“What?” Roger leaned down. “Girl, someone sliced your tire!”
“It looks that way.” The gash ran from the top of the tire down the sidewall.
“Come on, I'll drive you to the bank and then drop you off at Mr. Sexy Voice's house. You can call someone in the morning.”
She stood up and sighed. “Thank you, but I can call an Uber.”
“No, I insist. Matt won't be home for at least another hour. He closes the club tonight.” He opened his car and put the prime rib in the back seat. “Come on.”
She gave one more look at the flat tire before she sighed. “If you're sure.”
“Positive. Now, let's get going.”
Ryker leaned from his favorite position on the couch and stared through the picture window at a car that coasted to a stop in front of the house. Brie got out of the passenger seat, juggling two takeout containers and her purse. She laughed and waved at the driver. He opened the front door and watched her come up the walk. The driver waited until she made it to the door before they left.
He took the boxes from her. “Was that your chef? What happened to your SUV?”
“Yep, that was Roger. Oh, I should have introduced you, shouldn't I? Sorry, I didn't think to do that.”
“No worries. What happened to your vehicle?”
“Oh. A tire that died, or rather, was murdered. Whatever happened, it is flat as a pancake.” She groaned and dropped her purse on the small couch in the living room. “Hungry?” She kissed him quickly and headed into the kitchen with the wine.
He followed her and sat down the takeout containers. “Absolutely. Did you pick up a nail or something?”
She snorted. “Or something. Will you open that for us? I've had a weird day.”
He opened the drawer with the wine opener and uncorked the bottle.
“Weird how?”
“Wow, okay. So, it starts with my mom, ends with a flat tire, and it is too much to get into without wine. Give me a minute to get these dinners warmed up and I'll tell you all about it while we eat prime rib.”
He stepped to her and brought her into an embrace. “How about saying a proper hello to your man first?”
“Oh, I like proper—and not so proper, too.” She leaned in and kissed his chin. “I needed this.”
He lowered his mouth to hers and devoured her lips, lifting only when breathing became a necessity. “Hello.” He smiled down at her. She was beautiful. All that wavy dark hair, curves that would make any pin-up model green with envy, and the absolute biggest heart on the planet.
“Hi. You know, just being in your arms makes the day better.” She cocked her head. “When you called, you said you were having a bad morning. Did it get better?”
He rolled his eyes. “I think we should pour that wine.”
“Oh, dear. That bad? Let me guess, it had something to do with Fenton.” She took down the only two wine glasses he owned. They didn’t match but did the trick.
He poured her half a glass and then did the same for himself. “Oh, yeah. He was in rare form. Came down to the office to threaten me and indirectly the team. That man wants me gone so badly I think he'd go through the damn good cops I have working for me to get to me.”
Brianna leaned against the counter and arched an eyebrow, her wine glass stilled halfway to her mouth. He pointed to her. “Absolutely not. We've had this conversation.”
“But why?” She put her glass on the counter. “He needs to know what this guy is doing.”
“I've been up-channeling everything relevant to the Deputy Commissioner.”
“Mavis or Lloyd?”
He laughed. “You mean Deputy Commissioner Duckworth or Deputy Commissioner Farrington?”
She snorted and picked up the takeout. “Yeah, sure. Potato-Potahto.”
“Not all of us are on a first-name basis with the hierarchy of the Hope City Police Department.” He watched her place the food onto separate plates.
“Don't think I didn't notice you didn't answer.” She pointed at him with a fork and then turned to set the timer on his microwave.
“Fine. Mavis.”
“Good, she's hell on wheels, according to Dad. Speaking of my dad...”
“Part of the conversation you had with your mother?” He chuckled when she dropped her head.
“I promised her when we have lunch next week that we could schedule a time for you to meet my family.” She glanced up at the ceiling. “The force was not strong with me, Obi-Wan.”
He laughed and took a drink of his wine. “This. This is why I'm falling for you.”
“Aww, My Star Wars references are winning you over, aren't they? Admit it.”
“No. Well, yes, I love the fact that you're as much as a movie nerd as I am, but it's the fact that you are a strong, independent woman who loves her mother enough to be the one with whom the force is not strong enough. Your heart is so big.” He sat his glass down and folded her into him. “Speaking of big hearts, did you corner the councilman today?”
“I did. He said that the motion is once again not on the agenda. I'm so mad that I’m about ready to sic Bekki on them.”
“Your sister is the threat you'd wield?” He fought the smile that wanted to spread across his face.
She narrowed her eyes and tilted her chin. “Bekki is a good investigative reporter.”
“I didn't say she wasn't, but you have much, much bigger guns in your arsenal.”
“I do?”
“A commissioner, homicide detective times two, a JDET Sergeant, a DEA agent, and a captain on the Hope City Police Force, and all of that is without bringing your neighbors into the mix. Why would you choose Bekki?”
The timer on the microwave sounded, and she stepped from his embrace. “You want an honest answer?” She glanced at him and his mood sobered. Those beautiful blue eyes were serious as they stared at him.
“Always.”
She removed one plate and put the other in the microwave before she set the timer and turned around to face him. “I don't mind using my dad to protect the people I love. Like telling him about Fenton. But when it comes to my business or even my life, having my family or my boyfriend's influence be the reason I succeed or not is a no-go.”
Ryker barely heard her. In fact, he'd stopped listening after he realized she admitted to loving him. “You love me?”
“What?” Her eyes widened, and she stared at him, completely freaked out. He saw the moment she realized what she'd said. “Oh, well... you know what I mean.” She turned away and grabbed silverware from the drawer.
He crossed the distance that divided them and placed his hands on her shoulders. “Don't hide from me, babe.” He moved her hair and dropped a kiss on the pounding pulse in her neck. “I love you, too.”
She twisted around in his arms. “You do?”
“How could you not know?” He dropped another feather-light kiss on her lips.
“Because you didn't tell me.” She spoke between kisses.
“I just did.”
“Yeah, you did.” She wrapped her arms around his neck. “Are you hungry?”
“Starving.” He slid his hands down to her ass and picked her up. She squealed and wrapped her long, luscious legs around him. It took seconds to carry her to the bedroom. He dropped them both onto the bed, but she scrambled to her knees and whipped off her shirt, flinging it across the room.
“Naked, now.” She shimmied from her jeans while he was shucking his clothes. She shot her bra past his shoulder and wiggled out of her matching panties before she knee-walked to the side of the bed. “Is this for me?” She took his cock in her hand and stroked him from root to tip.
“Only you.” He bent down and attacked her lips as his hands roved over her gloriously naked body.
She hopped off the bed and ducked his grab at her. “You, on your back, mister.”
“What if I don't want that?” He stalked toward her.
“What do you want?” She licked her lips and stared at his shaft i
n his hand.
Easiest question in the world. “Mmm... everything.”
She nodded as she answered, “Everything. I like that. Let's do that.”
She climbed onto the mattress and crawled forward a bit. Looking back at him, she wiggled her ass. Mother of all things, the woman was irresistible. He reached for her and brought her hips toward him. She dropped to her shoulders. Her hand emerged between her legs and she guided him to her core. He hissed as he entered her. So tight. So fucking good.
Brie arched her back and moaned as he retreated and drove into her again. “Harder.” Her demand was his pleasure. He grabbed her shoulders and pumped into her. Her hair swung with each thrust, sweeping the sheets in a dark fall.
He pulled out and moved her to her back, lifting her legs, holding them in a high V by her ankles. He found her center and rutted back inside her gripping heat. “God, you're beautiful.” He dropped her legs and leaned forward. If he didn't kiss her now, he'd implode. She grabbed the back of his neck and beckoned him down to her. He pushed his knee forward and leaned on her leg, pressing it up to her shoulder, opening her wider as he drove home.
She broke the kiss and arched her neck. Panting, she dug her nails into his shoulders. “Yes!” She shattered around his cock. He didn't slow down; instead, he rode her through her orgasm, and when she finally opened her eyes, he moved away. He laid down on the bed and held his shaft.
She smiled wickedly and straddled his hips, sliding down onto him. He placed his hands on her hips and then slid them north. Her body was exactly what he loved in a woman. Wonderfully soft curves and full breasts. She lifted and lowered, moving her hips in a figure-eight at the bottom of her descent. The friction against his balls and cock damn near blinded him with need.
“I will not last if you keep that up.”
“What? This?” She swiveled her hips at the base of his cock with just a bit more force.
“Brie...” He panted her name.
“Let yourself go. Fill me up. I want you inside me.”
Ryker clutched her hips and slammed into her, thrusting from underneath as he pushed himself over the edge and shouted her name as he came.
He felt her fold above him and wrapped his arms around her. God, he'd never felt this way about a woman. He held her gently, casting his hands through her thick hair.
She started laughing and kissed his neck.
“What?”
“That wasn't everything. I can think of at least ten or twenty other positions we need to bring into our repertoire.”
“Is that so?” He tickled her.
With a squeak, she fell to his side and cuddled closer. “Yep, and then, when we have those down pat, we can always buy a copy of the Kama Sutra. I'm not sure I'm bendy enough, but hey, I can throw some more yoga workouts in.”
He folded her into his arms and panted hard, trying to catch his breath. “Loving you will never be boring, will it?”
“Never.” She laughed and snuggled into him. She was as out of breath as he was. They laid together in silence for several moments before she propped up onto her elbow. “Oh, Roger wants me to go in fifty-fifty with him and open another restaurant. All organic and sustainable foods. I think it may be doable, but I don't want to overextend.”
He was still blissed the fuck out and the only thoughts he could manage were of doing all of what they'd just done again, and she was talking about a business deal. Damn, he had to be getting old. He narrowed his eyes as he stared at her. “And this popped into your mind now why?”
She scrunched her nose and furrowed her brow. “Let's see... I was thinking how good you made me feel, and how much I love you. It didn't really matter what kind of day I had as long as I ended up here with you. Then, of course, the day scrolled through my mind. My mother's call and agreeing to meet her next week for lunch and schedule a time for you to meet my family. Then I went a server down, we shuffled positions and I bussed to cover, I talked to the councilman with an apron on, which didn't bother me but seemed to irritate him. Then Roger talked to me about the idea he had. Hey, did you know he thinks my cousin is a billionaire?”
“What cousin? Jason? I think he's right.”
“Jason's a billionaire?”
“Honey, he's the CEO of Guardian Security.”
“And?”
“And it is global. It is bigger than the CIA and the FBI put together.”
She rolled onto her back. “How come I didn't know this?”
“Probably because things like money don't matter to you.”
She bobbed her head from side to side. “As long as I pay my bills and I have food on the table, I'm good. Beyond a point, money really isn't that important. But he wasn't talking about Jason, he was talking about Justin.”
“I have no idea about that cousin. I take it you're not close?”
“No, not really. They grew up in Mississippi and there was a big argument between my grandmother and their father. From what my mom told me, the entire situation was ugly with a capital ‘Ug’. Then my Uncle Chance was murdered. My Aunt Amanda raised eight kids by herself, although Dad and Mom made sure they called her once a month or so to make sure they were doing okay. We went down to Mississippi twice and they came up here once.”
“Some families aren't close. It happens.” His wasn't close. Not in the slightest.
“I don't think it was intentional, the distance. My mom and dad like Aunt Amanda. But sometimes life interferes.” She sighed and groaned. “Then I found someone poked a hole in my tire.”
“Say what?” He repositioned so he could see her better.
“It was dark, but I think either the inside rim of the tire gave up the ghost or someone put a hole in the tire with something sharp.”
“I'll look at it tomorrow when I drop you off. If someone slashed it, you'll need to do a police report.”
“It was probably some random thing. Seriously, it isn't a big deal. I needed new tires anyway.”
“That is true, you do. Especially before winter sets in. Your old tires are almost bald, but if it was slashed, you'll do a report. Understand?”
She saluted him and huffed, “Yes sir, Captain Terrell, sir.”
“You can be a smart ass, but I'm serious.”
“I know and thank you, but I can handle this.” She traced his brows with her fingertip.
He looked at her. “You really did have a day, didn't you?”
“Yeah, it was one thing after another. And did I mention I bussed tables, too?” She yawned, pulling her hand back to cover her mouth. “I need to go put dinner in the fridge unless you want to eat now.”
“I'll take care of it. You go to sleep. I'll be right back.”
She held him when he tried to get up. “No, you've got to be exhausted. You were the one who got called out last night.”
“True, but I caught a power nap after I came home. I'm good. Besides, it won't take long.” He dropped a kiss on her lips before he slid from bed and grabbed his jeans, shoving one leg in and then the other.
It took only moments to put the food away and cork the wine. He cleaned the kitchen and turned off the lights, double-checking the locks on the doors and windows. Staring through the front window, he crossed his arms over his chest and bowed his head, thanking his maker for putting Brie in his life.
A strange thought torpedoed his consciousness. If Fenton hadn’t relieved him of duty, he wouldn't have had the time to go to the gym and he would have never met her. The twisted trail of his life to this point hadn't prepared him for something as good and wholesome as Brianna King. A sudden dose of reality, his reality, broke across him like a wave pounding the beach. Good and wholesome were things that didn't last long in his life. Maybe, just this once, he'd be able to hold on to someone he loved.
Chapter 5
Ryker drove into the alley and parked behind her SUV. They both got out of Ryker's police sedan and walked to the right rear wheel of her truck.
“See.” She leaned down and pointed to the
slice in the tire. “But look here.” She pointed to a bulge in the sidewall of her tire. “It could have erupted.”
“No. Someone slashed your tire. The line is too clean. If it had exploded, it would have torn the rubber and made jagged edges. This isn’t jagged.” He ran his finger along the sharp edge.
“But why would someone want to do that?” She stood and put her hands on her hips.
“I couldn’t tell you. I’m going to call Alston Repair and Towing. He’ll come get this old girl. Four new tires?”
She swung around and grabbed his arm. “And a spare, oh, and maybe a jack, too.”
He narrowed his eyes at her. “You don’t have a jack?”
“I did until about four months ago. I gave it to Tara. Some guy from the shelter needed one, and I wasn’t using it.”
He blinked at her. “Does that make sense when you say it out loud?”
She turned to look at him and burst out laughing. “Not in the slightest.”
He released an exaggerated sigh, “Thank God. I was worried I’d fallen in love with a ditz.” He dodged a quick flick of her hand toward his bicep.
“I’m not a ditz. I was planning on getting a new one.”
He nodded and stared at the tire. “I’m sure you were.”
She hip-checked him and then leaned into his side. She felt wonderful against him. “Do you need to go anywhere today?”
“Yeah, I have a couple things I need to do, but I’ll call an Uber.”
“Text me with the information.”
She snorted. “I will not get Uber-snatched.”
He tugged her in and kissed the top of her head, filling his senses with the scent of her citrus shampoo. “Everyone should have someone who knows where they are and where they’re going. Safety isn’t something I can compromise on. If you don’t want to text me, text your sister or your mom. Just make sure someone knows, okay?”
“Okay.” She tipped her head back, and he kissed her again, lingering in the solitude of the quiet alleyway.
“Consider getting a camera for above the back door. They are inexpensive and most of them store footage in the cloud for a year at a time.”
Ryker (Hope City Book 5) Page 5