by Drake, J. L.
“As someone who spent a load of time with Riley, I’ll tell you he’s good people.”
Headlights blinded us momentarily, and I saw spots. A slam of the door and heavy footsteps made Avery mutter that I was in trouble.
Seth dropped his bag near my feet, and I noticed the bandage above his eye. I jumped to my feet, but he stepped back when I reached out to touch him. I saw he had a small limp too.
“What happened?” I pulled up his shorts and discovered a large white bandage wrapped around his knee. “What happened?” I asked again, but directed at Avery, since Seth was not speaking.
“Flakka battle.” Avery shrugged at Seth. “You know she won’t stop until you tell her.”
My hand flew to my stomach. “Flakka, as in the drug that makes you invincible?”
Avery nodded. “That be it.”
“Why didn’t you answer your phone?” Seth asked, not listening to us.
I shook my head and tried to catch up with the two of them. Flakka? Holy shit! “I had to go deal with something.”
“Which was?”
“Are you hurt anywhere else? What happened to your knee?”
Avery gave a heavy sigh. “As much as I do enjoy watching the two most stubborn people butt heads, I can’t do it tonight. Seth got lured into an attack.” He pointed to Seth’s knee. “Bullet grazed his muscle, and he’s off for a week, but he’ll be fine.” Seth hissed something, but it didn’t stop him. “She was at Travis’s, don’t know why. I found her on her way back home and helped her through the woods.”
“Avery!” I yelped, wanting to kick his ass for mentioning I was in the woods. The one place Seth couldn’t handle, since that’s where I was taken from him. “Really?”
He stood and shoved his hands in his pockets. “I’m just speeding things up.”
“Avery, could you give us a moment?” Seth flicked his head toward the door where my keys were dangling from the lock.
“I think I’m going to go.” Avery turned toward his car. “I know how your bickering ends.”
Seth started up the stairs slowly. I wanted to help, but also wanted to play catch-up with what I just heard. Gunshot to the leg? Really? I sank back down and let my bottom hit the wooden step hard.
***
Seth
I tossed my bag on the couch as I headed for the kitchen, grabbed a beer and an ice pack, and headed out back to the patio. Swallowing two painkillers and chasing it with the beer, I decided if I was forced to take leave for five days, there was no harm in enjoying a little buzz. The thought made me nervous. I normally didn’t like to feel numb; I liked to keep myself very aware. But today had been rough, and there was a moment when I thought my knee might be screwed, and my career would have been fucked.
I shook my head to clear it. No use worrying about what could have been. Focus on the fact that my spitfire of a girlfriend was spending time with our neighbor. Travis Murray had a little secret that he was hiding. It surfaced a while ago when Garrett was digging into a case that led him to Texas, then back to our flirty friend next door. Travis had a court date in a few months. Why? We weren’t entirely sure, but I’d bet good money it wasn’t going to be pretty. That man had rubbed me the wrong way since the day I met him. I couldn’t mention it to Emily without getting into trouble, and it could possibly push her into his life more without meaning to.
A plate of chicken, roasted potatoes, and carrots was set in front of me, my beautiful girl looked down at me, and her big blue eyes fell on the bandage above my eyes. I could see the worry on her face, the look she got when she was trying to be brave, acting like she could handle the dangerous side that came with being an officer. Before she moved away, I grabbed her wrist and pulled her in front of me between my legs.
“Does it hurt?” she asked, running her smooth finger along the edge of the bandage. I shook my pills at her, showing her the label. “I’ve never known you to take anything stronger than an Advil.” She read the bottle—oxycodone. “Guess it’s good you have the week off.”
“Physically, maybe, not mentally,” I mumbled, knowing this was going to be hard. “Why didn’t you text?”
She sighed and leaned against the table. “Let’s just say I arrived home to a full-out Halloween orgy.” My eyebrow rose. “Pete felt festive and included Travis’s nephews in the planning. I headed over there,” she pointed through the trees, “to apologize, and ended up staying for a drink. When I remembered to text you, I was there and my bag was here.” She rubbed her head. “It wasn’t anything but me getting distracted.” She looked over at me running my hand over the curve of her hip. “You need to relax a little, though, Seth. He’s gone, I’m safe, you protected me, but you don’t need to anymore.”
I shook my head, not sure I could describe the feeling I had. “Not going to happen, Em. It’s who I am with you. If I could stick another bodyguard on you, I would.”
“Why?”
I bit my tongue, not wanting to scare her, but something didn’t feel right. It hadn’t since a week after we celebrated at dinner, after I told her I loved her at the beach. Call it a sixth sense, but I started getting the feeling someone was watching me, maybe watching us. Something was off. I just wasn’t sure what it was yet.
She stepped forward and ran her hands through my hair while she tugged at the roots the way she knew I loved. “What is going on in that head of yours, Seth Connors?” Bending down, she kissed my lips. “What I wouldn’t do to see inside you.” She smiled, but it didn’t hit her eyes. There was worry there, and I wanted to kick myself for letting her see mine.
After dinner, I found Emily on the couch, laptop on her knees while she watched some horrible TV show. I stood behind her and pulled her silky blonde hair off to one side, then hooked my fingers around her tank straps and slid them down so they were out of my way. The moment my hands touched her warm skin, she leaned her head into my arms like she’d been waiting for my contact. I kneaded my thumbs gently into the base of her neck, creeping them up and down, squeezing into her tight muscles.
“Mmm,” she moaned, which made me strain against my zipper almost painfully. “That feels nice.”
I bent over and used the couch to support me, since my knee wasn’t in the best shape. Brushing my lips over her ear, I gave it a nip and got the response I loved—her chest heaved and her nipples hardened. They pushed through her lace bra and gave away her desire. Sliding one hand into her cleavage, I cupped her heavy breast and felt the fullness that came when she got excited. My fingers inched further, straining against the lace to find the little bud. Once I did, I gave it a slight twist.
She purred as I rounded the couch, and I saw her eyes were dark and wild.
“You’re a tease.” One side of her mouth raised.
“Maybe I just like to see if I can get that look to run across your face.”
“Mmm…” She went back to her work.
I fell in beside her and wrapped my arms around her waist and pulled her in close. She handed me the remote and muttered something about how she should be studying. I gently rubbed my hand along her bare thigh, tucking her in closer. I kissed her head, flicked the channels to Cops, and settled in. God, I loved us.
***
Avery
I opened my cabinets, seeing the labels perfectly in place staring back at me. Everything had its spot, and was in order. The eggshells broke easily, and the yolks fell one on top of the other in the pan. I set the burner just so before I returned to cutting my peppers and cheese in precise squares. The coffee was brewed, and the whole-grain toast should be ready in forty seconds, which left me enough time to feed the dog who was staring at me through the patio window. I scooped the kibble into the dish and placed it in front of the hungry yellow-eyed beast.
After washing the smell off my hands, I served up my breakfast. My knife and fork were placed on my napkin precisely as I liked them, before I removed them to eat. I liked order, unlike my brother. I sat and enjoyed my food, allowing myself a little self-c
ontemplation.
The only things Jims and I shared were blood and the love of fucking with certain people. That was pretty much it. He was messy, loud, impulsive, a drunk, and his sex drive was twisted in the worst way possible. Jims was a sloppy killer, and most times I had to step in and clean up his mess.
I, on the other hand, was clean, quiet, and thought things through. I drank, but never lost my composure, never touched a drug, and was sexually driven in the best way possible. When I killed, it was quick, clean, and left zero trace of me ever being there. That was why I’d never been caught—I used my head.
My cell phone alerted me it was time to take my vitamins. They rested on top of my Bible. My vision blurred as I became lost in memory.
“Again!” she shouted, nearly spitting on my face. That look had taken over, just like father used to have. “You know this, Alexander. Recite it correctly.”
I scrambled to remember. I could see it, but I was nervous to mess up again. “You shall love the Lord,” I swallowed past her fearful eyes, “your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your strength, and all your mind, and your neighbor as yourself.”
“And?” She inched the ruler closer to my face.
“Luke 10:27.” My voice cracked at the end. I questioned if it was Luke or Matthew. My hands broke out in a sweat while she leaned back and tucked that wooden ruler back in her pocket.
“Good.” She nodded and picked the Bible back up. “Now, where were we?”
I sagged into my seat, only to get a pointed look from her. My spine straightened and I sat as perfectly as I could. My hand tried to soothe my aching knuckles, but it was no use. I was sure she would beat them twice more before the end of the day.
She liked to instill pain; she said pain brought fear, and fear equaled respect. It was strange to me. I didn’t choose to live with her, but after my parents died, the court ordered me to live here until my Aunt in Germany got Jims and Julia straightened away…That was three years ago.
I shook off the memory, washed up, and headed out. I had a full day ahead of me.
A half hour later I was standing in the station house prepared for the day.
“Hey.” Riley held up a cup of coffee for me. I took the nasty smelling brew and thanked him, and wondered if I could drop it so I didn’t have to choke it down. “So I guess we’re working the eighteen-hundreds beat? Let’s hope we don’t have a repeat of Connors’s day.”
I nodded into my cup but blocked the hole with my tongue as I pretended to take a swig. He followed me to the squad car and slipped into the passenger seat. “Good boy,” I whispered as he took his seat. I didn’t have the patience to teach him that he worked for me. That he would take a bullet for me. That his life was insignificant compared to mine. Really, Riley was just a prop to toss in front of a possible threat. I dropped my coffee under Johnnie’s car and slid behind the wheel. I checked the mirrors, the internal temp, and my seat settings. Riley watched me, but I ignored him. He had no idea what I was capable of, and if he was smart, he would keep his trap shut. I tapped the brake twice, then eased out of the parking lot.
***
Seth
I felt her wiggle out of my hold, as she broke free and left me cold. “No,” I whispered and tucked her back in place, “take the day off.” I nuzzled into my favorite spot on her neck.
She sighed and kissed my hand. “I can’t.”
“Mmm…” My hips pushed into her back. “I’ll make it worth your while.” She went to turn, but I held her in place. “I won’t let you use your big blue eyes on me this morning.” She laughed. She knew I was on to her. My hands moved to her lace panties and shifted them down enough so I could slip my hand around to cup her warmth. One finger skated around her opening, and it showed me she was ready. Her legs clenched around me. She wanted it, and so did I.
“Seth,” she moaned, “I don’t have time. You’re going to make me—” I lifted her leg, lined up, and gently pushed inside of her with ease. She was like velvet, so soft and smooth.
“Make you what?” I murmured into her neck and pushed deeper, until I was fully in. I held my breath as her tight walls eased up around me. My hand slid up between her breasts and sprawled out against her chest, pushing her harder into me. “Late?” I rolled my hips and started to ease in and out, and her moans made my dick twitch. I fought not to pound her hard from behind. I liked it rough, and so did she. It was a thing we had. Sometimes I thought we picked fights just so we could have angry sex. I didn’t care if that wasn’t healthy. It was hot, and we both got off on it. It was something we needed. It was our outlet for all the shit we’d been through. I guessed you could call it our own brand of therapy. I rolled her nipple between my fingers. She flexed around me.
“Yes,” she panted as her hand roamed between her legs and cupped my balls. She gave them a little squeeze. “I need to…” Her words slipped away as her beautiful, plump breasts bounced when I picked up the pace. “Please.”
“Front or back?”
“Back,” she nearly cried.
I hooked my arm around her waist and rolled her over. Pulling her to the kneeling position, I settled in between her legs, all the while never leaving her. I leaned forward, gripped the headboard, and tested out my knee. It was weak, but I could manage. She must have sensed this and started to move, but I gave her a crack on the ass, which made her still. I clutched the rail, pulled out almost all the way, then thrust in deep and hard, and her body shot forward. She screamed, so I did it again, and again. I increased the force, which drove her wild. I loved the sound our skin made, the way her ass looked with me behind it. The way her body quivered around me, showing me how much she liked it when I controlled her. She was so fucking sexy, I could hardly tear my eyes away. My knee grew weak quickly, so I stood and leaned over her. I drew her up a little higher and came at her from a different angle. I nearly fell when I sank back in at a speedy rate.
“Seth! I can’t! It’s too intense!” she cried, but she met my thrust just as hard. “Don’t stop, oh my God.”
“That’s my girl.” I was so close I could taste it. I let go with one hand, then my fingers found her spot and softy pressed inward with a flick to the left. That’s all it took to make her clench around me and lose all sense, and I took off chasing her orgasm.
I dropped to the bed and brought her with me, but sadly this moment was lost when she glanced at the clock and jumped up with a curse.
“Dammit.” She started to run around the room. I propped up on the pillow, one hand tucked behind my head. “Seth, you and your…” She shook her head. “My professor hates when people are late.”
I stopped my eyes from rolling. Professor Dean was in love with her. Emily could do no wrong. “Then skip his class and stay home with me.” I grabbed my erection. The mere sight of her red cheeks and wild eyes made me hard again. I moved the sheet and gave her a little show. She stopped dead in her tracks, and I thought she was about to agree when her face dropped into a scowl.
“Like whenever I’ve asked you to take time off in the past?” Her arms folded and pushed her breasts up. She made it hard to focus. “You hardly ever take days off, Seth. You work way past your hours. Why should I bend to you when you never do to me?” Shit, she was right, and she knew it. Well played. She sighed and reached for her clothes.
I waited until I heard the shower door open before I stepped into the shower with her. I spun her around to look at me.
“You’re right, and I’m sorry.” A few moments later she gave me a little nod. “Let me make it up to you.” I scooped down and caught her lips with mine, my tongue pushed my way into her mouth, and three swipes later she gave in. I grabbed her ass and lifted her against the wall. I didn’t mean to come in and do this. I was going to show her I had control, but I didn’t, not when she was mad, wet, and so damn sexy. I zoned in on the little mark on her neck I made last night and started to suck ever so lightly. “I need you again,” I whispered as I lapped my tongue around
the water drops.
She wiggled out of my hold, so I placed her back down. “I don’t have time.” She turned and squeezed some shampoo into her hand. I sighed and watched her lather her hair and felt like an asshole. I thought with my dick, not my head.
I stopped her hands, gently pushed them aside, and took over massaging light circles into her scalp.
“Sorry,” I whispered as my fingers inched toward her temples. Her frustration faded slowly, and all the while I gave myself a mental ass kicking. Way to rub your time off in her face, jackass. I turned her into the spray, washing her free of the suds. When her eyes opened and I saw she was still a little pissed, I kissed her cheek and let her be.
After a brief nap on the couch, I cleaned the kitchen, did laundry, fixed the patio door, and restrung some lights around the barbecue. It was only two thirty in the afternoon, and I was going mad. I needed to do something. I didn’t mind having a day off, but five was going to bury me.
I texted Garrett, but he was busy and bitter about having been stuck on desk duty today. He said he’d come by later.
Seth: You in class?
Emily: Nope, how’s the knee?
Seth: Fine, where are you?
Emily: Good, get some rest.
Seth: Why are you avoiding my question?
Emily: Not, just I know you, and you’ll show up and be a distraction…like this morning.
Seth: You didn’t seem to object the first time.
Emily: And I didn’t want to the second time, but you made me late, and I had to see Prof Dean after class to explain.
Seth: And he didn’t care, right?
Emily: You know what?
Seth: What?
I waited and wondered if she was going to respond. I headed into the kitchen to make myself a late lunch. It wasn’t until I was cleaning up that a text came through.