Center Mass

by Lani Lynn Vale

  I wanted to grit my teeth.

  It’d been a ruse, after all, to get more information out of both parties.

  I’d had a sinking suspicion that there was more to the story than what met the eye when it came to Weston.

  I’d seen Lydia and Weston getting chummy out in front of Lydia’s store two days past, and I’d been suspicious that something wasn’t right.

  And in order to figure out what it was, we needed them both to talk. What better way than to make it look like we’d broken up?

  Except Lydia had pulled that stunt and Reese had immediately gone psycho Reese on her.

  Not that it didn’t make me feel all warm inside and all, but now we’d not have the same opportunity that we’d once had.

  Downy chuckled and ran his beard along her hair, inhaling her scent, and I nearly came unglued.

  I was standing face to face with Downy in the next second, glaring daggers at him. “Don’t, pecker head. I’ll kick your fucking ass.”

  He bellowed in laughter before letting go of his charge and slapping me hard on the back. “Let’s go eat, fuckers. I’m hungry.”

  ***

  Reese

  “I don’t like when you’re touching strange men,” He growled against the inside of my thigh hours later.

  I was on my hands and knees, ass in the air as he devoured my pussy from behind.

  His hot breath against the lips of my sex had me seeing double in anticipation.

  “Please,” I urged, pressing back into him.

  His strong, thick hands traveled up my thighs.

  Fingers on the outside, and thumbs on the inside.

  When he came in contact with the wetness that seeped onto my thigh, he stopped and gathered the wetness on his fingers.

  Then, without warning, he plunged both thumbs into my sheath.

  I screamed, pushing back and riding his fingers.

  His bearded mouth kissed the center of my back as he kissed up my spine.

  When he reached the back of my neck, I was on the verge of coming.

  He stopped when he realized that I was on the verge, and removed his thumbs.

  I heard the distinct sound of his mouth as he sucked the juices off his fingers, and I buried my face into the pillow under my face, swaying my body back and forth in anticipation.

  He didn’t disappoint.

  Short moments later, I felt the large, bulbous head of his cock as he lined it up with my pussy and started sliding it in.

  It was slow, but no less exciting as he did.

  He worked himself inside of me slowly, pushing all the way in before he was forced to stop, then retreated again.

  The pace, although slow, was more than enough to have my orgasm riding the thin line of bursting free. I was so close to the edge.

  My hands snuck down between my legs as I searched for that extra little push, but he caught first one arm, then the other, pinning them against the small of my back.

  “Not tonight, you won’t,” he insisted as he continued the slow pace.

  I groaned into my pillow again, core clenching and unclenching on him.

  Anything to try to get him to go faster…or harder.

  He had an iron will and impeccable control, though, because he never deviated from his pace.

  In, out. In, out.

  Slow and steady won the race, he’d said numerous times before.

  The head of his cock kissed my entrance when he pulled out, and I got lost for a while as I waited for what he’d do next.

  “Luke,” I groaned, pushing back against him.

  The head of his cock slipped partially inside and he groaned.

  I felt him tense behind me, dick partially withdrawing before he gave a valiant groan of defeat and started to really fuck me.

  My hips fell to the bed as he pounded inside of me.

  Arms going up to stop my upward movement, he dropped down until his chest was fully against my back.

  Air didn’t seem so vital at this moment as my orgasm poured through me.

  My breath left my chest, and I could hear Luke’s ragged breathing at my ear as his control, long lost, continued to spiral.

  “Oh,” he growled. “Take it all, baby.”

  And I did.

  Everything he had to give me and more.

  Chapter 22

  I thought I was a good person until I started hanging out with you bitches. Now I stand corrected.

  -Fact of life

  Luke

  “Have you been able to find me anything yet?” I asked John as I took a seat beside him.

  He didn’t glance up as he spoke. “Not yet, no. But I’ve found some leads that I’m following. I’ll have more for you once I get through this firewall. It’s taking me considerably longer than I thought it would. Whoever did it was good.”

  I sighed and sat back. “That’s fine, let me know when you have something.”

  He gave me an annoyed look. “You said that the last three times I told you I didn’t have anything.”

  I shrugged. “I know.”

  Bennett sat down hard on the seat next to me with a loud sigh.

  I gave him a raised brow. “What?”

  His jaw clenched. “That fucker, Pierson, cornered me in the goddamned bathroom. What exactly did he want me to do? Admit that I killed the old man?”

  I shook my head. “I’ve hopefully already taken care of it, but in case he doesn’t catch the hint, just keep telling him the truth if he asks. Don’t let him keep you from your work, though. Let me know if he says anything inappropriate.”

  He nodded. “Got it.”

  Bennett was a big man, nearly five inches over six foot.

  Five years ago, I’d have never thought that he’d be like he was now. I’d have been wrong.

  He’d put on nearly forty pounds since he was a teen, and at twenty five, he could surely pass for a much older man. Especially with the huge bushy beard that nearly the whole SWAT team sported.

  Although Bennett was the newest, and youngest, on the team, he was far from the least experienced.

  He’d served five years in the Navy, and three as a SEAL before he got out.

  It’d been a tough decision to make, but he’d done it for his daughter, which was what most would do. Hell, three of the men on our team right now got out of the military because they had kids waiting for them. James had done it for his daughter, same as I’d done for mine. That was just a sacrifice you made when you became a parent.

  “What time is the K-9 officer getting here?” Michael asked as he fell down into a seat on the opposite side of Downy.

  I looked at the watch on my wrist, then at the door. “Right around now.”

  KPD was getting a police dog.

  I’d done quite a bit of research over the last year when the dog had been approved, and I’d finally gone with a man out of Benton, Louisiana who was a K-9 officer himself. He was also a member of The Dixie Wardens MC, so I’d seen him a lot since my sister married Sebastian.

  However, I’d done my research. And I was choosing Officer Killian ‘Trance’ Spurlock not because of my connection to the man, but because he was the best at what he did.

  Today, he was just doing some demonstrations to get us familiar with the dog.

  He’d then choose one of us with the best affinity with the dog. That man would then become her handler.

  Speaking of the man, Trance walked in with three large dogs at his side. All German Shepherds. One was pure black, but his mask of white around his face showed his advanced age. The second was the standard color one thought of when they heard ‘German Shepherd.’ Tan coloring, black face. Large black splotches.

  The last one, though, was the dog that would be coming to work for us; hopefully, very soon.

  Beautiful snowy white, the large girl named Mocha, took in the room with sharp eyes and a keen interest.

  I stood, and each dog’s eyes latched onto me, taking me in as the primary threat to their master.

  “
Trance,” I said, approaching slowly with my hand out.

  He nodded and took my hand. “Luke. How’ve you been?”

  I shrugged. “Same shit, different day.”

  He grinned, “I know that’s right.”

  He looked at all the other men and I introduced them to Trance.

  “Trance,” I said indicating Downy. “This is Downy. That’s Michael, John, Bennett, Nico, and you know James.”

  He nodded at each of them, shaking each of their hands before he looked down at his dogs. “This is Radar,” he said indicating the older dog at his right. “He’s retired, but I bring him along so he doesn’t feel totally useless at home. This,” he said pointing down at the standard brown one. “Is Kosher. He’s currently my K-9 partner. And this,” he said pointing at the white German Shepherd. “Is Mocha. She’s going to be the one we fit you guys with. And please, for the love of all that’s holy, do not tell my wife that she’s so close to home. She’s been crying for days since I told her that someone needed Mocha’s services.”

  The men all nodded solemnly. We all knew how attached women came to things, and it’d be the same in my own home.

  “Alright,” Trance said, rubbing his hands together. “Let’s get started.”

  ***

  Two hours later

  “I can’t believe she chose you when she could’ve chosen anybody,” Michael sneered at Downy.

  Downy grinned and kept petting the newest member of his family. “Yeah, I’m awesome like that.”

  “Alright, boys. Let’s take this back inside. Trance, when do you…” I trailed off as Pierson Howell came out of the back doors with a look on his face that would’ve flayed the skin on lesser men.

  My men, though, weren’t even affected by his demeanor, which only enraged him all the more.

  “You goddamn little piece of monkey shit!” He yelled, spit flying from the corners of his mouth.

  So he got his warning from the chief. Good.

  “Listen, Howell. Take your shit back inside and meet me in my office if you want to discuss it. We’re not doing this outside in the middle of the fucking town,” I said calmly.

  He hissed. “Fuck you. You’ve cost me the biggest goddamn case of my career.”

  I most assuredly, had not. His attitude had.

  After he’d decided to come over the night before Christmas against the chief’s orders, he’d gotten a warning. One I hadn’t had any hand in. Then he’d started harassing my team. Going by their houses. Talking to their wives. When he’d cornered Rowen in my own goddamned yard the day before yesterday, I’d given the chief an ultimatum.

  Either he took Pierson off the case and put someone on that wouldn’t hound his fellow officers, or I was gone.

  Naturally, he chose me.

  “Pierson,” I said, holding my hand up.

  He lunged, however, Radar was in front of me before I even realize he’d moved, snapping his teeth at the enraged man.

  Pierson froze and stared down at Radar before pointing at me over his head. “You’re going to regret this. You’ll see.”

  With that, he left, and a part of me wanted to make him eat those words.

  Preferably by me shoving my fist into his face.

  Asshole.

  “Well,” Trance said, shaking his head. “I can see that you’ve got friends.”

  I flipped him off, causing him to laugh.

  “I’ll be back at the end of the week,” he said. “Noon. Friday.”

  Downy walked with Trance to his car, and Michael and Nico flanked my sides as we watched them get into the car.

  “He’s going to do anything he can to ruin your career,” Nico said honestly.

  “I know,” I confirmed.

  Michael slapped me on the back. “What are you going to do about it?”

  I shook my head. “I don’t know yet.”

  But I sure as hell needed to figure it out.

  Chapter 23

  ‘Never have I ever’ isn’t in my vocabulary. Instead I use ‘Don’t judge me, but…’

  -Secret thoughts of Reese

  Reese

  “Hello?” I answered the phone that was sitting on my desk next to me.

  “Do you have a TV you can get to?” My sister asked frantically.

  Did she hear about the campus’ lockdown?

  I’d been assured it was just a drill by the principal only a few moments ago. So why would she be calling me about that if it were just a drill?

  I looked at the small TV that the school had installed when I’d asked for something for the sick children to watch until their parents came to get them, and stood. “Yes, why?”

  “The news. Now,” my sister blurted.

  Worry tightening my gut, I walked over to the remote and pointed it at the TV.

  Slowly, the picture lit up the screen and I changed it to Channel 7.

  What I saw next made my heart start to pound, and my breath come in pants.

  “What’s going on?” I whispered frantically.

  “There’s been a shooting,” my sister said. “They don’t know any more information. But it’s right down the street from you.”

  I looked at the familiar buildings, and my already chilled blood turned to ice when I realized that the lot the shooting had taken place in was the one next to the police station.

  I read the banner at the bottom, and my knees went out from under me.

  One officer dead, two wounded in shooting that happened outside of Kilgore Police Department.

  “Oh, my God. Oh, my God. Oh, my God,” I repeated over and over.

  My sister’s soothing voice had no effect on my out of control emotions. None whatsoever.

  I didn’t consciously find myself moving to the front of the building. But I walked out the front door to Mrs. Spire’s, the office receptionist, consternation.

  I knew that if I went out those doors, I wouldn’t be getting back in for a while. Not while they were in a lockdown.

  I kept going until I could look down the street.

  There was nothing there.

  The station was a short three quarter of a mile drive down the street from the school

  But there was nothing to be seen.

  No huge commotion. No police lights. No nothing.

  Then I started walking.

  It didn’t take me long to realize why I couldn’t see any of the commotion going on.

  All the officers were in the parking lot already. The shooting had taken place at the station, which meant that the officers hadn’t had to get in their cars at all. They’d already been there.

  The same went for the fire department.

  The fire department’s station was directly across the street. They hadn’t had to move the vehicles. They’d just had to run across the street.

  The closer I got, however, the easier it was to see the yellow police tape strung up along the road.

  There were news crews held behind large, blue sawhorses.

  That’s about the time I started running, fully unaware that I’d been doing so until I started getting a cramp in my side.

  That didn’t stop me, though.

  I kept running.

  My legs pumped.

  My lungs screamed.

  My heart hurt.

  My eyes burned.

  I was caught by strong arms before I got too close.

  I looked up to see a man with dark brown eyes.

  He was older, mid-fifties or so. Dark salt and pepper hair. Large mustache that took up half of his face. Deep brown eyes.

  “You can’t be in there, darlin’,” the man said sternly.

  His name plate said Stoddard, and I remembered Luke speaking with Downy a couple days ago about the man. Stoddard was the man that’d been on KPD for the longest. He had a ton of experience, according to Downy, and was the one cop in all of Kilgore that didn’t let anyone get away with anything. Let it be man, woman, or child.

  He wrapped his hands around my upper body and I broke. “My
boyfriend…his name is Luke Roberts…is he okay?”

  His eyes lit with recognition at hearing Luke’s name. He looked at me for a few long moments. So long that I thought he was going to kick me out. But he shook his head, mouth tight and said, “Girl, I don’t know anything yet, but we’ll find out, okay? I just got here myself. Don’t go far and stay at my side.”

  Stoddard grabbed a hold of my wrist and started walking towards the building.

  My breathing, which hadn’t slowed one bit, started sawing in and out of my lungs as I saw the dozens of uniformed officers milling around.

  The first person I saw that I knew was Downy.

  He was in much the same as he always was, black pants and black polo shirt with KPD embroidered on the left breast pocket.

  Except his shirt wasn’t tucked in, in fact, he was missing half of his shirt. A long strip had been ripped off the bottom.

  He had what looked like dried blood on his neck and hands, and he had a thin cut that was oozing blood on the bridge of his nose.

  I parted from Stoddard, much to his annoyance, and walked over to Downy.

  “Do you have a first aid kit?” I asked quickly.

  If I was distracted, maybe I wouldn’t worry so much about Luke and whether he was alive or dead.

  I knew he was involved, though. There was no way an active shooter was outside the police station and he didn’t respond. He wasn’t the type of man to stand back and let things happen.

  Downy had seen me coming, and he braced himself against the car as I walked up to him.

  Stoddard growled something about ‘stubborn ladies’ and ‘she’s yours.’

  Downy and Stoddard had some kind of man communication happen above my head, and Stoddard disappeared into the crowd.

  Downy looked down at me, eyes blank, and said, “If I put you somewhere, would you stay?”

  I shook my head, causing him to heave a long, loud sigh. “Fuck.”

  When he started to walk away, I grabbed ahold of his hand, clutching it with both of my own and asked, “Is he okay?”

  He nodded and pointed. I followed his finger to find Luke leaned over someone on the ground. Luke’s hands were planted on his knees, and he was talking very quietly to someone. Soothingly.