Undercover cop Dan Hudson is framed for blackmail and kicked off the NOPD force. Enraged about that, and the fact that his lover refuses to stand by him, Dan moves to Denver, where he becomes Dirk Steele. He finds a job working for the Powells, who are pawnbrokers ... and fences. When he proposes to them that he put together a team to steal on demand for the Powells’ less than legitimate clients, a deal is struck and the team is formed. The team consists of Maverick, a thief; Tripp, a street kid who shoplifts to survive; and Fey, another street kid who is an excellent pickpocket and petty thief. Now the question becomes, will the team succeed? And, equally important, will the attraction between Dirk, who has sworn off love, and Maverick -- whose credo is only down and dirty sex -- grow into something more? Or will they remain just 'friends with benefits'? Time will tell as the team takes on increasingly difficult jobs and a man from Dirk's past shows up who could possibly throw a monkey wrench into the works.

Wrong Side of the Law

Dirk almost started to follow, to find out why the sudden end to their evening. Then he decided he might not want to know. It must have something to do with what we were talking about at the end. About sex with no expectations. If that’s what he wants, why not just say so? Not that it would happen. Not with someone I know. Or anyone right now. He smiled wryly as he started home. There are more important things going on at the moment and I need to concentrate on them. Not on a man who…Who could be very good at relieving my stress. 8


The next day at the pawnshop passed as they all did, with people coming in to get a loan on something they might or might not come back for. Others were there to see what was for sale. Twice, Jesse huddled at the back of the shop with men who Dirk knew wanted to fence something, although the average person watching the transaction would have figured they were pawning them instead.


Chapter 20