Chapter 2
Chapter Two
Silva
Syrus chuckles under his breath as he steps back, saying, “I should know that your people watch out for you, Spitfire. I still worry, though.”
My nose wrinkles at him as I allow my hands to fall away.
“I’m good!” I call out, turning to face my employee.
Felix tosses out the trash and comes closer until he sees that it’s the sheriff beside me.
“Oh,” he says, relaxing. “It’s you. Are you escorting her home like usual?”
Word spreads quickly, and I’m not really surprised. For the last three weeks, Syrus has followed me home, and then watched me walk inside. He’s unapologetic about it, and it gives me warm feelings inside. If I’m honest with myself, I feel more than just that about him.
“I’m going to escort her to The Cheese Knees first. Apparently, someone forgot to eat today,” Syrus grumbles. He stands slightly in front of me as I straighten, making sure Felix doesn’t get any closer.
My scent is pretty heavy in the air, and it looks like Syrus is feeling protective.
Just because he’s not an alpha, doesn’t mean those instincts don’t ride him as well.
It’s why he moved here from a big city up north.
He was feeling burnt out and wanted a slower way of life while not having to leave the force.
The most excitement we get might be a bar fight, but I typically break those up since they’re on my turf.
Felix hides a smile, an omega who can recognize a beta’s need to take care of someone.
“Good luck,” he says with a chuckle. “Night, boss!”
“Night! Thanks for checking on me,” I call back as Felix walks away. “Really, Syrus—”
Spinning quickly, he interrupts me by claiming my lips with his. It’s possessive as fuck, and his hand fists my ass as he lifts me up to accommodate his six foot three frame. The tie is pulled from my hair, and his free hand sinks into it as it tumbles down my back.
“I will always check on you. Don’t ask me to stop,” he tells me while groaning, his lips soft and firm as he presses them against mine again.
Syrus is a force of nature, and I find myself opening my mouth as he swipes his tongue along mine. As far as first kisses that I can claim go, this is a really fucking good one. Brad kissed me once when I was sixteen, only to bite my bottom lip so hard it bled.
I refuse to claim anything that the Fielding brothers and their friends did as my firsts. Syrus is steadfast, loyal, and a really good person. There’s no other way our dance of words over the last nine years could have gone but this kiss.
“Syrus,” I whimper as he drops another kiss against the corner of my mouth.
“I didn’t want anyone else to know how good you smell,” he confesses. “That’s personal.”
I wait for him to say something about it belonging to him, but he doesn’t.
“God, you’re pretty.” Syrus sighs, holding me tightly as he continues to kiss me. My legs wrap around his waist naturally, my boots digging into his lower back as his fingers tighten against my skin.
A part of me wonders if he’ll leave little bruises for me to enjoy later, but there’s a controlled strength in his touch.
“Fuck, you make me want to commit at least three different crimes,” he says with a grunt. His words make me chuckle, low and throaty, and I can feel his erection against me.
Syrus doesn’t grind it against me, but it lays heavy between us, making me writhe as he holds me.
“No, don’t be a brat,” he says, though he’s the one who buries his face in my throat again to breathe me in. “It’s too cold for such a thin jacket, Spitfire.”
“I wasn’t planning to be out long,” I tease him. My stomach grumbles loudly, making me roll my eyes. “I was just going to dash to my truck and buy myself a pizza.”
“Since I interrupted you, the pizza is on me,” he offers, his voice rumbling.
“And for this relationship negotiation?” I ask. “I don’t play games, Syrus.”
“Good, because I hate them too. I know I’m not an alpha and that I can’t fully satisfy you—”
“Wow,” I say, eyes wide as my fingers slide through his hair. I need to touch him while we’re having this conversation. There’s no way my cocky, self assured sheriff is actually saying this to me, right? “So far, you’re doing a pretty great job, Sy. Better than any alpha I’ve ever come across.”
“Yeah?” he asks, his blue gray eyes hooding as he gazes at me.
“Mmhmm. That’s saying something since you’ve barely touched me.”
I’m not going to ruin this with insight into my past. There’s nothing I can do to change things, and I don’t want to burden him with it.
“You’re this enigma,” Syrus says. “You give me just enough information to make me want to kill anyone who may have done so much as mess up your hair, but nothing else.”
I focus on how soft his hair is, having a hard time with how difficult it is to have so much of his attention on me. We don’t really have serious conversations.
“Trust me, it’s easier that way,” I insist before sighing.
“Well, one day I want you to tell me, Spitfire. I don’t want to fuck up with you or trigger you in some way,” he says.
“I’m willing to go as slow as you need. It’s taking a lot of control not to mark up your pretty skin.
It’s so smooth and soft. I don’t want you to have to answer a bunch of questions you’re not ready to answer if people see it. ”
“I’m pretty sure Felix is going to tell his wife, who will definitely tell her friends,” I tell him. “The rumors will be buzzing down the grapevine, Sheriff.”
“That shouldn’t be as hot as it is when you say it.” He groans. “Since the cat is out of the bag, I want to make you dinner. You’re off Monday, right?”
“Damn, aren’t you a stalker?” I ask, unwrapping my legs from around his waist.
“I prefer the term ‘observant’,” he murmurs. Instead of putting me down, he adjusts his hands so that he can lift me into the driver seat. “I’ll also take that as a yes if you don’t mind.”
“Maybe I do mind,” I tease him, enjoying the way he cages my body with his. Syrus feels safe, he always has.
“Then I need to know what I need to do to change that,” he says gruffly. “Give your sister my address, send the pin to Emmett, and then come over so I can make you something to eat. I have ideas on eating other things too, we’ll see if you eat your vegetables or not.”
I gape at him as I huff out a laugh. There’s almost no sound to it, but Syrus grins regardless, enjoying my reaction to him.
“Am I surprising you yet?” he asks.
“You always surprise me,” I say honestly. Syrus’ delivery is the best, and even though I’ve never for a moment had a bad feeling about him, he’s also never boring.
“Good,” he says, pressing a kiss to my lips. “Let’s get food inside you. Your order is a pepperoni, ricotta, mushroom, and bacon pizza, right?”
“Syrus,” I say, my eyes practically bulging with shock.
“I notice shit,” he remarks with a shrug. “I’ll call it in while I follow you down the mountain. Put on your seatbelt, Spitfire.”
He gives me a little space so I can put it on, and then he’s closing my door with a smirk as he returns to his car. Turning on my truck, I can see that he’s already on the phone, ordering my pizza.
“This man is something else,” I murmur, backing out of my spot in wonder.
My phone loudly vibrates in my purse, and I grab my earphone from the cupholder and press the button on it firmly so it’ll pair with my phone. Slipping it into my ear, I press it again to pick up the phone.
“Hello?” I ask, angling the car so that I’m able to put it into drive.
“You’re not home yet, so I checked the club’s cameras,” my sister says, her voice full of mischief.
Ah, fuck.
“And what did you see?” I ask.
“Your voice sounds funny,” Lexi adds. “Oh, oh! I saw you making out with Sheriff Syrus Lynch. What’s that about? I thought I was going to have to bleach my eyes at one point.”
“I doubt Syrus is a sex tape kind of guy,” I say, cruising out of the parking lot. A quick glance through my rear view mirror shows that said sheriff is right behind me. “He knows we have cameras, Lexi.”
“Damn,” she says. “So it looks like he finally decided to make his move?”
I can’t help but shake my head in amusement because I meant it when I told Syrus that people would be talking about us already. It’s one thing to be nice, and quite another to be as intense as he is about my safety and wellbeing.
“He did,” I admit. “Syrus is making me dinner on Monday.”
“Well it’s a good thing I know where he lives,” Lexi states.
“I don’t think he’s the type of person to take advantage of someone,” I remind her. “Besides, it’s Syrus. We’ve known each other for a long time.”
“That’s true,” she says. “Trusting people isn’t something I’m used to.”
“Syrus is about the only person I trust,” I say. “I’m headed down to The Cheese Knees to get some pizza before I come home. I’m starving.”
“I was going to ask if you’d managed to eat today, but it doesn’t sound like you have.”
“Nope. That’s what led to Syrus getting so grumpy with me. My sugar is tanking.” I sigh.
The pizza shop isn’t far. I can handle the drive there, and the town is opening up below me as I follow one of the main roads.
“I wanted to make sure you were okay before I went to bed,” she says. I know that she’ll be up too late binging a new show, but it’s a good way to unwind after a long day.
“Thank you, Mom. I’m good,” I say. “Love you.”
“Love you too. You’re making me want pizza and my hot guy now,” she complains.
“Mmhmm. How’s Emmett?” I ask.
“Lalalala, Firefly. I can’t hear you,” she sings, hanging up as I find an open parking spot on the street across from the pizza place.
Syrus parks next to me, a hoodie now thrown on as he climbs out of his cruiser, because it really is beginning to get cold. He comes over and knocks on my window authoritatively, and all around being an overbearing man.
“Yes, sir,” I reply, rolling down the windows. “Did I park outside of the lines?”