Free Copping To It by Ava Meyers Page B

he’d been preoccupied. He strode to the boarded-up window,
peeked through the slats, and cursed. “It’s Jed. He’s back. Let’s
move.”
    Cupping her elbow, he dragged her to the
video camera in the corner of the room and popped the tape out of
it. He placed it in the back waistband of his pants, which he
covered with his shirttail. When he caught her looking at him and
flushing, he winked. “We’ll watch it later.”
    She turned even redder and, although he
wanted to kiss her embarrassment away, he knew there was no time to
lose. He led her out of the room and guided her through a gauntlet
of raucous, cheering men. Not as many as he’d expected — the place
had cleared out during the hours they’d been feasting on each
other. Periodically, Ty paused to give someone a high five.
    He headed for the back entrance, hoping to
bypass Jed completely.
    Shit, what had he been thinking? He’d let
his dick control his actions when he should have gotten Claire out
as soon as he’d learned Jed had left.
    Behind him, she moved quickly. Silently. He
frowned, worried by her silence and the fact he hadn’t clarified
that “expectations” were just the beginning of what he wanted from
her. But safety first. Then they’d talk and make love again and
again until he’d banished any doubt about what he wanted.
    They banged through the back door and
stepped out into the early evening air without any problems. His
Jeep was just around the corner, at the side of the warehouse. If
they —
    “Well, well. Don’t tell me you two are
heading off to elope so soon?”
    Ty froze.
    Jed stepped around the building and into
view. “A little early for that, isn’t it?”
    Claire clutched his arm but remained silent.
Calm. He pulled her closer to his side. “I’m just taking the lady
home now that I’m through with her, Jed.”
    Jed nodded and pursed his lips. “Good idea.
Best to beat the traffic if you’re going to make it downtown at a
decent hour.”
    Claire gasped at the same time Ty tensed. As
Jed moved closer, Ty extended his arm in front of Claire. “Get
behind me,” he said softly. To Jed he said, “How did you know she
lives downtown?”
    Jed smirked. “I’ve been there. Several
times. After she reported on Hoyt, he wanted me to pay her a little
visit. Go through her stuff. You might say I’ve gotten to know
Claire Fullerton quite intimately in many ways, including what
fascinates her the most.”
    Next to him, Claire took a step forward.
“You’ve been in my house? Through my stuff? You bastard!”
    “Claire,” Ty clipped out. He urged her
behind him again. “Not now.” Although she shifted restlessly next
to him, she quieted when he asked, “What is it, exactly, that
fascinates her?”
    “Don’t you know? Officer. ”
    Somehow he wasn’t surprised. Ty scanned the
area for an ambush.
    Jed shook his head. “I’m alone.”
    “Ty —” Claire began.
    Once again, Ty pressed her behind him. She
resisted slightly and he cursed, knowing that if he told her to
run, she probably wouldn’t. Because she wouldn’t want to leave him
alone and risk him being hurt.
    “So what now?” Ty asked.
    Cocking a brow, Jed smiled. “What now? You
mean, you don’t know?”
    “Enlighten me.”
    Jed shrugged. “Sure.” He stepped closer
until only a few feet separated them. “ Now I want you to
return the favor.”
    “What favor?”
    “Several favors, actually. One, I haven’t
blown the whistle on you. Two, I got the two of you back together
again.”
    Yes, but why? “What do you want? Money?
Drugs? Immunity?”
    Jed’s face grew silent and serious. His gaze
narrowed, and his mouth flattened into a grim line. “I want Brad
Hoyt to stay in jail. I want him ousted as the leader of the Demon
Guardians. And I want you to make sure that happens.”
    So Ty’s instincts about Jed had been right,
after all. He fought the temptation to relax. He couldn’t. Not yet.
Not until Claire was safe. “Why?”
    “When you first