“Hey,” he said as he raised his hand as if to hold my chin, but he stopped when I looked up at him. “I’m sorry about what happened. I know you two were close.”
“Thanks, we were.” My mouth twitched as tears began to burn behind my eyes. “He didn’t deserve to die the way he did.”
My heart stopped when he held my chin. We gazed at each other for a moment, my heart hammering in my chest. I felt so much from a simple touch and from the way he was looking at me, more than his words could ever accomplish.
“V?” he said.
My eyes quickly opened. That was the first time he’d called me by my nickname, a single letter that sounded so good on his lips.
I nodded and he released my chin but still I couldn't move. It was as if the air was charged between us and if either of us made a sudden movement, everything around us would explode. My chin was tingling from his touch and the rest of my body grew warm with need.
“Well, I’m all done,” I said, changing the subject. “Do you want me to check you for more wounds? I can do that, you know, just take your shirt off and let me take a quick look.”
I grinned, needing to change the subject. He stood up and my head slowly tilted back as he towered over me.
“Remove yours and I’ll feel more comfortable doing the same,” he said as he tapped the handcuffs hanging at my waist. I swallowed hard, an image of me handcuffed to his bed flashing in my mind.
My lips parted but I had nothing to say as I watched his eyes drift to my lips.
Maybe I was wrong and he does like me.
He licked his lips and my core clenched but he stepped away, brushing past me as he headed for the door. “Come on, we’ve got work to do.”
I remained where I was as he closed the door behind him, my breathing slowly relaxing as I replayed the moment his eyes had drifted to my lips over and over again.
"Fuck," I mumbled to myself as I walked across the room, washed my hands, and then followed.
Chapter Four
Finn
After grabbing my phone and keys, I hopped in my car and went for a drive. I'd been tossing and turning all night, and since it was 1:00am on a Friday night, I might as well have a drink.
It hasn't always been like this, just maybe over a year now and I have no idea why. On the other hand, there is something incredibly calming about being out at night while everyone is sleeping. The world seems so quiet and peaceful although I know it's anything but peaceful.
At my favourite bar, I ordered my only drink and proceeded to observe the couples around me. I’d lost interest in dating a long time ago. My last relationship had ended when my ex cheated with a man who turned out to be abusive. Online dating had never been my thing either, so I haven’t even gone that route.
Miranda, a waitress I’ve gotten to know from my frequent visits, made her way over to me, her pink painted lips pulling upward into a smile.
“Hey Finn,” she greeted me as she stopped at my table. She eyed my drink and crossed her arms over her chest. “How dare you order from someone else?”
Her deep blue eyes glistened as she laughed. “I was looking for you but I figured maybe you had the night off.”
“Oh no, I’m always here on Fridays. I’ve never seen you on a Friday though, still having trouble sleeping huh?”
I nodded. “Bingo.”
She seems like a nice woman but she's far from my type. First, she’s engaged to the owner of this club, a stunning dark-skinned woman with hazel eyes. Miranda isn't into men, but from the moment we met, we became friends immediately.
She tried to set me up with her friends numerous times but none of the women I’ve met sparked any feelings.
“Well, I’ll get you something that’ll have you feeling a buzz quicker. You didn’t drive, did you?” I nodded at her and she pouted. “It’s Friday night, Finn, the next time I see you please have a girl on your arm. I won’t be serving you water after just one drink anymore. Honestly, you’re a good man being wasted. I’ll be right back with your water.”
I laughed and shook my head as she left.
A few minutes later, we said our goodbyes and I was out the door. As I opened it, a woman with red waist-length hair stepped before me. My eyes roamed up and down Veronica’s body. She was wearing a black cocktail dress and heels and for a second, we just stood there staring at each other.
A woman’s head popped out from behind her. “Hi, we’d like to get in.”
“Oh, um, Beth, this is Finn,” Veronica said as she backed up and we all stood outside the bar.
I looked at Beth, who was grinning from ear to ear. “Wow, you weren’t kidding. He does look different.” I narrowed my eyes at that and she stuck her hand out to me. “You might not remember me, but I’m Beth, Veronica’s best friend and wife. But it's okay, you can be her number two. I share.”
Veronica stepped in front of Beth and my lips curved with a smirk. “What are you doing here?” she asked.
I looked her up and down as I buried my hands in my pockets. “I could ask you the same thing. Does Daddy know you’re out dressed like this?”
Her brows knitted and I had to hold back my laugh at how adorable she looked when angry. “Excuse me?”
“Are you daddy?” Beth suddenly asked from behind her. “I mean, you could be, you look like you’d fit the role. Are you single? She’s single.”
And just like that, I remembered who Beth was. She was always at Veronica's house when they were younger, but back then she had been tall and chubby. Now she showed off her toned, long legs in a short pink dress.
“Beth, shut it,” Veronica grumbled through clenched teeth. “Ignore her, she doesn’t have a filter. And as for your question, I might not always act like it, but I’m a grown woman, Finn.”
“Yeah,” I said as her brows pulled together. “I can see that. You look beautiful, Veronica.”
Just like that, with only a few words, I made her react the way I love to see. Each time I say something that shocks her, her eyes widen for just a second as she loses her composure. Since it was the first time I’d seen her outside of work and with her hair down, it was hard to take my eyes off her.
“Thank you, would you like to join us?” Veronica asked as she pointed towards the bar. “We were just going to have a drink before heading home.”
"I've hit my max for the night." I combed my hair back as she nodded, and I watched the way her hair danced around her. "Another night, so you ladies have fun. Neither of you drove, correct?"
“Yeah, he’s definitely daddy material,” Beth grumbled and Veronica grabbed her arm.
“Okay I’ll see you on Sunday,” Veronica began pulling her friend towards the bar and I waved as Beth tried to say goodbye over her shoulder.
“Goodnight, Finn.”
“Goodnight, Beth.”
I didn’t move as I watched them walk away. Of course, I’d noticed Veronica’s amazing body before, but seeing her now in a dress that emphasized her every curve, I was amazed.
I turned away after she pushed Beth into the bar and then glanced at me before vanishing inside. I exhaled through my mouth as I began walking slowly back to my car. It would have been great if I hadn’t seen her tonight or outside of work in general. At work I’m able to maintain control of myself, I know nothing of her life outside of work seeing her just now, I had been a little too close to agreeing to join them and I know that would have ended badly.
As for her friend Beth, she pretty much confirmed that they’ve both been talking about me.
I wonder what exactly Veronica has been telling her?
Veronica
Beth waited in the car while I ran into the gas station to grab a few things, mostly pain medicine. I had drunk way less than her last night. Instead, she’d thrown up three times this morning and looked as white as a piece of paper, repeating how she’s never going to drink again.
That’s a lie, of course, one she’s been saying since we were in high school.
I t
hanked the cashier and made my way out the door as I rummaged through the bag in my hand for the bottle of water and the pills I’d bought for her. Suddenly I was pushed, causing my bag to fall out of my hand. Behind me, someone was yelling. It was as if something clicked in my mind before I truly registered what was happening. Within seconds, my legs were moving.
The man was incredibly fast but thankfully I was wearing sneakers. My heart skipped a beat as he suddenly threw the bag over his shoulder and pulled out a gun.
For a split second, my brother's eyes flashed in my mind, then I heard the gunshot. A burning sensation began in my arm but still, my legs pushed me forward.
I gritted my teeth and the man’s eyes opened in shock. He turned to continue running but he tripped. I’m not sure what was driving me as I pumped all my strength into my legs. I fell on him the moment he tried to get up and quickly grabbed the arm that was holding the gun, bending both his wrists. I placed my knee in his back when he tried to grab for the gun he had dropped.
"Don't make me break your arm!" I yelled. "Stay down!" I glanced at my shoulder and the blood that seeped through my grey sweatshirt. "You just shot a cop, moron!" Even with the side of his face pressed into the pavement, I could see the way his eyes widened with panic. "Yeah, you're screwed."
***
I walked out of my father’s office with my ears ringing. A few eyes were on me as I slammed the door shut and grabbed my upper arm. The bullet had only grazed my shoulder thankfully, but my dad insisted I go to the hospital. I didn't see the point. I ignored the curious eyes of my fellow cops, no doubt all of them having overheard my father cursing at the top of his lungs. I held my head up and walked proudly, knowing that yet again I'd done something good.
Was I supposed to stand by as a cop and watch that thief getaway?
Anyone else wouldn't have gotten an earful from the Captain about being reckless, but of course, I had to sit and listen to him complain about my actions both as my father and my Captain. Sure, I get where he's coming from, but what was I supposed to do?
If a male cop had stopped that thief, he’d be given a pat on the back. Meanwhile, I was told to be more careful. But I’m a cop, this is a part of the job and I’ll always do my job.
“Was I supposed to do, huh? Nothing?” I asked no one in particular as I yanked the door to the storeroom open and slammed it behind me.
I spun around as it opened again immediately. Finn entered the room and closed it even louder than I had. For a second, I was terrified as he stepped forward and then stopped himself, his eyes wide with rage. His eyes darted back and forth as he gazed into mine.
“What the hell were you thinking?” he growled and I turned away and grabbed a first aid kit.
“I was thinking a robbery had just happened and it’s my place as a cop to do something,” I answered, not hiding the irritation in my voice.
“You could have been killed!” he yelled, and I spun on my heel to face him.
“It’s a part of the job, right?! Every cop is at risk of being shot or worse, so what were you and my dad thinking? That because I'm his daughter I might never experience something like this? Get off my ass, Finn! Both of you!”
I turned away, my chest rising and falling rapidly as I took deep breaths to calm myself.
“Veronica?” I closed my eyes and tried to ignore him but my body went stiff as I felt his fingers wrap around my elbow. He turned me slowly, gently, his eyes on my bloody arm. “I didn’t mean to get you upset. Let me help you.”
I sighed as I glanced at my shoulder. "It's fine, it's just a graze. I can take care of it."
All emotion drained from his face and the silence stretched between us as he stepped closer. “Sit on that chair, woman, now. I wasn’t asking for your permission to help you.”
I shook my head and sat down, well aware that fighting him was pointless. For a moment I forgot about the pain in my arm as he held onto my sweatshirt and began pulling it over my head.
He grew angry once more as he stared at the cut on my arm.
“It looks worse than it feels,” I told him with a forced grin, and his jaws clenched in response. I’m not certain why I even said that, maybe to lessen his anger. While his presence was incredibly intimidating, right now his concern for me was beyond sweet.
“I know this is a part of the job,” he suddenly said as he opened a first aid kit and I noticed that his right knuckles were bruised. “But I’d like to not have my partner die on me. Okay? And you need to stop trying so damn hard, you're taking the spotlight away from me."
He glanced my way, the corner of his mouth lifting with a smile. “Yeah well, you’ve had a long run, old man. It’s time to give up your title.”
He poked my arm and I yelped in pain. “Not going to happen, princess.”
The endearment made me forget how to speak. I sat quietly as he cleaned and bandaged my wound for me.
“There,” he said as he finally closed the first aid and then turned to face me.
“Thanks,” I mumbled as I pointed to my sweater. “What happened to your knuckles?”
He looked down at his hand and shook his head. “Nothing, don’t worry about it. You’re not hurt, badly that is.”
“Okay,” I pointed to my sweatshirt. “Can I have that back now?"
Considering that I was only wearing a thin strap top and no bra, I felt naked as his eyes wandered down my chest for a moment. He blinked rapidly, no doubt noticing my nipple piercings. Instead of giving it to me, he threw it over his shoulder.
“I think I’ll hold onto this for you,” he said as his expression slowly began to morph into a grin. “You might want to cross your arms over your chest though and maybe exit through the back of the precinct.”
“You’re a dick sometimes, you know that, right?”
“I know,” he said as he turned to leave. “But I have a feeling you like that.”
***
I pulled my top on, being careful to not have it drag on the slowly healing wound on my shoulder. It had been three days since I’d been shot and the reality of what had almost happened hadn’t hit me until later.
I had cried for a few minutes in the shower, but mostly because I had spent too much time remembering how I had felt the moment I had seen the gun. I wondered if that’s how my brother had felt before he had been shot, and I wasn’t able to stop my tears. He had been undercover in a drug ring when he was found out. He had tried to escape but was caught and killed, shot four times in the chest.
I never got to say goodbye. Since he was undercover, I had barely seen him. That was something I deeply regretted.
Shaking that thought from my head, I closed my locker and picked up my bag just as Finn walked through the door.
“There you are,” he said as he walked over to me. “I’m going to grab a drink with some of the guys. Do you want to come?”
I shook my head. “Sorry, there’s something I have to do, maybe another time.”
“Are you okay? You’ve been pretty quiet since the other day.” He walked over to me and touched my shoulder. “How’s your shoulder healing?”
I inhaled deeply because yes, ever since then my mood had been crap. I mean, we all have days or weeks like this where we just feel drained. It hadn’t gone unnoticed that Finn had been keeping an eye on me. In the absence of my usual chatty mood, he'd been trying to be more talkative with me. I appreciated that.
“I’m okay, and my shoulder is healing just fine.” I looked down at my bag in my hand before placing it on the floor and letting my hair down. “I’m honestly just not in a drinking mood.”
When I looked up at Finn, his eyes were glued to my hair. For a moment, my heart fluttered at his look of admiration. So far, he and Beth had been the only people capable of making me smile. He stepped forward and then stopped.
“I need you to be more careful,” he murmured as his eyes moved from my hair to my face. “I think your dad was honestly pretty shaken up, too.”
I inhaled dee
ply and sighed. “I know, I spoke to him the day after it happened. I’m sorry for scaring you both.”
"I never said I was worried about you," he said as he rolled his eyes, and the action made me laugh. His lips curved with a smile as he took a step forward. "Just make sure nothing like that happens again okay, or I'm going to be really pissed."
“You’re always pissed,” I shot back and he shrugged.
“I always appear pissed. You wouldn’t like to see me when I really am.”
I arched a brow cheekily. “How are you so sure? Maybe I like that kind of thing. But don’t worry, I’ll be careful. I’m fully capable of taking care of myself, in case you haven’t noticed.”
He made a face as he sank his fingers into his already ruffled hair. "I know, but I said what I said, Veronica. I'm going to need you to start listening to me, okay?"
"Have you always been this controlling or do you just like being like this with me?" I whispered and he leaned forward.
“A bit of both,” he answered.
Suddenly the atmosphere around us changed and my palms started to sweat. I’m not imagining it, right? He’s flirting with me right now? Worse, he had yet to walk away like he usually did. For a moment, I could do nothing but stare at him. His eyes became hooded and he stepped forward again, closing the gap between us.
My heart was hammering against my chest as his head slowly dipped and his lips pressed against mine.
My eyes fluttered close instantly and feelings I haven’t experienced in a long time were ignited within me. My body melted as I felt his hand snake around my waist and my lips parted to give him entrance, allowing his tongue to slowly move back and forth against mine. My body was close to shaking at the fact that I was kissing Finn.
A voice within my mind was telling me to stop but I couldn’t. His lips felt amazing. I truly relaxed for the first time in days.
His hand suddenly gripped my waist as he crushed my body to his and the slight and sudden forcefulness made my knees grow weak. It’s been so long since I’ve felt this ache inside me but as if something clicked within him, he tore himself away from me.
Off Limits (Protect and Serve Book 1) Page 3