Page 53 of Hard Game

Hopefully, in the end, I get to bury myself in my favorite one of all. Yum.

But regardless of what Tassa thinks, we need the police. Because if one fucker escapes my wrath, not that they will, but if they do…I want them running into the arms of the law. I bet they’d rather be at the mercy of the law than me because I have no mercy. I have no morals either, not when it comes to them.

I huff when I lift the backpack, making sure I’ve got everything I need.

There’s one more thing, but I can grab that on the way.

First, I need to see my detective and tell her exactly what I need from her.

27

LAUREN

Maddox grins at me like he’s a neighbor passing by to ask for some sugar, his megawatt smile and gorgeous eyes almost melting my panties off.

“You want me to what?” He can’t honestly expect me to get the entire force out on a whim—on his say-so, no less, and tell them to arrest everyone in sight. “They won’t do that,” I tell him, exhaling heavily through my nose. “I need evidence.”

“Evidence?” Maddox snorts and crosses his arms over his broad chest, his eyes burning into mine. “Call the hospital. Ask them about the woman who was admitted there last night, the one who’s malnourished and beaten within an inch of her life. I didn’t catch her name before you ask, but she is one of the women that was trafficked.”

I gasp, reaching for my phone. “Why haven’t you told me this?” I demand, scrolling to the local hospital number as Maddox strides over to me, gripping my chin in his hand. I forget the phone when his lips crash down on mine, his tongue seeking mine hungrily. We kiss like we want to fuck—like animals, and when he pulls away, I miss him immediately.

“When I’m done, I’m coming back here, and I’m going to fuck you until you scream. But I won’t stop; I don’t care how many times you beg me to; I want you to come on my cock so hard you don’t remember your name.”

My legs feel like jelly, but I know he’s leaving to go and take justice into his own hands, and he can’t.

“Maddox,” I whisper, reaching out for him, but I’m too late. “Don’t do it. Please, just tell me where they are…”

Maddox gives me a wolfish grin and tugs the door open. The cold air swirls in, and I shiver, but I don’t know if it’s the chill or what he says that causes it. “I’ll send you the address when and if I need you. Be ready, Detective.”

The door closes behind him, and I stare at it numbly. I need to do something; my instincts are screaming at me to move, call this in, and stop Maddox. But he feels the pain on a level that a part of me, the part of me that isn’t a detective, that’s a sister of a victim, does. He wants to end this, and if I’m honest, I want him to end it too. But vigilante justice is never right, no matter what.

I’ll call the hospital and speak to them, see if I can visit the woman Maddox swears is a victim of the ring. If that’s true—if he saved her—what did he have to do in exchange for her freedom?

I shudder.

I don’t know why I’m still mulling this over—Maddox Moreno is a killer. It doesn’t matter that he kills for what he believes is the greater good; he cannot take the law into his own hands. I have to report him to see if we can somehow stop him, but…no. No buts, I have to do my fucking job. I call Elijah before the hospital and tell him everything.

“So you’re telling me he knows the hideout, and he’s going to go and kill them all?” Elijah whistles. “Great, Just fucking great.”

“He’ll be in danger,” I say, but in my heart, I’m not afraid for Maddox. He isn’t only fearless, he’s trained. Years of being on the streets, on the run, for fucks sake, taught him how to survive. In Maddox’s mind, he’s doing this for Tassa’s girlfriend, for Tassa, for my sister.

I swallow a lump at that thought, and Elijah’s voice breaks through my thoughts with a hiss.

“How can we protect him when we don’t know where he’s going, Diess?”

I pause. “Carmen. He’s Carmen’s informant; surely she will know where he is.”

Elijah snorts. “You think she’s tracking him? Come on, Diess.”

But I think she can help us, especially if I tell her what’s happening. “I’ll call her. You call the hospital and check on the woman Maddox mentioned.” I hang up before Elijah can argue and speed-dial my boss.

To my surprise, Carmen answers almost instantly. “Detective Diess, I was just thinking about you.” Her voice is soft; when is her voice ever soft?

“Ma’am, I have reason to believe that Maddox Moreno is going to try to be a hero tonight?—”

“Yes, I know.”

I go to continue telling her what I know but stop; the wind knocks from my sails. “You know?”

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