Badges and Bikes

Chapter 37

Thane's POV***

I see Kyle walk in with Griffin, Tara, and Loraine. I don't want to deal with Loraine right now. I just don't have the patients for her today. If she thought that I was harsh in my office, then she really doesn't want to get Ashton on her ass. Kyle tells me to follow him. I know what is about to go on. He is about to try and accuse Maxwell Justice of being an addict. That is exactly why I took pictures of his arms, wrists, ribs, and legs. All are covered with handprint bruises. Not to mention that his nose is broken as well as his swollen jaw and eye.

We go to an outside security booth by the parking lot. It was about a ten-by-ten shack. 

"Alright, Thane. What in the hell just happened with Justice?" Kyle crossed his arms over his chest and waited for me to explain.

"I was at Sturgis with the Tuckers, and we were waiting on Ashton to come back with the truck to get the grills and other large camping supplies. I got a call from Justice. When I answered, he called me his angel. I knew that he thought that he was calling Ashton. He told me that he had been held down and shot up. That he was overdosing and didn't know what it was. He didn't know where he was either. I could tell that he was fading fast. I called Aston since she could trace his phone as I talked to him. It worked. She told me where he was, and Griffin and I ran to the Texaco a couple blocks away. We got there just before Ashton. I kicked the door in, and we found Justice unconscious on the bathroom floor. We pulled him outside and Ashton administered Narcan. We saw the bruises immediately." I bring up the pictures on my phone and handed it to Kyle. He scrolls through the pictures as I continue. "We got him back, then Griffin and I loaded Justice into Ashton's truck and we came straight to the hospital. They are doing the decontamination of the drugs right now. It was heroin that they shot him with."

"Did he say who it was that did this?"

"Yes, he said that it was the Black Mombas. We didn't know that they were out. I am afraid that they will come after Ashton next. I must tell you though. If they hurt her again, I will kill them.... Dead! Then I will deal with the consequences later. She is my number one priority." I tell my handler. This is the only warning that he will get.

"I need you to stay calm. Ashton can take care of herself until the help can get there. Griffin has taught her everything she needs to protect herself." Kyle tries to tell me.

"She shouldn't have to! We put her in these bastards eyesight! If it wasn't for us, she wouldn't be here! She is my responsibility. I will protect my lady!" I need to calm down. Instead of getting pissed as I am now.

"I understand that, Thane. There is nothing that we can do about it but find them and put them back in jail."

"Then I would say that you should get to that." I walk out of the security shack and back to the waiting room and my woman. I notice that Ashton is a little tense. I pull her to me. I ask Ashton what was wrong in a whisper.

"Loraine thinks that she can steamroll our relationship. I just had to set her straight. But she should not be thinking to take credit for us. She had no finger in putting us together. We did that ourselves. We are doing a great job of it. Don't you think?" Ashton's breath was sending tingles throughout my body. Apparently, I had to put my mind back on her words. A hard chore. I need to get her mind off of Loraine and back on me. 

"My God, Ash! Please keep whispering to me! I am forming a fantasy." I tell her just as quietly for her ears only.

Ashton laughed as she buries her face in my neck. "I love you so much, Thane Jackson Norris! Till the sun is just a ball of stardust in space." She whispers again.

"I love you too, Ashton Ginnifer Tucker Thomas Norris. With every fiber of my being, until the end of eternity."

I kiss my lady as people talk around us. I also notice that Loraine is sitting quietly beside her husband as he talked to Griffin and Tara. Loraine is spending her time by watching Ashton and my reactions to each other. I wonder if she is trying to understand that this is what true love looks like. She should really start taking notes to use later on Kyle. I am sure that he would appreciate it.