Page 50 of Protected By West
"Major?"
West wanted to say he was surprised but...
"Trooper Bonner?" He smiled at the other man.
"I'll take her to the jail and do the processing. It's on my way home."
West would put money on the men behind him smiling like idiots. None of them wanted to take the woman in the car. Hell, he didn't either.
And if they had a say in it, they'd likely point out the fact that he was the last one as far as seniority went on the team.
"I would be glad to have you do it, Trooper. Just understand that you might not get overtime for this."
Bonner shrugged. "Y'all came in the same car and the cowboy likely doesn't have his credentials on him."
"Asshole."
That came from Myles, who wasn't exactly quiet about it.
A fleeting smile passed over Bonner's lips and Weston was glad to know the man had some bite to him. He was at least more politic about it.
"I'll go with."
Everything went quiet then.
Well, except for Over-the-limit Barbie. Weston doubted if the woman even had an off-switch.
"Well," she spat, "sounds like we got ourselves a fuckin' party!"
Jack didn't seem to notice the woman's ongoing meltdown as she looked up at the Trooper. "Your car outside?"
Trooper Bonner nodded. "Department issued."
Jack looked him over from top to bottom and back again. "I bet everything about you is department issued." Then she took his hand and put it on the connecting chains of the handcuffs. "You want to take her out to the car, and I'll meet you there."
She walked away without a backwards glance, but stopped when she came up beside Weston, shoulder to shoulder. "You here about my application?"
Weston nodded. "I've got a space on my Special Operations Team, and I think you'd fit the bill."
She lowered her gaze for a moment and then lifted it to meet his. "You serious? Or are you yanking my chain?"
"I'm serious." Then Weston shook his head. "I don't yank chains, but I bet anyone who's tried it with you before needed stitches after."
He saw the moment she believed him.
It was when her expression went from hard as stone to a real smile. It took years off of her face.
That wasn't a criticism, just facts.
Jack, or Jacklyn, as her paperwork said, had grown up too damn fast in anyone's estimation.
She was hard as nails on the outside and in.
She'd be an incredible edition to the team, but he was wondering how well she'd fit. It was a tossup. She could fall in line with no issues, or they might have some scuffles along the way.
No matter what happened, Weston knew that it was worth it.
"Okay, Boss." She straightened and gave him a snappy salute. "When do I report?"
