Page 4

I t’s been five goddamn days. Technically, five and a half, but who’s counting?

We’re stuck in some weird goddamn due-process limbo that doesn’t make a damn bit of sense. We’ve requested a meeting with our lawyer, repeatedly, but there’s always an excuse. Just like with our request to see the judge. It’s starting to feel like the set-up that got us here runs far deeper than we even know.

On the bright side, Ace managed to catch Remy on the phone—only once, but we’ll take what we can get. He confirmed that she’s okay, she’s staying at Charlie’s, and she’s got a plan. Whatever the fuck that means. Stubborn woman wouldn’t elaborate over the phone, which is actually smart, but that’s beside the point. We’re worried about her, and not knowing what she’s got up her sleeve is giving us all anxiety. Or maybe that’s just me?

All I can do is stare at the cement-block wall, listening to the drip of water from the sink’s faucet, and wonder when I’ll get to hold her in my arms again. It’s fucking torture.

Clang, clang, clang.

Glancing over at the metal bars, I catch Officer Hutchins’s baton tapping against the metal. He’s the most tolerable of the assholes in charge around here. The rest treat us no better than shit beneath their shoes.

“It’s your lucky day, Johnson. Gather up your shit and meet me at the stairs.”

“What’s going on?”

“You’re being released. Not sure how the hell you pulled that off so quickly. If I were you, I’d go play the lotto.”

He walks away, and it isn’t long before the clang of his baton echoes again through the open space while his deep voice carries down the row.

What the hell is happening?

Deciding not to chance it, I stand and look around. Ain’t shit here that I care about, so I leave whatever remains for my cellmate. Squire steps out of his cell just as I make it onto the metal catwalk. We share a concerned look, then follow the officer down the stairs. I note that he isn’t stopping at Ace, Rogue, or Saint’s cells, and that’s a hard pill to swallow—leaving my brothers behind.

When we reach the bottom, we head for the door that will take us out of the cell block. From the second level, our brothers are watching our departure, and all I can do is shake my head and shrug.

Take care of Remy , Ace mouths.

I nod, then it’s my turn to be cuffed, following Squire and the officer out the door and down the long hall. In minutes, we reach the processing counter where the officer behind the desk has our paperwork ready and waiting. Our cuffs are removed, then we just stand there, still in a little bit of shock at what’s happening.

“It’s already pre-filled out. Just need each of you to sign and date your designated copies, then I’ll give you the bags with your belongings. Officer Hutchins will guide you to the exit.”

“I know I shouldn’t look a gift horse in the mouth, but how the hell are we being released right now? We were told our appearance before the judge was delayed indefinitely,” Squire asks.

“Don’t ask me, but if I had to guess, you’ve got some friends in high places. The system doesn’t normally move this fast.”

Squire looks at me, and once again I’m at a loss. He grabs a pen, signing the spots indicated. Taking the form, the officer stamps it and reaches for the small paper sack waiting next to him, passing it through the window to Squire. Then he holds out a pile of folded clothes.

Officer Hutchins points to a door next to the counter. “You can change in there. Throw the jumpsuit in the labeled bin.”

Squire nods, disappearing inside as I step up to the window. Scrawling my name twice and dating the line indicated, I slide the paperwork back to the officer. In seconds, he’s handing me my own bag and clothes.

My brother steps out, wearing his jeans, t-shirt, and cut from the day we were arrested, and just that hint of normalcy starts to make this seem all too real.

“Your turn,” Officer Hutchins says, nodding his head toward the bathroom, then turns to speak to the man behind the counter.

Without hesitation, I step in and waste no time stripping out of the ugly ass jumpsuit. Orange is nobody’s color. Even if they’re not clean, my jeans and henley feel like precious silk after the scratchy material of the jail garb. The second I slip my cut over my shoulders, everything feels right with the world. Or at least it will once I get to hold my girl.

“This way, boys,” Officer Hutchins says as I step out, motioning toward a door that leads to a shorter hallway. He stops by big glass windows, his hand landing on a button next to the door. “Right through here. When you get to the second door, you’ll be at the exit to the main parking lot and on your way to freedom. Hopefully, we don’t see you back here any time soon.”

With a press of the button, the lock releases and Squire pushes through the first door.

When it shuts behind us, I whisper, “Any ideas what in the hell is happening right now?”

Squire doesn’t turn to look at me, just shakes his head.

“Why do I feel like we’re being pranked, and the second we step foot out that next door they’re going to arrest us for attempted escape?”

He laughs. “Just stay calm. The second we get outside, we can use our phones to call Remy and have her come pick us up. Assuming the batteries aren’t dead, of course.”

“Shit. What if they are? What the hell will we do?”

“I’m not sure, but we’ll figure something out.”

Sun is shining through the glass when we reach the end of the hall, but it’s who’s standing on the sidewalk outside that has all of my attention.

“Who the fuck is that standing next to Remy?” I growl.

“If it’s who I think it is, he’s the reason we’re getting to walk free right now. Don’t be a neanderthal. Play nice.”

He pushes through the door, and the smile that lights up our girl’s face when she sees us is worth every second of misery without her. She rushes forward, practically throwing herself into Squire’s waiting arms. He spins her around as they kiss while I glare at the man who’s casually standing by with his hands in his pockets and a smile on his face.

He doesn’t get to look at her like that.

Turning, I lock eyes with my girl.

“Miss me, handsome?”

Before she can step out of Squire’s arms, I’m there, pulling her into mine.

“What do you think?”

I can’t wait any longer. My lips smash into hers, and for the first time in almost a week, I feel like I can breathe again. It’s so easy to get lost in her, but this isn’t the time or the place. Breaking the kiss, I inhale her scent, letting it infuse me with the peace I’ve been missing. I hold her to me tightly, my forehead dropping to hers.

“I’d say you missed me a whole helluva lot,” she murmurs, her voice husky with a need that matches my own.

“I don’t ever want to be apart from you two again.” I drop a quick kiss on her forehead, finally remembering the stranger watching on the sidelines. “Who’s the dude in the suit?”

She grins, leaning in close so no one else can hear. “Why? Are you jealous?”

“Damn right I am. Have you seen you?”

Her laugh does funny things to my dick, but I ignore it as she grabs my hand and tugs me over to the older man. He’s tall, with hair that’s more salt than pepper and laugh lines framing kind blue eyes.

“Owen, you probably remember Squire…”

The man’s smile grows as he holds out his hand to my brother. “I do! How are you, son?”

Squire shakes it, not nearly as suspicious as I currently am.

“A lot better now. Do we have you to thank for that?”

“I helped, but really it was all Remington. Girl’s got a knack for circumventing the law, that’s for sure. Knew just which buttons to push to get Judge Samuels to throw out all of the charges against both of you. Hell, I’m trying to convince her to come work for me after seeing her in action.”

Our eyes go wide.

“How the hell did you manage that, Rem?” Squire asks, which says a lot considering, as the other half of the Avenging Angel operation, he knows just how resourceful our girl can be.

“Turns out the good judge has a small gambling problem and other not-so-seemly nighttime activities. Once he saw that there was absolutely zero evidence tying you to anything in that warehouse, he quickly conceded. Facing the potential release of his own damning evidence didn’t hurt our case either.”

She’s so goddamn sexy when she’s vindictive. I’m fucking hard as a rock right now, seeing her in her element, that I’m tempted to say fuck it, throw her over my shoulder, and find a private place to sink balls deep into that tight pussy of hers.

Squire elbows me in the side, tearing me from my rather detailed daydream. He’s grinning when my eyes cut to him, and I have no idea what the hell I missed.

He finally takes pity on me. “Rem just mentioned that we’ll be staying at Charlie’s for the foreseeable future. You ready to go wash off the jail stench?”

I groan unrepentantly. “God yes. I need a shower and a decent meal.”

Owen pulls his keys out of his pocket. “My vehicle is parked right over there. Charlie insisted I drive Remy because she didn’t want her to come here alone.”

He turns and heads for a black Range Rover parked in a spot in the front row. Because of course the dude has money. He’s well-dressed, relatively handsome, intelligent, and has connections in the right places. I’m not threatened at all .

“Who in the hell is this dude?” I whisper to Squire as Remy pulls us along after Owen.

“He dated Charlie back in the day. They broke up when Rem went to live with her, and she always felt guilty about that. My guess? The fact that he’s the top defense attorney in the entire southwest region gave her the perfect opportunity to take care of two birds with one stone.”

Rem turns around, walking backward with a huge grin on her face. “What he means is that I finally get to play matchmaker, and I’m enjoying the fuck out of it.”

For the first time in five days, a smile curves my lips—both because I’m relieved the dude has his sights set elsewhere, and because my girl is something else. “You’re fucking spectacular. You know that, right?”

“I mean, it doesn’t hurt to hear it now and again,” she quips.

Stopping abruptly, I pull her into my chest, forcing her head back with my fist wrapped in her hair.

“You are one hell of a woman, Remington Masterson.”

“She is, isn’t she?” Squire murmurs against her neck as he plasters himself up against her back, sandwiching her between the two of us.

“Is that a shank in your pocket, or are you just happy to see me?” she rasps.

Squire snorts, and I growl. “I can’t wait to show you just how happy I am, babe.”

Her tongue comes out, licking along her plump lower lip. “Then we better get in the car. The sooner we get home, the sooner we can play show and tell.”

“Fuck, what am I going to do with you?”

“I’ve come up with a list in the five days we’ve been apart, so hurry up, would you?”

Squire and I share a look over her shoulder, one that clearly says we’re all going to be in for a long night.