Page 33 of Nightcrawler

He smiled so sweetly, it made his whole face light up. When he leaned forward and slid his hand around my waist to bring me close, I went happily. “You know, you have a strong protective streak in you, right?” He looked down at my lips before gazing up into my eyes. “I like it very much.”

I smirked at him then leaned in, sliding my arms around him before kissing him. He must have given himself a sponge bath or something because the clean way he smelled, filled my senses. The way his lips felt pressed to mine, the way his body molded against me as if he were made for me, made my head swim with possibilities. I wanted him so badly, I could barely stand it and if the presence of his erection against my own was any indication of how he felt for me, he wanted me just as much. When hefinally dropped his hands and stepped back, I was reluctant to let go. He smiled at me and it was like being hit with a beam of sunshine. My heart did a little flip-flop, and I realized my attraction to him, had turned into falling for him.

“We’d better go,” he repeated, and I sighed, knowing he was right and yet dreading the moment when we’d part.

RAVEN

Miguel sat quietly in the truck, looking at something on his phone as I followed my truck’s navigation to the tow yard. He was frowning down at the screen, and it made me curious to know what had happened to alter his mood.

“What’s so interesting?”

He looked up at me. “Jamie sent me over my next assignment and I’m not looking forward to it.”

“He actually did follow through and give you a job?” When I glanced over, he kept talking. “While you were talking to Jamie earlier, I heard some of his side of the conversation. He’s a loud talker.”

I nodded, figuring that he had heard. “Yeah, I told him I’d pick up the file but he emailed it to me. I’ve been reading it over while you were napping.”

“Well, that’s great about the job because I know you were worried about Jamie’s reaction when you told him about the whole Gemma Monroe situation.”

He nodded and looked back down at his phone as I turned my attention back to the road. “This is a job no one in my office wants but the bounty is good. Even so, I’m slightly surprised he sent it over even though he told me he was serious when we were on the phone.”

“It’s not a good job?” I said, worrying my bottom lip. “Why were you surprised if he said he was sending it?”

“I was hoping I was wrong. I passed on this job once already.”

“What’s the job?”

“Fugitive recovery.”

“Oh.” I glanced over at him. He was still frowning at the phone. I looked back out the windshield. “Fugitive recovery isn’t something I’ve ever done but I’ve faced off with my share of them while trying to recover something for GMS. Who is the guy? He’s dangerous?”

“Yeah, he’s a huge guy, nearly 300 pounds, taller than I am, and has a history of methamphetamine use. He hasn’t checked in with his parole officer for a while.”

“He sounds like trouble. Please tell me you’re working with someone on this,” I said, feeling dread curling in my belly. When he said nothing, I glanced away from the road. He shook his head. I looked back at traffic. “Miguel…please tell me you’re not going to try to arrest this guy all alone.”

“No one else wants this job. That’s why Jamie gave it to me.”

“You can’t go after a guy like that alone.” I glanced over at him to find him staring at me. “I mean it.” I wished I wasn’t on the freeway. I would have pulled over and shaken him. “Are you crazy?”

“I know it’s dangerous, but you don’t understand my circumstances, Raven!” He raised his voice. “I’m losing my apartment. They’re going to throw me out in ten days and now, with this truck situation…” His words trailed off and I glanced over at him. He was running his hands through his hair. I looked in the rearview mirror and then switched lanes. I was going toget off, park my vehicle, and have it out with him. “What’re you doing?” he asked suddenly.

“I’m going to pull off and park so that I can see you and actually have it out with you for doing something dumb.” When he didn’t say anything for a few seconds, I looked over. He was grinning at me. “What now?” I know I must have sounded crazy too, but someone had to talk him out of doing this.

“Nothing. I just like it when you get all hot and bothered. It’s really sexy.” He laughed and I just shook my head, taking the off-ramp and pulling into the parking lot of a fast-food restaurant. After shutting off the engine, I turned to him.

“You can’t just arrest this guy on your own. You’re crazy for even thinking about it,” I began.

“I told you, Raven. I need the money. Jamie’s on his last nerve with me and I have no choice but to take this job or face not getting any more work. Oh, and did I mention, I’m flat broke. I have to take this job.”

“Then…I’ll go with you.”

He barked out a laugh, twisting in his seat to frown at me. “You’re hurt. You were shot or have you forgotten that?” He shook his head, crossed his arms over his chest, and turned to look at the cinderblock wall in front of the truck. “Idiot.”

“I won’t put myself in harm’s way but at least, I’ll be there to help take him down. Apparently, you work with a bunch of cowards if no one else will step up.” I knew I was rambling on but I got like that when I was upset. “As far as the poverty part, trust me, I understand it.”

He swiveled to look at me with a dark frown on his face. “You live in the Hollywood Hills in a house five times the sizeof my apartment, and you’re claiming that you understand my situation?” He scoffed, looking away again.

“It wasn’t always that way, Miguel. My half-Caucasian mother and I grew up on the Navajo reservation in Arizona. My white father abandoned us when I was just a kid, so yeah, I know poverty when I see it. I came here to stay with my nana after my mom died. My grandmother inherited the house from the man she worked for as a maid. So yeah, I live nicely now, but that’s only because she’s a good person who took care of a man whose own children abandoned him. She started out as the hired help and became a dear friend to him in his elderly years. She cooked for him, cleaned for him, and when he got sick, acted as his nurse until the day he died. He left her the house.”

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