Waking up with him cast a tidal wave of emotion over me, one I’d never felt before. I felt comfortable in my own skin, even with the skin-deep flaws haunting me.

CHAPTER SIXTEEN

Mason

She was everything I didn’t know I wanted.

The metal of my locker cools my forehead as I lean against it, closing my eyes to savor the moment of peace and quiet before the guys bombard me. I stand alone in the locker room, putting away my shit after a long day of dealing with trigger-happy bikers and a family of murderous assholes. Frustration and confusion tears me in two as I hang up my bulletproof vest. I slam the locker shut and my throat closes up. I’m pissed way the fuck off and not just because I’m sick of Misery’s Angels’ bastards. But also because Lindsey snuck out of my apartment last night without so much as a word. It grated on me. Did she not experience the same emotions, sensations I did when I fucked her into oblivion? It felt raw and real, and I refused to believe otherwise because I know what I felt and saw in her lust-filled eyes staring back at me. It was unmistakable. Now I just have to get her to believe it too.

Maybe she got scared, which she probably did. But leaving me high and dry, having to explain to my daughter why our guest left before the sun was up, was not something I’m okay with. I had planned on having breakfast with her and Charlotte, to enjoy some time together since she had lit up at Charlotte’s animated way of talking and found amusement in her company the night before. I also I needed to do some digging into how the hell she knew Baccarelli. There was just never a good time last night to ask her about it, given the day she’d had. But it’s driving me nuts not knowing. The unknown seeped into every crack, the question all consuming, blocking every other thought seeking answers. I don’t want to believe she’s involved with him, but the cop in me is shaking his head at my stupidity. Not one of the surveillance photos depicted the meeting as casual or nice. If anything, it was the opposite. Lindsey had a permanent scowl on her face in each of them. Her arms were crossed, closing herself off. It was obvious she wanted to be anywhere else but there. Baccarelli just looked like he always had, now just an older version.

Cassidy, Roamyn, and Eli hustle into the room and Roamyn strips off his shirt before he’s got the door closed. “So who’s up for a drink tonight to celebrate my birthday?” he asks, hands out, eyes popping wide, giant grin on his face.

Eli places his ankle holster into his locker. “I’m in. I could use a night out,” he pipes up and turns to Cassidy. “You coming?”

Cassidy grimaces, and looks up out of the corner of her eyes, as if toying with the idea in her head. I know what she’s thinking without her saying it.

Elias shoots her a worried look, one of a disappointed parent as he stands up taller, placing his hands low on his hips. “You fighting tonight, Cass?”

And so it begins, world war fucking three. Because Cassidy is Detective Kane by day, Cassidy Undefined, by night.

She slips a coat over her shoulders. “I’m not at this stage, no. But before you start, Elias, remember I can kick your ass.” She pulls a beanie down on her head and mutters, “Now, you guys ready to go or what?”

Roam shrugs but keeps his mouth shut. We’ve both learned it’s better to stay out of the firing line when those two are letting each other have it. When they aren’t arguing, they actually kick major ass as a team.

“All right. Let’s go. Mase, you in?” Roamyn asks, shoving his wallet into his pants after throwing on a fresh shirt.

I pick up my phone, checking the time. “Yeah man, Charlotte’s at a sleepover with a friend from school, so I’ve got the night free.”  I turn to Cassidy remembering what I’d organized earlier today. “Cassidy, your friends get Lindsey’s loft cleaned up okay?”

She stops staring daggers at her cousin to flick around to face me. “Sure did, boss. Soon as everything was tagged, bagged and we got the okay, I had them clear it all out and replace the locks and some furniture.”

I nod, thankful for her female help to replace the girly shit in Lindsey’s place and get it cleared up quickly.

Roamyn smiles wide, opening his arms up in a welcoming way that grabs each of our attention. “Well, let’s get on it then, shall we?”

I shake my head and I can’t help a small grin from breaking out. These guys, drinks, and some music, it’s going to be a long night.

***

Music pumps through the speakers so loudly it vibrates through my bones as we make our way through the bar to an empty booth. We’re at the Victory again. The crowd is young and wild, different than the usual. No one looks above the age of twenty-five and they’re all swaying around, unfocused and intoxicated. I pull up a chair and Cassidy does the same. Roam is searching the room, probably for a potential bed partner tonight, while Eli is eyeing the bar.

“I’ll shout first round, be back,” he chimes in before heading to the bar across the room.

Roamyn stands, staring in the same direction, I turn my head and realize why. There’s a blonde behind the bar giving him fuck-me eyes. “I’ll go help, Eli,” he trails off.

Cassidy clasps her hands together in front of her, observing the room awkwardly as she sits silently. Normally, it’s hard to shut her up, so for her to be acting like this, she must have something she wants to say.

“What’s up, Cassidy? You’re bursting at the seams there. Spit out whatever it is you want to say.” I lean one arm back onto the arm of the chair, the other resting on the table.

She curves her shoulders forward and her drained expression causes me to worry. “It’s none of my business and I get that, but just putting it out there. Whoever broke into Lindsey Jenkins’ loft was not a Marino. I’d bet my life on it.” There’s strength behind her words. She believes every word leaving her mouth and she’s a good detective, one of the best. It’s why she’s on the bureau. If I’m smart, I’ll believe her, but believing her requires me to accept another threat is after Lindsey and that shit fucks with my head more. I have no clue who the hell the woman really is.

I run a hand through the top of my hair. “I know. I saw the place too. It wasn’t just retaliation.”

“If it was retaliation, she’d be dead.” Cassidy’s blunt tone hits right where it needs to. Her words puncture my heart, the truth in them bleeds from the wound. No more secrets. No more hiding. I want to protect Lindsey, but I can’t keep her alive without her baring it all to me.

Elias returns, putting down drinks in front of us before all but running back to the bar to where Roamyn stands with two women.

Cassidy pulls at the label on her beer. “Elias and I interviewed a few possible suspects today but we’ve got nothing solid. Everyone had alibis that checked out. I dunno, Mase,” She shrugs, uncertainty washing over both of us because I feel it too. “Things seemed off about the whole break in. Her bedroom was destroyed. They were looking for something, or just out to destroy everything she owned. She was attacked. It felt so…” she trails off before speaking barely above a whisper I almost miss it, “personal. Everything I saw felt as though it was done out of spite.”

I take a long pull of my beer, swallowing the liquid, hit with the reality that I know absolutely nothing helpful. “Yeah, I’m looking into it.” And with that the conversation ends, the music gets louder, and we sit back and relax.

Beers are placed down between us and Elias and Roamyn shuffle in beside us continuing their conversation.

“Nah, man. I got something better waiting for me.” Roamyn chuckles before taking a swig of his beer.

Elias’s eyebrows just about hit his hairline as he replies, “Oh, really?”