Total pages in book: 78
Estimated words: 76780 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 384(@200wpm)___ 307(@250wpm)___ 256(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 76780 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 384(@200wpm)___ 307(@250wpm)___ 256(@300wpm)
The walk to the station is short. All three men loiter outside the building, but I don’t let them in. I can hear Dean Bell on the phone with what has to be Jax, bitching him out. I feel bad for dragging Jax into this shitshow, but it’s high past time he dealt with these assholes. I understand he couldn’t do it alone before, but now he has me. We’ll teach them one way or another.
After I toss the prick in the cell, I find Cato lurking at the bottom of the stairs, a white cat in his arms. It’s recently been bathed and has a rainbow collar on its neck.
“Meet Sparkles. Sparkles, meet your new daddy.”
“What—oof!” I grunt as I take the cat that’s been shoved into my arms. “Seriously, Cato, I did not agree to this!”
Cato shakes his head. “It’s either you or death. Why would you want Sparkles to die? He’s too sweet to die.”
Sparkles lets out the most pitiful meow known to man. Fuck. I’m Sparkles’ daddy.
“I hate you,” I growl.
“That hate for me will evolve into love for your precious new cat.”
I let out a sigh, stroking my hand over the top of Sparkles’ head. “I can’t keep this cat.”
“Why not?”
“I don’t know if my roomie is allergic or not.”
Lies.
“Text him and ask,” Cato suggests. “Don’t worry. I’ll wait.”
His smug grin tells me he’s confident he’ll win, which means Jax must’ve already told him who my new roommate is. And, since Jax is the fucking cat whisperer, Callan wouldn’t be allergic and still live there. Still, I make the annoying fucker sweat it a bit as I pull my phone out.
Me: Are you allergic to cats?
Callan: Oh God. He got to you too…
I send a picture to him.
Me: How am I supposed to tell Sparkles no? Apparently, I enjoy taking in all the strays…
He sends me some middle finger emojis that make me grin.
Callan: I’m not allergic. I’m also not cleaning the cat litter box.
Me: You will if I tell you to.
Callan: I’ll use my safe word.
Me: You’re a brat.
Callan: You chose this life, Officer.
This time, it’s me to send him the middle finger emojis.
“Sounds like someone’s crushing on their new roommate,” Cato sings in a knowing tone. “Though, I must say, Jax and Dante might have a fit if they knew.”
“Not crushing,” I growl. “And they don’t even know I’m gay. You promised to keep your mouth shut.”
I’m beyond crushing. More like obsessed. Not telling him that, though.
Cato makes a motion of zipping his lips, but he’s giddy at knowing something not many people do.
“Go away before I return the cat to you.” I hold up Sparkles as a threat. “I’m not playing, man.”
Cato scampers off upstairs. I sit down at my desk with Sparkles in my lap. He starts purring right away, his claws poking into my jeans in a happy cat kind of way. I stroke his back and busy myself writing up my report. I’m just finishing when Jax shows up, his father, Ned, and my dad on his heels.
“You tell him he’s being ridiculous,” Dean snarls. “This is getting out of control, Son.”
Jax’s jaw works as he turns his attention on me. “What happened?”
“I told you what happened!” Dean’s booming voice damn near rattles the walls.
“Enough,” Jax barks out, fire and authority dripping from his tone. “I’m talking to Officer Larson.”
I swivel around in my chair, petting my cat, and take a moment to drag my stare over the piece of shit men who think they run this town. My father is disgusted, but the feeling is mutual.
“I arrested Wallace Powers.” I gesture for my report. “You can find the details there.”
I continue to give Sparkles attention while Jax reads through my statement. He slaps it down on the desk with a hard thwap that has my cat digging his nails into my jeans and a low, fearful hiss escaping him.
“The three of you need to leave,” Jax says in a cool voice, despite the way his body vibrates with rage. “Powers is where he belongs.”
I wink at my dad and casually scratch at my jaw with my middle finger. He storms out with Ned on his heels. Dean has a staredown with Jax as though he can intimidate him with his glare alone.
“It’d be in your best interest to back away from this fight, Mayor,” Jax states in a firm tone. “It’s not one you’re going to win. Hate never wins. Not anymore.”
Standing up, I come to stand beside Jax, creating a unified front. “See you around.”
He stomps out, slamming the door behind him. It’s silent for a long moment, and then Jax groans.
“I’m not sorry,” I tell him. “Callan texted me—”
“What is the deal with you and Callan anyway?” Jax demands, his voice changing from frustrated cop to something akin to brotherly. “Since when are you friends with him?”