“Only if you do.” He tips his drink my way.
I lean in as if that might somehow help me home in on his thoughts, but there’s nothing there for me to grasp.
Fine. I’ll play his game.
“That’s what I want.” I shrug with a smile. “A second location. Now would you please explain to me—”
“All right.” He lands both of our drinks back onto the bar, and before I know it, he’s navigating us out of the main room, straight through the lobby, and right out the exit.
“Oh God! I’m being kidnapped,” I gag on the words until they’re hardly audible.
Anita, Embry, and Shelly flit through my mind.
Of all the dumb luck—I just so happen to stumble upon the monster that Jasper’s entire division is looking to apprehend.
We hit the cool night air, and I dig in my heels.
Rule number one: never let an attacker take you to a second location. Sure, he hasn’t attacked me yet, but he’s whisked me away from the club without my permission.
He takes my wrists and wraps them behind my back and panic fills me.
A scream works its way up my throat, but I’m so struck with terror not a peep comes out as he barrels us down the street.
Oh my God, it’s as if I’m paralyzed everywhere but my ridiculous feet who seem more than anxious to follow along with him.
A couple of sheriff’s cruisers sit across the street and a flood of relief hits me.
“Help!” The word cuts through my vocal cords.
“It’s okay.” He wraps his arm around me, and instantly I reach over and take a bite out of his shoulder.
“Ouch,” he shouts, letting go of me long enough for me to bolt into the street just as an oncoming car nearly mows me over.
The car screeches to a halt just inches from me as I run like hell over to that patrol car and pound on the windows.
A couple of deputies come around from the back.
“Bizzy?”
I look over to find Leo Granger, and I’ve never been so happy to see his obnoxious face than I am now.
“Leo!” I lunge onto him and don’t let go. “Arrest him.” I point over to the perpetrator in question. “He’s trying to kidnap me. He’s a monster! He’s the exact monster Jasper is looking for!”
A blast of light goes off, and we turn to the man standing on the sidewalk with a giant camera in hand.
“Hey,” Leo barks. “I said no cameras!”
“Never mind him.” I yank Leo into the street. “You’ve got an arrest to make.” I point over to Damien or Dan or whoever he’s pretending to be tonight. “He’s dangerous. He could be our killer!”
I hadn’t thought of it before, but I suppose he could be.
The evil devil that nearly cost me my life chuckles over at Leo and me.
“Don’t worry. I’ve got this.” He nods my way. “All right, Bizzy. You have the right to remain silent. You have—”
I blink back. “Whoa, whoa, whoa. Are you reading me my rights?” I smack Leo on his chest. “I told you the guy was nuts.”
Leo holds out a hand his way. “Deputy McSweeney. This is Bizzy Baker—Detective Wilder’s fiancée. I hardly think she was trying to score a date with you for the evening.” His brows bounce my way. “Or were you?”
My silence says it all and Leo closes his eyes in response.
Jasper is going to love this one.
“Oh no,” I moan. “Please don’t tell me this was some sort of a sting.”
Deputy Dan McSweeney nods my way.
“It sure is.” He gives the back of his neck a scratch as he looks to Leo. “I’m sorry. But I can’t just let her go. I need to follow protocol.”
“No!” I howl. “Why in the world would you want to arrest me? I don’t know anything about the Collective. And Lord knows you didn’t offer up any information.” I let out a roar of frustration before turning to Emmie’s plus one. “Leo, you have some explaining to do.”
He sheds a cagey grin as he holds up his phone. “I think it’s safe to say the same for you.” He hands the phone over. “Jasper’s on the line. Start talking.”
Chapter 11
Jasper just so happens to pull into his driveway as soon as I pull into mine. Georgie and I dropped Juni off at her place, but Georgie usually walks to her cottage from mine since it’s just a stone’s throw away. And right about now I feel as if I should go with her.
We get out of our respective cars and Jasper’s eyes glow like white flames against the deep navy night.
Our phone conversation back in Edison consisted mostly of me talking a mile a minute and him reciting the word what over and over again—and each time with a little more shocked enthusiasm.
Georgie shakes her head my way. “I can’t believe you were kicking off your bachelorette party at the bar without me. I’m getting on the horn tomorrow and nailing down a solid plan of debauchery with Macy.”
“You do that,” I say. “And you should both have fun. In fact, take Juni.” I lean her way before Jasper can make his way over. “I’m having a bonfire at the cove, remember?”
“Bonfire by the cove, my shiny hiney. You buckle up. By the time we’re through, they’ll be calling you Boozy Baker.” She gives a hard wink to Jasper. “See you kids later. Don’t do anything I wouldn’t do—which isn’t a lot.”
She struts off into the night and Jasper steps up with a crooked grin blooming on his face.
His facial scruff is a little darker than usual, his hair looks freshly slicked back, and his suit jacket is off and slung over his shoulder, giving him that sexy deconstructed look I happen to have a weakness for.
“Hey, Boozy.”
“Not funny.” I invert my lips because it’s a little funny.
Jasper closes the distance between us. His chin is dipped a notch and the whites of his eyes light up the night.
“Bizzy,
