by J. H. Croix
At my nod, Rex picked up the phone. He quickly summarized my report, nodding along to whatever the D.A. said on the other end before he hung up.
“I’m not surprised, but she thinks we need to let this one slide. It warrants a conversation. This way, when it happens again, we can explain we gave him a chance to understand the ramifications. I’m gonna go track him down right now,” Rex said as he rose from his chair.
As we exited his office, he glanced back. “I know you like to take care of things yourself, so thanks for stopping by. We’re going to nip this in the bud.”
At that, he waved and headed down the hallway toward the back of the station. I returned to the front, waving to Maisie because she was tied up on the phone. She immediately lifted a hand, gesturing me over to her desk.
Just as I reached her, she ended the call and pulled her headset off. “Hey, how’d it go?”
“Rex is going to go talk with Bruce. I can’t believe it, but he was arrested a few days ago.”
Maisie sighed and nodded. “I just figured that out. The call came in the night I was off. I’ve emailed the whole damn station to tell them they are to let me know if any call comes in about Bruce, even if I’m not on duty.”
“That’s not…” I began.
Her curls bounced when she shook her head. “I can’t believe this slipped past me. You don’t get to tell me what to do, so deal with it. I just called Beck and gave him hell. They just landed today, and he said he heard about it while they were out.”
Maisie’s protectiveness made me want to cry. I had good friends and that was a blessing.
“It’s been over a year since his arrest,” I finally said. “I’m sure I would’ve found out soon enough. Not that I really want to know. I just want him to get the hell out of town.”
The door to the back swung open, and Beck, Maisie’s husband, came walking through. “I didn’t know until this weekend, and we were in the middle of nowhere,” he said immediately, his gaze swinging between Maisie and me.
“I’m fine, Beck. It is what it is,” I replied.
Beck leaned his elbow against the desk. “It still sucks. Trust me, the entire police force and all the guys are up to speed now. If any calls come in on him, we’ll know.”
Maisie flashed him a smile as Beck rounded the desk to drop a kiss on her cheek. Before Maisie moved here, I’d have been surprised to see Beck settle down. He was downright domestic now. He adored Maisie, and they had two toddlers already.
As Beck straightened, the door from the back opened again. This time, Remy came walking out. I was an emotional mess inside. The burn of adrenaline was still pumping through my body, and the anger I’d latched onto to keep me from falling into a mess of tears was still running hot.
In the middle of that mess, the sight of Remy was a jolt through my body. His dark blond hair was like burnished gold, his green eyes bright as they coasted over my face. He looked surprised to see me. Meanwhile, I wanted to fling myself in his arms and forget everything else.
Chapter Fifteen
Remy
Rachel stood by the counter in front of the station. Even though we had an audience, I couldn’t keep my eyes off her. She was so fucking sexy and beautiful. Her glossy hair was pulled into a ponytail, her cheeks were flushed, and her eyes bright. She wore a T-shirt over fitted fleece leggings.
I presumed she’d just been running. When I studied her eyes for a moment, I knew she’d been crying. A mix of anger and vulnerability was contained in her gaze with a hint of desire flashing in the depths as we stared at each other.
Beck’s voice snapped through the weighted silence between us. “Well, I’m gonna head out back. When’s your shift over?” he asked, glancing to Maisie.
When I looked in their direction, Maisie’s curious gaze was bouncing between Rachel and me. Belatedly, she looked over at Beck. “In a half hour. Are you going to wait for me, or head home? Max and Carol are at your mom’s.”
Now, Beck was delayed in responding, with a knowing glance between Rachel and me. It was clear both of them had picked up on something between us. He swung his eyes back to Maisie. “I’ll go pick them up and meet you at home. Okay?”
At her nod, he leaned down and caught her lips in a quick, but fierce kiss. That man was so damn whipped, it was almost ridiculous. He was forever being teased by the guys around the station, and he didn’t give a damn. Allegedly, he’d once been a bit of a player, but I found that hard to believe. Beck adored Maisie and was all-in when it came to being a father. I never once even heard him complain about having two toddlers around the house.
Straightening, he threw a smile at Rachel and me. “See you around,” he offered with a wave before pushing through the door into the back. Conveniently, the dispatch line buzzed. Maisie quickly answered, shifting into work mode.
Rachel stepped a few feet away from the desk. “I was just stopping by. I…”
Her words trailed off, and I filled the silence. “I was about to text you. Dinner tonight?”
Her eyes widened with a small smile, her cheeks pinkening. Damn. I wanted to kiss her, something fierce.
“Um, okay. Where do you want to go?”
“Just tell me where, and I’ll pick you up.”
The truth was, I didn’t give a damn what we did. All I wanted was a few hours with Rachel. Actually, I wanted more than that, but I’d take whatever she’d give me.
Yet, I sensed something was unsettling her, and I wanted to know what it was.
“If you don’t mind, I’m not really up for going out. I’ll cook you dinner. Henry loves visitors too,” she added.
“Tell me when.”
Her gaze flicked to the clock above the door in front of the station. “Six o’clock?”
“I’ll be there.”
Just then, a truck pulled up out front. Rachel turned her head to look out the windows. She visibly flinched then stood frozen, staring out the window.
What the fuck?
The truck came to an abrupt stop, jerking forward and back. The man driving slammed it into park. Just as he climbed out, Rex came wheeling into the parking lot, his lights flashing as he came to a quick stop behind the truck, boxing it in.
The man in question turned to face Rex as he exited his patrol car, raising his hand, his middle finger extended. I couldn’t say how I knew, but I knew Rachel’s reaction was to this specific man. I didn’t even think and turned to her, curling my hand around hers. “Come on, let’s go in the back.”
A fine tremor was running through her body, and I wanted to pull her into my arms. Even though I was blind to the details, my gut told me that man outside had hurt her.
As I turned to the back, I caught Maisie’s eyes. She mouthed, “Thank you.”
I was relieved Rachel simply went with me. She didn’t say a word as I held the door open and walked her down the hallway. About halfway down, Beck stepped out of his office, gesturing for us to go in. I guessed Maisie must have texted him.
As soon as the door was closed, Rachel sank into a chair by a small round table and buried her face in her hands. The sound of her ragged breathing was audible in the room. I was flying a bit blind here, so I sat down in a chair at an angle across from her.
“You okay?”
She was quiet for a minute before she lifted her head, her eyes glittering with tears. “I’m fine. Fucking fine!” Her anger was fierce, a force in the room. “That asshole out front represents the biggest mistake of my life. I know we barely know each other…” She paused when I shook my head.
I answered the question in her eyes. “Not barely. Before last week, I considered you a friend, even if I didn’t know you that well. But now I know how you feel. Don’t pretend I don’t know,” I said, my words coming out stronger than I intended.
Rachel opened and closed her mouth, her cheeks flushing. “Okay. My point was you didn’t know that I ended up in a disaster. That asshole out front”—pausing, she gestured toward the front of the station—“beat the shit out of me,
and now he’s out of jail.”
Fury slashed through me, but I beat it back. I didn’t know what Rachel needed right now. “You obviously made sure he got the hell out of your life,” I said, my voice low.
It killed me to see the pain mingling with the anger in her gaze. I wanted to wrap her in my arms. I wanted to make love to her, and I wanted to wipe that asshole off the face of the earth. These conflicting impulses tangled up inside me in a storm of emotion.
“I’ll kick his ass for you.” Considering we were at the police station, I wasn’t going to be getting away with punching that asshole, not right now, but it didn’t change the fact I’d be happy to do it for Rachel.
A bitter smile crossed her face, and she shook her head slowly. “Nah. He doesn’t even deserve that much energy. Will you do me a favor?”
“Anything.”
“I don’t want to leave until he’s gone, but I don’t want to walk out to see if his truck is still there. Can you check?”
Reaching over to tap the speaker button, I called Maisie’s inside line. She was going to see it as a call from Beck’s office, but that probably worked in my favor.
Proving me right, she answered quickly. “What’s up? We have a situation—”
I cut in. “It’s Remy.”
“Oh, sorry, didn’t mean to be rude. I thought you were Beck.”
“I figured as much. Just letting you know I’m back here in his office with Rachel. I’ve got you on speaker. Can you let us know when that asshole is gone?”
“Oh, thank God. Are you okay, Rachel?”
Rachel sighed. “I’m fine.”
“All right. Well, Rex is talking to him. As soon as they’re gone, I’ll tell you. Oh, wait. He’s already getting in his truck.”
A few hours later, I turned into Rachel’s driveway. I was still mulling over the events at the station. After Maisie reported Bruce was leaving, I went out front to confirm he was actually gone. Rex had assured Rachel if Bruce showed up anywhere near her again, he would arrest him, and the D.A. would press charges.
I hadn’t wanted Rachel to leave alone, but her expression had turned downright mutinous when I suggested I follow her home. I had to bite my damn tongue and resist the urge to follow her against her wishes. The moment she left, I practically stormed into Rex’s office to get the background.
Rex had hesitated to fill me in until he took a long look at me. “Well, I guess I don’t have to worry too much.”
I hadn’t cared to debate his implications.
I heard Henry’s bark through the door as I climbed the steps to her house, and was damn relieved she had him. I knew he wouldn’t let anybody show up here without raising a ruckus. After I heard her telling Henry to be quiet, the door swung open. Her hair was down, hanging loosely around her shoulders, the glossy brown tempting me to thread my hand in her hair and kiss her, right here and now.
It was more than her hair that made me want to kiss her. Her lips were so fucking tempting with that plump bottom lip and the slow curl of her smile when she looked up at me.
“Hey, come on in. Henry’s going to go nuts if he doesn’t get to say hi.”
Oh right. Henry. I loved dogs, but greeting Henry wasn’t as high on my priority list as kissing Rachel was.
But I grinned and stepped through as she shut the door behind me. Kneeling down, I let Henry circle me with wags, his tail thumping against my back as I stroked his head. “Hey buddy,” I said before straightening. He trotted across the room, picking up a multicolored rope toy that he sent flying in the air and caught as it fell.
Rachel laughed. “Henry entertains himself. Come on over,” she said, gesturing to the kitchen as she walked toward it. Her hair was damp, and I presumed she had showered since her run. I was slightly disappointed she wasn’t still wearing her fitted T-shirt and leggings.
Not that I had any complaints about what she was wearing now. She’d changed out of her running clothes into a stretchy cotton skirt with a long sleeve T-shirt. Her breasts pulled the cotton tight and curved over the top of the V collar. Her feet were bare and her toenails were painted bright purple. Something about the whimsical color made me smile.
She pointed to one of the stools beside the counter. “Have a seat, I’m just finishing up. Do you want beer or wine, or something else?”
“I’ll take a beer.”
Opening the refrigerator, she glanced back over her shoulder. “You have choices,” she said before reeling off three different options.
“I’ll take the darkest of whatever you have,” I replied.
A moment later, she handed me an open bottle of beer and turned to check something on the stove, adjusting the heat on the burner.
Hooking my feet around the legs of the stool and taking a drag from my beer, I asked, “Do you like to cook?”
“Oh, I love it. I’ll never be one of those people who can be thin and diet because I like food too much.”
“Whatever you do, don’t change a thing,” I murmured, thinking it would be a damn shame for Rachel to try to do anything to lose her gorgeous curves. Her cheeks flushed pink when she looked back at me.
A while later, after Rachel practically shooed me out of the kitchen when she started cleaning up, I took Henry out for a bathroom break with her permission. After I returned inside, he trotted over to the chair in the corner, leapt onto it, and almost instantly fell asleep. Rachel closed the dishwasher and turned to face me, her hands curling over the handle.
This evening had been a test, a test I never thought I’d have to pass. Our encounter this afternoon and hearing about Bruce had me torn up inside. I was swamped with the urge to protect Rachel. Yet, I sensed she might not appreciate that.
My internal tug-of-war over the strong pull I felt toward her was largely pointless. My intellect took a backseat to the rest—the desire knotting me up inside and keeping me on edge ever since I’d seen her this afternoon, the unfamiliar possessiveness, the need to claim her.
I saw Rachel’s eyes flick to the door behind me and guessed she was checking to see if I’d locked it when I came in with Henry. I knew that habit from Shay. It was something I never thought much about, ever in my life. Hell, I never even wondered about doors being locked when I was home. I didn’t worry about it for me, but I knew it mattered to Rachel.
I reached behind me and locked it. Rachel’s eyes slid back to mine, widening. She opened her mouth as if to say something and then snapped it shut.
“Do you want to talk about what happened this afternoon?” As soon as I asked the question, I wanted to snatch it back.
We didn’t need to weigh in to that heavy topic. Rachel stared at me and I wished I knew what she was thinking. Her eyes shuttered, and her cheeks flushed deeper. After a moment, she shook her head.
“There’s not much else to say. I hate that it’s a part of my past, but it is. There are a lot of things you can change, but the past isn’t one of them.”
She uncurled her hands from the handle on the dishwasher, crossing the kitchen to where I stood at the edge of the counter. I was a muddle inside—concern and desire spinning together.
Eyeing me, she rested a hand on her hip. “Whatever you think, don’t you dare feel sorry for me,” she said, her tone low and controlled. “I got through it, and I will get through whatever bullshit he throws my way again. Don’t feel bad for me about what happened. It was my own damn fault, and I should’ve seen it coming.”
None of this made me feel sorry for Rachel. Protective? Possessive? Angry as fucking hell with the asshole who did this? Yes, yes, and yes. Absolutely.
“It didn’t even cross my mind to feel sorry for you,” I said, closing the distance between us. “But don’t you dare fucking say you should have seen that coming. My sister went through something like that. It has nothing to do with seeing something like that coming. When you have a good heart, you expect the same from others. I know you’re strong and smart. That’s the problem with assholes. They expect people to give them t
he benefit of the doubt. We do.”
She stared at me, her eyes flashing. After a moment, a flicker of sadness crossed her face. “I’m sorry about your sister.”
“You’re breaking your own rule. Don’t be sorry. She’s good now. Like you, she got out, and she’s okay.”
Rachel laughed softly. “You’re right.” She looked at me for another long moment and then lifted her hand, tracing it along my jawline. “I don’t want to think about that anymore. It’s the past, and that’s where it’s going to stay.”
She took another step closer, her soft curves bumping against me. My breath hissed through my teeth when she curled her hand around my neck and leaned up as she pulled me down for a kiss.
Chapter Sixteen
Rachel
I was a jumble of need, emotion, and yearning. After this afternoon, I toyed with texting Remy and calling tonight off completely. My emotions felt volatile, too close to the surface, pressing against my skin. The anger had faded, leaving me feeling exposed. I hated how vulnerable I felt when I thought about Bruce.
Yet, the urge to see Remy was so powerful, every ounce of common sense I had couldn’t beat it back. I wanted to lose myself in the wildness between us. The not-thinking part of me wanted to burn my regret, frustration, and pain to ashes in the force of the fiery desire between us.
I was under no illusions. I didn’t think Remy was going to save me. I didn’t think I’d ever have the kind of happily-ever-after you hoped for once upon a time before life sent you skidding into a tailspin. No, I considered myself lucky just to have one night with a guy who wasn’t an asshole.
This thing with Remy was like lightning striking dry grass. You couldn’t catch it. If you tried, it would singe you. The only choice was to let it strike and burn free.
As mortified as I’d been to have Remy see me at a weak moment, the mortification fed into my frustration and anger, and spun into a resolve of steel inside. Bruce had once shredded me to pieces inside. I finally got out of that situation, but I was stronger now, and I wasn’t going to be ashamed of my past. I’d been afraid Remy learning about Bruce would chase him away, but that didn’t seem to be the case.
