by Tatum Throne
Hard Hits 1
Training TJ
Late one night, SWAT negotiator TJ Raines and SWAT doc Parker Woods stumble upon a jumper on a bridge. With no time to wait, TJ knows he must act quickly. He never expects to have to save his best friend’s life too. With lives on the line, TJ knows he’s been given a second chance to have Parker as his Dom.
Parker knows something is up with TJ and it has nothing to do with the near miss on the bridge. Distracted by the undercurrent of want as they train together, Parker forces the situation out into the open. Parker longs to have TJ as his sub, but knows he must convince TJ he’s the right Dom to teach him what it means to be a sub.
Afraid to open his heart, TJ gives Parker his body to dominate. TJ knows he can trust Parker with his body, but can he trust him with his heart too?
Genre: Alternative (M/M or F/F), BDSM, Contemporary Length: 30,540 words
TRAINING TJ
Hard Hits 1
Tatum Throne
EROTIC ROMANCE MANLOVE Siren Publishing, Inc.
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A SIREN PUBLISHING BOOK IMPRINT: Erotic Romance ManLove TRAINING TJ
Copyright © 2013 by Tatum Throne E-book ISBN: 978-1-62242-490-0
First E-book Publication: February 2013
Cover design by Harris Channing
All cover art and logo copyright © 2013 by Siren Publishing, Inc. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED: This literary work may not be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, including electronic or photographic reproduction, in whole or in part, without express written permission.
All characters and events in this book are fictitious. Any resemblance to actual persons living or dead is strictly coincidental.
PUBLISHER
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Letter to Readers
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DEDICATION
I couldn’t have done this without my love, AJ. Thank you for being my soft place to fall. I love you.
TRAINING TJ
Hard Hits 1
TATUM THRONE
Copyright © 2013 Chapter One
She was going to jump.
Detective TJ Raines was the first on the scene with SWAT doc Parker Woods. Parker and TJ had been on their way back to the department from a training session in Covington on standoffs when they spotted the jumper on the bridge.
Rain slanted off the Big Mac Bridge that connected Ohio and Kentucky. The bridge was closed with state troopers blocking the north and south sides with lights flashing. Traffic was backed up for miles and miles on either side of the river.
There were days TJ wanted to jump off the bridge, too, but he put the brakes on it to do his job.
TJ edged closer, making eye contact with Parker several feet away. Parker shook his head no once. Yeah, TJ knew it was a bad idea to try and grab her, but that wasn’t going to stop him from the risky decision.
Rain hit Parker in the eyes, clinging to his thick eyelashes. TJ cut his gaze back to the girl. He was going to do what he wanted anyway.
Vacant eyes stared through TJ. This jumper would haunt his career if he didn’t get her off the bridge edge and to the hospital for help. Parker eased closer as TJ worked his way along the thin, steel ledge.
“What’s your name?” TJ asked.
Blank stare. The lights were out upstairs but the power was still on. They had to make a move. TJ cut his gaze to Parker again. Parker shook his head no. Yeah, he knew protocol. They were supposed to wait for tactical to arrive on the scene. Problem was, there was no time to wait for SWAT to gear up.
Parker eased forward. TJ could tell he didn’t want him to make the grab he was planning to make on the thin steel ledge. TJ scaled the barrier that separated the road from the walkway, easing carefully over the side.
The two-foot-wide grate was slick with rain and oils from the highway. The river thrashed below his feet. Parker’s eyes were hard. Yup, TJ knew he was taking a chance that could get him killed, but he didn’t care. He couldn’t live with another death on his hands. There were enough bad dreams that woke him up in a sweat at night. TJ knew he had to go for it anyway. He had nothing left to live for except the job. TJ took a deep breath. The jumper’s gaze moved out over the water. She was going to go. He had to move now.
TJ sprung, tackling the woman to the grate. Parker jumped the barrier, protecting them both from falling over the open edge and into the raging Ohio River a hundred feet below. Police officers rushed the side. The woman struggled within TJ’s arms. They needed to get her off the ledge before someone got hurt. Parker grabbed her around the waist, helping TJ lift her over the barrier. The cops on the other side grabbed her by the arms, trying to get her safely over the cement barrier.
The woman kicked out, striking Parker in the chest and chin. Knocked off balance, Parker started falling backward. His arms shot out to grab the steel supports. Fear spiraled through his eyes.
He was falling off the bridge.
Everything moved in slow motion as TJ jumped the three-foot divide that separated them. He reached out snagging Parker by the tie, yanking him toward safety. It was too late. His momentum was taking him down to the thrashing waters below. Parker cried out as he reached for TJ, grabbing his arm that held the tie. Parker’s hand gripped onto his forearm as his feet left the grated platform. TJ grabbed his arm, anchoring him as Parker swung backward off the bridge. TJ flew forward, between the supports to the grate below his feet.
Everything sped up as TJ’s body made impact with steel, cutting into his ribs. “Parker! Hold on!”
Someone over the wall jumped to the grate, grabbing hold of Parker’s arm, too. Another officer leaned over the side with his cuffs, locking the cuff around Parker’s arm and onto his own wrist. The officer swung his legs around, bracing them against the supports to pull him back up.
TJ was sliding. He couldn’t stop his momentum from going through the support beam. Sweat dripped down the side of his fa
ce. If they didn’t move faster, he was going to go over the edge too. Life flashed before TJ’s eyes as he saw cold fear wash through Parker’s face.
“Hold on. I’ve got you.”
His words were meant to comfort Parker, but they were little comfort to either man. Time was running out. TJ knew he couldn’t hold on much longer. Another cop jumped the barrier, cuffing Parker’s other wrist. He was slipping from TJ’s hands.
“On three,” TJ yelled. “One, two, three!”
They all grunted as they pulled Parker up over the side and back onto the grate. Parker collapsed on top of TJ. He shook hard. TJ held him tight as adrenaline pumped roughly through his body. He almost lost Parker. He couldn’t believe he almost lost Parker. TJ was thrown back in time to the day he first met his best friend. He’d been working undercover.
TJ was being arrested.
He couldn’t believe it, but at the same time he could. Things could go bad undercover so fast that it left your head spinning and cover blown. He tried to reason with the arresting officer, but it didn’t help.
“You’re making a mistake,” TJ said.
“You have the right to remain silent.”
TJ knew his Miranda Rights in his sleep. The handcuffs were tightened down hard. TJ’s face was shoved onto the hood of the police cruiser by the back of the neck. It was with enough force to leave a dent in the hood. His gaze was trained on the house across the street. SWAT stormed the building. Blood trickled down the side of TJ’s face. There would be bruises to deal with tomorrow from the cop and the hood of the car. There would be life again tomorrow, too.
This undercover operation took him to the edge. This was the lowest he’d ever been emotionally. The drug operations were usually the most difficult. He was done. He needed a change. TJ shoved himself off of the car, resisting arrest. It’d be the quickest way to the station where he could contact his superiors. TJ was slammed against the hood of the car a second time. He groaned. This time it rang his bell hard. He was almost certain there were little stars fluttering around his head like a Saturday morning cartoon.
He was frisked. TJ lost his breath as his nuts were knocked together like Sunday morning church bells. He sucked in air, trying to keep himself from getting sick.
Autumn trees lined the long driveway. Red and dark-bronze leaves hung heavy on the oak trees. A member of SWAT passed before his eyes. TJ’s gaze was trained on his heavy belt. There was no gun. He wasn’t a cop, but a member of the team. Who was he?
TJ’s gaze swung upward to his face. Midnight blue eyes stared through TJ’s soul. There was pity in those beautiful eyes. It felt like lightning zapped his brain, short circuiting TJ’s nervous system. Mr. SWAT had a long noble nose and a square chin to go with his exotic Native American skin. TJ felt as though he’d been punched in the gut too when the man frowned at him as though he picked up on the emotional workout he was suddenly getting. TJ’s head swam as he was dragged suddenly vertical. The world spun, ticking like a clock hand stuck on the number two.
“Do you understand your rights?”
“Yep.”
“Do you choose to waive your rights and tell me what the hell is going on here?”
“Nope.”
TJ struggled as the cop shoved him up against the side of the car. This was going down the wrong way. He said nothing.
“This will go better if you start talking now. Let me help you out.”
“I’m sure it won’t.”
The white tag on Mr. Beautiful’s SWAT shirt said P. WOODS. TJ was finally eye-to-eye with who he now saw was SWAT doctor P. Woods. The doc dropped a black bag on the top of the cruiser. He put on surgical gloves and ripped open a compress, holding it to TJ’s forehead. Their eyes locked. Something fizzled through TJ’s blood that made him go weak in the knees.
“Stop resisting!”
TJ was grabbed by the back of the neck again and slammed onto the hood. This time SWAT doc Woods stepped in by grabbing the officer by the arm.
“Enough.” The threat was whispered between the two men. “I don’t want to have to work today.”
TJ was pulled vertical again. “I’m okay,” TJ said.
“See. He’s just fine.”
The officer twisted the back of TJ’s hands up as he was led around the cruiser.
“You sure?” Woods asked.
Pain fired through his forearms, but he half smiled anyway. “I’m good. Just another day on the job.”
Woods’s eyes narrowed. The lie felt thick in TJ’s mouth, but he didn’t want a trip to the hospital today, opting instead to get to the station as quickly as possible. TJ suspected it’d be the fastest way out of the situation. He was shoved into the back of the officer’s cruiser and spent another fifteen minutes waiting.
They drove across town to the station. SWAT used the same back entrance as processing. TJ was dragged from the back of the cruiser and led inside. He was shoved into a holding chair as the cop went to sign him into the facility. SWAT doc Woods crossed through processing. Their gazes brushed with the doc’s dropping down over TJ’s body. Yeah, he knew he didn’t look so hot in his old jeans and Tshirt. TJ knew that look. The one that said their worlds were miles apart and would never collide. What would happen when he found out they were both on the same side?
TJ swallowed hard when he saw that the doctor had long midnight-black hair tied in a braid that hung to the middle of his back. He watched Woods until he was out of sight.
Behind the desk, Officer Johnson recognized TJ and knew he worked undercover. He rolled his eyes and glowered at the cop before ordering TJ to the back where he could be transferred discreetly into headquarters.
The beat cop ordered TJ up and escorted him from processing to the safety of headquarters. Several hallways later and a few right turns, he was inside. Glass walls separated the briefing room from the long hall TJ was being led through. Chief Anderson was inside the room with the SWAT team. He did a double take through the glass as TJ was pulled through the long hallway. TJ could see the vein in Anderson’s temple go to work as he took note of the work over the cop had done to his face. Chief Anderson turned to Woods, who followed his gaze to the glass windows. Anderson met them in the hallway, blocking their way.
“Uncuff him.”
“Sir?”
“Uncuff Detective Raines,” Anderson growled. “Is your cover blown?”
TJ tried to ignore the way Woods hovered over Anderson’s shoulder with a case of twenty questions in his eyes. TJ rubbed out his wrists. “I think so.”
“Fuck. Get cleaned up. Dr. Woods, deal with his face,” Anderson said.
TJ’s gaze played a game of tag with Woods’s. “I’m fine,” TJ said.
“You’re not fine,” Anderson shouted. “Officer Stone, you’re with me.”
TJ left Woods in the hall and headed toward the locker room where he could shower and step back into his old life. As soon as he crossed through the doors, he went to work on unbuttoning the fly of his jeans. The door opened with the doctor coming in just as TJ unlocked his locker. He grabbed his towel and shower kit.
“I should check you for concussion, Detective.”
TJ looked at his eyes in the mirror on the locker door. His pupils were normal size. He slammed his locker door closed. “I’m good.”
“Repetition is a symptom of a serious brain injury.”
TJ rolled out his shoulder as he moved. His arm still wasn’t right from the arrest. He dropped his kit and towel on the counter. He spread his arms. “I’m not going to get rid of you, am I?”
“Nope.”
“You win. Check away.”
A penlight was shined into TJ’s eyes. They were inches apart. TJ felt his heart race again.
The doctor frowned. “What’s wrong?” he asked.
Slowly, TJ lifted his gaze to the doctor’s crystal blue eyes. “I just spent the last eight months of my life pretending to be someone I’m not. I haven’t been laid in almost a year. I need a beer and a fuck. Neither o
ne I’ll be getting tonight.”
A smiled tugged at the corner of the doctor’s lips. “It sounds like you need a vacation.”
“Prescribe me one and you’ll be my new best friend.” “I’ll talk to Anderson.”
Whatever Parker said to Chief Anderson got him a week paid starting the moment he stepped out of the locker room shower. That was the day TJ knew he could fall in love with him.
The past evaporated away. TJ slid his hand up over his best friend’s neck as Parker dropped his head into his shoulder. He could feel the pulse in Parker’s neck pounding in overdrive. For years, TJ grappled with coming out to Parker, but he couldn’t. TJ couldn’t tell Parker that he loved him and always had, for fear of losing their friendship. He always secretly hoped that Parker liked men and would like him. Fuck him, he was in love with his best friend and there was nothing he could do about it. There was nothing he could do to change the sexual orientation of his best friend. TJ knew it was wrong as he brushed his lips over Parker’s neck, but he couldn’t resist temptation. He kissed his best friend. He stroked his lips over Parker’s cheek and kissed him again. TJ’s heart hammered out of his chest. He couldn’t believe he almost lost Parker without telling him how much he wanted him.
“I got you. You’re okay,” TJ whispered.
TJ felt Parker pulling away. The officers helped them to their unsteady feet and back over to the other side. TJ followed them over, grabbing his side as he collapsed to the ground. He was injured. Bad.
Chapter Two
TJ watched from the hospital bed as the vein in Chief Anderson’s temple bulged as he yelled. TJ drew his brows together as he took the full impact like a boxer against the ropes. He crossed his arms and pretended that the shit storm didn’t bother him. Half the emergency room waiting area could probably hear him through the walls. TJ sucked in a harsh breath as he sat up on the gurney. The emergency department was humming with the Friday night chaos that came with a big city hospital.
