Page 5 of Cujo's Rampage

Before leaving the cell block, I turned to get one last glimpse of my mate but winced at the sight she made curled up as small as she could get on that prison cot. She looked vulnerable and in need of protecting, a job I was discovering I wanted more and more.

The moment the door to the interview room was shut, Jaxson turned on me.

“If I find out you hurt that girl in any way, any deal we strike will be void and I will put you away. You understand me?”

I rolled my eyes before focusing in on the deputy. “I’d never fucking hurt Lily-Rose, but I do want to re-negotiate our deal. I want her to come with me.”

Jaxson froze for a moment, like he was having trouble processing my words, before he shook free of the trance.

“You’re something else, that’s for sure. You’re in no position to negotiate for a damn thing here.Ihave the upper hand, not you.”

I pointed in the direction of the cell block. “That woman is mine. I won’t fucking leave the area unless she’s with me. Can’t do it.”

Joaquin cursed. “Only you’d manage to find your fucking mate in lock-up. Dammit, Cujo.” He turned to Jaxson. “Sorry, but you know he’s right. If she’s his mate, he won’t be able to leave. His wolf won’t fucking let him. Who is she? Does she have anyone who’d try to stop her from leaving the area?”

Jaxson didn’t take his glare off me, even as he responded to Joaquin. “Lily-Rose is a prostitute, although it’s not by her choosing. We’re all pretty sure she actively tries to get caught every so often so she can get a damn break. Her pimp — and father — will not let her go easily.”

Joaquin folded his arms over his chest as he leaned back against the wall with a shake of his head, his disgust clear in his actions. I was feeling the same way about her father. What kind of parent sold his daughter like that?

Wondering how much Jaxson knew about her, I figured asking a few more questions wouldn’t hurt.

“Do you know what her animal is?”

He shook his head. “With how she moves I’d guess feline, but no idea what type. Her bastard of a father locked down her shifter abilities early on. As far as the world is concerned, she’s fully human.”

I nodded. “She doesn’t have any shifter in her scent. But she is definitely my mate. If she hadn’t been near me during the night, you would have had to fucking tranq me at least two more times to keep me from escaping. She soothed my wolf and kept me calm. I fucking need her. And I can keep her safe from her father, give her a better life.”

Jaxson pulled out a chair and sat down heavily. “I wish it was as simple as letting you take her out of the area with you, but it’s not. Those bracelets of hers don’t just dampen her abilities. I know they contain a tracker because her bastard of a father can always locate her and with how scared she gets whenever someone suggests she run away, I’m guessing they somehow keep her from straying too far away from him. So, me releasing her into your custody won’t change a thing for her.”

I shrugged. “I can take care of the bracelets. I trust the other information I gave you checked out?”

Jaxson was silent for a few minutes. Clearly, he had no fucking idea how to deal with me and my claims.

“Still digging but yeah, the information is going to give us some solid leads. How will you deal with the bracelets? The magic used is specifically targeted at shifters. No shifter can touch them without getting burned. I’m pretty sure only a magic user can remove them.”

Copying Joaquin’s position up against the wall, I gave the deputy a smug smile. After so many experiments to test my reaction to various types of magic, I was immune to most spells. “Magic isn’t an issue for me. I’ll get them off.”

Jaxson shook his head again. “You’re fucking crazy, aren’t you?” He turned to Joaquin. “You sure you want to claim him?”

Joaquin nodded without hesitation. “The Iron Hammers MC is all about second chances for those of us who don’t have anywhere else to go. He’ll fit right in, as will his mate.”

Jaxson huffed a breath. “Well, okay then.” He pulled out some papers from a folder. “I’ll need you to sign these, and there’s a fine to pay. If you’re taking care of Lily-Rose, she has an outstanding fine too.”

Joaquin stepped away from the wall. “I’ll go take care of the financial side of things while you get Cujo to sign everything.”

Jaxson nodded. “Come back here when you’re done. You need to sign too as his Alpha.”

With Joaquin gone, Jaxson laid out the forms. “Can’t believe I’m actually doing this. You’re a fucking mercenary and I’m putting you back on the streets.”

Strangely, my view on life had suddenly changed since finding Lily-Rose. She’d somehow unlocked the part of me that felt emotions and all that shit, so I found myself saying things to the deputy I never would have before meeting her.

“Taking Alina was simply a job. It wasn’t anything personal. It’s not like there’s a whole lot of employment opportunities for a wolf like me. Man’s gotta fucking eat. I’ve done what I had to do to survive, nothing more.”

I took the pen offered and signed the forms, feeling Jaxson’s stare on me the entire time.

“So you plan to keep doing what you do? Kidnapping, beat downs, assassinations… whatever the highest bidder wants to pay you for. Who says you’re not going to turn that girl over to her father for a buck?”

Fury raced through my system and the pen snapped between my fingers, spilling ink over the table. I held Jaxson immobilized with my gaze.

---