Page 33 of It's Going to Be a Chrome Christmas
Bucky let out a low laugh. “You know damn well there’s nothing straight about me, Boost.” Glancing towards the red and blue flashing lights, Buck just said, “Be seeing you,” before turning and running across the parking lot.
Terrance met the cops as they exited the vehicle, explaining that the driver had run “that way”. Cayden just shook his head. Even if they went after him right then, they weren’t going to catch him. Cayden had taught him more than just the art of boosting cars; he’d also taught Buck how to avoid getting caught.
Cayden let out a long sigh. Resting his forearms on the Royce, he dropped his head between his arms. Seeing Bucky again, damn. He didn’t know what to think.
A small hand rested on his shoulder, and Cayden could just feel all of his worries drift away. “I’m not going back to that life,” he told her without lifting his head. “I can’t, I won’t. You deserve better than that.”
“So do you,” she said softly. “Who was that?”
“Bucky,” Cayden told her honestly. “For lack of a better word, he was my protégé.”
“Is the car hot?”
Cayden nodded. “He was trying to impress me.”
There was a pause before she said, “The cops are talking to Terrance. We need to go over.”
Cayden let out a long sigh. “Terrance knows. There’s no way he didn’t hear the conversation.”
“I heard most of it too,” she told him, and he winced. He didn’t want Trix anywhere near that part of his past. “You handled yourself well. If you hadn’t told Terrance to call the cops, I would have.”
Cayden closed his eyes. “Please don’t hate me.”
He felt her warmth against his side. “Why would you say that? You didn’t steal the Royce.”
He shook his head. “I might as well have. He came here for me.”
“Cayden, look at me.” When he didn’t, she added, “Please.” Cayden gritted his teeth. Damn that word. He couldn’t resist her when she said it. He leaned his chin on his left forearm and looked at her. Her chocolate eyes were kind. She didn’t look angry in the least. “We need to go talk to the cops. Afterwards, you and I are going to have a talk about you taking responsibility for actions that aren’t yours.”
He had no choice but to nod. Looking over at where the two officers waited, he said, “Come with me?”
“Of course.”
He stood up straight and took her hand. Apparently today was the day for revealing secrets. He wasn’t letting go of her, making their relationship obvious to anyone looking.
Officers Wittman and Jackson extended their hands as Cayden introduced himself and Trixie. He made sure to point out that Trixie was the owner of Romero’s, not wanting the officers to assume he was. Cayden was also upfront about being on parole and gave the officers the numbers for Mr. Wynn and Mr. Jones.
Wittman stepped aside to call Mr. Wynn and Mr. Jones. Cayden was not happy about that but knew he had done nothing wrong. Jackson asked the standard questions before the biggest one Cayden had been dreading. “And why would Bucky bring the stolen vehicle here?”
“Because he likely believes I’m chopping here on the side.”
“Are you?”
Cayden’s eyes narrowed and his hand tightened around Trixie’s. “No.”
“Mr. Russo, with your record, you have to admit that it is suspicious for you to be working here.”
Trixie jumped in before Cayden could. “Mr. Russo is a valued employee here, Officer Jackson. He’s an exceptional employee.”
Jackson pointed his pen towards their entwined hands. “And I’m sure that has had no influence on your answer or perspective, Ms. Romero?”
“My perspective is crystal clear,” she snapped. Cayden gripped her hand in warning. “Regardless of my relationship with Mr. Russo, he works here legally and has never done anything to make me question my trust in him.”
“There’s nothing in my parole that states I can’t have a social life,” Cayden added before Trixie said anything else. Her words, though tense because of the situation, had made Cayden’s heart soar.
“No,” Jackson agreed, “but it might lessen the credibility of her testimony if she has to give one, either for or against you.”
Cayden’s back stiffened. “I am not the one who stole that car. I am the one who calledyou. I could have let Bucky just drive off with it, but instead, I did therightthing. I called the cops so that you could return the vehicle to its rightful owner. I am not under arrest so my relationship with Ms. Romero is none of your damn business and none of your concern.”
