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“You think this guy we’re meeting really is Ed or are we walking into something bigger?” I ask Jax as he pulls the truck to a stop across the road from the roadside diner we arranged to meet us at.
“I suppose we’ll find out soon enough, angel,” he says as he stares out the window, his eyes scanning the area. “But meeting at a diner tells me it’s a safe bet this isn’t a trap at least.”
“Why suggest meeting somewhere so public though?” I ask, noting the half a dozen cars in the parking lot across the street.
“It’s not that busy. Easy exit routes to the North and South. And a chance meeting in a diner is easily explained away.”
Damn, I love watching him work. He’s the smartest man I know.
“You think he’s in there already?”
“Probably. No doubt he’s sitting at one of those booths with a coffee or a soda, so that when one of the local asshole pot dealers sits at his table, he can pretend he doesn’t know them. Different if he has to walk over to them.”
“Hmm, I suppose.”
“Trust me, angel,” he says with a wink. “Let’s go.”
We jump out of the truck and cross the street to the diner. Jax pulls open the door and we walk inside.
“Bingo,” he mutters as we both spot Ed at a booth near the back.
Ed’s eyes lock on Jax’s. At first he goes to smile, as though Jax and I might just be stopping by for some pie or a burger, but not even a second later, he realizes what we’re there for. Ed wipes his hands on a napkin and then he stands up and begins walking quickly toward the restroom.
“Asshole,” Jax mutters. “Do me a favor, angel, and go bring the truck over to the parking lot,” he says, taking hold of my elbow and guiding us both back out of the door.
“Why? Where are you going?”
“To catch the asshole who’s about to climb out of the restroom window.” He gives me a soft kiss on the cheek before he jogs around the back of the diner.
I make my way over the road and drive the truck across to the diner parking lot, just in time to see Jax pulling Ed from the tiny restroom window by his ears. Ed’s face is twisted in pain as Jax tugs him free. I can’t hear him but he’s red in the face and his tongue is flapping wildly like he’s screaming. The image would be funny if Ed wasn’t such a disgusting pervert — or actually maybe that makes it even funnier?
I’m smiling anyway when I roll down the truck window. “You okay there, cowboy?”
“Sure am, angel,” Jax says as he pulls a shrieking Ed into a standing position. He slaps him across the face. “Shut the fuck up or I will pull out your tongue with my fucking bare hands,” Jax snarls.
It has the desired effect and Ed clamps his mouth firmly shut.
Jax opens the passenger door of the truck and tosses Ed inside like he’s a rag doll and not a man. As Jax climbs in beside him, Ed shuffles awkwardly along the bench seat, his thigh bumping against mine for a fraction of a second. But even that slight contact makes me wince and my stomach twists. This guy filmed me and my husband at our most intimate moments. Did he watch it back? Did he get himself off?
“Did you just fucking touch her?” Jax snarls.
“I I, y-you…” Ed starts to babble, but Jax elbows him in the temple, knocking him out cold.
“Sick fuck,” he hisses as Ed slumps sideways until he’s resting on Jax’s shoulder like he’s just taking a nap. I imagine anyone looking in would think they looked kind of cute. “We’ll wake him up when we get there.”
“And where is there? Where shall we take him?” I ask.
We didn’t discuss this part of the plan, but I’m pretty sure Jax has known all along.
“To my work shed back at the ranch.”
I’m shocked that we’re heading to the ranch, but I suppose it makes perfect sense. Jax owns all the land. It’s private property and he can do whatever he likes there without worrying about people hearing. Because I imagine Ed is going to be screaming in agony before the day is through.
* * *
Ed is stillunconscious as Jax carries him into the tool shed. He only starts to stir as Jax wraps a huge steel chain around his wrists.
“W-what?” he screeches, trying to wrench free from Jax’s hold but failing.
