Barely Undercover: Legal Heat Book 2(100)

“Mr. Hunter?” A young, harried-looking doctor joined them in the hallway. “Your girlfriend is stable and has asked—actually demanded—that you see her now. The nurse just needs five minutes with her and then you’re free to go in. We’ll keep her a few days just to be safe and if everything looks good, we’ll discharge her.”

James looked over his shoulder at Jackie. “You coming?”

She made a move to get up and then froze. “Nah. You go first. Right now I’m so mad at her for putting her life on the line I might not be able to control my mouth.”

Ryder snorted. “So it can be done?”

“You keep that up,” Jackie snapped, “and I won’t join your biker gang, no matter how much you beg and plead. I’m already on the fence about the whole thing, seeing as you don’t even have a patch.”

“Design one. That can be your first job.”

Jackie stared at him. “I’m a PI, not a patch designer. Do I look like I can draw? Do I strike you as the artistic type?”

“I’ll help you.” Viking Dan chuckled and patted her hand.

“Don’t tell me that in addition to smashing Wolverine heads together, those gigantic paws of yours can wield a pen.” A smile curled Jackie’s lips.

“You would be surprised what these hands can do.” He traced a finger along her jawbone and Jackie sucked in a sharp breath.

“Okay. Me and VD are gonna design a patch. It might take some time. Lots of time. I’m thinking something with a skull so people know we mean business, maybe some flames, knives or a sword. Something to make Hades run scared.”

“Hades is gone,” James said as he checked his watch. “Someone reported to the Coast Guard that Hades was involved in the illegal trade of Canadian waterfowl. Nothing riles the Coast Guard up more than someone messing with their ducks. They raided the clubhouse earlier this evening. They didn’t find any ducks, but they did find five million dollars worth of coke stuffed into backpacks and a pile of illegal weapons.”

After giving James the news, Tony had as good as admitted on the phone he had been the one to tip off the Coast Guard, raising yet another host of questions in James’s mind about Tony’s puzzling law enforcement connections. But Tony’s past was a mystery for another day. Right now he couldn’t think beyond getting in to see Lana.

Five long minutes finally passed. James stalked down the hallway and pushed open the door to Lana’s room. Although he tried to keep his face impassive, he couldn’t help his sharp intake of breath when he saw Lana lying still and quiet on the bed. Pale, drawn and covered in tubes and wires, she was almost a ghost of herself. A thick white bandage covered her neck and smaller bandages followed the lines of her cheekbones. An IV bag dripped fluids into her arm. Monitors beeped quietly in the background. Even her hair was subdued, wrestled into an elastic behind her head.

Damned ponytail. For some reason the ponytail bothered him more than anything else.

James closed the distance between them, gently pulled out the elastic and fluffed her hair over the pillow.

“I liked it tied up.” Lana’s soft, raspy whisper brought a smile to his lips.

“I like you tied up, but not your hair. Some things aren’t meant to be tamed.”

“Still all about sex.” She gave him a half smile.

“No, babe.” He pressed his lips to her palm. “Still all about you.”

Now that got him a grin.

He settled himself on the chair beside her bed and filled her in on the events after she’d been taken to the hospital. Most of the Wolverines arrested. Hades raided. Rex in jail. Kickstand safe. Angel happy.

Levi dead.

A shudder chased up her spine and tears glistened in her eyes. “He didn’t start off bad. He changed.”

“We’ve all changed.” James brought her hand to his lips and kissed her knuckles. “Some of us, hopefully, for the better.”

She smiled when he told her about Ryder’s new club. “So what are they? Vigilantes? Mercenaries? Superheroes?”

“They’re going to walk the gray area of the law. Robin Hood, if you’re a romantic. Security consultancy, to be more accurate.” He paused and took a deep breath. “I’m handing in my notice. As soon as I’m free, I’m going to join them.”

Lana’s eyes widened. “You? Mr. Career Cop. You’re going to turn to the dark side?”

James cupped her cheek with his hand. “It’s still about justice. Just going about it a different way. And it’s time I left. I’ve done everything I set out to do. Beat cop, homicide, drug squad and undercover work. I have no aspirations to an administrative position and this last assignment took a hell of a lot out of me. And, to be honest, the biker life has a lot of appeal. Low stress. More time. And I’m keeping the Rocker.”