Page 98 of Commander in Briefs

Cade lips purse a moment. “He says Lou, the guy who kidnapped Nicole, his brother is the sheriff. Lawson thinks he may be dirty, too, helping Lou smuggle women out of the state.”

Did I hear him right? Did he saysmuggle? What the ever-loving fuck! “Come again?”

Cade sighs, knowing what I mean. “You heard me, Lawson thinks he and his brother are part of a sex trafficking ring.”

“No fucking way! In Madison? I don’t believe it.”

Cade shrugs, chugging the last of his Corona. “I don’t know but we need to look into it before Lawson does something crazy, like go after this guy on his own.”

I agree, my finger slipping in between my teeth. Theo swats it down, a knowing smile on his face. He arches a brow. “Are you biting your nails?”

I wave him away like an annoying gnat. “I was not.”

Giving him a little shove to the chest, he pulls away and flashes me a playful grin. “Enough of this Debbie Downer shit. I’m horny talking about all this sex slave stuff.”

Theo springs from the sofa and drops to his knees in front of me. Yanking my lower body off the sofa, he throws my legs over his shoulders, biting and nipping at my inner thigh. I squeal, fighting to get upright again, but he’s too powerful.

“What’d ya say, Ans. Wanna pretend to be my sex slave? Beg me to let you come on my face?”

His grip tightens, and I’m at his mercy in seconds. He tugs at my leggings, inching them past my thighs. Is he seriously about to eat me out right here in front of Cade? Does he have no class? What the fuck am I thinking? Of course, he doesn’t.

“Theo,” I giggle, fighting his death grip on my hips. “Cade is here!”

“Oh, I think your pet needs to learn how to please a woman. How to make her scream when she rides your face to oblivion.”

Cade rises from the sofa, his cheeks crimson. “You’re a real piece of work,” he says as he passes behind Theo.

Theo winks at me above my leggings, which are now at my knees. He pulls them lower slowly, all the while tracking Cade out the door. When Cade disappears, he yanks them back up.

“I thought he would never leave.” He plops down on the sofa, burrowing down in the cushions. “Want to watch that movie I recorded the other day?”

“What about Lawson? We need to deal with the situation.”

“Lawson, Shamawson. Who cares. He’s been tracking this girl for months. He now knows where she is. What’s one more day? Besides, Cade has no life. I bet he runs to his office and starts researching right now. Problem solved.” He shrugs, proud of himself. “Now, do you want to watch that movie or not?”

I chuckle, catching onto his tactic to get Cade out. “That sounds very domestic of you, Von Bremen.”

He smiles, shrugging those million-dollar shoulders. “I kinda like being domestic with you, McCallister. The buffet of sex opportunities is worth putting up with your terrible taste in roommates.”

Scoffing, I try and fail to look offended at his comment. He laughs it off, drawing me down to his chest and hits play on the remote. For once in a very long time, I put everyone else’s issues aside and enjoy the simplicity of just being with Theo.

The farmers market is filled with chaos tonight. People are everywhere stocking up on fresh fruits and vegetables along with custom jewelry and homemade home decor. I love the farmers market. The quaint little section just off West Main Street is gorgeous with its country beauty. Tall, old oaks that have grown along the sidewalks for years stand imposed and strong, providing shade for the market’s customers.

Cade has been busy researching with Lawson, both only coming out of Cade’s office to eat and workout. I’m trying not to worry about poor Nicole. I know Cade wouldn’t let anything happen to her. But I can’t help the betrayal I feel by my sheriff, by my town, that has supported such a heinous act. Sex trafficking? I’ve only ever heard of that shit in the movies. Who would have thought we would have participants here in Madison.

Distracted, I shuffle through the stands, admiring a burlap bracelet with a handcrafted wooden bead.

“Can I help you with something?” A petite woman with an English accent steps out from behind her booth with a genuine smile.

“This is gorgeous. Do you have more charms? Say maybe a baseball?”

She chuckles, wiping her hands on the white apron around her waist. “My husband can make anything. We can custom create something for you.”

Excited for a new piece of jewelry, I tell her what I have in mind. She writes it all down and instructs me to come back in a few weeks to pick it up.

I stop at a few more booths before calling it a day, heading down the narrow alley to where I parked my car. Buzzing vibrates my purse. I fish out my phone, balancing it in one hand, my bag in the other.

“Hello.”

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