Love's Taming (The Love's Series)

by Maryann Jordan

  Chapter 22

  “Dr. Ogden, You have a client in room one,” Leon’s voice called from the back.

  Carl looked over at Annie in the lab and laughed. “Does he always yell like that?”

  Smiling, she answered, “Well, without a speaker on the phone or a PA system, yelling is the most effective, although not necessarily the most professional.”

  “Hey, whatever works. By the way, I overheard Suzanne talking about you moving into a nice new house in the suburbs.”

  “It is amazing! I’ve been cramped into that tiny apartment over the clinic for a couple of years now so to be able to move into a real house will be a dream come true.”

  “You must have done all right on your student loans to be able to afford a house now.”

  “Oh, I still have student loans, but I’ve been able to save a little.” Uncomfortable with discussing finances with a stranger, she didn’t elaborate that Shane was buying the house and that they had finally agreed that she would pay a portion of the mortgage. After a lengthy argument, of course.

  “Well, it certainly gives me hope that I can afford a nice house sooner than I thought. You never know when a windfall will just drop in your lap though, do you?”

  Annie was already walking back into the surgery room to get prepped for the next dental coming in so Carl had to hustle to get to his exam room client.

  * * *

  Shane listened in as Matt took a phone call from an informant that they had been cultivating for a long time. Matt hung up with a smile on his face.

  “We might just be gettin’ a break. It seems that we’ve been chasin’ down the wrong path, lookin’ for an animal pound bringin’ in the dogs. This guy thinks they may be brought in by a breeder.”

  Shane leaned back in his seat, rubbing the back of his neck with his hand. “That doesn’t make any fuckin’ sense. Breeders get top dollar for their dogs. They’re not gonna sell them to drug dealers for nothin’. This guy’s got to be shittin’ you.”

  “Not certified breeders, but puppy-mill kind of outfits. You know, those shit-holes where someone just breeds whatever the fuck they can and then tries to sell them. If the dealers have someone who is cheaply breeding dogs for them then they’ve got a ready supply. No records, never even been in a pound, so there is no tracing the dogs at all.”

  Shane looked over to the side for a minute, his mind running over the new information.

  Matt watched him carefully. Since Shane had talked to the department shrink and was firmly in relationship he seemed much calmer, but Matt could see the clouds pass across Shane’s intense gaze at times and he knew that Shane was remembering the darkness. “You okay, man?”

  Shane’s eyes cut back to his partner’s. Sighing deeply, he said, “Yeah. When I was livin’ in the darkness, I swear I would almost start thinkin’ like them. Then I get out and realized how fucked up it all is.”

  Shane had been to several appointments with the police psychiatrist and while he resisted at first, he actually found the man to be easy to talk to. He found that being able to talk about what all he had done while he was under, things that he could never have shared with Annie, helped alleviate the nightmares and flashbacks.

  Shaking his head to clear his mind, he and Matt went back to work trying to find all of the information on the illegal puppy-mills in the area.

  * * *

  “Doc, you’ve got a consultation in room three,” Suzanne said as she walked back to the lab area.

  “What’s the animal?”

  “The lady didn’t have an animal with her. She just said she needed a consultation with you. Oh, and she asked for you by name so I couldn’t even send Dr. Ogden in.”

  “That’s odd. In this neighborhood we don’t get too many clients wanting to check us out first,” she laughed. “I guess I had better make sure I make a good impression.”

  Entering the examination room, she stuck out her hand as she said, “Hello, I’m Dr. Dona…” She stopped mid-sentence, staring at Rochelle. Rocky. Shane’s Rocky. Tall, blonde, lots of tits and ass, rocking a pair of jeans and a t-shirt. Even casual she looked elegant.

  The beautiful woman’s gaze roved quickly over Annie and she smiled tentatively as she approached her. “Dr. Donavan. Yes, I know who you are. I’m Roche…”

  This time it was Annie that interrupted. “Rochelle. Rocky. Yes, I also know who you are.”

  Rochelle glanced sideways for a second before bringing her eyes back to Annie’s. “I see.”

  The two women stood staring at each other, the silence stretching between them as uncomfortable as an itchy sweater. Annie found herself wanting to shed the silence. “I don’t mean to be rude, but I have other patients to see.”

  Rochelle seemed embarrassed as she said, “Yes, of course. Forgive me. I can’t contact Stoney…I mean Shane, anymore. I’m still trying to work on things. I wanted to tell you though that I think you may be in some danger. I don’t have anything concrete, just murmurings about a vet operating on a couple of the dogs.”

  “I’m in danger?” Annie repeated, fear crawling from her stomach to her throat. “But I thought the drug dealers were all in jail.”

  “Most of the group we were targeting are, but Dr. Donavan, there will always be others to take their place. And a few of the ones that were higher up are still free.” Shrugging Rochelle added, “That’s why I’ll always have a job, I suppose.”

  “But I don’t know anything. I’m nobody.”

  “I don’t have any facts for sure,” Rochelle added. “I just wanted to warn you to be careful.” Looking speculatively, she continued, “And I wouldn’t say you’re nobody. I always wondered if any woman could tame the wild Stoney.”

  Licking her lips, Annie drew herself up and stared into Rochelle’s eyes. “I won’t discuss Shane with you.”

  Rochelle’s eyes softened. “Oh, Dr. Donavan, you misunderstand me. I know he’s yours. I knew that the night you saw us together. He was torn up about what you saw and what you thought. I’ve never seen him like that. I knew then that he loved you.” Sighing while picking her purse up from the counter, she slung it over her shoulder as she prepared to leave. “Please be safe, Dr. Donavan. And thank you.”

  She passed Annie as she opened the examination room door, turning only to say, “Thank you for loving him.”

  Rochelle walked briskly out of the room and collided into Carl. He reached out to grab her arms so that she would not fall.

  “I’m so sorry,” he exclaimed as he steadied her, scanning her from head to toe, staring intently.

  “I’m fine. Actually it was my fault for not checking the hall first,” she said staring at him intently.

  Flashing his smile, he couldn’t help but add, “Well, if I have to run over a client, I am certainly glad it was one so beautiful.”

  Laughing, Rochelle glanced back at Annie before heading out of the door. Annie, still in shock over the visit, didn’t hear Carl when he first asked about the client.

  “Annie,” he repeated. “Who is she? She didn’t have a pet with her.”

  “Oh, just a potential client. I think she just wanted to check me out,” she answered cryptically.

  “Well, if she does choose us, make sure I get her next appointment!”

  * * *

  “You have got to be shittin’ me!” Shane growled.

  Annie, giving him a minute to control himself, held her phone against her shoulder while she gave the cats a treat. Knowing that she needed to let Shane know about Rochelle’s visit, she had excused herself from the clinic and ran back up to the apartment. Stepping over Sarge and his food bowl, she managed to get the cats fed.

  “Of all the goddamn, fuckin’ moves she coulda made, that one really rips it!”

  “Honey, I know you’re mad, but you haven’t let me tell you what all she said. She didn’t come by to start trouble between us. She came to warn me.”

  She could hear him speaking to someone in the background. “Yeah, goddamn Rocky ca
me by the clinic to visit Annie. Got no fuckin’ clue but that shit doesn’t fly.” He must be talking to Matt.

  “Babe, what was she warning you about?”

  “She said that she thought I might not be safe. She said she just heard rumblings about a vet who had operated on some dogs and she thought of me.”

  “Goddamn it! If she’s got intel, she sure the fuck knows she shouldn’t be bringin’ that shit to your doorstep. Babe, listen to me. I’m sending some cruisers to go by the clinic and I’m calling Tony to make sure they have you on their radar. That other shit, I’m shuttin’ it down right now.”

  Annie started to tell him not to do anything rash, but she knew he was going to do whatever he had to do. “Shane, please be safe. For me, please.”

  His angry voice softened. “Sunshine don’t worry. I’ll see you tonight. And baby?”

  “Yeah?”

  “Just one more week and we can be in our house. Keep thinkin’ of that.”

  Smiling for the first time since her meeting with Rochelle, Annie relaxed. “I know, honey. I can’t wait.”

  * * *

  The bar was dingy, beer spills on the table from the night before were still sticky. The lighting was dim, so only the most sober of patrons would have even noticed the condition of the tables. Shane sat on one side of the booth looking at the woman on the other side, pissed at what she had done and yet pleased that he felt no residual attraction to her at all.

  Rochelle held up her hand, “I know what you’re going to say. I didn’t think you’d want a meeting so I did the next best thing and went straight to the person I thought needed warning.”

  “You didn’t think I’d want to know? You didn’t think I’d need to get things set up to protect her? You didn’t think that showin’ up at the clinic in broad daylight was a problem? You just didn’t fuckin’ think and now you’ve brought all this shit right to my woman’s doorstep!”

  Rochelle sat in silence for a moment staring at him. Sighing while shaking her head, she agreed. “You’re right. I’m sorry, Stoney.”

  “I’m not Stoney, Rochelle. You gotta get it through your head. My fuckin’ name is Shane.”

  Jerking back, she pursed her lips before going on. “I get it, but for a year you were Stoney to me. And I was your Rocky. Yeah, that’s right Shane. I was yours. I just made the mistake of thinking you were mine also.” Taking a big breath she continued, “And I was wrong today. I should have called it in or reported to my contact. Hell, I could have even called you. I don’t know…I just…wanted to see her. I wanted to the see the woman that finally tamed you. And when I did, I realized that I had nothing against her. I could see it in her eyes that she was yours.”

  “No more, Rochelle. You gotta get that. No more Rocky and Stoney. It was a play that helped pass some time and set up cover. But that was it. You’re smart and you’re driven. You wanna go places in the DEA so you gotta learn to play the game. But no more talkin’ to Annie. No more bringin’ this shit to her doorstep.”

  The beautiful woman across from him nodded as she gave a weak smile. “You’re right. I fucked up. I’m not sorry I got a chance to meet her, but I fucked up. It won’t happen again.”

  Without saying another word, Shane got up from the booth and gave her a head nod before turning and walking out of the bar.

  Rochelle sat for a minute more at the table before moving over to the bar to order another beer.

  * * *

  Lying in bed, Shane waited for Annie to emerge from the bathroom. The tension of the day had drained away when he got home and saw the packing boxes neatly stacked in the corner of the living area.

  Annie had explained that if they were moving in a week she wanted to be ready, so she had packed up her books, CDs, out-of-season clothes, and some kitchen items and had them in neatly labeled boxes. Just seeing them made the move to their own home seem that much more real. During dinner she let him explain what had happened when he met with Rochelle, and then after dinner they snuggled on the sofa with the pets for a while watching TV. Heading to the bathroom, she told him to get ready for bed and she would be out shortly.

  So now he waited, keeping his eyes trained on the bathroom door. He didn’t have to wait long.

  Annie walked out into the dim lighting of the bedroom wearing a smile on her face and little else. The sheer nightgown was fitted over her breasts, allowing the darkness of her nipples to be seen, before flowing down around her knees. She smoothed her hands down the gown looking nervous. “Do you like it? I’ve never had anything like this, but it was on sale so I just…”

  “Come here, baby,” Shane ordered gently, his eyes taking in all of her beauty. Her copper hair glistening in the soft lamp light, porcelain skin with pink tinged cheeks, green eyes searching his for approval. His cock was already standing at full mast, its approval evident.

  She walked over to her side of the bed, crawling toward him, glancing down at the tented covers at his lap. “So,” she said smiling, “You do approve.”

  Shane grabbed her, rolling them over so that he was pressing her down into the mattress. Gently grinding his erection into her body he said, “Yeah, baby. I approve.” He took her mouth in a hard, wet kiss, delving his tongue deep as he breathed her in. Rolling so that she was on top, he slid his hands up the silky material until he was palming her breasts.

  Annie threw her head back as the sparks ran from her nipples to her core. She began to rub her aching pussy on his dick, wanting to increase the sensation of friction that she knew would take her over the edge.

  Her actions had him growling, “Love this nightie, baby, so I don’t want to tear it. But I need to get you the fuck out of it now!”

  Annie grasped the bottom and pulled it over her head freeing her breasts, which went immediately into his greedy mouth. She ran her hands through his hair as he feasted on first one nipple and then the other.

  He slid one hand down to her pussy feeling the moisture pooled there. “You’re soaked, baby. Fuckin’ soaked for me.”

  She didn’t want to wait any longer so she lifted herself up, placing his cock directly at her opening. Holding his eyes, she seated herself to the hilt, feeling him fill her completely. Screaming his name, she began to ride him as hard as she could, desperate for the orgasm that she knew would rock her world.

  “You shoulda let me take care of you first,” he said, watching her breasts bounce rhythmically as she moved up and down with the help of his hands on her hips.

  “I couldn’t wait,” she panted.

  Smiling at the most beautiful woman he had ever seen as she rode his cock telling him she couldn’t wait to be on his dick, he slid his finger to her clit. That was all it took and she was screaming his name again as her pussy walls clenched him tightly. Jesus, best sight in the world. My woman screaming my name as she is coming.

  As soon as she crashed down on his chest he rolled them again so that she was underneath him. Still seated inside of her he began to move in and out, her orgasm creating more moisture so that he slid easily.

  He kissed her while thrusting until neither of them could tell where one ended and the other began. Feeling his release imminent, he ordered, “Come on baby, one more time.”

  She knew she was close so she pinched her nipples as he continued to thrust hard and fast. The sensations exploded as she came again right as he grimaced and pounded the last few thrusts. He roared her name as he came deep inside of her, filling her with his seed as her small hands grabbed at his back.

  Shane panted as he fell on top, barely aware that he was crushing her. It just keeps getting’ better and better. I’ve never come like that before. Pure, fuckin’ sunshine. The harshness of the past couple of years no longer invaded his thoughts, and never came to mind when he was with Annie. His mind was completely filled with just her.

  She didn’t seem to mind being crushed as she kept her hands on his back, gently moving them between his shoulders and his ass. She felt him slide out of her body and roll to the
side, but she hated losing that part of him.

  He tucked her in tightly for a few minutes before getting up to get a warm washcloth to take care of her. As he walked back to bed, he scooped up the nightie from the floor, folding it gently on the dresser.

  “That needs to make it to the new house, baby.”

  “I don’t know why Shane. It didn’t stay on long enough to be appreciated,” she pretend pouted.

  “Sunshine, that is proof of how much it was appreciated. The quicker it comes off, the more it was appreciated.”

  Laughing, she rolled to him as he turned out the light. She cupped her hand around his strong jaw, peering into his blue eyes that shone in the light from the street corner. “I love you, Shane Douglas.”

  Kissing her gently, he replied, “Love you too, Annie Donavan. Can’t wait to have a home with you, sunshine.”

  Smiling, in each other’s arms, they fell asleep.

  * * *

  The sound of Shane’s cell phone jarred them awake. He reached out and saw the display, Matt. “Yeah, man, what’s up?” he asked in a sleep-gravelly voice.

  He was silent for a moment so Annie turned on the lamp on the night stand to see him more clearly. His face was hard. Angry. Her heart began to pound as she wondered what was happening.

  “Fuck. Yeah, I’ll be there. I want someone on Annie immediately. Yeah, I know. Be there in about twenty minutes.”

  “Shane?” she said softly. “What’s wrong?”

  He looked at her and for the first time she saw fear in his eyes. “Rochelle. She’s dead.”

  Chapter 23

  The last of the furniture had been delivered and placed in the new home and all that remained was to unpack the boxes. The furniture they had been buying for the past month had been held by the stores and it was nice to see the house finally come together as they had planned.

  Tony Alverez was outside of the house with Shane. Annie stood at the large window in the living room watching them as they talked while they looked at the house then pointed to the roof. Sighing she turned away walking back over to another box. She had tried to talk to Shane about Rochelle, but he gave her very little information. She knew that Rochelle had been killed, but he had not shared any details. Rochelle had been flown back to Texas where her parent’s lived, and given a full burial with honors. But other than that, Shane had shut her out of his feelings about Rochelle’s death.