It’s important for me to be the one to get Rambo to release his grip; even if Tucker is the K-9 trainer, Rambo has to listen to me. I grab him by the collar, step over him, and grip his sides with my knees, telling him to stop. It takes a few times, but he lets go, and that’s when I give him the praise he’s learned means he’s done a good job.
Reaching down I help Tucker up. “Again?”
He gives me a grin. “Again.”
Stella
“So do you know how they’ve voted?” I ask Dad as I have a seat next to him. The possibility of an Emergency Response Team in the area is of interest to all of us. Myself, Kelsea, and Karsyn all signed up for it, so we’ve been invited to this meeting.
The room is filling up as members of the Laurel Springs Fire Department, Police Department, all file in, along with doctors, nurses, other members of the medical community, and a few of the higher-powered attorneys in the area. It amazes me how many people have come together to possibly make this innovative initiative come to fruition.
“No idea.” Dad shakes his head. “And even though it would mean the MTF would kind of be absorbed by this, I hope it passes. We need this kind of initiative. We’re too far away from Birmingham for them to help us and too far away from Memphis too; we need to be able to do things on our own. Menace will still be supervisor and Havoc will still serve in his capacity, so basically this is going to affect people who join after this.”
“Well I hope it passes,” I admit as I cross my legs and look around the room. “I’m not cut out to be on the police department, but I want to help people in their time of need. With this initiative I can.”
“For the most part, this will keep you out of harm’s way.” My dad gives me a pointed look. “Always tried to keep you safe, Belle. But you gotta be all up in everything.”
“Just like my mom.” I wrinkle my nose at him.
“Ain’t that the damn truth.” He puts his arm around my neck, pulling me close, kissing me on the forehead.
There’s a loud noise in the room as the back door opens, and members of the MTF come spilling in. I see Nick, along with Ransom and Havoc. I wave, Nick waves back, giving me a pointed look.
“Why’s he looking at you like that?”
“No idea, you know the two of us.” I shrug. “We’re siblings and sometimes we just can’t stand to look at each other. We both know I’m your favorite, though.”
Dad chuckles. “I’m not getting into that conversation with you.”
“Don’t have to, I know I’m the princess.”
He opens his mouth, but as he’s about to say something, the meeting is called to order. I’m not sure who the councilman is who brought this vote up, but he starts speaking about how important it is for Laurel Springs to be able to protect ourselves when emergencies happen. He speaks about how we have an obligation and an opportunity to be a county that others throughout the U.S. can look at.
“It’s the opinion of this council that we do, in fact, implement the Laurel Springs Emergency Response Team. Over the next few weeks we’ll be condensing some departments and adding to others. Everyone who signed up to be a part of the team will be contacted and given instructions on how they can respond when needed.”
This is all I came here for. It’s basically all I need to hear, to know that Laurel County will be innovators and leaders. I’m beyond proud to be a part of this. Leaning over, I whisper to my dad. “I’m gonna go, this is all I wanted to know.”
“Love you, Belle, see you later.”
“Love you too, Dad.” I kiss him on the cheek before I get up, making my way down the aisle.
“You leaving?” Nick asks as he stops me, he and Ransom stand next to one another.
“I am, that’s all I was here for. I’m gonna head out.” I give Ransom a smile. He looks hot as hell, standing there in his gear, his fingers hitched into his bulletproof vest.
“I think I blocked you in,” he says loud enough for anyone around to hear.
Nick coughs. “Bullshit.”
Both of us ignore him as we walk out of the meeting hall together. Ransom turns to make sure no one has followed us out, and when he sees that we’re along, he grabs my hand, entwining our fingers together. “It’s good to see you tonight.” His voice is deep, quiet in the stillness of the night.
“I know, I don’t typically get to see you until I’m tired and you’re tired, and we only have a few hours together, this is nice.” I let him drag me into his arms, kissing him softly.
“It is. You going home to wait on me?”
“I’d planned on it. Try not to get into something that’s gonna make you late, Officer Thompson,” I tease.
“I’ll do my best, babe.”
He opens the door for me, helping me into the car.
“Be safe, handsome.”
“You too.” He closes the door, and I can’t help but watch as my heart walks back into that building. It squeezes so hard it almost stops. I’m lucky and sooner rather than later, I wanna shout it to the rooftops.
And later on, as I lay in his arms, I hear three words whispered that I’ve never heard a man besides family whisper.
“I love you.”
I don’t know if he meant for me to hear, so I’m not sure how to answer. Instead of reciprocating, I bury my head in his chest and fall into the best sleep I’ve gotten in a very long time.
Chapter 27
Ransom
I’m in a damn good mood this afternoon as I make my way along the streets of Laurel Springs. It rained overnight, cooling it down slightly. I have no doubt that it’ll warm back up in no time. But I’m feeling good about Stelle and I. Maybe I should have made sure she heard me last night, maybe I should have woken her up and professed my undying love to her, but I didn’t. I’ve never told another woman besides my mom I love them, and I’m scared of rejection. Even if I don’t think there will be one.
We spent some quality time together before I had to come on-shift, and I’m relaxed as I’m gonna be. I even gave the first two speeding stops I made warnings. Nobody can say Ransom Thompson isn’t fair today.
As I get in behind a SUV, they swerve slightly. Okay, I’ll give them one. But then they swerve two more times, and I know immediately I need to run the plates. Something tells me I need to.
“Dispatch, I need you to run this plate.”
It’s not three minutes later the voice of our longest-working dispatcher comes back at me.
“Stolen Ransom, reported out of Orange County.”
Immediately I flip my lights and sirens. As expected, they take off and I request back up.
“We’re going about ninety,” I call calmly over the radio, hoping that someone can get to me and help. “They’re all over the road.”
And just as I tell dispatch they’re all over the road, they lose it. Calling the wreck over the radio, I shove my SUV into park. Just like Rambo and I practiced, I get out, sending him after the driver, as I go for the passenger. The difference here? Rambo goes deep into a forest I can’t see, and it’s only us. Quickly, I get the passenger cuffed, and that’s when I notice that I also can’t hear him.
“I can’t see my dog.” I can hear the fear in my voice, can feel my heart begin to pound. “How close is someone?”
“Five minutes, Ransom, backup is coming.”
Five minutes is too long. Reaching down, I grab the passenger. “Get the fuck up, we’re going on a little run. Let’s go.”
Little do I know, this decision will make an impact on both me and Rambo for a long time to come.
Stella
“I’m starving.” Mom rubs her stomach as she slides into the booth across from me at The Café.
“Me too.” I know there’s a stupid grin playing across my face, but I can’t help it.
“Did you work out this morning?” she asks, tilting her head toward my wet hair
“Something like that.”
My always-put-together mom doesn’t need to know that less than an hou
r and a half ago Ransom had me pressed up against the wall in his bedroom, as he plunged into me. I can feel my face heating up as I remember his deep voice groaning in my ear as he came. If anyone asked me what’s my favorite thing about being with him? It’s knowing I give him just as much pleasure as he gives me, and he always lets me know.
She gives me a look, almost like she’s trying to figure out what I’m not saying. I know I don’t normally go out of the house like this. In just a t-shirt, pair of cut-offs, no makeup, and wet hair, but I was running late, so there wasn’t time. As it was, Ransom was thirty minutes late to work.
“I know I look a mess.” I run my fingers through my hair. “But I still have my pearls.” I give her a grin, fingering the earrings Dad got me for my twenty-first birthday.
“You don’t look a mess, you look alive, Stella. Whatever it is you’re doing, keep doing it. I haven’t seen you this bright in a long time, if ever.”
In this moment, I wanna tell her about Ransom. About what a sweet guy he is, how he makes my heart beat faster, how he does the little things that all guys are supposed to do in relationships. Things I’ve never had, and things I never expected. There’s never been another man who’ll call me at midnight when he gets home from a long shift and ask me to come sleep with him just because he can’t leave his dog, but he doesn’t want to be without me. It’s on the tip of my tongue to tell her how much he respects Dad, and how he’s worried Dad will think he’s not good enough for me. I want to share the way he makes me feel, how he can heat me up with a look, how he can make me laugh, and how just knowing he’s around makes me feel safe. My favorite place in the last few months has been wherever I can be with his arms around me, and I want to talk to her about that.
To tell her I think I’m falling in love, but I’m not sure what that means yet.
“You okay?” she asks, reaching across the table to take my hand. “You look like you’re grappling with something, Belle. You know you can tell me anything.”
“I know.” But I wonder what she will say when she realizes how long I’ve been keeping a secret. I’ve never kept secrets from my parents before, never.
As I’m about open my mouth and spill everything, Leigh comes over to us. “Hey ladies, what can I get for you this afternoon?”
“I’ll take a hamburger and fries.” I give her a grin. “I’m hungry today.”
She looks at me, really looks at me, and I squirm under her gaze. “If that slight beard burn on your neck is the reason you’re hungry, I’d like to be your kind of hungry.” She laughs as she gives Mom a look.
“Oh my God, Leigh.” I bury my face in my hands, wishing this book would swallow me up. If she only knew what she was saying.
Mom laughs loudly, but I’m dying.
“Hey, I’m just saying when you get to be our age-” she moves her finger between her and Mom, “-you fondly remember those younger years.”
“Amen to that. Now the guys are so damn busy with everything,” Mom mumbles, as she puts her menu up in front of her. “Ryan hasn’t gotten home before ten the last two weeks, with all the roadblocks they’ve been having.”
I can’t help it, I’ve gotta fuck with her just a little.
“Why do you think my hair is still wet, Mom? The guy I’ve been seeing works night sometimes. It’s not unusual for me to see him at one in the morning, or eleven at night. You make time for what matters.”
Whitney Kepler opens her mouth, gasping. “Oh my God, you really like this guy, Belle. You really like him.
Immediately I wish I didn’t have to mess with people, I totally regret what I’ve just said to her. In one thought, I’ve given away all my feelings, and now she won’t stop until she knows who it is. Fuck.
I’m trying to think of a way to get out of this when Dad comes running through the door of The Café.
“Dad.” I get up, going over to hug him. If anything, this will take the heat off me.
“Hey Belle.” He puts his arm around me, hugging me tightly.
“I thought you were working today?” Originally instead of meeting Mom for lunch, I’d wanted him to come to the apartment I share with Kelsea to help us put some shelving units up, but he’d said he was working a double and couldn’t. “Or did you lie so you won’t have to help us?” I tease.
“No.” His voice is serious and immediately I take note of the look on his face. Something has happened, and this is no time to be messing around. “I’m here to get Leigh.”
She immediately has a seat in the booth I abandoned. “Is it Holden? He doesn’t go in until later today.” She’s shaking her head. “Did something happen out at the house? Cutter should have been with him.”
“He is with him, honey. Cutter’s driving Havoc to the hospital, I’m here to get you.”
The woman who’s always been one of the strongest I know, screams. A sound I’ve never heard another person make before. “Tell me Ransom’s still alive, tell me he’s okay. He texted me earlier, and when I texted him back he didn’t respond. I got a funny feeling, but I’ve had those off and on my whole life. Just tell me he’s okay, Ryan.”
My dad glances at me, and I know he can’t. He can’t tell any of us that Ransom is okay, and that’s when I silently begin praying and wishing like hell he and I hadn’t been so stupid to keep the two of us a secret from everyone close to us. If I lose him, I don’t know what I’ll do, and I’ll never be able to explain the love we have for each other. More than anything in this moment, I want to show our friends and family.
But I can only do that, if Ransom makes it. And that’s when I start bargaining with God, because I don’t want to live my life without the man who’s become my everything in such a short amount of time.
Chapter 28
The world as I know it shifts on its axis, as I try to keep my reaction to myself. No one here knows about the months we’ve spent together. None of them know that last night as I drifted off, I heard him say I love you, for the first time, and damnit, I’d been too scared to say anything back. Right now that ranks as the biggest regret of my life.
“He’s alive, Leigh. I wasn’t there, so I don’t know all the particulars. He took one to the vest, one to the arm, and there was a physical altercation. The suspect went after his dog.”
“How’s Rambo?” I ask, almost as upset about him.
“They’ve got him at the vet, he also took a shot. I’m not sure how he’s doing, but I think Tank was heading over there to be with him until Ransom can be.”
There’s someone running through the door, and I see Violet. She immediately goes behind the counter, grabs an apron, and hurries over to Leigh. “I’ve got this, go check on him, go be with your family. Caleb will be here to help as soon as we hear something about Ransom. Kelsea’s on her way right now. We’ve got this, go check on your son.”
“Let’s go.” She scoots out, taking Dad’s hand. “Are we going to Birmingham?” Her voice is shaking as she asks the question. If he’s in Birmingham then it’s probably worse than better.
“We are,” Dad confirms. “Let’s get going.”
Mom eyes me critically. “Ya know what? We’re coming with you.”
I’m in a daze as she puts her arm around me, ushering me to her car. When we get in, she follows closely behind Dad’s squad car, and we’re almost at the hospital when she finally speaks. “I don’t know why you didn’t tell me, but you obviously have your reasons. I hope that when we find out Ransom is okay, and you need to believe he will be, you’ll tell me what exactly has been going on.”
“I love him.” I let some of the tears fall, as I try to hold them back by putting my hand over my mouth.
“I could see that. As soon as your dad started talking, I saw your face. I know you’re scared. The job they do is a scary one and some days are worse than others, you know that from your dad, but you’ve always got to believe that good will prevail. If not, you won’t be able to handle a relationship with him. Did you try and text him?” she asks quietly as
we pull into the parking garage.
“I did, but he didn’t text back.” I hold my phone in my shaking hand, willing him to answer.
So many police cars and personnel are there, but one man stands, directing traffic.
“I was pregnant with you, last time I was here for a police officer, and it was much the same then as it is now.” She waves as the cop directing traffic shows her where to park next to Dad.
“Who was that for?”
“Uncle Trevor. He was in a horrible wreck. We didn’t know if he would make it or not. I had contractions with you, but it was too early. They all wanted me to go home, and no one knew about him and your Aunt Blaze, but I saw her sitting there by herself, trying to hold it together. At the time I kind of knew who she was, but we’d never been introduced, and I couldn’t leave her there. She and I went to the hospital chapel and prayed.”
“I’m glad she had you.” My throat is tight.
“You have me too.” Her voice is soft and reassuring. “You need me? I’m here. I’m not leaving your side.”
“Thanks, Mom, I love you.”
“I love you too, and I know how hard it is to love these guys, but with Ransom? Honey, he was a cute child, but since he’s been a teenager he’s been good-looking. Now?” She shakes her head, a smile of disbelief on her face. “You didn’t stand a chance once he became the hottie he is now.”
I laugh through some tears that are falling. “I really didn’t. Once he made up his mind, it was over for both of us.”
Taking a deep breath, I get out, following the rest of them into the hospital.
“What do we know?” Dad asks as we get up on the floor. I see so many people I know, and I notice Havoc runs to Leigh, scooping her up in his arms.
Cruise and Menace come over to our small group, and it looks as if Menace has made himself spokesperson. “I was supervisor on duty, so I was the first one here. I didn’t want to leave him, otherwise I would have come gotten you all myself.”
Ransom: Laurel Springs Emergency Response Team #1 Page 14
