Wicked Company

Epilogue

"And then he threw me over his shoulder - literally - and brought me into this foul-smelling shithole. So... yeah. Here we are." I crossed my arms over my chest with a shrug and leaned back in my chair. "Hawkins grabbed me, you grabbed Tucker. We both got fucked for trying to get a piece of shit wiped off the floor."

"Oh, here we fucking go again with the dramatics. You tried to deck me when I put a foot over the threshold! I-"

"Hawk! Hush. Good Christ, you two are fucking insufferable. You know that?"

I rolled my eyes, as did Hawkins, before the two of us seemed to be on the same wavelength and flipped Miles off simultaneously.

There's a first.

"He's going away, you know. Bancroft. As much as I hate to say it, your evidence was all obtained illegally, so we couldn't open a case with it because he'd have a hell of a lot to say about you... for lack of a nicer term robbing his associates. He could put you away for a long time if he knew it was you. Hell, if the cops even knew it was you. But we'll get him, Dani. I promise you, we will."

I ground my teeth together. "How the fuck do you think you can promise me something like that, Miles?"

He leaned back with a smirk, lifting a brow. "Join us."

My mouth dropped. "I'm sorry, you want me to fucking do what now?"

Miles nodded, his hands folded loosely on the table. "They've offered you a position in the bureau. Dani, you're a better hacker than ninety percent of the entirety of computer intelligence already in the FBI. They want you on our side. You'd still be taking down the bad guys. Just... legally now. You got him once, Dani. You can do it again."

"I'm sorry, back up. Did you say ninety percent? Come on, Miles. I deserve better than that."

He laughed, shaking his head. "Yeah, but remember, it's possible we're being watched." He cocked his head towards the mirror and winked at me. "So... Is that a yes?"

I tapped my finger against the metal table, my heart beating out of my chest, though I couldn't show them that. "Work for the FBI?" They both nodded to me. "What about Tucker?"

"Dani, he made his own bed."

"Then piss off. He didn't have anything to do with  the shit I pulled and you know it. So I'd rather go to jail. Besides... I happen to like being in cuffs."

"I knew you cared about me. Though I do believe I told you I liked you in cuffs when you're not on the other side of a double-sided mirror pane." I flinched at Tuck's voice when it came over the intercom. Suddenly, he flicked the light on behind the mirror and switched the reflection setting off so I could see him.

That mother f-

"You sack of fucking shit!"

"I love you, too, Barbie." He blew me a sarcastic kiss.

"God, you're so sappy."

His laugh echoed throughout the room from the speaker and I couldn't help it - I smiled.

"Dammit, Ellis! You were supposed to help us out here." Hawkins growled, scowling in his toddler-sized fit.

"I'm sorry, what?"

"Eh. We figured if you said no, we'd keep up the jail rouse until you gave your cooperation to be hired in the bureau in order to keep him safe. But he fucked it up!"

Miles winced are his partner's words. "To be completely clear here, that was all Hawk's 'bright' idea. He has a flare for dramatics sometimes."

"Hey, fucker. You're supposed to have my back here."

"It was a stupid plan and you know it."

I couldn't help but begin to laugh again at the two idiots in front of me, but then my mind started to wander.

Hawkins rolled his eyes, squaring his shoulders and glancing back at me. "So, what do you say?"

Rouse? So Tucker was never arrested? He's safe. I felt myself relax a bit, the threat of losing him gone.

I eyed up the two men before me, then shifted my gaze over to the mirror. Tucker stood with his deliciously inked arms crossed over his broad chest, a soft smile lighting his face. He nodded to me, encouraging me to make my own choice. My heart fluttered obnoxiously, loving that I never felt as though I'd had to let go of my independence to be with him, and loving even more that he'd never wanted me to.

God, I love him.

I leaned back against the cold metal of the chair backing, stretching my feet out in front of me. "One condition."

Miles perked up, waiting for my request. Hawkins' face was still a hardened mask as always, though his lips twitched into a smirk that faded back to nonchalance so quickly I might've imagined it.

"You get the LAPD to put a fucking permanent air freshener in this shithole."

Miles threw his head back and laughed, the sound echoing through the room. Nodding, he thrusted his hand towards mine, waiting for my shake. I took a step forward, standing taller than ever before as I grabbed his outstretched hand.

"Alright, boys. I'm in."

_____________________

Thank you so much for reading! I hope you loved the sarcasm and spunk of Dani's character as much as I had fun writing it.

Follow me on Instagram for updates! @junemitchellauthor