Officer Miller looked at me, her expression both questioning and concerned.
“Agitated? Of course I’m agitated! We’re talking about my dead parents and how you messed up the investigation. How do you jump to the conclusion that I would abuse my girlfriend because I’m pissed at your incompetence?”
Cross’s face darkened with anger. “I’m going to have to ask you to leave the premises, unless you’re looking to spend the evening in a cell.”
I said, “He didn’t mean that. I’m so sorry—”
“Don’t apologize to him!” Hayden snapped at me and leveled Cross with a hateful glare. “You’re a fucking joke. I would never hurt Tenley—she’s my goddamn world.”
He stormed out of the building.
Officer Miller deferred to Cross. “Do you want me out there?”
“He’s not a violent person. He won’t damage anything,” I said, even though they’d obviously made up their minds as to the type of person Hayden was.
I turned to Officer Cross. “It was very hard for him to come here. It brings up terrible, painful memories. All he wanted was some information.”
“He pulled the attitude.”
“Is that how you want to see it? Do you think your judgment goes unnoticed? Just because he doesn’t ascribe to your set of norms doesn’t mean he’s a felon or a murderer. You should know that better than anyone else. The most dangerous criminals are the ones who appear the least threatening.”
I could feel the stares as I turned and headed for the door. When Officer Cross called after me, I ignored him. For the first time in my life, I didn’t care about anyone’s perception of me. It was liberating.
I pushed through the door and stepped out into the sunshine to find the man who mattered most.
15
HAYDEN
I stormed across the lot, my head a mess. I wanted to go back in there and punch Cross in his smug face. But that wasn’t an option because then I’d be arrested for assaulting an officer. I’d acted like a complete asshole in there. Tenley was probably mortified.
When I got to the car, I leaned against the side and crossed my arms over my chest, working to get a handle on my emotions. I was way too aggravated. Cross had that effect on me. Most of the time I could keep a lid on my temper, but he and Sienna made me crazy.
A minute or two later, Tenley came out of the building. I met her halfway and put an arm around her as soon as she was close enough to touch.
“I’m sorry I lost it in there.”
Tenley returned the embrace, burrowing into my chest. “It’s okay. Cross was antagonistic, as usual.”
I helped her into the car, then went around to the driver’s seat. “I wish I’d handled that better.”
“Next time we go, you’ll be better prepared. It’s been an intense morning, and I’m sure you didn’t expect to run into Officer Cross. It definitely didn’t help, and neither did his judgment.” Tenley fingered the sleeve of her coat, picking at a loose thread.
“The judgment I’m used to. Sometimes it gets a little tedious, though.” I let my head drop back against the seat. “You know I would never raise a hand to you, right?”
Tenley’s eyes went wide. “Are you seriously asking me that?”
“I’m just making sure.”
“Cross said that to wind you up.” She took my hand. “Do you want me to cancel my plans with the girls?”
“Why would you do that?”
“It’s been a difficult morning.”
I wasn’t sure if I should be embarrassed or grateful that my girlfriend was so concerned about me. “That’s cool of you to offer, but I have clients lined up this afternoon.”
Besides, as enticing as the thought was, if I stayed home with Tenley, I was liable to do a lot more than talk. I put the car into gear. Her phone chimed in her purse. She rooted around in the oversize bag, then checked the e-mail.
“Oh, no.”
“What’s wrong?”
“Professor Calder wants to meet with me tomorrow morning.”
“What time?”
“Ten.”
“I’m coming with you.”
“If you want.”
I expected more of a fight. Usually she wanted to deal with things on her own.
“I think he’s sleeping with one of his students.”
I pretended to be surprised, even though I wasn’t. “Why do you think that?”
“Because I saw a girl go into his office and there were . . . un-professional noises.”
I’d already seen the same thing. I had to wonder how stealthy this jerk-off thought he was being. Or how above the rules he believed himself to be. “I won’t be waiting in the car.”
“I didn’t expect you to.”
I did not get to spend the night with Tenley. Lisa and Sarah, hijackers that they were, stole her from me. Which meant I had to hang out with the guys instead. Normally that would be fine, but the day had been a roller coaster and the only thing that got me through was the plan to spend the night with Tenley.
So the change in plans was a little hard to take. I would have used guilt to get my way, but I could tell she already felt bad. She said they had a little project they needed to finish before the end of the week. She wouldn’t tell me what it was, but promised to make it up to me tomorrow night. When she offered to describe the ways she planned to do that, I declined, figuring it would make it worse. Now I wished I’d taken her up on it.
We ended up at Chris’s place, since he had the most beer in his fridge. I planned to bail after a few, on the chance that the girls’ night ended early enough for Tenley to come over.
His place was in a dodgy neighborhood in a sketchy low-rise building. Everything from the linoleum on the floors to the avocado-colored stove in his kitchen was outdated and ugly. The only new things in the place were his couch, the massive flat-screen fixed to the wall, and the gaming system set up on the coffee table. Chris was all about comfort and electronics.
Chris should have been able to afford a better place with the money he made working at Inked Armor. But a good chunk of his paycheck went to help out his family. Chris was loyal to a fault. His father practically disowned him by the time we opened Inked Armor, but Chris refused to let his mom and sister suffer as a result. From what I knew, his dad was a real loser. Because of that I didn’t get on him about his crappy apartment.
After using his germ-infested bachelor-pad bathroom, I returned to the living room to find him and Jamie watching porn. I dropped down on the couch and waited for the good parts: the blow-job scene or the nipple sucking, or the penetration from behind. That didn’t happen, though, because it actually wasn’t porn—it was some period drama with a lot of nudity.
“What the shit is this?” I asked.
“I don’t know, but Jamie said he wanted to watch it, and there’s tits, so I said fine,” Chris replied.
Jamie’s phone went off and he fumbled with it, his eyes half on the screen and half on the message coming though. “Holy fu—” He shoved the phone back in his pants, a massive grin on his face.
“What’s going on?”
“The girls went lingerie shopping, and Lisa just sent me a picture of one of her purchases. They’re all at Tenley’s place now.” Jamie shifted and tried to rearrange himself inconspicuously.
“I don’t want to know,” I said into my beer.
“Don’t worry, man, you’ll get to see whatever Tee picked up later tonight. Unless they all decide to have a sleepover.” Chris clapped me on the shoulder. “But one night without getting any won’t kill you.”
I choked on a mouthful of beer. He and Jamie stared at me, waiting.
“We’re, uh, easing back into things,” I mumbled. I took another large swig, focusing intently on the bare ass on the TV.
“What does that mean, exactly?” Jamie asked.
I shot him an irritated glare. He and Lisa talked about everything, and I was sure she’d told him all about the “take things slow” convers
ation.
“It means what it means.”
“Christ almighty! You haven’t fucked since she came back? But it’s been more than a week!” Chris looked as if his head might explode from the concept.
“Shut up, man. I never said that.” I wasn’t about to share that we’d only had sex once, right after she came back. That would soon change.
Chris gave me an incredulous look, but Jamie just smiled and patted my back all dadlike.
“We’ve had a lot of shit to work out,” I said defensively.
“It’s cool, H,” Chris said, trying to be supportive. “I didn’t push it with Sarah in the beginning, ’cause it took me almost two months to get her to go out with me. I didn’t want her to think all I wanted was to get into her pants. We didn’t get naked until the fourth date.”
For Chris, dating usually meant sex, and then possibly pizza or fast food. That he’d taken Sarah on real dates to restaurants that required a reservation was unheard of.
“Can we talk about something else? All this sharing makes me want to try on dresses and get my balls waxed.”
“Sure, bro.” Chris went back to watching the period porn.
It dawned on me that Chris never let anything go so easily. He’d usually capitalize on the opportunity to razz the hell out of me. He also liked to impart the finer details of his sexual conquests. “How are things going with Sarah, anyway? You spend an awful lot of time with her but don’t say much.”
He rolled his beer bottle between his palms, pondering the question. “She’s cool, and a closet hippie. All laid-back, you know?”
My experiences with Sarah had been anything but laid-back.
“I hope Lisa got more of the frilly ones,” Jamie said, staring unseeingly at the TV screen.
“You thinking about wearing those?” Chris ribbed.
“They make my ass look good,” Jamie quipped back.
I couldn’t tell if he was serious, but the image was in my head and I couldn’t get it out now.
“Okay, that’s it, I’m going home.” I drained the last of my beer and stood up.
“I call BS,” Chris said as I headed for the door.
“Let us know how it goes,” Jamie said, relaxing deeper into the couch.
“How what goes?” I asked.
“Good luck with your drive-by at Tee’s. Come back when you get shut down by the girls.” Chris flashed me a grin.
I flipped him off and pulled the door closed behind me.
The walk home from his place was brisk. I stood outside the back door to Tenley’s apartment, debating whether I should call first. I hadn’t been to her place since she’d come back, and I was a little nervous about going up there. I gave myself a mental kick in the ass and decided surprise might work in my favor.
Lisa came to the door when I knocked, opening it the three inches the chain lock allowed. “Well, look who it is. This is a sausage-free party, no boys allowed.”
“Hi. Nice to see you, too. Sure, I’d love it if you’d get Tenley for me.” Lisa was wearing pj pants with cartoon snowmen on them and a T-shirt.
“You’re not coming in.”
“Is it Hayden?” Tenley asked from the other side of the door.
“Hi, kitten, Lisa won’t let me in.”
There were some giggles, followed by the rustle of paper. The door closed in my face, and when it reopened, Lisa threw it wide. Tenley and Sarah were sitting on the floor of Tenley’s living room, surrounded by rolls of wrapping paper, ribbon, bows, and tape. Sarah was also dressed in festive pj pants and a T-shirt. One of Chris’s, actually. I could tell because it was more of a muumuu than a shirt on her.
A box of red wine was perched at the edge of the coffee table. Half-full wineglasses sat on top, without coasters underneath to prevent rings. Tenley unfolded her legs and rose from the floor, making her way across the room. Lisa said something, but I didn’t hear a word. My erection was immediate and painful.
“What are you wearing?” I ran my hand through my hair, keeping in mind Lisa and Sarah were in Tenley’s apartment. Ripping those pajamas off her was not on the agenda this evening.
“I bought some new jammies.”
“I see that.”
The tank top had thin, little straps that I could bite apart. Cup-cakes were all over it, and I could see the outline of her barbells through the thin cotton. A lace band traveled along the edge of the top and at the bottom. Provocative little cupcake shorts barely covered her ass.
I pulled her into the hall, skimmed her sides, and shoved my hands down the back of her shorts. I met with bare ass and slid my thumbs along the divide, all the way down. Tenley rewarded me with a soft whimper.
“I guess you like them.” She did that smile thing that made her look all cute and sweet. Except she was almost naked.
“You could say that.” Like didn’t quite cover it.
I closed the door to her apartment, giving us the privacy of the hall. Then I sank to the floor and kissed the warm flesh right under her navel.
“What are you doing?” she asked with a panicked laugh.
I nosed along the waistband of her shorts. “I’m having a conversation with my kitty.”
I parted my lips over the seam of her shorts and pressed my tongue against the fabric. She gasped and grabbed my hair, leaning against the wall for support.
“I can’t wait to have my mouth on you.” I skimmed the seam with my nose. I pulled the waistband of Tenley’s shorts down to expose the top of her slit, then kissed the cupcake tattoo and then lower, where that tiny steel ball peeked out. I planned to drag those shorts down her creamy thighs and hitch her leg over my shoulder, so I could lick my way up her kitty. Fuck the location.
The door opened and Lisa poked her head out. “Your two minutes— Oh, for chrissake, Hayden!”
“What?” I allowed the waistband to snap back into place but I stayed on my knees.
“You’re worse than a teenager! Get a handle on your hormones.” Lisa raised her hand in front of her face to block us out.
Tenley bit her lip to keep from smiling.
“You think this is funny?” I asked.
“Not at all.” She shook her head emphatically.
I stood up and put my mouth to her ear. “You remember what I said this morning?”
“Yes.”
“I’m making good on that promise tomorrow, so you better be ready for me.”
When I stepped away, her face was flushed. Perfect. By tomorrow night she was going to be a hot mess. Which was exactly how I wanted her.
I picked Tenley up for her meeting with Professor Assface at nine in the morning. She looked a little tired. The trip to Northwestern was quiet and I didn’t push for conversation. I had a feeling we were both nervous for similar reasons. I’d had enough of people fucking with me, particularly where Tenley was concerned. I wasn’t about to let anything happen to her.
In the lot closest to her professor’s building, I parked and turned off the engine.
“I need to tell you something,” Tenley blurted out.
From the look on her face, it wasn’t good. I tried not to panic. “Okay.”
“I recorded the sex on my phone.”
“Pardon?”
“Professor Calder was having sex with a student in his office. I recorded it.”
“Jesus. Does he know?”
“Not yet. I made it into an MP3 and saved it on a USB and sent it to my e-mail address.”
“Smart girl.” I smiled. She was always surprising me.
“Do you want to hear it?”
“Right now?”
“Mm-hm.”
She had twenty minutes before the meeting; it couldn’t hurt to have a listen. “I guess.”
She passed her phone over to me, and a video popped up on the screen. The camera panned over the door, zeroing in on the nameplate as faint noises that could have been mistaken for talking changed into the unmistakable sounds of sex.
Some sex is hot to listen to. Thi
s was not. The high-pitched, whiny moans of the girl-woman on the other side of the door, interspersed with the male’s deep grunts and groans, were erection shriveling. The clincher came when the female shrieked Calder’s name, followed by a harsh admonishment from his easily recognizable voice and a loud slap. Any doubt about who was behind the door was erased by that wretched orgasm.
“Wow.” I was a little worried I might hurl.
“You think it’s enough?”
“Oh, yeah. I think it’s more than enough.”
Given the irrefutable evidence, Tenley persuaded me to let her go into the meeting without making my presence known. She had her phone with her and she’d sent me the file in an e-mail. There was also the backup USB of the video. This fucker was abusing his power, and I wanted her to report him.
I sat in the lounge for about five minutes before I got restless and walked down the hallway to his door. I listened to the low murmur of voices. I didn’t like Assface’s tone, or that he suddenly got louder.
The door flew open and Tenley stumbled out, her expression panicked, tears threatening to spill over. The neck of her dress was pulled to one side, exposing her bra strap and my ink. Professor Assface looked irate. My eyes dropped lower. He had a fucking hard-on.
All the anger and aggression I’d been holding back crashed over me in a wave of red.
“Wait for me in the lobby.” I kissed Tenley’s forehead and walked past her, closing the office door. I locked it behind me.
“You can’t be in here.” He reached for the phone on his desk with an unsteady hand.
“I wouldn’t do that if I were you,” I said through clenched teeth.
When he didn’t remove his hand from the receiver, I crossed the room, clamping my hand over his and squeezing until he let go, then I shoved him into his chair. I hovered over him, the violent urge to beat him until he was a bleeding mess almost too strong to deny.
“Let me explain something to you.” I took a deep breath and continued as calmly as possible, “You don’t touch Tenley. Ever.”
He sat back in his chair, a sneer pulling up the corner of his mouth. To make my point clear, I cocked my fist and punched him in the balls. A gasping wheeze shot out of him and he doubled over, coughing and sputtering.
Inked Armor Page 16