Page 16 of Magnetic Temptations

NINE

MASON

As soon as the clip ends on the video I was watching, my stomach churns. I knew how volatile these things can be, but I had no clue that lethal force could be necessary and should be expected. It’s the reason why Judd and Jasper are deputized—by the American government.

Who knew those sorts of things existed? Not me.

Apparently, there’s some type of ‘top secret agency’ led by the higher ups that legally, and not so legally, support these lifesaving operations. It’s not a known faction, and they can’t publicly announce it because it’d cause a ripple effect throughout the country. Not everyone supports the legislative bureaucracy getting between a husband and his wife. It all has to do with separation and sanctity. It’s a morally gray area.

A bunch of bullshit if anyone is interested in my opinion because everyone’s life matters regardless of race, religion, or political beliefs. That’s been pounded into my head since I was old enough to comprehend thoughts and facts. It’s a fine line of what’s right and wrong that the politicians don’t want to cross.

From what I’m gathering, I’ll need to have certain licenses in order to join the team, and after what I just sat and watched, I’m ready to get started. Things are finally seeping in of why Hydro and the rest of the men in the DreamCatchers live a life free of man’s law. I won’t always accept or approve of some of their idealisms, and after hearing the reason behind Kings Domestic Rescue’s formation, some of those lines I put in my life that I believed I’d never step over are starting to blur.

“Mason?” the melodic voice of my woman says, “We’re having a team meeting if you’re done with the videos.”

“Just wrapped them up,” I tell her. “I’m still in shock at some of the things I saw.”

She gets a faraway look after I say that and I’m wondering if I’ve dredged up a painful memory for her.

“It’s not an easy life, Mason. You’ll witness some evil acts from humanity, ones you never thought were possible. You have to find a way to compartmentalize those things or you’ll have nightmares for years on end.”

“How do you do it? Get through the things that give you nightmares?” I ask her.

“I journal. And once I get my feelings on paper, I burn them,” she informs me. “Can’t take a chance on anyone seeing something like that. Especially sensitive things that can destroy lives.”

Before I get a chance to speak, Ella hollers through the hallway, “Emergency meeting! Everyone is required to attend. Now, people!” You can hear the rustling of clothes and the pounding of feet as everybody rushes to do her bidding.

“You heard her,” Mane snorts, “the master has spoken.”

“I heard that!” Ella yells from somewhere down the hall.

“She has ears like a bat,” Mane laughs. “May want to remember that in the future.”

“Noted,” I laugh as I get up, shake out my legs, and wave for Mane to take the lead.

“I had an interesting case come into the inbox last night after everyone left the building,” Ella explains. “But there’s something about it that doesn’t sit right with me.”

Judd wiggles his fingers in her direction and she hands him the file she’s put together. “What’s off about it?”

“Check out the town it came in from? And look who sent it in,” Ella suggests.

When Judd whistles and turns his head in my direction, the fine hairs on my arms stand up. “What?”

He passes it to me and points to the section where the personal information is listed. Trucktown, Tennessee is staring up at me. “Who?” I ask but locate it just before he jabs his finger at it. “Laura Ingram? Who did she marry?” I ask it out loud but I mean it more for myself. As my eyes scan the paper, confusion hits me in the chest. “She married Cotton LeVeur? How did that happen?”

“Are you asking us or yourself?” Mane inquires.

“Myself. You don’t understand how out of character that is for her,” I answer.

“Explain it to us,” Jasper requests.

So I do. “This isn’t your typical hometown sweetheart that married the man on the wrong side of the tracks. There is no wrong side of the tracks in my hometown. Everyone is equally as poor as their neighbor. It’s a working town. Farmland runs wide in Trucktown. Every single Sunday, you can find the entire population in our small church, and if you’re not in attendance, you can bet your ass that there’ll be a knock at your door to find out why. My confusion on the two marrying is that Cotton is… unique? I’m not sure what the right word is to use to describe him. He’s a bit slow, simple minded but everyone loves him. Including me. He’s a nice man who’d do anything for you including taking his shirt off his back and handing it to you. Laura on the other hand is spiteful, always looking for her next meal ticket out of town. And that definitely isn’t Cotton if you catch my drift.”

“So if anyone is a victim in their relationship, it’d be him and not her?” Mane asks as Ella whips the file from beneath my hands and stares at it as if she can find something on there that’ll tell her what’s going on.

“If I were a betting man, I would place my wager on her being the culprit and not him,” I confirm. “He can’t even take his herd to the slaughter for meat when times get hard. He sees them as a part of his family, he loves them and would rather starve than feed himself from them.”

“Who sent in the report?” Jagger asks as he pulls out his laptop and powers it on.

---