by Anthology
I gave the order. “No, Martinez stand down. I’m on my way.”
I placed the radio back and hauled ass up the street toward 48th. At that moment, Dylan’s voice blasts through the coms. “I have a visual. Suspect approaching the south side of 48th. I’ll take him out.”
What, no! Panic surged through me as I raced down the street toward Dylan. My feet hit the pavement as I rushed across the street ignoring Dylan’s response. I steadied my breath enabling me to prolong my stamina as the cold winter air coursed through my lungs.
My boots pounded hard against the rocky pavement as I hauled across the street toward Dylan. I could make out her figure in the shadows as she approached the suspect. She stopped him in his tracks, clearly about the frisk him.
My eyes watched as the suspect takes a swing at her. Anger fueled my blood as I leapt across the sidewalk behind her. She bumped into me as she ducked away from the suspect. I held her ensuring she was balanced and then leaped toward the suspect. I twisted the baton in my hand and beat him relentlessly. The suspect cried out in pain as I pounded the baton into his back and legs, forcing him toward the ground.
Dylan came up behind me, withdrawing her handcuffs and folded the suspects arms behind his back. He cussed loudly, struggling underneath my pressure as Dylan cuffed him. She hauled him off the ground and pulled him away from the clueless crowd. She glanced at me for a split second with a smile. “Thank you.”
Shock and dismay lingered as I watched in silence as she read the Miranda rights to the suspect. Hernandez and Martinez ran up behind me as we all studied Dylan pull the suspect into her vehicle and drive off toward her precinct.
My legs carried me up the steps as I rang the doorbell, waiting for someone to let me in. A couple of seconds later, one of the detectives at my precinct greets me with a smile. “Hey guys, Jake’s here!”
“Jake!!!”
The gathering inside cried my name as I stepped into Captain’s home. I was greeted with open arms as my eyes passed along the phenomenal crew that I call the ‘69’. We all have our differences but overall with mesh well and get along great. I’m grateful for the wonderful colleagues that I’ve gained throughout my years on the force and honestly I wouldn’t trade it for the world. I’d gladly take a bullet for any one of these cops and I’m sure they’d do the same for me.
I brushed off my coat and tossed it onto the nearest sofa as I stepped into the living space, ready for a drink. I need it if I’m going to make it. I grabbed the nearest glass and toss a few cubes into it. Hernandez passed me a bottle of whiskey and I happily obliged. I tipped the glass onto my lips and allowed the smooth liquor to spill down my throat, sending a burning sensation down the body.
I gasped with a freshness. “Damn, that’s good.”
Hernandez chuckled. “It’s Captain’s stash.”
I nodded as I pour another glass. “He’s got some good taste.”
“You’re right, I do.”
I spun around to find him smiling as I drank my second glass. “Thanks for coming Jake.”
I raised my glass. “Your welcome, sir.”
Captain raised his glass and called out to us. “I’m so honored to have such a wonderful group of men and women be part of my team; my precinct. I want you to know that I consider each and every one of you, family. I care for all of you and will always work hard to keep everyone safe and sound. But, of course, not as much as my daughter.”
At the sound of that word, Dylan came out from behind the crowd and approached the Captain and hugged him. “I love you too, Daddy.”
The Captain hugged his daughter with love and admiration and raised his glass toward us. We all followed in unison. Captain pledged, “To the ‘69’.”
We all nodded and drank from our glasses. I forced my eyes away from Dylan, unable to bear to look at her. I could feel her energy from across the room and had to drown it out with the help of Jack Daniels.
But somehow, she managed to break my force and lured me to glance her way. She was wearing a strapless red dress, that accentuated her curves. Her long dark brown hair flowed past her bare shoulders and down her back, almost touching the base of her butt. Her high heels gave her inches of height, showing off her long legs as she stood there, gorgeous as ever. I swallowed hard, unable to break my trance as I stood there. My eyes wandered up and down her curvy frame as my body ignited on fire. I took another swig of my drink and forced myself to look away.
An hour passed and I’d made it through without bumping into Dylan. I had managed to hide out in one of the dens and found myself drowning myself in all types of alcohol. The slight buzz of the liquor made my head spin. I was completely wasted. Thank god for Uber.
But my bladder wasn’t so lucky. I pushed out of the den and hauled ass down the hall toward the restroom. Once I was all finished and washed up, I splashed some water on my face, to hopefully bring myself back to normal. I don’t mind being wasted but in my own home; not at my boss’s.
I patted a towel along my face and stepped into the hallway, only to find Dylan, standing there. “I’ve been looking for you.”
I shook my head and stalked off. “Not, now Dylan. I don’t have time for your shit.”
She followed close behind as I made my way toward the living room, looking for my coat. “Jake, wait. I wanted to say something.”
I grabbed my coat and spun around to face her. “What is it?”
Before she could respond, Martinez’s voice yelps. “Oh my god! Look! You guys are under the mistletoe!”
I followed Martinez’s eyes and glanced up and low and behold, a freaking mistletoe, hanging right above me and Dylan. I glanced at the gathering crowd and then at her. Her face screamed of hesitation and shock. I sensed her unease and knew this was a bad move. A couple of the guys cheered me on while the Captain approached and watched from the distance. He didn’t say anything but I knew what he was thinking. Touch her and I’m dead.
I shook my head, “Look, you guys, it’s getting late.”
Hernandez broke first. “Ahh come on, don’t be a chicken shit. We all know you’ve been dying for this moment. We’ve seen how you look at her.”
I gulped, immediately regretting coming to this party. My eyes met Dylan’s as her face reddened with embarrassment. She whispered toward me. “Just do it and get it over with.”
My body paused as I heard her assurance. My foot stepped closer to her as she stepped toward me. My head bowed toward hers as she parted her lips, waiting for mine to caress hers. At that moment, our lips pressed against one another and my body ignited with fire. Heated passion soared between us for a brief moment as our lips locked with one another. I had reveled in the feeling that I once experienced when we were together. A rush of the past flew by me as I yearned to pull her into my arms.
I couldn’t help myself and found my hand brush up against her back. At that instant, she broke the kiss and pulled away from me. Her blue eyes filled with wonder, shock, and something I haven’t seen in years. Passion.
An awkward silence descended between us as we stared into each other’s eyes. I wanted to say something, anything to break the silence, but couldn’t find the words. The sound of someone clearing their throat broke our trance and I glanced toward them. Before I could stop her, Dylan scurried off down the hallway.
Martinez yelped with delight and skipped toward me. “That was awesome!”
I nodded by head, putting on a brave face., desperate to escape this torture. I could feel the eyes of the Captain on me, burning a target on my back. With his silent warning, I wrapped my coat around my body and said my goodbyes. I stepped into the foyer and headed for the door.
I knew I was running; Hernandez was right. I am a chicken shit. As my hand curled around the knob, I felt that warm feeling heat up my body. I knew what it meant and what I had to do. And with that, I spun around, stalked past the living room, and down the hall. I turned the corner and came upon the den, knowing that she was inside. I grabbed the knob and twisted it open, steppin
g inside.
The soft faint of crying pierced my ears as I shut the door behind me and removed my coat. I placed it on the nearest chair and stepped toward Dylan, knowing full well the predicament we just got ourselves into.
I inched closer, yearning to console her. “Dylan?”
“Don’t.”
Her stern voice shuts me down quick and I froze in place. I breathed deep trying to figure her out. “Why are you crying?”
“Just leave me alone. Go home Jake.”
I grabbed her shoulder and spun her to face me. Her reddened eyes torture me as a ping of sadness hits me. I always hated seeing her cry. “No, you are not going to shut me out this time. It’s not going to work.”
She shrugged out of my grasp. “I…I just can’t do this right now. That kiss…it completely threw me for a loop. And I’m—”
“Remembering how good it was?” I stared into her eyes only to find myself wishing I could stare at them more and more. My hand reached up to her cheek and gently brushed her smooth skin. “God, I miss you.”
Sparks flickered between us as I caressed her face with the graze of my fingers. I felt her shudder ever so slightly as her lips parted. “I miss you too.”
Before she could stop me, I pressed my lips onto hers. She fought for a few moments but she eventually caved in. Her mouth opened wide for me, letting me in. The lost memory between us soon became nonexistent as we molded into one another. Our lips danced and pressed harder as I pulled her into me. My body heated with excitement as my hands brushed up and down her smooth back. I found myself pushing into her, bracing her against the desk behind her.
Our kiss became heightened as we surrendered to the lust and longing that tempted us. Her breathing staggered against me as I felt her chest heave up and down. Her mouth opening a little wider just so she can gasp for air. Beads of sweat spilled down my face as the temperature between us began to sky rocket.
I found myself caressing her body with my strong hands. They studied her smooth skin as my fingers scoured her soft skin, inch by inch. I picked her up and placed her on the desk, knocking over a few items; ignoring them as they crashed onto the floor. She pulled me closer and wrapped her arms around my neck as I kissed hers. The feel of her skin against my lips sent signals all over my body.
After all these years apart, I felt alive again and I knew she felt it too. I pulled up her dress, exposing her thighs, eager to pleasure her. I knew what she needed and I wanted to give it to her. I wanted her to want me give it to her.
My fingers brushed her inner thighs as she gasped against my grasp. Soft moans escaped her lips as my fingers pushed against her panties and past the barrier. My fingers immediately felt the silky wetness of her body as I pushed a finger inside of her.
“Oh god.” She gasped and the sight of her pleasure immediately made my dick hard. We had always had that sexual chemistry and now that we’ve found it again, I won’t hold back.
I pushed further into her wanting to send her over the edge. Her breathing hitched higher and higher as I felt her body tremble against me. She tilted her head and locked lips with mine as I worked my fingers inside of her with my thumb rubbing her clit.
Her hands reached up around my neck and into my hair, flowing her fingers through my dark locks. The intensity between us grew to a whole new level as my dick became stiff as a rock. I could’ve exploded in my pants any minute.
Her hands left my hair and moved down toward my belt. She unbuckled it and unzipped as she snuck her hand past my boxer briefs and grabbed my dick. The feeling of her hand stroke it caused surges as I gritted my teeth, trying to compose myself.
“Ah hell. Shit, that feels good Dylan.”
She knew what she was doing to me and I reveled in it. I couldn’t take one more second of it so I picked her up as she wrapped my legs around me and carried her to the sofa. I slammed her body against the soft cushions and positioned myself above her.
Before I took it to the next level, I looked into her eyes and smiled. I expected her to smile in return, but she didn’t. Instead she glanced away from me and her face filled with regret.
I knew something was up. “What’s wrong?”
She huffed underneath me, unable to look at me. Her hands pushed up against my chest, signaling me to get off of her. “I’m sorry, I can’t do this.”
Shock and confusion filled me as I slowly retreated. I didn’t want to stop but I didn’t want to make her uncomfortable either. I stood up, standing there with an erection that’ll last for days. She stood and walked away from me, fixing her dress.
“Listen, I don’t know what’s going on here –” I zipped up my pants and turned her to face me. I grabbed her hands and lifted them up to my lips. “But doesn’t this feel right to you?”
I breathed out deep and mustered the words that I’ve felt for so long. “Dylan, I still lo–”
“I met someone.”
Her words stunned me as if a thousand bolts signed my skin over and over again. I dropped her hands and stumbled backward. “What do you mean, ‘met someone’?”
She took a deep breath and looked right into my eyes. “Jake, I’ve met someone and it’s serious. It’s the reason why I wanted to talk to you before the uh…mistletoe.”
My mind blurred as confusion sets. “Mistletoe? What the hell was all this then!?”
“Jake, I’m sorry. I didn’t mean for all this to happen.”
I breathed deep, mentally telling myself to get a grip. Heated anger surges inside me as I listen to her spill excuse after excuse.
“It’s been three years Jake. It’s time to move on.”
Yeah, move on. That’s what I kept telling myself.
I turned toward the door and grabbed my coat. Before I left the room, I spun around to face her. “You know, all this time, I kept telling myself that. I mean it worked to the point where I have been with other women, but it was never the same as it was with you. And the only reason I could think of is that we are meant for each other. Because I love you, Dylan. That’s all that matters to me. And, I’ll always love you.”
Her eyes filled with tears as my honesty spills out of my lips.
“So, no matter how many times you push me away or deny what we had, I want you to know, that I’ll never move on. I’m in this for the long haul. One day, you’re going to realize that I’ve been right all along and trust, that I’ll be right there, waiting for you.”
“I’ll keep this night as our little secret but deep down, you felt it too. So, whoever this guy is, you tell him that if you really matter to him, to get ready. Because I won’t be letting you go without a fight.”
And with that, I exited the den, leaving her stunned, and walked down the hall and out of the house.
Unexpected Fairytale
By Mary Catherine Gebhard
Levi
It was love at first sight—well, first booking. She was the first thing I saw at my new precinct and the first person I had to book. She came in covered in bruises, a red split painting her cherry lips red with juice, and her eye already darkening like a bruise on a peach. That wasn’t what drew me to her, though; I’m not a sick fuck. I had my orders: don’t blow my cover, gather intel, and report back.
From the moment I saw her, I knew that would be impossible.
Gabby
The cop was new. I tried not to stare, but it was impossible. He was massive, with arms the size of my thigh and deep, dark eyes. His skin was luminous, tawny, like sand lit on fire by a sunset. His hair was pulled into a loose bun, but I could still see the rich, chocolaty strands. Even under the gross fluorescent light of the precinct, they glowed different colors: caramel, honey, dark cocoa. I wanted to stroke them. I pulled my hand away from my stomach, reaching out.
“Can you tell me what happened?” I snapped my fingers back at his question. What the fuck was wrong with me?
“I tripped down some stairs,” I mumbled, putting my hand back to my stomach.
“Some stairs?” He r
aised a brow and I furrowed mine.
“I tripped down a lot of stairs,” I snapped. He stared at me until I looked away. I think he said something in response, but my mind had drifted away, lost in the reason I was sitting in this chair. I hadn’t tripped. I’d been pushed.
“Mrs. De Luca?” I didn’t respond. He lowered his voice so only I could hear. “I know of a really great women’s shelter.” My eyes flashed to his. Deep brown, almost black.
Honest.
I shook my head. No way he was honest—he was a cop at Precinct 72, after all. What game was he playing? A hand settled on the new guy’s shoulder and I followed it to the owner. Now him I recognized. I quickly looked back to my manicured nails.
“I can take it from here, Red Bear.” Red Bear? Like the animal? My eyes narrowed. Most guys here got nicknames—a stupid mafia thing. Why was his Bear? Was it because he was so massive…or because he was grizzly and mean? Bear eyed the hand on his shoulder coolly then looked to me. I felt his gaze as one would feel a stove to their face: it was scorching, burning, and it removed a layer of me. I clenched my fists and looked to the floor.
Bear stood but opened his mouth, as if to say one last thing to me. Instead he walked away. I wondered as he disappeared into the depths of the precinct. Wondered how a man like him fell into a world like mine. Wondered if he’d survive. Mostly, I wondered if I’d ever see him again.
“Gabriella.” Niccolò’s cold voice snapped my attention away. “Giovani is ready for you.” I stood and followed Niccolò as he led me down to my husband, but then disappeared again into my thoughts.
See, I belong to a club. This club doesn’t meet for mimosas or anything. It’s a club of understanding. Most women wouldn’t understand why I preferred jail at the mention of my husband’s name, but there are a select few who do. It’s an exclusive club where membership dues are paid in bruises and broken bones, and we’re always trying to leave.
I used to think I had no choice, that membership was lifelong and inevitable. Then Giovani took something priceless from me. Now I know I’ll revoke my membership, even if we both die in the process.
