Chapter 1
Elias
Salem, Massachusetts, modern-day…
The night shift sucked donkey balls. Actually, that wasn’t entirely true, the night shift on the last day of classes at Salem State University, sucked donkey balls.
This was the kids’ last night on campus before packing up their dorm rooms and heading back home for the summer.
Tonight was their last chance to get rowdy before going back home to Mommy and Daddy and their rules.
So far this evening, he’d answered three calls of disturbing the peace on campus and had broken up one wild house party featuring twins dancing naked on a rickety-looking table. The girls’ parents were going to be so proud of their little darlings when those pictures hit social media.
It was 2:30 am. Last call in Salem was half an hour ago.
The next hour of this shift would be the worst for sure.
Elias wasn’t the biggest fan of college kids and their entitled ways, but he also didn’t want to see any of them get hurt or killed because they’d made the monumentally stupid decision to drive drunk. Or high.
From his tucked away spot on Essex Street, Eli saw a small Ford crossing the center line for a count to three before swerving back into the correct lane.
He didn’t like the look of this and pulled out onto the road behind him.
It could be the driver had been trying to avoid an animal in the road, but at this time of the morning, it was far more likely the driver was impaired in some way.
Seconds later, the car crossed the double yellow line again.
“Showtime!” Elias said to the empty SUV.
His heart stuttered in his chest. All these years later and any thought of Jensen made him freeze up.
Now sure as hell wasn’t the time to think about the past. Flipping on the lights and sirens, Eli got ready to pull red Ford over.
Thankfully the driver obeyed. He pulled into the parking lot of a darkened strip mall before rolling down his window and shutting off the car.
Eli keyed his radio mike to speak to dispatch. “Kendall, this is Dixon. I need you to run a plate for me. Mass tag 7734 Kilo Oscar.”
“Got it, Dixon. Hold on.”
“With both hands.” Elias snickered.
The sound of Kendall’s voice had Eli’s dick twitching in his pants.
The only good thing about working the Charlie shift was dispatcher, Marc Kendall.
With his silky dark hair and grey-green eyes, Kendall was the perfect ten.
The only problem with him was that he knew it.
His nickname at the station was Ken Doll.
Everyone wanted a piece of him, women, men, stray dogs.
No one knew if he was gay, straight, bi, or try anything.
Getting out of the marked SUV, Eli approached the stopped car.
He could hear the chorus of Taylor Swift’s Me floating back to him.
Christ, was there a worse earworm than that damn song?
Eli shook his head and flipped on his flashlight.
“License and registration,” he barked out, all the while taking stock of the driver.
The man, who looked to be a young twenty-something had both hands wrapped around the steering wheel at the perfect 10 and 2 position. As if that was going to save his ass. There was a definite odor of alcohol coming from the man. Cheap beer, unless Eli missed his guess.
“Yeah, right away, Ossifer.” The man frowned. “Shit,” he muttered to himself. Shaking his head, he tilted to the left, knocking his head on the doorframe, before digging his wallet out of his back pocket. He pulled out his license and handed it over to Eli.
Burke Sampson, twenty-one years old from Bartlett, New Hampshire. Eli rolled his eyes as the young man sat with his head in his hands. “Registration, Mr. Sampson. Can I assume you’ve been drinking tonight?”
Giving a small nod, Burke reached for the glove compartment, rustling around for a second before he handed Elias a piece of paper.
“This isn’t your registration. It’s the receipt from your last oil change.” Jesus Christ. Fucking kids.
The young man’s eyes narrowed on the paper. “Oh, shit. I grabbed the wrong one.”
“The wrong receipt?” It would have been so easy to have a chuckle with the handsome young man, but this was a serious situation.
Drunk driving was no joke. This incident had ended peacefully enough, thank God.
Most didn’t. Burke Sampson with his dark wavy hair and matching dark eyes could have easily ended his night wrapped around a tree or accused of vehicular homicide.
“Here it is.” Burke passed another paper out the window. This time it was the registration for his red Ford Focus. It was up to date.
“I’m going to run this information. Give me your keys.” Eli held his hand out.
Burke wore a suspicious look on his face, but did what Elias asked. “Who are you?” His words weren’t slurred this time.
“Salem Police Officer, Elias Dixon. My friends call me, Eli.” Shit! Why the hell had he offered that bit of information. This guy wasn’t a friend. He was a potential drunk driver.
The man nodded, but stayed silent.
Eli headed back to his SUV, sliding inside and setting his flashlight down. “Kendall, I’ve got more information on that car. Driver is a Burke Sampson. New Hampshire license number S5876652.”
“10-4, Dixon. Registration on the Ford is in good standing. I’m not getting anything on your driver. He’s squeaky clean.”
Until tonight… “Thanks.” Eli shook his head. What the hell was up with these kids who had the world by the balls making stupid choices to fuck it all up?
Walking back to the car, Eli had a decision to make. Did he arrest this kid and bring him in or give him a second chance and make sure he got home safe? “Step out of the car, Mr. Sampson.”
Burke’s dark eyes looked horrified. He did what Dixon asked without complaint.
“See the white line marking the next parking space. Walk it, one foot in front of-”
“I know the drill, sir.” Burke started to walk, one foot in front of the other, with only a few steps straying away from the line.
Burke’s last words were a bit confusing. Kendall said this kid had a spotless record. How the hell had he known the drill? From television? Fucking cop shows. Eli shook his head. “How much have you had to drink tonight?”
“Couple of beers.” Burke looked up, making eye contact with Eli. “I’m so fucking stupid, Officer Dixon. Took my last exam today in Criminal Justice Stats and just wanted to blow off some steam before…” He trailed off.
Criminal Justice Statistics? Elias knew that was a senior level class for criminal justice majors. It wasn’t an elective kids needing extra credits would take. “You wanted to blow off steam before what?” Eli had a feeling he already knew the answer to his question.
“Before I start the police academy in six weeks.” Burke’s tone indicated he’d sobered up enough to understand the ramifications of what he’d done tonight.
“Up against the car, Mr. Sampson. Is there anything in your pockets that could hurt me? Weapons? Syringes?” Shit. This wasn’t what Eli wanted to do, but there were regs to follow.
“No, officer. There’s nothing in my pockets at all.” Burke sniffled.
Christ, it was bad enough when women started to blubber, never mind men.
Kneeling down, Eli started to frisk the young man.
There was nothing strapped around either ankle.
His hands slid up each of Burke’s calves, then his thighs.
Eli couldn’t help thinking how nicely built he was.
Totally unprofessional, but an unavoidable perk of his job.
His hands came up around Burke’s perfect ass and moved quickly around to his groin.
There was an unexpected surprise waiting for him.
Burke Sampson was hard as a rock. Interesting.
“I thought you said you didn’t have any weapons on you, Burke.
” Eli gave his package a completely professional squeeze.
Weapons and drugs could have been hidden there with his erection to cover them up.
“That’s not a weapon,” Burke’s voice trembled. “You’re…” His voice turned into a moan when Eli squeezed him again.
“I’m what?” Eli leaned forward to whisper into Burke’s ear. Eli’s own dick was all in, pressing against his boxers and the zipper of his uniform pants begging to be freed.
“Fucking gorgeous,” Burke whispered.
Eli finished the rest of his search, all the while pondering if what Burke had said was genuine or a line the pretty boy used to get out of sticky situations. He’d said he’d known the drill. Maybe he knew it because he had a habit of seducing the cops who’d pulled him over in the past.
Grabbing his left shoulder, Eli spun the boy around.
He thumped against the side of his red Ford.
The bulge in his pants was huge. In the dim light, Eli would swear there was a growing dark spot in the front of his pants.
He grabbed Burke’s hands in his own, holding them against the roof of the car. “You think this is some kind of game?”
“N-No, Officer Dixon. All I’ve ever wanted to be was a policeman. M-My whole life. No one else in my family has gone to college. Most have been on the other side of the law. T-That’s why I’m here.” Burke’s dark eyes turned glassy.
“To get away from them and the reputation of your name?” It wasn’t a big leap to make. Eli had done the same thing himself back in South Carolina, only for the opposite reason. He hadn’t wanted his name to taint his family’s reputation.
Burke nodded. “If you arrest me, I lose my spot in the academy.” His dark eyes locked with Eli’s. “It’s my fault. I was stupid tonight. Put other people at risk, me, other drivers, you. I promise if you give me a second chance, I’ll make you proud.”