“There any cops on scene?” I asked, going into business mode.
“Yes,” John hesitated. “They’re the ones who said that SWAT would be needed. Whoever’s in the house started shooting the moment Atlas Stoddard pulled up in his cruiser.”
Atlas Stoddard was one of the oldest and most respected beat cops on the force. He was fifty-one and could pass for thirty-five, easily.
I’d trust his opinion and instincts over nearly everyone on the force.
While John had been speaking, the other members of the team started piling in. First James, then Downy. Followed by Nico, and Michael.
Finally, bringing up the rear, was Bennett Alvarez, the newest member of the team.
“Alright, boys. Here’s what we got,” I started, outlining what we were going to do. “Any questions?”
They all shook their heads.
“Good, let’s get moving,” I instructed.
***
“Let’s move in,” I said. “Guru, you’re on standby.”
John, or ‘Guru,’ had remained in our operations center back at the station.
The boys called him Guru one night after an eight hour long bust, and the name had stuck. Although it was only ever used while we were performing a raid or a bust.
John didn’t like to be called anything but John, although he tolerated it.
Although he was a fully trained part of the team, he served us better there. The man was too good at what he did not to utilize, like tapping into their home security system or webcams, with little to no effort.
Which was what he’d done a few moments after we’d left, hacking into the old man’s security system, using the feeds surrounding the house and inside living room, as a guide. He relayed the information to us over the last half hour, and with what he’d told us, we’d decided it was time to go in.
Now or never.
“10-4,” John said.
“Let me know when you’re in position,” I said to Downy, Michael, and James.
With a nod, they circled around the house, while Nico, Bennett and I went to the front.
The door was feeble at best and stood no chance as soon as I heard the quiet, “In place.”
“Go.”
The door gave with laughable ease when Nico placed his boot to it.
A similar sound could be heard from the other end of the house, but our main focus was what was in front of us.
Nico crouched, going down on one knee.
My shotgun was raised, pointed straight inside over Nico’s shoulder.
Bennett’s was mirroring mine from the other shoulder.
Nothing stirred.
With a hand sign to proceed, Nico started walking, crouched down low.
We’d done this a lot. So much so, that we could almost anticipate the other’s movements before they ever happened.
The first room we came to was a dining room.
The room, one that’d been so recently used for a family dinner, was now trashed.
China was smashed. Bullets riddled the walls. The cabinet that held alcohol in the corner of the room was broken, the door hanging off the hinges.
The table was cracked down the middle, the beautiful glass I’d seen yesterday now shattered.
“Side room clear,” James’ voice called over the line.
Barely a hint of a whisper, but the sound reassuring nonetheless.
“Dining room clear,” I confirmed.
“Kitchen clear,” Downy’s voice rumbled.
My heart was pounding, as it always did.
Adrenaline making my vision clearer; my hearing sharper. The solid weight of the shotgun in my hands, butt of the stock up against my cheek, allowing me to breathe easier.
“Living room clear,” Michael confirmed.
We were down to the two back bedrooms when the two teams met.
A series of hand signals were flashed, and Downy took point on the first room, while I took point on the second.
With a quick motion, I went in down low, sweeping the room with a quick, thorough glance.
The room was empty except for exercise equipment.
“Clear,” I said, feeling Nico at my back.
We turned to follow up with Downy’s team when a deafening explosion shook the house.
My vision became spotted, and my eyes felt too big for my head, but my gun stayed in place as I forced myself to move around the bend of the door.
James, Downy, and Michael were picking themselves up off the floor.
None of them had lost their weapons, either.
With that said, though, the entire west bound wall was gone.
“Clear,” James wheezed.
I heard the choking laugh of someone behind me, but for some reason, my sense of humor just didn’t find it funny.
I guess having my men nearly killed didn’t strike my funny bone like it did the others.
“House is clear,” I said into my mic.
The rest of the master bedroom was a complete loss, and the only thing that would help now was a crime scene crew.
***
“What…who do you think it was?” Detective Howell asked.
I fucking hated Detective Pierson Howell. So much so, that I would rather let rats eat my eyeballs while I was alive than speak with the man.
He was condescending, judgmental, and held a grudge because I got the assistant chief job when he’d been on the force longer.
He made sure I knew it, too.
If we didn’t wind up being blamed for this, it’d be a fuckin’ miracle.
“The place was empty. The master bedroom blew from, what we think was, a trip wire of some sort. Our entering that room was what set it off. However, after the sweep, we didn’t find anyone in there,” I said slowly, trying to rein in my temper.
“I realize that you think there wasn’t anyone in there, but there was. The responding officer said there was,” Pierson said snidely.
I crossed my arms over my chest, not having anything else to say on the matter.
We’d done our jobs. There wasn’t anyone to save. That was the fix of it, and there wasn’t anything else we could’ve done aside from predicting the future.
Pierson was a man on a mission. That mission being to have my spot.
“Officer Downy, how about you tell us your interpretation of the events,” Pierson commanded.
I stood, tired of this shit.
“Listen, Pierson. It’s the day after the holiday, we’re all tired, and I’m ready to fucking go. You will see us first thing Monday morning. Until then, that’ll be all on the questions,” I informed him, standing up.
All of my men stood as well, knowing that with my admission, the meeting wouldn’t proceed any further.
Hell, I knew for certain that James, Downy, and Michael had to be hurting, yet they hadn’t complained once.
Detective Pierson opened his mouth, but the Chief raised his hand for silence. “That’s enough, Detective Howell. We’ll continue this Monday morning. Until then, y’all have a good weekend.”
I nearly groaned in relief. I really, really didn’t want to get into it with Pierson.
I wanted to go home and crawl into bed.
We exited the precinct about twenty minutes later.
“What was all that about?” Downy asked, a hand on his shoulder as he massaged it.
I shrugged. “Same shit, different day. He does this every time he can, you know that.”
He nodded. “Yes, but you know something.”
I blinked, then shrugged. “I want y’all to meet me at my place in the morning. Get a good night’s rest and meet me there around ten. I’ll supply donuts.”
After hearing confirmation from all the men, I got in my cruiser and drove straight home.
I wondered who’d be there.
I knew for sure that Reese, Rowen, and Katy would be there. I just hoped that was all. I didn’t have the energy to de
al with my sister or my mom.
They always worried and stayed up.
Today, though, was different.
For the first time since Katy was born, I didn’t have to worry about who was watching Katy.
After a discussion I’d had earlier in the week with Reese, I knew I could count on her to watch Katy from now on if the need to run out quickly ever arose.
It was just a bonus that Reese was already at my house.
Knowing that I didn’t have to worry about my daughter sleeping anywhere but her bed was a huge relief.
I pulled into my driveway finding my parent’s rental, as well as Sebastian’s truck, gone.
I breathed a sigh of relief as I pulled into my garage and killed it.
Stepping wearily out of my cruiser, the first thing to catch my eye was my car.
Fond memories of taking Reese on the hood was enough to give me a hard on, even after such a grueling night.
My dick didn’t care that it was nearly three in the morning.
It cared that I had a hot, willing woman somewhere in my house. One who’d been more than receptive in the past to me sneaking into bed with her and fucking her senseless.
That was the only thought on my mind as I closed the garage door and walked into the kitchen.
There were no dishes in the sink. No mess whatsoever, in fact.
That was my mother’s doing. She couldn’t stand a messy kitchen.
Me, I didn’t give a fuck. Not right now, anyway.
Locking the doors and checking the windows, I prowled through the dark house, going from window to window, making sure they were locked.
The front door was last because I wanted to double check that the alarm was set. Which it was.
I’d just turned around when I was blinded by a light.
I froze and raised my hand. “Fuck, Reese. Put the fucking light down.”
At the sound of my voice, Reese lowered the light. “I’m sorry. I thought you said you’d call. When you didn’t, and I heard someone moving around, I came out to see.”
“So you thought you’d blind me if I was a robber?” I asked, moving closer to her.
She was wearing the t-shirt I’d let her borrow the first time she’d stayed at my place.
The one that had a large Reese’s Peanut Butter Cup on it.
It swallowed her, but I enjoyed the shit out of seeing her in it.
I couldn’t tell if she was wearing any pants or not, but I fixed that moments later when I pulled her into my arms.
My hand trailed down over her hip to the top of her thigh where the t-shirt ended. Then up, where I quickly discovered that she was wearing panties, but no shorts.
She shifted into me, looping her arms around my chest and hugging me tight.
“I was scared for you tonight,” she said, running her nose along the middle of my chest.
I squeezed her a little tighter.
“I’m okay,” I said.
She looked up at me, the only thing I could see in the darkened entryway were the lights from outside shining in her eyes.
The rest of her was a silhouette, but my imagination was going wild.
Chapter 17
I know how to load more than a dishwasher.
-Coffee Cup
Reese
Three hours earlier
“Are you sure you don’t mind if we go?” Paige asked as she looped her scarf around her neck.
I shook my head. “No, really. I’m fine. Luke and I already worked it out where I’d be watching Katy on the nights he was called in. It’s all right, I promise.”
My reassurance was enough, and she gave me a warm, strong hug. “Alright, we’ll see y’all tomorrow afternoon. I’ll make apple pie just for you.”
I hugged her back. “Thank you.”
I’d gotten to know Paige, Baylee, Sebastian, and Travis well over the past couple of hours.
I’d been worried when Luke left, worrying about him, but they’d done well keeping me distracted.
They’d only said that they would leave when we’d gotten a text from Luke saying that everything was fine, and that he’d be tied up with paperwork for a little bit longer.
“Let her go, woman,” Travis said in exasperation. “I’m tired, and we still have to drive an hour back to our hotel.”
“You wouldn’t have to stay in a hotel if you’d stay with one of us,” Baylee muttered as she shrugged her jacket on.
“Yeah, but then I can’t have sex with your mother for a week,” Travis said dismissively.
Baylee made a gagging sound, and Sebastian hooked an arm around her shoulder with his free hand. “Let’s go.”
I held Blaise in my arms as I walked out with them to Sebastian’s huge truck.
I didn’t attempt to put her in. I waited until he got Johnny in, then handed Blaise over.
Sebastian’s truck was big, much like Luke’s. I wouldn’t have been able to transfer her over as smoothly as Sebastian was able to.
“When Rowen was little, there wasn’t a single time that I was able to get her out or into the car without waking her,” I shook my head in amazement.
“You just have to have the right touch,” he quipped as he closed the door quietly.
Then he ruffled my hair, smacked his wife’s ass as she crawled into the truck, and rounded the hood. His ease at getting into the truck was humbling. Why men had to be so much more adept at things than women were, I would never know.
I waved at them as they backed out of the driveway, followed shortly by Travis and Paige.
The silence of Luke’s house was eerie.
I didn’t know what to do.
Rowen and Katy had been put to bed over an hour ago. Paige had cleaned the kitchen. Then the living room. Then she’d started doing all of Luke’s laundry.
There was literally nothing left for me to do, and I couldn’t figure out how to operate the volume on the TV in the living room, nor Luke’s room.
So I did what I did best.
I snooped.
I started in Luke’s bedroom, then moved to his study, followed by his garage.
There I got a particularly bad idea when I saw the car, and chose to come back inside before I started to replay the naughty things we’d done on Luke’s car our first night together.
I finally ended up on his desktop that was set up in Luke’s office.
That’s where I found the particularly interesting stuff.
Well, interesting if you were eight like Katy was.
I didn’t see a single thing on the computer other than a pinned website at the top of the Google search bar that had the local news journal’s website.
Not one porn website, or forum.
It was a complete and utter bust.
Finding myself on Pinterest, I started searching the internet, which led me to a site that had clothes. Then it led me to buying clothes for Rowen, Katy, and me.
I’d been in Katy’s closet today and had been horrified at the utter lack of anything dressy.
I suppose this was what happened when one was being raised by a single father who would rather go out and work on his car than go to the mall.
I was searching around to find something under fifteen dollars in the lingerie section when I saw the cutest underwear I’d ever seen.
And I could not wait to let Luke see them.
Two hundred and fifty dollars later, I had clothes on their way to Luke’s place, with the promise of two-day shipping since it was Cyber Monday deals…on Saturday.
Tired of playing online, I went back to Luke’s room and changed into a shirt and panties before searching through his drawers for some boxers. Which was when I discovered the socks.
A drawer full of socks.
All unmatched.
Which was how I found myself matching socks at nearly three in the morning after trying in vain to go to sleep.
I had socks taking up every inch of Lu
ke’s bed as I matched pair after pair.
What did he do, pick out a pair for each of them every morning?
I’d just matched my fifty fourth pair (truly, it was the fifty fourth) when I heard the sound of boots on hardwood.
The sound was methodic and knowing.
I glanced down at my phone to make sure that Luke hadn’t called, since he’d said he would when he was on his way home.
Something he hadn’t done.
Luke was really good about calling. He was always consistent and called me every time he was on his way over, or leaving work. If he said he was going to call, he would.
Which made me positive that it wasn’t Luke out there.
But there were two children in the house, so that was the only thing on my mind as I stepped out with the flashlight that was on Luke’s night stand a minute later.
I’d had one hell of a time turning the lights out earlier. I’d practically maimed myself tripping over various random things on the floor.
Shoes here. Gym bag there. Jacket in the middle of the hallway. My Little Pony on the floor outside Katy’s room.
It was in my best interest to have the flashlight.
However, when my eyes found someone much, much larger than an eight-year-old or a five year old; I practically freaked.
I lowered the light. “I’m sorry. I thought you said you’d call. When you didn’t, and I heard someone moving around, I came out to see.”
“So you thought you’d blind me if I was a robber?” he asked, stalking forward.
I ignored his question.
He was wearing a black t-shirt and black pants with a black baseball cap on backward covering his beautiful, blonde hair.
That was nearly all I could see, though. Luke’s place got extremely dark since there wasn’t anything else outside except for the lone security light that hung off the garage.
His hand trailed down over my hip to the top of my thigh where the t-shirt ended. Then up underneath the shirt, stopping when he hit where my panties met the back of my thigh.
I shifted more fully into him and hugged him tightly. My arms going around his thick chest.
I hadn’t wanted to admit how scared I’d been for him. The past three hours had been torture. I’d looked at the clock countless times over the past three hours, wondering when he’d be home.
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