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

“Sure looked as big as…well a large pony, when he was attacking me,” Tripp protested.


Dirk eyed the dog warily. “How the hell did you get him to come with you? They’re supposed to be devoted to their owner.”


“Would you be devoted to someone who kept you locked up most of your life?” Maverick asked, scratching behind the dog’s ears. That earned him a lick, much to Dirk’s surprise. “We lugged him out to the car before he woke up.”


“Luckily it was late enough no one saw us,” Tripp added.


“We were halfway home when he came to. First he growled and tried to bite Tripp.” Maverick laughed. “Tripp swatted his nose and told him he was a bad dog.”


“Then I ducked, in case he didn’t believe me,” Tripp admitted. “He looked at me like I was crazy and then he licked my face. I don’t think anyone ever paid him any attention at all once they trained him to guard the place. He was just their tool to keep the house safe.”


Chapter 40