Tattoo

by Cambria Hebert

Taylor focused those big green eyes on me. “You have to leave?”

  It was very satisfying to hear the disappointment in her tone. Ignoring her father, I leaned down, caging her in with both my arms, and let my eyes wander over her features one last time. She really was a beautiful woman. “Take care of yourself,” I whispered and kissed her on the forehead.

  The little sigh I received was almost just as good as a full-on kiss.

  “Bye,” she whispered, watching me go.

  “Mr. Shaw,” I said as I passed Edward, who was standing there watching us with a displeased look on his face.

  Poor guy, he probably wasn’t used to someone not caring what he thought.

  A few steps down the hall, he called out my name behind me. I stopped and pivoted around. “Yeah?”

  “I’d like to speak to you a moment,” Edward said.

  I joined him beside the door to Taylor’s room without saying a word.

  “I saw what you did to that nurse,” he said, getting right to the point.

  “She caught me off guard.” I shrugged. I wasn’t going to apologize to him for reacting in a defensive way. I had a right to protect myself and those that belonged to me.

  Whoa. Those that belonged to me. That was just a tad possessive, even for me. Maybe there was something in that shot the nurse forced on me.

  “She was reaching for my daughter,” he said, like he was telling me something I didn’t know.

  “And?”

  “And your instinct was to protect her.”

  I stared at him in stony silence. Was he pissed that I was protective of his daughter?

  “I’d like to hire you,” he said. It was the second time in the span of ten minutes I was caught off guard.

  “I don’t have any experience in finances,” I said. “I’m a cop.”

  “I have all the employees I need at my bank.” He waved away my words.

  “About that.” I interrupted. “One of your associates literally stepped over your bleeding daughter to get the hell out of the building. Even after Taylor protected her.” I crossed my arms over my chest, getting pissed all over again just thinking about it.

  “Who?” he said coolly.

  I shrugged.

  “I’ll take care of it.” He spoke like it was a done deal, and I had no doubt that woman was going to be fired. “I want to hire you to protect my daughter.”

  I couldn’t help but be surprised. “You want to what?”

  “Obviously, the people I hire are complete morons. The guard in the bank couldn’t thwart the robbery. The guard I hired to be here outside her room never showed… Apparently even when you have money, reliable help is hard to find.”

  “Money just makes it harder to find trustworthy employees.”

  “You’re right.” Edward agreed. “I may not like you much, but it’s clear you have a softness for my daughter.”

  He didn’t like me. Big fat fucking deal. But the fact he seemed to pick up on the way I felt for Taylor made me a little uncomfortable. I wasn’t used to having softness. “I’m not a bodyguard,” I replied. “I work for the RPD.”

  “I’m sure I could arrange to borrow you from the force.”

  “Do you always throw money around to get what you want?” I asked.

  “When it comes to my daughter’s safety, yes.”

  I studied him.

  “She told me about the plan of using her for ransom. One of the thieves is still out there. What are the odds he will come back for her?”

  I wished I could say I thought Snake would turn tail and get the hell out of town, but I knew better. I knew these guys were territorial. He wasn’t going to just cut and run. Especially now that he knew I’m a cop and was responsible for thwarting his grand plans of being the next kingpin in the organization. “It’s a possibility.”

  “Be at this address early the day after tomorrow morning. The police are putting a man outside the door here until she is discharged tomorrow evening. She’s staying with me, and I have a very early day at the bank. This breech in security is making our members very antsy.” He handed me a business card with what I assumed was his home address.

  “I didn’t say I would do it.”

  “It’s just until this criminal is captured.” He just kept talking like he hadn’t heard me at all. “Then, I will be happy to not see you again.”

  Wow, he was really laying on the charm to get me to agree.

  “I’ll give you one hundred thousand dollars.”

  Surprise shot through me like a bullet. A hundred grand for what would likely be a day or two of work? Damn.

  A rapid beeping sound floated through the door, and then Taylor cried out. Both of us barreled into the room. The first thing I did was sweep the space with my eyes, and my arm went to my back, reaching for my gun.

  The gun wasn’t there.

  She made another sound of distress and my feet skidded across the linoleum as I rushed to her bedside. “Taylor,” I called, leaning over her, taking her hand. She was having a nightmare.

  She gasped, her eyes flying open and her body jerking upright.

  “Easy,” I murmured, catching her gently by the shoulders to keep her from flailing about too much and hurting herself.

  “Brody?” she asked, her unfocused eyes seeking me out. When she saw I was there, she gave a cry of relief and flung herself at me, her free arm wrapping around my neck as she buried her face in my chest.

  A tidal wave of fierce protectiveness swept over me. The fact that she willingly rushed into my arms for comfort heightened a primal need within me. I wanted to protect her. I wanted to be the one to soothe her when she was upset.

  “It was just a bad dream,” I said softly, splaying my hand against her back and pulling her a little bit closer.

  “Please don’t leave,” she whispered.

  “I’m not going anywhere.”

  The phone in Edward’s pocket went off, shattering the quiet in the room. Taylor jolted in my arms and I glanced at Edward, who was letting it ring while he stared at us with an unreadable expression on his face.

  “If you aren’t going to get that, at least shut it the hell off,” I growled.

  He pulled the phone out and looked at the screen. He sighed. “I have to get this.”

  I waved him away and he answered, stepping out of the room and pulling the door around behind him.

  I sat down on the edge of the bed, keeping my arm around her. She practically crawled into my lap, and I chuckled. “You’re going to hurt your arm and pull out your IV.”

  “I don’t care.” Her voice was muffled against my shirt.

  “Lie down,” I ordered, pushing her into the covers.

  I saw the flash of defiance in her eyes, but then I kicked my legs up on the bed and scooted up beside her (careful of the IV) and she decided not to refuse.

  “Come here,” I murmured, opening my arm. Her body fit right up against me and I turned so I was on my side, facing her, with my arm draped over her middle.

  I could tell she wanted to turn as well, to push that ass of hers right up against my hips, but the sling and monitors would not allow it. Instead, she turned her face so it was buried in my neck.

  She didn’t say anything, but the slight tremble in her body faded away and she released a contented sigh before slipping back into a deep slumber.

  I sat there a long time, not sleeping, just feeling her against me. I wasn’t used to this kind of shit. I was used to wham-bam-thank-you-ma’am. I wasn’t used to holding hands, kisses that didn’t lead to sex, and a woman who acted like I was the cure for everything that ailed her.

  I liked it.

  I was dozing off when Edward came back into the room. He stopped short when he noticed I was in the bed and she was plastered against my side.

  I glanced up at him, speaking softly above Taylor’s sleeping head. “I’ll do it,” I said, accepting the job.

  He nodded.

  “One thing,” I said.

  “What?”<
br />
  “I don’t want your money.”

  Surprise flickered in his eyes. “You’re turning down payment?”

  “Yes.” I had money of my own. I didn’t want or need his.

  I wanted something else from him.

  I wanted his daughter.

  14

  Taylor

  My father left early, and as soon as I got out of bed, I told his housekeeper she could take the day off. I didn’t want or need a babysitter.

  Time alone sounded pretty nice, though. People were hovering around me since I was admitted in the hospital. My father, the nurses, the doctor, the police officer at the door. I was constantly surrounded. Sometimes I went into the bathroom just to hide. All these people… and not one of them were who I really wanted. After Brody left that night, he hadn’t been back. I understood he had work to do and a life of his own, but every time the door to my room opened, my heart would leap, hoping it was him. And when it wasn’t, disappointment burned the back of my throat.

  Was it possible to become attached to someone through a life-altering situation? Was it possible to develop real feelings for someone under circumstances of duress? Or was Brody just someone whose memory would fade over time?

  The thought scared me. I barely knew him, but I wanted the chance to change that.

  My entire body was like one giant ache as I moved through the rooms of my father’s too-big house, not really looking at anything, but just moving, just trying to work out some of the soreness.

  Of course, this wasn’t like a pulled muscle. This wasn’t like I ran one too many miles at the gym the day before. I couldn’t just walk off the soreness of being shot and almost killed. I wasn’t sleeping well because I was plagued with dreams of gunfire, money, and basements without windows.

  It would take time for some of my fear to wear away. I understood that and I was okay with it. But a little bit of peace might be nice.

  What I needed was a soak in a warm bath. Reversing my path through the house, I walked toward the stairs and on my way through the entryway, someone knocked on the door. I froze, my foot on the bottom step, as I wondered who it could be.

  Fear skittered up my spine as I imagined the worst. It was probably Snake, who somehow evaded the police and could be anywhere by now. Get real, I admonished myself. It wasn’t as if he would walk up to my door in broad daylight and knock.

  Knock, knock.

  Who’s there?

  I’ve come to finish what I started.

  I shook my head of the silly, far-fetched thought while I backtracked to the door. “Who is it?” I called out. I might be acting paranoid, but it was better safe than sorry.

  “It’s Brody.” His voice was like a warm breeze on a cold day. Unexpected but entirely welcome.

  I yanked open the door, sunshine climbing across the floor and warming my chilly toes. But I didn’t notice the heat or the sun. I didn’t notice the blue sky behind him or anything else that might be out there. He was all I saw. He commanded my attention like a bolt of lightning across a dark and stormy sky.

  He was dressed in a pair of ratty, faded blue jeans. The tears in the fabric showed little glimpses of his skin and the worn-out fabric molded to his thighs like a lover. His hunter-green T-shirt looked like combed cotton, or perhaps it had just been washed over and over again. It wasn’t overly snug, but the sleeves clung to his defined biceps and tattoos stretched down his arms. Shielding his eyes was a pair of aviator glasses, and by the look of his jaw, I was sure he hadn’t shaved.

  “Hey,” I said, my voice sounding slightly breathless. “I didn’t expect to see you.”

  The corner of his mouth lifted and even though I couldn’t see his eyes, I knew he was staring at me. I could feel the heat of his gaze. “That mean I can’t come in?”

  I pushed the door open wide. “Of course you can.”

  “How’s the arm?” he asked, strolling inside with his hands casually tucked in his pockets.

  “Not so bad.” In truth, it hurt less than the rest of me.

  He chuckled. “You’re sore as hell, aren’t you?”

  I groaned. “Yep.”

  “It’ll fade,” he said softly, sliding the sunglasses up onto his head.

  “So did you need something?” I blurted, not wanting to get caught practically drooling over his appearance.

  “Nope. I thought maybe you might want to hang out today.”

  “You wanna hang out?” I asked skeptically. Brody didn’t seem like the kind of guy who liked to “hang out.”

  “Figured you might not want to be alone.”

  “I’ve been alone for all of ten minutes.” I scoffed. “My father—” I stopped midsentence, getting a very bad feeling I knew what this was really about.

  I moved to cross my arms over my chest, but I couldn’t because of the stupid sling. So I settled for a glare.

  “What?” Brody asked warily.

  “Is he paying you to be here?” I practically growled. It was totally something he would do. If he had his way, I’d have as many guards as the president, which was totally ridiculous.

  He didn’t have to confirm it with words because the look on his face said it all.

  Fury and embarrassment warred inside me. This was totally not going to happen. I yanked the door back open and gestured to it. “Leave.”

  Brody stared at me levelly, a little bit of surprise flickering behind his eyes.

  I blew out a breath, irritated he wasn’t listening. “I’m not trying to air-condition the front porch,” I snapped, hoping he would take the hint and get to walking.

  Finally, he started moving, strolling oh so casually over to the door. I stiffened a little as he moved past me. I wished he hadn’t been paid to be here. I wished he came because he wanted to.

  Brody grabbed the edge of the door and swung it closed. “No,” he said, turning to look at me, a challenge in his eyes.

  “I don’t want you here,” I growled. I was so angry and so embarrassed that I felt a rush of tears behind my eyes.

  Oh, hell no, I commanded myself. You will not let this jerk-wad see you cry. It was hard to hold off those tears. I was tired, I was hurt, and now I looked like a pathetic, helpless girl whose daddy paid people to be around her.

  “Too bad.”

  “I will not be a job to you!” I burst out and then ran for the stairs. “Get out!” I flung the words over my shoulder as I went.

  He caught me as I placed my foot on the bottom step, pulling me around and pushing me up against the wall. “This isn’t a job to me,” he growled, his eyes hard.

  Looked like he didn’t enjoy being bossed around either.

  “How much did he offer you?” I spat.

  “A hundred grand.”

  I gasped. My father was completely insane. For years, I humored his overprotective tendencies. Hell, I even understood them. But enough was enough. This was absolutely humiliating.

  “Let go of me.” I tried to pull away, but he moved in closer, pinning me with his rock-solid body.

  “I turned it down.”

  It took a moment for his words to break through the angry cloud swarming my head. I paused and glanced up. “You what?”

  “I don’t want your father’s money. This isn’t a job to me.”

  I snorted. Brody made it perfectly clear from the beginning this whole situation was a job. “Yeah? Then what is it?”

  “An excuse.”

  “An excuse…” I echoed.

  “To spend time with you.”

  I snorted again. “You expect me to believe that you turned down one hundred thousand dollars because you want to spend time with me?”

  He grinned lazily and the bottom dropped out of my belly. “Yep.”

  “I have a hole in my arm, not in my head.”

  His voice dropped and his mouth drew near. “Did you like my kisses?”

  My brain knew what he was doing and Brody clearly knew the effect he had on me. He knew his manly charm, sexy tattoos, and hushed
voice controlled me far better than anything else ever could. But even as I recognized his methods of distraction, I couldn’t stop them from working.

  His dark, bottomless eyes dropped to my lips. “Did you, Taylor?”

  “You know I did.” I was going for exasperated… All I managed was breathless.

  He leaned in even closer. I could feel the heat off his skin, the breath off his lips. His eyes drooped closed even as I watched him, mesmerized by every single thing about him.

  Just as our lips matched up, he lifted his chin ever so slightly, tilting his head up so the tips of our noses brushed together. Leaning just a little to the side, his bottom lip brushed over my top one, dragging upward, and our noses brushed together again. My limbs started shaking because just one brief touch wasn’t enough. Watching him still, I tilted up my own head, the back of my head sliding against the wall as I lifted, realigning our mouths and inviting him to take advantage.

  Brody opened his eyes, spearing me with the molten chocolate of his irises. The heat I saw in his gaze was undeniable. The desire he exuded could only be real. His hand flattened out on the wall right beside my head and he shifted his stance, sliding one of his thighs between my legs.

  And then he lifted.

  That powerful thigh I was admiring in his jeans just moments ago slid upward, bringing me with it. My feet hovered over the floor as I straddled his thigh, the firmness of his muscle pressing right against my core. The sweet spot inside my panties began to throb heavily with the seductive pressure of my position against the wall.

  And he kissed me.

  Brody diminished the scant distance between us and sealed our lips together. I reacted eagerly, taking everything he would give me and letting it fill up my insides. His tongue swept inside my mouth and I groaned. I loved the width of his tongue. I loved the way it stroked like it intended to possess everything it touched.

  I couldn’t help but rock against his thigh, and when I moved, so did he, bringing it up a little bit more. A sensation of pleasure shot through me, and my inner muscles contracted, squeezing together, trying to milk every last bit of excitement from that movement. As soon as it faded, I rocked again, groaning into his mouth while my fingers found the waistband of his jeans and tried to yank him closer.