Page 55 of Gypsy's Lady
Kelsey had made her own way here, and there’d been no time to extricate her. A call to Mason had things in motion, but Norwood and his men were early.
A van flankedfront and rear by bikes pulled to a halt about twenty yards away, the roar of motorcycle exhaust slowly dying as engines were killed. The front ranks of bikes tilted to the side as kickstands were lowered, riders stepping off to stand in the shadows next to each bike. One man stepped close to another, heads angled together for a moment before breaking apart. Gypsy felt the weight of their gazeson him, fifteen men to him and Kelsey.Fuck.
A man stepped out of the van, opening the side door and pulling out a much smaller figure.Belle,had to be. Hope flared inside Gypsy at the knowledge Norwood had at least kept his word for that much, bringing Blue Line’s old lady to the meet. The cop he’d known wouldn’t leave anything to chance, and he doubted Norwood had changed much in the yearssince he’d seen him last. That meant for each of the men in front of him, Gypsy should anticipate an equal number waiting in the darkness surrounding them.
“Tatum.” The lead rider stepped forwards and away from the rest of the men, standing in the center of the road, arms akimbo, hands fisted on his hips. “Long time no see.”
Gypsy squinted, trying to see the man’s face past the glare of headlights.“Norwood. Did you get your delivery earlier?” He knew the man had. The release of the container without normal due process had been finessed, and the Malcontents’ truck driver had reported back after he’d dropped it off. “As demanded. Now keep up your side of the bargain.” He lifted a hand and pointed over Norwood’s shoulder, then curled his fingers in a clear demand. “Bring me what’s owed.”Blue Line had talked through how to deal with the man, and so far, it was all according to plan.Well, except for the part where Norwood showed with about ten more men than we wanted.
“Yeah, your boy came through.” Norwood scoffed, biting back a laugh. “Wonder what’s in the fuckin’ container.”
Gypsy tipped his head to the side, trying to decide what that meant. “Hold up your end, yeah?” Theman next to the van didn’t move, his grip on the woman in front of him never faltering. Gypsy lowered his voice, feeling it resonate through his chest as he growled out, “Norwood.”
“Oh, you’ll get what you want.” Norwood stepped to the sideandhe twisted at the waist as he visibly scanned the area. “Where is she, Tatum?”
“Who?” He itched to match Norwood’s movements, to block his view of Gypsy’sbike where Kelsey crouched, hidden by the back wheel. “Where is who?”
“Your little girl from Oz, man. I told you I wanted to lay eyes on her. So, if you didn’t bring her.” Norwood lifted his arms to the side, palms up. “Then that’syounot holding up your end.”
“Why the fuck would I bring my old lady to a meet like this.” Gypsy shifted, angling a hip to the side, letting his vest drape in away that gave him easy access to his gun. “You been in a club long enough to know women have no place in these conversations. Even if it was a shit club like Outriders, you should still have learned better.” He shook his head. “Now hold up your end, Norwood.”
“And if I say no?” Arching his back, Norwood gestured towards Gypsy, the movement somehow arrogant. “If I say no. N. O.” Head bobbing sideto side, he emphasized the word. “No. What are you going to do about it? Whatcanyou do, Tatum?” He paused, then laughed, the sound humorless and dry. “Nothing. You can’t do afuckingthing, because you were stupid enough to come out here alone.”
Gypsy stared at him, holding his gaze, angerandconceit burning in Norwood’s glare.He’s certain he’s got the upper hand. Gypsy fought against smiling,felt his lip give a twitch. Norwood took another step to the side, thrusting his chin forwards as he changed the target of his stare to Gypsy’s bike. “Fuck you.”
“Who’s that? Who’d you bring with you?” Gypsy stiffened as gravel scuffed softly behind him. “That the girl? Little slip of a thing, ain’t she? Come on down, honey. Let us get a good look at you. It’s Kelsey, right?” Each sentence waspunctuated by a movement. A shift of Norwood’s feet, a change in the angle of his elbows, a sweep of his arm, all calculated to make Gypsy give up his secret.
“You’re fucking nuts, you know that?” Gypsy shook his head, then froze when a hand touched his back, fingers slipping under hisvestto curl around his belt. A touch he knew and recognized. Fingers attached to a woman who was supposed tobe hiding safely at his bike, and not beside him.Roll with it, he thought, glad Kelsey knew enough to stay to his left. It left his right hand free to pull his weapon if needed. “Now you’ve seen her, hold up your end.”
“Good God, she’s beautiful.” Norwood placed a handathis throat, flattening his palm theatrically. “I saw pictures, but God, girl, they didnotdo you justice.” Norwood whistledsoftly, a descending tone that spoke of awe. Blood pounded in Gypsy’s ears, muffling Norwood’s next words. “Man, was I pumped to find out he was finally going to put you up for auction.Jazzed. Yeah, I was jazzed and pumped. Ready to jump on a plane and head on down when I got the word.Auctionwasdelayed. Indefinitely. Then I found out why. Tatum here took it uponhimself to interrupt what hadturned into a lucrative venture for me. I lost a fucking lot of money at that little show, I tell you what. A fuck of a lot of money, and nothing to show for it. Baxter crippled for life and left to rot in jail, which means I can’t get my investment back that way.” Norwood laughed again, this sound drilling between Gypsy’s eyes, making him flinch. “But, lookie here. Here you are. Hand deliveredto me by the man whosavedyou.” Norwood moved, making air quotes around the word. “I’ll get my pound of flesh from him first, and then—” He licked his lips, the movement disgusting to watch. “—I’ll stick my pound of flesh in you, pretty, pretty Kelsey.”
“Not happening.” Gypsy forced the words out, his throat closing around the sounds. Kelsey’s grip tightened around his belt, pulling herselfcloser.
“On three.” Her whisper barely carried to his ears, but he tensed at the first flick of her finger against his back.One.
“Oh, yeah. This is going down, Tatum.” Norwood twisted to look back at his men. “Ain’t it, boys?” Shuffling steps brought a couple of Norwood’s men forwardsandthen Gypsy watched as the woman by the van was forced to her knees. “It’s goingdown.Down town.”Two.
“You’re so wrong, you can’t even see it.” Gypsy angled his chin to the side and looked down at Kelsey’s dark head pressed against his arm. “She’s mine, and the one back there,” he lifted an arm and pointed, “is BlueLine’s.WayI see it, you got nothing but shit.”Three.
Lights blazed all around them, the heat slamming into them immediately along with the blinding glare. Bullhorn-distorted voicesshouted instructions, and Gypsy complied, going to his knees, feeling Kelsey hit the ground beside him. There was a short-lived scream from beside the van, then the sobbing voice of a woman rose above the sounds. No gunfire, which had been one of the biggest concerns in the whole plan. It seemed as if everything was going to go down smoothly, one final raid called by the deepest undercover officerthe San Diego PD had ever known.
Something heavy hit Gypsy’s shoulder, punching him to the side and he fell, twisting to avoid landing on Kelsey. Sharp scores of pain crossed his throat, then a grinding compression cut off his air. He twisted, back to the gravel and got his arms in front of him, shoving up and out, breaking the grip on his throat.
“Fucking kill you, Tatum.”
Norwood.
Gypsybucked his body, dislodging the weight that had settled on his chest as he punched wildly, connecting twice, then a third time. Each blow forced a heavy grunt from the man on top of him. Their fight was in near silence, lights bright as sunshine streaming down at them, dust and glare making Gypsy’s eyes water. Something hit the side of his head hard enough to make him see starsandhe came backwith a punch that made Norwood curse.
Kelsey screamed, the sound loud, wordless and angry, and a wave of panic hit Gypsy.Something’s happening to her. He’d redoubled his efforts when Norwood grunted a final time and stilled, his limp body heavy on Gypsy’s chest. Shoving hard, he shifted the man off him to see Kelsey standing over them in a wide-legged stance, her hands drawn back to her shoulder.There was a rock in her hands, the side of it dark and shining.
“No,” she yelled, bringing the rock straight down. Gypsy dodged to the side and heard a sound like a melon smashing. He rolled to his feet and found Norwood splayed on his belly, face pressed into the gravel, the hair on the back of his head wet and mottled.
Gypsy launched himself at Kelsey and tore the rock from her hands as hepulled her close, wrapping himself around her. “Jesus, Kelsey.”
She was sobbing and screaming, her hands fluttering along his ribs, his back, his arms. “My God, Gypsy. My God, are you okay?” She pulled back and forced her arms up between them, palms smoothing up his neck, sweat and dirt stinging the scrapes on his neck. “Please be okay.”
Then her hands were on his face, fingers locked in hishair as she pulled him down into a kiss. Any restraint he’d been holding onto was gone, controltornfrom him in the adrenaline rush of the fight, and he possessed her mouth, demanding entrance she gave willingly. Wet and warm, she sucked on his tongue as he strokedbetweenher lips, voracious in his need for her. Pressed close, she gave herself to him, no hesitation or fear in her movements,passion borne along in a river of desire that ran between them. A chill passed over him,darknessbehind his lids and he broke the kiss, thrust into the memory of where they were. Gypsy lifted his head, already missing the heat of her mouth, and looked around to see Blue Line standing close, his arms around a trembling Belle.
A man in full SWAT gear was kneeling on the ground next to Norwood,wrestling the man’s unresponsive form to his back before bending his mouth close to the mic attached to his shoulder, calling out indecipherable words that brought more cops over.
“They’ll need to take statements,” Blue Line called, his hands running up and down Belle’s back. Gypsy nodded, doing much the same to Kelsey. “I told the captain tomorrow was soon enough.”
He pressed his lips togetherfor a moment, and then Gypsy asked, “She okay?”
“She will be,” came the ready answer. “I can’t—” Blue Line looked away, then bent to bury his head in Belle’s hair.
“She will be,” Kelsey agreed quietly. “She’s strong, Blue Line.” Her voice broke as she said, “You’re so strong, Belle.”
“Like you,” Gypsy whispered, and Kelsey pressed her face against his chest. “I love you.”
