I shook my head. There were always reasons or excuses—however they should be categorized. Anger and disgust created a cage around my chest. Even though there were very few things I wouldn’t do to save Rose—even considering every horrible deed I’d committed in the name of justice—I couldn’t wrap my head around either Richards or Elijah putting everything on the line to support the bastards who were ruining people’s lives in the name of power and material gain.
“We got some more information out of Elijah,” Libby said. “And, managed to use that to turn the five men you picked up against each other. They’re duking it out to get the best deal. Prostitution. Heroin. It’s all coming out,” she continued quietly.
It would have felt more fulfilling without all the bloodshed, and months of drawn out anxiety. But I was too exhausted to enjoy our victory.
“Well,” she slapped her hands against her thighs and stood. “Fiona wanted to see you, and apparently everyone decided not to let her come alone, so you have quite the reception waiting for you in the break room. From what I hear there’s even pizza. The independent investigators will want to talk to you again, but until then you’re free to go.”
“Whatever their decision—” I stopped.
“If you want time off, take it,” she said. “I think your comeback was a bit rushed, all things considered. However, I’m also glad you were here, so I’m not complaining. Whatever you need to do, do it. But I want you on my force.”
I managed a half smile. “I just need to fix Rose’s house since it got shot up and—” I closed my eyes, unsure how much longer my body would even function “—move out of my cousin’s place. It’s been months.”
“Get your life back together, Detective. We all need something to go home to.”
Libby walked with me down to the lounge, a chorus of voices—and even laughter—spilled out of the room. I paused before we reached the doorway, listening to the sound for a few moments.
“Oh,” Libby said. “I got word on the Federal case and Miles’ hearing. Seems Richards was doing some strange finagling there, too—or at least trying. There will be a hearing next month to review his case and sentence, you should be there. You said you’d like to see him moved somewhere for rehabilitation—where he’ll still be safe from any retribution from the other members of Milo’s ring. I think you’re the best person to make that case.”
“I will. I feel guilty for not going to check on him in a while. But—” I groaned and slumped against the wall.
“A lot of the other retreats are dropping like flies. It’s all going to work out.” She squeezed my shoulder and pushed me toward the doorway. “Go on, you have a lot of people waiting on you.”
Despite the number of people in the room, my eyes went straight to Rose. She dropped a slice of pizza to her plate and stood. Her left cheek was darkening with a bruise, her lip swollen from being busted, and she probably had a dozen other injuries I couldn’t see at the moment. I moved toward her, but she held out her arm, the other hugging her side.
“Easy. Bruised ribs.”
I took her gently, and she nestled against my chest.
“You never go easy, do you?” I whispered.
“Oh,” she held up her hand, the knuckles as busted and bruised as the rest of her. “You know me.”
I shook my head, took her face between my hands, and pressed my lips to hers—much to the amusement of everyone gathered in the lounge. Katie whooped while others clapped, whistled, or laughed.
Rose buried her face against my neck while I surveyed the room. Corell, Winsor, and Hudson stood by the counter holding plates of pizza. Katie sat at the table with Jack in her lap, and Fiona next to her, while Evan and Trent sat along the side wall on a long couch.
I swallowed the swell of emotions and stole Rose’s seat, pulling her down into my lap. She and pizza were of the few things that could monopolize my attention—I was starving.
Small talk filled the room as everyone ate. At the table, I was stuck listening to Katie grill Rose on the details of her sister’s wedding. Under normal circumstances, I would have left them to it, and went off to join another conversation, but I was perfectly content with not moving.
Once the pizza was gone, Trent cleared the empty boxes and stuffed them into a trash can while Winsor and Hudson gave their nods of goodbye and disappeared.
“You coming back to the house, now?” Katie asked.
I nodded toward Rose. “Can I bring a guest? I believe I still owe her a living room window.”
“I—” Rose started to object, but one look from Katie silenced her.
“No problem.”
Trent sat another can of pop in front of me. “I’ll help you fix the window this weekend. Then, I can get rid of my feline roomie.”
He patted Rose on the back of the head. “You’re going to owe me a new vacuum cleaner.”
Fiona had sat quietly for most of the conversation, only throwing in a few comments about the wedding, so as the room emptied, I opened up her opportunity to speak.
“Libby said you wanted to talk to me?”
She nodded but didn’t much look up from under her curtain of long bangs. I patted Rose’s leg and asked her to give me a minute while Fiona and I talked.
We moved to a quiet corner of the room. Fiona kept her hands in her pockets and her gaze down. “It’s no big deal. You should be with your friends and family.”
She was shy, but it wasn’t hard to figure out that wasn’t her only problem around people.
“I am.” I was done running from the Retreat. It always found its way back into my life in one way or another. “I think you’ve found your way into that group. I’m sorry—”
“No. Don’t be sorry.” Her eyes glassed over. “Rose... nothing stops her, does it?”
I shook my head and tried to keep from laughing. I had a feeling I was about to turn slaphappy. “Not for long.”
“I just—” Fiona twisted a strand of hair, staring off across the room. “I wanted to say thank you—for caring about us.”
“You shouldn’t have to thank me for that.” Caring should just be the norm expected of everyone, not something that needs accolades.
“Okay then,” she said lightly. “Thank you for trusting me today.”
I opened my mouth, but she kept going.
“Maybe you don’t believe I should thank you for that either—especially considering how badly things went—I suppose they could have been worse though.” She took a deep breath but kept her head down. “But you really don’t know how much it means. Maybe my part was small and terrifying, but I did it. It kind of gives me a different impression about everything—about myself.”
I looked up at the lights for a moment fearing the universe was dead set on seeing me cry in front of everyone. Not happening.
I scooped her up into a hug and looked over expecting to see a glare from Rose, but she smiled and went back to her conversation with Katie.
Fiona wiped the tears from her own eyes as she stepped away. “Ryan’s waiting to take me home.”
I nodded. It seemed we might be adding two new regulars to our group. “Call me if you need anything.”
She didn’t move. Instead, she looked me over like she’d never seen me before—or I’d recently sprouted a third hand growing out of my head. “It’s just hard to take it all in. You... being who you are. You called that guy Kirk—that wasn’t a coincidence was it?”
“No,” my voice dropped so low it rumbled more than normal. “Trent and I arrested him, and I took his place to get into the Retreat.”
“Well, I’m glad of that.” She tucked her hair back and peeked toward Corell, who took it as his cue to approach. “I should get going.”
Corell extended his hand to me and we shook. “Today was uh—” he wobbled his head “—I’m glad I could help. Definitely didn’t see this coming when I tried to arrest you out on the west side a while back.”
Rose and Katie turned to look at the same time, their
eyebrows raised in similar questioning expressions.
“Maybe—,” Evan scooped up Jack in an apparent attempt to use the boy as a barrier against his mom. “—we should plan an all-boys camping trip. Very. Very soon.”
Crossing his arms, Corell smirked—a brave expression for a man who’d just outed our minor indiscretion to two feisty women. “We should go,” he said to Fiona.
“Nothing happened,” I said, but even Trent was giving me a skeptical gaze. Maybe he was the most entitled, but I assumed Evan had told him at least. “I was having a shitty night. I went to see Rose, and got deflected.”
I purposely left out my partner in crime, in case it didn’t need to be brought up, but Katie flattened her lips and turned to Evan. “And you were there?”
“Kinda gave myself away with the whole camping thing, eh?” He shifted a squirming Jack to a different position. “I wasn’t going to let him run off alone, and I didn’t intend to actually take him to Rose’s house. But, the stubborn ass jumped out of the car at a stop sign.”
“Thank you,” I said sarcastically.
“My boyfriend,” Rose murmured, “the hopeless romantic.”
Trent snorted and punched my arm. “I think hopeless is the key term. I’m going home and crawling into bed so, if anyone needs me, wait five days until I’m alive again.”
“We’ll see you at the house,” Katie said, grabbing Jack and giving me a kiss on the cheek as she passed. “Told you it’d all work out.”
Evan also patted my arm on the way out, leaving me and Rose in the now empty room.
“I have one more thing I want to take care of tonight,” I said, nodding to the door. I took her hand and stole an extra-long kiss.
Libby was still in the captain’s office as we passed, so I knocked on the door frame. “I know it’s late, but can I ask one more favor?”
Miles squinted at me when I entered the room. “Should I ask how you got in here after visiting hours?”
I stayed near the door, arms folded over my chest. “I had to pull a lot of strings. I wanted you to be one of the first to know—we caught seven men in connection with the missing girls and heroin. The investigation will continue until we’re sure, and hopefully, we’ll get some answers about Alley along the way.”
Miles nodded. He made a sound in his throat, but it took him a few moments before he spoke. “I figured you’d get ‘em.”
The sole of my shoe scuffed against the floor. “I uh—brought another little surprise, too. Hope you don’t mind.”
His eyes widened, but aside from that movement his face looked dead.
I pushed open the door and Rose stepped inside, staying close to my side as the heavy door closed again.
“I’ll be damned,” Miles whispered. “You let him drag you here, and what the hell happened to your cheek?”
“He told me where he was going and I asked to come along. And—” Her fingers brushed the purpled skin “—you know me. Trouble everywhere.”
“I think it might have something to do with your company,” he whispered with a smirk. His solemn silence replaced with a new light in his eyes—more like the man I used to know. Except—I hoped—this version might be a little less trouble.
Rose took the other seat and I leaned against the back of the chair. “I was just informed that they’re pushing to get you a hearing next month. Apparently, there was someone throwing a few kinks into the plan, but they’re going to reevaluate your sentence and contribution to the federal case. Maybe we can get you some less severe living arrangements.”
“What the hell am I supposed to do when I get out of here?” he asked. “You really think the system is going to help me?”
“If they won’t, I will.” He’d still have a few years at the very least, but I didn’t care how long it took. He’d saved my life, the very least I could do was help him get his life on track.
He grunted. “Have you tracked down the girls? How are they doing?”
“My partner and a couple of other detectives have been checking in on the ones we have locations for, but there are still a few missing,” I admitted. “Raini—her real name is Fiona—she helped us with the case. Lured them out so we could find them. It all went a little hinky, but I think she’s doing better.”
“Hopefully, she doesn’t look as bad as your girl,” he motioned to Rose and smiled, but the skin around his eyes wrinkled with a touch of worry.
“Nah,” she chuckled and held her side. “I kept most of their attention.”
A guard knocked on the door, and I grabbed Rose’s shoulders as she almost jumped out of the chair.
“You’re time’s nearly up,” the guard yelled in.
Rose bent her head back and stared up at me.
“Well,” I said, “go on then.”
She jumped to her feet—faster than I expected anyone as busted up as her to move—and rounded the table. “He said I’m allowed one hug.”
Miles watched her, his forehead wrought with lines, then his gaze bounced to me, and I shrugged. He slowly climbed to his feet and held out his arms, letting her come to him.
“Watch the bruised ribs,” she whispered and stepped into his embrace. “Thanks for not letting Ross shoot me.”
“Stay out of trouble,” he said. His voice waivered, but he didn’t take his intense gaze off her until she was by my side again.
Chapter 23
Consuming the Darkness
I told Rose that I felt guilty for missing her sister’s wedding, but in truth that was a minor exaggeration. I couldn’t miss Miles’ hearing, so it gave me a good excuse, but I was in no mood to sit through a long ceremony and reception surrounded by people I didn’t know—who probably questioned the safety of my presence, given everything that had happened.
That wasn’t the only reason, though. I needed to keep moving, keep talking—anything to avoid thinking. If I let my mind wander, I was afraid I’d talk myself out of my own plans.
After her most recent injuries, I’d been giving Rose time to heal physically before officially rescinding our rule.
Weeks before the wedding, I’d booked our cabin at a lodge near the ceremony. And then, I went shopping for a few things to keep us entertained. She had no idea what I had in mind—the images that were racing through my brain as we sat with her family during the reception. All entirely inappropriate for the circumstances, but I kept it to myself, forcing myself to smile and talk.
The sight of her in a bridesmaid dress didn’t help either. I don’t know what all of the horror stories are about because it fit her perfectly, and the soft purple fabric made her green eyes stand out.
As if I needed the extra nudge of enchantment.
I took advantage when Rose’s family left her in charge of wrangling her five-month-old niece. It was quite an amusing sight, but I decided to relieve her just to have something to keep me occupied and deflect the attention from myself. Even so, the two-hour reception passed so slowly I could barely sit still by the end of it, but we finally slipped out early and pilfered a bottle of champagne.
The drive to the cabin only took a few minutes, but Rose seemed just as worked up as me by the time we got there. I kept it contained though—first, it was all about her, so we sat down on the back porch and sipped our champagne.
I sat my glass down next to the chair and dragged my fingers through her hair. Things as simple as touching her—the feeling her skin and hair—looking into her green eyes, hearing her voice—everything I got from being around her, twisted my body into knots. It could be agony, but not an entirely uncomfortable feeling. She also kept me grounded.
I’d begun to feel empty without the buzzing tension she created beneath my skin.
And, quite possibly the most frightening thing, I’d begun to accept the things I desired doing to her. I wanted the taut battle that brought out the determination in her eyes. Determination that slowly melted into acceptance and submission.
I craved the way she looked at me in those moments.
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The darkness was still there, but I’d made it mine. I collared it and brought it to heel, but tonight I was letting it out to play.
I gave Rose the early lead—control to dictate what she wanted. Using my tie, she pulled me down to capture the first kiss, it began slow but built into a stormy battle as my erection grew against her.
I pulled her against me while she loosened my tie and began unbuttoning my shirt. We were on a screened in patio and I glanced to the sides to see if any of our neighbors seemed to be out. “You want to do this here?”
She flipped out the lights. “They won’t see anything.”
After another long kiss, she jumped to her feet, leaving me throbbing. I tightened my muscles to keep from going after her, I just had to last a little longer, before I had my way.
“Wait here,” she said and disappeared into the cabin. I dropped my head against the back of the wicker chair until I heard her hurried footsteps returning. She threw a comforter on the floor, and with one look I didn’t care where we were or what anyone else heard.
I kicked off my shoes, then pulled her against me, sliding the straps of her dress down slowly as my lips explored her skin. Her hands went to my belt and I swallowed a groan as she unzipped my pants and they slid to the floor. Our clothes made up a growing pile on the floor as we devoured each other with kisses and touches and moved to the comforter.
Her skin felt hot and every moan and gasp expressed her growing need. I traced the scar on her shoulder, the delicate pink mark before moving down her body. She wrapped her legs around my waist, trying to hurry me along.
Then, she grabbed my hair, forcing me to face her—it was going to be the last time she’d be on that end of the hair pulling. “I’m. Fucking. Losing. It,” she grunted.
“Good.” I considered making her wait, but I wasn’t sure I could hold out any longer, and if I was going to cum, it was damn well going to be inside her.
I pressed my swollen cock to her entrance, sliding slowly inside as she rocked her hips forward to meet me.
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