"Fuck this town anyway," Johnny muttered as he walked away. "And everybody in it."
My body grew hot as I watched him slink away shamefully, then became a straight-up furnace when Liam turned back around to face me.
We didn't exchange any words. I just stood up and kissed him with all the passion building up in me like a bomb ready to go off.
It was so primal and animalistic how my body responded to him proving to be the superior man with just a few words. I wanted him, needed him naked and ravaging me in that moment.
"Let's get out of here," he said gruffly, echoing my thoughts.
"Yes, please," I said desperately.
He grinned as he dropped a few bills from his wallet on the table, then yanked me down the sidewalk to his car like I was his most prized possession.
CHAPTER TWENTY-THREE
LIAM
Damn, I was happy.
Like, genuinely so. The happiest I’d felt in years.
Hazel made my life feel good and lighthearted again. Even my job couldn’t make me wipe the damn smile off my face when I saw her.
We could talk each other’s ears off and also enjoy quiet time together. Our adventures in the bedroom ran the gamut from slow, sensual lovemaking to BDSM that would make a porn star blush. She loved it all, as did I.
Her favorite kink was towing the line between pleasure and pain. She loved having her limits tested and nothing made me harder than thinking of new ways to make her come and scream. The other night I spanked her ass raw as I fucked her, then pulled on her nipple clamps as the climax ripped through her. I swore she orgasmed for ten straight minutes.
Night time was usually our kinky playtime and we saved morning for lovemaking, but I wanted this evening to be different.
After two blissful weeks of seeing each other without labels, I wanted to ask her to be my girlfriend officially. And I wanted to go all-out.
I got all the ingredients for a romantic steak dinner at my house, including scented candles and a sunflower bouquet from Dahlia’s Blooms for the centerpiece.
For later in the evening, I tucked a silky red blindfold in my back pocket to wrap around her eyes when the time was right. When I led her to the bedroom, she’d find more silk ties for all four of her limbs at each corner of the mattress.
I couldn’t wait to see how the red luxurious fabric contrasted against her naked, creamy skin. My cock pulsed eager with just the mere thought of my woman spread out and tied to my bed.
Of course, it wouldn’t end there. She’d feel the most delicious tendrils of pain, the most earth-shattering pleasure and everything in between. And she would succumb to it all because she belonged to me.
My phone vibrated with a text message just as I seasoned the filet mignon and began heating up the skillet. Figuring it was Hazel telling me she was on her way over, I took my time washing my hands and lighting the candles on the table.
When I saw the message was actually from Solomon, my heart dropped into my stomach.
Fuck, this can't be good.
He never texted me outside of the schedule we agreed upon.
"We got issues. I'm coming over right now," read the message.
"Fuck," I muttered in frustration. Whatever it was had to be bad. Sol and I only spoke in public places and over the phone. He never came to my house. We weren't remotely close to friends or even allies, really. We just allowed each other to peacefully coexist.
His timing also could not be worse. Hazel would be over soon and she still remained blissfully unaware of my arrangement with him.
The more she and I spent time together, the more it gnawed at me that she didn't know about my dealings with Solomon. The department being unaware was one issue, but this woman was quickly becoming the closest person to my closed-off heart. She was the only one who knew about my hesitation to marry Katie. Anyone else would have crucified me if they'd known.
Keeping this other secret from her weighed heavily on my soul. Still, it was safer that she didn't know. And that was my main priority and the single vow I wanted to keep since I lost Katie. She might find out later, she might not. She might end up hating me later but at least she would be out of harm's way.
As expected, Sol's rumbling muscle car roared down my street not two minutes later. The engine was so loud, someone's car alarm went off a few houses down from mine.
He stopped abruptly in front of my house and left the engine running as he got out and slammed the door, taking long, quick strides up to my porch.
I opened the door without waiting for him to knock.
"Hey asshole, thanks for being discreet about coming over. I really appreciate it," I seethed at him.
His usual easygoing grin and relaxed demeanor were gone, replaced by a hard scowl and tense, square shoulders.
"I'll be quick, Barnes. No time for pleasantries," he replied.
"Well, hurry the fuck up. I got company coming over."
With his loud car, slicked back hair and two full sleeves of tattoos on display, Hazel would definitely ask questions as to why he was here.
"Someone's trying to encroach on our delivery route," he said in a low voice. "A familia from Winters noticed we don't have competition coming through Cloverville. They want this easy peasy cheddar for themselves and they're starting to make trouble."
"So? You're a boss. You have soldiers. Handle it," I spat, incredulous that a criminal was bringing his territory disputes to my front door.
"Oh, we can absolutely handle it," Sol replied, the first hint of a smirk coming to his lips. "But they have manpower and weapons on a similar scale as ours. If we handle it our way, Cloverville's pretty picture facade is going to crumble, at least temporarily until we drive the pests out."
I folded my arms across my chest. A sudden spike in crime would put a lot of people on edge and also raise questions in the department.
"Now if we do that," Sol continued. "My main concern is more of you blue uniforms poking around my business when the dust settles. I would prefer to nip this in the bud and continue with our arrangement as is."
"So what do you suggest?" I asked.
"Help us set up a sting," he answered, his dark eyes gleaming. "We caught one of their soldiers and made the bastard talk. We know exactly when their next peacock display is going down. Come with us to take 'em out and they'll know the blue line is on our side and leave us in peace."
"I'm not on your side," I growled, stabbing a finger at him. His idea was good but I never wanted to give the impression that I was on the payroll of criminals.
"Whatever you say, boss," he replied, holding his hands up in mock surrender. "You gonna help or not?"
I rubbed my jaw as I mulled it over in my mind.
I had to. It was the only way my cover wouldn't be blown and their stupid gang warfare wouldn't be brought to the streets. If I helped them out in the right way, no suspicion would arise from the department.
"I'll do it," I said. "Call the station tomorrow and leave an anonymous tip. Tell them what you know and that you want me on it. Then text me the details and we'll go from there."
His wide, charming grin broke out for the first time since he showed up.
"I knew you'd make the right decision, Barnes. Man to man, I appreciate this."
"Yeah, whatever. Get the fuck out of here before my girlfriend sees me talking to you."
"Girlfriend? You mean that fine piece of ass from the wine bar?" He made a fist and bit at his tattooed knuckles to emphasize his approval. "I could tell that was some bomb pussy just from looking at her."
"Fucking. Leave. Now," I hissed.
"Talk to you tomorrow, Barnes," he laughed as he turned around and started toward the driveway. "Ah, here's the lovely lady now."
Fuck! No, no, no!
"Um, hi." I heard Hazel's tentative greeting as she approached the house. She must have had to park down the street since Solomon's car blocked my driveway.
He nodded at her and stepped aside to let her pass, holding
his arm out like a perfect gentleman in my direction.
"Evening, miss," he said to her with his signature smile and the charm turned up 100%. The moment she walked in front of him, he winked at me and thrust in the air aggressively behind her before getting into his car.
“Hey beautiful,” I greeted with a strained smile as she approached me, the curiosity already growing behind her eyes.
“Hey.” She planted a peck on my lips. “Who’s that guy, again?” she asked.
I opened my mouth to say nobody but stopped myself.
She remembered him. I couldn’t outright lie to her face. But goddamn it, I didn’t want to be making this decision right here and now.
All my instincts told me to be honest. Tell her what was really going on. She was a smart girl. She’d understand.
No. Look at the big picture, Barnes. You need to keep her safe. The less she knows, the safer she is. Who knows if she says the wrong word to the wrong person.
Every passing second that I didn’t answer her question just made the decision that much worse. I could see the curiosity growing into suspicion behind her beautiful green eyes.
“Liam? Who is he?” she repeated.
CHAPTER TWENTY-FOUR
HAZEL
My heart began to accelerate as Liam took a suspiciously long time to answer what I at first thought was an innocent question.
I recognized the tattooed man from the wine bar, where Liam brushed off my question the first time and I didn't think of it again. Now the same man was leaving Liam's house and he just smiled and kissed me when I asked the question again.
"Just someone I work with sometimes." He pulled me in close but I didn't melt into his chest like I usually did. Something didn't feel right.
"How was your day, beautiful?" he asked as we went inside, seemingly eager to change the subject which only made my uneasiness worse. "Was my girl a rock star consultant again?"
"Why would a coworker come over on your night off?" I asked, unable to let go of the nagging feeling in my gut. "Is he a friend?"
"No, he's not," Liam answered that last part quickly but again danced around my original question. "It's really nothing to be concerned about, babe. Just dump cop stuff."
Before I could say any more he kissed me deeply, the way that always made my knees buckle and my heart race. His tongue probed my lips open and I closed my eyes, momentarily losing myself in his spell.
He felt and tasted so damn good. I'd been looking forward to this all day while I was cooped up in meetings. It had been a great, productive work day but also draining. I was looking forward to relaxing and winding down the evening with my man.
But I hated how shifty he was being. It made me think of how Johnny had been acting before I figured out he cheated on me. I gave him the benefit of the doubt and trusted him until the moment I caught him in bed with her. I promised myself never to ignore my gut and be that naive again.
Liam kissed sensually across my face to my ear where he whispered, "Trust me, beautiful. You have nothing to worry about. Right now I just want a romantic evening with you."
I rested my head on his broad, strong chest where I felt his heart beat in sync with mine. Our hearts always seemed to beat at the same time, no matter what. The hopeless romantic in me wanted to believe that we were meant to be, made for each other. I was hopelessly in love with him and planned to tell him so tonight.
But not if my heart was only going to get broken again. I had to take care of myself first and that meant voicing the alarm bells going off in my head.
"I don't like that you're dismissing my questions," I said into his shoulder, feeling too timid to look at him directly. "It doesn't help me to trust you when you don't give me straight answers."
His lungs released a deep sigh as he gently cupped my face in his hands, looking directly at me with the darkness fully present in his eyes.
“It’s honestly safer for you if you don’t know,” he said quietly. “Like I told you before, the criminal world is complex. There’s a lot of gray area. I know how to handle it but you don’t. It’s better if you’re not involved at all.”
I couldn’t believe what I was hearing. I must have misunderstood, must have heard him wrong.
“You’re not seriously saying you actually work with criminals? It’s got to be like witness protection, right? Informants?”
He looked so torn, as though struggling with the hardest decision of his life.
“No, Hazel. That’s not what this is.”
“Then what is it?” I demanded.
My heart felt like it began ripping away from the seams that held it together.
"That man who was here is a career criminal, a gangster. I... have to deal with him on occasion."
My eyes widened and my breath hitched in my chest. "What do you mean?" I demanded. "Is he blackmailing you?"
"No, nothing like that." His fingers rubbed my neck in a futile attempt to calm me down. "We have a sort of agreement to act as peacekeepers, basically. That's all it really is, babe. I promise."
My mind reeled as I tried to make sense of what he was telling me.
"Wait, what kind of agreement?" I asked, my voice raising to a frantic pitch. "You pretended not to know him at the wine bar and tried to shoo him away from here as fast as you could. What is really going on?"
"Hazel, calm down," Liam urged, placing both of his hands on my shoulders. "It's really not as big a deal as you're making it out to be."
"Then TELL me!" I shrieked loud enough for the neighbors to hear but I didn't care. My mind raced at a mile a minute with scenarios, each more awful than the last. It made my stomach absolutely sick to think that my righteous, protective, police officer boyfriend--and the man I loved--was consorting with criminals.
"I let him conduct his business," he said quickly, practically blurting it out. "And he keeps his people in line. Do you ever wonder why crime is at an all-time low in Cloverville? It's because of this agreement, Hazel. I let him move his shipments through here, he keeps illegal activity off the streets. That is our arrangement."
I stood silently, dumbfounded and trying to absorb his confession in a way that made sense. It did make sense at the surface. But I could not get past the horrific realization that organized crime was alive and thriving in my idyllic little hometown, right under all our noses.
And the man standing right in front of me, who stole my heart and made my body sing with pleasure, enabled it.
"Why?" was all I could squeak out.
"Because it's the only way peace can truly be maintained," Liam said almost sadly. "Crime will always exist. That’s just reality. The only way to minimize bloodshed is to find ways to coexist alongside it."
My eyes focused sharply on his and I felt like I barely recognized him. The man I fell in love with transformed before my very eyes.
"That man who was here," I said, my voice icy. "Has he ever hurt anyone? Killed anyone?"
The look in Liam's eyes and the way his mouth pressed into a thin, tense line did nothing to reassure me.
"I haven't looked at his record. But the likely answer is yes."
My stomach wanted to shoot up through my mouth. I couldn't believe what I was hearing. I no longer knew the person I was speaking to.
"And you trust him to maintain peace?" I cried out. "If people aren't dying in the streets here, it's just happening somewhere else! He's contributing to that. And you're okay with it?!"
"Hazel, please," Liam pleaded. He knew he was losing me. He knew I could never see him in the same way again.
"It's not that simple. It's so much more complicated than you realize."
"Then explain it to me."
Despite myself, I reached out and took his handsome face in my hands. His jaw, his skin, his lips. They all felt so familiar and comforting to me. The same face I saw and kissed and fell in love with. Why wouldn't that person come back to me?
"It's like when I told you about how Katie died," he said. "She got caught in the cr
ossfire because we threw a wrench into their business. If we just let the transaction happen, nobody would have died."
When he said that, something else became shockingly clear. A pain cut through me even worse than thinking of all the criminal activity under our noses.
“I asked you then if you had anything else to tell me,” I said, my voice low and trembling. “You didn’t. Were you ever going to tell me about this? Or…?”
I couldn’t finish the sentence. It hurt too much to say it out loud because it would be the final nail in the coffin of us.
“Hazel, Hazel.”
He stroked his fingers through my hair as he tried to be soothing, tried to make the ache in my heart go away. But it cut deeper through me than any pain I ever felt. I would have honestly preferred to have been cheated on. He wasn’t just betraying me but who knew how many innocent people?
“I’ve already told you too much,” he said apologetically. “The less you know, the safer you are. You shouldn’t be involved at all. I’m so sorry, beautiful. This is how it is. How it has to be.”
“Katie wasn’t involved,” I spat. “You still lost her.”
It was a low blow, a cheap shot to say that. But I didn’t care. It worked. His steely mask broke and I could see the hurt etched on his face. I wanted him to feel just an ounce of the hurt that he made me feel.
And yet I couldn’t let go. My body still ached to writhe under his firm, dominant hands. There was no bed I wanted to sleep in more than his, curled up so our hearts could beat together.
“Turn him in,” I said with my last bit of hope. “Turn yourself in too. Make this right and accept the consequences. Own up to going behind my back.”
With a slow, sad shake of his head from side to side, my last little bit of hope shattered alongside my heart.
“That’s not going to happen.” He removed his touch from my skin and took a step back. We both knew it but couldn’t say it.
My words punched the air only after a long, uncomfortable silence.
Love and War: A Bad Boy Romance (Small Town Bad Boys Book 2) Page 11