Lewis Security

by Glenna Sinclair

  It had to end. And I had to end it.

  “Do what you’re gonna do then, pal. Get it over with. You don’t point a gun at a man’s head without doing something about it.”

  It all happened at once. Lauren screamed. Peter turned his whole body in her direction. I lunged for him while grabbing for my gun. “Get down!” I roared as I hooked an arm around his neck, and she dropped to the floor. I used the other arm to knock his weapon free, then pressed the muzzle of my Glock to his temple.

  “How’s it feel?” I muttered in his ear as the cops poured from the supply room. Peter groaned and sank against me. He stank of sweat and fear. I was too glad to let him go once the police had him under control.

  She ran to me and launched herself into my arms. “I can’t believe you did that,” she sobbed against my neck. “I thought you were dead. He could’ve pulled the trigger whenever he wanted, and…”

  “But he didn’t. He didn’t.” I stroked her back as she trembled.

  “You came for me. You really came.” She leaned back and took my face in her hands.

  “Did you think I wouldn’t?”

  “I didn’t know. I was so mean.”

  I wiped away her tears with my thumbs. There she was, in my arms, when I was so sure I was going to lose her. He could’ve shot her at any time, too. People didn’t always get second chances. We were luckier than most. I wouldn’t miss the chance to make the most of what we had.

  “None of that matters. I couldn’t leave you here, no matter what you said. I love you.”

  A wide smile lit up her face. “I love you, Marcus.”

  I pulled her as close as I could and crushed my mouth against hers.

  ***

  “I hope you don’t think I was trying to keep you out of the loop because I didn’t think you were doing a good job,” Pax said when he met us at the police station later that night. “That wasn’t what I had in mind at all.”

  “I have to ask, then. Why did you?”

  He sighed, and I thought again about how worried and tired he looked. Older, too. “I knew you were too close to the case, and I didn’t want you going back to her and telling her what we were planning before it was time.”

  “You don’t trust me to know what needs to be kept professional?”

  “I know how tough it is to keep work and personal concerns separate. And look what happened when you found out Lauren was in trouble.” He raised an eyebrow. “You didn’t need to go in there. Maybe you shouldn’t have—the guy pointed a gun at your forehead. What would’ve happened if he pulled the trigger?”

  “We both know what would’ve happened, but that’s the choice I made.”

  “You didn’t think clear and leave the work to the men and women whose job it is to do the work. You went in because it was personal—don’t think I blame you for that,” he added, holding up a hand to stop when it was clear I was about to argue with him. “I don’t blame you one bit. I would’ve gone in, too. Maybe we’re too much alike. And that’s why I knew you couldn’t find out about the case changing beforehand. You would come to me with a bunch of arguments over why she still needed us.”

  “And I was right about that, wasn’t I? If all of it had taken place tomorrow instead of today, I wouldn’t be monitoring the bank’s feed anymore. The only reason she made it out alive was because we didn’t have the chance to take back our equipment.”

  “Not true. The cops knew she swiped in at the bank. They would’ve gone in, anyway.”

  “But they wouldn’t have known there was a maniac with a gun on her inside the bank. They would’ve thought it was just her in there, alone. What do you think he would’ve done? He might have blown her brains out and made it look like suicide. The cops might have been satisfied to assume it was—they had her cornered, they knew she was guilty, so she killed herself. You know how they go for the most obvious answer when it’s a case like this. You know it’s true.”

  “You keep using the word ‘might’, but I’m not gonna argue with you anymore. I’m only trying to tell you that I didn’t mean to exclude you.” He clapped one hand on my shoulder. “And I’m glad things turned out the way they did. You did good work in there, getting him away from her. I was watching on your laptop, outside the bank.”

  “Thanks.” I watched as he walked down the hall and agreed with him. I was glad things had turned out the way they had. Happier than I had been in a long time.

  “You ready to go?” Lauren walked out of Ricardo’s office looking like she’d just been hit by a truck. Her black hair was back in a messy bun, her eyes were still red and swollen from all the crying she’d done. To me, she had never looked more beautiful. She was alive and mine.

  “Ready if you are.” She wrapped her arms around my waist and I draped an arm over her shoulders. We walked out looking like two vets who had just seen battle, but I never felt better in my life.

  Epilogue– Lauren

  My hands were shaking when I hung up the phone. I stared at my desk without blinking. Could I really have heard what I thought I just heard? No. It had to be a delusion. Or they had the wrong number.

  “You okay over there?” Felicia asked from her window.

  “Hmm?” I didn’t look up. No way I could’ve had that conversation.

  “I asked if you were okay. You look like you just got terrible news.”

  I shook my head. “No. It’s good news, actually. I think.” I had no idea what to do. I had hoped for it and imagined it. I had even planned on it. I hadn’t expected it so soon, was all. Nothing was happening the way I thought it would.

  George didn’t look surprised when I ran into his office and told him—it made sense, since the bank’s VP would’ve spoken to him before offering me a job in the corporate office. “This is exciting.” His voice was even, measured, and it was tough to tell what he really thought about it.

  “Lots of things are exciting, George. This is…extremely sudden, and would require a big life change. Working in Manhattan, commuting there every day…”

  He waited, eyebrows raised. When I trailed off, he prompted, “And? Is that all you think of to talk yourself out of it? Because that doesn’t seem like a lot in the cons column.”

  “I’d miss you. I’d miss all my friends here.” I sank into one of the chairs across from him. “I would miss everybody so much. This is like my second home. I spend more time here than I do in my apartment.”

  “That’s how work goes,” he said with a shrug. “You’ll make new friends. In the meantime, you’ll also make a lot more money. True or false?”

  “True. And you know it, because they probably already discussed that with you.”

  “You know we don’t discuss salaries, but such a tremendous promotion has to come with a commensurate pay raise. Meanwhile, you’ll work in the city. Life will be more exciting.”

  “Uh, I’ve had enough excitement, in case you forgot.”

  He chuckled. “It’s been eight months. You’ve had a lot of time to get over your excitement.”

  “Still.” I chewed my bottom lip.

  “What’s the real problem here? Why are you second-guessing yourself?”

  “I don’t feel like I’m ready yet. I haven’t earned it yet.”

  “You’ve built up a sterling work record here. I’ve made it a point to sing your praises to anybody who’ll listen.”

  “So you think this is a good idea, then?”

  “It sounds like a great opportunity.” He didn’t sound like he thought it was such a great opportunity, and that went straight to my heart. He didn’t want to let me go—I wouldn’t, either, if I were him. I was the best assistant he’d ever have. Still, he was willing to encourage me because he knew it was the best move I could make. Much better than a go-nowhere position in some little nothing branch.

  “It does sound great.” It didn’t feel quite right yet, though. “What will you do?”

  “Me?”

  “Yeah, you.”

  He shrugged. “I’l
l get another assistant. What, do you think you’re God’s gift or something?”

  I raised an eyebrow. “You want an honest answer to that question?”

  His laugh made me feel a little better. “I didn’t have high hopes for you when you first started here, you know. I trained you. I can train somebody else.”

  “Wait—you didn’t have high hopes for me? How come?”

  “Can you stop being such a perfectionist for once? It doesn’t matter now. I just want you to know, seriously.” He leaned in just a bit. “I’ll miss you, but I always knew you were too good for your job. You’re not the sort of girl who stays an assistant for your entire life.”

  I looked at the floor. “Thanks.”

  “Take the job. I know you want to. Learn everything you can. Pretty soon, you’ll be sitting in the VP’s chair—not outside his office.”

  “I’m just unsure what it’ll be like, working with people who thought I might have robbed them. Are we sure they’re not offering me the job just to make it up to me?” I lifted my eyes just enough to see his face, and the shit-eating grin that slowly spread across it was a surprise.

  “So what if they are? Make sure you get what’s coming to you. Make sure that every time they do business with you, they remember how wrong they were.”

  ***

  “What did you do?”

  “I thought I’d talk it over with you first before I commit myself either way.”

  Marcus blinked. “Why would you want to talk it over with me?”

  I winced and hoped my discomfort wasn’t obvious to the diners around us. We’d gone out for a nice dinner at our favorite restaurant and I’d thought we could celebrate over my job offer. “Why wouldn’t I?” Not exactly what I had expected him to say—then again, when was that not an issue? He usually found a way to surprise me with the things he said. He always meant well. Always. He just didn’t always express himself well.

  Just like then. He chuckled at himself. “I mean why would you take the time to talk with me about it when it’s such a great opportunity? Why even wait to say yes?”

  “Because…I don’t know…” I trailed off, grasping wildly for things to say. I wished a waiter would come around and ask how everything was going when I needed him to, for once. But no, he’d wait until my mouth was full. “I figured this is a pretty big life change for me, and you’re a big part of my life. It just makes sense that I would want to go over it with you before committing myself.”

  He swallowed hard and looked distinctly uncomfortable. For one wild moment, I was sure I had totally misread everything. Eight months in a relationship, practically living together between me staying over at his place and vice versa. Who could blame me for thinking I meant something to him? Why did I suddenly feel like an all-day sucker for believing he wanted to create a life with me?

  “Am I completely off-base?” I asked, and there was no apology in my voice. I might have been full of self-doubt, but I wasn’t the doormat I used to be. “Have I been wasting my time thinking we were something real?”

  “No! Why would you even think that?” He looked around like he was afraid I was attracting negative attention. I didn’t care if I was or not.

  “Because you’re so damn hard to read. You look at me like a deer in headlights all because I made the crazy assumption that my boyfriend of eight months considered himself a big part of my life.”

  “I do,” he murmured with a slight smirk.

  “So what’s the problem? Why do you look like you swallowed something sour?”

  “I didn’t mean to. I guess my thoughts ran away with me. You mentioned the word ‘commit’ and it triggered something.”

  “Right. Commit. A dirty word to most men,” I sneered.

  “You know I’m not most men. I’m tired of playing around, too.”

  “What’s that mean?”

  He slid a box across the table in my direction. “It means I had my own commitment to talk about tonight.”

  Somebody hit me with a ton of bricks. That had to be the explanation. I was dazed and dizzy and had no idea which way was up. It was like the whole world turned upside down.

  “What is this?” I stared down at the black box.

  “Open it and see.”

  Easier said than done. My hands shook so hard, I could barely manage to grip the box, much less open it. When I finally managed, the sight of an emerald-cut diamond ring took my breath away. It caught the candlelight and seemed to dance in front of my eyes. Or maybe that was dizziness. Maybe I was about to faint. I suddenly felt intensely woozy.

  “Remember…when we talked about me fainting?” I swayed in my chair.

  “Don’t! Don’t faint on me!” He appeared by my side, down on one knee, chuckling. “Stay with me, okay?”

  “Okay.” I smiled down at him. “Wow. This is unexpected.”

  “You said it yourself.” He slid the ring on my outstretched finger. “I consider myself a big part of your life. As for me, you’re my entire life. Beginning and end and everything in between. I can’t live without you. Please be my wife.”

  So much for not getting the attention of everyone else in the restaurant. They turned to us, smiling, pointing. I looked around and made myself a promise that I would never, ever forget it. Not a single second. Not the candlelight or the smiling faces or the way he looked up into my face with the most gorgeous smile I’d ever seen. Certainly not the certainty that I was about to make the best decision of my entire life.

  I took a deep breath. “Yes. I will.”

  ***

  Later on, in bed, I admired the ring again. It sparkled even in near total darkness.

  “You haven’t stopped looking at that thing all night,” he murmured, already half-asleep after making love for hours. I was still pulsing and quivering in the aftermath.

  “It’s beautiful. Who could blame me?”

  He chuckled as he rolled us both over until he pinned me to the bed. “You’re beautiful.” My giggles turned to sighs of pleasure as he nibbled my neck…then moved further south. As always, the feeling of his touch and the sensation of his kiss along my body turned me on instantly.

  I closed my eyes and let pure pleasure take over for thought. His skin was still damp with sweat, making my hands glide over his shoulders and back as he lavished attention on my breasts. When he rolled onto his back and took me with him, I sat up and adjusted him until he was lined up with my entrance. I loved nothing more than watching his expression change while I slid slowly down his length.

  “Yes, baby…” he groaned when I reached the base. I knew from practice just how to move on him, the perfect angle and pace. It took no time to build myself up again between his thick, rigid dick and his hands all over my body. He never got tired of me, just like I never got tired of holding and touching him. Knowing he was all mine, forever.

  “Ride me,” he grunted between thrusts. I sped up, the heat growing and spreading the longer I went and the more he talked dirty to me. Telling me how good it felt, how much he loved watching me, how hot I was, how sexy it was to see me come on top of him.

  “Yes…more…” I gasped, throwing my head back and reveling in the sensation of another orgasm building deep inside me. I knew it would come and I worked for it, welcoming it, tightening around Marcus as it got closer and closer. He started thrusting up into me from underneath and I squealed when the tension broke and another blissful climax washed over me. I dug my nails into his chest as I came, shaking and whimpering.

  Even as pleasure wracked me body and soul, I recognized in the back of my mind how lucky I was. I had a man who adored me, who I adored. Who was my perfect match in every way.Who would put his life on the line to protect me and make love to me all night long. It had taken a long time to find him, but all that time spent waiting and dreaming of him only made him that much more precious.

  I wasn’t finished yet when he rolled us back over, still inside me. “Let’s see how many more of those you have in you,” he whispered
with a sexy grin.

  BOOK 5: PAXTON

  Chapter One – Pax

  “Dad?”

  “Mm-hmm?”

  “Do you ever catch criminals anymore?”

  I glanced back at my too-old-for-her-age daughter as I drove her to her mom’s. “What? Where’s this coming from?”

  “Sasha’s dad is a detective and he catches criminals all the time. She said it’s like the way it is on the TV shows and stuff.” Meanwhile, she was doing something on her phone. I could only see the top of her golden head.

  “What did we agree about the phone?” She lowered it to her lap with a barely audible sigh. One of the rules I absolutely insisted on was the separation between phone time and conversation time. I refused to raise one of those kids whose face was always in a device while the world passed them by.

  “So? Do you catch criminals anymore?” Her eyes were wide, inquisitive, and pure blue. She had a way of looking at me with a complete lack of artifice, totally straightforward. I couldn’t lie to anybody who looked at me that way.

  “Sometimes. I don’t actually catch them, though. The cops do that.”

  “And you’re not a cop anymore.”

  I chuckled. “I haven’t been a cop since you were a baby.”

  “I know.” She leaned her head back against the seat. “It’s just that Sasha’s always bragging on her dad.”

  “You wanna know something? I would bet my next paycheck that she’s making stuff up.”

  She frowned. “You think?”

  “No detective’s job is the way they make it look on TV. Can promise you that. I work with Detective Montez all the time. Remember him?”

  “Oh, yeah. You worked with him when you were a cop, too.”

  “Right. Anyway, believe me, the guy doesn’t live a TV show life. It's pretty boring, most of the time.”

  “Is what you do exciting?”

  There was hope in her voice. She wanted to be proud of me. “Yeah, it can be very exciting. We protect some important people, you know? Like that actress a few years ago.”