“He grabbed me and threw me to the ground. I managed to kick him in the nuts and get away, but he recovered and pounced on me, shoving me to the ground again. I remember landing on my stomach and the air being knocked out of me. There was no traffic that night. I remember praying for just one car, just one to come by. I thought if at least one car came driving by he might get scared and let me go.
“He grabbed me by my ankles and dragged me back to his truck. That’s when I remembered the lipstick in my pocket. Lethal Red. I managed to stick it in the ground upright, hoping someone would find it.” Haley turned and looked at Ava. “And you did. So I owe you a very big thank you.”
“No, Jayden is who you need to thank.” Ava shook her head. “We had no idea he had found you. He’s the hero.”
Haley looked back at the sky and nodded. “Yes. He is my hero. More than he’ll ever know.”
#
“Why are you in such a bad mood?” Damon glanced at Jayden as he poured himself a cup of coffee. “And why in the hell does Barrett have this old ass coffeemaker?” Damon snarled, as the percolator didn’t stop when he picked up the carafe and it spilled onto the countertop.
“Barrett’s a tightwad and I’m not in a bad mood.” Jayden glared. Okay maybe he was in a bad mood, but he couldn’t help it.
“He’s got blue balls because Granny caught him and Haley in bed together last night.” Braxton took out the orange juice from the refrigerator and took a drink straight from the carton. “And I’m guessing from his sour mood she busted him before anything got to feeling good, if you know what I mean.”
“Fuck off.” Jayden glared at Braxton before leveling one at Damon.
Damon held up his hands and smirked. “Don’t look at me. I already have. Twice this morning.”
Jayden rubbed his hand down his face, irritated and frustrated. Very, very frustrated.
“I hear Granny’s got this toy for men. It’s like an artificial vagina. Maybe she brought it and you can use it.” Damon lips turned up ever so slightly.
Braxton stopped chugging and looked over at Damon. “For real? Who the hell would want that?”
“I guess someone with blue balls.” Damon snorted.
Jayden growled.
“What’s going on?” Barrett walked through the kitchen and headed straight for the coffee pot.
“A couple of things.” Damon glanced at Jayden’s crotch.
Jayden flipped him the bird.
“We were wondering why you have a coffeepot that was a hand-me-down from Jesus. And we were talking about artificial vaginas that Granny is peddling and how Jayden needs one.” Braxton reached to a plate on the island and snatched one of the donuts that Ava had brought back from the bakery early that morning.
Barrett turned and stared at all three of them in disgust. “I have no interest in talking about why Jayden is requiring an artificial vagina. And the coffee pot still works so why replace it? Now having said that I’m going to the RV where I am going to try to forget we ever had this conversation.” Barrett swiped two donuts off the plate.
“And don’t eat all the fucking donuts.” He called out over his shoulder.
#
“Here’s what I got.” Barrett leaned back in his chair in the Behemoth looking at his Guardians in front of him. It was almost evening and he’d been at the computer and checking into his contacts all damn day trying like hell to close the net around this stalker.
Damon crossed his arms over his massive chest while Braxton leaned against the counter where one of the computer monitors was set up. Zane propped his hands on his hips while shooting an occasional glare at Jayden. Ignoring Zane, Jayden sat nearby resting his elbows on his knees while he waited for Barrett to speak. Lucien was out, patrolling the street as a late night jogger.
“Haley’s and the university’s Facebook hack was traced back to a building in a small town near Shreveport Louisiana.”
“So it could be someone Haley knows, like her ex-boyfriend.” Braxton crossed his tattooed arms.
“No. It’s not him.” Barrett shook his head. “I sent someone in to check it out. That building is empty and there is no name on the deed. It is a foreclosed property. Bank owned. We think that whoever it is goes in late at night with a laptop and that’s how he managed to hack her computer.”
Jayden glanced out the window. “It’s getting dark now. We should have someone waiting there.”
Barrett nodded in frustration. When would they start trusting him? He’d been here too damn long for this to still happen.
“I already sent Jaxon. He’s there now.”
Jayden nodded.
“What about CODIS? We get a hit from them yet?” Damon crossed his arms and leaned his hip against the counter in front of one of the four computers on the Behemoth.
“Not yet. But I got a feeling we’re getting close.” Barrett looked at all his men. “And when this thing goes down I don’t want any trouble.”
“What do you mean?” Damon frowned.
“I mean I want this to go smooth.” Barrett held Jayden’s gaze. “It seems like lately we’ve had anything but smooth.”
“I think we do smooth takedowns all the time. I don’t know what you’re talking about.” Damon shook his head.
“I’m talking about how when we were going in after Jayden you instigated a whole bar fight in the strip club while dressed as Spartacus.”