Page 152 of Exposed

King

Acall came into the anonymous DEA tip line about possible human trafficking victims being smuggled in a shipment of cocaine.

Shocker.

It took about five minutes for that tip to be tied to my case.

The look on Tim’s face when this all came about was priceless. Not one I’d like to experience again, but priceless all the same.

When I told Tim that Cole Carson called and wanted in on the action, I think his exact words were, “Fuck me. Here we go again.”

Though, he wasn’t really complaining. He’s got the most productive group with the best stats in the Miami Division. Hell, he could put us up against any team in the country, and we’d still look like superstars.

Knowing the right people along the way doesn’t hurt. I would’ve found out about the human trafficking eventually, but my new secret friends located in Virginia wine country put us on the offense rather than defense.

And when you’re on this side of the law, offense is always the way to go.

Still, it didn’t take long for Tim to lay down his own law when he looked around the room at Brax, Micah, and me. “This doesn’t go outside of my office, got it? If it does, I’ll cut each one of you loose, and you’ll have to defend yourself with the Office of Professional Responsibility.”

That’s not going to happen. Tim would never cut us loose.

No matter. We all agreed to appease him.

That was days ago.

It’s been a week.

We made the drive from Virginia to Miami straight through. It was long and miserable. The next time I take Goldie to see her mom, we won’t have drama biting our asses.

Ozzy Graves and his private satellite system might’ve come in handy to get a leg up on wrapping this case, but what I’m most grateful for is staying one step ahead of Randall Becerra.

That motherfucker might be able to deliver a beating when his target is tied to a chair, but he’s got rocks rattling around that head of his.

I know his every move thanks to my new friend in Virginia. Graves can spin some creative technology that is nothing short of magic. The best being, I can track Becerra’s every step at any moment of the day. He’s looking far and wide for the woman who has moved into my bed and is living in the house I grew up in with Don, Tippy, and Laken.

I’ve taken that house for granted my entire life.

When Lake and I first moved to Miami, I might as well have been living my own personalFresh Prince of Bel-Airbut inTheGolden Girlsstyle on the other side of the country. A stable home and two attentive parents were not what I was used to. Even with the new luxuries, it didn’t take long for us to settle into a normal, healthy life.

I’ve also never shared a home with anyone I’m so fucking obsessed with, it has me doing shit that I never imagined doing.

Like professing my love and begging her never to leave me.

I’m not sure if this is what normal people do, but the woman who is pure sunshine has me spinning in her orbit in ways I didn’t know possible.

Becerra is getting pressure from Dex. He’s been hanging around The Colony since he has no other leads on where to find us. We saw Mr. Elrod chase him out of the parking lot yesterday on the pole cameras. Brax called a unit to check on the old guy, but he was fine. After the break in at Goldie’s apartment and the added strangers hanging around the parking lot, Mr. Elrod is worried the neighborhood is going to hell.

Give me a few more days, old man. I’ll make sure you’re safe again, and you’ll get a new upstairs neighbor in the process. Goldie had re-upped her lease before we met, but I don’t give a shit. I’ll pay it out if I have to.

Being single and spending most of my life living on the Army’s dime being deployed around the world, I’ve saved a small fortune and have no mortgage.

It might not be a fortune to some, but it is to me. I’ll do anything and pay any amount to keep her close to me. I even sent Rocco to The Colony after he got off shift the other day to pack as many of her things as he could.

She’ll never sleep in that apartment again. And I’ll fulfill my promise to ravage her day and night but without nosy neighbors listening.

There’s only one barrier standing between Goldie and me and a future together.

The Carter Cartel.

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