The UN Series Complete Box Set (113 page)

“Whatever the fuck I have to do to get my sister back. If you have to arrest me afterwards, then so be it.” He turns and walks over to his truck that he arrived in with Parker. “Meet me at the house. We don’t have time to waste,” he instructs me, and then he looks at Parker. “Catch a ride with one of your
buddies
,” he growls looking over at all the cop cars with disgust. Then he’s off.

I go to walk away, and Parker grabs my shoulder. “Sister?”

“I don’t have time to explain.” I shrug him off and continue to my car having a hard time controlling the anger I feel inside.

He comes running up behind me and jumps into my passenger seat before I go speeding off into the night.

Parker sits stiffly as I slam on the gas and head to their house. “Does she know?” he asks looking down at his phone. It’s all of a sudden lighting up the inside of my car. No doubt the cops wanting to know why the three of us just left.

“No.” I don’t feel like speaking.

We make our way into their house, and Tate hangs up his phone again. “You know how we thought Jax was into drugs when we went up to Larry’s? He is. He owes someone money for his addiction. I don’t know how much or what Sam has to do with it. But she’s connected somehow.”

“Why?” Parker asks. “Does he plan on selling her or something?”

“Don’t fucking say that!” I snap, fisting my hands down by my side.

He turns to face me. “How else would she help him with his debt? He could be into more than just drugs, Slade. And someone who is fucked up on drugs will do anything for their next fix.”

I take a step toward him, about to punch his lights out, when Tate speaks. “It’s true. Right now he is capable of doing anything. We need to get her back.”

“Who does he owe?” Parker asks.

Tate shakes his head. “My contact didn’t know.”

“Your contact?” Parker asks skeptically. “Do you do drugs as well, Tate?” he asks in an accusing voice.

“I don’t see how that is any of your fucking business, Parker,” he shoots back.

“Of course it’s my business. I’m a cop and living with you,” Parker snaps back.

“Stop,” I yell. I look at Tate. “I don’t care what you do, Tate. Right now you call whoever you need to call and find out where Jax is.” Then I look at Parker. “If you need to leave, then leave. I’m with Tate on this one. I will do whatever I have to do to get her back. Even if that means walking up to a druggie and buying some for myself.”

“You are a defense attorney, Slade. That’s putting your job in jeopardy. What if someone saw you? You would risk your career for that?” he asks wide-eyed.

What a ridiculous question. “I would risk my
life
for her,” I shout. “Fuck my job.”

My nostrils flare, and my hands shake. She has been taken from me. And all I want to do is beat the fuck out of something. “I know you’re a cop. There’s no need for you to put your job on the line as well. Just walk away, Parker.”I wouldn’t hold it against him. He doesn’t understand love, and what I’m capable of when it comes to getting her back.

“I would never walk away and not try to help get her back. I’m afraid for her safety just as much as you guys are.” Parker sighs and looks over at Tate. “Do what you have to do. I’m with you guys.”

I walk into Tate’s kitchen and grab the rum that sits on top of his fridge and pour myself a glass. I need alcohol. Not because of what I’m about to do, but because of what has happened. I wasn’t lying when I told Parker I would do anything to get her back. I will.

Tate picks up his phone and looks at both of us. “Turn your phones on silent and don’t say a word.”

We do as he says, and I pick up my drink as Tate sits down at the kitchen table. He holds his phone up to his ear and a few awkward silent seconds pass before he speaks.

“Hello.” Pause. “Yeah. Long time.” He looks up at Parker. “Yeah, I need some. Same as before.” Parker stiffens, and I look away.

I know Tate has a past. He doesn’t talk about it but I know it’s there. Right now, I’m thankful for that past. It’s gonna help me find her.

“Can you meet me now?” He nods his head. “Thanks.” He hangs up and jumps to stand. “Let’s go, Slade.”

“I told you. I’m in,” Parker says slamming a fist down onto the table, running out of patience.

Tate shakes his head. “It’s already risky bringing Slade, but I can use him. You are a cop. If anyone finds out what we’re doing, we can kiss Sam goodbye. The people who Jax owes won’t give a fuck about her being offered as payment or whatever he plans on using her for. They will kill her. Stay here. Don’t leave and don’t answer your phone.”

“So you want me to act like nothing happened? I was there. The other officers are already calling and texting me wanting to know why I left with Slade. They would expect me to be up at the station trying to find my best friend’s girl.”

“Then go do that. Just keep your fucking mouth shut. You never know which cops are dirty.”

Parker takes in a deep breath. “No one I work with is dirty,” he states with rage.

Tate shakes his head. “I don’t have time to fuck with you, Parker.” Then he turns around and walks out the front door with me behind him.

*****

“I need you to control your temper,” Tate says as he turns off his lights and pulls down a dark street in his truck.

This coming from a guy who broke a lamp, a TV, and two pictures back in the office at Larry’s. “I will.” I think I’ve done pretty fucking well.

“No. I brought you to use you, don’t make me regret it.”

I turn to face him. “What the fuck? I am willing to do anything to find her. Why are you acting like I will blow the only opportunity I have?” I slam my fist on his center console.

He looks down to it and then back up to me. “This guy were meeting, he is an old client of yours.”

“What?” I slam my fist on the dash this time. “Does he know she’s my fiancée?”

“I don’t know. I was just told that Jax has been hanging out with him, even owes him money. And I know he always has something on him.” He brings his truck to a stop and reaches back into the backseat, grabbing a handful of rope.

“What’s that for?”

“I told Parker to keep his mouth shut. Once this guy finds out what we are doing, he will rat us out. He makes money off of Jax, you think he wants to lose that?”

I shake my head.
Whatever I got to do.

We make our way down the darkened street. I don’t even know where the hell we are. It’s definitely a rundown part of St. Louis. Tate stops when we come to an old rusted door. “Take this.” He hands me the rope. “Go to the end of the street and take a right. Enter the first door on your right. That will put you in the back room of his office.”

I nod my head as I look around to make sure we weren’t followed. He enters the door, and I do as he says. As soon as I come to the door I enter it can hear Tate on the other side talking.

“Where’ve you been, Jonathan?” a man’s voice asks.

Jonathan?
Oh yeah he had said back in my office after New York that Tate was not his real name. Wasn’t Jonathan the guy who raised him? No wonder he goes by a different name.

“Around,” he responds casually as if they are talking about a football game.

“It sure has been a long time,” the guy says. “Can I take this as you are back to your old ways?”

“Yeah.”

There’s a few tense seconds of silence. “So, I hear you have been hanging out with Slade Long?” he asks. “Good at his job. He defended me once. Got me off before I could even say two words.”

I stiffen as I look down at the floor. I want to puke. How could I have ever defended someone who is now involved in taking my life away?

“Yes, I hear he’s good.”

“I guess a defense attorney is someone you wanna keep around for sticky times,” the man adds.

“Something like that,” Tate mutters.

“Why have you been hanging out with him?” he asks with a hint of bite.

“It’s crazy that you ask about Slade,” Tate responds coolly. “He would like to talk to you.”

I take that as my cue to show my face. I open the back door and walk in. I notice the guy as soon I lay eyes on him. He was one of my first clients. A first time offense with half an ounce of weed charged with a misdemeanor. Didn’t seem like a big deal to me back then. Now? Now it means a fucking lot. He’s part of my world being taken away.

“Slade?” he asks with surprise. “What are you doing here?”

“You’ve come a long way, Dallas,” I say looking him in the eye. “For a guy who just once got caught with half an ounce of weed.” My eyes rake over his desk where he sits. Pill bottles and baggies cover the surface. Some full of powder, others with various sizes of pills.

He gives me a cruel smile as he smoothes his expensive suit jacket down his chest. “I was into more then, they just happen to catch me on a slow day.”

I arch an eyebrow. “Plus, you were really good at convincing the judge that it was not mine.” He smiles.

“That’s my job.” The words come out making me sound proud of myself, and I cringe realizing the fact that all I do is help sleaze balls get off.

His eyes look down at the rope in my hand, and his eyes go big. “What is going on?” He turns to face Tate.

Tate straightens his back and crosses his tattooed arms over his chest. “Jax. I’m looking for him. Know where I can find him?”

Dallas shakes his head a few times.

“Don’t play dumb with me, I heard he owes you some money,” Tate continues.

“Not me.” He looks from Tate to me. “He paid me last week.” Tate takes a step toward me and holds out his hand. I reach over and hand him the rope.

“I’m being serious,” Dallas says wide-eyed shifting uncomfortable in his chair. “What does Slade and you have to do with Jax?”

I clear my throat. “I’m engaged to Jax’s ex-girlfriend.”

He stands from in his chair. “Sam is your fiancée?” He has the audacity to look surprised.

I’m in his face with my hands gripping his shirt in seconds. “Don’t act like you didn’t fucking know that,” I growl. “What the fuck do you know about her?”

He shake his head breathing heavy. His breath reeks of bourbon, and it makes me want to vomit. “Just that he’s been wanting to get back with her.”

“Where is he?” I shake him.

“I don’t know.”

“You’re lying,” I hiss.

I let go of him and shove him back. His knees hit his chair, and he falls into it. I snap my fingers holding out my hand. Tate throws me the rope. “Now tell me where in the fuck he is.” I take a step toward him. “And I will make this much quicker than it has to be.”

“I know nothing. I swear,” he cries. “Please?” He raises his hands as in surrender.

I almost laugh. Some big drug dealer he is. All I’ve done is talk, and he’s already begging.

I punch him, and he squeals as blood pours from his nose. “I swear...” He lifts his hands, and I wrap my hand around his neck, cutting off his air.

“I
swear
that I will fucking kill you. Now tell me where in the fuck he is,” I demand squeezing to the point his face turns red.

*****

I unroll the paper towels that we took from Dallas’ bathroom then hand some over to Tate.

“Thanks,” he mumbles as he tries to wipe off his hands while driving.

I tear some off for myself and wipe off my hands along with my face. It didn’t take long to get the bastard to talk. We both had to make him bleed some but it felt good to use him as a punching bag. He told us that Jax lives with another guy who goes by J. But he’s never met him. He thinks this J guy owns the house but lives out of town. He just allows Jax to stay there. Sounds fishy to me but it’s the only lead we have to go on.

We’ve been driving for over thirty minutes and once again, we are somewhere I’ve never been. But we are no longer in town—we are out in the middle of nowhere.

We pull off the paved road and onto a dirt road as Tate turns off his lights. Trees border either side of us, making it hard to see where we are going.

I called Parker and told him to meet us here, alone. We have a plan but it has to be kept secret for it to go how we want. If word got out about this, the news would be all over it. We don’t want Angel to be involved more than she already is. Even her abduction has been kept under wraps. No media.

Of course all my friends and family knows. Holly called Micah, but by the time he arrived at Larry’s, we were already long gone.

He and Josh have been blowing up my phone wanting to know where in the hell I’m at and wanting to know what they can do to help find her. My father has been calling wanting to know who he needs to throw money at. I don’t want everyone involved. I will get my answers with fear, not fucking money.

“There’s his truck.” Tate points over to Parker’s dark red truck hidden in the trees. I squint to try to see what he does.

Tate parks his truck next to him, and we get out quietly. “How far is the house from here?” I ask.