Rock Me Deeper (Licks of Leather #5) - Jenna Jacob Page 0,83
many did he have hiding in the trees?”
“They dragged two bodies from the back of the house and added them to the four that were hiding in the trees above the studio. Based on their matching ink, the FBI identified them as small-time gang members Zattman must have recruited. The cheap prick didn’t even give the fuckers he’d hired above the studio guns, just passed out laser pointers to mess with Cole and Brad.”
“They died over a bunch of damn laser pointers?” I asked.
“No, they died for trusting a maniac,” Syd corrected, squeezing my hand.
After meeting up with the rest of the guys in the woods, we returned to the lodge. The FBI separated Syd and me and questioned us for over an hour. I stuck to my story about breaking the ropes and escaping his house of horror. Thankfully, they didn’t press me for more details other than the various tortures Zattman had inflicted.
When they let me join the others in the family room, I sat on the edge of the couch, waiting for Syd to finish his interrogation.
“Here, Caris, drink this.” Susan smiled and handed me a mug of tea.
“Thank you.” The warm ceramic felt good against my cold fingers. And the honey-sweetened Earl Gray tasted divine.
Mia eased in beside me and gave me a hug. “You doing okay?” I nodded. “How about Syd? He was pretty messed up from what Ozzy said.”
“He’ll be fine, I hope,” I murmured. “There’s some things he wants to tell you guys.”
“About?”
“His past…our past.” I swallowed hard. “My past.”
She studied me for several long seconds, then threaded her fingers through mine.
“Whatever it is, it’s not going to change a damn thing. We’re still going to love him and we’re still going to love you. You know that, right?”
I took a sip of tea to melt the ball of emotion stuck in my throat and squeezed her hand. “I hope so.”
“No hope about it, girl. Nothing and no one can tear us apart. You’re part of our family now.”
“We are family,” Sofia sang with a sassy grin.
“I got all my sistas with me,” Tori chimed in with a wink.
Relief poured through me, and as I hugged Mia tight, Syd rounded the corner, looking exhausted, but still heart-meltingly handsome.
“Christ, I leave you alone for an hour and you start batting for the other team.” A mischievous grin kicked up a corner of his mouth. “That’s okay. As long as I get to video you two, it’s all good.”
“As long as we get to video them, you mean?” Ozzy corrected.
“You two are sick and wrong.” Mia rolled her eyes.
“Are you complaining, sweetheart?” Ozzy taunted.
“Never.” She blew him a kiss, then rushed to his arms for a real one.
Syd sat down on the cushion Mia had vacated and pulled me in against this chest. “How did your interrogation go?”
“It went well. I told them about breaking the ropes and all that jazz. They weren’t even impressed with my superwoman strength.”
“They were probably too dazzled by your super beauty.”
“I’m sure,” I scoffed. “How did yours go? Did you dazzle them with your sexy smile and wow them with zany one-liners?”
“No.”
It wasn’t like Syd to give single-word answers or palpably close himself off the way he was doing. “What’s wrong?”
“Just nervous about spilling my guts.”
“I was, too. until a minute ago.”
“What happened a minutes ago?”
“Mia told me nothing or no one could break up our family.”
“Our?” he asked, hope fluttering over his face.
“Our.”
“Hell yeah.” He flashed that sexy crooked grin, then captured my lips in a sinful kiss that had my toes curling and my heart racing.
“Get a room,” Darren drawled, then chuckled.
“They already have one, love,” Tori reminded.
“Oh, that’s right. Never mind.” Darren smirked.
I knew the others were worried about Syd and were merely trying to buoy his spirits. Hopefully, when he was done spilling our secrets, he’d return to his normal, smart-assed self again.
It was after midnight by the time the coroner hauled off the bodies and the FBI wrapped up their investigation and left. Dustin was downstairs sleeping soundly while Gail was watching over him. Quinn stepped up to the fireplace and skimmed a confident but clearly exhausted gaze over us.
“We’re going to spend tomorrow relaxing. I want to see Syd dressed in his atrocious western wear, because we’re going to laugh. We’ve earned it.”
Cheers went up around the room.
“But before he puts on his Daisy Dukes and dons that worn out piece-of-shit-hat, there’s something he wants to say to you all.”