by Rachel Blake
"Not important? For the last week, no one has known where she was, and then she rolls up to the station with a dislocated shoulder. That is pretty fucking important."
"What is yelling at her going to accomplish? Scolding her isn't going to get you the information you want. Acting like an asshole isn't going to get you anywhere but kicked out of her room and this hospital."
Jensen wasn't shocked when the fist connected with his face; he knew it was coming. If he were honest, he would admit he had been pushing for it. He swiped at the corner of his mouth with his thumb. "That's the only free shot you get."
"Good." He was able to duck before the next one landed, his own fist bouncing off the other man's stomach, forcing a satisfying grunt. He followed up by wrapping his arms around Leland's middle and taking him to the ground, colliding with a few chairs. "Are you done?"
"Not by a long shot."
He had the other man pinned to the ground for only a few seconds before he was pushed off and Lee was on his feet. Jensen slowly stood, knowing that as soon as he was on an even playing field with Leland, he was free game. The blow was enough to force the air momentarily from his lungs, the momentary shock giving Lee enough time to land another hit on the other side of his abdomen. Grunting, he swung at his friend. When the other man ducked, his fist missed its mark and made contact with the side of his face, seemingly knocking some sense into him.
Panting, Jensen slid down the wall and looked at the man lying on his back next to him. "Shit, man, if you wanted to fight, all you had to do was ask."
"You would have held back. I needed to go a few goods rounds, no holds barred."
"You needed your ass kicked." He eyed the other man. "You're going to have a black eye."
"It will go nicely with the split lip you're sporting."
"Feel better?"
He scuffed. "I'm still sending Dad after her, but I think she'll at least be able to get a word in edgewise now."
"Good." Jensen stood, straightening the disheveled furniture before he held his hand out to the other man. "Let's go talk to your sister."
"Tell me you didn't break anything." Liv stood in the hall with her arms crossed over her chest, foot tapping.
"Nurse Liv, I promise you, nothing was broken, just knocked him down a few pegs."
"I have to go do rounds; don't do anything stupid before I come back."
Sierra called to her brother as soon as they walked into the room. "Lee, I'm sorry."
"What am I going to do with you, Cici?" He climbed into her bed, carefully gathering her in his arms.
Her response was muffled by his chest. "Probably tell Dad."
"He already knows. You've got some explaining to do, little sister." He pulled her away from him and trapped her eyes with his own. "We need to know what happened."
"You going to go off the handle?"
"You going to tell me the truth?"
"Yes."
"Then, no."
She took a deep breath. "His name is Devon. I met him a couple of months ago. He's sweet and funny, always so careful with me when we play." She swallowed hard. "He's been taking a Shibari class for months now. He asked me if he could practice on me." When groans erupted in the room, her eyes dropped. "It was just a simple tie."
"You know better."
"I know, but I see him practicing all the time. He's careful, and it was just a corset with a simple arm restraint." A tear ran down her face.
"Go on."
"He checked on me as he was tying. It felt amazing. I don't know what happened. One second, I was standing, the next, I was on the ground in pain. He tried to catch me, but he wasn't fast enough."
"If it was an accident, then why isn't he here?"
"He wanted to come, but I begged him not to. I knew Liv was working and would know I was here as soon as I arrived. I didn't want that to be your first impression of him." Her eyes drifted to the left as she fingered her necklace.
Gwen grabbed his hand, giving it a squeeze. She had seen it, too. As he led her to the hall, his one word said all it needed to, "Bellissima."
As soon as his arms were wrapped around her, a sob escaped. "She's lying. If he was such a great, caring guy, then where is he? Where the hell is he?"
"You're right."
"It's more than that. He put her in a fucking cab, Jensen. A cab! Her shoulder was obviously dislocated; any fool could see that." She pushed on his chest, her anger building. "He didn't even call her an ambulance!"
"Something isn't right."
"It wasn't an accident!"
"I don't know if I would go that far, but it is definitely messed up." He let her silently cry into his chest, the sobs twisting his heart every time they shook her body. When she finally settled, he wrapped her hair around his fist, giving it a little tug so he could see her face. "Bellissima."
"I'm fine."
"You witnessed a murder."
"I'm fine!"
His hand bounced off her ass before he thought better of it. "That has never been an acceptable answer."
Her knees crumbled when the second swat landed and he sank to the floor with her wrapped in his arms—exactly where he needed her to be.
Chapter 18
The sound of voices had her lifting her head from Jensen's lap. "You don't have permission to move."
"I didn't know I needed it."
"You need it if I tell you that you do."
"There are people here." The pinch to her thigh had her adding a forced, "Sir," to her comment.
"So, be a good little subbie and let me hold you before I decide to spank your ass properly."
She gave in to the gentle pressure and laid her head down. "We can't sit on the floor forever, Jensen. The janitor has already had to mop around us once. Let me go."
"No."
"He isn't going to give an inch, lovie," Atticus said.
"What good will all this protection do if he smothers me?"
"You were within feet of a murderer, seconds after he killed a man. Jensen is allowed to smother you for a while." He sighed. "I am afraid the information I have is not going to change that any time soon."
Gwen rolled her eyes at the worn leather shoes in front of her. "He doesn't need any help from the peanut gallery. Ow."
"And Atticus doesn't deserve your sass."
She pushed her butt into his punishing hand, meaning the words that fell from her lips, "I'm sorry, Sir."
"How much worse can this be?"
"They completed the search of the girls' places. We didn't find any cameras or listening devices."
"Thank God. Then what's the problem?"
"We searched the station after Gwen told us about the video feed. We found multiple cameras, in nearly every room. The only good thing is that, from what we have found, the arsonist accessed them mere hours after they were put in and then disabled the cameras in the locker room."
A sob was torn from her chest as Jensen pulled her into his lap, her legs straddling his. She sat like that for a few minutes before she swiped at her face with the back of her hand. Then she turned to the man now crouching next to her and asked the only question that came to mind, "What does this mean?"
"It means our copycat has access to the station."
"And we're sure they are not one and the same?"
"We're sure."
"How sure?"
"We pulled a partial print from one of the bugs and have a sixteen-point match. We're close; we just need to wait for him to mess up."
"Go to sleep."
She rolled her eyes in the dark of the room. "I'm trying."
"Don't roll those beautiful eyes at me."
"How did you?" She stopped abruptly, realizing she was in the process of confessing. "You fight dirty."
"No, I use every advantage I have; it just so happens that you're madly in love with me."
Her snort was anything but ladylike. "You're not helping the whole sleep situation."
"Do you need help getting to sleep?"
"On?
"How you intend to help me."
"A fun way, of course."
"Fun for both of us?" He had her pinned to the bed before she quit talking.
He rubbed his thinly veiled cock against her thigh. "What do you think?" When her legs fell open, a triumphant smile spread across his face. "That's what I thought." A whine tumbled from her lips as he rolled off her. "Hush. I am just getting a few things, you know, to help you sleep." She watched him as he flipped on the light and gathered the items he wanted.
"What are you planning?"
"That is the beauty of being in charge. I don't have to tell you."
"Please."
"No."
"Just a hint?"
"A gag."
He returned and let his selections drop to the foot of the bed before he grabbed the rope and walked to her side. "Don't try hiding it, bellissima. I know you like what you see."
She knew excitement set her eyes aglow, but she didn't care in the slightest. She wanted him to know how hot he made her. "Not hiding a thing, Sir."
One swift tug had her shirt over her head and a groan rumbling from his chest. Her lace bra did nothing to hide the tantalizing, silver bars that ran through her nipples.
Never one to deny himself, he released the front clasp and pulled the offending garment from her body. As soon as it was out of the way, he took her pebbled tip into his mouth, sucking greedily before switching to the other.
Her moans filled the room, loving his lips on her. She ran her finger through his hair, earning herself a sharp nip as her tender flesh fell from his mouth.
"Slide down, so your arms can stretch out above your head." She did as she was told, smiling the slightest bit when his cock twitched behind his boxer briefs.
"You're not going to let me touch you?"
While he made quick work of it, he tied her wrist to the rings hidden behind the headboard. "You can touch me." He ran his fingers down her arm and over her ribs, causing her to wiggle under his touch. "Next time. Pouting will get you nowhere, my girl."
She pulled on the restraints. When they held, she relaxed and watched him grasp the waistband of her pants. "I could have stripped for you, and then you wouldn't be stuck doing all the work."
He shimmied her pants down her hips to her mid thighs. "This is anything but work, bellissima." One swift tug and her pants were gone. "I love the practical underwear you wear to work."
She groaned, "I never claimed them to be practical." As he looked down her body, he admired the pink thong and she added, "It makes me feel sexy, and I need all the sexy I can get when I'm stuck in the uniform for twenty-four hours at a time."
"We will have to make sure that this," he plucked at the thin strap encircling her waist, "remains our little secret."
She smiled at him, loving how he made her feel special in the simplest ways. "Our little secret."
"It's almost a shame to take them off. Almost." He slid them slowly down her legs and over her feet before he ran his eyes back up her legs.
"How is this fair? You're still in your boxers."
He shook his head teasingly. "You've forgotten who's in charge. Open."
Her eyes rounded as he balled her panties in his fist. "Um."
"We're playing, so tell me what your safeword is?"
"Labradoodle, Sir."
"Are you using it?"
Was she? She had been gagged before, but she had a feeling her panties were about to be pushed between her lips. The thought both thrilled and worried her, but excitement won out. "No, Sir."
He placed a rubber duck in her hand. "Squeeze it." She did as he told her, the obnoxious squeal making her giggle. "Open." She chewed on the inside of her lip for a second, but as soon as his brow rose, her jaw went slack. "Good girl." He thrust her wadded-up underwear into her mouth. "No more interruptions."
Her tongue played along the fabric, her spicy taste coating it. Fuck, her own flavor should not turn her on, but the taste of her essence forced her body to create more and when she rubbed her legs together, her muffled moan filled the room.
A sharp slap fell on her left thigh. "If you don't quit doing my job for me, I'll tie your legs, spread you wide, and torture you until you're begging through your gag to come."
Another moan, but she spread her legs for him. He was in charge.
"Beautiful." He ran a single finger up the inside of her leg before cupping her pussy. "And soaked."
She arched off the bed when two of his digits sank into her core. With each determined thrust, his palm rubbed her clit. "I love watching you, but when you're this close to the edge, it's impossible to take my eyes off of you."
She cried out when he pulled his fingers away and turned to the discarded items. When he turned back, he held a small, red crop. "You can claim as many orgasms as you want. You have my permission, just for tonight."
Instinctively, her legs snapped shut when the square of leather fell on her exposed core. Without a word, he dropped the implement, fastened cuffs around her ankles, looped some rope through the rings and spread her wide. "Let's try this again." The blows fell slowly at first, allowing her to get used to the feeling, but they quickly picked up speed.
She writhed and cried out, arching toward him after each strike. It hurt, but she wanted more. Needed it. One, two, three. The strikes kept coming. With the sixth, so did she. Screaming behind her gag, she convulsed with her release.
"Beautiful." She was panting, and she watched through half lidded eyes as he tossed the crop to the floor before plucking a rabbit vibrator from his stash and clicking it on. He ran the whirling toy over her primed sex, only allowing it to tickle her clit for a second before pulling it back. Again, and again, he taunted her.
Just as she was about to lose her mind, he buried the well lubricated phallus in her core. That was all it took to send her primed body into orbit again. When the clit tickler settled into place, the orgasms crashed into one another until all she felt was bliss.
She was floating.
The heat of his body as he settled over her drew her back to reality. "My beautiful girl." She wetted her lips as her panties were pulled from her mouth seconds before his hand found her wrists and he pinned them to the bed, taking away what little range of motion she had. "I need to hear you scream my name when you come on my cock. Can you do that, baby?"
"Please." That was all the encouragement he needed before he entered her. His strokes were tender. Meeting his thrust, she begged for more. "Please."
"My baby likes it hard?" A thrust of her hips was all the affirmation he needed before he pounded into her with short, rough thrusts. As he panted between words, he warned her, "I've tormented us long enough. Come for me." His head fell to her breast, sucking her nipple into his mouth and biting it sharply.
His name echoed off the walls as her release took hold. Her eyes rolled back as her body went rigid, her inner muscles clamping down on his invading cock.
"Fuck, Gwen!"
She felt him stiffen above her as she came down from her high, his own release taking over. His thrusts slowed as his head came to rest on her chest, their panting mingled together, his breath warming her skin.
Perfect.
A smile split her face as her eyes grew heavy and she realized the weight that sat on her chest had dissipated. This was exactly what she had needed. No control. No decisions to make. Just him and their trust and love for each other.
Perfect.
Chapter 19
"Why are we here?" Gwen looked down the line of women standing at her side.
"The firemen's ball is coming up. We need dresses."
"I don't think I'm ready for this." All eyes fell to Liv. "I-I don't think I can go without him."
"This year's ball is in his honor, Liv, you have to go."
"That is exactly why I can't. I don't want it to be in his honor! I want his arms wrapped around me as we twirl around the dance floor and for him to catch me a hun
dred different times when I trip over my dress." Tears leaked from her eyes.
"Okay," Gwen stopped the group as she turned to the weeping woman. "Then you don't go." She shrugged. "We stay home and eat ice cream, look at all the old pictures of the past firemen's balls and laugh at the ugly dresses we wore." She took her friend's hand in hers. "In the meantime, we get you a dress, different from any of the other ones you've worn before. Just in case you decide you want to go."
"You would really stay home with me?"
"Of course."
Liv shook her head in agreement as she rubbed away the tears. "I need a dress I won't trip over."
"Or a pantsuit; you could totally rock a pantsuit." It was Kennly's turn to have all the eyes on her. "What?"
"No!"
Gwen pulled back the curtain and stepped out of the fitting room.
"Blue? You do realize this is the Firemen's Ball, right?"
She looked down at the beautiful dress. "Yeah?"
"Fire is red. Blue is police. You wear blue, and it will be like showing up to your high school homecoming game wearing the other team's jersey. Big no-no."
She turned from Autumn and eyed the other women. "We're all going to wear red?"
"No, we're just not wearing blue." Sierra shoved an armful of dresses at her. "Try these. They will look beautiful."
Thirty minutes later and way too many dresses to count, Gwen walked out with her choice in hand. "I think I'm finally done." She looked around the empty space. Shoes and dresses were scattered everywhere as purses and coats all lay in a heap on the floor, long forgotten.
"Which one did you pick?" one of the girls questioned from her dressing room.
Gwen didn't answer. Her attention was drawn to Sierra and a man talking, off to the side of the boutique.
"Devon, I told you. I'm fine. I-I just need time for my brother and my dad to cool down. That's all.
"I don't understand. You told them you wouldn't let me go with you, right?"
Sierra looked to her toes. "I did, but I'm not sure they bought it."
"Why?"
The sharp edge to the man's voice had Gwen moving before she thought better of it. "Because neither of them would have put a woman, let alone his woman, in a cab when it was so painfully obvious she needed an ambulance. They sure as hell would not have sent her on her own."