Jackson Stiles, Road to Redemption (Road to Redemption #1)

I want to talk into it, like Liam Neeson from that fucked up movie Taken. I want to tell the person on the other end that I’ll find them then I’ll kill them.

The truth is, I’m less pissed off about the fact they’ve been listening in than I am over the assumption that I’m stupid enough to take Walker’s bait.

“Yeah,” I finally breathe out, ready to get down and dirty with this flimsy as fuck, barely put together plan I’m concocting. “Maybe it’s time to give the guy a second chance.”

I peek over at Green. She looks worried and not at all excited about the whole idea of someone listening to us. Or me pretending to take Walker up on his lame offer. But a guy’s gotta do what a guy’s gotta do to take down the asshats who like to shoot kids while they’re not looking. Even if that group might consist of parties belonging to the Redemption motherfucking Police Department.

I need to get some actual conversation in with Green, so I push the bug into a paper towel and then another, just in case. I put the whole kit and caboodle somewhere I know they aren’t gonna hear anything else they shouldn’t hear. Unless I fucking want them to hear it, that is.

I open the hall closet door and find a jacket I haven’t worn in years. I slip the silver mic into the front pocket and gently close the door.

Breathing never felt so good.

“Fucking A.” Green looks flushed and relieved as she falls back onto the couch. “I thought I was getting hives there for a minute.”

She’s pretty badass sometimes. Geeky, but badass. And damn, when the curse words come out of her mouth. Anything I was about to start planning is thrown out the window with one dirty word.

“Jesus, Green. Say that again.”

“I was getting─”

“Not that.” A slow grin forms across her expression.

“I don’t understand.”

I crawl up onto the couch next to her. I’m face-to-face with her when I say it. “Bullshit.”

Her lips pucker. Her brow forms a look of curious wonder as to where I’m going with this. But it’s all fake. The wonder, that is. She knows where I’m going with this.

“You mean fuck?”

See?

My head bobs in a slow nod. “Yes.”

She whispers it into my ear this time.

“Fuck.”

Every hair on my body and every nerve under my skin stands at attention. Not to mention, my dick. He’s got a great salute.

With a deliberate motion, I lay her flat on her back and hover over her, hungry for that same intensity we created last night.

Green’s got other plans, though.

“Don’t you think we should─”

“Not now, Green.” I tell her. We can deal with Walker and the bug later. “Now, I want to do what I’m told by the woman with the dirty mouth.”

“You w─” her breath catches when I dip down to kiss her neck, then the back of her ear, before repeating her own words to her.

“Fuck.”

Green hums and it sends me into overdrive. But it doesn’t last. Her iPhone alarm goes off, and her focus is shattered into a million tiny pieces.

“Stiles.” Maybe if I move this party a little lower, she’ll get on board, so to speak.

“Mmmmm. I think I should return that text.”

She can’t be serious. “To the anonymity?”

“Anonymous.” She laughs when I kiss her belly. Ticklish. “And yes. Walking out on my boss is one thing, but if I don’t get back to this guy at some point, I’m a little afraid of what he might do.”

She pulls at my arms, and I follow her lead. When I’m face-to-face with her again, she plants a kiss on my lips. Soft and true.

It’s not long or passionate. It just is. And when she pulls away, she gives me the look.

“You’re leaving, aren’t you?”

“I’m leaving, but I’ll be back.”

I believe her. Unfortunately.

High and dry, people. High and dry.

After that, a new world’s record is set by Green. She wins the gold for collecting-your-shit-and-bolting-out-the-door-of-the-guy-who-desperately-wants-to-fuck-your-brains-out. The woman is together and gone in ten-point-five seconds. No lie.

Lucky for me, if there’s any luck whatsoever in this situation that is, she leaves with the intention of getting home, getting cleaned up, packing, and beginning the process of distancing herself from the boy-toy, The Chronicle, and this fucking Anonymous guy, for good.

Me?

I plan to take a pause before contacting Dick, again. And even then, I’m gonna need to play this shit off like I need a bit more convincing to get my ass back into a uniform. I’m fairly confident my brother might be around when it happens. He’s always around.

He’s one of two people in this world who knows when I’m lying. The other being my mother.

Okay, fine. Three, including Green.

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