Taken: An Everyday Heroes World Novel (The Everyday Heroes World)

by M. A. Lee

  “What? Man, you have known me for years. I am married to my job, I don’t catch feelings.” I laughed.

  “Just be careful,” Carter said.

  He walked away and I knew I had gone down the rabbit hole and there was no returning now.

  Walking back into my office, Ally turned in her seat and our eyes locked.

  “Alright, let’s go,” I said.

  I was about to do the one thing I had sworn I would never do-- allow a woman into my home. This was different from the other night, and I prayed I didn’t let my feelings make me do something stupid.

  Chapter 12

  Ally

  I don’t know what Todd thought was going to happen, but I was totally not going to stay with him. On the ride from the station to my apartment, I had listened to voice mails from Ryan who was checking up on me, Gus from the bar telling me he hoped to have it reopened by next week, and Brianna calling to say hi. Once I was alone again, I would call them all back. Right now, I had to figure out a way to convince Todd to let me stay at my apartment.

  When we pulled up outside my apartment building, I went to open the car door, but Todd stopped me.

  “Hold on,” he said, grabbing my arm.

  When he touched me, I felt a spark so strong, I swear it took my breath away. We locked eyes and I could tell he felt the energy, too.

  “Why?” I asked, pulling my arm back from his touch.

  “I have two officers checking your apartment first,” he said.

  Just then, two officers walked up to the SUV.

  After telling us everything was safe, Todd and I got out of the vehicle. He followed me up the stairs and watched me closely as I pulled out my key and unlocked the door. It suddenly dawned on me that I didn’t want him to see inside of my apartment. After seeing his lavish home, I knew he would think my home was a dump.

  “You can wait out here,” I offered, barely opening the door.

  “No way,” he said, pushing past me and barging inside.

  Sighing, I rushed inside. “Just wait by the door,” I said.

  “What’s wrong, Ally?” Todd asked, narrowing his eyes on me.

  I looked around and then sagged my shoulders. Feeling defeated, I opted to just be honest with him. “I have seen how you live and it is vastly different from this,” I stated, waving my arms around my small apartment. “I don’t have much, but I am happy to have a place to live.”

  Todd walked up to me and took my hand-- shocking us both. “Look, Ally, I am not going to judge you. What you saw at my apartment wasn’t really mine either. I inherited a trust fund from a father who never cared anything about me. I didn’t earn any of that. And, I would never look down on you. In fact, I am in awe of how you have managed to keep your life together after experiencing so much trauma,” he said.

  I felt tears swelling in my eyes. He was being so kind to me and it was very unexpected.

  Wiping a stray tear off my cheek, I walked toward the window. “I think I will be okay. You really don’t have to make me go with you,” I said.

  “If you don’t come with me willingly, I will force you,” Todd said, his eyes laser sharp as they stared at me.

  Folding my arms across my chest, I stood my ground. “Are you serious?”

  “Very. Now, pack a bag and let’s go,” Todd demanded.

  After a standoff, I realized he wasn’t kidding.

  “Fine, but I am not happy about this,” I huffed.

  Laughing, Todd sat on the edge of my bed as I grabbed a duffel bag out of the closet and began cramming my clothes inside.

  When I was finished, we left my apartment and I said a silent goodbye to the home I had only lived in for a short amount of time. Hopefully, I would get to return soon.

  ****

  Back at Todd’s apartment, he showed me to his guest room which was the size of my entire studio apartment. After unpacking, I met him back in the kitchen where he was looking through a stack of takeout menus.

  “Are you hungry?” he asked as I approached.

  “A little,” I lied. Truth was, I was starving. I hadn’t eaten since that morning and my stomach was growling.

  Tossing me the menus, he said, “Here, tell me what you want and I will get us dinner.”

  “You don’t have to pay for me,” I began to argue. I realized then that I only had about twenty dollars to my name.

  “You are out of work until a few more days, right?” he asked.

  “Yeah.”

  “Ok, well, let me help you. It’s my fault you are in this mess. Please, just let me do this,” Todd pleaded with me.

  His tone broke my heart. Why did he think this was his fault?

  “Why do you keep saying that? How is this your fault?” I asked, taking a seat next to him at the bar.

  Todd turned away for a moment and I saw pain flash across his features. “Look, I will only say this once. I might have been distracted watching you instead of focusing on Marcus. I blew my cover and that set Marcus off,” he sighed.

  Oh, wow. I had no idea. It did make me feel strange that he had been watching me. It didn’t make any sense.

  “Okay,” I said. I wasn’t sure how to respond. This was getting uncomfortable.

  “Um, I will take the sweet and sour chicken,” I said, pushing the Chinese takeout menu toward him.

  Todd smiled as he nodded. I could tell he was thankful that I didn’t push the conversation any further.

  He picked up his phone and called the restaurant. I took that time to call Gus, Ryan, and then Brianna.

  “Ally, I have been trying to call you,” Brianna answered, when I dialed her number.

  I sat down on the living room couch. “I know. Things have been weird,” I said.

  I told her about what had happened and where I was currently staying. After freaking out about hearing that I had been shot, I finally got her calmed down.

  “I am coming to visit you during fall break,” she said.

  “You don’t have to do that,” I said, looking out at the bright city lights.

  “Yes, I do. You need me,” she forced out.

  It was true, I did need my friend. “Okay, but you will have to stay in a hotel. I don’t know when I will be back in my apartment and I couldn’t ask Detective Lane to have a guest,” I said.

  It didn’t feel right to call him Todd to her.

  We talked for a little bit longer and then I managed to get off the phone just as the food arrived.

  Todd brought it to me in the living room.

  “Thank you,” I said when he handed me the food.

  I began devouring the meal and I knew I looked like a pig, but I didn't care.

  Todd laughed as he watched me inhale the food. “Wow, if I had known you were that hungry, I would have ordered more,” he teased.

  “This is enough, thank you,” I said through a mouthful of food.

  “You don’t have to thank me. I’m happy to help you,” he mused.

  I smiled and then felt my cheeks heat. I didn’t understand this effect he had on me.

  “Do you think Marcus will be caught soon?” I asked. I was afraid to look up at Todd, so I kept my eyes locked on my food.

  “I hope so. We have our whole team working on this case. I will also have officers on campus so you can feel safe at school,” he assured me.

  “I feel terrible that you have to go through all of this for me,” I whispered.

  I felt the couch slouch down as Todd moved over and sat next to me. Taking my hand, he forced me to look up at him.

  “I know you are scared, but just trust me. Neither of us want to be alone right now. Let’s just lean on one another,” he said. “You are not troubling us, this is what we do,” he finished.

  I wanted to believe he was only doing this because it was part of his job, for some strange reason, there was a part of me that felt like he was doing this for another reason.

  When we were finished eating, I collected both of our trash and then threw it away.
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br />   Todd got up and went to his refrigerator. He pulled out two beers.

  “This definitely isn’t something I should be doing, but I think you and I both could use a drink,” he said, offering me a beer.

  I wasn’t a big drinker, but I could totally use something to take the edge off of me.

  Accepting the beer, I opened it and took a sip. The taste was bitter but I didn’t mind it.

  We returned back to the living room and Todd turned on the television. A game show played in the background, but neither of us were really watching.

  “So, what are your plans tomorrow?” Todd asked me.

  “School,” I said, taking another sip.

  “On a Saturday?” he asked.

  “Tomorrow is Saturday?” I asked, baffled. I pulled out my phone and checked the date. Oh, shit, I had been so caught up with everything that happened, that I had lost track of the days of the week.

  Laughing, Todd got up and grabbed another round of beers. My head was starting to swim from just the first beer, but I was liking the feeling. It felt good to be numb and not care about the danger I was in. I wanted to forget everything and now that I knew I didn’t have to get up early tomorrow for school, why not get drunk? I could forget about my dead parents, no friends to help me right now, and the hot cop I was currently shacking up with.

  As I began drinking my second beer, I turned to Todd and gave him a sly smile. “Well, since I don’t have school tomorrow, I guess I will just sleep all day.”

  “Sounds good,” he said. “I have to work, but I have already arranged to have two officers outside the building,” he told me.

  “Why?” I asked.

  “Can’t be too careful,” he said.

  He sounded more like a concerned dad. That got me thinking.

  “How old are you?” I asked. It must have been the alcohol talking because I had never been so brazen before.

  Smiling, Todd flashed me his charm. “Mighty brave, aren’t you?”

  “Well, you kidnap me and are forcing me to live in your house. The least you can do is tell me your age,” I argued.

  Shaking his head, Todd just blew out a breath. “You are trouble, you know that? Anyway, I am twenty-four,” he stated.

  “Don’t you want to know how old I am?”

  “No need to ask. Remember, I am a detective. I know that you are nineteen.”

  When he said our ages, my heart sank. I wondered if he thought I was too young for him?

  We continued drinking and before I knew it, I was drunk. The last thing I remember before falling into a peaceful sleep was the feeling of being carried by a pair of strong arms.

  Chapter 13

  Todd

  I carried Ally to bed and, damn, if I didn't want to crawl right in the bed with her. She looked so peaceful laying there and I wanted nothing more than to fix every fucking thing in her life. I knew it was going to be tough, but I just had to do it.

  I stood in the doorway, watching her sleep much longer than I should have. But, I just couldn’t seem to pull myself away from her. I had an early morning ahead of me with a meeting from an officer who was coming down from the Sunnyville Police Department to help us with the investigation. Normally, I didn’t work on the weekends, but this case was giving me more problems than I had anticipated. And, I had a much bigger reason right now to catch Marcus. And, she was sleeping soundly in front of me.

  A week later, I still found myself in the same routine that I was growing accustomed to. Every morning, Ally and I would meet in the kitchen where she would fix us breakfast while I poured us each steaming cups of coffee. I would drop her off at school and then head to the station. At night, we would eat dinner in the living room, laughing and talking as we both relaxed from our days.

  Every once in a while, she would catch me staring at her as she studied. With her messy hair pulled up in a bun, glasses scooting down her cute, button nose, and those gorgeous lips moving as she read silently to herself-- it was going to be my undoing.

  We had heard from her boss, Gus, that she could go back to work next week. To be honest, I hated the idea of Ally back in that bar. Danger was lurking everywhere as our case was now exploding. Knowing we were on his trail, Marcus hadn’t been seen out in public since the shooting. However, his guys were busy bringing in the hard drugs. Our hospitals were reporting more cases of overdoses than ever before.

  He wasn’t just attacking this beautiful innocent girl living in my apartment, but he was destroying our community. He needed to be stopped now.

  Pulling into the station, I had told Ally to text me if anything had gone wrong. She was spending another Saturday at my apartment. With no friends here, she only talked to Ryan and that was growing on my last nerve. I knew she had been talking to a friend from home and I hoped maybe she could convince her to come down so maybe Ryan wouldn’t be the only other person she knew.

  As I parked my SUV, I heard someone calling my name. Running toward me, Carter stopped me.

  “Hey, man,” I said, stopping so he could catch up with me.

  He was dressed down today in jeans and a sweatshirt. Like me, he usually didn’t work on the weekends, but this case was hard on all of us.

  “How is Ally doing?” Carter asked.

  “She’s good. Studying today and then later we might go to the farmers market if I can get some detail to cover us,” I told him.

  Chuckling, Carter slapped me on the back. “Farmers market, huh?” He raised his brows as he smiled.

  “What?” I asked, suddenly feeling defensive.

  “Don’t get pissy,” Carter mused. “Look, I see the way you look at her. I know a beautiful girl with no family and has been through so much trauma can pull at your heart strings, but don’t mess with her head,” he said.

  I felt like he was talking to me like a dad would his son.

  “I’m not messing with her head. I genuinely enjoy her company. Besides, she doesn’t have anyone else, besides some jerkoff named Ryan,” I stated, saying his name a little too rough.

  Laughing, Carter threw his head back. “That’s what I’m talking about,” he stated, pointing his finger at me. “If you care for Ally and I honestly believe you do, then allow yourself to open up to her. But, if you are just going to continue banging every female that walks your way, let her go. Ally is a good girl. Like you said, she’s been through enough already. A broken heart doesn’t need to add her list of shit,” he said, this time with force in his words.

  I wanted to argue with him, but we both knew there was no use. Somehow, I had allowed Ally into my life. She had broken down more walls than most people had who I had known my entire life.

  The thought of not seeing Ally every morning and every night made my chest ache and my pulse race. Could I let her go once this was all over?

  I stood there in the parking lot, unsure of what was happening to me. Sensing this, Carter offered me one last piece of advice. “Listen, Todd. I get it that you enjoy living the way you do. But, I will tell you one thing I have learned. When love comes your way, don’t fight it.”

  With that, he left me alone as he walked into the building.

  His words were like a raging tornado in my head. I knew what I wanted to do, but I wasn’t sure I could do it.

  Right now though, I had an important meeting that I just couldn’t miss.

  ****

  I didn’t get home that night until after dark. Our idea of going to the farmers market would have to be postponed. I had texted Ally earlier when I realized my meeting was going to last well into the evening and night.

  When I walked into my apartment, all I wanted to do was crash on my couch and watch a movie. It was how I would unwind.

  Ally’s bright smile greeted me and in that instant, my heart filled with joy and for the first time in my life I felt hope that maybe, just maybe, I could make this work between us.

  “Hey, I saved you some dinner,” Ally said, standing and making her way toward the kitchen.

 
I followed behind her, realizing I would fall on her every word if needed.

  She began heating up a plate of lasagna from my favorite Italian place. I had told her how much I enjoyed it when we ordered it last week. To know she remembered that and thought of me-- was almost too much to handle.

  “Thanks,” I said.

  I leaned against the counter as I watched her plate the food. When she handed it to me, I dug right in.

  It was delicious and Ally laughed as I pretty much inhaled the food.

  “Hungry?” she teased.

  “Yes, I’m starving,” I said through a mouthful of food.

  “Well, I think I am going to start grocery shopping so I can cook. Has this kitchen ever been properly used?” she asked.

  “Not really. I don’t have a lot of time to cook,” I admitted.

  “When I was growing up, my mom cooked for us every night. On the weekends, she would teach me some of her recipes,” she said, her voice longing for that time again.

  “Your mom sounds great,” I said.

  Placing my now empty plate in the dishwasher, I turned to her.

  “She was. I really miss them,” she said.

  Taking her hand, I led her into the living room. We both fell onto the couch.

  “I think we have both had long days. If I guess right, I would say you have studied all day,” I concluded, pointing to her pile of books and laptop.

  Ally just sighed and I could see how exhausted she was.

  “Let’s just chill and watch a movie,” I offered.

  “That really sounds great. I could use something to take my mind off of everything,” Ally stated.

  I felt my dick spring to life as thoughts of what I could do to her ran through my mind. If I wanted to see where this went between us, I would have to move slow. Jumping into sex with Ally would be a mistake.

  Now, it would be fucking awesome, but it would be wrong. Girls like Ally deserved a guy who respected them. Treated them like a lady, and showed them their worth.

  This was all going to be new to me and I needed to take everything one day at a time.

  I leaned back on the couch and pulled Ally up against me. At first, I felt her tense, but then she slowly eased into my arms.