Wicked Company

Prologue

~ Present Day ~

"I'm sorry, am I fucking under arrest or not?" I ground my teeth together as a hand on my shoulder guided me gently down to the creaky, cold metal seat.

"Not yet."

"Well then, why the hell am I in handcuffs?"

"Because-" the sandy brown haired agent grunted, quickly locking the links of my cuffs to the ring that was bolted on the table, "- I don't trust you not to snap."

I forced my most dramatic gasp. "What? I would never!"

"Dani, you fucking broke an agent's nose last time!"

"She popped out of nowhere!"

He scowled at me, his eyebrows a harsh line on his overly handsome face. "She announced herself as FBI. Twice!"

I pursed my lips, shrugging off his words. "Didn't hear it. It was self defense."

"Oh, for fucks sake. You assaulted an agent. The chief's daughter nonetheless!"

"Honestly, it's in the past. Will you ever let that go?"

"No."

"Dick."

His jaw wound tighter than I'd ever seen it and he closed his eyes, dropping his head back on his shoulders and letting his breathing even out. I could all but hear him counting down in his head, reaching hard to grasp the remnants of his self control. "Are you done? You're being very difficult."

I rolled my eyes, glaring at the man across the metal table. "No fucking shit, Hawkins. I'm handcuffed to a fucking freezing paint-chipped table and stuck in this shit-scented, tiny ass interrogation room. Seriously, an air freshener would do wonders. I'm thinking Black Ice? Something fruity maybe? Your choice. I'm not picky."

"Dani-"

My neck snapped over to stare into the double-sided mirror on the wall. "Plus? We're not alone. You know, you could at least ask my permission before having someone watch us. Though I'm not opposed."

I leaned forward on my elbows, the chains rattling against the metal beneath my arms. Sarcastically, I blew an exaggerated kiss towards him.

The man scowled back at me, sighing and pinching the bridge of his nose. "Dani, it's Special Agent Hawkins. We're not friends here."

I gasped, feigning shock. "What? So this isn't a bar? Damn, and here I was about to ask for sex on the beach."

I winked as the vein in his forehead started to show, his face reddening again by the second.

"Alright, alright. Fine. I'll answer your questions. But not until you air out this fucking room."

"You do know we could just book you on obstruction of justice, right?"

I let my face fall, real tears springing to my eyes. My shoulders slumped forward, shaking profusely in impending fear. "B-But I haven't done anything wrong."

I sniffled dramatically when he groaned, waving to the mirror. "Get a fucking air freshener in here, Miles."

"Aww, are you in a hurry, Hawkins? Excited to get back? Ava's back at the hotel, huh? Tell her I'd love to dance with her again. Her hips glide to music like my tires on a newly paved road. She's like walking sex, but I know you already know that." I winked again and I saw it - the twinkle in his eyes, sparkling with laughter.

"Now. I'll ask again. Am I under arrest or not?"

"I already told you that you're not, but-"

"Cool. Then I'm leaving. Un-cuff me, please."

"Dammit! Would you just sit and talk to me?"

"Hmm... no. We're not friends here, remember?" I wiggled my wrists, waiting for him to unlock the cuffs expectantly. "Seriously, you didn't need to use these. You're so dramatic."

He sighed, but stood, doing as I wished. "We'll find something concrete. And when we do, it'll make this all so much worse, Dan. Just talk to me."

"Just talk to me. God, that's what cops always say, isn't it? You won't go to jail, just tell me what happened. Oh! Or my favorite - I can help you if you help me." I snorted out a laugh, rolling my eyes in an exaggerated show. Leaning back in my uncomfortable chair, I kicked my feet up and slammed them down on the table, the loud clang a harsh ring in my ears as it echoed through the undecorated room.

He snickered. "You watch too many movies."

"And you seriously expect me to trust a fucking fed."

He held his hands up in surrender, pressing the button on his side of the table to cut the sound to the room. "Fine. Off the record. Talk to me, Dani. Tell me what happened."

I sighed, rubbing at my newly freed wrists as my eyes darted around the seemingly-smaller room.

Breathe, D. The room isn't getting smaller. You're just fine. Walk it off.

"Tell you everything?"

Miles stepped into the room, a can of cranberry Febreeze in one hand, pine in the other, and I couldn't help but laugh, thankful for the interruption. I nodded in surprised approval.

"Fuck it. Mix them. Merry Christmas ya filthy animals."

"It's July."

"You know what? Fuck you, Hawkins." I cracked my neck and knuckles, hunkering down to try to maximize the comfort in the chair that was pressing roughly into my spine. I inhaled a long breath, humming at the refreshed scent floating through the previously dingy, mildewed air. "Alright, boys. Sit down; get comfy... ish."

"Already sitting." Liam's agitation rolled through the room, his arms crossed against his chest and signature scowl plastered on his face.

My head fell back on my shoulders, a dramatic huff rolling off my tongue. "Can he fucking leave?"

Miles sat to Liam's left, shaking with laughter.

"Whatever. Ready to know how I met your mother?"

"Just fucking tell us, D."

I brushed Liam's growing agitation off. "Everything?"

"Everything."