Ryker (Hope City #6) - Kris Michaels Page 0,50

tell them everything. No one else needs to know, but the local precinct needs to have a record of it.” Her sister leveled her with a determined stare.

“Deal. I was going to report them if they showed again. They need to spend some time behind bars.” She hugged her sister. “Thank you for taking this up.”

“Thank you for the lead. If I can tie the graft from Councilman Davis to the particular organization within the city government that I’ve been investigating, it will make one hell of an exposé.” Bekki smiled widely. “It may even catapult me into the New York market.”

“Well, then, I hope you find all the dirt on that scum.” Brie opened the door and froze.

“What is going on?” Hannah stood outside the bathroom door.

“Nothing,” both Brie and Bekki said at the same time.

“Really?”

“Okay, Mom, you caught us. We were discussing my total lack of boyfriends and I was asking Brie how her sex life was now that she had a stud like Ryker.” Bekki crossed her arms and cocked her head. “Do you want to know what she said?”

Hannah’s eyes peeled open wide. “I do not. Really, Bekki.” Her mother shook her head. “Sometimes you take things a step too far.”

“That’s exactly what I said, Mom. Come on, let’s go visit.” Brie grabbed her mom’s arm and gave Bekki a ‘What the hell were you thinking’ look. Bekki smiled wildly and winked. The girl would end up giving their mom a heart attack. It was just a matter of time.

Ryker watched Brie, her mother, and her younger sister meander back into the living room. Bekki was nothing like Brie. Brie was like a breath of fresh cool air; her sister was a hurricane-force wind. Whoever took that woman on would need infinite patience and a strong will. Brie’s eyes bounced across the room until she saw where he was sitting. She smiled at him and he felt a warm smile spread across his face. He loved that woman more than life itself.

“Don’t you agree, Cap?” Brody’s question brought him back to the conversation.

He wasn’t going to front. “I have no idea what you just said.”

Carter Fiske chuckled. “Distracted, sir?”

“Ryker.” He corrected and motioned around the room. “When we are with family, it’s Ryker.”

“Roger that.” Carter lifted his bottle of beer in his direction.

“But to answer your question, yes, pleasantly distracted.” He sent another look in Brie’s direction.

“You know, I don’t think I’ve had my little talk with you yet.” Brock leaned back in his chair and brought his size thirteen boot over his knee. He leveled a glare at Ryker. It was easy to see why Brock was good at investigations—he could intimidate, but Ryker had spent more years in the trenches than anyone in the room except for the Commissioner and Colm McBride.

“Neither have we.” Sean motioned between himself and Kyle.

Carter snorted. “Really guys? Do you honestly think that BS intimidation tactic is going to work on Captain… err, Ryker?”

Ryker nodded in Carter’s direction, acknowledging the man’s correction, but turned his attention back to the three men across from him. He leaned back, still holding his warm beer in his good hand. “Go ahead. No, wait. Let me guess. You’ll string me up by the balls if I hurt your friend and sister. I can take on one of you, but not all of you. I’ll be sorry I ever took a breath around her and I’ll regret the day I was born.” He took a drink of his beer as the men looked at each other. Brock started laughing, followed by the rest of Brianna’s white knights.

Brody leaned forward and stared at him. “Cap, can we steal those lines? I mean, we still have Bekki, Erin, and Caitlyn to protect. They are a hell of a lot better than the ones we think up on the spur of the moment.”

Ryker laughed and elevated his three-quarter full beer. “Be my guest.”

“Better yet, let’s take him with us.” Kyle motioned in his direction. “Just get your wing healed up first. Because you don’t look like you could do much to pound down the unworthy right now.”

“Not true.” Brody pointed at his boss. “He has like nine or ten black belts and is all ninja and shit.”

“No way. What discipline?” Rory and Blay moved up chairs and sat down.

“I only have one black belt.” He gave Brody a look and all the guys around the informal circle laughed.

“Right, which is one more than all of us put