by Haven Rose
I agree, and within twenty minutes am pulling into the parking lot. Ryan is waiting at the door for me and gives me a hug and kiss, asking if I’m ready to do this. I nod, unable to do more as I can’t believe they arrested someone. I point out to Ryan that the guy on the phone implied he did these things and demanded I stop asking questions, so how could they not be related. He shrugs, saying he has his doubts too, but Dan, the deputy that brought him in, feels confident they’ve got their man.
Apparently, Dan and this guy have had encounters before, and Dan says the man has done drugs for years, so we can’t exactly take his word for anything as all the chemicals he’s put in his body have probably fried his brains. Sadly, though I hate agreeing with Dan on anything, he may be right.
I’m led into a room where I face a mirror and shortly after a man walks into the room the mirror faces. Ryan says I can see him, but he can’t see me. He then asks if I know him, and I take a few minutes to look at him, wanting to be sure before I answer.
I turn to Ryan and tell him I don’t know who he is but may have seen him anywhere and just don’t remember. Dan steps forward and informs us the man is named Dustin Stanton and his dealer is known to frequent my college, so I may have seen him there while attending classes. Dan also found a receipt for Harry’s, and Ryan had confirmed it was a day I had worked. Dustin denies being there, stating he wasn’t even in town at that time, though no, he can’t prove it.
The final nail in the coffin of Dustin’s proclaimed innocence is a pair of panties. Dan asked me to confirm if they were mine, and I could see Ryan was struggling to maintain his temper throughout all of this, and upon seeing them, I concede that I did have a pair just like it, though I have no idea if these are it. Dan’s jaw clenches as I answer, and it’s an action I can’t interpret, but I do notice that Ryan saw it too. He shakes his head, letting me know not to say anything, so I figure he and I will talk about it later.
I notice Dan writing something on the file he’s holding and wonder what it is, but with the way he’s gripping it so tightly I’m unable to get a chance to look at it.
An hour later, Dustin has been booked, him proclaiming his innocence the entire time, and I’m walking out to my car, Ryan by my side. I can tell he’s thinking about what just happened, and I know we both have questions. Something isn’t making sense about all of this, and if I can see that, then there’s no way Ryan with his law enforcement experience doesn’t.
I start to ask him about it, but again he shakes his head, mouths “not here” and then says we’ll talk at home. He kisses me good-bye, telling me to remain careful, always observant of what’s going on around me, and to text when I get home.
I promise I will, then tell him I’m stopping at Harry’s first to update my dad on the arrest. He opens his mouth to say something, but I assure him I’ll text when I arrive at the store as well. He thanks me, the concern he has for me evident on his face, then gives me one last kiss before opening my car door and shutting it behind me after I’m settled inside.
I blow him a kiss as I drive away, then head to the hardware store. Dad is finishing up with a customer as I arrive, so I wait until he’s free, taking the time to text Ryan that I’ve arrived. When Dad’s done, he wishes the leaving man a good day as he walks toward me.
Dad gives me a big hug, then asks “To what do I owe the pleasure of a visit from my favorite daughter?”
I laugh, the title a familiar one, as is my response, “I’m your only daughter.”
“Well then, it’s a good thing you’re my favorite, isn’t it?” We both say, our routine a special one.
I then tell him about the arrest, and Ryan and I’s doubts this is the right man. I continue talking, though I know this isn’t the time, but it needs to be said, and let him know I found his notes about mom and that I started doing my own investigating, and Ryan is now helping as well.
Dad’s face pales and he stumbles a little. I reach out to help him, but he quickly rights himself then walks toward the door, locking it and flipping the sign to CLOSED. He comes back to the counter but doesn’t stop, instead walking into his office. I follow him and prepare to apologize for bringing up painful memories, but he doesn’t give me a chance.
He beats me to it, though his is for a different reason. He says he’s always believed my mom was murdered and was close to proving it, but when he received a call, threatening me, he immediately dropped it.
I told him he had no reason to be sorry, that I understand why he stopped. He said he’s apologizing for not finding the justice for my mom that she deserved, but he knows she’d rather me, and him, be safe than have it.
I agree, even with the little time I had with her, that we were the most important thing to her, even putting us above herself, as I know my dad did with her and I, and Ryan will do with me and our kids, and vice versa. It’s what a family does.
We talk for a little longer, me sharing what Ryan and I have discovered, promising to show him our notes as soon as we can, and then we decide to have a late lunch together. Dad not feeling up to reopening the store and finishing his shift. He texts Alex, letting him know he can have the day off with pay, to which Alex immediately responds with ‘woohoo and thank you,’ and my dad, who is all about emojis since discovering them, sends him a few smiley faces. We then walk to the café, me texting Ryan the change in plans as we do so.
He asks if he can meet us, to which dad immediately says “of course” when I ask, and we grab a table after walking in the door. I order a water for me, and a coffee for Ryan, knowing he’ll probably need it.
Ryan arrives a couple minutes later and heads directly toward us, somehow instinctively always knowing where I am. He gives me a quick kiss, then shakes my dad’s hand.
I quietly tell Ryan I told dad everything, including dad saying he’d stopped because someone had threatened me. He nods, though there’s anger in his eyes about what dad said, and I know we’ll have to talk about it later when we’re at home, and then we look at our menus, quickly deciding what we’d like. Ryan may have been able to take his lunch at this time, but that doesn’t mean he won’t get called back in early.
We talk about Deacon arriving tomorrow, Ryan and I both anxious for my dad to meet him and tell him we’re trying to talk Deacon and Ryan’s parents into moving to Colebrook. Ryan tells me he did hear back from Mr. Johnson in response to the message he’d left him the day before regarding our question, and I quickly tell my dad what we’re hoping to do. I turn back to Ryan, anxious to know if we’ve already found our home or must start looking soon.
He says, excitedly, that Mr. Johnson was more than willing to let us buy the house and will sell it to us for a good price, even deducting the amount Ryan has already paid him toward the asking price. Ryan said Mr. Johnson was going to draw up the paperwork, having his lawyer look over it just to be safe, then we could have ours do the same.
Neither Ryan nor I have a lawyer, but I do have a few as clients, and they’ve even said if I ever need anything to let them know. One isn’t too far away from here, which means he’s licensed for Connecticut and could act as our lawyer on record if need be. I tell Ryan that and we agree I’ll contact the man today, seeing if he’s able to do it.
We grow quiet as our food arrives and eagerly dive in, our appetites having returned with the good news about the house. Ryan gets called in just as he’s taking his last bite, so he lets them know he’s on his way back, kisses me good-bye, another hand shake for my dad, and then he’s gone.
Dad and I continue our meal and I let him know, as we’re finishing that my client, Mr. Smith, wants to know if we could meet Friday. My dad says he’ll be available, just to let him know what time. Ryan had asked for Thursday afternoon and all of Friday off due to Deacon’s visit, and while it was granted, the Sheriff did say he’d need him to attend the class Friday morning, but that means he can’t be with me for my client meeting.
We decide to stay to each enjoy a piece of cheesecake for dessert and t
hen go our separate ways. I text Ryan when I get home, unsure if he’ll be able to answer depending on why he was called back in early. He responds, though it’s only to say he’s glad and he’ll talk to me as soon as he can. As I’m putting my phone back in my pocket, deciding against replying him as he’s obviously busy, it beeps. It’s Ryan again, telling me he loves me. That one I do respond to, never wanting to not say it back.
I take the dogs out, paying attention to my surroundings, a can of Mace in my front pocket just in case. It’s something my dad has always made sure I carried since I was old enough to know how to use it. As a girl, you can never be too safe, and it offered him some reassurance that I could use it to get away if necessary. Granted, it’s usually in my purse, but lately I’ve started carrying it in my pocket.
Thankfully, everything is quiet, aside from the sounds of the dogs playing, and Princess meowing because she refuses to be left out. We play outside for a little longer, all of us needing the fresh air, then head inside. I fill their bowls, then grab my stuff from the office, deciding to work in the living room as I wait for Ryan to get home.
A few hours later I resurface, standing so I can stretch my back and bring feeling back into my legs and feet. I quickly run to the bathroom, then grab some coffee before letting the dogs out for some fresh air and to water the grass. Yes, the house came with a doggie door, but with everything going on, Ryan has wanted to keep it locked, just as a precaution because you never know what someone determined to hurt you is capable of and have us let them out or take them ourselves as needed.
I look at my watch and realize Ryan should be home within the next hour, so I make sure my work is saved, even though I did it before walking away from my laptop and start dinner. During that time, I let the dogs back in and fed them and Princess. I still giggle a little every time I think of Ryan, one of the most alpha men I’ve ever met, though he swears he wasn’t that way until me, something his mom agreed with, having a cat named that.
With our dinner baking in the oven, I head back to my work, hoping to go over the ideas for Mr. Smith one last time, just to make sure everything is cleanly designed and doesn’t need any last-minute touches. I know they are, but there’s just something about him that makes me nervous, and I can’t place what it is. Part of me, as bad for business as it may be, hopes he declines all my designs and instead goes another route. Yes, it sounds weird, and as a small, as in me only, business, any client I can get is a good one, but, even over the phone, he’s…smarmy, as my dad would say.
All three animals raise their heads, which means Ryan’s home. I’ve made a couple changes, so I save my work one last time then close my laptop, ready to greet my man. I walk toward him as he’s opening the door and he doesn’t say anything right away, just pulls me into his arms and holds me, tightly. I’m not sure what’s going on, if something else happened or it’s a delayed reaction to what I already know, but I just wrap my arms around him, letting him hold me, assuring himself that I’m safe.
A few minutes later, he pulls away, then presses a kiss on my forehead before placing one on my mouth. He then, taking my hand and leading us to the couch where he pulls me onto his lap, tells me about what they discovered at Dustin’s. It seems, along with my underwear, they also found more pictures of me, and a bag full of what Ryan said were items proving Dustin wasn’t simply a peeper, happy to observe from afar, for the most part, but proof he intended to harm me, if not worse.
Is that a scary thought? Hell yes. I’d be stupid not to be afraid after hearing that, but I focus more on Ryan right now, knowing that seeing those items, though he probably had to maintain his distance due to our relationship, coupled with his experience in law enforcement, had to be putting some images, nightmares, in his head of what Dustin had in store for me. I soothe him, as he recently did me, by rubbing his back, placing kisses on his face, putting my hand over his heart, anywhere I can touch to connect with him, to bring him back to me, to the present where I’m safe, and not in his mind where the possibilities are tormenting him.
I can slowly feel the tension in him letting go, fading away as my presence gets through. It isn’t long though before a new type takes over his body, and he turns me so I’m straddling his lap. Once I’m facing him, he immediately slams his mouth onto mine, thrusting his tongue inside until we’re dueling, but I know he’ll win, and I want him to. He pulls back, trailing kisses down my neck as his fist grips my hair, opening my body to his possession. Ryan stops long enough, after one last lick to my throat, to command me to stand and strip. I comply instantly, wanting, needing, whatever he has planned for me.
Once I’m naked, he lays back and tells me to get in position, so I climb onto the couch, my dripping pussy hovering over his mouth. His tongue comes out, giving me a quick lick and then his hands go to my waist, and he pulls me down, his tongue stabbing inside me. Caught in the moment, in what he brings out in me, my hands slide up my body, squeezing my breasts and plucking my nipples. I hear him groan, knowing more of my pleasure just filled his mouth and he loved it.
He begins moving me, my body sliding up and down his mouth as he brings me to a screaming climax. I’m still shuddering above him as he somehow maneuvers out from under me, something I’ll ponder his ability at later when I can think, then picks me up, my legs instinctively wrapping around his waist.
He propels us to the wall, warns me this is going to be a hard fuck, then unfastens his pants enough to pull himself out, position us as needed, and power into me. Holy hell, this is freaking fantastic. His strength is blowing my mind as I realize he’s standing there, not moving, because he’s raising me until just his tip remains inside me then he pulls me down, his cock bottoming out, unable to go any further as he hits my cervix. Coming out of his mouth is a litany of fucks and my name as he dominates me, showing his power over me, and mine over him. We both race to our orgasms, and when I feel his seed fill me, I can’t help but be disappointed that I’m on birth control, everything he’s sharing with me unable to create a new life.
Our breaths are heavy, our bodies sweaty, and yet neither of us move, and within minutes I feel him hardening inside me again. He tells me this may take all night, his need to prove to himself that I’m okay, to imprint his love and possession on me.
He was right, it did.
Chapter Nineteen
Ryan
The next day…
I worked my half shift today, and now I’m just waiting for Deacon to get here. He’s updated us off and on, Ruby insisting he do so, but in usual Deacon style, it was short and to the point, no sweet about it. When he began his trip, I received a “leaving.” Then later, “halfway,” followed by a “thirty more,” and, as he crossed into Colebrook, a succinct “small town.” Ruby and I laughed at each one, surprised Deacon was doing it at all, but not that he did it in his own way while pacifying Ruby’s concern.
I now stand at the door, knowing he’s close based upon the most recent text of “here.” As his car comes to a stop, the door opens behind me and Boots and Lucy fly by me, excited to see Deacon. For some reason, those two took to Deacon instantly. They say animals have great instincts, and regardless of how Deacon feels about himself, they know, at heart, he’s a good guy. You’d think their ever-present shadow, Princess, would be with them, but there’s a slight drizzle today and, showing her name suits her, she refuses to get wet. She’ll wait for Deacon to come inside, and then make sure he pays attention to her.
He makes his way to me, the dogs close behind, circling him in their excitement, and says “nice house.” Coming from Deacon that’s saying a lot, because, due to his past, doesn’t view a home as others might, but instead sees it as a lie, a place of disappointment. It’s why he’s never bought his own, preferring an apartment, and the temporariness it provides. He refuses to make roots, aside from myself and my parents as we’ve established our positions in his life.
We walk in, Ruby stopping her lunch preparations long enough to give Deacon a heartfelt hug an
d thanking him for coming to see us. As we’re eating, he updates me about the guys at work, my parents forcing him to have dinner with them at least once a week, and I tell him they caught the guy who destroyed Ruby’s room. He raises an eyebrow at me in question though, picking up on my doubt. It’s why we worked so seamlessly as partners, able to read each other without needing the words.
I share my concerns with Ryan, of which Ruby already knows, but tell him as there’s evidence pointing to his actions, no one is listening to my doubts. I can see he agrees with me though, and just gives me a nod, to which I know means he’ll watch over Ruby while I’m at work during his visit. I return it, thankful for the extra protection.
After we finish a late lunch, Ruby shows Deacon to the guest room while I clean up. It’s only fair as she made it that I do the second half. She returns, saying Deacon was curious about the town and wondering if they could explore it. I hear the hope in her voice, thinking maybe that means he’s planning on moving here and wants to get to know the place. I don’t have the heart to tell her that while that’s a possibility, it’s also the cop in him, wanting to be aware of his surroundings and the layout just in case.
Ruby decided to stay home, saying she was tired and wanted to take a nap, so Deacon and I leave and just drive around, and I’m pointing out things, such as the station, while we talk about Ruby’s case, as well as her mom’s. I still believe they’re connected, though I haven’t been able to figure out why. There’s just something, sitting in the back of my mind that I can’t grasp, telling me they are. We go through it, piece by piece, sharing and discarding theories as we go.
A few minutes later, Deacon asked if Ruby was okay. He knew she’d been sick recently and with her stating she was tired, I know he’s concerned. I waggle my eyebrows, telling him we had a night of R&R, so I’d obviously worn her out.
