Duke gripped the steering wheel of his truck tighter and waited on the call. The call that would set everything in motion for him to get his Annie back.

When he found out Daddy Biker and the ogre weren’t speaking, he knew exactly how to lure the giant away. A phony phone call from the hospital about the woman they shared in common. What he hadn’t expected was for the giant to put in an alarm system for Duke’s dear little fiancée.

Not that an alarm system scared him. He could convince anyone on the police force the trip of the alarm was an accident. But what he didn’t know was if a signal went to the giant’s phone when the alarm tripped. Not that he couldn’t take out his opponent. He had a gun after all. Problem was, he couldn’t get his hands dirty.

But as he’d watched the alarm guy install the false sense of security for his dear Annie, he realized there was a card sitting in his back pocket. The rookie card.

Brayden had been such a good boy, doing exactly everything he was told. Including sleeping with the redhead. Problem was, Rookie hadn’t stopped to ask how old big-tits was first—a glorious sixteen, just three weeks shy of her seventeenth birthday. The legal age of consent in the state of Texas.

Now, if their rendezvous became public, Brayden would face statutory rape charges and up to twenty years in the pen. And everyone knew what inmates did to little cops in prison.

Duke scared the shit out of his little partner so bad the man shook and cried like a baby, begging him not to say anything.

And that’s exactly how he got what he needed.

Brayden not only made the phone call luring the ogre to the hospital, he had strict instructions to run the biker off the road, while making it look like an accident—a deadly accident. No one would put a cop behind bars over a pair of faulty breaks.

With the ogre dead, Duke wouldn’t have a thing to worry about when it came to getting his woman back.

No alarm system or big ass biker is going to stop me.

And with Rookie’s dreams of working his way up the police ranks sitting in the palm of Duke’s hand, Brayden was a sure bet. Duke let out a rich, deep belly laugh as tears of joy peppered his eyes. Everything was going to be okay, and the deed would be done without him having to lift a finger.

Now, all he had to do was talk to Annie. Just talk to her, make her see she belonged with him. She would understand. She would come back. She would.

The burner phone in his cup holder rang. His heart pounded in his chest and his hands shook in excitement as he reached to grab the phone, only to drop it on the floorboard.

Fuck.

He scrambled for the handset. “Hello.”

“It’s…it’s done. He’s face-down in the ditch.”

Duke’s hands shook. “Did you make it look like an accident?”

“Yes. I need to call an ambulance now.”

“Good boy, Brayden. Hide this phone under your seat until I can dispose of it properly.”

“Yes…yes, sir.” The young man’s voice wavered.

What a fucking titty-baby.

“And Brayden.”

“Yes, sir.”

“Your secrets are safe with me.” He smiled as he said the words. “All of them. Welcome to my team, son.”

“Yeah…thanks.”

Duke hung up the phone and screamed, “Yes!” as he slapped the steering wheel. “Finally. Fuck yeah!”

The little cop had followed through with his end of the plan, conquering the monster. The knowledge of the ogre dead caused his heart to dance.

Bye, bye, lover boy.

He’d be sure to reward the cop heavily. Maybe even slip the guy an envelope of cash. Like his father said, he had cash. He should use it. Money was the best way to keep the kid in his back pocket. Who knows what other little chores he may have for the Rookie down the road.

Duke cracked his neck and swallowed a swig of his rum, not bothering to mask it with a cola this time. His hands and legs shook. Eager. Happy. This was his chance. His time.

Their time.

No one else could have his Annie. Only him. He needed her by his side, and now with the ogre dead, she would see she belonged with him.

He took another swig and eased his truck down the long drive, parking in front of the small house. Grabbing the flower arrangement off the seat, he opened his truck. All women loved flowers. His Annie was no exception.

Here I come, baby.