Book'em Sadie (Iron Badges #1)

by Danielle Norman

  “I’ve got a lot on my mind.”

  “Want to talk about it?”

  “No. Yes. I don’t know.”

  Margaret let out a chuckle at my words. “That sounds confusing. Okay, how’s your job?”

  “Great, I love being on motors.”

  “Wonderful. How are the girls? Piper, Harley, Kat, Bridget, all of them are fine?”

  “Yes, they are doing great, Kat is hoping to make motors this year.”

  “So this has nothing to do with your job or your friends. Is it guy trouble?” Margaret asked and when I didn’t answer her, she put two and two together. “Who is he?”

  “Did you ever feel like you were second place?”

  “Second place to who?” Margaret’s voice softened.

  “In Dad’s heart, because he loved my mom first.”

  “No. I love your dad because he loved your mom. If your mom had survived, I believe that your parents would still be happily married. He is that kind of man, he’s good and loyal. Think of it like a book. When you read a book that you love, you believe it is the best book you’ve ever read. But when it’s finished you put it on the shelf. For a while you have a book-hangover. You can’t imagine finding another book that great, so you may stop reading for a while. But eventually a new book will catch your eye. You’ll flip through the pages and before you know it, you’re enthralled. That old book, it’s still on your shelf. You still think about that love story every now and then but eventually, you’ve moved on and found a new book that you love. Sadie?”

  “Yes?”

  “Why are you asking all of this?”

  “Ryan…the guy…he’s a widower.”

  “Ohh, I’m sorry for his loss. Has it been a long time?”

  “Four years.”

  “Sadie, his heart has mended. He’s ready to find love again, he’s ready for a new love story. Are the two of you getting that serious?”

  “No, but he has a little girl and that scares me.”

  “Why?”

  “Because I’m not mother material.”

  “Good, because you won’t be her mother, she already has one. Her mother is in heaven, but she does in fact have a mom. You’ll be her stepmom, her friend, you’ll be someone special, and hold a totally different spot in her heart. Stop putting more into this Sadie. If you like the guy, then relax and see where it takes you.”

  “Thank you. I love you Margaret.”

  “I love you too, sweetie.” Margaret disconnected and I put my phone back on my nightstand. Rolling over, I prayed that now I could get at least a few hours of sleep.

  Ryan: What are you up to?

  Me: Not much, catching up on laundry. How’s today? Low stress?

  Ryan: What do you think? They picked Callie up, and when I reminded them about drop-off time, she waved her hand in the air, like whatever. She totally blew me off.

  Me: Are you worried for her safety? Do you think that Callie is in any danger?”

  Ryan: Not physical. I think that Louise is just trying to make me miserable. Because she is unhappy, she wants the rest of the world unhappy.

  Me: You know that this is just the beginning, right? Many times, this gets much worse before it breaks. You might have to speak to an attorney.

  Ryan: A friend of mine is an attorney, but I’m not even sure what kind. I’m assuming this would fall under family law.

  Me: It would.

  Ryan: What else do you have planned for today?

  Me: Nothing much, just spending time with Wasabi. The poor guy has been left a lot lately.

  Ryan: You mind if I come over for a while? I’m pacing this fucking house.

  Me: Sure, pick up food on your way?

  Ryan: Of course.

  Thirty minutes later, I was putting away my last load of laundry, an array of panties, socks, and sports bras, when I heard a car door. I raced to try and beat him, but I was too late. The doorbell went off and so did Wasabi. My little poodle turned into Godzilla, ready to tear apart the door and whoever stood on the other side.

  “Chill out, Wasabi, it’s just Ryan.” I could hear Ryan’s low chuckle through the door.

  “Want me to ring the bell again?”

  “You do and I’m grabbing my gun,” I said as I opened the door, Wasabi squirming underneath my arm as I held him tight like a football.

  “For me or him?” Ryan pointed to himself and then the dog.

  “Not sure; although, I’ve known Wasabi longer.”

  “Yeah, but does he bring you food because you hate to cook and even buys extra so you have leftovers? And does he do this?” Ryan snaked his free hand around my neck and pulled me in closer to him, our noses grazing before he went in for a kiss. First it was just our lips lightly touching, the whisper-soft touch of skin on skin, and then he deepened it, his tongue sweeping in and tangling with mine as I pressed closer to him.

  The sound of a car driving by brought me back to reality and the fact that we were still standing in my open doorway. I pulled back. “Come in.” I shut the door and led him inside. “So, what did you bring? Smells like hot wings.”

  “It is, plus I picked up a Greek salad.”

  “Want to eat first?”

  “Sure.” Ryan set everything down on my small bistro-style table while I put Wasabi down, washed my hands, and grabbed plates and forks. “I brought some extra wings and a small side salad if you want to put these in your fridge for another day.”

  “Some women want roses and poetry, but me? I want this, I want not having to worry about what to make for dinner after an exhausting day.” I sat and took the plate he held out to me.

  “What makes your job so exhausting?” Ryan waited for my answer, as if he were truly interested in what I had to say.

  “The sun. Being out in the sun all day drains you. But also, some of the people. I’m shocked at how many people are so clueless. I get in emergencies, adrenaline is flowing, and all common sense flies out.”

  “Tell me about it. The same thing happens with doctors. It takes years before we have it together in a crisis, and still, I’ve wobbled, it could be the most basic thing, and I can’t recall it for the life of me.”

  “Exactly. But mine are”—I tapped a finger against my bottom lip—“not clueless, I think the word I’m looking for is self-absorbed. They are so self-absorbed that they put no one and nothing before themselves. We recently had a call about a young boy who was working at McDonald’s. A homeless woman came in and placed an order then as she was counting out her pennies, she realized she didn’t have enough. The kid was only seventeen, but he reached into his own pocket and gave her the rest of the money for her order. Two guys behind her started giving the kid a hard time, demanding that he pay for their food as well.”

  “Could those two afford it?”

  “Oh, yeah, they were all decked out and had a brand-new Escalade in the parking lot. When he didn’t and said that he didn’t have that kind of extra money the guys left.”

  “I’m glad they left, but why were the police called?” Ryan said before he took a bite from a wing.

  “They left to go out to their Escalade and grab a gun. They shot the kid point blank in the head.”

  “Holy shit. What happened to them?”

  “They’re in jail and being held without bond. Someone had to tell that boy’s family. That homeless woman now lives with the guilt that her hunger led to an innocent kid’s death. All of the patrons and employees working are emotionally scarred or should be. I know that I would have been, had I not chosen this career path. And those guys, if they are found guilty—”

  “They will be, won’t they?”

  “As long as everyone does their job correctly, but we live in a society where one little human error and the bad guys go free.”

  “I’m exhausted just thinking about it.”

  “Tell me about it, what about you? What’s the most exhausting thing about your job?”

  “Besides the long hours and all of the red tape we h
ave to go through, I’d say idiocy. The number of injuries I see that could have been avoided had the person used their brain is staggering.”

  I laughed because I’d met several hundred of those types. “We probably know the same people.”

  Ryan laughed at my remark. “No shit, last Fourth of July . . .” I groaned at the date alone, since a lot of stupidity came out that night. “I had some guy think it was funny to hold a Roman candle near his penis. Probably trying to pretend that his was that big. Unfortunately, the candle misfired and shot off the wrong way.”

  “What happened?”

  “He was holding the firework in his zipper, it shot in his pants and burned the entire region. Or, how about all the people who let their children hold bottle rockets and then the kids get scared and drop them? The bottle rocket goes off even though no one is directing it.”

  “Oh my god, yes. We had a call on this exact thing. Their kid dropped it and it flew into their garage. Caught the whole thing on fire. Would have burned their house down had the FD not gotten there in time.”

  “As different as our jobs are, we really have a lot of similarities, I wouldn’t have guessed it,” Ryan said as he stood and helped me put away the extra food.

  “I know, right? Want to watch a movie?”

  We moved into the living room, Wasabi on our heels. Once we were comfy and situated, I leaned forward for the remote, but Ryan’s strong hand wrapped around mine. “Is there something you’re dying to see?” I shook my head. “Then let’s just talk. I have to leave in a little while anyway to be home for Callie.”

  My personal phone started ringing, and since very few people had that number, I always answered it. “Let me get this in case it’s an emergency.”

  “I totally understand.” Ryan leaned back.

  “Hello? Hello?” Ryan gave me a puzzled look, but I didn’t immediately hang up because I could hear ruffling sounds. “Hellllo?” I asked with a bit more attitude before disconnecting. “That was weird. I could hear someone on the line, but no one said anything.”

  “It didn’t say who?”

  “Nope, just said unknown, and that doesn’t happen since I’m law enforcement and my phone number is protected. Maybe it was a wrong number butt dial.”

  “Maybe,” Ryan answered. I twisted and faced him, curling my legs up on the couch and pressing my hands on his thighs. “What are you doing?” He smirked.

  “What does it look like?”

  “Not sure, that’s why I asked.”

  “I believe that your words to me the last time we were alone on my sofa were, ‘next time.’ Well, I know that you’re a man of your word so this is next time.”

  Ryan let out a chuckle. “And I haven’t lied to you yet, have I?”

  “Nope, so strip. It’s my turn to see what the hot doctor is packing.”

  “Are you on the pill?”

  “Yes,” I quickly answered.

  “Do you trust me?”

  “God, yes, do you trust me?”

  “If I didn’t, I wouldn’t be here.” With that sentence, he was standing and sweeping me up into his arms.

  Holy fuck, the man was getting ready to fuck me and my mind was wandering off like mother-fucking-Dr. Seuss. I’d like to have sex, yes I would, I’d like to have sex if I could. I’d have sex on a train, I’d have sex on a plane. I started giggling and couldn’t stop.

  “Care to share? What’s so funny?” Ryan took the last few strides into my bedroom before dropping me into the center of my bed forcing me to laugh some more.

  “Nothing, I promise. I’m excited. Silly things popping in my head because I’m so happy.” I silently prayed that I hadn’t put a damper on our activities. When Ryan started stripping, I let out a moan and quickly removed my clothes, tossing them onto the floor in a pile.

  Ryan climbed into bed but I wanted to take the lead, this was his turn since last time was all about me. Wrapping a hand around his hard, throbbing cock, he let out a groan and it fueled me on. I stroked up and down while beads of precum rippled on his tip. Using it as lubricant, I coated his cock, and moved my hand faster as the friction added heat to his already hot sex.

  “Lay on your back,” I ordered, and he obliged. Working my way over, I straddled him, and positioned myself above his erect cock. He slid one hand to his base and held himself up while I slid down, enfolding him in my heat.

  “Sadieeee,” Ryan moaned my name like it was a glass of water after a five-mile hike. He made me feel desirable.

  Resting on my knees, I lifted my body up before sliding back down and taking him into me deeper. Once he was in to the hilt, I began the rhythm. One that would satisfy him and me. Thrusting my hips forward and then sliding back, I repeated this movement. It didn’t take long before he was bucking upward to add to our rhythm. My head thrown back, he moved one hand and trailed his fingers down my neck, along my collarbone, until he was cupping one breast.

  “Yes, Ryan, squeeze, please.”

  “Faster Sadie, god, you feel so fucking good.”

  I increased my speed, back and forth, dragging my clit along his pubis as the muscles in my body began to tighten.

  He moved his hand from my breast and wrapped his arms around my back, lowering me against him. He took my mouth, sliding his tongue inside, and I felt as if my entire body was being devoured. From my mouth to my pussy, he was filling me, and I knew that I could only hold on for a few more minutes.

  “Ryan, please. I’m going to cum.”

  “Let me feel you. God, I want to see you.”

  “Ryan,” I called out his name as everything that had once been so taut was shaking, convulsing, and every nerve ending was on high alert.

  Ryan bucked harder and faster, and then I felt him, his cum shooting inside of me, each pulse of his release making me wet, filling me. When the last of Ryan’s orgasm faded, he relaxed, holding me tight against him. But at that moment, the simple feel of his breath was like little pins against the overly sensitive nerves in my body.

  “You’re going to kill me Sadie.”

  “Why?”

  “That was incredible. I don’t think that I can move, maybe not ever again.”

  17

  Ryan

  “Callie, is that you?”

  “Da-da-daddy?” Callie heaved my name between sobs.

  “Calm down, what’s wrong?”

  “I want to come home.”

  “Okay, are you still at Animal Kingdom?”

  “No. At Grammy’s.”

  “I’m on my way.”

  “Daddy?”

  “Yes, sweetie?”

  “Will you stay on the phone with me?”

  “Of course, hold on and let me get in the car so that the speaker picks up, okay?”

  “Okay.” Her voice was soft, and her spirit sounded so broken.

  I slipped on my shoes and then snagged my keys as I dashed out to the garage. In under a minute, I was in my SUV and pulling out of my driveway. “You still there, Callie girl?”

  “Yes.”

  “What happened that’s got you so upset?”

  “Promise not to tell Grammy that I told you?”

  “Callie, that isn’t fair, you’re crying, it’s my job to stand up for you. If Grammy made you cry, then I need to tell her that she made you cry. I need to have her stop it.”

  “But she won’t ever see me again. She said that you will keep me from seeing her if I tell you.”

  “All right, Callie, you need to tell me.” The acid in my stomach was turning because I wouldn’t put it past that woman to do something outrageous.

  “She said that Sadie doesn’t really like me, that she only likes you and is going to take you away from me and then I won’t get to see you very much.”

  “No one could ever take me away from you. You’re mine, kiddo, you and me. Is that what has you so upset?”

  “She also said that Sadie wants to move into our house, and I got excited, but Grammy said that if she does that, she will throw
away all of mommy’s things, and won’t let me ever talk about mommy again. That her mommy will become my grammy and that I’ll never see her again. I told her that Sadie’s mommy is an angel like mine and that she has a Margaret. Grammy said that’s why Sadie is doing all of this, she wants to be my Margaret.”

  I turned onto Louise’s street. “None of that is true.” I pulled into Louise’s driveway. “I’m out front.” I disconnected and got out of my car.

  The front door flew open and Callie ran to me practically flying into my arms. “Caroline, you know better than to open—oh, Ryan, I told you that I would bring her home.”

  “Where’s Fred?”

  “I’m right here, what’s going on?”

  “You’re done. Never again. Do not contact my daughter or me. You need some serious help, Louise. I’ve spent the last ten minutes trying, once again, to undo all of the damage your head games have caused, and I’m done. What kind of sick person tells a six-year-old that their father’s girlfriend is going to take him away from her or throw away all her mother’s stuff?”

  “She will, you know it. No woman wants the memory of a man’s other wife around.”

  “Louise, you didn’t do all of this, tell me that you didn’t?” Fred asked, but Ryan could tell that Fred already knew the answer. “Please, Ryan, I understand that you’re mad. We love Callie. Don’t do this.”

  “See, Caroline, he’s dating someone and he’s taking you away from us.”

  “Louise!” Fred shouted.

  “Get her some help,” I ordered before taking Callie and putting her into the back seat.

  Once Callie was safely fastened, I pulled out and headed home. Once there, I sat on the floor by her dollhouse again.

  “You know that your mommy loved you with all of her heart, right?”

  “Yep, Sadie told me. Her mommy loves her, too.”

  “Your mommy didn’t want to leave you, and if she could have stayed, she would have.”

  “I know, but then I wouldn’t have an angel to look over me. Now, I always have an angel.”

  “Yeah, you always have an angel.”