Dalton added, “Got a minute?”
“Yes, of course, sir. Good morning.” Maddox rose, offering his hand, prepared to defend his personal life.
As the chief took the seat in front of the desk, Maddox studied him, getting a read on his mood. Eric was a tall man with a soft middle. The years had been tough on his face, and his deep-set wrinkles around his eyes and forehead were likely both from the long years of police work and the cigarettes Maddox could smell wafting off him. While Chief Dalton held a tough exterior, his light blue eyes were soft and trusting and were likely why so many Seattleites respected him.
Once the chief got settled in the chair, he said, “I hear you had a party last night to celebrate the new rookies.”
Maddox paused, awaiting the reprimand. When it didn’t come, he answered, “I did. The party went well.”
Dalton gave an easy smile. “It’s a good tradition that you do. Keep it up.”
Maddox exhaled the breath he’d been holding and leaned back in his chair. The chief’s posture was casual and laid-back, telling Maddox nothing had been said to him. He watched as Dalton ran a hand over his eyes, and on a hunch, Maddox offered, “We have some fresh coffee, sir, if you’d like a cup.”
“It’s that obvious, huh?” Dalton asked with a heavy sigh. “It’s all right, Hunt. I’ve already had three cups. We have a situation brewing in the east, and it kept me up for a good portion of the night last night.”
Maddox noted the dark circles under the chief’s eyes, and while he had his suspicions about what the trouble was, he wouldn’t speculate. “Will the trouble impact us here in the west?”
“No, I don’t believe so.” Dalton rubbed his face once more and then lowered his hand. His eyes were troubled. “I’m assuming that you’ve heard the rumors circulating about Harvey Scott, the captain in the east?”
The department’s rumor mill had been in overdrive lately. From what Maddox had heard, Harvey was an alcoholic who was spiraling out of control after the recent death of his wife. The police had been called twice after Harvey’s drunken rage impacted the public. While Maddox hadn’t been sure if the rumors were true, the darkness in Dalton’s eyes confirmed that they were. Keeping his thoughts to himself, Maddox replied, “I’m not one to listen to the rumors, sir.”
“That’s good of you.” Dalton crossed his legs, resting his arms on the armrest. “However, sadly, in this case, the rumors are very much true. Things are a mess over there in the east, and it’s been an exhausting process trying to figure out which way to proceed.”
Maddox had questions, of course. It simply wasn’t his business to ask them.
Dalton’s face twisted as he drew in a long, deep breath before continuing. “The captain is making a fine ass out of himself, and last night, it appears the media might have gotten wind of it.”
“Not a good look for the department,” Maddox offered.
Dalton snorted. “I imagine you’re right about that. And I further suspect that no matter how much I’d like to give Harvey another chance, that right may even be stripped from me.” Regardless of his words, the chief’s eyes suddenly softened, and he stretched out his legs, crossing his ankles. “I’m sorry, Maddox, I didn’t come here to unload on you. Tell me, how is your father doing?”
Dad and Dalton had worked together as beat cops for a handful of years back in the day. “Health-wise, he’s doing well. His mind, however, is failing him.”
“Alzheimer’s, right?”
“Yeah, that’s right.” Maddox stretched out his fingers to avoid the fists that always came when talk of his father ensued. Speaking with others who knew the father Maddox had grown up with was hard. To watch a strong, proud man lose himself wasn’t easy. “He has glimpses of his past every so often, but nothing more than that.”
The chief looked troubled by this news, his expression tightening. “He doesn’t remember you?”
“No, sir.”
“Damn shame that is,” the chief said, clucking with his mouth and shaking his head. “I’m sorry to hear that, Maddox. I know that being your father meant a lot to him.”
“Thank you, sir. It is what it is, and truthfully, he’s happy and spending his days surrounded by pretty nurses.” Maddox smiled.
“There’s always an upside to everything, I suppose.”
Maddox agreed with a nod. He’d accepted his father’s diagnosis after receiving it. There wasn’t anything he could do to stop the way the disease ate away at his father’s mind, so he’d made peace with it.
Now, when he went and visited his dad, Maddox played the part of support worker at the nursing home, instead of the son his father had raised. The reminder of everything he’d forgotten usually sent his father into a rage. So Maddox stopped reminding him.
Obviously sensing that Maddox didn’t want to continue, Dalton shifted to a surprising topic. “I actually came by today to ask how Joss O’Neil’s first week was?”
Maddox froze. “I wasn’t aware that you knew O’Neil,” he stated gently, not to overstep. “May I ask how you two are acquainted?”
“Her father used to be my partner. Didn’t you know that?”
Maddox’s heart rate began to slow, a connection forming that he hadn’t expected. “No, I wasn’t aware.”
The chief paused as three rookies chatting loudly amongst themselves passed by Maddox’s office. One look at Dalton and their mouths snapped shut. The chief chuckled, seemingly amused by the power he held over the younger generation of cops, before addressing Maddox again. “It’s old news, I’m sure,” he explained, pulling on the cuffs of his shirt. “We were partners during our thirties and early forties, a few years after I worked beat with your dad. Our families became very close during that time, and her father called me last night since they’re traveling in Paris. He was concerned that maybe some of the staff would give her a bit of a hard time considering the connection I have to her family.”
Maddox’s jaw clenched tightly as he realized everything Joss had stacked against her. She was going to have to fight harder than most to get the respect she deserved because she was so well connected, and that was without having an affair with her superior.
“So, how’s Jossie doing?” Dalton asked.
Jossie?
I’m a dead man. He took a sip of his coffee to gather his thoughts, set the mug down next to his computer’s keyboard, and explained, “She’s a good asset to the team. Clever. Fair. Hardworking.” Beautiful. Intriguing. Strong.
The chief smiled. “She hasn’t received any trouble, has she?”
“Not that I’m aware of,” Maddox replied. “But I’m not sure she’d come to me if she had.”
“What makes you say that?”
Maddox snorted softly. “Because I’m her superior officer, she’s a rookie, and I’m a man.”
“I suppose you’re right,” Dalton continued thoughtfully. “Although, word does spread quickly if anyone feels that someone is being treated differently.” He paused, watching Maddox closely. Obviously, whatever he saw in Maddox’s expression comforted him since he continued. “Regardless that there hasn’t been any trouble yet, Joss means a great deal to my family and me. I can trust that you’ll take care of her while she’s here, Hunt?”
And there was the warning.
Maddox saw the threat in Dalton’s narrowed eyes. Joss was clearly beloved by him. That’s when Maddox knew the complication he’d thought he faced before was nothing compared to what he was up against now.
The thing was, no one dictated Maddox’s life, not even the police chief.
Regardless of the mess he’d landed himself in, and even if a plan to move forward wasn’t solidified, he stared into Dalton’s eyes and made an easy promise, “Of course, sir. She’s safe on my team.”
* * *
At the end of his shift, Maddox had planned to go to the gym and burn off some steam. He’d questioned himself a thousand times when it came to Joss. If things went south with her, the risks were hefty ones. Earl
ier today with Dalton only reminded him that he walked on dangerous ground. Logic told him to steer clear of her. And yet, there he was. At her front door.
Now decided, he lifted his hand and knocked twice.
Not a second later, the door whisked open. The light from her living room spilled out into the night, and the remaining strands of his indecision evaporated. Tonight, she wore gray jogging pants and a purple T-shirt. Her hair was pulled back in a tight ponytail, and her face was fresh, without any makeup. When heat flooded him, swelling his cock, he knew he’d made the right decision to see her tonight. There was nowhere else he wanted to be than right there with her.
When she took him in on her porch, her eyes went huge. “What are you doing here?” she gasped, glancing behind him as if he’d brought people with pitchforks to get her.
Beginning to feel unwanted, he shoved his hands into his pockets and chuckled. “Is this usually how you greet your guests?”
She didn’t laugh with him. In fact, she looked stunned, unmoving. She blinked twice. “What’s wrong?”
“Nothing’s wrong.” He frowned. “I’d like to talk to you. If that’s all right.”
She blinked again. “Why?”
He began to narrow his eyes on her. “Joss, I want to talk to you. If you’d like me to leave, tell me to go, and I’ll go.”
“No, no, it’s not that.” She opened the door a little wider, the shock lessening slightly on her face. “You have me thinking that someone saw us last night, and now I’m being slut-shamed at the station. Please tell me that’s not true.”
“Believe me,” he said seriously, giving her a measured look. “If you were being slut-shamed, I’d be dealing with that instead of standing here at your front door trying to talk to you.”
“Oh, thank God.” She sagged against the door, obviously relieved. When she straightened, her expression turned curious. “If you’re not here because we’ve been found out, then why are you here?”
He paused. Then, “I’ve come to talk about us.”
Now it was her turn to pause. “But I thought there was no ‘us?’”
“There wasn’t, but I’d like to change that.”
She stepped away from the door, folding her arms. “Color me confused, but doesn’t that go against your ‘I don’t date’ policy?”
“Which is exactly the problem, isn’t it?” He couldn’t beat around the bush. Things needed to be crystal-clear. “I’d like to propose something to you that may work for both of us. I’d prefer to do that inside your house, instead of outside on your porch. May I come in?”
She watched him a moment, nibbling on her lip before she opened the door fully, letting him inside. He entered then moved into her living room. Her home was cute and quaint—much like the woman on his mind lately. Simple, but classy. Warm, and inviting.
Once he’d reached her couch, he turned around to face her and got right to the point of his visit. “Here’s the thing. I want to explore what’s going on between us a little more, if you’re up for that.”
She leaned against the living room’s doorframe, giving him a cute, quizzical look. “I’m sorry, but I’m not exactly sure what you’re asking me here. Last night was supposed to get me out of your system. Weren’t you the one who said you don’t date?”
“You’re right, I did. I don’t,” he replied, taking a seat on the armrest of her couch and folding his arms, watching her carefully. “We wouldn’t be dating.”
“So you’re suggesting something more in the way of friends-with-benefits?”
“That’s right.” Maddox needed to be careful, more careful than he’d ever been before with any woman. No broken hearts. Get his fix, sedate his craving for her. Then they could both move on. But the past had proven that it would take more than two quick fucks to fulfill him. He needed to explore her fully, enjoy her entirely. “What do you think of that idea?”
Again she nibbled her bottom lip, considering him. “Have you had a lot of these types of relationships?”
“No,” he admitted, knowing full well what his admission implied, but there was no going back. To have her, he needed honesty and trust. And he wanted to have her again and again until he calmed this insatiable need. “I already told you, I never come back for seconds.”
She hesitated. Then shook her head. “But you want thirds with me?”
“Yes.”
Another pause. Her eyes searching his. “Why?”
He rose from the armrest and moved to her in two large strides. Her sugary scent engulfed him as he took her into his arms. He noted the sexy smile she gave him seconds before he sealed his mouth across hers to make a point. In the same manner she had before, she melted against him, going all soft and warm and meeting him with a passion that spoke to him on every level as a man.
There was a connection between them that was as rare as it was perfect. A connection that he’d tried to refuse yet one that had become stronger since he’d touched her again. A connection he needed to explore.
When he broke off the kiss and backed away, her cheeks were rosy, and her lips were pink and swollen. Her light eyes screamed fuck me. “That’s why,” he told her, dragging his thumb across her damp lips. “There’s something here, no? Something that’s a little bit curious and wildly addictive. But there are also risks. Risks that are very serious because of our jobs. I’ve made my choice to accept those risks. But you need to make them for yourself.”
She blinked once, then her eyes became less heated and more focused. “I’m willing to take those risks, too, if you can promise that this thing between us doesn’t become public knowledge.”
His mouth twitched. “You think I’m going to kiss and tell?”
She didn’t falter and shrugged. “Everyone has friends. I don’t mind you sharing your life with those friends, but I want to make sure you trust them enough not to say anything. This”—she gestured between them—“getting out would be a big headache for me.”
He parted his lips to respond and then shut them, stunned. A smart, strong mind was incredibly sexy. She threw him off his game a little. He’d expected to be the one worried that she would talk.
Regardless, he explained, “My close friend Grey knows about you, but considering our jobs,” he added to reassure her, “and the trouble it would bring for us, I don’t intend to speak of our relationship in detail with him or with anyone else. Do you?”
She walked around him and took the spot on the armrest where he’d been sitting earlier. “To be perfectly honest, I’ve already told Emilia every single detail about what happened between us.”
Emilia was part of the police force. He didn’t like that connection. “Even what happened at the barbeque?”
“Not yet, but I will.” At his frown, she added, “She’s my best friend, Maddox. We don’t have secrets. But I can promise that she’s also a vault. What I tell her will never get out.”
The honesty between the two women left Maddox feeling uncertain. On one hand, he didn’t known Emilia like Joss did. On the other hand, Emilia clearly hadn’t told anyone about Joss and Maddox’s one-night stand a year ago, so he put his trust into Joss now. “All right,” he said, conceding. “If you trust her, then that’s good enough for me.” Besides, Joss had a lot to lose if this information got out, including her reputation. That meant she trusted Emilia a great deal. “Now, let’s be very clear on this, all right? If you want out, you’ll tell me, yes?”
She paused, watching him intently and then burst out laughing.
“Something funny?” He frowned.
“Sorry, but yes.” She sighed away her laughter, her cheeks flushing pink, her eyes twinkling. “Has anyone ever told you that you’re the biggest contradiction ever?” Her mouth twitched as she obviously fought more laughter. “Did you know that you have a reputation for being a heartbreaker?”
“Yes, I’m aware,” he grumbled, not proud of that title. He never meant to break a woman’s heart. He never made them any promises. But some women couldn�
�t handle a one-night stand even if they originally said they could. Hence why this conversation was so important. “But do let me in on why me being a supposed heartbreaker is so amusing to you.”
Her eyes still laughed at him. “From what I’ve seen of you so far, you seem upfront and honest, so I’m trying to understand how anyone could have misread you so much.”
“And that’s funny to you?”
She smiled. “What’s funny is how serious you are about all this.”
“I don’t play games,” he reiterated. “I can’t give you a relationship, but I can give you an adventure. You need to be okay with that for us to proceed. I don’t want to hurt you.”
She rose then and moved to him, placing her hands on his folded arms. “You won’t hurt me. I can handle a friends-with-benefits relationship with you. This is good, and if it ever becomes not good, I’ll tell you.”
“We’re all clear, then? No misunderstandings?”
“Crystal-clear. Just sex. I got it.” She gave a sexy grin, pressed herself against him, and practically purred, “So, about this just sex we’re having. What exactly do you have in mind?”
“Something filthy, of course.” He grinned, unfolding his arms to grab hold of her.
“Oh, I like the sound of that.” She rose on her tiptoes, begging him for a kiss.
He ignored the offer, determined to say what he needed to. “We can start off slow—”
“No, Maddox, that’s not what I want,” she said, wiggling against him, inviting him to take her right there in her living room. “I don’t want gentle. I don’t want careful. I want what you’ve given me already.”
He stared at her mouth and swiped his thumb across her parted lips. “And what’s that?”
“Something raw and real. Passionate and wild.”
He dropped his head, bringing his mouth so close to hers, he could feel her warm breath against his lips. “If that’s what you want, then there’s something you’ll need to do for me.”
“What’s that?”
“Wait.”
His grin rose at the surprise rushing across her features. When he walked by her, she called, “Wait for what?”
Heartbreaker (Filthy Dirty Love #1) Page 4