by Tatum Throne
Hard Hits 3
Training Adam
Detective Seth London is a Dom in his personal and professional life. Late one night, Seth crashes his motorcycle into a bridge. Former friend and onetime fling Detective Adam West is there to save him. Seth knows he’s been given a second chance at life and love with Adam, but he knows they can never be together.
Adam’s starting a new job with the Risk Assessment Team. The day after Adam saves his old friend, he discovers that Seth will be training him. Unable to fight the desire for his onetime crush, Adam wants Seth as his Dom. With their careers on the line, Adam agrees to Seth’s arrangement of sex with no love. Deep down, Adam knows he can’t be Seth’s sub without loving him, too.
Can Adam teach Seth what it means to love before they lose their second chance?
Genre: Alternative (M/M or F/F), BDSM, Contemporary
Length: 26,728 words
TRAINING ADAM
Hard Hits 3
Tatum Throne
EROTIC ROMANCE
MANLOVE
Siren Publishing, Inc.
www.SirenPublishing.com
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A SIREN PUBLISHING BOOK
IMPRINT: Erotic Romance ManLove
TRAINING ADAM
Copyright © 2013 by Tatum Throne
E-book ISBN: 978-1-62242-839-7
First E-book Publication: April 2013
Cover design by Harris Channing
All cover art and logo copyright © 2013 by Siren Publishing, Inc.
ALL RIGHTS RESERVED: This literary work may not be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, including electronic or photographic reproduction, in whole or in part, without express written permission.
All characters and events in this book are fictitious. Any resemblance to actual persons living or dead is strictly coincidental.
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www.SirenPublishing.com
Letter to Readers
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DEDICATION
For my boys.
TRAINING ADAM
Hard Hits 3
TATUM THRONE
Copyright © 2013
Chapter One
Seth London knew he was losing control of his life. He didn’t care. Rain hammered his face and shoulders as he pushed his Harley faster. There was nothing but open rain-slicked road as he sped from Northern Kentucky toward downtown Cincinnati. He cut through Newport to take side streets across the river. The late hour guaranteed that not many would be on the road.
The memory of running into Trent and Ryan at the gay bar in Covington played over and over in his mind like a bad tune he couldn’t shake from his head. All three of them had officially been outed.
This was not good. Seth was not out with anyone. His entire world was crumbling before his eyes, and there was nothing he could do to stop it from happening. Pain shot through his heart when he thought about everything he had to lose.
There were three bridges that spanned over the Ohio River from Cincinnati to Kentucky. Seth cut toward the middle one which would take him to Second Street and right to his loft overlooking the river on the Cincinnati side. The Roebling Suspension Bridge loomed in front of him. The bridge’s golden lights gave the brick a brown, eerie glow. Seth switched gears, hearing the rip of the bike echo into the night. He took it faster than he should have around a sharp bend.
A chill danced down his spine. The devil was riding shotgun with him tonight. The bike shimmied as he downshifted the gear. He braked hard into the curve right before the bridge, but it was too little and a lot late. The back wheel skipped out, sending Seth spiraling into the corner of the bridge. The Harley made contact with the cement barrier. Seth struggled to maintain control as the back of the bike skidded along the edge. Sparks flew from the contact of metal on cement. He hit the brakes, but it was useless. Fear rocked through Seth’s body as the bike spun, catching his leg between the bike and the wall. Heat seared through his pants, bleeding into his skin from the engine. The bike ricocheted off the wall, but came back in hard, flipping over the four-foot barrier. The bike and Seth went flying through the steel supports of the bridge. Disbelief rocketed thorough his mind as he sailed through open air. His stomach plummeted as he started to fall.
A flash of blinding white light lit up the night sky when a whip of lightning cracked across the top of the bridge. Open air rushed up beneath Seth as he fell toward the raging Ohio River a hundred feet below. Fear ricocheted through his blood, but it was quickly replaced with the will to live. Seth kicked away from the bike right before he made impact with the water. Murky water rushed up and grabbed him around the neck. He was caught on the bike, pulling him deeper into the raging water. Seth fought for his life, surfacing once to take a gasping breath of air before being yanked below again.
Beneath the surface, Seth opened his eyes and frantically looked to where his pants were caught. He kept calm as he worked the loop of his cargo pants, but it was no use. He was stuck. Stars flashed behind his eyes. He didn’t have much time. Seth kicked off his shoes and started on his pants. Seth’s hands shook. The pants stuck like glue to his legs. There was no way he could get these off underwater. Seth looked up toward the surface. Another flash of lightning lit up the night sky. It was so beautiful and eerie from beneath the water. He never expected that life would end this way for him. Seth worked frantically at his pants, but it was as though his thoughts and mind were elsewhere.
He thought about his brother, about all the things he was meant to do and hadn’t yet accomplished. He thought about his coworkers who would have to fish his body out of the Ohio. They’d prob
ably think he purposely took the dive into the river. That just sucked for everyone. Most of all, he regretted not finding that one special someone that would make this crazy life worth living. That person who he could wake up to and fall asleep with. If Seth had one wish, it was to have that chance to love and live life the way it was meant to be lived.
Seth knew he was wanting for things that were suddenly so far out of reach he would never ever be able to touch them again. Lightning flashed across the sky again. This time the beam was so powerful, it was as though it was shined right into his body. Seth felt his last breath of air leave him.
It was over.
* * * *
Adam West braked suddenly.
The motorcycle in front of him had spun off the road, hitting the edge of the bridge before flying through the night sky and into the river.
Adam blinked. Had he seen it wrong? It looked like the driver purposely spun his bike off the bridge. He’d been following the bike for over a mile.
Rain slanted against the windshield of Adam’s car. The wipers worked overtime to keep up with the autumn monsoon hitting the city. Adam came to a quick stop on the highway shoulder, leaving the lights on as he flung open his car door. It was difficult to see through the gray wash of rain.
Night swallowed Adam whole.
Raindrops clung to his lashes. The sound of his breathing was loud to his ears. Water raged in the river below. Adam ducked into the backseat of his car where his work bag was and grabbed his police-issued flashlight. He shined his light into the water, searching for any sign of the bike that took the high dive into the water. Adam thought about a call in to dispatch, but there was no time to wait for dive and rescue. Precious minutes were ticking away. Adam jogged down the length of the guardrail, shining the light as he followed the skid marks. Light bounced off rough water as Adam shined the powerful light off the sinking bike.
Where was the fucking rider?
Time was slipping away. They would be recovering a body if he didn’t do something fast. Adam set the light on the rail and climbed the barrier. He ran down the long length of grated walkway. It would be suicide to jump. It would be death to the rider to wait. He raced toward the end of the bridge where the embankment sloped upward. Adam jumped over the protective rail and onto the embankment.
Adam took a deep breath and dove out into the raging water. A strong swimmer, he kicked and swam to the sinking bike. A head bobbed to the surface, but went back under. Adam took a deep breath and searched beneath the surface for the rider. He found him, grabbing him around the waist. The rider struggled with his pants, pointing toward the bike. Adam let go of the rider and grabbed for his knife strapped to his belt, snapping it out. Working underwater, Adam sliced the connection. Adam grabbed the man around the waist, pulling him toward the surface and out from beneath the murky waters of the Ohio River.
They surfaced together on a rough gasp of air. Rain pelted them hard in the face. Adam took a few seconds to breath and to make sure the rider was breathing, too. Adam helped the guy swim to the shoreline. Rocks cut into Adam’s palms as he pulled himself and the guy up onto the safety of land. Adam stared at the guy crawling up onto the muddy embankment with him. Recognition registered late on his foggy brain.
Seth.
Oh, my God. It was Seth. What the hell happened?
His Seth. Adam had no right to make claims on this man, but he was. Their eyes locked and played tag with Adam’s long-forgotten memories. What the hell was he doing back in Cincinnati? The last Adam heard, he was in New York City.
The embankment was soupy. Deep mud sucked their feet and legs into the mud. Adam’s training as a SWAT officer took over.
“Are you hurt? Do you need an ambulance?”
“No. I’m okay. I can’t believe I’m fucking okay.”
Surprise arrowed through Seth’s blue eyes when he got to his shaky feet. Their eyes warred. Anger replaced gratitude with whiplash effect. Adam reached out, helping Seth to balance as he started to fall over. Before Adam had time to react, a fist came flying at his face. That one punch connected with Adam’s jaw, sending both flying backward into the mud. Adam landed with a solid thud with Seth landing on top of him. All the air left Adam in a whoosh. He rolled on top of Seth, taking advantage of the fact he just took a hard dive into the river.
Heat and adrenaline seared through Adam as their bodies pressed together. Adam worked his legs over Seth’s, straddling him with his wrists pinned. Seth bucked his hips, sending pressure up over Adam’s ass. It felt so wrong that the connection felt so good. Adam was not about to let his one-time almost-lover go without an explanation.
“Get off of me!”
“Calm the fuck down and I will.”
Seth was breathing hard, but the fight quickly went out of him. Adam grabbed him by the collar, dragging him up. “What the fuck is your problem?”
“You know exactly what my problem is!” Seth yelled. “Get the fuck away from me!”
Adam was shoved to the ground a second time, but he didn’t stay down long. He rushed Seth, pinning him into the muck. Pain slashed through Adam’s heart. Seth had every right to his anger. That punch was long overdue and well deserved.
The last time they saw each other, Adam ran when things got a little too hot to handle. Now, Seth was back in his life.
“What happened?” Adam asked.
“Fuck off.”
The words slapped Adam into letting go of Seth. Adam deserved the words and the heat behind them. He pulled away, leaving Seth in the mud. He paced away, trying to make sense of the last ten minutes of his life.
The last time they saw each other, they had been caught in an awkward and unfortunate situation. There were secrets in Seth’s eyes. It was so many years ago that Adam no longer remembered how many it’d been. It was New Year’s Eve. Seth was leaving to go study international crime with Interpol. Time stood still as the past reached out and grabbed hold of Adam, flinging him into darkness.
Seth was cleaning up behind the bar. He flicked his gaze across the empty bar. Closing time was the only time Adam could talk with Seth. Adam bussed the empty glasses and pitchers to the kitchen. The bar was a hot mess. They wouldn’t be getting out at the normal time. Adam went back through the swinging door to get more empties, knocking into Seth as he came through. Seth grabbed Adam by the upper arms, steadying them both.
“Fuck. Sorry, man,” Adam said.
“No problem.”
Their eyes locked, and time took a nosedive so fast that it probably stopped the revolution of the earth. Adam licked his lips, and Seth dropped his gaze to his mouth. A groan escaped from the back of Seth’s throat. Adam’s hands tightened in Seth’s T-shirt, pulling him closer. There was want in Seth’s blue eyes. Adam knew that Seth was in a relationship, but he didn’t care. He wanted this one stolen kiss before Seth left to study abroad. Seth edged him backward into the empty kitchen.
“Seth,” Adam whispered. “Fucking kiss me.”
There was heat in Seth’s eyes as he considered Adam’s desperate plea. Seth dipped his lips, brushing them back and forth. Adam’s heart raced as he parted his lips and their mouths fell together. Their tongues flicked passionately, and their kiss went into overdrive. Adam crushed his hands into Seth’s auburn hair as Seth pushed him up against a stainless-steel prep table. A jar of mayo teetered back and forth before it bounced onto the floor, splattering open. Seth slipped in the mayo, knocking them onto the table. Adam grabbed Seth, pulling him down.
Seth kissed him roughly, taking control of Adam’s mouth. Desperation had their tongues flipping and licking hard as though they’d never kiss again. The lack of oxygen had Adam’s head swimming and surfacing fast. He moaned as the kiss sped up into something more. Adam’s cock filled hard and fast, causing his cockhead to shoot out the top of his jeans. Disbelief had Adam reaching down to stuff his prick back into his jeans before Seth would know. Seth reached down, stopping him from putting his cockhead away. His hand palmed the tip of
Adam’s cock, polishing his cockhead. Pre-cum dripped from his tip, wetting Seth’s palm. Adam groaned. He wanted Seth just one time before he left for good.
“Seth? What the fuck?”
It was like a cold blast of water was thrown on Adam’s body. The back door was shoved open with Seth’s boyfriend, James, standing in the kitchen. Seth eased away from Adam’s body. Adam stood, slipping in the mayo on the floor. He grabbed the prep table, balancing himself before he fell on his face.
“It’s not what you think,” Seth said.
“Tell me what the fuck I’m supposed to think when my boyfriend is kissing his coworker!”
“It was my fault.”
“Fuck. You!” James yelled.
“James!”
Seth chased him out the back door. The door slammed with a bang. Erin chose that moment to swing through the kitchen doorway with a bin full of empties. Her eyes darted from the mayo to Adam’s disheveled shirt.
“You okay?” Erin asked.
“Yeah, I’m fine. Seth stepped out a minute. Do you think you can handle things here tonight?”
She started to protest, and Adam cut her off. “I’ll give you fifty bucks.”
She bit her lip. “Sure.”
Adam handed over the money and went to grab his leather jacket out of his locker. He was glad he walked to and from his apartment to work. He needed the nighttime air to cool off his dick. Adam slipped on his coat and headed outside. Seth and James were nowhere to be found. Adam knew it was best if he didn’t ever see Seth again. He just fucked up his relationship with his boyfriend, James.
