Total pages in book: 24
Estimated words: 23115 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 116(@200wpm)___ 92(@250wpm)___ 77(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 23115 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 116(@200wpm)___ 92(@250wpm)___ 77(@300wpm)
And Christ, it’s like a drug. I start to spiral and have to set her down and brace myself against the wall.
Thankfully, Briar doesn’t notice. I blink away the trance coming over me and watch as she inspects my house. She looks stunned, but then I remember; Briar is from across the tracks. Even my modest home must feel like a mansion to her.
I stay quiet as she goes over to the photo of my mom on the wall and runs her hand across the rosary beneath it. My eyes are glued to her ass, watching her hips sway as she walks into the kitchen and opens the fridge, staring like it’s something she shouldn’t have access to. And it makes me want to burn down whatever world told her she doesn’t deserve a decent fridge.
“Lots of milk,” she teases, shaking a carton. That’s it. I can’t take it anymore.
In an instant, I’ve got my hands around her waist and am lifting her onto the counter. The milk spills on the floor, but I don’t care. I’m sliding my hands up Briar’s T-shirt, cupping her tender breasts, rolling her nipples between my fingers.
She lets out a soft cry that just sends my lust skyrocketing. I snatch a fistful of her hair and tug, arching her body in and against mine, then move my lips to hers.
I’m this close to kissing her when I hear a pounding knock against the front door.
What the hell? It’s past midnight!
“Rawls! Open up right now!” My heartrate leaps. Fire burns through my chest. I recognize the voice immediately. Morgan Felch, captain of my department.
I want to scream. Tear the goddamn walls down and kill this son of a bitch for interrupting me.
She is here. And I need my time with her.
“Who is that?” Briar whispers.
“It’s my captain,” I curse, using all my willpower to step back from her.
“Why don’t you just tell him to fuck off?” she suggests. I almost smile. “It’s past midnight.”
“I really, really would like to do that.”
“Come on, Rawls!” Felch bangs again. “Open up!”
Doing my best to push my hard-on down, I walk to the front door. With a deep breath, I unlock it. Before I can even pull it open, Felch bursts in like he owns the place. Hands on his hips, chewing an unlit cigar, he looks around the room, notices Briar for a moment too long, then looks back at me.
“So this is her, huh? That girl you’ve been utilizing departmental resources on.”
My muscles tighten. I clutch my fists behind my back. Just seeing his eyes on her has my protective instincts surging. “It was just a tow, Captain—”
“I know what it was,” he snaps. “You’re under IA investigation, Officer Rawls. You think I don’t know what you’re up to?”
I’m burning. Steam’s coming out of my ears. I’m about to boil over. But there’s something else in the look he’s giving me. Something he’s trying to hide back, but the longer I look at him, the less disguised it becomes.
And then I get it.
Captain Felch is the one holding up my investigation. He’s the one behind the charges of excessive force being brought on me. And it’s because I scare him. Because there’s been talk of me being promoted to captain.
He thinks I’m coming after his job. And that makes me a threat.
“And what am I up to, Captain?”
He stares back at me with cold, calculating eyes. “I’m adding misuse of departmental property and departmental funds to the investigation.” He turns again to Briar, and I have to fight the urge to lay him out. “And if your girlfriend here was in the cruiser without a booking number, I’ll be adding unlawful detention, and she can be subpoenaed.”
I’m two seconds from snapping and shattering this prick’s face with my fist. Briar must see this and steps up beside me, gently touching the back of my arm with her hand.
And that’s all it takes.
My heartrate drops, and I’m able to take a breath as Felch turns his back on me. I watch as he walks out, leaving the door open behind him. I close my eyes, ready to punch a hole in my wall.
“He’s gone,” Briar says, closing and locking the door. “Now take a breath before you add a murder charge on to…whatever it was he’s talking about.”
I take her advice and draw a long, deep breath, then slowly exhale. “Yeah…”
“What was he talking about, Gareth?” she asks.
I’m shaking with adrenaline. I’m about to crack, but her touch is grounding me. Pulling me back from the edge.
Such a tiny thing with so much power over me…
I look down at her innocent eyes, gazing up expectantly at me. I didn’t want to lay my baggage on her this early, but what choice do I have after what just happened?
No. Briar is mine. And I trust her.