She reached up and pushed his hair from his face. Her eyes searched his before she smiled. “Luck has nothing to do with us. You’re mine and I love you.”
He lowered his lips to hers and brushed them tenderly. “You are the single best thing in my life. I never stood a chance; you stole my heart.”
“And I’ll never give it back.” She rolled her hips under him.
He dropped his forehead to her shoulder and groaned, “Minx.”
“Who, me?” She rolled her hips against his cock again and made a sound that came damn close to a purr.
She spread her legs, and he found heaven. Her fiery core gloved him in ecstasy. “God.” He slid deeper and retreated, loosening her to accept him. “So fucking good.” His arm supporting him trembled. He moved onto his knees, settled onto his heels, and helped her move closer to him. The injury limited the way he could pleasure her, but he’d fucking make sure she found her release. Who needed a second arm? He grabbed her hip and slowly thrust into her again. He watched a blush spread across her skin. Her breasts swayed in time with the movement of his hips. “I want to kiss you. Here.” He ran his thumb across her nipple.
She panted, “Yes.”
He ran his finger down her arm and cupped her hand in his, kissing the palm before he lowered it and placed it on her breast. “Show me what you’d want me to do.” Her finger circled her nipple, teasing it with soft strokes.
He placed her other hand lower. “Touch yourself. Show me, baby. Show me what you like.” He would not last. The woman was erotic sex personified. Her hair spread in a halo across the pillows and sheets, one hand teasing her nipple, the other... Oh hell, she spread her sex with two fingers and stroked herself. He could see his cock glistening from her excitement as he withdrew. Her fingers moved faster, and he kept pace. She arched and tightened around him, her hands slapped the sheets and fisted them seconds before her body gripped him. He let himself go and chased his own release.
It took several long seconds before he opened his eyes. The sight before him was nothing short of heaven. He carefully lowered beside her and moved her to his good side. “I don’t think you’ll ever understand how much I love you.” He kissed the top of her head.
“I think I do. You made my life complete. It was as if I was stumbling in darkness, then finally opened my eyes and the only thing I could see, feel, or imagine was you.” She wiggled closer and shrugged. “That still doesn’t describe it, but...”
He trailed his good hand down her back. “No, it does, it makes perfect sense. You are my everything. I don’t know what I’d do without you.”
“Let’s hope you never have to find out.” She sighed and then yawned.
He kissed the top of her head again and listened to her breath even out as she drifted to sleep. He stared at the ceiling, terrified. Good things rarely lasted for him. Fate had a way of taking things from him. He tightened his arm around Brie. Fuck fate. He’d allow nothing to take her from him. Ever.
Ryker woke slowly. The sun had just started coming up and Brie had tangled herself around him. It had been a week since they’d shot him. Seven days with no answers and too many questions. He had to take a trip into the city today. Thankfully, he could manipulate his arm and shoulder into a button-down. He’d started physical therapy two days ago, and damn it if he didn’t feel like a blubbering baby by the time the woman finished with him. Her perky attitude added insult to the injury. The ‘You’re doing so good’ and ‘Excellent work, Captain’ were the little PT’s favorite cheers, and they made him realize he’d never cared for the cheerleader type.
He stared through the window and contemplated the day. Terrence was driving him into New York. He could manage the drive, but he deferred to his doctor’s orders. No driving for another two weeks. The doc had a point, not that he’d publicly admit to agreeing with him.
He and Mouse had a lot of ground to cover. She wanted to be free of Peña and Rubio, and he wanted answers. What in the hell would possess Peña to go after him? How could they prove it was in fact Peña who went after him and not one of the many people Ryker had put in jail? His team cleared that logic trail, going back through cases, checking on whereabouts of his previous collars, examining those that had been paroled and recent prison releases. As of this time, the answer was a big, fat no.
Then there was the school of thought that what had occurred was an initiation. Take out one of the big gears in HCPD to earn your way into a gang. The only problem with that line of thinking was that there had been no other attacks against officers in the HCPD, which there would have been if a gang had changed the jump-in process.
Callaway and Forsythe were still working the case, and the geofence had netted the number that called his phone right before the shooting. Unfortunately, it hadn’t pinged against any tower since then. Probably resting at the bottom of a sewer drain or in the landfill without a battery. So, in the absence of any other theory, Peña took centerstage, and Mouse was the only option he had to make sense of what was going on.
His cell vibrated, but he couldn’t reach it. Brie was lying on his good arm and he couldn’t lift his other arm that far yet. Brie jolted awake when he moved. “It’s just my phone.” He watched as awareness descended on her. She sat up and carefully stretched past him, retrieving it. He used his finger to swipe the face of the phone as Brie headed, gloriously naked, into the bathroom. “Terrell.”
“Hey. Do you want to meet me somewhere? I don’t want to lead anyone to your new digs, just in case someone is watching.” Terrence’s voice was too damn chipper for this time in the morning.
“I’ll go with Brie to her restaurant. Pick me up there at about…” He glanced at Brie, who was padding back to the bed. She held up her fingers, indicating ten. It would make for a late return, but it was Brie’s first day back today and he wouldn’t see her until after midnight. “Ten.”
“Fine, but you’re buying dinner.” Terrence ended the call, and he dropped the phone onto his stomach. “Sorry to wake you up.”
Brie made a humming noise and snuggled up next to him. “What are you doing today? The doctor said no work for two more weeks.”
“I have to go into New York to talk to a witness. Someone who may have an idea why someone would go after me.”
She lurched up onto her elbow, startling him. “Who is going with you?” Her eyes were a bit wild behind the fall of dark brown hair.
“Lieutenant Theron.” He frowned and pushed the hair from her face with his good arm. “Don’t worry, babe. I don’t take unnecessary chances. What happened last week was a freak thing.”
She sagged. “It was only last week, wasn’t it? Sometimes it seems longer, but other times I’m right back at the hospital waiting to hear from the doctor about your injuries.” She leaned her cheek into her hand. “Speaking of that, have you talked to your brothers since they stopped by the hospital that morning?”
He closed his eyes. They had all reached out to him, but he hadn’t responded. He needed to return their calls and texts. “No, and that’s on me. Every one of them has either called or texted. I haven't returned their gestures.”
“How about we have them over for dinner on Saturday? I’m going back on a limited schedule until you go to work, and I thought I’d come home after dinner service has started. After that, it is pretty much downhill. I can do the accounting and the deposits the next day. Roger can lock up the register drawer when the front doors close.” She laid down on his good shoulder and slid her long leg over his.
“Are you sure?” He turned his head so he could see her.
“Yeah, this past week I’ve realized just how much time I’ve been spending at the restaurant. I can work from ten in the morning until seven at night and handle everything. I was usually helping prep, but in reality, we can hire someone to do that. It would seem there is something in my life more important than my restaurant now. So… Saturday?”
“Saturday?” He searched his brain for any reason to postpone that event but
couldn’t come up with even a ghost of an excuse. “Yeah, sure. Saturday.”
“Perfect. I can invite down Brody and Amber.” She yawned and cuddled closer.
“No, let’s hold off with that. I think the first time I meet with all of them, I should probably do it alone.”
“Alone? Oh, okay, I can find something to do at the restaurant.”
“No. I meant without the others. I’ve seen how inviting your family grows into a major affair. Just you and me this time, and we’ll include the clan later. Besides, I’d like you to get to know my brothers.” He ran his fingertips up and down her arm in a lazy caress.
Now that he understood what had happened on his brothers’ side of their joint past, he was trying to put the pain behind him. Trying, and mostly succeeding. There were still lingering feelings that he’d have to deal with, feelings of inadequacy, of never measuring up. Benjamin had ingrained those feelings well, but perhaps that was why he’d worked so damn hard to build a successful team. Fenton reminded him of his stepfather. No matter how well he and his team worked, Fenton degraded and demoralized him. Yet he fought for his team and for himself. It was what he did, what he knew. Who knows what he would have done or become if his stepfather hadn’t treated him like he was worthless?
“Dinner? I can ask Roger to make something nice and I can bring it home. That way I don’t have to cook, I can visit with you and your brothers.”
“That would be perfect.” He chuckled when she yawned again. “Go back to sleep. We have time.”
She snuggled against him and sighed. “You sure?” The words slid together. He kissed the top of her head in response. Man, what did he do to deserve a woman like her? He couldn’t think of a damn thing. But that was okay. He’d take this gift and treasure her as long as God saw fit to allow him to breathe.
Brie drove into her parking slot and put her SUV into park. Her eyes went to the back door of the restaurant and a smile sprang at the sight of the camera installed above the door. She pointed to it. “Roger got it installed.”
“That’s good. He hasn’t told you of anything else happening out here, right?” Ryker unfastened his seatbelt as he spoke.
She opened her door to avoid looking at him. “He hasn’t said a word.” Which wasn’t a lie. She’d never told him about what happened to her, but she knew Roger would call her if those two assholes were intimidating anyone else. Since talking to Bekki, the dots connecting the two assholes and Councilman Davis seemed to make sense. Bullying and intimidation for graft or kickbacks. How many businesses were paying the man just to exist?
A silver SUV entered the alleyway. Ryker exited the truck, and after they both shut the doors, she locked the vehicle. “That’s my ride.” He tugged her in and dropped a sweet kiss on her lips. “I look forward to spending more nights together. But remember, if you need to be here, I understand.”
“See, the thing is, I really don’t. They are doing just fine without me. If I change my hours, they’ll continue to do well. But tonight, I may be late. I have a weeks’ worth of paperwork to get through.” She rose on her toes and kissed him again. The SUV coasted to a stop beside them and Lieutenant Theron rolled down the window. “Ready to go? Hey, Brie, how are you?”
“I’m good. Take care of him for me?” She chuckled at the bear-like growl Ryker made at that comment.
“No worries. I’ll keep him out of trouble.” Terrence laughed at the middle finger Ryker presented him.
“I’ll see you at the apartment later.” He kissed her one last time. A dark green late model car drove up behind the SUV and honked politely. Ryker glanced at the car and then back at her. “I love you.”
“Love you, too. Get going before you cause a traffic jam.” She watched him get into the SUV and waved as they departed. The middle-aged couple in the car waiting behind the SUV waved to her as they followed the SUV from the alley.
She jogged to the stairs and entered the morning chaos of a kitchen prepping for service. Someone shouted a greeting and then welcomes and questions swamped her. The sense of belonging and of community wrapped around her like a comfortable sweater that warmed her down to her soul.
She stopped by the station where her chef was working. “Roger, when you get to a point you can take a break, come in so we can talk?”
He glanced up for a minute from the vat of bolognaise he was stirring. “Sure. The receipts are on your desk, separated by day. Last night’s drawer is in the safe. There are a couple issues we need to talk about, but I’ve managed workarounds for them until you can devise something better. We’re booked for three weeks solid for dinner service and we’ve sold out of specials five out of the six days for lunch service.” He grabbed a spoon from one of the many containers near his station and tasted his creation. “Needs more garlic and salt. Give me some time to make this right and I’ll pop in. Your office is open and your keys are on your desk.”
“Perfect. Thank you.” She opened the door to her closet-sized office and drew a deep breath. Stacks of paperwork neatly arranged with stickies on the top of each showing the day the papers arrived sat waiting for her. She draped her purse handle on the back of her chair and sat down. Time to make up for the week she’d taken off. The paperwork version of penance.
She blinked and looked up at the knock on her door. “You ready?” Roger stood in her doorway. He was wiping his hands on the towel that hung from his apron.
“Sure. Everything here is self-explanatory except for the receipts from vendors we haven’t used before. I’m assuming we are still having problems with our primary vendors?” Three vendors, to be exact.
“Yeah. It isn’t ringing true in my books. I talked with other chefs. Those businesses are delivering to them.” Roger sat down in the chair across from her desk. “What’s the real story here?”
She leaned forward. “I’m not sure, but what I’m going to tell you goes no further than that doorway. You can’t say anything, understand?”
“Sure, you know you can trust me, Boss.” Roger leaned forward, lessening the space between them.
“I think I’m being squeezed in order to get my initiative through the city’s red tape and for approval.”
Roger’s face turned a dark red. “That is absolute bullshit, Brie.” He shook his head. “You're trying to help those less fortunate and someone is squeezing you? Who is it?”
“I don’t know.” She had major suspicions, but Roger didn’t need to have that information. “I’ve asked my sister Bekki to look into what is going on. I’m going to give her the name of the vendors that have suddenly been unable to fulfill our orders and let her go to work. Anything we say about this could derail her investigation, so we are going to be mute on this problem. Got it?”
“Yeah. I don’t like it, but I get it.” He glanced at the door before he stood and started back toward the kitchen. “My pasta is ready. I need to sheet it and start the raviolis.”
“I’ll finish with this and call Bekki. I need to talk with you and Lola after lunch service.”
Roger stopped, spun, and asked, “Something wrong?”
“No. Not at all. Just a couple changes I want to make. Oh, and thank you for installing the camera.”
“It was really easy. The battery will last a month, so I set up a recurring reminder on your computer to remind you when to pull it and charge it. There is a folder on the system’s desktop where the videos are accessible. I set it to keep them for a week, then delete them. The owner’s manual is in your top desk drawer.” He shouted the last words as he walked back into the kitchen.
Ryker’s injury had changed her in so many ways, and yet her world was just the same as it was when she stepped away a week ago. The familiar chatter, occasional shouted orders, and laughter faded into the background. Where it should be, a small voice inside her head reminded her. She’d built a successful business and had a great team in place. Working normal hours while still providing the leadership necessary wasn’t impossible. She’d just need to tweak her sched
ule if problems came up, and those nights that Ryker would be busy she would stay at work and help. It was… liberating and scary. She’d worked so hard for so long, taking a step back seemed like a luxury, although it wasn’t—it was just the reward for all the hard work she’d invested into her pride and joy.
She shook her head, clearing away the meandering thoughts, and grabbed her cell. Scrolling down to her sister’s number, she called Bekki.
“What’s up?” Her sister seemed distracted.
“Is this a bad time?” Her information could wait. Bekki worked on several stories at a time.
“Huh? No, no. I’m just frustrated. What’s on your mind?”
“Well, remember I told you about the vendors that weren’t filling our orders anymore?”
“Like it was yesterday.”
“Well, there are three, and they have consistently declined to fill our orders while filling other restaurants, at least according to my chef.”
“Okay. Could you do me a favor? I’m not in the office. Could you text me the names of the vendors and the dates of your orders? Hell, even a copy of your orders would help.” Bekki sounded like she was walking in a crowded building.
“I can scan them and send you an email.”
“That would be perfect. Hey, have you heard from Blay lately?”
She frowned as she thought. “No. I haven’t seen him since Sunday dinner at Brody’s. Why?”
“Nothing. I need help to navigate some construction permits and since he’s Builder Bob, I thought he could point me in the right direction. I don’t want to bother Brody at work.”
“But you’ll bother Blay?”
“Ha, well, yeah. Unless he’s putting out a fire, he’s just lazing around, right?” Bekki laughed loudly.
Ryker (Hope City Book 5) Page 14
