Cocky Savior: A Hero Club Novel

by Jane Blythe

  As he waited, his attention was drawn to a woman walking out of the alley across the street. She was short, if he had to guess not more than five foot two, but she walked with an air of confidence that made her seem seven feet tall. She was dressed in a pair of jeans that, even from here, he could see hugged a perfect pair of toned legs, and although she wore a coat, he could see that it covered a pair of small but perky breasts. She had long blonde hair that whipped around her face in the wind, and she had her arms wrapped around her middle as though she were cold.

  The woman stopped abruptly and then bent down, picking up something he couldn’t see, and that was when he noticed it.

  The car.

  Headlights illuminated the woman, and he saw a pale face with delicate features and wide eyes that were locked on the vehicle.

  Instead of slowing, it sped up, and it wasn't swerving away from her even though the driver had to have seen her.

  Eli didn't even think about it.

  He sprinted across the street and launched himself at the woman, wrapping an arm around her and rolling them both out of the way of the oncoming car.

  * * * * *

  9:46 P.M.

  A blur of black in her peripheral vision caught her eye.

  Before Florence could react, she was tackled.

  She landed hard on the pavement, her wrist taking the brunt of the fall and pain shot through it, reverberating around her body.

  The car careened past.

  If she’d still been there it would have slammed right into her.

  Since she’d been kneeling and not standing, her head and chest would have taken the brunt of the bumper’s force. There was no way she could have survived such an impact.

  The car sped off, and Florence turned her attention to the person who had tackled her. Whoever it was still lay on the concrete beside her, an arm wrapped around her waist, her body flush up against his hard one.

  So far, he hadn't made any move to harm her, but that didn't mean he wouldn’t.

  Not willing to wait and see what the man would do next, whether he was friend or foe, she squirmed quickly out of his grip and pulled out her weapon, holding it on the man. “Who are you?” she demanded.

  Surprised dark eyes looked up at her, and then he broke out into a bemused smile. “I just saved your life, darlin’, that how you thank me?”

  “You didn't answer my question,” she bit out. “Who are you?”

  The man stood slowly, seemingly unconcerned with the fact that she had a gun aimed at his chest. It was a nice chest, his coat and suit jacket were both open, and she could see his muscles’ definition through his white shirt. He was tall, at least a foot taller than her, maybe more, and he had to outweigh her by at least a hundred pounds, all of it muscle.

  He took a step toward her, and Florence knew that she should announce herself as a cop, and if the man wouldn’t answer her questions then cuff him and keep him here until she could call in what happened and back up arrived, then have him taken down to the station to be questioned. For all she knew this man was in cahoots with whoever had tried to run her over.

  Instead of doing anything, she stared up at him. The short, scruffy beard made him look ridiculously sexy, and the way he was looking at her had her blushing even though she wasn't a woman who blushed when a man looked at her like he wanted to devour her.

  Despite the fact she didn't know who he was, her gut said this man wasn't a threat to her safety. And she reluctantly had to admit that if he hadn't been here she would probably be dead right now.

  “Are you going to tell me your name or not?” she snapped because his eyes roving her body and his heated gaze were stirring up a tingling deep in her belly that was completely inappropriate given what had just happened.

  “Eli Lennox,” he said with a grin. “And you are?”

  “Florence Harris,” she replied, leaving out for the moment that she was a cop.

  “Nice to meet you, Florence Harris.” The way he said her name had her pulse fluttering wildly. There was something about this man that made her go all weak at the knees. “Any idea why someone just tried to kill you?”

  “We don’t know that he tried to kill me,” she immediately protested.

  The man arched a dark brow. “Cars trying to knock you down just part of your daily routine?”

  “No, but …”

  “But nothing,” Eli interrupted. “That car was aiming straight for you, if I hadn't pushed you out of the way then you’d be dead right now.”

  Florence sighed.

  Unfortunately, he was right, and there was no use pretending that he wasn't. Whether it had been random, related to her case, or the serial killer she’d been hunting here to leave his next body in the dumpster she’d just checked, that car had intended to run her over.

  Could it really have been the Dumpster Killer?

  Could she really have figured out his pattern?

  “Something occurred to you just then, your eyes lit up.”

  She blinked and looked up, disconcerted to find that Eli Lennox was standing directly in front of her. Close enough that he could have swiped the gun from her hand if he’d wanted to. Since she didn't think that he was involved, and she didn't want to shoot him, she’d never had to take a life before and she hoped to make it through her career keeping that record, she slipped her gun back into its holster.

  “I'm a homicide detective, I was just wondering if what happened was related to a case I was working. What exactly did you see?” Her position, bent down picking up the glove, meant she hadn't had as good a vantage point as he would have had standing up.

  Instead of answering her question, Eli reached out and wrapped a hand around her elbow, gently lifting her arm so he could examine her wrist. “You were favoring your other hand, did you hurt this one when I saved your life?”

  “Are you going to keep harping on that?” When she tried to pull her arm free, he tightened his hold. His fingers were firm but gentle, and he was careful not to hurt her while still keeping her arm in his grasp.

  Shooting her a cocky grin, he said, “You know it’s an old Chinese proverb that if you save someone’s life, you’re now responsible for them, it’s your job to make sure they’re looked after.”

  His fingertips brushed lightly across the sensitive skin on the inside of her elbow, and even though his touch wasn't directly on her skin, she couldn’t stop a shiver rolling through her body. Of course Eli noticed, and that cocky smile of his grew bigger.

  “You cold?” he asked, his voice husky now. Without waiting for her response he whipped off his coat, wrapped it around her, and then scooped her up into his arms and carried her across the street.

  “What are you doing?” Florence asked, both confused and enjoying being cradled in a strong pair of arms a little more than she should.

  “Taking you inside out of the cold,” came Eli’s smooth reply.

  “But I need to call my boss, report what happened.”

  “You can do that inside. We’ll call an ambulance too.” Eli carried her across the street and inside the lobby of an office building.

  “I don’t need an ambulance.” Spending the night in the hospital was not on her to-do list. If she was right and she’d managed to figure out the Dumpster Killer’s pattern, she needed to call her partner, get their maps out, go over things, and see if they could use her pattern to figure out where he would go next. If they couldn’t get ahead of this man then how would they ever catch him?

  “Your wrist looks broken,” Eli said as he set her down on a couch off to one side of the foyer. “You’ll need x-rays and a cast.”

  Florence shrugged off his apparent concern. “I’ll wrap it when I get a moment.”

  His lips quirked up in amusement. “Babe, while I love your confidence in your own abilities, you need a doctor. If you don’t want an ambulance I can always drive you to the hospital. Then take you out for coffee afterward.”

  “What do you mean, coffee?”

&
nbsp; “You know a guy, a girl, a quiet little café, coffee, maybe baked goods of some sort, a date.” He knelt before her, one hand cradling her injured wrist, the other rested on her knee, the heat of it seeped through her jeans and into her skin, warming her entire body.

  “A date?”

  “Unless you're involved with someone?” He arched a challenging brow.

  Why did he have to sound so confident that she was single? “I don’t date guys I don’t know.”

  That made him chuckle. “Isn't that the whole point of dating? Getting to know someone?”

  The smile he shot her was at a hundred charming watts, and she assumed it was the kind of panty-melting smile he used to get women to agree to whatever he wanted. Too bad for him her panties were made of stone, they didn't melt for guys no matter how sexy they were, and this particular one was off the charts sexy. Florence was sure he had women falling all over themselves to go to bed with him, and she didn't want to be just another conquest.

  “How about I make you a deal?” Eli said.

  That got her suspicious hackles rising. “What kind of deal?”

  “You tell me that you're not attracted to me, and I’ll wait here until your cop buddies show up to make sure that guy who tried to run you down doesn’t come back, and then I’ll walk away. But …” he drew the word out, “if you find me attractive, then I get to take you on a date to Florence.”

  “Florence?” Her eyes bulged at the notion.

  “Anyone whose name is Florence should go to Florence at least once in their life.”

  He had to be joking because being rich enough to take her to Florence for a date on top of being this sexy was just another mark against him.

  “Well, Florence, say it,” he goaded. “Say you don’t find me the least bit attractive.”

  “I … I … I …” she stammered, annoyed the lie wouldn’t fall from her lips.

  “Thought so,” he said smugly. “Looks like we’re going to Florence.”

  “I am not going to Florence with you, and I am not going on a date with you. There’s really no need for you to hang around.”

  “Don’t I need to give a statement?”

  Darn, she’d forgotten that. “I have to call my boss.”

  “You can do that, I’ll wait till you’re done then have my driver take us to the hospital to get your wrist looked at.” He produced her bag, which she hadn't even given a second thought to since those headlights had blinded her.

  “I'm not going to the hospital with you.”

  “So you do want me to call an ambulance.” He issued another silent challenge. “I thought not.” He gave another smug smile when she didn't say anything. “Call your boss, then once we both give our statements, I’ll take you to the hospital and then for coffee. Florence will probably have to wait for another day.”

  “I'm not going on a date with you.” Florence was pleased when her voice was firm even though her insides were quivering. It had been a long time since she’d felt this immediate and visceral reaction to a man—especially one like this. Eli Lennox was big, strong, powerful, and charming, he practically oozed power and wealth and control. When she dated she preferred quieter, less confident men. Computer geeks, accountants, insurance salesmen. Men with flabby stomachs and receding hairlines, who didn't work out at the gym every day or ride motorbikes. Men who preferred to spend the evening on the couch watching TV, than in a bar drinking and partying, men with nice boring jobs and nice boring lives.

  Eli was none of those things.

  He screamed danger.

  Not physical danger, but he held the ability to crush her heart in his big, capable hands.

  “You will,” he said confidently like it was already a foregone conclusion.

  Yep, he was dangerous all right.

  Cocky alphas were her kryptonite. They had the ability to make her body ignite, her mind flee, and her heart crack. It was why she had long ago decided that the single life was the life for her. She was done being hurt, she was done being a victim, Eli might want to get her into bed, but there would never be anything more between them than hot sex. He’d walk away happy and fulfilled, she’d walk away with another piece of herself missing.

  She would either fall in love with a nice, safe, boring man or she would remain alone. As far as she was concerned, there was no place in her life for a man like Eli Lennox.

  FEBRUARY 10TH

  8:51 A.M.

  “Eli.”

  He heard his name, but he was lost in thought, and it didn't penetrate past his subconscious.

  “Eli.”

  The only thing that had consumed his every waking second, and invaded his dreams, was Florence Harris.

  Those pouty lips, those big blue eyes with long black lashes, those silky blonde locks, they floated around in his mind in a never-ending carousel. She wasn't his usual type, he usually went for tall women with big breasts, but there was something about Florence that had arrowed into his brain, and he couldn’t shake it.

  Wasn't even sure that he wanted to.

  When he’d knocked her out of the way of the car, his body had responded the second he touched her. Responding to a sexy woman wasn't unusual, but something felt different this time.

  “Eli.”

  “What?” he snapped, finally focusing and turning from the window where he’d been staring at the spot where he’d first seen Florence.

  “Did you forget something on your way home last night?” Graham was standing in his office, a scowl on his face. “You said you'd bring the files around, I had work that I needed to do that I've got to catch up on this morning because I couldn’t get it done last night.”

  “Last night?” a voice echoed from the doorway, causing them both to look over. Soraya Venedetta stood there, baby in her arms, long black hair with red tips hanging loosely down her back. “Didn't I find you passed out on the couch with Lorenzo on your chest before ten? It was pretty adorable, I took pictures,” she said a grin on her face.

  “Those I would kill to see,” Eli snickered. “Where’s that gorgeous baby of yours?” He walked over to Soraya and plucked Lorenzo from her arms, the baby gurgled, his chubby little hands reaching out to grab the chain he wore around his neck. Eli was a sucker for a baby. There was just something about baby giggles that hit him right in the heart.

  “So why didn't you come by last night?” Graham asked.

  “I was leaving when I saw a car aiming straight for a woman on the sidewalk. I pushed her out of the way, saved her life, turns out she’s a homicide detective. By the time the cops arrived, and I gave my statement, it was late, and I didn't think it was worth risking waking this little guy by coming over.”

  “You saved a cop?” Soraya looked intrigued.

  “A pretty cop?” Graham asked, his scowl replaced by an amused smirk.

  “Gorgeous,” he corrected.

  “You asked her out,” Graham said, a comment not a question.

  “She turned me down then disappeared while I was giving my statement.” He wasn't annoyed that Florence had snuck away, he knew she’d felt the same thing he had, that sizzling attraction that couldn’t be ignored. It had spooked her, but he was confident that he could win her over. He wanted her, and when he saw something he wanted he got it or worked out a way to get it. That Florence seemed immune to his charms only intrigued him that much more, and he was determined to convince her to give him a chance.

  It wasn't just about sex—although he’d woken at four in need of a cold shower because all night he’d dreamed about how good it would feel when he was buried deep inside her—he was intrigued by her. Why was she so wary of him? What made her decide to become a homicide detective? What would he find when he chinked away at her armor and got to see the real her?

  “You asked her out after she was nearly hit by a car?” Soraya asked.

  Eli shrugged. “What would be the point in waiting? I saved her life, we both felt the attraction, and besides, that’s how my parents first met. They
were both at the park, my mom freaked out over some bees, my dad didn't realize it at the time, but when he shooed them away from her he saved her life. She was allergic, anaphylactic level allergic.” His brother had inherited that allergy, and it had cost him his life.

  “You’re serious about asking her out,” Soraya said.

  “Serious enough that I told her I'd take her to Florence.”

  “Take her to Florence?”

  Eli shrugged. “Her name is Florence.”

  Graham laughed out loud at that. “Taking Florence to Florence, I think that’s the cheesiest thing I've ever heard.”

  “Hey,” Soraya swatted Graham on the shoulder. “I think that’s sweet. And very romantic,” she added.

  The phone on his desk buzzed, and he walked over and picked up the receiver. “Mr. Lennox, reception called to let me know there’s a Detective Harris here requesting the footage from the security cameras. Apparently, you asked to be notified if she came by.”

  Bingo.

  He’d known the cop in her would be by to get that footage.

  Florence could run, but she couldn’t hide.

  “Thanks, Susie,” he said to his secretary. “I’ll go right down to see her.”

  “Your cop’s here?” Soraya asked when he put the phone down.

  “Yep.” Eli knew he was grinning like an idiot and didn't care in the least. This was the first time he had been intrigued by a woman in longer than he cared to remember.

  “Good luck,” Soraya said as she held her arms out for the baby.

  “Yeah, good luck.” Graham could barely contain his glee. Eli didn't know why he found it so amusing, it wasn't that long ago that he was tying himself into knots pursuing Soraya.

  That realization hit him hard.

  Graham and Soraya had both felt that initial attraction, that little voice in your head that said something was different this time, now the two of them were happily married with a baby.

  Was that where he was headed?