Читать книгу Faith- Ascension Saga Books 4-6 - Grace Goodwin - Страница 13

Faith, police headquarters, interrogation room #3

I’d never been to a police station before, even on Earth. I hadn’t really ever met a police officer. One had come to my second-grade classroom to give a talk about stranger danger, but that was as close as I’d ever gotten. I just never felt the need to break the law. Laugh at the rules? Push the envelope. Every day. But actually break the law?

That was more my twin sister, Destiny’s, style.

Trinity had been the one to steal some of the neighbor’s flowers to make a bouquet for Mother’s Day. While it had been taking something that hadn’t belonged to her, and our mother had required her to confess her transgression to poor Mrs. Kluger while holding a handful of the old woman’s prized daffodils and tulips, it hadn’t been serial killer level problems

Destiny had stolen a lipstick from the dollar store once. Mom had dragged her back, made her tell the manager, bought the lipstick, and then my poor twin had to wash dishes after dinner every night for a month to pay Mom back. Ridiculous since it had only been a dollar, but at ten years old, she’d learned tough love.

Yet here I was, the most innocent of the trio, and these people thought I was an assassin? I was the one sitting in police custody. I couldn’t really blame them since I’d attacked the one officer. But what was going to happen now? I’d been sitting here for at least an hour—it felt that way since there was no clock—waiting. I had to pee and I wondered if making me uncomfortable was part of their scare tactic.

Deny me a bathroom, food and water, sleep. Was I in for waterboarding, too?

Lord Jax had been disappointed. I’d seen the sad, resigned look in his eyes and the slump of his shoulders. He wasn’t going to rescue me. He wanted answers.

Lady Jax? Ha! Enough said there. She lived to make me feel small.

And Thor? God, my body heated just thinking of him. I raised my hands to my lips, felt them still tingle from his aggressive kisses. My nipples had a mind of their own and formed hard points beneath my bra. Instant attraction wasn’t going to save me. He might want to fuck me, but he hadn’t been thinking with the head in his pants there at the end. It felt good to know he wouldn’t fuck anyone, especially a potential planetary threat like me.

His cock had some discretion, or at least his mind did.

And as for me, did I have any discretion left? I had no idea if he were mated, widowed or what. He might even have kids at home and I’d been ready to climb him like a monkey. I wasn’t a virgin, but I was careful. Until now. Until this stupid Ardor.

I shifted in my chair. No, I was selective. I’d found other household staff attractive, had a few of the hotter Aleran males make my Ardor simmer, but I hadn’t been ready to ride them like a cowgirl. It was Thor who made me forget everything except all that hard, thick length he had in his pants.

I licked my lips, wondering what his skin would taste like. It was hard to remember he could possibly be the traitor himself. Someone had sent Zel to kill us that first night, and then again to kidnap Trinity at the reception. All signs led to the Jax family, and yet I was thinking about a possible suspect taking me slowly, or shoving me against the wall and fucking me like a wild man.

I was trying to decide which I would prefer—slow or hard—when the door of the interrogation room opened and in came one, two… four men.

My cheeks heated, although I knew they couldn’t read my thoughts.

“I am Inspector Wyse,” the first one said. Based on his outfit and demeanor, it was clear he was in charge. “Lord of the Wyse family and the Inspector Optimi in the Optimus unit. Do you know what that means?”

Shit.

I had heard about them from mother for years. They were the detective, judge and jury all in one. He could decide I was guilty and lock me away for years, especially being Inspector Optimi, fancy title for head honcho.

All of a sudden I wished I was back home with an overworked public defender. My dad was a judge. He loved the rule of law.

This man clearly loved power.

Inspector Wyse appeared to be in his late sixties, maybe even early seventies. Graying hair, deep lines in his chiseled features. But his spine was straight, his bearing, no nonsense. I got not one bit of kindness off him. He was all business, and his business today was me.

Based on their uniforms, two of the males with him were police officers. Their clothing matched those who came to the Jax house and took me away. The other guy looked like an evil sidekick. His eyes were deeply set and looked dead. No hint of laughter or amusement there. A deep scar slashed down the side of his face in a hook-like shape from the corner of his mouth down past his jaw. His uniform was clearly military, but basic black. No insignia or house symbols. He could have been anyone. Anything.

Or nothing.

Everything about him made me think of mafia enforcers or black ops. I really, really hoped it wasn’t the first.

Scarface looked me over, and from his standing position, made me feel small. I knew it was intentional, but it was working anyway. I wasn’t anything exciting to look at. My brown hair was tucked behind my ears, I had on no makeup and I wore the simple Jax maid’s uniform.

“You have one opportunity to talk. To tell us who you really are, why you were in the Jax household and why you were snooping around. I recommend taking it, for if you don’t…”

He let that hang, like a dangling carrot. Sing like a canary and put my mother and sisters in danger, or else.

“If I don’t?” I countered.

His salt and pepper brow went up and Scarface crossed his arms over his chest. He didn’t need to do that to be intimidating. He was scary as hell just by breathing.

The corner of Lord Wyse’s mouth tipped up. He flicked a glance at the police officers. “This is just a basic interrogation room at a precinct of the Mytikas police. They handle minor crimes, simple thugs. You recognize my uniform?” he asked.

“You just said you’re with the Optimus unit.” I didn’t want to deny it. I had no doubt all of Alera knew of this elite group. It would be like denying knowledge of the FBI. I didn’t have to be in their custody to know of the FBI’s existence, and their power in the US.

“Yes, and the Optimus unit has enough intelligence data power to know that you do not exist. There are no fingerprints, no eye scans or birth records. Nothing about you, Faith. Why is that? You must have very interesting friends, indeed. Friends with a lot of money. Connections.” He leaned over the table and stared down into my eyes like he was examining an insect. Creep. “Power.”

Yeah, the identity thing was a problem. I wasn’t born here, didn’t have a driver’s license, bank account, own or rent a house. I had no idea how they tracked people on Alera, but I assumed it was all the same kind of things. Birth certificate. Medical records. Schooling.

I didn’t exist in planetary databases because I hadn’t existed on Alera until recently. I just had to hope they wouldn’t do a DNA analysis or something because then it would become obvious who I was. DNA didn’t lie. My lineage would be verified. My mother would be instantly identified as the queen and myself as Trinity’s sister.

I slid my hands off the table and folded them in my lap. Clenched my fingers together. Maybe I could string him along for a while? Buy myself some time to figure out what to do next.

“What intelligence are you trying to gather on the Jax family?” he asked, leaning even farther forward and putting his palms flat on the table. This close, I could see his eyes were a dark blue.

I lifted my chin, remained silent. They’d found me in the Jax mansion. He thought I was interested in the that family. He believed that I was seeking intel on them specifically. I was, but it was because they’d sent bad guys to kill me and my sisters. Almost accomplished the task, too. Fortunately, there was no reason for him to make a mental leap from a maid to the royal line. And no one outside of the Jax family and the men who’d died knew what had happened the night of our arrival on this planet.

It wasn’t like they put all those dead guards on the news. I knew. I’d been watching.

For once, I was grateful that I looked more like my dad, with my brown hair and eyes, than I did like my mother or Trinity. They were both beautiful blondes with fair skin and blue eyes. There was absolutely zero family resemblance. Thank god.

“I have nothing to say to you.” I couldn’t say I wanted a lawyer. I had no idea what the rules were on Alera. Were people innocent until proven otherwise? Were they provided legal counsel? I wasn’t going to give myself away by asking.

Those laws were set in place by the queen, but they had been operating without one of those for almost thirty years. Who knew what kind of insanity they had created in my mother’s absence.

He stood to his full height, glanced at the officers and snapped his fingers. They moved and stood on either side of me.

“Very well. We will continue this conversation in an environment that is more conducive to… talking.”

I didn’t think he was referencing a comfortable sofa and a few glasses of wine.

Scarface laughed. “Optimus cell level C will get her talking within an hour.”

My blood went cold at the thought of what might happen on this infamous level C, but I wasn’t going to relent now. I couldn’t share about Trinity, about my status. Nothing. I had to keep quiet at all costs. I had to buy them more time. Talking now could endanger my mother. Scared people did stupid things, like kill hostages to hide their tracks.

The Jones sisters needed more time. My mother needed more time. I just hoped it didn’t cost me too much.

The guards grabbed my upper arms and tugged me to my feet, the chair beneath me sliding across the smooth floor.

I didn’t think, but acted, a flood of energy pouring into my body like hot water filling me from the feet up.

I felt powerful.

Invincible.

Pivoting on my serviceable maid shoes, I straightened my arm and angled up, my heel palm catching one officer in the nose. The sound of crunching bone was loud in the room. The other officer tugged me back and I used that momentum to elbow him in the solar plexus, causing him to bend over. I grabbed the back of his head, pulled him down as I raised my knee and got him in the face.

Neither guy was subdued entirely, but definitely stunned as I kept at them, trying to get them unconscious and on the floor. They had at least fifty pounds on me and several inches. They weren’t going down easily. It was Scarface who stopped me and only with the stun of an ion pistol. I went rigid and began to tip over, but I was grabbed and held upright. I was just thankful I didn’t pee myself as I felt handcuffs going back around my wrists behind my back.

It was a low stun setting, for I was paralyzed for all of twenty seconds or so. Long enough to totally freak me out and to get me in bigger trouble than ever.

Why had I attacked the two officers like hell-raising Destiny? I hadn’t even thought, just reacted. I didn’t like them touching me, manhandling me. I had no interest in going to wherever the hell Optimus cell level C was. But now I was absolutely headed that way. Alone. Cuffed. No one was going to help me, especially since they now probably considered me a tad dangerous. No one was going to save me. I’d have to figure something out myself.

Trinity and Leo didn’t know I was here. Destiny was a flipping nun somewhere. The only way I was getting out of this was to talk and that wasn’t happening.

I’d rot in jail for a while if I had to. Destiny needed time to finish her mission. Trinity needed time to solidify her claim on the throne. They needed more time to hunt for our mother.

And I still wasn’t done with my task. There was a traitor in the Jax house, a traitor who would lead me to our mother. And I really hoped it wasn’t Thor, that the traitor himself hadn’t just kissed all good sense right out of me and then watched me be dragged away by my mother’s enemies.

Thor

The minute Faith had been led from the house, settled into the backseat of the police vehicle and driven away, I’d gone insane.

I didn’t go berserker in my parents’ home, but I wasn’t rational either. Someone had my mate. In handcuffs. And she was being taken away from me.

There was a very primal part of me that didn’t care who she was, what she’d done or why. I wanted to protect her, keep her safe from anything the police planned to do to her.

The thought of her in the big building downtown had me panicking. There were real criminals there. Thugs. Those who might want to hurt her. She was slight. Small. I remembered every soft inch of her. Someone could take advantage, touch her.

Hurt her.

Instead of going back into the house and talking with my parents, I left without a word. Went home. The peace and quiet of my apartment only made me crazier. I paced, as best I could with a fucking rock-hard cock. In the middle of my living room, with views of the city in two directions a dozen floors below, I opened up my pants and pulled out my cock. Looked at it. Stroked it. Watched pre-cum slide down the crown and over my fingers.

I’d never seen it this hard before, never knew it could get this big. Never knew the pleasure I’d feel as I stroked up and down the length. I hissed out a breath and thought of Faith.

I groaned, pulled my hand away.

No! I shouldn’t think of the female who was so obviously an enemy of my family. After Zel had attacked Princess Trinity—and him being from the family’s squad—I’d had to be vigilant. There was still a traitor in my family home, and I didn’t believe the female I’d kissed was capable of such evil. I just couldn’t imagine Faith giving Zel orders to kill the princess.

It wasn’t impossible, but highly improbable.

That wasn’t my head talking, but my heart. My body. I didn’t want to believe the female destined to be mine was part of such a diabolical plot.

But then there was my cock, angled thick and long up to my navel. Bobbing as if it were seeking out a mate. Looking for Faith.

She was my mate. There was no question. It was as if my cock were an arrow, pointing right at her. The only more obvious sign of our connection would be if the goddess had a tree fall from the sky and knock me out.

Faith was mine. And she was in police custody. Mother had called for Lord Wyse the moment the guards disappeared with Faith. Lord Wyse meant the Optimus unit. And that meant—

“Fuck,” I growled, shoving my angry cock back in my pants and heading for the door.

If Lord Wyse—who was the Inspector Optimi of that ruthless organization—got his hands on Faith, he would not be gentle. He’d treat her like one of the most dangerous criminals, especially with all the media attention on the Jax family. Having a suspect would make the Optimus unit look like it was doing its job—which it was possible it was—and settle unrest throughout Alera. A suspect had been caught in the attempted murder of the princess.

Big news.

Perhaps she was, but I was getting her out of there. If she needed to be punished, I’d do it. I’d spank her ass until she talked, until she gave me everything. Her pleasure, her secrets and her body.

Twenty minutes later, I stormed into the station and asked for Lord Wyse personally. The officer, I could tell, recognized me. Probably from the fucking media. I was the heir apparent to the Jax name. The family who’d masterminded the attacks on Princess Trinity. We weren’t well-liked, vilified in fact. And the way this officer looked at me with such scorn and distaste, he believed the reports.

Instead of offering me help, he turned away. Ignored me. Snubbed me and the Jax family.

Before I could lose my shit, the Optimus leader came down the long hallway. Faith was with him, her hands cuffed behind her back again. She looked unhurt. Not happy, but whole.

My cock practically worked its way out of my pants at the sight of her.

Mate.

Claim.

Fuck.

Possess.

I could barely see more, the need that consumed me narrowing my focus to her. Only her. The need that ached and drove me to step in front of Lord Wyse, blocking his way, blocking the path of one of the most powerful males on the planet.

“Thordis Jax,” he said in way of greeting. “We are about to take the prisoner to Optimus headquarters. Do not concern yourself; we will gain all information from her before we’re through—and pass it along to your father, of course. I have no doubt your family’s name will be cleared quickly. Once she talks.”

Faith stood stoic, eyes on me as he spoke of the vile, unspeakable things they might do to her once they took her to their headquarters. Only the most violent criminals were interrogated there. It was a prison, nothing less. If they took her there and locked her up, it would become much more difficult to secure her freedom, and I’d have to fight this arrogant asshole every step of the way.

“That will not be necessary,” I said.

“You don’t want your family’s honor back? She has not told us anything,” Lord Wyse said. “She was combative. Violent. She might look meek and mild, but she is a threat to society. To your family.”

That was obvious based on the way I’d been treated at just approaching the fucking front desk.

I took a moment to look at the two officers who had their hands on her shoulders. One had blood stains on his face, his nose swollen. The other didn’t look injured, but neither looked happy. In fact, they looked furious.

She’d attacked two more officers? I stifled a smile, for Lord Wyse was correct. She wasn’t meek at all. No, my mate had a fire in her that I ached to see expressed in other ways. She would be full of passion and I longed to awaken it. To see it. Hear it. Feel it.

“The Jax family will not be pressing charges. Release her at once.”

Faith’s mouth opened in surprise, but she remained silent. Once I had her beneath me, she’d talk. I wanted her to tell me every secret, but I had no problem starting that particular conversation with her saying more and harder and yes.

“Excuse me?” Lord Wyse asked, as if he hadn’t heard me.

“We are not pressing charges; therefore, you can remove the handcuffs and set her free.”

“Your mother will not agree. Your family name has been—”

He spoke to me as if I were a child, and it only made me more eager to get her the fuck away from him. “I am well aware of the perception of my family.” I glared at the officer who’d snubbed me. “My mother is not here. I am. I represent the Jax name. I am not pressing charges,” I repeated. “Set her free.”

“She attacked two officers,” he countered.

“Did they touch her?” I asked, ready to punch them myself.

Lord Wyse lifted his chin. “They helped her from her chair.”

I narrowed my eyes. “No one touches my mate.”

“Your mate?” Lord Wyse’s eyes widened, then lowered to take in my cock. Yes, it was completely hard and obvious. Proof I was not lying.

“I will not be denied her. You have a choice, Lord Wyse. My mate is set free or I will be the next person to attack your officers for denying me what is rightfully mine. Set. Her. Free.”

The officers must have noticed something in me—more than my huge cock—and took a step back from Faith, their hands falling from her shoulders. It had never happened to me before now, but everyone knew a newly awakened Aleran male should not be denied his mate in any way or all fucking hell would break loose.

“I assure you, Faith will not be out of my sight, or out of my bed, for at least a week.”

He had no choice. Even the law was on my side in this. Without a Jax representative pressing charges, Faith was just a snooping maid. As for resisting arrest, I could easily argue to a judge that she did not wish to be parted from me, her awakened mate. My cock was as irresistible to her as her pussy was to me.

Lord Wyse’s face turned a mottled red and veins stood out on his temples. He wasn’t happy uttering the words, “Release her.”

The cuffs were immediately removed and I pulled Faith into my arms. Thank the goddess she did not resist but melted into me as if she belonged there. Was part of me. Fuck, she felt good. The ache in my chest at being separated from her lessened, but my need to protect was running rampant. I was ready to beat the shit out of Lord Wyse and the guards, even those in the lobby of the police station who had nothing to do with the entire mess.

It seemed finding one’s mate made mere mortals totally irrational.

She remained silent as I led her from the building. One glance over my shoulder and I saw Lord Wyse, watching. His sidekick with the scar on his face right beside him. They weren’t happy.

But my cock was. And soon, it would be even happier because it would be buried deep in Faith’s pussy. She was mine. I would seduce her. Kiss her senseless. Make her feel safe and wanted and protected. And she would tell me the truth. I would find out if she was a traitor just as I would learn every inch of her body.

Before I was finished, she’d trust me with everything. She was mine, and I would accept nothing less than her complete surrender.