Take Me in the Dark (Take Me #2)

by R. L. Kenderson

  “Are you big…everywhere?”

  Sometimes, I liked when I got this question because I was big…everywhere. But tonight, I wasn’t in the mood, so I pretended to be confused. “I don’t follow, ma’am.”

  She laughed and pulled out the chair next to me.

  Great. I should have just told her I had a tiny dick.

  She leaned close to me. “You know what I mean.” She leered down at my crotch so much that I wanted to cover up my lap. She looked back up at me. “Are you hung like a horse?”

  Well, now, there was no way I could play dumb. “No, ma’am. Just average.”

  She reached out to touch me, and I quickly wrapped my fingers around her wrist. If she had reached her goal before I could stop her, she’d know I was a liar, and then I’d never get rid of her.

  “Please don’t touch me.”

  She stuck out her bottom lip. “You’re no fun. I just wanted to play a little. It’s boring here, and I need something to do.” She licked her lips.

  I put her hand on her lap and let go. “Sorry, but I’m meeting a buddy soon.”

  “Franny, this guy bothering you?”

  I groaned. I had heard the guy walk in, but I hadn’t paid him any attention, as I figured he was just another flyer.

  Just my luck, she had a boyfriend. How cliché.

  Franny looked up and stuck out her lip. “Yes, Frank. He tried to make me touch him”—she pointed to my lap—“there.”

  I rolled my eyes. Now, she was playing innocent.

  I turned around in my seat and looked up at the guy. He was about half a foot shorter than me, about seventy-five pounds lighter, and not the least bit intimidating. But I didn’t want to get into a pissing match with him, so I stayed seated.

  The guy narrowed his eyes at me. “You touched my fucking sister?”

  Well, look at that. I was wrong. She was his sister.

  “Technically, yes, but only to remove—”

  I ducked as the brother swung at me. At the same time, I rolled my body as I’d been trained, slipping out of my seat. The guy’s back was now to my front, the force of his missed swing spinning his body forty-five degrees.

  “Look, I don’t want to fight you. I did nothing to disrespect your sister. She came on to me, and I politely turned her down.”

  Frank jumped at hearing me behind him and spun to face me. “You calling my sister a slut?”

  “What the fuck? No. I’m just stating facts. Jesus Christ.”

  “He’s lying,” Franny yelled.

  What a hypocrite.

  Her brother’s lips thinned into a tight line. “Do you think I’m stupid?”

  I heard a beep from my carry-on.

  “Excuse me,” I said and walked over to open my bag.

  The two siblings stared at me in shock, like they couldn’t believe I was going to check my phone when we were in the middle of a fight.

  And while a part of me itched to brawl, too, in the end, it wouldn’t be worth it.

  Mad Dog: I’ll be there in five minutes.

  I threw my duffel over my shoulder and turned my screen black. “Franny, Frank, it was nice meeting you both, but my ride is here.”

  “You can’t just leave,” Frank protested.

  I pointed to the man behind the counter, who held a phone in his hand. “See him? He’s two seconds away from calling security. Now, I don’t feel like sticking around and giving a statement. Do you?”

  “Yes,” Franny said at the same time Frank said, “No.”

  I grinned and slapped Frank on the shoulder. “There you go. I don’t think you’re stupid at all.” I spun on my heel and headed for the stairs as the two started to bicker.

  Less than ten minutes later, I had my luggage, and I was getting into Maddox’s SUV.

  He held out his hand, and I clasped it, pulling him close.

  Maddox pounded my back. “Good to see you.”

  We released our hands and sat back in our seats.

  “You, too.”

  Maddox put his vehicle in drive and asked, “How’s the knee?”

  I squeezed it. It was a little sore after I’d dodged Frank’s fist, but I thought I was going to be okay. “Great.”

  “Good, because we’re going to be busy.”

  I smiled. “That sounds like heaven.”

  Maddox laughed. He understood where I was coming from.

  “How long did it take you to get the kids to bed? You showed up earlier than I’d thought you would.”

  “I’m glad because it felt like forever. The baby’s teething.”

  I grimaced. “I’ll be sure to keep quiet when we get back to your place.”

  “About that…”

  I turned my head to Maddox. “About what?”

  “Addison made arrangements for you to stay in my old apartment above the accounting place.”

  I sent a special thank-you into the night for smart and generous women. “I can see why you married her. That was nice of her.”

  And she probably didn’t want me bothering her kids any more than they would bother me.

  Maddox snorted.

  “Am I missing something?”

  Maddox shook his head. “Nope. She’s just not as nice as you think she is.”

  Whatever business Maddox had with his wife, I wasn’t going to ask.

  “It’s all the same to me. I can go to bed when I want and wake up when I want. No crying kids. I think it’s pretty nice.” I grinned to myself. “Of course, now, there’s no chance I’ll get to accidentally see your wife naked again.”

  Maddox growled and reached for my shirt while I howled with laughter and swatted his fist away.

  “Watch the road, dickhead.”

  “Don’t talk about my wife naked.”

  “Dude, it was a joke.”

  Maddox huffed. “It’d better be.”

  I laughed again. “I missed you, man.”

  He eyed me out of the corner of his vision. Slowly, a smile formed across his face. “Yeah, I missed you, too.”

  2

  Olivia

  As I drove into Brook Creek, I noted once again how different it was from Des Moines. I hadn’t been to the small town since Addison and Maddox got married. Whenever I got together with the two of them, they came to Des Moines. I thought I had forgotten just how little their town was. It felt safer, and right now, I could use safer. My last case had taken a toll on me.

  When I had started my own firm, I’d had to be there practically all the time. But we were big enough now, with enough associates and a couple of unnamed partners, that I could take a few days off. It was going to be tough for me not to call in every hour while I was gone though. Even after all I’d been through, I would never abandon my work.

  Putting all that out of my mind, I walked into Addison’s office, grateful for the air-conditioning. Summers were hot in Iowa.

  “Hello,” Addison’s assistant greeted me.

  I had never met her before. Maddox’s niece used to work for Addison, but now that she was close to graduating, working for Addison had gotten to be too much for Serena.

  “How can I help you?”

  “I’m Olivia. Addison is expecting me.”

  “Come back here,” Addison yelled from her private office.

  I chuckled. “Thanks,” I told the assistant and walked back.

  Addison stood from behind her desk and came around to give me a hug. “I’m so glad you came.”

  When we separated, I looked her up and down. “Did you doubt that I would?”

  Her brown eyes lit up with a smile and a tad of guilt. “I thought maybe you were going to change your mind.”

  I laughed. “I did think about it once or twice, but I’m here.”

  “And I’m glad you are.” She looked at her desk. “Do you mind if I finish up this one thing, and then I’ll take you upstairs to the apartment?”

  “Sure. I’ll check my email while I wait.”

  Addison pointed to the open chairs whil
e she took her seat back at her desk. “Sit wherever.”

  I sat off to the right in the corner chair to give Addison space to work and pulled out my phone.

  There was a message from my assistant, Derek.

  Derek: Another letter came.

  I took in a deep breath, counted to five, and exhaled.

  Me: What does it say?

  Derek: Same as all the others.

  Me: Throw it away.

  Derek: Are you sure, Little Miss Don’t Ever Get Rid of Evidence?

  Me: I’m sure.

  Derek: Okay. You’re the boss.

  Me: Call me if anything else comes up.

  I closed the Messages app and opened my email. I didn’t want to think about Derek’s texts. I had wrongly assumed that when my last case was over, the troubles that went with it would also end.

  But I wasn’t going to focus on that right now. I was on vacation. That stuff could wait until I got back to work.

  I hoped anyway.

  Turning my thoughts to something I could control, I started reading my email. I was a few in when I heard the front door open.

  “Addison busy?” It was Maddox’s voice.

  I grinned. Even if Maddox was not the type of guy I would ever date, I really liked him and thought of him as a friend and not just the husband of a friend.

  But I lost my smile when he walked in and I saw he wasn’t alone.

  His friend Tommy—aka Flash—was with him, and I was immediately transported back to the first time I had met him back when I was defending Maddox for assault and attempted murder.

  * * *

  Addison and I were in her office. Addison was behind her desk, and I was sitting in front of her with my feet up on her desk while I watched the news on my laptop. The night before, Maddox and his two friends, Thomas Morelli and Evan Malone, had rescued a mom and son from her ex-husband, who had come back to town and attacked her.

  Addison and I were discussing Maddox’s case and this new development when the front door opened. Addison looked up and watched through the doorway. I went back to my computer, half-listening to the conversation in the other room.

  “Hey, Serena,” Maddox said.

  “Hey, Uncle Maddox.”

  “Guys, this is my niece, Serena.”

  “Hi,” she said.

  “Serena, this is Tommy, and this is Evan. I used to work with them.”

  “Nice to meet you,” one of them said.

  “The rules that apply to Addison also apply to her. Hands off.” That was Maddox.

  I made a noise, and Addison looked over at me.

  “Please tell me I’m not representing some caveman,” I said in a low voice.

  Addison laughed. “Don’t knock it till you try it,” she whispered back. “Maddox would never boss me around…except in the bedroom.” She wiggled her eyebrows. “There’s something hot about being dragged off to the cave by your hair and being taken from behind.”

  I could feel my eyes widen, and I was sure I was looking at her like she was crazy. “No, thank you. I’ll stick to nice, respectable men who treat me like a lady.”

  “Your orgasms must suck,” a deep voice said from behind me, “and be super boring.”

  I jumped in my seat, and Addison almost spit out the coffee she had just taken a sip of.

  I dropped my feet, turned around in my chair, and glared at the man who’d had the balls to say something like that to me. He didn’t even know me.

  I had to concentrate on keeping the look on my face and not showing any surprise when I saw the person who had insulted me. He was huge. Taller than an already-tall Maddox and full of muscle with dark brown hair and deep brown eyes.

  I swallowed hard but retained my composure.

  Piecing together the picture from the news and the info Addison had told me, I knew this guy must be Tommy.

  What kind of grown man goes by Tommy?

  Unfazed by my anger, he shrugged at me. “If you even have any at all. Excuse me, miss. I’d like to make you come now,” he said in a voice slightly higher than his own. “Okay, but be careful. I can’t ruin my hair or my makeup,” Tommy said, pretending to be me.

  If I were a cartoon, smoke would be coming out of my nostrils. “You don’t even know me.”

  Tommy laughed. “I’ve met your kind before. Big and bad to the world, but behind closed doors, you need your ass slapped and your pussy pounded.”

  I gasped. This guy had some nerve.

  “Flash,” Maddox said, coming into the room, “leave my lawyer alone. I want her to defend me, not run away, cursing my name because of my friends.” He stepped around his friend. “Please don’t throw my trial because of one asshole.”

  Poor Maddox. He needed to invest in finding new friends.

  I patted his hand. “Don’t worry. I’ve dealt with worse men than him before.” I looked at said asshole. “Nice name,” I said sarcastically.

  He snickered. “It’s a nickname, sweetheart.” He raised his eyebrows. “You can ask Addison about it later.”

  I threw my hair over my shoulder. “I don’t think so.”

  Tommy shrugged. “Like I said, boring.” He laid his head on his shoulder and pretended to snore.

  Maddox socked him in the gut. “Knock it off, asswipe.”

  Then, he walked over to Addison’s chair and lifted her out of her seat. She squealed.

  He sat down in her chair and settled her on his lap. “So, what do you want to go over today?” Maddox asked and nuzzled Addison’s neck.

  I had to turn my eyes away as the uncomfortable feeling of jealousy filled my gut.

  Thankfully, another man, who had to be Evan, walked into the office, reminding me to answer Maddox’s question.

  “Well, first, congratulations are in order for what happened early this morning. This will look very good to any potential jury,” I said.

  Tommy scowled. “Mad Dog didn’t do it for the publicity. We did it because someone was in trouble.”

  I sighed. “I know that. But it helps our case nonetheless.”

  It wasn’t that I didn’t feel bad for the victim—because I did. A lot. It was that I was looking at the big picture. And that meant getting Maddox cleared of all charges or found not guilty in a court of law.

  “She’s kind of right,” Evan said. “Everyone was waiting to shake Mad Dog’s hand when we went to get breakfast this morning. Ours, too. But they were looking at Mad Dog like he was a hero.”

  Maddox scowled. “Everyone likes me now, I guess.” He said something else that only Addison could hear.

  She kissed him on the cheek. “You don’t need them.”

  I went over a few more things with Maddox, and then the guys took off.

  Addison went through some of her paperwork while I did some work on my computer. Unfortunately, I couldn’t stop thinking about Tommy telling me to ask Addison about his nickname. I really didn’t want to know. But I did.

  Damn my curiosity.

  “Ask me,” Addison said, not looking up from her desk.

  “What?” I didn’t think I had been that obvious.

  She lifted her head. “I know you want to know, Olivia. Ask me.”

  I rolled my eyes. “How did Flash get his nickname? And what is his real name? I wasn’t actually introduced.” I did already know, but I didn’t want to admit that I had paid attention to who he was.

  “His name is Tommy. And he got the nickname because he said the ladies are gone in a flash when they go out to the bar.”

  “I can see why.” I frowned. “He made it sound like his nickname was a good thing.”

  “Well, apparently, the women avoid him because they’re afraid of his size.”

  “He is a big guy. But I didn’t get the impression he’d hurt anyone.”

  Addison laughed. “No, not his body size. The size of his dick.”

  My cheeks heated.

  Addison and I had met in college, but we had been more classroom friends. We hadn’t hung out with the same
people. None of my friends would ever say something so blunt out loud. Not that they didn’t talk about sex. They just hinted about those things more and used code words.

  “Oh,” I said as I fingered the corner of my laptop. “That never occurred to me.”

  Addison chuckled. “Maybe Tommy is right, and you’ve been with the wrong guys. You haven’t had sex until you’ve had sex with someone with a big cock.”

  My eyes widened. “Does Maddox…” The question slipped out before I could stop it.

  “Hell yeah. Why do you think I can’t keep my hands off him? It’s big, and he knows what to do with it.”

  “I’ve never had that.” Again, my mouth was speaking before my brain could stop it.

  Addison grinned. “I’m sure Flash would be more than happy to show you.”

  I stiffened my spine. “No, thank you.”

  But deep inside my mind—way in the back, where no one was ever allowed—I imagined what it would be like to have sex with him. I shut that down after two seconds. Now was not the time to think about sex.

  Addison gave me a once-over. “You’re probably right. He might break you in two.”

  * * *

  I shuddered at the memory. Addison had been right. I didn’t know if someone my size could even handle someone as big as Tommy.

  And why am I even thinking about this?

  Tommy and I weren’t going to sleep together.

  “Ooh la la,” Addison said. “Two sexy, sweaty men, walking down the street.” It was clear by the clothes—or lack thereof since Tommy had opted to take his shirt off and tuck it into his shorts—and sweat that Maddox and Tommy had been doing some sort of workout, and she was right. One blond and one brunette. They looked pretty sexy together. “Did you two have to fight off all the women with a stick?”

  Maddox held up his left hand and wiggled his ring finger. “They know I’m taken and I’d never stray.”

  “Aw,” Addison said.

  “Yeah, aw. But stop ogling my friend,” Maddox joked.

  “I’m married, not blind, Maddox,” she teased back with an eyebrow wiggle.