“Naw, I don’t think so,” I said. “I have to drive home.”
“Hey, Belinda!” Shawna called out to the waitress, ignoring what I’d said. “Bring this man a boilermaker, tall Bud and Beam.”
“Got it Shawna,” came the answer.
“Think of it as an initiation, Falco,” Hicks told me. “Trying to resist Shawna would be an exercise in futility. She’s always going to win.”
“Your damn skippy,” Shawna barked, sliding her arm around me, pushing her large bosom into my arm. “You did good today, rookie. You took care of my girl. That means you’re alright in my book.”
I wanted to remind Shawna that I wasn’t a rookie. I had three years of experience with the Franklin PD. I decided to just go with it, though. Everyone was having a good time. It was my first day. I did well. I was gaining approval from my partner. Everything seemed good.
Shawna and Hicks were right about the turkey melt—it was damn good, and the beer was ice cold and extra tasty, spiked with the Jim Beam. I listened to Hicks run down what had happened at the collar, perhaps admitting too much about the use of force, too much for my taste, given what we had just written in our reports.
Hicks had downed two shots of Jim Beam and a full beer, by the time I had drained two-thirds of my first. Shawna was already snookered, having a great time. It seemed like a good group of officers, all close, all seeming to support each other. Hicks had been sneaking looks at me all night. The alcohol had empowered her to not hide the looks so much. She wanted me, I could tell, but she wasn’t the only one.
Hicks had ordered her second beer and announced she was going to ‘hit the head and make some room.’ While she was gone a very drunk Shawna White slipped her arm around me again and whispered in my ear, “Hey rook, have you ever done the nasty with a fellow police officer in your patrol car?”
I chuckled, “Why no, I haven’t,” I replied. “Have you?”
“Oh yeah, baby,” she whispered again. “I had the cuffs on and everything.”
She began to rub her left hand over my biceps. “Hot . . . damn,” she whispered. “You got muscles on your muscles, baby.”
My face reddened a little, “Thanks.”
“You know, the first time I saw you, I said to myself, ‘I’m gonna break off a piece of that white boy,’” she continued.
Hicks walked back to her seat from the restroom. I could also see Shawna’s amorous whispering was starting to gather attention.
“What are you doing, Shawna?” Hicks asked loud enough for the entire table to hear. “Can’t you give this boy a single break on his first day?”
“I’m just trying to make sure he gets a proper greeting and initiation, girl,” she said.
“After the day he’s had, I’m not sure he could survive one of your initiations,” Hicks replied. The entire group laughed, Shawna could be heard laughing above the rest.
“Alright, then,” Shawna said, standing. She looked at me and winked, “I’ll let you off with a warning this time. We’ll talk later then. I gotta go.”
I noticed two of the officers were drinking soda water and coffee. An officer named Cowers stood up with her, “Her place is on my way home. I’ll drop her off.”
“Yeah, we know why you wanna drop her off, Cowers,” another officer said, drawing laughter from the others.
“Ain’t gonna happen,” Shawna said. “I’ve talked to his old girlfriend.”
She held up her little pinky. The others roared in laughter.
“It’s late. I have to go, too,” another officer said.
“Yeah, me too,” two more chimed in unison. The group started to get up to leave. They were paying their bills and saying their goodbyes.
I looked at Hicks, “You need a designated driver?” I asked.
“Nope,” she said, smiling from ear to ear, clearly feeling buzzed.
“Really?” I came back. “You don’t look like you should be driving to me.”
“I won’t be driving,” she said.
“So . . . what? Uber?”
“Nope,” she replied and then pointed her finger toward the ceiling. “I live on the sixth floor of this building. 6C.”
“That’s convenient,” I told her.
“It is.”
“Looks like you don’t need me,” I said. “I was going to be a gentleman and drive you home.”
“If you were a real gentleman, you’d walk me to my door,” she replied.
I checked out her smile. It was a tad mischievous. I thought about it for a minute as I allowed my eyes to flow over her body again. It had been an extraordinary day, to be sure. We had been thrust into a situation that caused us to form an early bond. We had been there and we had done that. I had learned my lesson, hadn’t I? Jesus, she was hot.
______________________
CHAPTER EIGHT
______________________
HICKS
I had my tongue in Falco’s mouth before my door was even closed. The alcohol only served to amplify the adrenaline already coursing through my veins. The man saved my life, and this was . . . Falco. He was so fucking hot in bed when we were in the academy. Every other man I’d had before or since paled in comparison.
My panties were moist during most of the evening just thinking about him, and now they were pretty well soaked. His tongue found mine and we stood there, locked in a burning sloppy, wet kiss. I wanted to devour him.
“Raise your arms,” he said.
He broke off the kiss only long enough to pull off my top. I’d busted him checking out my breasts off and on all day long. That didn’t surprise me all that much. I knew men liked my boobs, and it’s been my experience that male police officers were more brazen than most with their attention to them. It had to be the whole alpha male thing. I unhitched my bra and pulled it away, allowing him a long look.
He gave them a long, hot stare. I could see his dick tenting in his pants. I reached down and took his hands and placed them on my breasts and leaned in for another deep kiss. I heard him moan, imagining his junk ready to burst right out of his uniform. He was kneading my breasts with his fingers. I let out a breath and a soft sigh. His hands felt delightful on my tits. He took my nipples between his thumbs and forefingers. His touch sent sizzling sensations straight to my vagina, which had gone from moist to dripping wet in a flash.
I felt his rock hard cock rubbing up against my crotch through his pants. His hands moved from my breasts to my belt buckle. He undid the belt and the top button on my jeans before unzipping them. I wanted them off as much as he did. I pulled them down once he unzipped them. I felt his strong warm hands on my butt cheeks. I moaned as his hands roamed over my cool skin. He was experienced in the art of touching a woman, there was no doubt.
My hands were now on his belt and I had his pants unbuckled, unbuttoned and unzipped in seconds. I slid my fingers down his underwear and felt his hardened staff. I pulled his magnificent maleness out of his boxers. Holy fuck, was all I could think.
The feel of his dick was driving me crazy. I could resist no longer. I fell to my knees and pulled his pants to his ankles. His stiffness was all but calling to me. I grabbed the base of it and began stroking it. He let out a gasp of pleasure and I was burning with desire. I began rolling my tongue along its head before taking the full length of it down my throat. I heard him moaning again. I took him in and out of my mouth, slow and easy at first, then faster.
“You’re so fucking hot,” he said, encouraging me.
“Let’s slip a condom on you,” I told him.
“Of course,” he said. “Do you happen to have one?”
I froze, “Me? No. Why would I have a condom? Don’t you have one on you?”
I felt his hands moving away, “No. I wasn’t expecting to have sex tonight.”
I sighed, and not in a good way.
My mind went to an imaginary balloon, quickly deflating. My heat level went from a solid ten to a three instantly. What man who looks like him doesn’t carry a condom
on him, I wondered?
“Falco, this is a mistake,” I said. “Let’s not do this.”
I backed away, reaching to the floor and pulling up my jeans. He pulled up his own pants and packed his cock away. His face was red with embarrassment. I felt humiliated, realizing that it wasn’t all his fault. Neither of us came to work this morning thinking we’d end up where we were.
“I’m sorry,” he said. “I should not have let it go this far. I was . . . in the heat of the moment, and . . .”
“It’s ok,” I told him. “We were both in the heat of the moment. I’m sorry, too, but I can’t . . .”
“I fully understand,” he said, “and I agree. It’s getting late,” he said.
“It is,” I said, feeling humiliated.
We both spent the next thirty seconds getting our clothes back on in silence. He turned and walked to the door, looking back as he opened it.
“I’ll see you in the morning, Hicks,” he said.
“Sure,” was all I managed to say.
______________________
CHAPTER NINE
______________________
FALCO
I was mentally kicking myself all the way to the car. How could I be so stupid? Did I really ask her if she had a condom? What an idiot I was. A fantastic first day had just blown up in my face. Now, things would be awkward and uncomfortable. I slammed the steering wheel once I got into the car. It was just like me to fuck things up like this.
The moment I first saw Hicks, I was determined to not end up in bed with her, again. We had clicked as partners, falling right back into the groove we had established in the academy. I knew it would end in awkwardness. I knew it but I once again allowed my dick to run my brain.
The evening had gotten chilly. It was no more than forty degrees outside, if that, and the wind had started kicking up. I turned on the car and its heater and sat for a moment while the engine warmed. I looked at the clock. It was about ten-thirty.
I pulled out of the lot and headed home, trying to think of what I’d say and how I’d act in the morning.
“How’d you sleep last night, Hicks? And how about those Yankees?” I mocked to myself out loud, chuckling at the absurdity. This was not good.
I was ten minutes from home when I passed hobo’s palace. I saw the soft amber glow of the fiery steel drums cutting through the blackness. My thoughts went to the young girl whose coat had been stolen. I wondered how she was faring this evening with this sudden temperature dip. I remembered she had a blanket but it was thin and worn and totally inadequate for this evening. The older homeless lady, Sally, said the younger gal was shy and didn’t talk. She had to be freezing out there without a coat, and if she couldn’t talk she couldn’t even ask strangers for help.
I decided to pull into the area. I parked the car and grabbed my gym bag. In it were several articles of clothing, including a long sleeve t-shirt and a sweat jacket, certainly not enough to face the cold alone, but it was better than nothing, I thought.
There were ten to twelve people huddled around the makeshift campfire as I approached. Several of them stared at me as I approached, making me realize for the first time I was out of uniform. They followed me with their saddened, nearly lifeless eyes. No one said anything as I passed them, heading for the spot I’d last seen the young woman who had her coat stolen.
The area was clear and I saw no sign of her. Outside of the people warming near the fire, the rest of the community looked bedded for the night, huddled under makeshift tents, blankets, newspapers, whatever they could find.
“Are you the cop from earlier in the day?” I heard a female voice say from behind. It was Sally, who I’d spoken to earlier.
“Yeah, I was looking for the girl who lost her coat earlier,” I replied.
“You look different out of your uniform. That for her?” she asked, pointing toward my sweat jacket.
I nodded, “Where is she?”
“She left about an hour or so after you did,” Sally said.
“Where’d she go?” I asked.
She shrugged, “Like I told you, she doesn't talk.”
“Where would someone like her go?” I asked. “It’s cold out there.”
“It’s cold here too, in case you hadn’t noticed. The men all hog the fire. Hell, I don’t know where she went. She probably thought she’d find someplace warmer. She could be anywhere.”
Or when I approached her earlier with my shiny new badge, it made her nervous and she took off, I thought. It was possible she had a warrant out on her.
“Thanks, Sally, I’m going to look around a bit.”
“Suit yourself but she ain’t here.”
I wandered around the homeless community looking for some sign of her. Sally was right. The young woman wasn’t here. I began walking back to my car.
I reached into my pocket and pulled a business card, handing it to her, “My number’s on here. If you see that girl again, would you do me a solid and call me?”
“All depends,” she said.
“On what?”
“Whether you give that sweatshirt to me. I could sure use it,” Sally said.
I smiled, tossing her the sweatshirt.
“Goodnight, Sally.”
“Good night officer, and thanks.”
______________________
CHAPTER TEN
______________________
HICKS
I dreaded seeing Falco this morning. What I had done and the way I had conducted myself was completely inappropriate. I all but threw myself at the guy and pulled the condom card on him at the last minute. I was totally humiliated and wondered what he was thinking.
I looked at my watch. It was ten minutes before morning roll call. Falco was nowhere to be seen.
“Hicks, a word please,” Captain Paulson called out from his office door.
I stood and walked into his office, wondering which shoe was about to drop. I didn’t have to wait long.
“Police Chief Tierney read your report last night,” the captain said.
“You’re shitting me,” I replied. “The Chief of Police?”
“I’m afraid the situation has elevated,” Paulson said. “The perp got himself a pretty good lawyer. He’s threatening to go to the media with the whole ‘excessive force’ thing. The Chief is ordering an investigation.”
My heart sank. I felt a little bile forming in my throat.
“Captain, the man held a gun to my head,” I told him. “My life was as risk. I needed to disarm him. What the hell was I supposed to . . .”
“You’re preaching to the choir, Hicks,” he interrupted. “Still, you know how sensitive these issues are.”
“Am I suspended?”
He shook his head, “Not at this time. There is no evidence other than the testimony of you, Falco and the perps. So, right now it comes down to the word of a long-time decorated police officer with a stainless record and her partner, against the word of two scumbags with rap sheets as long as your arm. I just wanted to give you the heads up and warn you to toe the line out there. Where is Falco, anyway?”
“Haven’t seen him yet, Captain.”
“Well, when you do see him, you tell him to do the same.”
“I will.”
As I took my seat for roll call I saw Falco slipping into the room from the back. He made no attempt to make eye contact or seek me out, which made me wonder what was going on in his head.
Shawna was sitting on the other side of the room as well, and that was good news. I fully expected her to be all over me this morning demanding details from the night before, but fortunately, she seemed to be dealing with an epic headache.
Captain Paulson took the team through the morning meeting. There was no mention of our collar from the day before, which I knew would cause curiosity, and it did.
After the meeting ended, the room did not buzz with activity like normal. It felt more like everyone was leaving a funeral. Two long-time partners, Abrams and Carter, who eve
ryone called Abbott and Costello, approached me.
“We heard the Chief might call an investigation, Hicks,” Carter said. “I’m sorry.”
“How’d you guys find out so fast?” I asked. “I just found out before the meeting.”
“Abrams here is plugging the Chief’s admin assistant,” he said.
I shook my head, “So, the entire department knows?”
“More or less,” Abrams admitted. “This is not gonna be a secret, Hicks. If it happens, though, you need to know the entire department will be behind you. You’ve been around long enough to know full well, in this precinct, we have each other’s backs.”
“Thanks Abrams,” I replied. Over Carter’s shoulder I saw Shawna talking with Falco and the captain. I wondered what was going on there. They were now heading my way.
Carter touched my shoulder as if he had been consoling someone who’d just found out they had terminal cancer. The truth of the matter was, he’d been trying to find a way to get in my pants for two years and probably thought his sympathetic support might be that final avenue to allow him to go for the gold.
Abrams and Carter left and I tried to make my way to Shawna, Falco and the captain, but was stopped by two more officers, Rybolt and McNeil, who wanted to know what was going on and to show me their support.
______________________
CHAPTER ELEVEN
______________________
FALCO
“I want you two to keep an eye on Hicks,” Captain Paulson told Shawna and me, having cornered us at the far side of the room. “She has had a bit of a history with treating perps rough, but until now, no one has actually filed a formal complaint. She’s a damn good cop. I don’t want this to get out of hand.”
Happily Ever Alpha: Until Falco (Kindle Worlds Novella) Page 5
