by Tara Rose
“Is the DA going to let him do that?”
“I’m not sure yet. I’m not even sure he can get Ned’s sentence reduced any further, to be honest. He had to pull enough strings as it was to get Ned sent to an out-of-state prison. Complicating that is the simple fact that Sean, Chad, and Harrison don’t need Ned’s help anymore. We’ve heard rumors that they’re closing in on fitting together the pieces of this entire operation, and it’s bigger than any of us first thought.”
He debated whether to tell her this next part, but he had to get it off his chest. “Remember when Sean told us that Pearl was having second thoughts about everything, including the shop?”
Ria nodded.
“She finally came to see us a few days ago. She definitely wants out of the original deal At first she was afraid to seek out an attorney because she thought she was being watched, but she said she can’t live like this anymore.”
“Can she get out of it?”
“We’re looking into it for her, but in all honesty, getting out of the original contract she signed for the new shop is the least of her worries. I advised her to let them finish it, and then sell it. There are plenty of small business owners in Racy who would love to have it.”
“What did she do with the second contract Sean mentioned? The one that would put her in business with this mystery thief?”
“She burned it. But she said that she’s constantly looking over her shoulder, and is afraid of what will happen when the shop is finally done. She won’t go along with the plan to store things in the shop now that she understands what’s really going on. We told her that since the cops are on to all that, the people behind this wouldn’t be foolish enough to try and make her go along with it now or they’d be caught, but she’s still spooked.”
Ria hugged herself, and Wyatt scooted his stool closer to hers and massaged her right arm. “Don’t you worry, okay? Sean and the others won’t let anything happen to Pearl. But she realizes now that she basically made a deal with the devil, and she wants no part of it.”
“How deep does this go?” She held up a hand. “Wait…this isn’t gossiping, is it? I mean on my part?”
“No, sweetheart. It’s not. I’m actually glad you’re awake. I need to get this off my chest, and Trent’s eyes glaze over when I try to talk to him about stuff like this.”
“I’m right here, Wyatt. Just tell me. I swear to you I’ll never repeat it.”
He stared into her dark eyes, struck not for the first time by how far under his skin he’d let her crawl. It had never happened before. He’d never allowed it to. Every time he’d felt a woman getting too close, he’d found one bullshit excuse after another to end it. He was married to his job, and he hadn’t wanted anything to interfere with it. Now, he realized how asinine that had been. Ria didn’t interfere with it. She made him a better person just by being who she was inside, and letting the world see that.
“Are you okay?” Her voice, so soft yet full of concern, was enough to make him forget his own name.
“Yes. Just thinking about everything, and wishing this town could catch a break already. What a year.”
“Longer than that, really. Kari moving back here with Alexa almost two years ago started all this.”
He nodded. “That’s true. But she didn’t know the guy she’d witnessed murder someone would get away and find her, and Alexa certainly hadn’t expected her ex-Dom to come after her.”
“And now we have what? Organized crime? What’s really going on with these people from Philadelphia and Louisville?”
“They’re a multi-state ring of thieves who open shops in small towns, blackmail the owners into letting them store certain items in the back rooms, and then use those shops as fronts to move stolen articles in and out. All upfront and legit business on the outside, run by people who are too damned scared to say anything, or who are in so deep by the time they figure out what’s really going on, that they’re afraid to go to their local cops.”
“This sounds more like FBI stuff. Do they know about this?”
He nodded. “They do. Sean and Chad have contacts in Indy. They’ve actually had them involved for a while now. They just haven’t said anything, for obvious reasons.”
“And Pearl got sucked into this because she was afraid to keep her shop on Riverfront after what happened at The Fit Bod last summer, right?”
Wyatt nodded as he recalled how an AWOL soldier named Jay Nichols had targeted Cherilyn Barker in an attempt to get back at her late husband, after Jay had sold out to the Taliban in Afghanistan. Nichols and Chuck Barker had once served together in that area before Chuck was killed by a sniper. Cherilyn had been kidnapped by Nichols out on US Route 231 and the Racy police had found her just before he’d killed her.
Everyone in Racy had been wary of the neighborhood along Riverfront Drive for a long time, because Nichols had first broken into The Fit Bod twice, trying to find information on Cherilyn. But Wyatt knew that any area of town was just as vulnerable as another, and he wished that Pearl had talked to someone on the police force before jumping the gun on her new shop. Now, she’d more than likely have to see the construction through and then hope to sell the shop once it was completed, unless she could find someone to take it over before it was finished.
“So, is that all that’s bothering you, or is there more?”
“That’s enough, isn’t it?”
“It sure is. I’ll bet you wish you could do more.”
“I always do.”
“You know, I used to hate attorneys. Well, maybe ‘hate’ is too strong a word. I didn’t respect them.”
“Well, let’s be fair. You had Jim Turner as an example.”
Ria rolled her eyes. “God. When I think of…never mind. You’re right. But Bonnie is one, too. I just never realized all that the public defenders do for the residents of this town. I guess I’ve had my head in the sand about a lot of things for a long time now.”
He grinned at her. “You’re surfacing now. You’ll be okay.”
“Will I really? Can I do this? I mean, I know I can do this for now, but can I make it last?”
“You are doing it, hon. Just be patient.”
“But what if I revert back to my old self?”
He took her hands. “Ria, change is difficult. Most people never do half of what they say they will. You have to want it. You have to feel it, deep down in your soul.” He felt it. He was ready for it. He was more than ready to let Ria in as deeply as she wanted to be, and that realization should have scared the shit out of him, but it didn’t. Instead, his heart nearly burst with pride and love—yes, it could only be called that—for this sweet, beautiful girl who had been hiding under an image of someone she truly wasn’t. To think he’d helped this entirely other person emerge made him feel like the most powerful man on the planet.
“Without you and Trent, I wouldn’t have done this at all.”
“Not true. I don’t believe that. You were ready before you became involved with us. All we did was help you start. You would have come to this place on your own, eventually. I believe that.”
She stared into his eyes with so much trust and clarity, that Wyatt nearly stopped breathing. How long had it been since he’d dreamed about looking into a woman’s eyes and seeing those emotions? Years. He’d given up a long time ago, but Ria had brought it all back. All the longing, the need, and the urgent desire to have what his closest friends had already found. She was right here, and had been all along. He’d simply never seen it.
She moved toward him first, but before she barely had her feet on the floor, he slid off the stool and pulled her into a tight embrace, capturing her mouth in a kiss. He tasted turkey, mayo, and tomato, but he didn’t care. Since they’d both eaten the same thing, did it really matter? She certainly wasn’t pulling away from the sloppy kiss, so he shoved his tongue further into her mouth and slid his hands under that impossibly long shirt.
She groaned softly as he grasped her tits and kneaded them, wis
hing he could bury himself between them and never resurface. Then again, it was a toss-up as to whether he’d rather spend the rest of his life between her breasts, or in her pussy. As long as the rest of her was attached to it, that didn’t matter either. He only wanted Ria. All of her. Body, heart, and soul.
He backed her up against the nearest hard surface, which was the kitchen counter, but she flinched. The edge of it was too sharp. He pulled away from her mouth. “Sorry.”
“It’s okay.” She glanced around, looking for a spot, just like he was doing. Wyatt chuckled as he eyed the floor, then looked into her eyes. She grinned, then her gaze fell on the small, round table. The wood was smooth, its edges almost rounded. She walked toward it and he followed, like a dog in heat, sniffing out the nearest female.
She hiked up the shirt, exposing her perfect ass, and bent over the table, resting her arms and chest on it. “Fuck me, Sir. Fuck me hard, fast, and deep.”
“Holy shit…” What had this woman done to him? Wyatt smacked her ass cheeks. She’d taken so much impact play from them in the past few weeks that she actually had faint bruises on both of them, but she didn’t seem to mind. In fact, she loved it. The more they introduced her to, the more she wanted.
He slid two fingers into her pussy and she cried out, making fists. “Sir…may I come?”
“Yeah. Absolutely.” He couldn’t even fucking think. This wasn’t the time to tease her or force her to hold back. He was ready to explode, and she was as well. He could smell it on her. He pulled his fingers out and slid his dick into her pussy. When her orgasm let go, he had to fight to hold on.
She screamed, beat her fists on the table top, and pushed her ass against him in an attempt to get even more of him inside. He was in all the way as it was. His balls slapped her clit with each thrust. He planted his feet again to gain a better balance, and placed one hand on each hip to hold her closer. He could fuck her every day for the rest of his life and never, ever grow tired of her cries, her soft moans and whispers, the smell of her, or the look in her eyes when they were done. That look had rendered him a useless fool for this girl, and he loved it. He welcomed it.
Sweat poured down his face when he finally let go. He was actually dizzy as he squeezed out the last possible drop, so he dropped into the closest chair before pulling her onto his lap to cradle her against his body. He didn’t want them both to fall onto the floor, not that it would really matter if they did. He only wanted to hold her, stroke her, and whisper how proud he was of her, and how much he enjoyed her, every second of each day.
When he could move again, he took her hand and led her back to Trent’s room, where she crawled next to him. His twin had slept through the whole thing. Wyatt cradled Ria into his arms and drifted off to sleep, smiling like an idiot and not caring that he’d completely and totally lost his heart to this adorable woman. He liked being here, and he never wanted to leave.
Chapter Twenty-Two
Ria kept dropping things Sunday night at work, but she didn’t even care. Some of Luke’s customers laughed, and normally that would upset her, but this time she laughed right along with them because she was so much clumsier than normal, that it really was funny. She was still punch-drunk from her early morning sex session with Wyatt.
She’d fallen back to sleep afterwards, and when he got up for work, Trent was awake as well, and Wyatt told him what had happened. That’s when Ria learned that the guys had made a pact to let the other know when one of them had sex with her without the other around. Trent had merely nodded, told them both he still needed more sleep, and then Wyatt had driven her back to her own apartment before going to the warehouse that still housed the courts.
She’d gone back to sleep for a few hours, but the effects still hadn’t worn off. She hoped they never did. These past few weeks had been the happiest of her life, and she never wanted this to end.
When Marisol, Alexa, Gina, and Kari walked into the bar, Ria waved and smiled. A month ago, she wouldn’t have done either. She’d have wished she wasn’t working so that she didn’t have to deal with the crazy guilt she’d felt every time she spotted Marisol. Now, ever since she’d apologized to Marisol, the two had been talking on the phone for short periods almost daily, and they were back to texting each other as well.
The three waved her over, and Kari spoke first. “Peppi talks about you all the time now. She’s so happy to have you back living with her.”
Ria stared at her, trying to remember the last time she’d had an actual conversation with the pretty brunette. Try never. “Really? I’m hardly home. She might as well still live alone, but I’m glad she’s happy with the arrangement.”
Kari smiled. “Yeah, we heard you spend a lot of time at Wyatt and Trent’s condo.” Her voice was full of good-natured humor, not contempt, and Ria’s heart soared. “So, anyway, we’re all going out tomorrow night. A girls’ night out. Julie is coming, and so are Annalise, and Cherilyn. Olivia isn’t feeling well so she might not join us. We thought we’d go to The Black Sparrow in downtown West Lafayette. Cherilyn hasn’t back been there since the night she was kidnapped, and Julie thinks it’s time she try going again. Want to come along?”
Ria hadn’t realized that Cherilyn had been seeing Julie professionally, but she didn’t remark on that. It was too close to gossip. “You want me to come out with all of you?”
Marisol was sitting closest to where Ria stood, and she reached out to touch Ria’s arm. “Yes, of course. Will your slave driver brother let you off tomorrow night?”
“I…I’m not working tomorrow night. Sure. I’d love to go out. But I should ask Wyatt and Trent…” She sounded like a babbling idiot, but she could barely think. They wanted her to come out with them. All of them.
“Yes,” said Alexa, “definitely ask them first. But I’m sure they won’t mind.”
Ria glanced at each of them in turn. “Thank you. I don’t know what to say.”
“We appreciate everything you’re doing,” said Gina. “It hasn’t gone unnoticed. Just so you know.”
“Thank you.” Ria had always liked Gina. She was a tough cookie who used to be head of IT for the city, and she’d never taken any shit from their former mayor or his cronies. Now, she worked tirelessly with Annalise and Olivia as part of Giolanna Design Solutions. What must it be like to have talent like that? Ria made a mental note to talk to Trent and Wyatt again about earning a college degree. It was time to tackle that goal.
After she took their drink and food orders, she texted Wyatt and Trent to tell them what had just happened. Trent was at the hospital waiting for his next run, so he texted her back right away, saying it was all right with him if she went out with the girls. Shortly afterwards, Wyatt texted her back and said the same thing. Ria spent the rest of her shift smiling like her face could show no other expression. Nothing could ruin this now. Nothing. It was all happening, just like they’d told her it would.
After her shift, she knew that Wyatt would be asleep, but Trent was still at work. She texted him to make sure he was at the hospital and not out on a run, and then she met him in the ER parking lot. He slid into her passenger seat. “I won’t keep you long. I just wanted to talk for a minute in person.”
He grinned at her. “Keep me as long as you want. It’s a slow night.”
“I’m nervous about this girls’ night out. What if they start talking about stuff? What should I do? I can’t very well just sit there all night and say nothing. They’ll think I’m being a bitch or something. Or, should I tell them about my no-gossip rule? They’re all subs. They’ll understand. What should I do, Sir?”
Trent’s gaze softened and he pulled her close. It would be so easy to just crawl into the back seat and fuck him, right there, in the parking lot. She’d always thought he looked super hot in his uniform as it was. “Sweetheart, relax. I’ll talk to Wyatt in the morning before he goes to work, okay? Then one of us will call you and let you know what we’ve decided. Okay?”
He pulled away and she lo
oked into his eyes. “All right. I can do that. Trent, I’m so happy right now. They asked me out. All of them. You and Wyatt were right. I just had to give this some time.”
He kissed the tip of her nose. “Told you so.”
She was about to say something else when his radio crackled.
“Shit. Gotta go. We’ll talk in the morning.”
He kissed her quickly and got out. She waited until he’d sprinted back inside, and then she drove home.
Wyatt texted her about nine in the morning, and she wasn’t fully awake until she read the text. She called him. “Can I still go out with them, Sir?”
He chuckled. “Of course you can. But here’s the plan. We both agreed that it would be impossible for anyone to keep from gossiping even a little if they were out with seven or eight friends, so just for tonight, we’re reducing the amount of swats you’ll receive. Instead of twenty total for each minute, you’ll only receive five.”
“Thank you, Sir, but we’ll be out for roughly three hours, or more if we end up back at someone’s house afterwards. That could still add up to somewhere around one thousand swats.”
“I agree, so we’ve come up with some guidelines for what will constitute gossip. But again, these only apply tonight. As soon as you’re back in your car driving home, the no-gossip rule with the previous guidelines applies. Understood?”
“Yes, Sir.”
“Good girl. Okay, so for tonight only, we will only consider it gossiping if you start a new topic that involves something other than a subject that is general public knowledge, like the weather or a sports event. If you repeat something you heard about someone that is new to the conversation, that is gossip. If you tell the group about something you heard in confidence, and you’re the one bringing up the subject or contributing new information to a current discussion, that’s gossip.”
Ria sighed. “Okay. What if they ask me questions about us? What should I tell them?”
“Tell them we asked you not to gossip about it.”