced, “Done bein’ a dick.”
“Sorry, what?”
She’d heard him. What a bitch. “Done bein’ a dick!” he yelled.
“Are you sure?”
“Gonna let me go if I am?”
She didn’t say anything for way too long. Eventually, the pressure from her knee disappeared, allowing him to breathe a little easier. “I have every right to take you in, Rook. You have broken almost every condition of your parole. And I’m sure you’ve broken the rest, too, just not in front of me.”
None of that was a lie.
“But I’m interested in what the hell is happening here. Why you guys are stalking the Shirleys and what’s also going on up there in their compound. I saw the van. I couldn’t see who or what was inside, but I want to know. I’m assuming you do.”
“Don’t know shit.”
“You might want to wait until I remove the cuffs before lying to me.” She sighed and when she unlocked the cuffs, he sighed, too. But his was one of relief. “Get up. Don’t do anything stupid.”
He planted his palms into the dirt and pushed himself to his knees.
“Were they too tight?” she asked, watching him rub his wrists once he was back on his feet.
“Yeah.”
“Too bad.”
He stared at her. Yeah, he did not like women like Jet. He preferred them to be soft, pliable and willing to please.
The woman before him was none of that.
She acted like a hard-ass and thought she was tough. She would never be pliable for any man. She’d be a fucking thorn in her man’s side his whole fucking life. Making him miserable by fighting him at every turn and with every decision.
Fuck that, Rook wanted a woman who did what she was told.
If he ever claimed an ol’ lady, he wanted one who, when he told her to drop to her knees, she’d do it. Not ask questions. Not argue.
Hell, maybe Jet was a dyke. Preferred pussy over dick.
Though, if that was true, it didn’t make sense why he’d caught her staring at him at the garage like she had. Didn’t matter who was talking to her at the time, she still kept her attention on him.
Could go back to that fantasy thing. The forbidden fruit. The fruit being him.
Though, not literally. He wasn’t into men. Never had been, never would be.
“Am I free to go, officer?”
“In a minute.”
“Got a fan-fuckin-tastic blowjob on my to-do list yet tonight. You’re fuckin’ that up.”
“You giving it or getting it?”
“Only one person in that scenario is gettin’ on their knees and it ain’t me.”
“Then maybe I’m doing the woman a favor by keeping you here since you’re two-timing her by having sex with a Shirley in the woods.”
The woman was sharp, he had to admit that. But, again, sharp like an irritating thorn. Who the fuck would want to tie themselves to that?
Some motherfucking fool, that was who. The pussy better be worth the problems that went along with it.
Didn’t matter, that wasn’t his problem. His problem was getting the fuck out of there before he did or said something stupid and ended up face-planted in the dirt again or cuffed and stuffed into the back of her cruiser, going on a joy ride.
Or surrounded by a shitload of Brysons, all with their service weapons pointed at his chest.
Yeah, he could do without any of that.
All he wanted to do was text Crystal and have her ready, willing and waiting in his room. “Got thirty seconds of that minute left before I get in the Honda and drive the fuck away.”
Her eyebrows rose but when she put her taser back in its holster, he noticed she had his gun tucked into her duty belt. He had no idea where his knife was.
He had a feeling he wouldn’t get either his Beretta or Buck knife back. Fucking son of a bitch.
“You have the mistaken assumption that you’re in charge here.”
“You’re mistaken that I’m assumin’ shit. Right now, you got the advantage with a fucking taser, two handguns and my knife. All I got right now is my deadly good looks.”
“You forgot to mention I have a badge, too.”
“Don’t give a fuck about the badge, Jet. That badge ain’t a bulletproof shield.”
“That sounds like a threat.”
“Ain’t a threat, it’s truth. Wearin’ a badge don’t make you invincible.” He sighed. “We done here?”
“Know you’re anxious for that blowjob, but I have a couple of questions for you first. I want to know who was in that van.”
“Don’t know,” he lied. If she wanted to know, she could find out for herself. He wasn’t doing her damn job for her.
“Are you sure about that?”
“Would I lie?” he asked.
“Yes.” She didn’t even hesitate with that answer.
“Then maybe you shouldn’t bother askin’ me questions.”
Her whole body went tight. He knew he was pushing her but he couldn’t fucking help it. She annoyed the fuck out of him.
“I heard your club and the clan had an issue a while back. Something to do with Levi.”
If she was only mentioning Levi and not Dyna, that meant the PD was probably clueless as to what happened with that second incident. The club would like to keep it that way.
“Didn’t hear a question.”
“What happened?”
“You ask your cousin?” Levi, the baby Autumn gave up... Where he came from, how he came about was nobody’s business but Red and Sig’s and the couple who adopted him, which happened to be her cousin and fellow pig, Matt Bryson, and his doctor wife. “Figured your family’s tight.”
“Matt’s being tight-lipped about it.”
“Then maybe that’s your sign it ain’t none of your business.”
“Anything illegal going on up that mountain, as well as down here, is my business. And why you guys are trespassing is my business, as well.”
He pressed his lips together.
“Not sure why Max didn’t intervene if Levi’s existence—”
He cut her off. “’Cause it ain’t none of his fuckin’ business, either, that’s why.”
“Levi’s his nephew. He’s also the chief of police in this town, if—”
“They happy?” He was done talking about this shit with her.
She looked at him in surprise. “Of course.”
“Baby happy?”
Her brow furrowed at his question, but she answered anyway. “Levi’s great.”