by T L Swan
“Me, too.”
Rourke is my partner in crime. Or should I say he’s my partner in crime detection.
As a Forensic Scientist with the Federal Police, my days are spent analysing evidence, proving suspects are guilty, or in some instances innocent. A regular day for us may be analysing semen, crime scenes, studying photographs, or working with cold corpses. You name it, we do it. We’ve just found a positive match to DNA that was retrieved from a dead body found in a lake.
There’s a monster out there who has taken five beautiful young women’s lives. Ironically, despite his clever scheming and cover-ups, the semen was eventually found on a tissue in the suspect’s garbage bin. I pat Rourke on the shoulder as I walk past him. “It doesn’t pay to wank in tissues, Rourke.”
“Sure doesn’t, that’s why I flush mine down the toilet.”
I smile as I take off my gloves and pick up the phone to dial downstairs. Taz answers on the first ring. “Hit me,” he says.
“We got him.”
“Are you fucking serious?”
“Yep. A positive match.” I smile proudly.
“You beauty. We got the motherfucker!” he yells to the others in the office. The sound of them cheering blares through the phone and I laugh. We thought this guy was guilty for months, but we just couldn’t prove it. Undercover police have been going through his garbage in the middle of the night for months, and up until today we’ve been coming up empty-handed.
“Hey, do you still need a hand moving on Saturday?” Taz asks.
“Is that okay?” I wince. “I hate to impose.”
“Anything for our favourite nerd,” Taz replies.
I smile. The boys downstairs are like big brothers to me. I’ve worked here at the Federal Police quarters for three years and I love it. Every day is different, my work colleagues are some of the greatest people I know and solving crimes has become part of my blood. I’m addicted to the thrill of the chase. I never thought I would fall into forensics. Research was my original plan, but my brother Peter is a detective downstairs. He applied for the job on my behalf and, thankfully, I’ve ended up here and couldn’t be happier.
I’m moving at the weekend. My landlord rudely sold my apartment and I had no choice but to find a new home. My friends, Taz, Peter, and the police boys from downstairs are helping me move.
“We’ll have you moved in a couple of hours.”
“Thanks, I really do appreciate it.” I smile. “Now, go and arrest that motherfucker.”
“Will do, boss.” He hangs up and I turn back to Rourke, my trusty partner. The nerdy scientist with a heart of gold. “I think we deserve sushi for lunch.”
“I’m even getting spring rolls today.” He widens his eyes, exaggerating his excitement. “Splashing out.”
“Oh, you rebel. Living life in the fast lane.”
He throws his arm around my shoulder. “You have no idea how wild I can get, Tully Scott.”
The elevator doors open and Cole walks out. The two of us stop in our tracks. He’s the boss from downstairs, and lately he’s made it his mission to be in constant contact with the forensic team. It’s never been like that before, but I have to admit, it’s nice to have someone from management recognise what we do.
“I was just coming up to congratulate you guys,” he says as he shakes both of our hands. “A job well done. Congratulations.”
“Thank you.” I smile. “Although it’s really the guys downstairs who deserve the accolades.”
“Not at all.” He smiles. “You’ve been working together for months on this, and I’m extremely happy with the outcome.”
Rourke and I exchange looks, and I hunch my shoulders up like an excited child. “Thank you, sir. It means a lot.”
“Where are you off to?” he asks.
“Lunch.” I frown, not wanting to be rude. “Do you want to come?” I ask.
He smiles. “No, I’m going to go and check in on the others. Are they in the lab?”
“I don’t think so.” I look to Rourke.
“That’s okay, I’ll check anyway. You kids have a nice lunch break, hey?” He slaps Rourke on the back. “Congratulations again.”
The elevator doors open, and Rourke and I practically float inside. I look over at him.
“Guess I’m getting the spring rolls, too.”
The bar is bustling tonight. Music is playing throughout the building, setting the right ambience with the help of the sporadically placed fire lanterns that line the outdoor perimeter. I smile at Callie from across the table. She’s my best friend and has been my partner-in-crime since we were the age of twelve.
Callie looks around at our surroundings. “I swear, I’m so horny I could fuck a tree right now.” She sighs.
I hold up my margarita in the air and she clinks her glass to mine.
“To not fucking trees,” I say, raising my brows as I take a sip. Callie laughs.
My phone beeps with a text. It’s from Taz.
TAZ: We just arrested him.
Well done, Tull.
“Yesssss,” I hiss. “They got him.”
Callie beams. “Oh wow, that’s amazing. Congratulations, babe.” She holds her drink up. “Another toast! To kicking ass in the lab.”
I giggle and clink our glasses again. My eyes widen as I remember my news. “Oh my God, I forgot to tell you.”
She licks the salt from her lips as she looks up and waits for me to continue.
“So…” I pause because this story seems so ridiculous that it couldn’t possibly be true. I mean, I hardly believe it myself. “I hooked up with a guy last night.”
“What? Where?”
“At the gym.”
Her mouth falls open. “At the gym? What do you mean at the gym?”
I put my hands over my eyes, letting the embarrassment win for a moment. “It happened in the bathroom.”
When I peek through my fingers, I see her eyes practically bulging from their sockets. “What the fuck? You hooked up with a guy in the gym bathroom?”
I laugh. “It’s ridiculous, I know.”
“How the hell did this come about?”
I shrug. “Well…” I think for a moment. “He was there, and I was there...”
She frowns as she sips her drink, listening intently.
“We started chatting a bit. He was so gorgeous.”
“How gorgeous are we talking?”
“Like, fucking gorgeous—stupid hot. He starts showing off in front of me, acting all caveman, and I was pretending I hadn’t even noticed him.”
“Damn it.” She bangs her hand onto the table in front of us. “Why don’t hot guys ever show off for me?” She slaps her forehead. “I’m easily impressed. I could do with some showing off, for Christ’s sake.” She shakes her fist to the sky. “Is that too much to ask for, universe?” Her attention falls back to me. “Sorry. Go on.”
“This guy was on the rowing machine, going hell for leather fast, and I was running next to him on the treadmill. I was totally distracted by the muscles in his back.”
She frowns as she listens and continues to sip her drink.
“Then he pulled on the machine so hard that the cord broke and a piece flew off, landed in front of me and tripped me over.”
She cringes on my behalf. “Is this true or is this like a joke and the punch line is coming up?”
I laugh and cross my finger over my chest. “Cross my heart.”
She puffs air into her cheeks. “Okay, go on…”
“I skinned my knee really badly.”
“Are you all right?”
“Fine now,” I mutter. “I was so flustered, though, that I told him off for being a show off and stormed into the bathroom.
She frowns as she listens.
“That’s when he followed me in.”
“Where was the gym workers?”
“There was nobody else in the gym, just us. It’s a twenty-four-hour, unmanned gym.”
“This is the new gym you ju
st joined?”
“Yes.” I hesitate as I try to remember all the details. “And it was definitely after 9:30 p.m. by this time.”
“Why so late?”
I shrug. “I don’t know. I worked late and that’s what time I actually got there.”
“Okay, so this hot guy follows you into the bathroom and then what happens?” She’s sitting forward in her seat now, waiting for the rest of the story.
I shrug. “I don’t really know what happened next. He cleaned up my knee and there was all this sexual chemistry between us. I asked him what he was thinking about.”
“And?” She frowns.
“He said he was imagining what his cock would look like in my mouth.”
Her mouth falls open. “He did not.”
I raise both eyebrows and nod. “He did.”
“Oh my God.” She tips her head back and drains her glass. “Then what?”
I shrug. “Next minute we’re kissing like animals and he’s pulling my hair. Before I know it, I’m on his lap and then he has his hand down my tights.”
Her eyes bulge again. “What?”
“I know.”
“You got fingered in the gym by a stranger?” She gasps.
“Shh!” I snap as I look around in embarrassment. “Keep your voice down.”
She leans in towards the table, remembering where she is. “Let me get this straight: you got fingered in a gym bathroom,” she whispers.
I nod.
She snatches my drink from me and drains that glass, too.
I laugh.
“And?”
“Well, I came, and then I got the hell out of there.”
She stares at me, horrified. “You came and left? Like a guy?”
I nod. “Kind of.”
“Who are you and what have you done with my best friend?”
“I know, right?” I shrug. “I don’t know what happened. This guy was off-the-hook and somehow I completely forgot who I was.”
She rolls her eyes. “Damn it, I need to go to a new gym. This is ridiculous. I’m over here at my shitty gym, horny as hell with not a finger in sight. Why doesn’t this shit ever happen to me?” She sighs dejected.
“Do you want another drink?” I ask.
“Yeah, I’ll come with you for the walk.” We stand and make our way over to the busy bar, taking our place at the back of the line. Callie laughs as she stares at me, clearly still in shock. “Finger fucked in the gym bathroom. Whatever next?” she whispers, her eyes twinkling with mischief.
I feel a hand snake around my waist from behind, and I turn, completely stunned to see Brock behind me.
“O-oh,” I stammer, caught off guard.
What’s he doing here? Shit, he didn’t hear us, did he?
He’s wearing a black V-neck T-shirt with blue jeans, and he’s towering above me with his hand splayed across my entire stomach.
“Hey,” he says smoothly as his eyes drop down my body. I’m wearing tight leather black pants with a burgundy off-the-shoulder top and high, black ankle boots. My hair is down in subtle waves. Suddenly, Brock kisses me quickly on the lips. “You look fucking delicious,” he murmurs, his eyes drifting down my body again.
I smile and then look over to Callie who is staring at him, rendered speechless.
“Erm. Callie, this is Brock. Brock, this is Callie.”
He smiles sexily. “Hello, Callie.” He turns his attention back to me.
“Brock is my friend from the gym,” I add, trying to make my point to Callie.
Callie’s eyes widen as she connects the dots. “This is your friend from the gym?” she whispers.
Brock smiles darkly and winks at me, knowing full well that I’ve obviously told Callie all about him.
Oh God.
Suddenly, three men walk over, and I nearly swallow my tongue. “Tully and Callie, this is Joshua and Ben, my brothers-in-law. This one here is Adrian.” He pauses and then smiles fondly at the blond man. “My adopted brother. My sisters adopted him, so I guess I’m stuck with him.”
Adrian narrows his eyes and acts offended.
I’ve never seen four men, who are all so good looking, in one place together ever in my life. These guys actually hang out? Joshua is tall with a dark chocolate buzz cut. He’s ridiculously handsome and wearing a white shirt with blue jeans. Ben is masculine and looks like a total bad ass. Then there’s the blond who is quite simply divine.
The blond man smiles. “Hello, Tully.” He looks me up and down, assessing every inch of me.
Jeez. All I can do is smile awkwardly.
The men then go back to their conversation and order drinks, but Brock links his pinky finger with mine and pulls us out of the surrounding conversations.
Suddenly, it’s just the two of us in the room.
“I want to see you, but I can’t blow my sister off. It’s her birthday.” He gestures over to a table, and I see two gorgeous brunettes and a blonde woman sitting together drinking cocktails. They are laughing together.
“Oh, I wouldn’t expect you to.” I smile. “Go and have fun with your friends.”
His eyes drop to my lips and he kisses me again, softly and tenderly. “What are you doing later?” he whispers.
My eyes find Callie who is staring, wide-eyed and astonished at this beautiful male specimen whispering sweetly in my ear.
I gesture to Callie. “It’s a school night, so we’re going home soon.”
He turns to Callie only briefly before he looks back at me. “So, I’ll see you tomorrow night? Nine o’clock?” he asks as he squeezes my hand in his.
I can’t help but smile softly. He really is quite… “Sure. You bet.”
“Nice to meet you, Callie.” He nods and rolls his lips together, as if thinking to himself, and then he kisses me quickly again, just once, before disappearing back through the crowd.
Callie and I watch him walk away. We can’t take our eyes off those large, muscular shoulders, that tight ass, and the best damn arm porn I’ve ever seen.
“Holy fucking shit,” Callie whispers, sounding kind of angry. “That’s the guy you made out with at the gym?”
I bite my bottom lip to stop myself from smiling goofily. “Uh-huh.”
“I have no words.” She shakes her head. “Actually, I do. I’d be a fucking gym junkie if I were you.”
I break into a broad smile.
“Who the hell are his hot friends, anyway?” She frowns. “Do they go to this fantasy gym, because if they do, that’s it! I’m changing gyms.”
My eyes seek out Brock and his friends. “I don’t know, his brothers I think.” I shrug. “I’m pretty sure they are all married to his sisters.”
Callie eyes the table of men. “Lucky bitches.”
I frown as we shuffle up towards the front of the line. The boys are back at the table by this time. “Do you mind if we go home soon?” I ask. “I don’t want to seem like a weird hanger-on.”
Callie shrugs and links her arms through mine. “Sure. We’ll have one more drink and then leave.”
Twenty minutes later, we’re walking out of the front doors and are on the way to the cab rank. “You know, I was thinking,” Callie says. “If I were you, I would be totally stalking him, serial killer style. He’s ridiculous.”
I laugh. “He is a bit.”
“A bit.” She sighs as we hit the kerb. “A lot.”
I look up and stop dead in my tracks. Simon is walking along the other side of the street with his arm around a blonde woman. This is the first time I have ever seen him out in the eight months we’ve been broken up. I watch as he pulls her lips to his mouth, clearly saying something to her that causes her to laugh. They’re both having fun.
My heart drops into my stomach and tears instantly fill my eyes. “Oh my God,” I whisper to no one in particular.
Callie’s eyes widen, and she stops on the spot. “Shit.”
I take out my phone and immediately call Simon’s number, my heart in my throat as it rings.
Pick up, pick up. Pick up, baby.
He fishes his phone out, looks at the screen, and then stuffs it back into his pocket.
He didn’t want to speak to me.
He chose her over me.
My bottom lip begins to quiver as I stare at them through blurred vision.
They laugh out loud and disappear around the corner.
Pain lances through my chest.
“Come on, babe,” Callie says as she puts her arm around me. “Let’s go home.”
Chapter 3
Brock
“Oh no.” Bridget frowns. “Here it comes again.” She puts both of her hands over her chest to try and stop the oncoming heartburn. “I can’t deal with this pregnancy shit.” She looks at Natasha. “How come you didn’t get heartburn when you were pregnant?”
“Because she had human children. Your baby’s father is an ape,” Joshua says dryly as he sips his beer.
Bridget fakes a laugh. “Ha-ha. You’re so funny.” Her face drops as she sips her Coke. “All I want is a marga-fucking-rita. Is that too much to ask for?”
Joshua chuckles while Ben reaches over to pick his wife’s hand up. He kisses the back of it in sympathy. The man’s a saint. Bridget’s pregnancy has completely stolen her sense of humour and any semblance of my beautiful, easy-going sister. Some women glow while pregnant. Bridget is not one of those women. She’s grown horns.
Big, evil fucking horns.
“Just wait ‘til those two babies come out and stretch your vagina to oblivion,” Abbie says nonchalantly. “It will be huge. Like a giant crevice.”
Ben chokes on his drink, coughing and spluttering. Joshua laughs and slaps him on the back.
I wince. God, the things I have to listen to. No man should have to hear this.
“What, like yours?” Adrian snaps, completely outraged that Abbie would say such a thing.
Abbie screws up her face. “Oh, shut up, Adrian. Like you would know anything about vaginas.”
“She’s got you there,” Joshua says smugly.
I tip my head back to the sky in frustration. Seriously? I’m giving up a night of unrivalled pleasure to listen to my sister whine about heartburn and hear about over-stretched vaginas?