by Maya Banks
He ushered Regina inside and closed the door. Birdie was seated in the small waiting area, flanked by Cam and Hutch. When they looked up and saw her, they all rose.
Cam crossed the room, and Sawyer relinquished his hold on her just as Cam swept her into his arms.
His hand tangled in her hair as he buried her face in his chest. His heart raced beneath her cheek, and his chest rose and fell with harsh breaths.
When he finally pulled away, he ran his hands over her head, her face and then her neck.
“Are you all right? Do you need to go to the hospital?”
She put her hands over his wrists as he cupped her neck. “I’m fine, Cam. I promise. Just a little banged up.”
“Regina dear, how are you feeling?” Birdie asked.
Regina looked to see Birdie standing beside Cam. He relinquished her, and Birdie enfolded her in a warm hug. This . . . this is what unconditional love felt like. She held on to Birdie for a long moment in an attempt to banish the image of her mother and father out in the parking lot.
“There, there, you’ve had quite a fright,” Birdie soothed as she rubbed her hand up and down Regina’s back. “You should be at home, resting, not here.”
Regina drew back and smiled. “I had to see you and make sure you were doing okay.”
“Oh yes, dear, I’m fine. The policeman whisked me straight here. Wouldn’t even let me go inside the house.” Her eyes grew troubled. “Is it bad?”
Regina guided her to the side, back into the hallway leading to the door. The guys frowned at her, but she waved them back. They’d demand answers, but she wasn’t going to hash this out in front of them right now.
“How much have they told you?” Regina asked in a low voice.
“Nothing yet.” Birdie stared anxiously back at Regina. “What is it, Regina? What has happened?”
“The only room in your house that was disturbed was one of the bedrooms. Hutch’s old room.”
“But why on earth would someone want to mess up a bedroom? Was nothing stolen?”
Regina shook her head. “Not that I saw right off, but later you’ll need to do a full inventory for the police report. For now I think you should come back to the house with me and the guys. You shouldn’t stay there alone.”
“It’s sweet of you to offer, but my friend Virginia is here with me. You saw her. She was in the waiting area with me.”
Actually Regina hadn’t noticed her. Her attention had been focused on Cam and then on Birdie.
“She’s offered to let me stay with her for as long as I need.”
Regina chewed the inside of her cheek and wondered how best to broach the subject with Birdie. She didn’t want to jump the gun and confide her own suspicions. It would be irresponsible, not to mention premature, given that she hadn’t even discussed them with the chief yet.
“I would feel better if you had more protection, Birdie. We don’t know yet who broke into your house or why. I’m sure Cam, Sawyer and Hutch would feel much better as well if you came home with us.”
“Oh you don’t have to worry. Virginia and I have already been over that. She has a shotgun. Plus her son, who is a county sheriff’s deputy, has promised to stay until the person responsible for breaking into my home is apprehended.”
A smile twitched at the corners of Regina’s lips. “Birdie, promise me you won’t mess with Virginia’s shotgun.”
“Oh, she won’t.”
Regina swung around to see Virginia standing a few feet away. Her purse dangled on her wrist by a gold chain. Regina’s brow came up as she took in the rest of Virginia’s getup. White gloves adorned her hands. She wore a flowered dress and a wide straw hat at an angle, with a large red bow tied above the brim. And fuchsia lipstick. Bright fuchsia lipstick. It hurt Regina’s eyes to stare at those lips for too long.
“You see, Miss Fallon, the shotgun is my area of expertise. I’m quite adept with it, if I do say so myself.”
“Ah . . . okaaay,” Regina said. “Still, Virginia, I would feel much better if you didn’t go around wielding a shotgun. If your son is going to stay with you, perhaps you should leave the weapons to him since he’s a trained police officer.”
Virginia looked down her nose and narrowed her eyes. “Hmmph, and who do you think taught Kyle his way around a gun?”
Regina pursed her lips and tried to stifle her laughter.
Birdie laid a hand on Regina’s arm. “Virginia really is responsible with firearms, and she was such a dear to come down and stay with me at the station.”
Regina shook her head, unsure of what one had to do with the other, but then her brain was a complete muddle.
“Birdie, if you like we can go now. I left our ladies’ tea, but it lasts another hour if you’d like to join me.”
Birdie glanced worriedly at Regina. “Oh, I don’t know, Virginia. Regina might need me here. She’s had such a trying day. I want to be able to help her any way I can.”
Birdie patted Regina’s arm then squeezed gently.
Regina smiled at her then gave her a quick hug. “You go on, Birdie. Be sure and leave your contact information with Greta so one of our officers can call you. He’ll need to ask questions, and he’ll want to take you over to the house so you can make a list of any missing items.”
“You take care, dear. And call me if you need anything.”
Regina watched as Birdie went back into the waiting room, spoke with Greta for a moment and then went over to where the guys were standing, so she could to hug each one of them.
It was a sight that always made Regina’s heart twinge just a little. Birdie with her boys. Now all grown men, but no less her boys.
Birdie walked out with Virginia wrapping a comforting arm around her slight shoulders.
Regina swayed, and her own shoulders slumped forward. Strong, comforting arms surrounded her from behind, and a gentle mouth found the top of her head.
“It’s time to take you home, Reggie darling.”
She closed her eyes for a moment and curled both hands around Cam’s arm.
“Regina, I hate to interrupt, especially as I know how badly you need to go home, but the chief called and specifically asked you to wait for him. He’s on his way in now,” Greta called from her desk.
She sagged against Cam’s chest. She knew what was coming. Understanding it didn’t make it any easier. Her job was something uniquely hers. An achievement she was proud of. For so long she’d existed under the shadow of her father, ignored and only brought out when it was opportune for Peter Fallon to play the family man for the media.
And now she was going to be asked to stand down from that job for an indefinite period of time.
“We’ll be here with you, Reggie,” Cam said against her ear.
“Thanks, Cam,” she said as she straightened in his embrace.
Hutch walked forward and took both her hands. He pulled her toward one of the chairs.
“At least sit down while you wait, before you fall over.”
She stared at Hutch, and damn if her eyes didn’t go all watery again. But when she looked at him, all she saw was the blood on the walls of his bedroom. The malice behind the destruction. And the fact that this maniac could well target him or one of the others.
She couldn’t lose them.
“Hey,” he said softly. He rubbed his thumb underneath her eye. “What’s that for?”
She sucked in a breath and sat down in the chair. Sawyer took the seat beside her and Hutch knelt down in front of her. Cam stood behind Hutch, a frown on his face.
It pissed her off that she was showing such weakness in front of them, but she couldn’t seem to stop the tears from leaking down her cheeks.
Hutch picked her hand up and brought it to his lips. He brushed a kiss across her knuckles while he rubbed his other hand over her injured wrist.
“It’s nothing,” she lied. “Just reaction I guess.”
Sawyer reached over and pulled her against his side.
“Quit the
brave front shit, Reggie,” he growled. “You were almost blown to hell. I’d say that’s worth being upset over.”
As much as she wanted to burrow into Sawyer’s arms and stay there for a year, this wasn’t the place to do it. Her chief would be in anytime, and she didn’t want him seeing her cuddled up with three men in the police station. Her father? He could go to hell. But the chief she respected.
She slowly straightened then pushed forward out of her seat. “I need to go to the bathroom,” she said.
Sawyer and Hutch both reached for her to help her up. As she walked by Greta’s desk, the dispatcher gave her a sympathetic look.
“Why don’t you go wait in the chief’s office,” she offered. “It would sure be a lot more comfortable than sitting out here in these hard chairs.”
Regina smiled. “Thanks, Greta. I’ll do that.” She glanced up at the guys. “You’ll wait?”
Sawyer frowned darkly. “Of course. We’re not going anywhere.”
She turned and went into the bathroom, more to compose herself than to use the facilities. At the sink she splashed cold water on her face and tried to wash some of the dried blood from her forehead.
She looked like someone’s battering ram.
After drying her hands and her face, she slipped back into the hall and walked into the chief’s office to wait. As she settled into the plush leather chair, she closed her eyes in sheer weariness. She was nearly asleep when the door opened.
She jerked upright and made a mad effort to straighten her clothing and hair.
“Take it easy, Regina,” the chief said gruffly as he walked around his desk to take a seat. He settled down and stared hard at her. “You look like hell. How are you feeling?”
“I’m good, sir. Just a little shaken and sore.”
The chief nodded. “I’ll get right to the point so you can go home and get some rest. I’ve spoken to Jeremy about the break-in at Birdie’s. We agree that there are several possibilities, all of which need to be pursued. I’ve got every man available on it. We’re going to nail this bastard.”
She nodded. “Yes, sir.”
“Now, I’m sure you know this is coming, but you’re on leave indefinitely. At least until this mess has been straightened out and we’ve removed the threat to you.”
She nodded again and tried not to grimace.
“I know this is hard for you, Regina. You’re a damn good cop. Dedicated. But you need the time off. You’ve been through a hell of a lot in the past several days. My advice is to take the time off and enjoy it.”
“Begging your pardon, sir, but I can’t enjoy anything while there is a possible threat to Hutch or to Birdie.”
“I understand. Keep your eyes open. We’re going to keep a close eye on Birdie, and the county will be sending regular patrols by the house where you’re staying.”
Regina leaned forward. “About that, sir. I thought you should know. I’ll be staying with Hutch Bishop, Sawyer Pritchard and Cam Douglas . . . until this is all settled.”
“Okay, we’ll make sure we have a regular patrol by to check on you.” He eyed her curiously. “Was there something else?”
She shifted uneasily. “Well, my father thinks it’s a big deal. Where I’m staying, I mean. I thought you should know. That’s all.”
He leaned forward. “Regina, what you do in your personal life is your concern. I try to stay out of my officers’ business when at all possible. Most folks around here know that you’ve been friends with those boys since you were kids. I doubt anyone will bat an eyelash over it.”
She almost felt guilty. What the chief construed as a deep friendship . . . well if the guys had their way, it would be a lot more. Why she should feel guilty over it went beyond her, but she wasn’t kidding herself. If such a relationship as what they proposed ever got out, she’d be crucified.
“Keep your head up, Regina. And be careful. If you spot anything out of the ordinary, you call it in immediately. I’ll keep you up-to-date on any developments, and we’ll fully investigate all angles. If this is personal to either you or Hutch, we’ll find it.”
“Thank you, sir.”
“Now, why don’t you get on home. I’d say you’re long overdue for some rest.”
She smiled weakly. “I won’t argue that.”
She stood and braced her hands on his desk before turning to walk out the door. The chief hurried around to open the door for her and put a comforting hand on her shoulder.
She made her way back out front where the guys were waiting. Sawyer, who had been pacing back and forth, stopped and hurried over to her.
“Come on, honey. Let’s get you home.”
Home. The word sounded incredibly sweet to her. And for once she didn’t fight the notion that her home was with them.
CHAPTER 17
The ride home was tense and silent. When they pulled up to the house, Sawyer got out and reached up to help Regina down.
Hutch parked his battered truck beside them and was out just as quickly.
Sawyer curled his arm around her and ushered her inside the house. He didn’t stop in the living room. Instead he half carried, half helped her up the stairs.
A few seconds later, he shoved the door to her bedroom open.
Cam and Hutch followed them in, stopping a few feet from where Sawyer halted.
Before she could so much as blink, Sawyer began tugging her shirt from her jeans. He reached down and unbuttoned her pants and began pulling the denim over her hips.
“Sawyer, what the hell are you doing?
She put her hands down to stop him but drew up short when she caught the fire in his eyes.
“Not a damn word, Reggie,” he said through gritted teeth.
Her mouth fell open when he spun her around. She met the determined gazes of Cam and Hutch, who stood, legs apart, arms crossed.
Sawyer yanked her jeans down then straightened and pulled her shirt over her head. Her pants around her ankles, she sat on the edge of the bed with a thump when he pushed her shoulders.
Cam knelt and took her shoes off then pulled her pants the rest of the way off. Sawyer sat down beside her and nudged her shoulder until she turned, baring her back to him. He fumbled with the clasp of her bra, and suddenly it came loose.
Her arms crept over her chest in a protective gesture when the strap of her bra tumbled down her shoulders. For the moment, she was left to sit in just her panties.
Sawyer stood and started stripping off his clothing. Regina swallowed, and her eyes widened.
“Sawyer, what are you doing?”
He paused a mere second before pinning her with glittering eyes, and then he resumed the shucking of his clothes. She glanced nervously down at Cam and then over at Hutch, but neither offered a single word.
When Sawyer was down to his boxers, he held out a hand to her. She eyed him in confusion, not at all understanding what the hell was going on. Surely they weren’t . . . not now.
With an impatient sigh, Sawyer snagged her hand and pulled her to stand in front of him. Before she could speak or react, he turned her in the direction of the bathroom and planted a firm hand in the middle of her back.
She lurched forward, and he grabbed her arm with his other hand to steady her. He flipped on the lights in the bathroom as they entered. Her bare feet met the cool tile, and she halted to stare at her nearly naked body in the mirror.
The eyes that stared back at her weren’t hers. Hers weren’t so haunted, her face not so drawn.
Sawyer reached in to turn the shower on. When he turned back to her, he slid his boxers off, giving her an unabashed view of his cock. She averted her eyes as heat singed her cheeks. But she was compelled to look back.
It wasn’t the first time or even the second she’d seen him nude, but the sight never ceased to affect her. He had a beautiful body. All hard muscles and smooth planes.
Light hair dotted the upper portion of his chest then tapered