Chapter 18
The days are getting shorter. The sun hasn’t even started to think about rising yet when I open my eyes and discover that my alarm will go off in just thirty minutes. Rolling over, I take in the sleepy Summer lying next to me. She’s breathing softly, and she’s so damn sweet it takes my breath away.
I understand why she wants to sell her place. There’s been too much bad mojo there, and even when we find out who’s been vandalizing her home, I wouldn’t want to live there anymore either. Too much has happened for her to feel comfortable there.
But I don’t want her to rent another place or go anywhere else. This is her home. I want her here every goddamn day. In this bed, in this house, or out at the ranch. I want to be wherever she is, always.
I drag a fingertip lightly down her nose, unable to resist her. She’s so warm and…mine. I take a journey over her skin with just my fingertips, across her belly, and down over one hip, then back again, barely scraping my nails over her flesh.
“Mm.” She turns into me and slides her leg against mine and then up onto my hip, opening herself to me. “Good morning.”
“Morning.” My lips claim hers gently, lazily, as we wake up with the world around us. With my hand wrapped around her throat and jaw, I explore her mouth and groan when she grips onto my already hard dick. Jesus, her touch always sends my whole system into hyperdrive.
But I want this morning to be slow. Easy. I’m making love to my girl, here in the early morning quiet, and nothing has ever felt so fucking right.
She guides me to her, and I easily slip inside of her, and we both sigh with pure, unadulterated pleasure.
“Never.” My voice is hoarse, cutting through the quiet. “It’s never been like this before, baby.”
She moans as I start to move in long, slow strokes as the room shifts from dark to gray in the early morning light. She arches against me, clinging to my shoulder, as I feel her start to convulse around my cock.
“That’s it, sweetheart.” I kiss her cheek and then her nose. “Go over, baby.”
That’s all I have to say to have her calling out my name and coming hard around me. She’s fucking spectacular.
“You, too,” she whispers and digs her teeth into my shoulder, and I let go.
I’d like to stay here, inside of her, all damn day, but I can’t. I have to get ready for work.
“Stay where you are.” I kiss her once more and then roll away from her and head for the bathroom to clean myself up, and just when I grab a washcloth to wet for her, she appears in the mirror behind me. “You didn’t stay.”
“I have to use the facilities,” she says with a grin as she wraps her arms around me from behind and presses a kiss to my back. “Sorry, I had to disobey.”
“It’s okay.” I turn and catch her face in my hands. “I’ll spank you later.”
“Oh, no.” Her eyes shine with humor as she does her best to sound disappointed. “Whatever shall I do?”
I laugh and kiss her hard. “Clean up, smartass. I’ll be back in a minute with your coffee.”
“Now, that, I won’t complain about.”
Leaving her in the bathroom, I make my way downstairs, and Lily is right on my heels. I let her outside to do her business while I get the coffee going, and by the time both mugs are full and ready, Lily’s scratching at the door to come back in.
We have the morning routine down to a science.
Summer’s yawning as she wraps herself in a robe and reaches for the coffee.
“Yes, please.” She holds it in both of her hands and takes a sip, sighing with happiness. “So good. In fact, this whole morning is so good.”
“It could be every morning,” I remind her and brush her hair out of her eyes. “Just like this, sex and coffee.”
“That’s definitely something to consider.” She smiles and offers her lips for another kiss. “Thanks for the coffee. And…everything.”
“You’re welcome.” I take a sip and head for the shower. “I’d better get a move on, or I’ll be late.”
“That sex was totally worth it.”
I grin back at her. “Absofuckinglutely.”
“It’s beena goddamn week since some fucker threw a rock through Summer’s window, and you’re telling me that no one knows anything?” I scowl at my commanding officer, feeling so fucking helpless. “No one heard or saw a damn thing on that whole block? This is a small town. People pay attention to shit.”
“Maybe they weren’t home,” he suggests and leans back in his chair. “It was during the work day, and people have jobs, Wild. If they were being strategic, they chose the right time of day for that shit.”
“It’s infuriating.” I pace his office and rub my hand over my mouth. “I need to figure this out, because she doesn’t deserve to live her life constantly looking over her shoulder.”
“From what I hear, she has you to protect her most of the time.”
“She shouldn’t have to have that, either. It’s been months of harassment, and I’m pissed that we still don’t have any leads.”
“I don’t like it any more than you do,” he says with a sigh. “Go back to the house, sweep for more prints, talk to more neighbors.”
“The entire house has been swept, and I’ve spoken to every single person who lives on that street personally. But I’ll ask around again. Thanks for listening.”
“That’s what I’m here for.”
I leave his office and stride out to my car, climb inside, and head out on patrol. It’s been a fucking week, and still, we have nothing. Either this bastard is smart, or he’s damn lucky.
Maybe both.
Tonight is the party for Summer’s women’s group, so I won’t see her until late. I’ll take her lunch so I don’t have to go the whole day without her.
And isn’t that just ridiculous? I can’t go one whole day without seeing her, without feeling like I’m going insane.
I sigh and push my hand through my hair.
“I’m so in love with her that I irritate myself.” I let out a humorless laugh and turn right, just in time to see my brother, Ryan, walk out of an attorney’s office.
I park at the curb and climb out of the car, approaching him.
“What are you up to?” I ask him.
“Oh, hey. I had a meeting.”
I eye the door of the office and then turn back to him. “With an attorney?”
Ryan nods and shoves his hands into his pockets. “You know, I do have a lot of attorneys.”
“Not ones in Bitterroot Valley. What’s up?”
My brother frowns, looks down the street, and then back at me. “Keep this between us for now, okay?”
“Are you in trouble, Ryan?”
“No.” He shakes his head. “It’s nothing like that. I was speaking with a family law attorney. I’d like Jake to be placed with me, permanently.”
That word seems to be going around a lot lately.
“Wow.” My brow lifts in surprise. “It’s going that well?”
“It really is, and I’m as surprised as anyone, but he’s so great with my animals, and he just seems to fit in there, you know? His attitude is mellowing out with time and patience. He’s been staying with me on the weekends because the assholes who have custody right now don’t give a shit about him, and I like having him there. He’s not a little ass with me; he’s respectful, and he’s just a good kid.”
“And you want to adopt him?”
“Yeah.” Ryan raises his chin, almost defiantly. “I do. He deserves a hell of a lot better than what he’s gotten in the past year, and I can give him a damn good home.”
“You can give him a life that most people only dream of,” I reply. “Let’s not sugarcoat it.”
“I haven’t talked to Jake about it yet. I wanted to talk it over with the attorney and stuff before I talk to the kid and see if it’s what he wants. If the attorney told me that it couldn’t happen, I didn’t want to get his hopes up and then stomp all over them.”
“I can’t imagine the state not giving you custody, Ry.”
“That’s what I was told today. Looks like I should get immediate custodial custody while we wait for the adoption stuff to go through. He won’t have to stay in that shithole anymore.”
“I’d say that’s damn good news.” I pat my brother on the shoulder, so fucking proud of him. “Is he coming to your place after school for the weekend?”
“Yeah. He started keeping some things at my house. He’s claimed a bedroom, for fuck’s sake.” He grins like a loon. “That way, he doesn’t have to go to the foster home for anything after school.”
“I’ve done some digging since that day at your place,” I say and nod at Jeannie as she hustles past with a delivery from her deli. “There have been a few reports from previous placements of bad conditions in that house, but nothing could be proven. It’s pretty obvious to everyone that Wally and his wife only take on the fosters for the money from the state every month, but there’s such a shortage of foster homes in Montana that nothing has been done about it.”
“Fuck,” Ryan mutters. “What assholes.”
“You’re right on the mark there. So, I’m glad that you’re getting him out of that house.”
“Only to free up a bedroom for the next victim.” Ryan’s face is grim as he stares at me, and the radio on my belt sounds.
“Wild, you’re needed at 983 O’Brien Avenue. Domestic dispute, minor involved.”
Ryan and I scowl at each other as I speak into a radio on my shoulder. “Isn’t that the Wally Beck residence?”
“Confirmed.”
“Fuck,” Ryan says again.
“On my way, ETA five minutes.”
“I’m coming with you.”
“Ryan—”
“I can come with you or follow you there. Either way, I’m fucking coming.”
I don’t argue when he climbs into the passenger side of my car, and I hit the siren and lights as I speed through town and come to a screaming stop outside of the residence.
It’s a small, white house with peeling blue trim. The yard is overgrown, and nothing about this place has been maintained at all.
“This is where he’s been living?” Ryan demands.
“You didn’t know?”
“Fuck no, I didn’t know. Jesus, I should have checked it out.”
“You stay out here.” I point a finger at his chest. “I mean it, you stay here. I don’t know if anyone is armed inside.”
The neighbor comes running out, her face ashen. “I’m so glad you’re here. It’s been going on for at least an hour, and I just know that someone’s hurt in there.”
“Stay back,” I tell her and move for the door.
I can hear the yelling and swearing. The crash as things are thrown, and I pull my weapon and approach the door just as backup arrives behind me.
Knocking on the door, I try to look through the window.
“This is Officer Wild of the BVPD. I need you to open the door, please.”
Everything inside the house goes silent, and I narrow my eyes as the door is flung open and a woman, eyes wild and full of fear, stares up at me.
“There’s nothing wrong,” she says, but she’s breathing hard, and she’s holding her shirt closed in front of her where it’s been torn.
“Janice, I heard the yelling and crashing from out there. I need to come in and make sure everyone is okay.”
“No.” She steps in front of me, her eyes even more wild now. “No, please. Everything is fine here.”
I can hear grunting behind her, and then the sound of flesh hitting flesh, and she winces.
“Back up,” I tell her and push past her, to find Wally beating the hell out of Jake. “Back away from the boy.”
“Fuck you,” he growls, his fist cocked back to strike again, and my blood runs cold. Jake’s face is swollen, blood running down his right cheek. He’s missing a tooth, and his left arm hangs loosely to the side, as if the shoulder is dislocated. Immediately, I lunge for Wally and knock him to the ground.
“Call for an ambulance,” I manage to call out to backup as I punch Wally in the face, knock him around, and get his arms behind his back and cuffed, then pull him up off of the floor. “You’re under arrest, you worthless sack of shit.” I read him his rights, then turn to Janice. “How badly are you hurt?”
“Oh, I?—”
“How bad?”
“Tried to rape her,” Jake says, his voice coming in a whisper. “Pulled him off.”
“Jesus,” Ryan says as he rushes inside and hurries over to Jake. “My God, buddy.”
“He wouldn’t stop.” Jake finally sees that Ryan’s here, and his eyes fill with tears. “He just wouldn’t stop. Gonna kill me.”
“No,” Ryan says, gently brushing his hand over Jake’s hair. “He won’t. You’re safe, and we’re getting you to the hospital.”
“My kids,” Janice whimpers. “They’re hiding in their rooms.”
“They’ll be taken care of.” I can hear the ambulance on the way. “We’ll need two ambulances.”
“Two are on the way,” I’m assured, and I nod, then turn my attention back to Ryan, who’s holding Jake against him.
Six hours later,with my shift finally over, Wally and Janice’s kids placed in foster homes—oh, the irony—and all of my reports written and filed, I make my way into the hospital and find Ryan at Jake’s bedside. The kid’s asleep, with a brace holding his arm in place and bandages on his face.
“He’s a fucking mess,” Ryan says without looking up at me. “Dislocated shoulder, broken cheekbone, and the asswipe took out a tooth.”
“Jesus.” I sit on the other side of the bed from him and lean my elbows on my knees. “Has he said what started all of this?”
“Wally was going for Janice, and Jake pulled him off of her. Wally turned on Jake, and the rest, we know. Apparently, it’s not unusual for such things in that house, but this is the first time Jake felt confident enough to step up and do something about it.”
“Don’t make me go back,” Jake whispers. “Please, don’t make me go. I’ll do whatever you want.”
“Hey, you’re not going back there, buddy,” Ryan assures him. “You’ll be coming to stay with me.”
“Until they find me another home?”
“No.” Ryan shakes his head and smiles softly at the teenager. “For good. If that’s okay with you, that is.”
“You’re not shitting me?”
Ryan winces. “We need to work on your mouth, but no. I’m not shitting you. What do you say?”
Rather than answer, Jake looks away and gives in to the tears that he’s been fighting back.
“Y-you don’t h-have to,” he says and wipes away the tears with his good hand. “I know you feel bad for me, but?—”
“Hey, look at me, Jake.” Jake’s head turns so he can look at Ryan. “I’d already started looking into it. I spoke with my attorney this morning, in fact.”
“He’s not lying. I saw him walk out of the office myself.”
Jake glances my way, hope gleaming in his swollen eyes. “You did?”
“Yeah. I figure we make a good team, and I like having you at my place. So, I’d already set things in motion. When you were sleeping, I spoke with child services, and they’ve agreed that you can go home with me when you’re released. I’ve been given emergency custody.”
“So, I’ll be your foster kid until I’m eighteen?”
Ryan looks down at his hands and then back at Jake. “If that’s how you want it, sure. We can do it that way. But I’d really rather officially adopt you. If you want to take my name, you can. If you want to keep your dad’s name, that’s cool with me, too. I want you to have a solid home with a good family, Jake.”
“Can I think about the name thing?” Jake asks quietly.
“You can think about all of it,” Ryan assures him. “For now, just know that you’ll be safe with me.”
“Thank you.” Jake’s lower lip quivers. “Really, thank you.”
“You’re very welcome.”
“I think the medicine is making me sleepy again,” Jake says, wiping at his tears. “I hope I didn’t dream this.”
“I’ll remind you when you wake up,” Ryan assures him, and then sighs when Jake falls back to sleep. “Well, that went pretty okay.”
“I’m really proud of you.”
Ryan’s head comes up at my words, and he nods. “Not surprised?”
“Oh, I’m surprised as hell. I was just hoping you’d give the kid a weekend job and keep him out of trouble. I had no idea that you’d fall for him and want to be his daddy.”
“I’m not—” He pauses the denial and then lets out a shaky laugh. “I guess that’s the short version of it. I know it won’t be easy or a walk in the park, but it’s a chance for him, you know?”
“Yeah. Not everyone gets the amazing life we had growing up, and the fact that you’re giving Jake one hell of a chance at that amazing life is pretty damn great. Mom and Dad are going to shit their pants. A new grandkid to fuss over? Mom will have his Christmas stocking made by the end of the week.”
Ryan’s grin is as bright as the sun. “Yeah. That’s pretty great, huh?”
“Pretty great. For everyone.”