Dirty Sexy Cuffed (Dirty Sexy #3)

by Carly Phillips

  She opened her mouth to speak, and certain a denial was about to spill out, he quickly held up a hand to stop her. “Wait. Don’t say anything.” She pressed her lips back together, and even though her gaze was wary, he continued on while he still had a bit of leverage. “I want you to really think about your answer this time, instead of automatically turning me down, because one more rejection might just crush me.”

  Light laughter escaped her. “I truly doubt that.”

  He leaned across the counter so he was a bit closer. “But do you really want to take that chance?” he teased.

  He’d meant to make her laugh again, so that she’d lower her guard a little more. But instead, her doubtful gaze searched his expression, looking for answers he didn’t know the questions to until she finally asked.

  “Why me?”

  The uncertainty in her voice caught him by surprise, but his response was immediate and sincere. “Why not you?”

  “Because girls like me . . .” She shook her head and glanced away, but not before he saw the pained look in her eyes. “Never mind.”

  He wasn’t going to let her off so easy. Not with a statement like that. “Girls like you . . . what?” he persisted.

  She released an exasperated sigh and met his gaze again. “I just think you and I come from different worlds, or opposite sides of the city, as the case may be.”

  He arched a brow. “And you’re basing that assumption on what, exactly? Me being a cop?”

  “Yes,” she replied with a nod.

  Little did she know, the respectable image he presented to the public as a police officer hid a wealth of deep, dark secrets—along with a past that was grim and twisted and would undoubtedly horrify her if she knew the truth. It was those memories that reminded him much too often which side of the city he’d grown up in—the shitty, hellish side where he and his brothers had struggled every single day to survive.

  But he didn’t tell her any of that because it didn’t matter in the scheme of wanting a date with her. Instead, he flashed her a persuasive smile. “Sweetheart, there’s a whole lot more to me than just this uniform and my good looks,” he teased. “But the only way you’re going to find out who I am out of this uniform is to say yes.” And yeah, he’d deliberately given that comment a double meaning she clearly didn’t miss. “So, just think about that for a few minutes, and when I come back, hopefully you’ll give me a different answer.”

  He pushed away from the counter and walked down one of the snack aisles. But instead of getting Nick’s Snickers bar and their drinks from the cooler, Levi headed toward the back of the store to use the men’s restroom first. He took care of business, washed his hands, and just as he was drying them with a paper towel, he heard a loud male voice yelling from somewhere in the store.

  Immediately concerned, he slipped from the restroom and moved silently down the hallway to assess the situation. He glanced around the corner and felt his stomach lurch when he saw a tall, lanky man in his mid-twenties up by the front counter, with a gun pointed directly at Sarah as she opened the cash register, the terror on her face nearly gutting Levi.

  Jesus fucking Christ. With only seconds to make a decision, he moved back into the hallway and used his shoulder mic to report a 10-31, robbery in progress, to Nick and dispatch, then turned off the radio so the suspect wouldn’t hear any response. Retrieving his gun from his holster, he ducked below the shelving to keep his presence concealed. Then, slowly, he moved toward the front of the store so he had a better vantage point before confronting the man. His heart pumped hard and fast in his chest, along with a rush of adrenaline, and all he could think about was Sarah and making sure she got out of this situation safely.

  “All the money, now, bitch,” the guy screamed like a crazed person hopped up on drugs. “You’re going way too fucking slow, and if you don’t hurry up I’m going to blow your fucking head off!”

  He heard Sarah make a soft sound of distress, and knowing he at least had the element of surprise on his side, Levi stepped out into the open, gun raised, and pointed it at the man’s chest. “Police, drop your gun!”

  The suspect immediately turned at the sound of his voice, the weapon he was holding now aiming straight at Levi. The man’s hand moved slightly, and without hesitating, Levi pulled his trigger just as the perp opened fire and two individual shots rang out.

  The impact of the bullet striking Levi’s body armor hurt like a motherfucker and forced him back a step. Somehow he managed to catch himself before he fell on his ass. The other man wasn’t as fortunate. Levi’s shot nailed the guy in his right shoulder, causing him to drop his gun as he screamed in pain.

  Still reeling from the hit, Levi nevertheless moved to take the robber down, but Nick came barreling through the doors and beat him to it. Within seconds, his partner had the suspect face down on the ground and was securing him in cuffs, which gave Levi a moment to catch his breath, considering he felt as though he’d been hit in the rib cage by a baseball bat.

  “Oh, my God, Levi!” Sarah rushed around the front counter, her face pale and her eyes wide with fear as she reached him. “He shot you. Are you okay?”

  He secured his weapon in his holster and glanced down at the gaping hole in his ballistic vest and the slug buried in the Kevlar fibers. “Jesus,” he muttered, shocked by the realization that yeah, he’d been shot. Which was quickly followed by gratitude for the armor that had most likely saved his life.

  “I’ll be okay,” he said as he looked Sarah over thoroughly to make sure she wasn’t injured in any way. “Did he hurt you at all?”

  “No, I’m fine,” she assured him, her quivering voice not as confident as her words. “Just shaken up.”

  His first instinct was to take care of Sarah, to get her out of this fucking convenience store that she shouldn’t be working at in the first place, but he didn’t have that luxury. He now had a crime scene to process, and knowing that Sarah was okay, his job was a priority.

  “I know that was scary as hell, but I need you to stay behind the counter while we arrest the suspect and collect evidence,” he told her as he heard Nick calling for EMT assistance on his shoulder mic. “And don’t touch anything, okay?”

  She nodded in understanding and did as Levi asked, giving him the ability to focus on the situation at hand. Within minutes, backup arrived, and the store was filled with police activity. The suspect was read his rights and taken out to one of the ambulances that had arrived to transport him to the hospital for treatment. Afterwards, he’d be taken to jail.

  Levi started the paperwork part of the investigation.

  “Hey, Ironman. In case it escaped your notice, you were shot,” his partner said gruffly. “Despite the vest, you need to have the paramedics take a look and make sure you’re okay.”

  “I’m good,” he lied, deliberately ignoring the throbbing pain in his left side whenever he inhaled a deep breath. “I can still see the back end of the bullet, so I’m not dealing with an open wound.” Besides, the sooner they wrapped up the crime scene and investigation, the sooner he could get Sarah out of here, since the two employees who worked the graveyard shift at the convenience mart had arrived. “Let’s get this done and then I’ll have the EMT check it out.”

  While Levi handled the crime scene and log, collected and recorded evidence, and had one of the other employees give him a copy of the surveillance video, Nick interviewed Sarah and wrote down her statement. An hour later, all the paperwork was complete, the area cleaned up, and Sarah was still exactly where Levi had told her to stay—sitting on the stool behind the front counter.

  Levi walked around the counter. As he approached, he realized how exhausted she looked—and again, he experienced that inexplicable urge to take care of her—because she just looked so damn vulnerable after being held up at gunpoint.

  All his life, he’d been surrounded by some form of violence—from childhood to the military to being in law enforcement—and a part of him was immune to most of the brutal
ity in the world around him. But he was pretty damn sure that Sarah wasn’t used to having her life threatened with a gun pointed at her head, and he hated that some doped-up asshole had changed all that for her.

  He stopped right in front of the knees she’d pressed so primly together, and it was harder than hell not to push them apart so he could step even closer. “You ready to get out of here?” he asked.

  She nodded eagerly, her expression grateful that she was finally being released. “Yes. Are you done with me?”

  He allowed a sexy smile to curve his lips. Touching his fingers under her chin, he tipped her face up so he was looking directly into her wide eyes.

  “Sweet, sweet Sarah. What a silly question,” he chastised in a soft murmur so only she could hear. “You should know by now that I’m not even close to being done with you.”

  Chapter Two

  Sarah stared into Levi’s light green eyes, mesmerized by the way they gradually darkened with desire. With nothing more than his gentle touch, he’d managed to diffuse her anxiety, but his softly spoken words—I’m not even close to being done with you—made her all too aware of him as a man. A sexy, gorgeous man who’d literally saved her life.

  “Thank you,” she whispered, knowing things could have ended very differently tonight if he hadn’t stopped by the store.

  “For?” he asked as he let his hand fall away.

  “Protecting me.” The only man who’d ever made her feel safe had been her father, and as a child, she’d been devastated when he’d died. The foster homes she’d lived in had taught her that the only person she could trust and rely on was herself. And the men she’d allowed into her life over the years since had only reinforced that realization.

  “I’m just glad that I was here when it all went down,” he said in a low, gruff voice.

  “Me, too,” she admitted. She shuddered to think what might have happened if she’d been alone.

  “Kincaid!” Nick called out impatiently, causing Levi to look over his shoulder at his partner, who was standing just inside the store’s double doors. “Get your ass out here. The EMT can’t leave or sign off on your release until they examine you.”

  “Be right there.” Levi glanced back at Sarah and rolled his eyes, his gaze filled with annoyance. “He’s such a pain in the ass.”

  She laughed, then grew more serious. “I’m going to have to agree with him. You really need to make sure that you’re okay.”

  “The shot probably caused nothing more than a bruise,” he grumbled like a typical man, even as he gingerly touched the area where the bullet was still lodged in his vest.

  “Then it shouldn’t be an issue for you to let a paramedic look you over,” she insisted. “And it would make me feel better, too.”

  He tipped his head to the side, looking adorably boyish instead of like the badass cop he’d just been. “Since you’re now off the clock, care to accompany me out to the ambulance?”

  “Sure.” It was the least she could do for him, but before she could slide off the stool, he moved closer, keeping her in place.

  “Don’t think you’re off the hook,” he said, his voice low and husky as he slowly dragged his heated gaze from her mouth back up to her eyes. “I haven’t forgotten that you still owe me an answer.”

  She’d only known Levi for a few weeks, but it was enough time to realize that he wasn’t a man who missed much or let things go easily, so it didn’t surprise Sarah that he’d given her a little reminder of the date he’d asked her out on. He’d certainly given her a persuasive argument when she’d questioned his interest in her, but did she really want to get involved with Levi, in any way, when she was going to leave Chicago in a few weeks?

  The woman who was insanely attracted to him was jumping up and down and yelling, yes! while the more practical, cautious side was quick to remind her that she didn’t need the complication of having any man in her life right now. Her ex, Dylan, was complication enough.

  After letting the graveyard shift know that she was leaving, she grabbed her purse and followed Levi outside to the ambulance, where an EMT was waiting for him. Not wanting to get in the way, Sarah stood off to the side while the paramedic asked him to remove his vest and shirt so he could get a better look at the bullet’s point of impact.

  Levi took off the utility belt around his waist that held his handcuffs, baton, and other equipment, then removed the heavy outer armor that had protected him from the suspect’s bullet. He unbuttoned his uniform shirt and shrugged it off. Underneath, he wore a navy blue T-shirt, and when he stripped it over his head, Sarah found herself way too captivated with how freaking hot he looked half-naked. He was solidly built with broad shoulders and muscled arms, and his tight, defined abs were testament to regular workouts.

  Holy smokes. If she thought he looked sexy and attractive in his uniform, he was devastatingly, breathtakingly gorgeous out of only half of it.

  She was in complete and utter awe . . . until her gaze skimmed over the large bruise already forming on his rib cage. The area was swollen and discolored in a combination of red, blue, and purple hues, and when the technician gently touched the contusion, Levi winced and swore low and harsh.

  The guy tending to him glanced up at Levi. “I need you to try and take a deep breath.”

  Levi attempted to fill his lungs with air but instead expelled an agonizing groan. “Shit, that fucking hurts.”

  He grimaced and clenched his jaw, and Sarah felt his pain, along with a jolt of guilt. It was difficult not to feel distressed, since Levi had been shot because he’d stopped by the store to visit her.

  “I thought taking off the vest would relieve some of the pressure,” he grumbled, his brows furrowing into a deeper line. “But now it feels worse, and especially when I inhale.”

  The EMT frowned. “Yeah, I’m pretty sure you’ve got a cracked or fractured rib,” he said as he wrapped a blood-pressure cuff around Levi’s upper arm to get his vitals. “But hey, on a positive note, you’re still alive.”

  Levi chuckled, but Sarah didn’t find the joke the least bit funny. Especially when he moaned again as he pressed a hand to his side, his features etched in unmistakable pain. She shifted anxiously on her feet, feeling helpless because there was nothing she could do while he was in such obvious misery.

  Nick strolled up to the group. “So, is Ironman going to survive?”

  “Probably,” the EMT said as he jotted down notes on a form attached to a clipboard. “But we need to take him to the hospital for x-rays and to have a doctor thoroughly examine him, just to make sure there’s nothing going on internally. The impact of the bullet hit pretty close to some vital organs. So, let’s get you up into the ambulance and on your way.”

  Sarah’s worry increased, but she bit her bottom lip and remained silent, not wanting her presence to disturb anyone in any way. Levi needed a doctor and she didn’t want to distract anyone from that.

  He gave the paramedic a perturbed look. “Do I have to go by ambulance?” he asked, casting a quick glance at Sarah.

  She felt her face warm at that direct look. Levi obviously hadn’t forgotten her presence.

  After a lingering moment, Levi shifted his gaze back to the paramedic. “Can’t Nick take me to the hospital?”

  “No,” the EMT replied with a serious shake of his head. “Your blood pressure is a bit high, and while it’s probably normal considering what you just went through, I want you monitored until you’re under a doctor’s care.”

  “Come on, Kincaid,” Nick said in a humorous voice. “Be a big boy and behave.”

  Levi gave his partner the finger, and Nick just laughed it off.

  When Levi stood up and slowly straightened so he could climb into the back of the ambulance, Sarah made a split-second decision, despite how late at night it was. Not to mention how foolish it was to allow herself to get further emotionally involved with this man.

  “Can I go with him?” she asked.

  The surprise and genuine pleasure t
hat lit up Levi’s face when he looked at her was well worth her spontaneous request. Then again, it wasn’t as though she had anything or anyone waiting for her back at the motel, so why not spend a few extra hours with the man who’d just saved her life? She justified her rationale, knowing too well her actions weren’t motivated by gratitude as much as concern. Once she was certain he hadn’t suffered any internal injuries, she would head back to her place and try to forget about Levi Kincaid. Try being the operative word.

  The EMT shrugged. “Sure, you can come with, as long as the patient doesn’t mind.”

  “Nope, I don’t mind at all,” Levi said on a soft, sexy drawl that sent crazy swirls of sensual heat spiraling down through her belly. “Besides, I might need someone to hold my hand while the doctor pokes and prods me.”

  He was such a rogue, but she couldn’t stop the smile that touched her lips. Hand-holding she could handle. But she swore that was all Levi Kincaid was getting out of her.

  * * *

  As soon as Levi arrived at the hospital, he was whisked away for a multitude of tests, leaving Sarah to worry and pace out in the waiting room by herself. She wanted to ask for an update, but since she wasn’t family, she knew there was no way anyone would release any kind of information to her. Which left her biting her thumbnail as she wore a back-and-forth path through the industrial-strength carpeting.

  Nearly an hour later—which seemed like a lifetime—a nurse came out and approached her. “Are you Sarah Robins?”

  “Yes,” she replied anxiously.

  The other woman smiled, obviously used to dealing with nervous visitors. “Levi’s tests are complete and he’s been assigned a private room.”

  Sarah exhaled a relieved breath. “So, he’s okay?”