Suppression: Laurel Springs Emergency Response Team #2

by Laramie Briscoe

  Without warning, he begins sobbing, throwing himself into my arms. “I’m sorry,” he wails.

  “It’s okay, you had to test me. I get it.”

  He pulls back, nodding with a sob. “Am I still in trouble?”

  “Yeah, you are. We don’t have time to clean it up this morning, so you’ll clean it up when you come home tonight. Go wash your face and I’ll fix you a bowl to go and you can eat on the way to school.”

  He nods, but before he leaves the room, I hear his soft voice. “Nick?”

  “Yeah, buddy?”

  “Thank you,” the smile he gives me is the best one I’ve seen from him.

  “No problem. You’ve always got me. No matter what.”

  When he walks towards the bathroom, he does so with his shoulders squared and his head held high. Not gonna lie, it’s the best thing I’ve seen since he moved in with us.

  Kelsea

  It’s a cloudy afternoon in Laurel Springs. Checking my phone, I make sure I haven’t missed a text from Caleb. We’re meeting for lunch, but he’s ten minutes late.

  Sighing when I don’t see a text, I crane my neck to look out the window. Leighton puts a glass of iced tea in front of me. “Thank you, I’m so thirsty today.”

  “It never fails, when you’re being stood up for lunch, you’re always more thirsty,” she winks at me. “I saw Caleb pull up as I walked over here.”

  I giggle. “Thanks, I did think he was about to stand me up.”

  The bell over the door rings, announcing someone entering. Sure enough, it’s my older brother. He plants a kiss on Leigh’s cheek before he slides in the booth across from me. “Large water and some m’fing cheese fries,” he grins over at me.

  “Caleb,” I whine. “You know I’m trying to eat better.”

  “And you know,” he whines back. “That the only time I get to eat like this is when I come out with you. Cheer up buttercup, and eat the calories with me.”

  I roll my eyes to the side. “Bring us some damn ranch dressing,” I sigh at Leigh.

  “Is that all you two want?” She grins at us.

  “Better bring two orders,” he holds up two fingers.

  “You are such a bad influence,” I scold him as she leaves.

  “Only when it will benefit me. Haven’t seen you in a minute, kiddo. What’s going on?”

  This is why I love my brother. He knows almost immediately that I need to talk, and he doesn’t beat around the bush.

  “Just busy, with Darren and everything,” I grab a packet of sugar, opening it before putting it in my tea.

  “Welcome to parenthood. It just gets busier, like you think things will level out, but they don’t,” he shakes his head. “Thank God Ruby is working with Whitney now, otherwise it would be harder, but you never really quit being a parent. You worry about shit, you swore to yourself you never would.”

  There’s a worry I’ve had at the back of my mind for weeks. “Caleb, can I ask you a serious question.”

  “You know you can always ask me anything. Will I tell you what you want to hear? Not a chance, but I’ll give you the best advice I can.”

  Those words warm my heart, he’s never gone easy on me, and I don’t want him to now. “Do you think I’m cut out for this with Darren and Nick?”

  He takes a sip of his water, both of us lean back as our cheese fries are brought to the table. We look at each other, both waiting to see who will make the first move. In the end, it’s me who can’t wait, I lean in with a fork, grabbing a generous serving before dipping it in the ranch. Caleb chuckles as he does the same.

  “I think you’re more prepared than most people are, Kels. You’ve grown up so much in the last few years. You’re responsible and loving, you care about others in a way not many do. You have a capacity to see the good, even when it would be easier to see the bad. You’re who I want my kids to be like when they grow up. You’re fulfilling your destiny right now,” he grabs my hand, squeezing it tightly.

  I sniff, brushing tears from below my eyes. “I didn’t know you could be so sweet.”

  He laughs. “I got a rep to protect, don’t let it get out.”

  Not being able to help it, I get up from my side of the booth, scoot in next to him and hug his neck tightly. “You’re the best brother I could have ever asked for.”

  “It’s always been my job to protect you, but now maybe it’s your job to protect someone else.”

  Maybe, just maybe he’s right.

  Twenty-Two

  Kelsea

  I have the apartment to myself and it’s magnificent. Not that I don’t enjoy having the boys with me, but so quickly I turned into a caretaker. My showers are usually between five and ten minutes long. I never get to take a bath anymore.

  That’s about to change today. I’m off work, Nick’s somewhere doing manly stuff with Ransom, and Darren’s at school. The tub isn’t huge in this bathroom, but it’s big enough for me to lay down in. The room is steamy, just the way I like it.

  Taking off my clothes, I dip down into the water, groaning as it caresses my tired muscles. The bubbles and bath oil I use, soak into my skin, relaxing in a way only they know how. Who knew taking care of a home with two other people in it would make me so tired? Tilting my head back against a rolled-up towel, I close my eyes.

  I must doze off, because the next thing I hear is a sharp intake of breath that startles me. Glancing over at the door, I see Nick. He’s wearing a pair of shorts, a tank top, sweaty and his laser gaze is right on me.

  “Don’t move,” his voice is deep, sexy and just on this side of dangerous. “Am I in a fucking wet dream? You laying there all uncovered, looking at me with your sleepy gaze?”

  I don’t say anything, instead I let my gaze slip down to where he’s pushing the palm of his hand against the bulge in his shorts. He stalks over to me, kneels down, reaches in. His big hand cups my breast, caressing as he moans deep in his throat. I groan along with him as he leans over, capturing the nub in his mouth, twirling his tongue around it, nipping with his teeth.

  We’ve been ships, passing in the night for a few weeks now, neither one of us have been able to take time to do anything like this. My fingers rake at his tank top, wanting to feel his skin. Before I know what’s happening, he’s coming over the edge of the tub, clothes and all, laying his body over top of mine, spreading my thighs, making room for himself.

  “Did you ever get on birth control, Kels?”

  We’re both pushing at his shorts. “Yeah, we can do this,” I’m gasping, panting, wanting to feel him lose control with me.

  I don’t even know how it happens, the next thing I know, the water is being let out of the tub, the shower curtain has been pulled, and warm water rains over top of us. Right as Nick pushes inside of me. It’s all a dreamy haze as his lips move all over my body, his hands are everywhere, and his strong cock is thrusting in, pulling out, pulsing against the pull of my core.

  “Not gonna last long, Kels. I’ve wanted you every night as you lay next to me in bed.”

  “Agreed,” I press up as he pushes down.

  When his hand goes between us, his thumb pressing against my clit, I know I’m done for. Burying my face in his neck, I scream, wanting him to hear exactly how much he affects me.

  “So close,” he lunges. “So fuckin’ close.”

  “Do it, Nick, do it for me,” I encourage him, hitching my legs up higher, digging my fingers into his shoulders.

  He doesn’t stop, he presses harder, pushing me up against the tub, until I’m almost in a sitting position. His hands cup my ass, bringing me into full contact as he tries to get as deep as he can.

  “You blow my mind,” he puts his forehead on my shoulder and pistons his hips into mine.

  The noises he makes, I’m not even sure what to call them, but the bounce off the walls in the room, turning me on more than I ever have before. His rhythm is jerky, fast, and with an abandonment I’ve never been taken with before. When I feel his cock lengthen, pul
se, and then I feel the burst of warmth inside me, I come again, holding on tightly as he bites against my shoulder.

  As we both lay there in the aftermath, he lifts his head, kissing me on my jawline.

  “Hey girl, hey,” he teases.

  I throw my head back laughing loudly before I hug him tightly. “Welcome home.”

  “If that’s the reception I get, I’m gonna go out more often.”

  Neither one of us move for a long time after that, both of us content to just be.

  Twenty-Three

  Nick

  I’m running late as I clock in, but I can’t wipe the smile off my face. Spending the time with Kels I got to this afternoon was much needed for both of us. I don’t think anyone is going to be able to turn this smile upside down today.

  “You riding tonight?” I ask Ransom as he comes in right behind me.

  “Yeah, but I’m running late. Stella was having a rough time.”

  “Running late, too.” I laugh as I point to the clock.

  He looks at me, his eyebrows drawn in suspicion. “Funny, you don’t look like you’re even worried about running late.”

  “I had a great afternoon.” I give him a shit-eating grin.

  “I just fuckin’ bet you did.”

  The one thing about having a best friend is you never fully have to explain anything to them. They know just by looking at you. He reaches out, giving me a handshake. “Get you some.” He coughs as we see Mason walking out of the main office.

  “What’s going on with you two?” Menace asks. “Why aren’t you already on the road?”

  “Both running late, but we’re getting out there now,” I assure him.

  He leaves while Ransom and I giggle like two boys caught with their hands in the cookie jar.

  “See you for lunch?” he asks.

  “Yeah, if it’s not busy we’ll grab something around midnight? Sound good for you?”

  “See you then.”

  Walking out to where our patrol cars are parked, I get into mine, do my walkthrough, and get ready to ride the roads for the night.

  It’s been a slow night, not many calls, hardly anyone speeding. It’s looking like it might be one of those easy shifts that we sometimes get. I’m making rounds through the county. If anyone were to ask me, this would be my absolute favorite thing. When I just got to drive around, looking for people who might be up to no good.

  Driving down one of the main thoroughfares, I see some metal laying in the street. Knowing someone will drive by, not paying attention, I pull my squad car over, turn my lights on, and start dragging it out of the way of oncoming traffic.

  Almost every person who works in law enforcement will tell you there’s a certain feeling you get when shit’s about to go down. It’s a sinking of your gut, a chill to your skin and bones, a prickling to the back of your neck. Right now I’m feeling this more than I’ve ever felt it. The bad thing? I’m out in the open and I don’t know which way the danger is coming from. It could be both or either.

  A shot rings out from in front of me. The spark of the gun shines brightly, outlining a truck sitting a few feet up. It’s so dark out here, that I hadn’t noticed it before.

  Firing at the person, I try to get back behind my car, use it for a little bit of cover, but the person starts running toward me. “Put your hands up! I will fire!” I put some authority in my voice.

  The person comes into the beam of my headlights, and I see the person is Ezra. “Ezra!” I scream, knowing my body cam will catch what I’ve said. “Put the gun down!”

  He shoots again, hitting me in the side, right as I reach my patrol car and wrench the door open. I crouch behind it, emptying my clip, hoping like hell I’ve gotten him enough so that he won’t come back for more.

  When I try to stand, I realize I’m dizzy, there’s blood pouring from my side and I know I’m in deep shit.

  Reaching for my radio in the car, I feel it in my hand right as the world goes black.

  Twenty-Four

  Kelsea

  “Thanks for coming out with me tonight.” I glance over at Stella. “I know you’re tired and you didn’t really feel like it, so thank you.”

  Darren had ended up asking to stay at my brother’s for dinner, which allowed me to have a girls’ night.

  “You know I’m always up to have a good time with you, Kels. Even if sometimes I’m not feeling great, don’t ever think you can’t ask me to come out with you. Speaking of, I can’t believe you and Nick haven’t decided to put a name on whatever it is you two have. I’d like to kick his ass,” she growls as she comes to a stop sign. “If he doesn’t know what he has with you, he’s a dumbass.”

  “Trust me,” I laugh. “I wanna kick his ass too, but I have to believe he’ll get a wake-up call. I mean, if we end up being able to adopt Darren, we’ll have to deal with each other for the rest of our lives.” For some reason I almost cry at the thought.

  “I have every faith that one day you’ll be like me and Ransom. A couple of newlyweds who feel like we’ve been married for ten years, expecting our first kid.”

  I watch as she reaches down, cupping her baby bump, as she drives toward what is now mine and Nick’s apartment. Sighing heavily, I watch the passing scenery as we drive by. “I hope you’re right.”

  “You know I’m always right!”

  I giggle loudly. “Whatever you say, Stelle. Whatever you say.”

  Up ahead we see the flashing lights of a Laurel Springs Police Car, but what’s odd, is they don’t have anyone pulled over in front of them. It’s facing our direction, dread fills my stomach as we get closer. The driver’s side door is open, and the siren is still blaring. “Definitely not Ransom, since it’s not a SUV,” Stelle says as she slows down.

  As she creeps by, I see booted feet laying underneath the edge of the door. “Stelle, stop, they’re down. Whoever they are, they’re down.”

  Before her car comes to a complete stop, I’ve unbuckled and I’m out of the passenger seat, running around the front. In my periphery I can see her put on her flashers, and then her door is opening, as she gets out. “Who is it?”

  Every bit of the food I’ve just eaten for dinner threatens to come back up as I see the love of my life, the man whose helping me raise a child laying there. His skin is pale, his arm outstretched for the radio in his patrol car. There’s blood pooling under his neck, and my heart pounds heavily as I hit the concrete beside him. “It’s Nick,” I manage to push the words out from between my dry lips. I immediately start to look and see where he’s bleeding from. Blood coats my hands and I look up at her. Our eyes meet and an unspoken conversation happens between us. We’re both scared to death, but we suck it up, and do what we do best. “It’s Nick.”

  “Let me see.” She pushes me away, and I let her. She’s the registered nurse with more training than I have. In the car the radio is going off, questioning where Nick is.

  I’ve been in enough police cars to know how to work a few things inside. My hands shake as I turn the siren off, then reach for the radio. Blood makes it slip through my grip first. “Fuck, please God, please God.” My bottom lip trembles and I do my best to control my breathing. Going through everything I’ve seen my brother and my dad do, I reach forward to the radio, hitting a button. When nothing happens, I hit it again.

  “Dispatch.” I hear through the radio.

  It’s then that it dawns on me I have to speak. My hands tremble as I bring the microphone up to my lips. I hit the button again, before I whisper. “Officer down, officer down.”

  “Come again? I can’t understand you.”

  Clearing my throat, I go again, letting the hysteria take hold of me. “Janet. It’s Kelsea – Mason’s daughter and Caleb’s sister – there’s an officer down! Nick’s been shot. We found him on our way home.”

  “Where are you, Kelsea?” she asks quickly.

  “Umm.” I look around, checking for street signs, but I can’t see anything.

  “Pull it tog
ether, Kelsea. Where are you?” she asks again.

  “I don’t know the name of the street, but we passed the Methodist Church. We went through the stop sign, coming from The Café. We haven’t made it to the bottoms yet,” I push forward in an excited utterance.

  “I’m gonna get help to you. Stay off the radio unless you need to report a change in his condition. You’ll have a cavalry in just a minute.”

  Inhaling deeply to keep myself from throwing up, I listen intently to what she says next. Sobbing as I hear her voice.

  “Gunshot wound, gunshot wound. Officer down, officer down between Spring St. and the bottoms, right past the Methodist Church.”

  Throwing the radio into the passenger seat, I climb out, getting back down on the ground next to Stella. “Has he come to?”

  “No.” I can hear the tears in her voice. “I’m trying to see where he was hit, but I don’t wanna move him.”

  Reaching into my pocket, I grab my cell out, turning the flashlight on. “Here, let’s look.”

  As I feel along the edges of his vest, he makes an anguished sound. “Nick? Nick? Can you hear me?”

  Those eyes of his open slightly, but I hate the paleness of his face. “Kels?”

  “I’m here,” I sob quietly. “I’m right here, what do you need?”

  “My dash cam and my body cam, make sure it’s secured. I got Ezra on there,” he croaks out as he takes a breath that I can hear gurgle in his throat.

  “Where are you hit?” I don’t bother to wipe the tears off my face as I look down at the man I love so damn much.

  “My side hurts,” he groans as he points to the side I’m kneeling on.

  Stella takes the cell phone out of my hand and shines it where he indicated. “Shit, he got you where you have a gap in your vest.”