Thank you for the reviews! I can't tell you how much I appreciate them. :)
Sorry for the longer pause between chapters, I was debating what was going to happen next. Hopefully no one minds a little drama and angst.
Chapter 21
"Hey!" Morgan yelled, grabbing for her cell phone. But Cobra's friend held it out of her reach.
Morgan set her jaw and let her hand fall to her side, pretending she didn't care if he took her phone.
She turned her back on him, saying a silent prayer that Ezra would get there soon, and went over to Lei.
The pretty girl who worked at the club with Morgan blinked groggily at her.
"Come on," Morgan said, trying to get an arm around Lei and help her up from the couch. The entire apartment smelled like alcohol and weed. She just wanted to get out of there. She would have gotten out of there if she hadn't seen Lei sitting with two of Cobra's friends and then seen one of them slip something into Lei's drink.
"What are you doin'?" demanded one of the guys, putting his hand on Morgan to stop her.
Morgan stiffened. "I'm taking her home," she said evenly.
The guy's lips curved in a serpentine grin. "We're not done with her yet."
Morgan had already tried once to get the girl out of the apartment, but had been tugged aside by someone. Lei usually didn't show up at Spike and Cobra's place, but Emme and Lindy had come in with the shy girl, telling her she'd have fun. The problem came when Emme and Spike went into his room and Lindy left with some other guy. Cobra was nearly passed out on a recliner, not that he would have been much help if he had been sober.
"Yes, you are," Morgan said through gritted teeth. The guy tried to grab Lei from Morgan and Morgan jerked backwards, taking Lei's slight weight against her as she stumbled and slouched against Morgan.
"Tell you what," said the other guy who had been framing Lei while she started losing focus. "You can party with us instead."
Morgan glared at him. "Neither one of us is 'partying' with you."
Both guys boxed her in. "One of you is."
Morgan lifted an eyebrow, trying to look unimpressed in spite of her nerves.
One of the guys wrapped a hand around her upper arm and Morgan forced herself to not try to yank it away. His fingers were like a vise. It was a move Chad had used often, jerking her wherever he wanted her to go, and everything in Morgan reacted to the memory as much as the current situation. She focused on keeping Lei upright. Lei's head fell forward and she mumbled something.
Morgan didn't have a choice but to get herded toward the couch. She was shoved down unceremoniously, Lei slumping over against the arm of the tattered couch.
She couldn't fight them blocking her in on couch, one sitting on either side of her. One of them took an envelope out of his pocket. He shook out the crystal meth on the table while his friend laughed.
"Go ahead," he said to Morgan.
Morgan gave him a look of disgust.
The guys shrugged. One of them leaning forward to send a line up his nose. The other one making a move to stand, starting to tug Lei to her feet.
"Stop it!" Morgan yelled, losing her temper with them and their treatment of the girl who hardly spoke at work. She hardly knew Lei, but she was clearly about to become a victim.
The guy who had just took a hit laughed at her and grabbed her by the back of the neck. He pushed her face forward, toward the drugs on the table.
"Take a hit," he ordered her.
"Let me go," Morgan snapped, struggling against his restraining hand.
He shoved his face close to Morgan. "If I let you go, I'm taking her. Which do you want?"
Morgan slid her eyes over to Lei. Lei barely moved. There was no way she would be able to defend herself.
Morgan grit her teeth, still straining against the grip on her neck. She wasn't going to let Lei be used like that. Not when the shy girl had been nothing but nice to her at work. Not when Morgan already knew what it was like to be used.
Morgan snatched the rolled up dollar from the table and held it up to her nose.
She hoped Ezra drove fast.
#
Vin ignored the text from Ezra, turning his phone off.
He tossed his phone into the glove box of his Jeep and shut it. Grabbing the wrapped gift off the passenger seat, he got out. He shoved aside thoughts of Morgan. Memories of last night. What her job entailed. How close she had been to Ezra.
Vin knocked on Nettie's door harder than he intended before pushing it open.
"Vin!" Casey cried happily.
Vin managed to return her smile, balancing the birthday present while giving her a warm hug.
"I wasn't sure if you'd make it," Casey said, no reprimand in her tone.
"You're workin' a lot lately." Nettie had no such reserve and Vin heard the judgment in her voice.
"Still workin' that case," Vin said. He gave Nettie a kiss on the cheek, ignoring her narrowed eyes. "Happy birthday, Case," he said, holding the box out to her.
"Am I supposed to play coy and pretend say you shouldn't have?" she asked with a grin.
"Don't think you have it in you to be coy," Vin teased.
"Come on. Chili's gettin' cold," Nettie said, shooing them both into the kitchen.
Vin took his seat at the table, looking at the extra place setting. "JD coming?" he asked.
Casey's smile dimmed and she shook her head. "He was going to grab something to eat with Buck and head back to work." She frowned. "I'll be glad when you all are done with whatever this new case is."
Vin focused on the big pot of chili Nettie was setting on the table. He couldn't wait to be done with this case. Get the strip club shut down and know that Morgan was out of the line of fire.
His jaw worked. Of course that didn't mean Morgan would believe him then that he didn't care about her past. About what Buck and Chris said. That he would be there for her no matter what.
The bowl in front of him clinked loudly as Nettie ladled some chili into it and he looked up. She gave him a knowing look.
"You and JD doing something for your birthday another day then?" Vin asked. Anything to get away from thoughts of Morgan right now.
Casey started to answer, but a knock on the door interrupted her. Her face lit up with hope and she shoved her chair back and nearly ran to answer it.
"JD!" Vin could hear her excited greeting and assumed JD would be nearly knocked off his feet with her enthusiastic welcome.
Nettie poured another glass and set it in front of the spare place setting before sitting in her own chair. She fixed Vin with a look. Vin feigned ignorance.
"Sure good JD could make it after all," he said.
JD came into the kitchen, his cheeks slightly flushed and Casey holding onto his arm like he was the best present she could have asked for.
"Glad you could make it, young man," Nettie greeted him.
"Me too," JD said fervently. He handed Nettie a grocery bag. "Ice cream. I figured you had a cake made."
Vin got up to take it to the freezer before Nettie could.
"You got the night off after all?" Vin heard Nettie ask behind him.
"Yeah," JD said, relief evident. "I've been double checking all our wires. Been having some trouble with them cutting out." Vin's gut twisted with guilt and he winced as he made room for the carton of ice cream in the freezer.
"They're so lucky to have you," Casey said loyally.
"Not if I can't figure out what's going on with the equipment," JD said. Vin could hear the worry in his voice. "If something goes wrong and we don't have any communication with Vin and Ezra, that's on me."
Vin cursed softly under his breath. He forced himself to get his expression under control before turning around.
"Just a fluke is all," he said, taking his seat again. He forced himself to look at the worry on JD's face. "No one is blamin' you for equipment not workin'."
Casey gave JD's hand a squeeze. "There's no one I'd trust more than you to look out for Vin." She gave Vin a warm look and Vin felt like the fifteen year old foster kid who had first showed up at Nettie's. Not able to feel like he deserved the welcome she and her niece had given him, accepting him into their home and family without reserve.
After he had made it through high school in other foster homes, and then enlisted in the army, Casey and Nettie had refused to accept he wasn't part of their small family anymore and Vin had somehow managed to still have family to come home to.
He cleared his throat against the emotion and took the shredded cheese Nettie passed him. He was going to have to make things right with JD somehow.
#
Ezra pulled up in front of the apartment building Morgan had given him the address for.
He hardly remembered to hit the power locks on his Jag before heading into the building at a run. He eyed the service elevator and opted for the stairs. The industrial building had been renovated into apartments, but not gentrified. Ezra tried to ignore the stench in the stairwell, heading toward the apartment number Morgan had told him.
He could hear music coming from behind the door of the third floor apartment and tried the knob without knocking.
The door opened easily and Ezra went in, immediately scanning the room, every muscle taut and ready for whatever he may find. Morgan hadn't given him any details, just that a friend was in trouble.
He immediately saw a girl, eyes closed and limp, on the couch, a guy with shaggy hair tugging at her skirt.
Ezra didn't hesitate. He stormed across the room and grabbed the guy by the back of his shirt. He hauled him off the girl.
The guy gave an offended shout and Ezra whirled on him, fixing him with a hard look that had the guy holding up his hands and scrambling backward, knocking into a low table and stumbling over it, before righting himself and moving farther away.
Ezra clocked the drugs still spread out on the table, his jaw tightening. He didn't want to think of what Morgan was doing here.
He returned his attention to the girl on the couch. There was no way he could leave her here.
He looked around the room as he crouched down next to the couch, not sure if he hoped Morgan was still here or not. He didn't see her immediately, so he looked at the girl. He brushed her straight black hair off her face and recognized her. Lei. The quiet waitress from the club. Ezra couldn't hold back the curse that escaped.
He stood, making sure the man who had been pawing at Lei wasn't anywhere near. There was no way Morgan would leave the young woman here in this condition.
He saw someone in the kitchen and hurried that direction. The music that blasted through the apartment grated against his nerves that were already strung too tight.
He found Morgan.
She was in the kitchen, leaning back against a refrigerator that had seen better days. One hand was fisted in her shirt, like she was trying to push against a heart that was pounding too hard. Her eyes were wild, frantic, and a tall guy had his lips on her neck. She didn't look like she was even aware of him.
Hating that he had to leave Lei unprotected, Ezra crossed to Morgan and yanked the man back from her.
The guy whirled on Ezra and shouted.
Ezra shifted to avoid the uncoordinated attack. When the man circled back around, his face had contorted with rage and he lunged at Ezra. Ezra saw the evidence of drugs in the man's movements, in his pupils dilated. He didn't have any patience left. He grabbed the man as he launched himself at Ezra, keeping a tight hold on his shirt and gripping him by the hair. He shoved the man closer to the counter and gave his head a hit against the laminate.
The man blinked before sliding down to the floor. Ezra took long enough to kneel down and feel for a strong pulse and steady breaths before turning his attention to Morgan.
"Morgan," he said, keeping his distance as he looked at her eyes darting around the room.
She moved her other hand to her chest. "My—my heart," she gasped out. "It's—it's—" She didn't finish her sentence, shoving off the fridge to pace wildly across the room.
Ezra kept his distance, trying to keep an eye on her and catch sight of Lei in the other room.
"What did you take?" he asked.
"My heart—" she managed to get out. "It's going to come out of my chest!"
Ezra approached slowly. "Let me help you," he said calmly, though he felt anything but calm.
Morgan didn't stop moving, but Ezra was able to fall into step next to her. He took her hand lightly, sliding his fingers over her wrist. He could feel her pulse bounding under his touch.
He needed to find out what she took.
"Come on," he said. "Let's get Lei out of here."
"Lei," Morgan wheezed. "I need to help Lei!"
"She's fine," Ezra said, not sure if that was true or not. "Let's take her out of here now."
He forced his movements to be slow, steady, sure…anything to keep from dialing up Morgan's obvious agitation. Thankfully she followed him out of the kitchen.
He was almost to the couch with Morgan tripping along behind him when a figure on a chair lifted his head.
"Morgan? Babe?" he asked.
Fury overtook Ezra at the sight of Morgan's boyfriend nearly passed out while she had been unable to fend some creep off in the next room, while Lei had been nearly assaulted while unconscious. Whatever brittle control Ezra had cracked.
He made his way to Cobra in three angry strides, blood pumping hot in his veins.
Cobra drew back at Ezra's approach, but his movements were sluggish.
Ezra pushed his face in close to Cobra's, too angry to appreciate the fear that made it through his drugged haze.
"You are the lowest form of humanity I believe I've ever had the misfortune of meeting," Ezra hissed out.
Cobra shook his head and continued to withdraw. Ezra didn't give him any space.
"I have to take care of your girlfriend right now or I would permanently harm you." He held Cobra's frightened gaze for a beat. Wishing he could take his frustration out on the slimeball, Ezra forced himself to walk away, back to the Morgan and Lei.
He looked at the table more closely this time, recognizing the debris from meth. He turned his attention to Morgan, her breath coming quickly, her skin flushed. And then looked at Lei, completely unconscious on the sofa.
He got his arms under Lei and lifted her slight frame. "Come on, Morgan," he said, it taking the last bit of control he had to make his words calm.
Morgan shook her head. "I can't—I can't—" she continued to gasp for breath, her hands going from her chest to her hair. Ezra saw how violently her hands were shaking.
"We're going to my car now," Ezra said, wishing the music wasn't nearly drowning out his words. "We're going to go get you help."
Morgan shook her head, then kept shaking it.
"Come on," Ezra said again. He took a step toward the door, hoping Morgan would follow. She didn't. "Morgan, now," he finally tried for a firm command.
Morgan's eyes were darting around the place. She saw the guy that had been with Lei watching them from the corner and turned her wide eyes back to Ezra.
"Come with me, it's safer," he said.
Morgan nodded with jerky movements and finally came with him.
Ezra made his way out of the apartment with both women, not bothering to close the door behind him. He debated the merits of getting Morgan down the stairs, or enclosed in an elevator and decided to risk the elevator.
He shifted Lei's weight in his arms to push the button for the ground floor. Keeping one eye on Morgan, he watched her lean against the wall, then push off and stumble across the elevator, nearly falling over when it stopped with a small bump on the lower level.
Ezra caught Morgan's weight against him, keeping his own balance with difficulty with both girls apparently dependent on him to hold them up. He took a slow step out of the elevator, silently willing Morgan to stay by him and not get caught back in the lift without him.
He finally let out a breath when they made it outside.
He got the passenger door of his car open, but couldn't manage to get the seat folded forward to access the back seat. He looked at Morgan, pacing in a tight circle on the sidewalk, her fingernails nearly clawing into her chest like she was trying to clutch at her racing heart.
He had no idea how he was going to manage Morgan and Lei on his own.
He finally managed to get Lei into the backseat, keeping his attention on Morgan the entire time, not sure what he'd do if she decided to take off. He couldn't leave Lei alone in the car. Not in this neighborhood.
He pulled out his phone and tried Vin.
No answer.
He tried again, this time leaving a voicemail, unable to keep the worried edge from his voice. Then sent a text.
Clenching his jaw as he watched Morgan's frenetic pace, he heaved a sigh. He pushed the button to call Buck.
#
