Page 61 of Sapphire's Gem
“Sparrow, we had a tip-off…” Cassidy said.
“Let me guess, a female with a husky voice. Who the fuck did you guys just arrest?” Nun demanded.
Hatton closed his eyes. “The Bloody Femmes.”
“Yeah, and you walked right into their trap. Ain’t no going back from this,” Stitch said.
The warehouse door blew open, and Sapphire stormed in with four sisters at her back.
“You raid us? Arrest my sisters? Damage my merchandise? Since when have butt plugs and sex toys been illegal in the USA?” Sapphire spat.
“This was a mistake,” Hatton said. “We got the tip-off and acted.”
“And ruined whatever relationship the Harlots and PPD were beginning to build. I told you to your fuckin’ face, the Harlots aren’t running drugs, women, or arms. The fact you’re here means you think I lied to you!” Sapphire shouted at me.
She was hurt, and I could see that. Under her anger was a load of pain, and I’d caused it.
“Babe.”
“Don’t fuckin’ babe me, you motherfucking asshole cop. Instead of trusting me, the woman you want to get to know, you believed some lying slut from the Bloody Femmes. Well, good for you. You can bone her while you’re thinking about what you threw away. Remove your asshole cops from my warehouse and fuck off,” Sapphire hissed at Hatton.
He eyed her before nodding. “Move out,” he ordered.
I stepped towards Sapphire, and she turned her back on me.
“Under no circumstances cross my path again, Wylde, you don’t exist to me.”
Shit. Panic welled in my gut, and I took two steps.
“Let her calm down,” Cassidy murmured as the Royal Harlots began packing their merchandise back into the crates. None of them even looked at us, and their disdain was plain to see.
“Shit, this was a fuck-up,” Hatton said as we left the warehouse.
“And one they’ll have lawyers all over for harassment,” Cassidy replied.
“We screwed the pooch on this,” I said, and they nodded.
“Those fuckin’ Bloody Femmes. They set us up and have potentially ruined the relationship between us and the Harlots.” Hatton appeared angry.
“We couldn’t have done any differently from what we had, Capt. We had information and had to act on it. If we hadn’t, then we’d have been in dereliction of our duty. The Royal Harlots will realise that.”
Hatton looked at me as if I’d lost my mind. “You really believe Sapphire will forgive us? Must be nice living in fairyland. Take those rose-coloured glasses off, Wylde. Those women are now out for blood. I’m betting that any fucker selling drugs,trafficking women, or shipping arms will disappear. They won’t hand them over for arrest but will make them vanish.”
“Why don’t you look bothered by that?” Cassidy asked.
“Because bad guys are bad guys. Our arrest record is about to drop.”
“That’s your main worry?” I sniped and shook my head.
Hatton glowered at me before stomping off to his car. I cringed when I thought of the report he’d have to file—especially explaining the cost of overtime on a failed op. Chief would chew him out. Rather him than me.
I drove Cassidy back to the station as we both typed up the night's events and filed them with Hatton. What a shitshow.
Sapphire
“Are you okay?” Sparrow asked.
“Yeah?” I questioned back with a frown.
