Chapter NINE
Jagger’s phone was going off again. He reached over, looked at the number, and answered.
“Yeah… I’m in the middle of something… well; I’m going to need you to take care of it… Listen if you can’t, then… hold on.” He smiled at Britton. “I’m going to take this out in the living room. Is that okay?”
She nodded, and watched him as he confidently rose from the bed and walked out of the room. He was used to being naked; it was second nature to him but Britton suddenly felt very exposed lying there. She searched her nightstand for something quick to slip on. She wanted to hear the rest of that conversation. She wanted to know what needed to be taken care of. She pulled a nighty over her head and slipped out of bed. She slowly snuck into the hallway, hoping to overhear something before getting caught.
“Yes, it’s in my trunk. I’ll be there in half an hour.”
He hung up the phone and stopped pacing.
“Britton?”
She peeked out from behind the corner. “Hey, everything okay?”
“Yeah, just a little business I need to attend to.”
“Oh, okay.”
“But wow, are you trying to entice me again?”
She hadn’t even noticed how revealing her nighty might be, but she played along. “Maybe.”
“Wow, how I've missed you all these years.”
Her face softened. It still hurt her to hear that. She hated being reminded of why they hadn’t seen each other for so long, but at least it gave her some perspective. Keeping that fact in mind would never allow her to fall back in love with him.
“I have to go out, but I’ll see you tonight, okay?”
“I’m not working tonight.”
“Then I’ll see you here.”
“Jagger…”
“No, I’m not letting you get away that easily. And I have something I want to show you, so I’ll be back. Eight o’clock.”
“I’ll be here.”
He stole a kiss and ran out of the door. She wanted to tail him, find out where he was heading, bust him right then and there, but something held her back. She would let him conduct his business tonight. She had six hours until he’d be back. Although dreading it, she now had to head into her office and debrief with David.
She closed the door to his office behind her and quickly started talking before he could say anything.
“I am so sorry that I put you in that situation. He saw that I had thirteen missed calls from you and then started hounding me for information, asking whom I worked for. I panicked and told him you were my boyfriend. David, I…I know I screwed up, but it all happened so quickly.”
“Sit down.”
Britton’s head started spiraling. Would she be thrown off the case? Would they do that now, even though she was in with Jagger? Would she be fired from the FBI for kissing her boss? How would she explain her actions to Washington?
“Are you calmed down now?”
“Yes.”
“Great job, Britton. I’m very impressed.”
“What?”
“Day one of being in the high roller’s room and you are already in with the suspect? How did you do it?”
“I actually fought with him at the casino, knowing that he would follow me. And he did.” She left out the bit about the rough sex.
“And that’s why I put you on the case. No one else would have known that about him. You understand why I asked you to do this now?”
“Yes.”
“What happened to your wrists?”
“Nothing.”
David felt a deep sense of failure overcome his body. She was hurt and he couldn’t help her.
“Britton how did that happen to your wrists?”
“He tied me up.”
“What?”
“He thought I was hiding something, and he needed to make sure he could trust me.”
“Are you defending him?”
“Absolutely not.”
“Then tell me what happened.”
She didn’t want to tell David that she'd slept with Jagger. She didn’t want him to judge her. But there was no way around it. Jagger was a womanizer. She wouldn’t have been able to get into his life if she wasn’t sleeping with him. It dawned on her briefly that David must have known that. She took a deep breath.
“After I spoke with you, he found me and invited me up to his room. I knew if I said ‘no’ then it would be over, and the years of work I had done would have all been for naught. Afterwards, I… fell asleep. I hadn’t slept in a few days; these dreams I’ve been having have been very vivid. I was out cold. When I woke up, he was standing over me, and I was tied to the bed. When I didn’t talk, he pulled the ropes tighter and started intimidating me.”
“Oh my God.”
“I kept my cover and managed to get him to follow me, so I think I did a pretty good job.”
“No, no, you did. Britton, I am so sorry. I had no idea he would do that to you.”
“He’s a little harder than I remember him being.”
“I’m going to pull the plug on this.”
“No.”
“Yes, I’m not having you continue this investigation.”
“He’s coming over tonight. I can’t just disappear.”
“Yes you can. We have a safe house. We can transfer you to another branch.”
“No. If I were any of the other guys here, you would tell them to straighten their bra straps and get back out there. Well, my bra straps are straight and you cannot pull this case from me.”
“Britton, if you get hurt, it’s on me.”
“It’s on me. And I won’t. I have him exactly where I want him. I can do this, David.”
He paused, fighting his feelings to hold her and protect her. He hated himself for putting her in danger, but she was an agent, and she was right. He had to let her finish out the case.
“Okay, you win.”
“Thank you.”
“Promise me you’ll be careful?”
“Of course.”
She shook his hand and walked out the door. He remembered the feel of terrycloth between his fingers from their embrace earlier that day. He remembered the touch of her lips to his and the sweetness of her breath. He wanted to go undercover with her. He wanted to play the part of her boyfriend. That way, he could protect her from Jagger Stromm. He ran out of his office after her.
“Britton!”
“Yes?” She turned to him.
“Why don’t I stop by tonight? He already thinks I’m your boyfriend. It would make sense.”
“He’s so jealous. You don’t want that.”
“I do.”
“Well, I don't want that David...” she paused, she had hurt him with that. “I don’t actually know what he’s capable of. Please, just give me some time alone with him.”
“How about I call you, maybe around eight-thirty? Then you’ll be able to let me know if you’re in trouble.”
“I can handle that.”
“Okay.”
“I’ll talk to you tonight.”
“Good luck, Britton.” He forced a smile.
“Thanks David.”
She turned and walked out the door. He still didn’t feel great about this plan of action, but he knew she had it under control. Britton was a good agent. He would have to trust her.
Jagger drove down the long gravel road leading to the warehouse. He passed by two sets of guards, all of whom nodded at his return. He was their leader, their father. Without him, they would be lost. As he closed in on the warehouse, he found himself wishing that he had made a different life for himself. For the first time in ten years, he wished his fortune had come from something he could share with the world; something he’d be proud to share with Britton.
Britton. Jagger thought about how crazy life could be. He didn’t know what he could’ve done to deserve her returning to him, but he was sure he wouldn’t let himself mess it up this time. The final gates opened, and he rolled up to the home of the Harbingers of Sorrow MC.
He peeled back the sliding door to reveal a lone man tied to a chair. His head was hanging to the side. Jagger slowly strode up to him and picked up his chin.
“Where are my drugs motherf*cker?”
The captive had been beaten so badly he could barely speak. “The shipment was confiscated by...the FBI at the airstrip.” the man managed, not without difficulty.
“Did they tie it back to you?”
“No.”
“Did they tie it back to me?”
“No.”
“What’s your plan?”
“One of my guys works for the DEA. He’s already in the process of getting it back to me.”
“So you have it under control?”
“Yes sir.”
“Is this going to happen again?”
“No sir.”
“Great. Here’s what I’m going to do. I’m going to give you a nice wad of cash to hand to your friend at the DEA for all his troubles. Then I’m going to give you one of your AR-15's. You get me my drugs, and you’ll get the other nine. Does that sound like a good plan?”
“Yes sir.”
“Perfect. Now, I’m going to untie you, and you are going to sit here and collect yourself. Then I’m going to send in Dominic to handle the rest of the exchange.”
Jagger untied him and threw the ropes to the ground. They were the same type of ropes he always used, the type he used to tie up Britton the night before. He shook the thought from his head. Today was a good day. He had started fresh with her. He was winning her back. And business was good. Jagger closed the door behind him and immediately ran into Dominic, his second in command.
“Did you rough him up Jagger?” Dom asked casually.
Jagger didn't meet his gaze. “I did what I needed to do.”
“Come on, boss, you’re not getting soft on us, are you?”
“Don’t worry, you’ll never see that day, Dom. Do me a favor?”
“Anything.”
“Give this guy ten grand and one of his guns.”
“What? Why?”
“It’ll keep him accountable. Carrot on a stick.”
“Okay. Where you running off to?”
“Funny story, I’m going to see Britton.”
“Britton? What?”
“Yeah, did you know your sister was back?”