Jamie Begley - Tainted

“They’re going fine, if I want another R.J.,” Kaden said in disgust.

“I really like Jordan.” Sawyer knew Jordan would be thrilled with the job.

“Ms. Jordan is too inexperienced for the job.”

“That’s what makes her perfect. She’s eager to please, enthusiastic, and I damn sure don’t see her hiring a pimp for the band.”

“I’ll think about it,” Kaden conceded.

“Does that mean that you’re considering going back to singing full-time?” Sawyer asked, twirling her hair.

“No, I just want to leave them in better hands this time. I plan on spending my time writing songs, and occasionally singing, but I have no intention of becoming involved in the constant touring and travel.”

Sawyer smiled, relieved. She wasn’t fond of touring, but she would have done it to make him happy. She could handle the occasional concert and she wanted to travel, just not to the extent his career would require. She stopped her wayward thoughts. Kaden had never really said he was planning on a future together with her after Digger’s capture.

“Something wrong?” Vida questioned. Her friend knew her too well not to recognize that something was bothering her.

“N—n—no.” Both Kaden and Vida looked at her skeptically.

Sawyer sought to change the subject. “Do Vida and I have to stay inside for the next two days? We have enough security that we should be able to get out for a little while to do some shopping.” Kaden and Colton both nodded their heads in agreement.

“The Predators can watch you while you shop. Digger is smart enough not to try anything when you’re surrounded by them.”

“Take some of Alec’s security, too; they’ll have the firepower if Digger does get brave,” Kaden added.

Colton lifted a brow, not saying anything. Kaden got his message with a nod of his head.

“Go, you’ll probably be safer than Fort Knox.”

Vida and Sawyer both got to their feet, anxious to relieve their anxiety over Digger with some retail therapy. Sawyer, already dressed, went to go with Vida as she dressed so they could gossip without the men overhearing.

“Sawyer,” Kaden’s command had her freezing, turning to face him.

“Did you forget something?”

“No, I have my own money; Vida brought my purse.”

“I wasn’t talking about money.” His eyes stared into her until she blushed, walking back to him and then leaning down to brush his mouth with hers. She started to stand, but his hand on the back of her neck held her captive as he took control, giving her no opportunity to evade his kiss.

“Now you can go,” he said, releasing her. The girls had the door open this time when Colton’s voice called out.

“Vida.” Vida turned back.

“Did you forget something?” His voice mocked Kaden’s choice of words.

“Now that you mention it, I did. Come here.” Colton grinned as he stood up and walked to Vida’s side.

Sawyer’s mouth dropped open. He had a lethal sensuality that would make any woman pause. When he stopped in front of Vida, he put his arms around her waist, lifting her against his body and giving her a passionate kiss that had Vida almost losing her balance when he placed her back on her feet. Colton put out a hand to steady her.

Sawyer threw Kaden a dirty look. Obviously she had a thing or two to learn from her younger friend.

Sawyer and Vida spent the day shopping. Sawyer was able to replenish her supply of bath bombs, even purchasing several for Vida. Vida picked herself out a few more items of clothing, explaining that Colton and she had left Queen City in a hurry and hadn’t brought enough clothes.

The Predators watched them closely, entering the stores with them, making the salesclerks nervous. Sawyer couldn’t blame them; their appearance was frightening. She noticed the one with a scar down his cheekbone standing in the store doorway, surveying anyone who entered.

When they stopped for lunch at a small diner, Vida told her all the tricks she had learned about stripping. She couldn’t hold back her giggles when she talked about shaking her ass at the crowd as she left the stage.

Sawyer couldn’t help it; she laid her head down on the table she was laughing so hard. She had never imagined her shy friend would ever be able to strip, much less shake her ass at a group of horny men.

Suddenly somber, Sawyer took her hand in hers. “I’m so sorry that you went through that, Vida. If I hadn’t been stupid enough to go out with Rick, then you wouldn’t have had to go to work for King.”

“If Rick hadn’t kidnapped you, then Briggs or Morgan would have. Digger is determined to find out something to use against King.”

“I know. Let’s hope the police find Digger, and we won’t have to be surrounded by our entourages anymore,” Sawyer teased.

“I don’t know. I’m beginning to like being surrounded by a large group of men.”

“Yours are better looking than mine. Mine look like they have sticks up their asses; yours look like they put them there.” Both group of men cast suspicious glances, as if they knew they were the topic of conversation.

When they arrived back at the hotel, the security guards put them on the elevators, radioing Kaden’s security that they were on their way up. Sawyer was about to say goodbye to Vida at the door to her room when she got a text message from Kaden, telling her that he was interviewing Jordan, and if she wanted to see her before she left, to come to Jordan’s room.

“A woman I met a few weeks ago is here for an interview with Kaden. I’m going to meet them in her room. I’ll see you for dinner.”

“What about security? Shouldn’t you tell them?” Vida stopped her friend, motioning to Alec’s security men guarding the elevator.

“Yes, I’ll tell them I’m meeting Kaden.” Sawyer hugged her friend goodbye before going back to the elevator.

“Kaden just texted me that he’s on the tenth floor and I can meet him there.”

The security guard talked into his communication device.

“It’s okay; security will meet her at the elevator.” The guard pushed the button for the tenth floor and the door closed.

Sawyer was happy that Kaden had been thoughtful enough to let her see Jordan before she left.

Security wasn’t waiting outside the elevator. Before she could react, the man she had known as Tommy dragged her from the elevator.

“If you open your fucking mouth, Digger will kill Kaden and that pretty friend of yours.”

Sawyer closed her mouth as the man pushed her into a room not far from the elevator. She barely managed to keep her balance, seeing her worst fears confirmed. Alec’s two security guards were lying on the carpeted floor, gazing sightlessly up at the hotel ceiling. Sawyer almost began screaming hysterically, but Digger’s cruel gaze caught hers. She stifled the screams in her throat. He had Kaden tied to a chair with a gun pointed at his head while Jordan was tied to the bed, unconscious.

A struggle had taken place in the room, which was confirmed by her feet crunching the papers on the floor.

“Watch the door,” Digger ordered Tommy.

“D—Digger d—don’t do this. Let him g—go.”

“I don’t give a fuck about this shithead. Where is King?”

“I don’t k—know.”

Digger moved toward her, raising the gun and hitting her on the side of her face, knocking her to the floor.

Going down to his knees beside her, he jerked her to her feet by her hair.

“I am going to ask you one more time. If you don’t tell me the truth, I’ll kill the bitch on the bed. What is the connection between you and King?”

“I—I knew who his d—daughter w—was. He felt he owed me and Vida for saving her l—life.”

“That other kid who died in that fire?” Sawyer wasn’t surprised that he had checked out Callie’s death.

“Yes.” Sawyer stared at Kaden.

“Damn it. That’s useless to me. Where is King?” Digger yelled at her.

“Right here.”

They all turned to stare at King standing in the doorway with a gun pointed at Digger. Tommy lay on the floor behind him, and Ax stood behind King.

When King pointed the gun at Digger’s head, she knew what he was going to do.

“Don’t kill him, King. Please. If you kill him, all those women he’s kidnapped will never be found. Can you live with that, too? I know I can’t. I still hear their screams. If you ever regretted what happened to Callie, make it up now. Save those women the way you didn’t Callie.”

King’s cold-blooded eyes stared deep into hers before going back to Digger’s. A malicious smile spread across his ruthless face right before he fired the gun.

Digger’s scream of pain filled the room as his hand that was holding the gun hung uselessly by his side before he fell to the floor.

“You better kill me now, King,” Digger said, not raising his head from the floor. “Because I won’t stop before I kill you and destroy everything that belongs to you.”

“That would be hard to do, Digger. I don’t have anything left that I care about,” King said, handing the gun he was holding to the FBI agent running in the door.

Sawyer rushed across the floor to Kaden’s side, giving a sigh of relief that he was conscious. She untied him with the help of Ax, jumping into his arms when he was released.

“T—thank God, you’re okay.” His arms pulled her closer.

Sawyer rubbed the blood away from the corner of his mouth.

“Is he okay?” Colton and Vida came to their side, followed by Ax.

“I’m fine,” Kaden answered. “How did King find us?”

“Jordan was checking in last night when I was coming through the lobby. I stopped and talked to her for a minute. I remembered her room number when the clerk gave her the key. When Vida checked to make sure that you made it to the room okay and no one answered, we started down here. King had taken care of the guard just as we were arriving,” Ax explained.

“Watch out!” Alec yelled.

Everyone turned, seeing Digger had broken away from the paramedic trying to stop the blood, grabbing the gun that lay on the floor, pointing it at Vida. Ax pushed Vida out of the way just as Digger pulled the trigger.

“You could stay and finish the tour with us,” Sawyer said, wistfully taking Vida’s hand in hers.

“We can’t. Colton needs to get back to his shop, and I have a couple of job interviews. You could come back with us until Kaden finishes his tour,” Vida countered with tears in her eyes.

Kaden’s arm around her shoulder stiffened, letting her know that he wasn’t happy with that solution. She smiled up at him before taking a step forward, hugging Vida close. “He only has six more concerts then we’ll come for a visit,” Sawyer promised, subtlety letting Vida know she would be staying with Kaden when she returned to Queen City.

Vida nodded, returning her tight hug. Stepping away, she turned and walked a few feet, coming to stand in front of Ax, whose shoulder and arm were in a sling. Ax looked down at the woman who came to his shoulder.

“You saved my life. I’d hug you, but I don’t want to hurt you,” Vida thanked him.

“Maybe you can think of another way to pay me back,” he joked.

“I’ll do that,” she said, reaching up to kiss his cheek before going to Colton who sat on his bike, patiently waiting.

The passersby crossed the street to keep from getting near the rough looking bikers. All except Jordan, who was giving Max and the one with the scar on his face, hell for not moving their bikes so that her cab could park. Max was edging his bike forward, out of the way, but the other one was just staring at Jordan like she was a pest to be ignored. It wasn’t until Ice spoke that the biker edged forward, finally letting the taxi into the driveway.

Jordan waved goodbye to them as she climbed into the cab, making a different movement of her hand to the biker who had ignored her request.

“Did she just give Jackal the…” Vida laughed, but quieted when all the Predators’ glares turned on her.

“She gave him the bird.” Sawyer couldn’t help but grin at the bubbly girl who hadn’t been the least frightened by the large group of bikers. They all watched as the cab pulled out, taking the woman to the airport.

Kaden hadn’t made a decision to hire her yet, but she planned on guilt tripping him into it to pay her back for almost getting killed by Digger. To give Jordan credit, she hadn’t been too upset; she had been more relieved that the situation had been resolved before she’d regained consciousness.