The surprise in his voice was evident, even over the din of the crowd.
I turned and regarded him closely, studying his blonde hair, angular nose, full lips, and square jaw before answering. “Yes. For now anyway. He’s working.”
He cracked a smile, and I suddenly remembered the name that belonged to the voice. James. Shiloh’s husband. The SWAT officer for Kilgore Police Department.
His eyes studied me back, taking in my ponytail, my school shirt, shorts, and Radar before asking his next question.
“If he’s working, why doesn’t he have his partner with him?” He asked in surprise.
“He’s using Kosher tonight.” I said simply.
His head tilted. “Where’d he get a new dog?”
“Why are you nagging my woman, Allen?” Trance’s voice called from the railing below.
My eyes turned to see him leaning his arms along the rail, staring up at us. I stood, effectively making Radar stand, too, and walked over to him.
His eyes flared the closer I got, and I realized he was looking up my shorts.
I snorted and smoothed them down.
He smiled unapologetically, and winked at me.
Boys will be boys, and all.
He was looking hot himself.
He was decked out in his police gear, except today he had on a pair of Ray-Bans that covered his beautiful eyes.
Dropping down so my butt rested against the back of my calves, I found myself staring into his eyes. “Hey,” I said, studying the stitches that Trance was hopeful would be coming out tomorrow.
The swelling had gone down quite a bit, and all that was left was a thin raised red line from ear to temple.
“Who dropped you off?” He asked.
I changed the subject; I really didn’t want to get Adeline in trouble, because I knew for certain it would get back to Kettle.
“How’s Kosher doing with the large crowd?” I asked.
He narrowed his eyes at my evasion, but let me have my way. “He’s a little jumpy, but overall, he’s doing really well.”
I agreed with him. “The loud noises and sheer amount of people is kind of overwhelming. We’ve never been in this type of situation before.”
His eyes locked onto my face and studied it a few moments before answering. “If you need me, just call. I like that you’re sitting with them, though. They’ll take care of you.”
I laughed at that. “Radar won’t even let me pee by myself. I doubt that he’d let anything get close to me that he didn’t deem fit. Let alone hurt me.”
“That’s good. I don’t want anybody to get close to you.”
I leaned forward and gave him a wet kiss on the mouth before standing. “If you happen to go by the concession stand, I want a plate of nachos, Sour Punches, a pickle, and a Mountain Dew.”
He just shook his head and walked away.
I watched him until he disappeared in the crowd.
Well, his ass, anyway.
***
“Bad boys, bad boys,” Shiloh sang. “Whatcha gonna do? Whatcha gonna do when they come for you?”
Without even thinking, I answered with, “Hopefully come with them.”
The same thing I’d said to my sister only hours before.
Which caused a riot of laughter out of the women on the other side of Shiloh.
Ember, a badass blonde, had joined us about five minutes ago to come and give her husband, Gabe, a kiss.
She was the trainer for the Kilgore Athletic Department.
Payton, a nurse, was on the other side of Ember, leaning practically over Shiloh and Ember’s lap to yell at me. “Will you share?”
I looked up just in time to see Trance walking towards us with my order from the concession stand. “Fuck no. Trance is all mine.”
Payton giggled. “No, dummy. I was talking about the food.”
“Oh,” I said. “No. You can’t have that either.”
They burst out laughing, and I stood before walking back over to the railing.
“Thank you!” I squealed.
“I expect payment in the form of sexual favors later.” He said as he handed over my drink, nachos, pickle and Sour Punches.
I placed it all on the metal flooring and snuck my upper body through the rails, wrapping my arms around his neck.
I could feel the heavy layers of his Kevlar vest underneath my hands, and I leaned back and regarded him. “Is that vest hot?”
He raised his hand and made a tiny gap in between his thumb and forefinger. “Tid-bit.”
I could tell he was teasing. Mainly because he was sweating like a pig.
It was in the low nineties, but the humidity was what made it so sticky out.
I offered him my coke and he declined. “I drank half of it on my way over already.”
I mock glared at him and gave him one more kiss before he left to do another round with Kosher.
Radar watched them go with longing eyes, so I gave him a nacho to make him feel better.
A sudden uproar from the crowd in front of me had me looking up in time to see a man in blue and gold streaking down the field, leaving everyone behind him in the dust.
“What number is that?” I asked excitedly.
“58.” James, Shiloh’s husband, answered.
I started shrieking. “Go Falco! Go! Run those legs off! GO!”
When he scored, and the home crowd started going wild, I assumed that he made it to the end zone, and I started jumping up and down in excitement. “Woo hoo!”
It was only when the silence of those around me finally started sinking in that I realized I was routing for the home team on the visitor’s side. And all of them were giving me the evil stink eye.
Shiloh’s face was priceless. She was also laughing at my plight.
I sat down, trying to contain the excited squirms that were happening in me.
James snorted. “It’s okay, darlin’. We’ll protect you from those hardcore moms over there.”
I looked in the direction that he’d indicated to find myself staring down a gaggle of moms that were painted from head to toe in red and black. All staring at little old me in my blue and yellow shirt.
“Oh, shit.” I mumbled.
Snorts from all the men this time followed my comment.
Ignoring them as best I could, I finished my nachos and pickle, picked up my drink and Sour Punches, and stood.
“Alright, I’ve got to go make the rounds before this game ends. Thank you for letting me sit with you”
After saying my goodbyes, I walked carefully through the throng of people around the gated track.
It was as we were on the way to the bathroom that I encountered my arch nemesis exiting the very door I was about to go into.
Radar went from calm and collected, to alert and stiff.
He sat, and for the life of me, I couldn’t get him to move. Even worse, he was sitting right in front of Sandra. One I really, really didn’t want to talk to right then.
Sandra sneered at me, and then down at Radar. When she tried to get around us, Radar would snarl, halting her in her tracks.
“Fuck,” I breathed.
“Move out of my way.” Sandra snapped.
I started pulling on Radar’s leash, but he was an immovable mountain.
With no other options available, I resorted to the one thing that could make Radar do anything.
Pulling my phone out, I called Trance.
“Spurlock.” He answered.
I couldn’t hear him very well, but I started to explain anyway, in a vain attempt to figure out what the hell was going on.
“Get him away from me, Sheffield!” Sandra shrieked.
“I’m trying. He won’t move!” I bellowed.
I could hear shuffling on Trance’s end, as well as him asking me urgently what was going on.
“Listen to me,” I snapped. It might have been at Trance, or it might have been at Sandra. I didn’t really know, but it was good that they both listened. “I can�
�t get Radar to move.”
“Is he sitting down, standing, or laying down?” Trance asked in alarm.
Looking down at Radar, I explained. “He’s sitting down. His tail isn’t wagging, and anytime Sandra tries to move, he growls.”
“Where are you?” He cursed.
“The bathrooms...” I said just as my voice trailed off when I realized which bathroom she’d come out of. It was the men’s bathroom. “The men’s bathroom.”
What it looked like to me was that there was the men’s bathroom on one side of the concession stand, and the women’s on the other. I’d gone to the closest side to the bleachers since that was usually how bathrooms were set up.
So that had me thinking, why exactly was she coming out of the men’s bathroom?
But then, none other than my ex-boyfriend, Paul, came waltzing out only seconds after that thought, and I had a near panic attack.
What the fuck?
Not that I care that they’re together, but how fucking weird is it that the woman that hates me with a passion and the man that I used to date are both coming out of the bathroom looking extremely...disheveled. And why the hell won’t Radar fucking move?
I stared blankly ahead, with the phone down at my side. Maybe if I played like I couldn’t see them, and couldn’t figure out why Radar wouldn’t move, they wouldn’t start anything.
There were a ton of people around. Surely, they wouldn’t try anything.
Right?
Wrong.
The slimy bastard that was my ex walked straight up to me and placed his hand on my face. The same hand that smelled of things that I swear to God I didn’t, nor ever wanted to again, smell.
“I’ve missed you, sweetie.” He said softly.
My insides were roiling in panic. This was the same sick fuck who was masturbating to the smell of my panties. Who’d broken into my house and scared the ever-loving shit out of me.
Sandra’s eyes were murderous, and if looks could kill, I would be bleeding from orifices right about now.
“Get your filthy motherfucking hands off of her...now.”
Deadly.
If his voice could resemble an object, I would’ve compared it to a serrated knife.
Jagged and deadly.
His tone booked no room for argument, but the dog that was currently between us didn’t wait for him to comply. He just struck.
With a deadly attack, Radar launched himself at the man threatening me.
The hand that had refused to leave my face was suddenly just...gone. Radar had taken Paul by the leg, and maneuvered him to the floor with a motion so swift that it was hard for me to track it with my eyes.
One second Paul was standing, and the next Radar had Paul by the throat.
“Heel!” Trance roared.
Radar instantly stopped. One second he was at Paul’s throat, and the next he was at my feet, crowding me with his big body.
We’d attracted a crowd with Sandra’s screaming, as well as Paul’s whining.
“I’m going to sue you, mother fucker. You’ll be lucky if that dog still lives in the morning!” Paul snarled.
“Yeah? Well he would’ve never attacked you if he hadn’t felt provoked. I also have a strong suspicion one of you has some narcotics on you. Kosher, search.”
My mind was reeling as the crowd started to gather even closer. Some people had cell phone cameras out; others were on their phones, talking to people. We’d even attracted the notice of the cheerleaders.
Kosher searched Paul, his prone body still lying on the floor clutching his wounded leg to his chest. After circling him twice, he went to the screeching Sandra who was now being cuffed by another officer that had arrived on scene.
As soon as he got within two feet of her, he sat.
Which must have been the sign that he’d found something. In fact, it’s exactly what Radar had done only moments before the altercation.
Trance gave Kosher a good rub down and played tug of war with the dog, making Radar whine pitifully at my feet.
In response, I got down on my knees and hugged Radar tight, burying my face into the fur of his neck and speaking to him about nothing consequential.
Then I snuck him a Power Punch, which he promptly licked the sugar off before dropping it back on the exposed skin of my thigh.
“Thanks,” I said dryly to the dog.
He responded with a tail thump, and we watched as EMTs got Paul up onto a backboard, and hauled him away, with Sandra being escorted on their heels by the other police officer.
Trance squatted down so he was eye to eye with me before making sure I was okay. “What happened, cupcake? Did he hurt you?”
I shook my head. “No, he only touched me with his hands.” I shivered.
His nose wrinkled in distaste as he stood. “Well,” he said holding out his hand for me to stand. “I think it’s time we get out of here. Game’s over. Now I have to go write a few police reports.”
He was looking at Radar who was still leaning against my feet as he spoke. Radar who refused to even look at Trance.
Which Trance noticed and frowned.
“I think he’s mad at you.” I observed as we started to walk to Trance’s cruiser.
“Yeah, I’m sure he is. He did his job tonight, and I didn’t reward him like I usually do.” Trance explained.
“But you were working with Kosher and couldn’t. He’ll understand. Maybe if you buy him a bone he’ll forgive you.” I teased as we walked through the gates, the people giving us all a wide berth now that they saw what Radar was capable of.
When we got into the car and started on our way home, I finally asked what was on my mind. “Will he be able to do anything against Radar?”
Trance didn’t answer at first.
And I knew that somehow that was a bad sign.
“Paul is a well-liked physician with a lot of clout. He got out of prison after wanking off on your bed and breaking in with just a slap on the wrist. I think that in this case, he really could do what he said he could do. But that’ll happen over my dead body.”
I watched as he opened his mouth to say more, but closed it again before anything else could come out.
He did that two more times, and I knew he had more to say. So I waited patiently as he warred with himself.
I watched the clock on the dashboard go from 10:22 to 10:25 before he finally worked through whatever he was mulling about in his mind.
“He had three video cameras in your house. One in your room. One in your bathroom. And one in your living room.”
My eyes widened at his cold tone, and a slow burn started to shimmer in the pit of my belly.
“Why didn’t you tell me?” I asked in outrage.
His head dropped until it rested on the steering wheel. “Honestly? I just didn’t want you to have to carry that burden around with you. You already had to deal with the sick fuck breaking into your house. I was just trying to protect you. Loki’s going to need you to file a report. None of the charges are going to stick, though. He said that it was part of y’all’s sex games or some shit. That everything was consensual. And he has a good lawyer.”
My teeth clenched so hard I half expected my back molars to crack. “Well, that wasn’t very helpful. I need to know shit like this. Stop trying to fucking protect me. You don’t own me. You have no right.”
I wasn’t actually mad at him. I was mad at myself. Disappointed in myself. Everything that had happened lately had happened because of me. I should have known better. I was just so excited to have someone interested in me. Paul was the first one to not treat me with kid gloves, and I relished in that fact.
Trance’s head lifted from the wheel, and his burning eyes turned in my direction.
He lifted his hand until his hand was cupping my jaw, and he squeezed it just a tad too tight. “You listen here. It’s my fucking right to know everything when it comes to you and your safety. You get a speeding ticket, I have a right to know about it. You fall and scrape your
knee, I have a right to know about it. Hell, you eat all the goddamn eggs, and I have a fucking right to know about it. What gave me the right? You spreading those pretty goddamn legs of yours and taking me into your body. That’s what gives me the motherfuckin’ right.”
I blinked at the harshness of his tone, and his adamancy on the rights he received just by fucking me.
Well, he was sorely mistaken if he thought I was going to let him get his way just because he pulled the alpha card.
“You can’t kill him.” I finally said.
He snorted. “Why not?”
“Because if you ever want to fuck me again, you know, ‘cause it’s your right, you’ll make sure you don’t have anything to do with him anymore. I’ll file a police report against him tomorrow, but I don’t want you involved anymore. Let Loki handle it. Your job is too important to put it in jeopardy.”
“We’ll see.” He hedged.
I knew he wouldn’t let it go. I wasn’t stupid. But maybe if he understood that I was adamant about him not hurting Paul, he’d think twice before actually killing him.
It also made me feel warm inside. Happy enough that someone cared enough to make sure I wasn’t harmed.
However, it wouldn’t be good if he knew I was happy.
He’d just be that much more smug about the whole not telling me situation. And that wouldn’t do. It was time for the silent treatment. That would teach him.
Which was why, when I got back to his place, I went straight to his room and shut the door.
I had some serious thinking to do, and him being in my presence wouldn’t help.
It was those damn dimples. They were freaking distracting as hell when you’re trying to hold onto a good snit.
I had the best of intentions of rocking that snit too. That was until my head hit the pillow and I fell asleep.
Chapter 14
Do you ever wonder why they didn’t make the Pringles can big enough for normal people to fit their hands into? If they did, I wouldn’t have to pour them directly into my mouth.
-Miller to Trance
Trance
Two hours later, I found myself with a house full of guests. My mom had just left after dropping over leftover dinner for Viddy and me with instructions to meet her for breakfast in the morning.
Kevlar to My Vest Page 16