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As if he had to tell me twice. Felix was everything to me, and I’d protect him with my last breath.
CHAPTER
TEN
FELIX
“Areyou sure these are the skips you want, honey?” The pudgy, fuchsia-nailed Sylvie kept her hand on the short stack of files and nodded to a much larger pile. “Those are more suited to your considerable talents.”
I didn’t like the up-and-down look she gave my man, but Nero had told me there was nothing to worry about. She wasn’t his type. Then he’d kissed me stupid in his SUV in front of anyone who happened to be passing by before we headed into the building.
If I were being honest, I was looking forward to being stuck in the car with Nero for hours while we did surveillance. The last two days had been a whirlwind, and while I liked all my mate’s brothers, it didn’t feel like we’d gotten to spend any real time together getting to know one another.
Finding your fated mate was weird as hell. I knew without a doubt that I never wanted to be separated from Nero, but I also knew next to nothing about him, not his favorite food, or his favorite color, or his favorite movie.
“We’re sure, Sylvie.”
She sighed heavily, her ample bosom heaving. “Okay. If you say so.” She shoved the stack of folders across the chipped Formica. Nero picked them up, then handed them to me.
“Good luck.” Sarcasm dripped from Sylvie’s words. “Not that you’re going to need it with those guys.”
I finally understood what she meant when I cracked open the first folder after we got back in the car.
“What have we got?” Nero asked when I started giggling.
I cleared my throat and tried to pull it together, but I honestly couldn’t believe stuff like what I was reading actually happened. “Norris Baker. Eighty-six. Arrested for public intoxication and resisting arrest.” Another laugh escaped. “He had a few too many cocktails that didn’t mix well with his medications at the local horticulturist’s guild fundraiser and went off about how he was robbed of the award for best roses because the winner, a Ms. Chantal Cudahy, was sleeping with the judges.”
Nero chuckled. “How did that lead to resisting arrest?”
“Apparently, he thought the officers who were there to take him in were sent from an assisted-living facility. He told them, and I quote, ‘I’m not going anywhere with you fuckers. I can still wipe my own ass and take care of my roses,’ end quote. He called Jimmy to post bail because there is a bench advertising his bail-bond business across the street from his house, and he quote, ‘memorized it just in case.’”
Nero tried to stifle a snort. “Address?”
I read it off, and he punched it into the GPS. Thirty minutes later, we pulled up in front of a small house in the Broadview neighborhood northwest of downtown. Sure enough, there were several lovely full rosebushes out front and a bus stop with a bench advertising the bail bonds office across the street.
I peered out the window. “This has gotta be the place.”
“Looks like it. Let’s go see if Mr. Baker is home and feels like taking a trip downtown.”
“Are you sure I shouldn’t stay in the car?”
Nero shook his head. “No. You’re coming with me.”
I nodded and unbuckled my seat belt, following my mate up the short walk to the front door. Nero rang the doorbell, and we heard the chime inside, followed by some rustling, then, “I’m coming. I’m coming.”
After several locks clicked, the door swung open to reveal a short old man with a tuft of white hair and Coke-bottle glasses that made his pale blue eyes look huge behind the black frames. I had to bite my cheek to keep from laughing at the thought of this guy resisting arrest.
“Norris Baker?” Nero asked.
“Depends on who wants to know?” He crossed his arms over his chest, the edge of a tissue sticking out from the end of one of his cardigan sleeves.
“My name is Nero Hunter, and this is my associate Felix White. I’m a bond enforcement agent. It seems you missed your court date.”
The old man’s face wrinkled up. “No, my court date is on the twenty-third.”
“Yes, sir. The twenty-third of last month.”
“Well, shit.” He uncrossed his thin arms, and the tissue slipped from his sleeve, landing on the floor at his feet. “What do I need to do now?”
