CHAPTER 12
AIDEN
And I only had twenty minutes left on shift.
I was looking forward to heading over to Greylin’s house after my shift. In the last two weeks since she found me on her porch, I’ve earned a key. I’m trying to figure out a way to ask her to move in together. I don’t care about the where as long as I’m with her.
Instead of daydreaming about sliding into bed behind my woman and wrapping her up in my arms, since it’s going to be late by the time I get there, I’m pulling over my brother.
The thought of him being intoxicated has rage spiking my heartrate, and I have to take a few deep breaths to calm down. Making assumptions about the situation isn’t going to do a damn bit of good.
When I turn on my lights, York immediately breaks and finds a safe spot to pull over. Even though he’s my brother, I follow every step of my approach the same way I would with anyone else.
His window is already rolled down and when he realizes it’s me, his shoulders drop and the practiced smile falls away. “Oh,” he sounds both relieved and annoyed, “it’s you.”
“Sir,” I keep my voice even, “I need to see your license, registration, and proof of insurance, please.”
“Aiden,” he sighs like I’m an errant child and not a police officer trying to do my job.
And here I was thinking he was actually proud of me the day I graduated from the academy. It was something I was grateful for because Dad didn’t give a fuck about it beyond what it did for his image.
When I don’t say anything and hold his gaze, he lets out a frustrated huff, grabs an envelope, and hands it to me before pulling out his wallet and digging out his license. On the front of the envelope his handwriting has dubbed the contents ‘Registration and Insurance’.
I almost chuckle because it’s so like my brother to have this kind of thing organized. I have no doubt he updates it regularly. He’s so damn predictable.
In the past, I thought that made him reliable. Trustworthy.
I’m realizing it’s just part of who he is.
He’s also flawed. Just like Dad. Just like me.
When he hands over his license, I want to say something, anything. About what all went wrong in our family. About how it doesn’t have to stay this way. About the damage allowing dad to continue throwing a temper tantrum is going to cause.
But the words get lodged in my throat and I have to swallow past them. Now isn’t the time for that conversation. Maybe it will be one day.
I made my choice and I don’t regret it. The time I spend with Greylin feels pure and makes me understand just how much the future is what we make of it. Because I could have taken the other path just as easily.
And not have those memories.
The thought of it makes my heart clench painfully.
“Do you know how fast you were going?”
Experience is the only reason I’m able to keep my voice level and neutral. I switch off the part of me who is York’s brother. Because when I wear the uniform, I’m just the badge. It’s not personal; it can’t be.
It’s not fucking easy.
“I was going 50,” he huffs, “I’m not sure why it’s such a big deal.”
“Yes, I did clock you going 50,” I confirm, a little surprised he’s being so cavalier about the whole thing. “In a 35.”
York’s eyebrows pull together and he looks behind him and then back at me. “I was going 50,” he says the words slowly, “in a 45.”
I point behind him, not that you can see the sign from here. “Speed dropped about a mile back,” I tell him.
His genuine surprise would be funny in a different situation. “I,” he shakes his head and rubs the back of his neck before running his fingers through his hair, “I don’t know. I guess I didn’t notice it.”
“Have you had anything to drink tonight, Sir?”
I bend slightly to get a better look at his eyes. They don’t appear glassy and aren’t red rimmed. I don’t smell alcohol on him, but you never fucking know.
“No,” he’s clearly affronted as he looks at me and frowns, “I was just coming from work. I was thinking. Things have been,” he glances at me and narrows his eyes, “not easy. But you already know that.”
“Driving while distracted is dangerous.” The words come out flat, but they still feel like swallowing glass.
“Right, right,” York shakes his head, his tone dismissive.
Right.
Fuck.
I stride back to my vehicle and run him because it’s what I’m supposed to do. Brother or not, this is the job.
Even though I knew he’d come back clean, I blow out a relieved breath all the same. When I take his papers back to him, I lean down more to his level.
“I’m going to give you a warning this time, but you need to pay attention. You’re basically driving around in a battering ram.”
One side of his mouth twitches and I wish this could be different. He opens his mouth and closes it a few times before nodding, his voice hoarse, “I’ll keep that in mind.”
He might have blown me off before, but I can see the sincerity in his eyes this time. He’s not just telling me what I want to hear.
That’ll be a hard habit to break. Especially since he learned from the best.
“Drive safely,” I tell him, meaning it.
Even though there is a rift between us now, he’s still my brother. I don’t feel bad for the decision I made; I’d do it all over again.
Because I know where I’m going when I get off shift. And I can’t fucking wait.
Just as I’m about to turn away, York blurts out, “Aiden, I know things are bad right now, but I miss my brother. I don’t want dad and his shit to ruin our relationship.”
I study my brother’s face, looking for the lie and the slick politician spin. But I just see a sliver of the man he used to be.
“I’m not going to keep my mouth shut about Dad and I will not tolerate a bad word said about my woman or her friends,” I warn him.
“You drive a really easy bargain,” he gives me a small smile, amusement in his tone.
“Oddly enough, that’s not the first time I’ve heard that.”
York gives me an odd look but then shrugs. “Can we get together for a drink soon?”
I knock on the top of his car and nod. “Of course. I miss my brother too.”
As I’m walking away from his car, I feel lighter. Working on not completely losing my relationship with my brother is a good thing. I just hope he understands how serious I am about the lines I’ve drawn. If he crosses them, I’m done.
I’m exhausted by the time I make it to Greylin’s house. My body relaxes when I step inside. It’s her lemon and verbena scent. It’s everywhere and it’s home.
Not wanting to waste time when I got here, I showered at the station and changed. The last fucking thing I was going to do was stop at home to change or shower. Fuck. No.
The first place I go to is the closet where I lock up my service weapon. When she gave me a key, it was the first thing I added.
As I strip out of the sweats I threw on, my eyes take in Greylin. She looks so fucking peaceful right now, her pink lips parted and her eyelashes fanning across the apple of her cheeks.
So damn pretty.
I slide under the sheet in just my boxers, my hand finding the soft skin of her thigh where the oversized shirt she’s wearing has ridden up. She mumbles something I can’t make out before stretching.
“It’s okay, darlin’,” I murmur and a smile curls her lips while her eyes stay closed.
“You’re home late,” she mutters. “Everything okay?”
Home. The word rattles around in my chest and changes my understanding of the concept.
Greylin’s home to me.
One of her eyes pops open and then the other. Fucking adorable.
When she reaches for me, I slide my body over hers. My fingertips graze her skin as I pull her shirt up to expose her body slowly. I tug her shirt off and toss it over my shoulder, not caring about where it lands.
Greylin won’t be needing it the rest of the night.
Moonlight peeks through the curtain and dances across her shoulders and twines through the strands of her hair.
“Greylin,” I whisper, her name filled with awe as it passes my lips, “wow.”
She makes a humming sound before gripping the waistband of my boxers and pushing them down over my hips. When she gets frustrated because she can’t get them down more, I have to bite my lip to stop myself from laughing as she uses her feet to get them down the rest of the way.
The moment I’m free, my hard cock throbs with the need to be buried inside my woman.
“Missed you, 5-O,” she groans as my length slides between her pussy lips.
She’s already slick and I hiss at the contact. She’s so fucking warm and I chuckle and shake my head; her body is already begging for my dick.
I shoot her a look at her name for me. She’ll rotate through some nicknames for cops as pet names here and there. None of them have stuck, but I think it’s her way of making me pay for pulling her over so many times.
I’m not about to tell her it’s not much of a punishment.
“I missed you, darlin’,” I whisper against her skin as I trail kisses up and down her neck.
She tilts her hips and my length slides over her clit. When she moans and arches her back, her eyes slide closed. Fuck, I’ll never get tired of watching her enjoying herself.
“Been thinking about being buried balls deep inside of you all day,” I grind out.
The need to be inside of her, to make my daydream into reality, is almost too much to take. I know how tight she’s going to feel. The way she’ll squeeze me as she comes is pure fucking temptation.
Greylin shudders under me. When she opens her eyes, they’re glassy with lust and I know what my woman needs. We keep our gazes locked as the crown of my dick finds her entrance and I fill her slowly.
The glide.
The stretch.
The way she opens up for me.
It’s too fucking good.
My head falls back on my shoulders, and I have to take a few deep breaths to get myself under control. The last fucking thing I’ll ever do is blow my load before she gets to experience her own pleasure. No fucking way.
As I start to move, she meets my thrusts. It doesn’t take long before we’re a moaning mess of limbs. Our bodies are straining to ride that edge right before we fall over for as long as possible. But we can’t deny it for long.
It feels too fucking good.
“Oh yes,” she moans, her nails digging into my skin.
The walls of her pussy start to tighten, and I know she’s almost there. I shove a hand between us and pinch her clit.
Her lips part with a silent gasp, her eyes wide and wild as her orgasm rushes through her. I watch her face, feeling her ripple around me and clenching my teeth to try and not lose control.
But when it comes to her, I’m fucking powerless.
I pull almost all the way out and slam back home.
Once.
Twice.
When I fill her the third time, I grunt, “Greylin.” My cum paints her walls and it’s like she’s milking me for everything I have.
My body shudders and I’m panting while my heart pounds so hard I’m sure they can hear it next door. Greylin cradles me in her arms and pulls me down on top of her until I give her more of my weight.
She holds me, her hands soothing over my muscles. She touches me with softness and love.
“I love you, Aiden,” she whispers. “Thank you for choosing me.”
“I’ll always choose you. Speaking of…,” I pull out of her slowly and she lets out a whimper at the loss of contact while I let my sentence dangle.
She watches me closely as I go back into the closet where my small safe is. It’s big enough for my service weapon and at least one other thing.
I close my fist around it and find Greylin sitting up, curiosity written all over her face. My movements are slow as I crawl over her, my body pushing hers gently back until we’re in the same position that we were moments ago, but this time I’m not filling her with my cock.
Give me time.
I’ve got all night.
“Give me your left hand,” my words are a rough command.
Her hand is shaking slightly when she holds it up. I slide the ring into place, proud as fuck when it fits perfectly.
“Will you marry me, Greylin? Will you build a family with me? Will you help me when I need your tenacity and your drive? Will you let me stand behind you and lend you strength when you don’t think you have anything left to give?”
“Nothing,” a small sob escapes her lips, “would make me happier than to spend the rest of my life making bargains with you.”
I kiss her hard, knowing life is a series of bargains. Making one with her was the best thing I ever did.