Burnout_ A Legal Heat Novella - Sarah Castille Page 0,45

Jason was her problem, and she should have dealt with it on her own.

She could deal with it the best way she knew how. The right way. The legal way.

Since meeting Ace, she’d handled shootings and stabbings, angry outlaw bikers, recalcitrant witnesses, suspicious cops, and being kidnapped. She’d interfered with crime scenes, illegally entered a house, issued threats, failed to report a number of serious crimes, ridden a motorcycle without a helmet, had a one-night stand, engaged in indecent exposure and public sex, consorted with criminals, and assaulted a civilian.

If Ace or the Rogue Riders were implicated in any criminal activity, her career was at risk. And yet she felt no less committed to law enforcement than she had before. In fact, she felt confident, empowered by the obstacles she’d faced, the decisions she’d made, and the man who had made her see herself as she truly was.

Her inability to shoot Ryan when he’d invaded her home was not a reflection of her character. She was brave and strong. Brave enough to try and fight him off instead of pulling the trigger. Strong enough to hold him off until the police had arrived. But more than that, she’d loved him. And there was nothing wrong with caring so much about a person that you didn’t want to see him hurt.

She eased out from under Ace’s arm and slid off the bed, curling her toes as her feet sank down beneath the papers, magazines, and boxes until they hit the cold, hard floor. Yeah she was brave and strong when it came to people, but rats were an entirely different matter.

After tugging on her clothes, she made her way to the door. Ace slept peacefully on the bed, his face partially hidden by his hair. His beard, now three days thick, covered his chin and cheeks, making him look deliciously dangerous even in sleep.

Well, she was dangerous, too. She was a police officer. She believed in justice. And she wasn’t prepared to let Ace get hurt again.

Reluctantly she opened the door and slipped out into the hallway. She knew exactly what she had to do.

* * *

“I’m here to see Deputy Chief Constable Skinner.” Sophie smiled at the receptionist at the VPD Headquarters on Cambie Street. The receptionist smiled back.

“Go on in. He’s waiting for you.”

Waiting for her? Sophie’s skin prickled as she made her way down the brightly lit corridor. Encountering no resistance as she’d left the Rogue Rider clubhouse, she’d brazenly stopped outside the gate and left a message for Skinner letting him know she was on her way to the station to meet with him. No polite request. No scheduled appointment. She’d arrived expecting to be thrown out, so the welcome was somewhat unnerving.

“Have a seat.” Skinner waved her to the black plastic chair in front of his desk. According to Gary, budget cuts earlier in the year meant they were down to the bare bones of office furniture, with admin funds being diverted to keeping more officers on the streets.

“I’ve come to ask you to reconsider my suspension.” She straightened her spine, tried to project the image of calm, confidence. “I have a proposal with respect to my brother that I think would serve both our needs.”

Skinner leaned back in his chair and nodded. “Go on.”

“First, the suspension is unwarranted.” She went through her exemplary work record, glowing performance reports, her commitment to law enforcement, and the dedication that had led her to transfer departments rather than give up after Ryan’s assault.

“Fine,” Skinner snapped.

Puzzled, Sophie frowned. Was he reinstating her? If so, why did he look so angry? “Fine? Does that mean yes?”

He heaved a sigh and scowled. “Yes. That means, yes. Your background all checked out. You are reinstated as of now.”

Her mouth opened and then closed again. He didn’t seem to want to reinstate her. His tight-lipped stare and his jerky movements made her think someone was making him do it.

“Now, what about your brother?”

Her tension eased the tiniest bit, and she toyed with the bracelet around her wrist. “You want to catch him to answer for his crimes. I want to find him and keep him safe. I have reason to believe he’s being held by the Red Dragons. I can’t get him out alone, but I am pretty sure that, in exchange for his protection, he would agree to turn witness against them and maybe some other big players in the area.”

Skinner raised an eyebrow. “You can’t make an agreement on his behalf.”

“But