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When Redmond still said nothing, Coop looked at Pete. “Show them the way out, and if they won’t leave peaceably, call the rest of the boys in and then call the sheriff.”
“The sheriff knows we’re here. Their department called about shots being fired at this location,” said Redmond.
“And that’s a federal matter, how?” asked Coop.
“I heard through the grapevine that you’d gotten yourself into some trouble.” Redmond addressed the statement to Anabella. “I didn’t know it included sex orgies at Club Southside.”
“What I do or don’t do is of no concern to you. Babe, maybe we better rethink that restraining order. Having to deal with Special Agent Bellows is giving me a headache.”
He brushed her hair from her face and kissed her forehead. “Why don’t you go back inside and crawl into bed. I’ll join you as soon as possible.”
Anger flashed across Redmond’s face, but he masked it quickly. Cooper never took his eyes off Redmond. He didn’t have to. The others were being watched by Pete as he was joined by three other men moving just out of the shadows’ reach like wraiths in the night. Redmond might not have noticed, but the men with him sure did and shuffled their feet in discomfort.
“I just wanted to make sure you were all right, Anabella. After all, we were engaged once.”
“That was so long ago,” she groaned. “And you showed far less concern for me then than you are now, so forgive me if I have difficulty believing that whatever it is you’re up to has anything to do with me. Besides, I’ve learned so much about myself since then. Who are all of these people with you? Did you make up some cock and bull story so you could give my new boyfriend a raft of shit?”
Cooper squeezed her. “He’s not bothering me, baby. And if he doesn’t come up with a good reason for being here, I’ll be the one asking his superiors the questions about why he is using bureau money to harass his former girlfriend.”
“I just wanted to make sure Anabella was all right.”
Cooper disengaged from her and walked down the steps. Standing on the same level as Redmond did nothing to diminish the difference in their size and strength.
“Why don’t you tell me why you’re really here? Anabella may believe your bullshit—although I doubt it—but I sure as hell don’t. I have questions, Bellows—either you answer them or your superiors will in the morning. You being here? The sheriff telling you Anabella is here? None of it makes sense. The sheriff knows who we are and what we use this place for, and we always check in with him. That you knew Anabella was here tells me two things: one, you were looking for her—and yes, baby, I’ll have Seth get on that restraining order for you, and two, the sheriff has a leak in his department and one of his deputies must have seen us as we went through town and let you know.”
Even in the dim light cast from the front porch lights he could see Limp Dick blanch.Bingo!
A restraining order wasn’t the only thing he was going to talk to Seth about.
“Cooper?” she asked in the sweetest, silkiest voice he’d ever heard. “Why are all these people here with him? I get why Redmond is here—although not really, as he never showed much interest before. I really find it hard to believe he’s here for personal reasons. And if he is, isn’t that a misappropriation of state and federal funds to have all these men out here for no reason other than to harass me?”
“I have never harassed you, Anabella.” Limp Dick said before looking over his shoulder. “Never. She was my fiancée, and I was concerned for her safety, what with deviant private security cops shooting at innocent people. Besides, these guys are my friends.”
“I didn’t know you had that many friends, Redmond,” quipped Anabella, making Cooper laugh.
“That’s enough baby. You either behave yourself or I’ll lay a bit more sting across your gorgeous ass with the single tail tonight than you might have wanted.”
“But you’ll kiss and make it better, won’t you?” she purred.
Cooper couldn’t help it; he laughed out loud. “Such a naughty kitten.”
Clearly uncomfortable with the way the conversation was going, Redmond cleared his throat and then said to Anabella, “Tell me why your security guard friend here is firing his weapon at innocent people.”
Cooper rolled his eyes at the security guard label.
“Innocent? The guy’s a junkie and was planning to rob the cottage. Cooper stopped him. They put him in custody and took him to the sheriff.”
“You like it when I put guys in handcuffs, don’t you baby?”
“I like it better when you put me in handcuffs or bind my wrists and ankles to the St. Andrew’s Cross, but Redmond and his friends probably don’t want to hear about all that.”
“Oh, you never know. I recognize a couple of those faces from Southside, don’t you, Pete?”
“Yeah, but I wasn’t going to say anything that might get someone in trouble.”
“True enough, and if they leave now, we won’t out them to their friends or rescind their memberships to the club. Go on back inside, baby. Pete, show these guys to the exit; the rest of you can give me a report as to how the junkie got inside our perimeter and then head back out.”
Anabella twirled in front of him, wrapping her arms around his neck and then standing on her tiptoes and offering him her mouth. “Kiss, please.”
