Page 59 of Drive Me Wilde

As she's blasting me with her tirade, I'm on the phone sending all my videos and photos to Jameson. I add the text that Rio is fine and please come soon.

The officer returns. "The gentleman in the bar"—he glances at his notepad—"is that Ryan Olsen?"

Nicole's lip twitches. "His name is Ryan. I don't know his last," she says quickly hoping we don't hear it.

Another patrol car pulls up and two more after it. Bassett is a small town like Rockhurst, so it feels as if the whole damn department has just pulled up to the curb. A jolt of fear grips me, and I wonder if my lack of I.D. makes me look suspicious—like an actual kidnapper.

"Need all of you to stay right here," the officer says. He meets a few of the newly arrived officers, and they head together toward the bar.

"Why are there so many policemen?" Rio peers up at me. "Can we go home now?"

"You're not leaving with her, Rio. You're going with me." Nicole seems relieved that the police have turned their attention to her drinking partner and away from her and her extremely poor parenting decisions. She is also not through with me. Rio clutching my hand makes her even angrier.

"I'll be talking to my lawyer the second I get Rio back to the motel room," she hisses.

A truck pulls up behind the police. I can see the tall heads of Jameson and his brother through the front windshield. "I think Jameson will be talking to his lawyer, too, because I sent him a lot of information that might cause you a bit of trouble." I have no intention of calling the woman a terrible mom or unfit parent in front of her little girl, but everything I sent Jameson proves exactly that.

The Wilde boys are always a sight to see, and they look especially breathtaking, intense gazes and muscles pumping with adrenaline as they race toward us.

"Daddy!" Rio squeals with delight. She shoves the stuffed toy at me, releases my hand and runs straight to him. Jameson stoops down and scoops her up.

Nicole marches toward them. "This woman was trying to kidnap Rio. Did you put her up to it?"

Jameson keeps his cool, but I spot that tiny twitch in his jaw that lets me know there's all kinds of turmoil under the surface. He leans down and says something to Rio. She nods and runs back to me.

Zander shoots a scowl at Nicole that's harsh enough to knock all the stripes off a zebra. He decides to join us rather than listen in on their conversation.

"Uncle Zander, I saw a video where this girl put ribbons in her horse's mane. Do you think Irish would look good in green or blue?" How I would love to be a kid again where you can push a terrible incident aside quickly and get down to more important things like braiding a pony's mane.

I smile at Zander. He lifts his sunglasses. "I think green." He lifts her up. "Hey, squirt, missed ya."

She throws her thin arms around him. "I knew you would." Rio looks at me with a smile. "He likes to complain and be all grumpy, but I knew he'd miss me."

We laugh and Zander's laugh grows louder as he glances toward the bar. "Is that the motherfu—" he stops short. "Looks like someone's busted."

I glance back. Nicole's buddy is being led away in handcuffs. Jameson and Nicole are having a serious conversation. Her face is scrunched obstinately, but she's listening.

The police are occupied with their arrest, but the original officer walks over to talk with Jameson and Nicole. I assume everything is cleared up because he eventually walks away. Nicole waits by Zander's truck with her arms crossed and wearing an angry pout.

Jameson's grin tells me this is all going to work out. Zander sets Rio down and she runs to meet him. He bends over to give her another hug, then joins us. "We need to give Nicole and Rio a ride back to the motel, so we can pick up Rio's things," he says to Zander.

"Awesome. So, she's letting us take Rio back home?" Zander asks.

"We're working out the details"—Jameson presses his hand against Rio's cheek—"but yeah, Rio's coming home." Jameson's silvery gaze flicks my direction. "I'll be just a second," Jameson says to Zander.

Zander looks slyly my direction. "Someone has earned herself a double ice cream cone," he teases before taking Rio's hand and walking toward the truck.

Jameson takes hold of my hand. "I can never, ever repay you for this, Jones." There's a hitch in his voice.

"Uh, I think I owed you, remember? And I'm just glad I was in the right place at the right time."

Jameson looks around. The police activity has now attracted every busybody within a five-mile radius. "Seeing that asshole sitting on the curb in handcuffs is the cherry on top." He turns back to me. "Why were you here?"

I tilt my head toward the bar. "I was hoping to get a bartending job, but that place makes the Gold Rush look like a five-star cocktail bar."

Jameson's squinting an eye at me. "A bartender? I guess there's all kinds of things I don't know about you yet, Jones." He leans in for a quick kiss. Zander releases a loud wolf call.

"My brother is always the proverbial bull in a china shop. Do you need a ride?"

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