by Tatum Throne
Hard Hits 10
Training Kyle
After years of working in Alaska as a police officer, Mason Rask takes on a new position as acting police chief of District Four. Mason hopes a change of scenery will help him let go of the loss of his partner in the line of duty. Determined to keep a low profile before he starts, Mason forgets all about that to save an officer in distress.
Lt. Kyle Shaun’s night goes very wrong when a standoff in the field nearly gets him killed. Kyle wants to thank the stranger who saves him, but the guy walks away without looking back. Will he ever see him again?
Mason can’t deny the attraction he has for Kyle, but he knows that they can’t get involved. As an experienced Dom, Mason knows he can’t risk taking a man under his command on as his submissive. As their relationship intensifies, Mason only wants to take Kyle on as his sub. Will Kyle say yes?
Genre: Alternative (M/M or F/F), BDSM, Contemporary
Length: 29,641 words
TRAINING KYLE
Hard Hits 10
Tatum Throne
EROTIC ROMANCE
MANLOVE
Siren Publishing, Inc.
www.SirenPublishing.com
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A SIREN PUBLISHING BOOK
IMPRINT: Erotic Romance ManLove
TRAINING KYLE
Copyright © 2014 by Tatum Throne
E-book ISBN: 978-1-62741-975-8
First E-book Publication: July 2014
Cover design by Harris Channing
All art and logo copyright © 2014 by Siren Publishing, Inc.
ALL RIGHTS RESERVED: This literary work may not be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, including electronic or photographic reproduction, in whole or in part, without express written permission.
All characters and events in this book are fictitious. Any resemblance to actual persons living or dead is strictly coincidental.
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Siren Publishing, Inc.
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DEDICATION
For the Throne Boys.
Table of Contents
Title Page
Copyright Page
Dedication
Chapter One
Chapter Two
Chapter Three
Chapter Four
Chapter Five
Chapter Six
Chapter Seven
Chapter Eight
Chapter Nine
Chapter Ten
Chapter Eleven
About the Author
TRAINING KYLE
Hard Hits 10
TATUM THRONE
Copyright © 2014
Chapter One
Traffic was bat-shit crazy around Cincinnati. Rain hammered Mason Rask’s windshield as cars zipped past him with Indy 500 speed. His new SUV was doing okay in the rain, but not great. He drove the unfamiliar highway of Northern Kentucky as he headed into downtown Cincinnati. The bright lights of the city stood out within the gray wash of rain. A yellow bridge stretched like an angry cat clawing at the Ohio River bank that was trying to keep from falling into the water.
Up ahead, Mason caught sight of taillights lighting up as cars came to a stop. It was just before the bridge into downtown. Emergency lights were flashing off the yellow steel of the bridge. Several police cruisers blocked traffic in and out of town. Mason wondered what the hell was going on. It was most likely a traffic accident. He eased his car to a stop, putting it into park. He had the urge to get out of the car and venture up toward the scene, but he knew he was not yet on duty as acting police chief. He tapped his thumb impatiently on the steering wheel several times as he worked to see through the rain hammering the windshield.
“Fuck it.”
Mason got out and hunched his shoulders into the rain as he sprinted toward those flashing lights. He wanted to know what the crisis was to block the traffic on both the northbound and southbound sides of the bridge. It wasn’t normal. Somebody was probably injured in a bad accident. Mason wasn’t one to turn away from a person in need. He knew he had to get down there and find out if he could help.
It wasn’t an accident. This was something entirely different. Mason froze in his tracks as he watched the scene unfold before his eyes. It was a standoff. The initial shock of the situation eased as he tried to figure out a way to help. A man was holding a police officer hostage with a gun pointed at his head. Protocol had everyone staying back with their guns pointed at both of them. Mason came up from the side, hiding behind a UPS truck. The guy kept backing up as though he were about to jump off the bridge. A drop of cold rain slid down Mason’s spine as he watched the man move. He was going to kill both of them if he kept backing up.
The guy had to be high on something. Mason knew he had to move if given a chance. It was the only way to save both of their lives. Mason had the element of surprise at his advantage. He was in the suspect’s blind spot. Mason wasn’t sure if he could take the guy down without the guy popping off at least one shot. He did not want it to be at the police officer’s head. As of tomorrow, these men would be under his command. He did not want to jeopardize anyone by stepping into something he had no control over. Mason knew he had to do something though. He couldn’t stand by as this man pulled the police officer over the edge of the bridge.
As Mason waited, he saw a glimmer of hope. He knew that he could get in there if the man just pulled the gun away for a brief moment from the officer’s head. If he did, he knew he could disarm him without anyone getting hurt—at least he hoped that no one would get injured. Mason edged around the side of the UPS tr
uck. His heart hammered as adrenaline pumped through his veins. With every step he took forward, the suspect took a step back, closer and closer to the bridge’s edge.
As the man came to the grate on the edge of the bridge, his foot slipped. The gun in his hand jostled away from the police officer’s head as he flailed, trying to keep from going down. It was time to go. Mason took a deep breath and launched himself at the man. He grabbed the guy from behind as the police officer fought to get away. Mason kicked his leg around him, taking them both down to the ground. The suspect landed with a face-plant. The man groaned as the gun in his hand went sliding across the bridge. It hit the rail and a round went off.
As the cop scrambled away, he slipped on the grate. He started to fall. Officers rushed this pair, and Mason let go of his captive and went to grab the officer who was now falling toward the side of the bridge. Despite the high railing, it would be easy for the officer to go over. Mason knew he had only one chance to prevent the guy from falling over the edge. Mason reached out, snagging the officer by the wrist just as he started to tumble over the cement barrier. Mason used his momentum to snap him around. They landed hard against the railing.
They were face-to-face. The officer’s eyes were wide. He was breathing hard, and his heart hammered in his chest. “I’ve got you. You’re okay.”
The officer nodded as tears rushed through his eyes. Mason could see the emotion play hard over his face as he tried to hold it together. Mason glanced down at his uniform shirt, reading his name badge. Lieutenant K. Shaun was now in his arms and still freaking the fuck out. There was something about his white-blond hair plastered on his forehead and his wide eyes that looked completely vulnerable and needy. Mason did not want to let him go, but he knew he had to. If he held him any longer, he knew it would be inappropriate.
With reluctance, Mason let go of the officer as he pulled him away from the edge of the bridge. When he was steady on his feet, Mason turned and walked back toward his car. The officers were busy taking down their suspect, but Mason could feel the officer’s gaze still on him as he walked away. He did not want the officers to know that he was their future commander-in-chief and that he had taken down the suspect. Mason wanted a few more days of solidarity and peace before he started as acting police chief.
As it was, Mason wasn’t sure if this was a long-term position for him. He had taken the job to get out of Kodiak, Alaska. He wasn’t planning on setting down roots in Cincinnati. In fact, Mason wasn’t sure what he wanted out of life anymore. He got into his car and shut the door. The rain hammered the roof and his thoughts. Emotion played over his heart as he thought about how close he came to losing that officer he didn’t even know. His thoughts rushed back to that dark and stormy night he had lost his partner. Mason never got over the shooting or the lasting effects of it. He had hoped that getting out of Alaska would help ease the pain. Now, he wasn’t so sure that that was the case. It seemed as though his demons had chased him down to the lower forty-eight.
Police officers started going car to car. It was clear that they were now looking for the man who had intervened. Mason ran his hand through his wet hair. Some things he knew he couldn’t walk away from. Mason knew that he would have to turn himself in, but not now. He decided then that he would on his first day of the job. He was not about to do it tonight, not when he felt as though everything in his life was finally falling together when it should have been falling apart.
Mason hoped that Lt. Shaun would be okay with the fact that an unnamed hero had saved his life tonight. Perhaps his wife would hold him a little bit closer tonight and his kids would hold on even tighter. Mason had done his job. Saving a life could pull hard on the heartstrings of anyone. Mason didn’t want to be the hero who got his name slung all over the news. He wanted to be the hero who walked away in the night and remained anonymous. He wasn’t sure that would be the case as those officers came toward his car, but he sure as hell was going to try.
* * * *
Lieutenant Kyle Shaun was shaking as the man who saved him walked away. Rain hammered Kyle’s shoulders and his face, hiding the fact that he was crying, too. His heart was racing out of his chest as he looked down at his fellow officers. They were now taking control of the suspect who had gotten his gun and nearly killed him. Kyle headed toward the man who had saved him. He wanted his name. He wanted to thank him. He couldn’t believe that he was walking away after putting his life at risk. It was clear that he had some type of military training. A normal man wouldn’t have been able to do what he had done and just walk away.
“Hey! Kyle! You okay?”
Kyle looked over at TJ as he got in his face. The SWAT team had been called out to save his ass tonight.
He nodded once. “Yeah, I’m okay. I mean, I’ll be okay in a few minutes.”
“Who was that guy?” TJ asked.
“I don’t know, but I’m sure as hell going to find out.”
“Good. Try to catch him. We’re going to need a statement from him. This is going to be difficult to explain to the new chief,” TJ said.
“I was thinking the same thing.”
Headlights glared in Kyle’s eyes as he headed in the direction that the man had gone. He caught sight of him walking down the middle of the four-lane bridge as he went back to his car. He slipped into his car and sat there a long time. He gripped the wheel as though he were trying to regain control of his emotions, too. Before Kyle could catch up to him, he started the car and pulled out into the traffic that was turning around and heading down toward the exit ramp. He couldn’t catch up to the man. He was getting away. Kyle ran a frustrated hand through his hair. There was no way he could find or thank the person who had saved his life. He headed back to TJ and had to break the news to him.
“He’s gone. He headed toward the exit ramp before I could catch him.”
“Fuck. The chief isn’t going to like this.”
It was true. Chief Anderson did not like any loose ends and the new police chief wouldn’t either. Despite putting in for his retirement, Chief Anderson had a couple days left on duty. He was gone as soon as the new acting chief started at the end of the week. Kyle did not want the fact that he had fucked up tonight to ruin his chances on another promotion.
TJ grabbed his arm and gave him a little shake. “Are you sure you’re okay?”
“I’ll be fine.”
“Let’s have SWAT doc Woods check you out just in case.”
Kyle headed for the awaiting ambulance. He got inside and was barely listening to all the banter going back and forth between TJ and SWAT doc Woods. A little over two years ago, they were married and had been inseparable. It was clear that they had found true love in each other. A little bit of envy crept up into Kyle’s heart as he thought about not being able to find the love of his life. He suspected that it had everything to do with living in a small town with not very much of a social life.
“Open your eyes,” Woods said.
Kyle did as asked and followed the penlight with his eyes.
“No concussion. Anything hurt?”
“No, I’ll be fine.”
“I don’t see any reason to ruin your night with an ER visit. Okay then, you can get out of here.”
It was still raining as Kyle stepped out of the ambulance. Traffic was moving slowly across the bridge. Kyle thought about going home to his empty apartment and inwardly sighed. It was times like these when he had a rough day that he wanted somebody to hold him in their arms. It was his choice to live alone, but now he didn’t think that was such a good idea. Having no family and no lover to hold him really ate him up inside tonight. Kyle didn’t bother heading back to the station to write up his report. He would do it tomorrow. It could wait for now.
Instead, he went home, stripped out of his clothes, and got into the hot shower. He cranked the spray on high and pressed his palms against the tile. He hung his head under the spray, wishing for a balance he didn’t feel in his life. He could feel the sting of his tears mixing wi
th the water rushing over his face. As the event flashed through his mind, the only thing that he held onto tight was the fact that that stranger had saved his life. The heat of his green eyes had shivered all the way through his soul. He felt as though time had stood still and everything that mattered was in his arms. And now that stranger was gone. Kyle knew he’d never see him again.
Having the life scared out of him, Kyle decided he couldn’t stay in the house and mope. He decided that he was going out to the best gay bar in the city. He got out of the shower, dried off, and dressed. He wasn’t looking for a one-night stand, but he sure as hell was looking to blow off some steam for a little while. He wanted the distraction of going someplace where nobody knew him and a place where he could get a drink without having to explain himself. As Kyle looked at himself in the mirror, he could see the fear linger in his eyes. He didn’t want to think about the bridge or what could’ve been. He reached for his cologne and sprayed his neck. He grabbed his keys and headed to his car, driving across downtown to the Levee where a crowd of small shops and bars sat.
Music pumped from deep within the gay bar. Kyle headed inside, loving the excitement of the place. He went to the bar and ordered a drink. Despite trying to unwind, all of his thoughts were on the man who had saved him. The guy had been a lot taller and a little bit broader as he held him in his arms. When Kyle gripped his arms, he had felt hard contoured muscle beneath his wet clothes. Kyle scanned the bar. He was constantly worried about running into someone he knew and outing himself. Kyle was glad that he was completely alone. He brought his beer up to his lips as his eyes moved across the room. It was then that he saw a man walk into the bar. The size, height, and midnight-black hair were about the same as the man who had saved him tonight. The only thing missing were his wet clothes that had clung to his body.