“What are you doing here?”
“Making sure you got home in one piece. You blew two red lights on your way here.”
“On purpose,” she said and walked toward her front door.
“This is your house?” he asked, and she turned and looked up at him, which made her feel light-headed. He grabbed her around the waist. “Easy. Shit, maybe you do have a concussion.”
“No. I’m good, just need food.”
“You have anything inside or should I go grab something?” he asked as they came into her dark house. She went to turn the lights on and then she heard the door close.
“Leave, Conan,” she said to him and then placed her head onto the counter on the island and took a seat. When she heard him rummaging through her refrigerator, she opened her eyes to see him pulling out containers.
“You still meal prep, huh? No wonder you’re in great shape.” He opened a container and popped it into the microwave. She wanted to yell at him and make him leave but she was getting weaker and weaker. She should know better than not to eat all day.
He grabbed her a water bottle and then the microwave stopped and he brought the container over to her with a fork.
“Eat up, then more painkillers and bed for you.”
She lifted her head and looked at him, at those deep blue eyes that matched Kernan’s and that dark blonde crew cut hair, his seasoned expression, and she shook her head.
“I take care of myself, Conan.”
“Eat.”
“Screw you.” She raised her voice and stood up. He was around her and had her pinned against the island. He towered over her and she gasped at his forcefulness and quick reflexes. She was always intimidated by his size, and that damn Green Beret attitude and capabilities.
“You scared me today. God damn it, I care about you. I never stopped fucking caring, Brook.”
She shook her head. “I don’t want the lies, Conan. I don’t need you, your brother, or anyone else to take care of me or to use me then toss me aside.”
“Never,” he said and cupped her cheek, gripping her chin and forcing her to keep her eyes on him. “I never wanted to hurt you. You wouldn’t let me explain.”
“I don’t need to hear a thing. It’s been two years. Two!”
“Listen to me, Brook.”
“No.”
“Fuck,” he said, and then pressed his mouth to hers. He kissed her tenderly at first, as if not to scare her, but then as it all registered, what he was doing, how she was feeling, he felt it too and deepened the kiss. He gripped her hips and pulled her against his body. Hard, muscular like stone, her feminine curves collided against his masculine physique. Fire, heat, she felt it all. Everything was an instant turn on, a switch bringing her body to the next level and then the next. It was always like this, that was why she was so hurt, so devastated by his cheating, his minimization of their bond and connection. When he gripped her hair and head by the back of her neck and plunged his tongue in deeper, she couldn’t think a coherent thought. Her pussy spasmed, her nipples pebbled hard and yearned to feel Conan’s touch again.
She couldn’t believe this was happening. She didn’t want to accept the need, the desire that was still there and just as strong as two years ago. She shoved her palm against his chest and he released her lips. He pulled back, looking shocked, stunned like she felt. She grabbed onto his shirt as her head pounded something terrible. All the pain, the emotions, flooded the spot of her injury, bringing her mind slowly back to reality and to the consequences of giving in to these desires.
She laid her forehead against his solid chest. He caressed her back, then under her hair, holding her, making her feel protected, cared for. She wasn’t. He wasn’t. He wanted to use her, and she would never be used or feel used again. Flashbacks of the times when they were one and she adored him, loved him with all her heart, and saw him as an angel, as perfection, came and went through her mind. She slapped his chest as his palm slid along her waist to her ass, squeezing her.
“Brook, baby, please. Please don’t push me away.”
She shoved him back. “Get out. I won’t be your plaything. I won’t,” she said and pointed toward her door. He ran his palm along his jaw.
“This isn’t over. I’m not giving up on you, on us, and what could be perfect.”
“There is nothing between us. I don’t trust you, Conan. I may never trust you again. Please leave. My head is pounding and I need rest.”
“This isn’t fucking over, Brook. Not by a long shot. Not when we’re meant to be together!” His raised his voice. His muscles flexed and the veins by his temples pulsated. She knew him well enough to know that he was truly upset, and he wasn’t pretending. It confused her, but then came the memories of the pain she felt when she saw another woman all over him. Hugging him, her hand down his fucking pants.
“Get out,” she said calmly.
The door slammed closed, and she exhaled and hung her head low.
She could still smell his cologne and feel his hands on her, his lips against hers. She pressed her fingertips to her lips, closed her eyes, and felt his hands on her body, knew her panties were wet just from his kiss alone. Tears rolled down her cheeks.
“I love him still. Oh God, how could I? How?”
Chapter 5
“We got a fucking problem,” Kev said to Gill over the phone.
“What’s the problem?”
“The cops caught Tiny and Scorpion. They got the money and some of the leftover product those two idiots hadn’t hocked like they were supposed to.”
Gill saw red. “Are you fucking kidding me? I’m not going down because of those two dicks. Do the cops know about the warehouse?”
“What do you think? They caught Tiny and Scorpion on Federal Drive.”
“Son of a bitch. How much stuff was still there?”
“Enough to connect the fucking dots to two of the hits. Plus, there were some crates from the truck heists last year.”
“Motherfucker. How could they be so fucking stupid? If those two assholes talk, then they could give up the other warehouses,” Gill said.
“They only know about Cater Boulevard.”
“Let me think about this. What we can do to try and get shit out of there fast?”
“The cops could be watching the place.”
“I doubt it. We have time. They have to be processed and questioned. They’ll have a lawyer, and he’ll advise them to stay low and keep their mouths shut. It will buy them a few days for the cops gather evidence and then present charges. Then those two will talk to get the charges lowered or dropped.”
“They’ll give up the warehouse.”
“Then they will also help to kill whatever cops show up if your men don’t get the shit out in time.”
“Fuck. Killing cops is dirty business.”
“Saving that money and product that is already sold and to some ruthless criminals is dirtier. They’ll cut our fucking throats and feed us to the gators. Get it done and don’t disappoint me.”
Gill ended the call and looked at Perkins.
“Get me what you can on the investigation and where they are at. I want to know who is running the show. We may need to play a little interference as we complete the next two jobs before we get the fuck out of South Carolina.”
“Why not cut our losses and leave now?”
“Those two hits combined are worth over six million. That’s why.”
Perkins whistled. “How much info you want?”
“Whatever can be used to formulate a plan of action to give us a clear path to freedom.”
“Got it.” Perkins stood up and pulled out his cell phone. “I need information. You failed to warn us about the eyes on Federal Drive. That’s a cut in your pay,” Gill heard him say and hoped that their informant would make up for the fuck up and give them what they needed to finish these two jobs.
* * * *
Kernan stood by Kinchley as Conan and Brook went over the layout of this wareho
use they believed housed more product and merchandise from the home invasions and truck robberies. Apparently, their investigation uncovered the fact that this team of individuals were still heisting trucks.
Kernan stared at Brook and clenched his teeth at the sight of the lump on her forehead and bruising around it. Her hair was down as if trying to hide it, but they could all see it, and they all heard about her heroics and gung-ho tactics in the field. She was well respected, and especially by the men. His own SWAT team was watching her, too, and had been discussing her before this meeting. It was hard not to tell them to shut the fuck up as they talked about her body, her incredible looks, and her fearlessness. She didn’t belong to him or to Conan. Conan explained what happened last night at her place when he followed her. It aroused him. Made him think about what some of their friends were engaged in. These ménage relationships.
“We are trying to establish whether or not this warehouse on Cater Boulevard is indeed another holding facility for stolen product. Intel thus far shows some activity. Some trucks coming and going, all of which are being followed and monitored,” Brook explained, and as she stood by the map of the layout, pointing and indicating the exits and entrances, he looked at her body. The way her dress pants clung to her perfectly round ass. How she wore heeled black boots under the pants, giving her a little height. How her blue blouse was tapered to her body, accentuating her full breasts. Her long brown hair fell to the middle of her back, and as she turned around to face the men in the room, it swayed.
“Conan will discuss logistics with Kinchley, Kernan, and their team, and I will discuss logistics with Dustin and his team.”
“Yes.” They all heard the whispered word “yes”, and low chuckles went through the room. Those guys were such dicks.
She shook her head. “We need to be serious about this and understand the danger here. We still haven’t identified how many individuals are involved in these operations, or who they are. We’re getting close, but going into this warehouse blind is not exactly a comfortable situation for any of us. Now, let’s split up and discuss our plans of action,” Brook said, and she walked toward Dustin and his team. Kernan watched as Dustin gave her a playful tap to her arm and winked at her.
“Okay, hot stuff, give it to us,” he said, and the guys all gathered around her. Close. Too fucking close. His blood boiled.
* * * *
Brook was grateful to get the reprieve from Dustin and the guys who seemed to really be flirting a lot. Kernan made some kind of comment to them afterward and it started a little argument, but she didn’t know what it was about so she walked away.
Barry was calling her. She answered the phone by the back office.
“I heard something that could be of use to the investigation,” he said.
“What would that be?”
“My friend Luke works for a company that installs safes in upscale homes and businesses. Some guy was asking around about where he could find a certain type of safe for him to check out. My buddy said the kind of safe the guy asked about is usually used in a bank or a business firm dealing with high-end merchandise. Anything from gold to jewelry or cash.”
“Okay, so what do you think this could have to do with the case?”
“Investigator, there are only a dozen in the area. The company my friend works for knows of ten of them.”
“Okay, can he get me the list of the ten and their locations? Maybe we can find out about the other two and keep this in mind as the case progresses.”
“Sure thing. Anything for you, Investigator Logan. You know that.”
“I appreciate it, Barry. Be careful though. I don’t want you asking around about things, okay? I don’t know who these individuals are, and we don’t need you in any danger again.”
“You always care. I’ll be alright,” he said and ended the call. She sighed and tapped her cell phone against her chin as she thought about what Barry told her. Could this be a clue as to where these criminals may hit next? Maybe they were going to step it up big time and rob a bank or something?
“How are you feeling?”
She turned around and looked way up to see Kernan standing there in his SWAT uniform. She gulped down the lustful sensation and gave a soft smile.
“Hanging in there. Just a headache. In fact, I need to go take something.” She started to walk when he blocked her path and placed his hand on her hip. She inhaled sharply, instantly feeling the attraction to Kernan. That rugged beard, those dark blue, piercing eyes and, oh Lord, muscles bulging from the sleeves of the navy blue uniform shirt showing off his forearm muscles. It was hard not to drool.
“Maybe you should be resting, not working,” he told her. She exhaled and rolled her eyes, which hurt her head. She reached up and rubbed her temple next to the lump, feeling it and determining that the swelling was going down.
She didn’t want to argue with him or this protectiveness he seemed to have over her.
“Kernan, I’m a big girl. This isn’t my first lump on the head, nor will it be my last. Now, was there something specific and pertaining to the case that you needed to discuss with me, or not?”
He looked her over, reached out and fixed her top, apparently not liking that she showed a little cleavage, which wasn’t done intentionally. She was big up top and it was warm out, so she couldn’t button the shirt to her neck.
“Not about the case, but about us.”
She was shocked and she recovered a little slow but still recovered.
“There isn’t an us.” She went to move and he gripped her wrist. She stopped and was pressed partially against him. She inhaled his cologne, and her body was affected immediately.
“That’s where you’re wrong. We all need to talk.”
She heard the other voices, and then Kinchley and Conan were heading down the hall toward them with Torey. She pulled her hand free and smiled at Torey.
“Was that some more info?” he asked her, coming closer.
“Yes, maybe something to look into a little deeper. I’ll handle it.”
“Brook, I’d like you to meet my brother Kinchley,” Conan said, and Kinchley stared at her, eyes looking her over, and Jesus, she was in trouble.
“Hello Kinchley, I heard a lot about you. From Chief Williams,” she added and gave Conan a dirty look. He reached his huge hand out for her to shake, and when she did, don’t you know it, a spark of interest. Well, more than one, but she wasn’t giving into this. It was a mistake.
“How did everything go with team one?” she asked Conan, dismissing any personal conversation.
“We’re set. We’ll coordinate with Dustin and his team and be ready when the call comes in,” Kernan stated, holding her gaze.
“Let me know if you need help going over the new info you got from Barry. Also, Yandi is assigned to assist, as well, so we can have him do some leg work on the computers and shit so we aren’t wasting so much time.”
“I don’t mind doing the research, I don’t want anything missed,” she replied to Torey.
“I know you don’t, but we have a lot to investigate.”
“I can pull some others to assist where needed. Let me just get some aspirin and water, and then we’ll get started.”
Torey nodded and headed away, and as she started to leave, Conan pulled her to the side, his hand on her hip and her shoulder pressed against the wall in the hallway. Kinchley and Kernan were right there, too. She looked at the seriousness in their eyes and then back at Conan. “What?”
“I don’t want you going in this warehouse in the raid if it happens.”
She laughed and then went to step away from the wall when she felt his fingers grip her hip and slide slightly up right under her breast, making her freeze in place. Her eyes widened.
“The sight of you with the fucking lump is enough. We just got word that the other things in the crates from Federal Drive were weapons. Guns, all illegal, military grade.”
She squinted. “Shit, this just spreads the case open
wider. These men could be anyone, from any walk of life. Can we get serial numbers off of them? Any way to track where they originated from?” she asked, all professional. She was trying so hard to not be affected by their touch and their close proximity.
“We’re on it. You aren’t listening to him,” Kernan said.
“Excuse me, but this is my job, and I will do it. Now step aside. You’re overstepping your boundaries as fellow law enforcement,” she stated firmly.
“My boundaries go beyond law enforcement with you,” Conan stated.
“With us,” Kernan said, and she gulped, but then chuckled before she pressed her finger to Conan’s chest.
“You lost any right when things ended between us. Oh, and remember, I don’t trust you, and that goes for your brothers, as well,” she said and pushed by him to head back down the hallway. Her eyes landed on Yandi and Torey, and she knew they saw the confrontation.
“Let’s get started. Welcome aboard, Yandi. Get your eyes ready, it’s going to be a long day on the computers.”
* * * *
“Where did Brook go with Torey?” Conan asked Yandi when he walked into the office and saw they weren’t there. It was past five o’clock.
“They got a lead on something and were looking for you but didn’t want to bother you while you were in a meeting with the heads of SWAT and commanders.”
He squinted. “What kind of lead?”
Yandi shrugged his shoulders.
He pulled out his cell phone and called Torey. When he didn’t get an answer, he tried Brook. Nothing. His gut clenched. He looked around him, at his brothers heading out to their command center, and he had a bad feeling. Was it just his protectiveness and worry over Brook, or was something wrong? He tried to push away that protective feeling. She made it clear she didn’t trust him. Was she holding back information on the case? He was in charge, everything needed to go through him. Sure, she was second in command, but this was bullshit.
He cursed under his breath and went into the office. He couldn’t even try to focus on the investigation. His mind was on Brook. When he had the chance, he was going to explain the rules to her—his way, and in a way that would get through to her. God damn it, Brook. Where the fuck are you?
Healing Hearts 7 Page 6