Page 30 of A Christmas Surprise for the Biker

Legend tenses behind me, his arms tightening slightly. “What about him?”

I turn in his arms, meeting his gaze. “There's a connection between him and one of your old cases. A drug dealer named Carlos Ramirez. According to this, Turner might have been on his payroll.”

Legend's eyes widen, a mix of surprise and understanding crossing his face. “Fuck,” he mutters, taking the file from me. “I remember this case. It was right before I went inside. I never got to finish it because...” he trails off, but I know what he's not saying. Because he'd been arrested.

“Nico,” I say softly, placing a hand on his arm. “This could be why Turner's been so hard on you. If you exposed him in some way or he thinks you’re a threat…”

He nods, his jaw clenching. “It would explain a lot. Fuck, Brae. This is... this changes things.”

I bite my lip, worry gnawing at me. “What do we do now?”

Legend runs a hand through his hair, his brow furrowed in thought. “I need to do some digging, find more evidence. If we're going to take on Turner, we need to be damn sure we have enough to bring him down.”

I nod, determined to do what I can to help him figure this out. “Then let's get to work.”

For the next few hours, we pore over every file, every scrap of information related to the Ramirez case. We create a timeline, connecting dots we hadn't seen before. With each piece that falls into place, the picture becomes clearer. Turner isn't just a hard-ass parole officer with a chip on his shoulder.

He's corrupt, and Legend had unknowingly started to unravel his web of deceit.

When night falls, we finally take a break.

Legend orders pizza while I feed Ryder, both of us lost in thought about what we've uncovered.

“We need to be careful,” Legend says as we sit down to eat. “Turner's dangerous, and if he realizes we're onto him...” He leaves the rest unsaid.

I reach across the table, taking his hand. “We’re safe here.”

He squeezes my hand, his eyes softening as they meet mine. “I know, baby. I just fucking worry about this guy. Even before we found all this shit, something was off about him.”

After we finish dinner, we settle on the couch, Ryder asleep in his bassinet nearby. The weight of what we’ve learned tonight hangs between us, but there's also a sense of unity from figuring this out together.

“Tell me about the case,” I say softly, curling into Legend's side. “What do you remember?”

Legend's arm tightens around me as he blows out a heavy breath. “Ramirez was a mid-level dealer, nothing too big. But he was slippery as hell. Every time the cops got close, he'd vanish. It didn't make sense, you know? Guy like that, he should've been easy to catch.”

I nod, waiting for him to continue.

“I started digging, following the money. That's when I noticed some weird patterns. Payments that didn't add up. And Turner's name kept popping up in places it shouldn't have been.”

“Did you confront him?” I ask.

Legend shakes his head. “Never got the chance. I ended up inside before I got a chance to get any further. And since I’ve been out, there’s been so much other shit to worry about.”

I sit up, meeting his gaze. “Like your parole officer making your life hell.”

“Exactly,” he says, a wry smile twisting his lips. “Fuck, I should've put it together sooner.”

I cup his cheek, my thumb tracing his jawline. “Hey, you couldn't have known. But now we do, and we can do something about it.”

Legend leans into my touch, his eyes closing briefly. When he opens them again, there's a vulnerability there I rarely see. “I'm sorry I dragged you into all this, Brae. You and Ryder... you deserve better than all this bullshit.”

My heart clenches at his words. “Don't you dare apologize,” I say firmly. “We're a family, Nico. Your problems are my problems.”

He pulls me close, burying his face in my hair. “I don't deserve you,” he murmurs.

I wrap my arms around him, holding him tight. “You deserve me as much as I deserve you, babe.”

We stay wrapped up in each other’s arms for a long moment, drawing strength from each other. When we finally pull apart, there's a new determination in Legend's eyes.

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