He was already out the studio door and stalking toward the house. “I’ll be there by tomorrow latest.”
“Dammit, Savage.”
“I have some arrangements to make then I’ll be heading out. I’ll check in with you later. Thanks for the heads up, Val.” He disconnected before she could argue, though she’d no doubt call back or send a pleading text. Joe blew over the warped porch while keeping a promise. He called Sheriff Ryan McClure.
The man answered mid-ring. “What’s wrong?”
Chapter Twenty-Four
After Carson’s visit, it was next to impossible to concentrate on work, but that’s exactly what Bella did. It was far better than dwelling on his awful accusations and definitely better than reflecting on her phone conversation with Ryan. Even though she had a computer at her fingertips all day, she resisted the urge to research Little Lamb Lost. She did not need to know graphic details to empathize with Savage’s plight. She could imagine. And she imagined, after dealing with the dredge of humanity non-stop for several years, any good soul could snap. Not that she believed Carson’s brutality crap. He’d probably say or do anything to make Savage look bad in her eyes. Bottom line, Carson hated to lose. In spite of his golden boy reputation, she knew for a fact, he hadn’t always played nice to get to where he was today.
Determined to keep her mind occupied, Bella organized the juvenile non-fiction shelves. Specifically those books catalogued in the 300s. Her heart kicked when she came upon
Beauty and the Beast
—a story that could almost apply to her and Savage. Not the traditional version so much, but certainly one of the more modern retellings. She’d even called him a monster during their first confrontation. Other than that, similarities were minor. She ticked them off in her mind discounting them at first but then embellishing the plot points for fun and distraction. If she was inclined, she could easily spin a story off of the classic—so many others had. She even had a title for a romantic adult version.
Bella and the Biker
.
Ha!
Not that she intended to pursue that idea. No. Her passion was tied to another project. A tale solely based on her imaginings and laced with a hint of personal experience.
Pendragonites
.
Ever since Savage had championed that story, since the moment he’d gifted her with his sketch of Sir Driscoll, those characters, that tale had consumed her creative soul. More than ever she was convinced ID.com was right and Joe Savage was her dream partner. She’d never felt more alive, more inspired, more enchanted.
An hour before closing time Savage called to say he was picking her up after work. He didn’t give her a chance to argue. Just stated the fact and hung up.
Huh
.
She called Angel to let her know. Then Bella spent the next fifty-five minutes mentally rehearsing an awkward confession. Avoidance, in this case, was not only cowardly, but cruel. Savage deserved to know the filth Carson had spewed. Whether it was true or not, and she was betting not, he needed to prepare for some nasty gossip should the Golden Boy of Dawes County flap his pretty boy lips and she was fairly sure he would do just that. Of course, if she enlightened Savage regarding Carson’s tale of brutality, she’d have to admit she knew about Operation Little Lamb Lost.
By the time five-o-clock rolled around, Bella was sick with dread. How would Joe feel knowing she’d snooped behind his back? Angry? Betrayed? Would he open up about his troubles or lock down even more? How would he react to Carson’s interference?
She loped down the front steps of the library, mentally reciting her new mantra.
I’m fierce. I’m fierce. I’m fierce
.
Any hope of buying more time to tweak her confession via a bike ride was shot to smithereens when she spied Savage waiting beside his truck.
Rats
.
Her heart pounded partly because he looked so intense. She’d never gone for intense before, but she sure went for Savage. Although she didn’t look forward to being cooped up in the cab with him—just the two of them—for the next several minutes. Holding silent until they reached Funland would be weird and awkward and putting off the inevitable.
“
Get it over with
,” she could hear her mom saying. “
You’ll feel better after
.”
Bella wasn’t convinced of that, but she took a deep breath as Savage helped her into the truck. She tried not to obsess on the flash of hostility she’d seen in his eyes or the fact that he hadn’t greeted her with a kiss. He seemed rushed and preoccupied.
Had there been a disaster at Funland? Had that damaged cab fallen from the ferris wheel? Had he argued with her dad? Gotten a phone call from Carson?
Hands clammy from humidity and nerves, Bella fastened her seat belt then swiped her palms over her capris. She tried to ignore the tension rolling off of Savage when he climbed behind the wheel. So what if he was tense and quiet? He was mostly always tense and quiet. Still. This was different.
“How was your day?” she asked as he pulled away from the curb.
“Eventful. Yours?”
“Weird. Not all of it. Just the part when Carson paid a visit.”
How’s that for cutting to the chase?
“What did he want?”
“To make you look bad.”
“Did he?”
“No. Because I didn’t believe him.”
Savage looked over. “What did he say?”
Her stomach kicked and so did her conscience.
Get it over with
.
Facing front and focusing on anything other than Savage’s intensity, Bella spewed. “That you have anger issues. That you were accused of police brutality. That you resigned from the force rather than seek the recommended counseling.”
That was sum of it, right?
“I’m impressed he learned so much. The charge was hushed. The recommendation confidential.”
No denial. No hedging. Not even an uncomfortable pause. “So it’s true?”
“Partially. Mostly.”
“I thought he was lying.”
“Sorry to disappoint.”
“I’m not disappointed. I’m confused.” Bella shifted in her seat, feeling agitated and impatient as she braced for more avoidance from Mr. I-Can’t-Talk-About-It. Maybe if she got the ball rolling. “I know about Operation Little Lamb Lost.”
“Carson was a busy boy.”
“I didn’t learn about the case from Carson. Ryan told me. Sheriff Ryan McClure,” she clarified. “He’s an old friend. Even so, I had to pry the information out of him. Although, according to him, there are articles all over the Internet regarding that horrific sex ring.”
“Did you read any of them?”
“No.”
“Good.”
“But I know it involved the trafficking of young girls and I know that you and a task force made several arrests and saved those lost lambs.”
“Not all of them.”
Even though Savage was as still as a statue, even though his tone was calm and his expression enigmatic, the force of his fury radiated throughout the cab nearly scorching Bella’s clammy skin. “The man you…the man who accused you of brutality…”
“You mean the man I almost killed with my bare hands.”
She swallowed hard and pressed on. “Was he associated with that sex ring?”
“Yes.”
“Did he abuse and torture those girls?”
“That and more. The worst of it couldn’t be proven, but I know he’s guilty. When he talked trash about those girls and promised to retaliate when he learned the name of the one who betrayed him—”
“You lost it?”
He crooked a humorless smile. “Leave it to you to sugar coat. Val likened me to a crazed animal. Said I was ruthless.”
“But you didn’t kill him.”
“Only because she intervened.”
“You would have stopped on your own.”
His fingers flexed on the wheel. “I don’t know that.”
“I do.”
He responded with silence, which was akin to torture.
Then it got worse.
“Look at me, Bella. Take off the rose-tinted glasses and really look.”
She shook off the insult and bolstered her shoulders. “I see a good man.”
“With a beast caged inside.”
“If you’re referring to anger issues—”
“A curse I inherited from dear old dad. Something I suppressed for years. Only the more I saw, the suffering…the injustice…Jesus.” He blew out a breath. “I sound like a character on a bad cop show.”
“You sound like a man with a big caring heart. You sound tortured and haunted. I don’t condone beating another person senseless, but given the circumstances I empathize. You need to forgive yourself, to have faith in your innate goodness and move on.”
“I’m trying.”
“Try harder. And know you can count on me to kick your badass out of the gutter and into the sunshine.”
This time his smile met his eyes. “God, I love it when you’re riled.”
She flushed head to toe. “It doesn’t happen often, but… Hey! You missed the turn onto Moon Creek.”
“I’m not taking you to Funland. I’m taking you to your dad’s.”
“Why?”
“I’m leaving town for a few days and I don’t want you to be alone.”
Her brain and pulse scrambled. “Where are you going?”
“Chicago.”
“Without me?”
“Definitely without you.”
“But what about the wedding? What about our date?”
“It’s off. Our date. Not the wedding.” He cut off Bella’s protest with a pointed look. “I packed some of your things. Your suitcase is in the back. Your laptop and manuscripts behind the seat. I asked McClure—yes, we’ve met—to keep an eye on you and I asked Zeke to look in on Killer. “
“Pull over.”
“Bella—”
“I’m serious, Joe Savage. Pull this truck off of the road, right here, right now.” Once he got her to her dad’s, he’d make an escape, leaving her clueless and fuming. If he thought she was riled before, he hadn’t seen anything yet.
To his credit, he complied, easing the truck onto the shoulder then cutting the engine.
She whipped off her seat belt and faced him. “Why are you breaking our date?”
“I don’t want you anywhere near what’s happening in Chicago.”
His honesty only heightened her worry. “What’s happening in Chicago?”
More silence.
As someone who kept her own bad stuff to herself, she should have respected Savage’s privacy. She should’ve backed off and shut down, given the threat of confrontation. But she didn’t. She couldn’t. “If you don’t tell me, I’ll do whatever it takes to find out on my own. At least this way you can censor details.”
After giving her the stink eye, Savage relayed the latest odious offense by Leo-the-Lion Pratt.
Bella’s stomach churned all the while, her temper spiking with her dread. “So, what?” she asked when he finished. “You’re going back to look after that poor girl? To handle Pratt?”
His weighted silence screamed,
yes!
Bella fought hard to contain her frustration and panic. “Val told you to stay away. Said your old team was on the case.”
“Sasha’s in the hospital with a broken jaw because of me.”
“Not because of you! Because of Pratt or one of his flunkies! What are you going to do if you get your hands on whoever is responsible?” She realized she was shouting now, but maybe that was what it would take to get her message through Savage’s thick head.
He studied her for a moment then crooked a sad smile. “So much for believing in my innate goodness.”
“I do believe! I just…” She faltered, realizing that she did indeed harbor a fraction of doubt. Pratt and his like had perpetuated unspeakable horrors on vulnerable innocents. Even her Pollyanna self didn’t believe jail time would rehabilitate their wicked souls. Heart pounding, Bella scrambled across the seat and straddled Savage’s lap. Squeezed between the steering wheel and his hard body she could scarcely breathe. Although maybe that was more due to what she was about to say. “Don’t go.”
Dark eyes swimming with torment, he gently cupped her face. “I left the job, left Chicago to escape the darkness. But the darkness followed. I’d like to bask in the sunshine you mentioned, Princess, but until I snuff a demon—”
“Don’t go,” she repeated, assuming he was talking about Pratt. “The CPD will take care of Sasha. They’ll watch Val’s back, too. If you’re worried Pratt will actually send someone to Nowhere, making good on his threat and harming those you care about then stay here and protect me. I know you care. You might even love me. At least it feels that way. I know for certain I’m crazy about you
.
As in head-over-heels, once-in-a-lifetime love.”
He kissed her then and Bella’s soul wept knowing his—their—future was at dire risk. She clung and kissed Savage for all she was worth then eased away and took one last shot. “I’ve never given someone an ultimatum—”
“If you really love me, don’t start now.”
“That’s not fair.”
He hugged her and her heart cracked along with her dream. “That’s life.”
Chapter Twenty-Five