Eden"I promise," I tell Devante and Cutter. "I'm fine.""Let us take you to Laurel Springs Med to make sure of that," Cutter interrupts. "There could be injuries that you can't see."Devante refuses to make eye contact with me. I'm unsure of what's happening, but I have learned things about him. Like he doesn't want to ever appear vulnerable. I keep telling myself this is what's happening."You want me to drive?" Cutter whispers."No, I will," he answers back and I feel all the hope I had seep out of my bones. It's like whatever was holding me together is now making me fall apart. Cutter's mouth forms a tight line as he looks at his friend. "Are you sure?""I didn't stutter, did I?"Not wanting to see the two of them argue over me, I lift myself up into the back of the ambulance and try to keep the tears at bay. This has been one of the worst twelve hours of my life and all I wanna do is curl into myself and pretend like it never happened. Cutter joins me, offering
EdenWe're quiet on the drive to what I presume to be Devante's apartment. After what I've been through, I'm not sure what to say, and he's probably taking his cue from me. I'm exhausted, beyond so. Ready to see how I'm going to be able to put this situation behind me. If there's even a way for me to do so.Even though I'd known Mario wasn't a good guy, I'd never been terrified of him. Scared yes, but there'd never been a point where I'd thought he would harm me in a way I wouldn't live through. The last twelve hours? They taught me how wrong I was.Who's to say I'm not wrong about Devante? The thought causes my chest to tighten, stomach to roll. Does this mean I'm a shitty judge of character, or just lucky?"You're thinking so hard over there, I can almost hear you," Devante whispers. "Why don't you tell me what's going on in that head of yours?""The same way you tried to tell me about your stop with the police? That's what started this whole situation." I cross my arms, ho
DevanteWe're in the shower, washing off this shit show of a day, when Devante turns to me, desire and love written so plainly across his face."I came here looking for a change, never knowing I would fall in love with you," I start, my voice breaking as I try to talk out my feelings. "From the first moment I saw you, when we flirted, I knew you were something special. I'm only sorry it took me so long to act on it."Her mouth screws up before tears pool in her eyes and start pouring down her face, although it's hard to tell which are tears and which is the water from the shower. I know she's overwhelmed from the shock of her kidnapping added to our fight, but I have to tell her what's in my heart. I don't want to waste any more time on miscommunication and unspoken words with the woman who holds my heart."I didn't want love, never wanted to get married. I thought sharing your life with someone was dumb, because my dad left at such a young age. I'm learning how stupid those th
Sometimes home finds us when we aren't looking…Devante SolesLaurel Springs was nothing more than a dot on the map when I decided I needed a change from the fast pace of Atlanta. I'm more surprised than anyone when I look around one day and realize I have friends who have become family, a city that's become a home, and a girl who decided to make me believe in love. Unlike me, her past follows her here.A community that I once never thought I'd have comes together with me to save her.Eden MurphyChicago wasn't for me - the bright lights, the embezzlement, the gun shots. I never felt safe there. Little Laurel Springs, though? It's everything I hoped it would be and more.My coffee shop, A Whole Latte Love, isn't doing well, but I'm close to turning a profit. And Devante? Well, he's more than I ever could have asked for.But Mario? He's the one I didn't count on coming back and demanding what I stole…Chapter 221Devante"I'm scared."The fear in Eden's eyes hits me square
Chapter 222EdenThe world is hazy as I struggle to open my eyes. It's extremely difficult but I fight against the fatigue plaguing my body. The last thing I can remember is feeling like shit at the shop. Correction, I'd been feeling rough for a few days, but there'd been no way I could take time off or close early. A Whole Latte Love has been barely making it since I opened a few months ago, but business is finally starting to become consistent. The money I managed to bring with me from Chicago has quickly been running out. If only I'd planned to get more. I'd been debating on what my choices were with the shop when I started to believe I was really sick. And then I'd panicked because I'd been alone.No wait, Devante was there. He was there, and I'd ridden in the ambulance.There's a beep, beep, beep, in the background and I wonder if this has all been a dream of some sort and I've slept through my alarm. If I have, I'm late for opening, and I can't afford that. With a burst of
Chapter 223DevanteTwo hours later, there's a knock at the door, not as heavy as the ones before. "C'mon in," I answer quietly, although I'm unsure why. Eden's just got her next dose of pain medication I think she could sleep through a bombing. "Hey, how's she doing?"Stella is already in nurse mode, even though Eden's not her patient. She's checking her vitals, pulling up her chart, and making sure everything is in order. "You tell me." I raise a pointed eyebrow her way.She puffs out a breath on a chuckle. "Ransom says I have a hard time letting my friends be taken care of without my input and damned if his ass isn't right. They need to get the infection under control before they take her gallbladder out. She may have a few more days in here. I'm hoping they'll be able to remove it laparoscopically as long as they can get the infection down.""That's what I thought. She's not going to take it well.""I mean she has no choice. It can get bad. Her body could go septic and s
Chapter 224Eden I'm back in that weird space again. Where everything reminds me of a dream, but also feels as if it's staying still. I can't remember how long I've been here or what I'm doing. There's that annoying beeping again. The one that continues in a rhythm, almost like a song I've heard before. I can't place it though, that's what keeps bothering me. It's on the tip of my tongue and I can't seem to make it work.My mouth is dry as the desert and I want nothing more than a drop of water. My eyelids are heavy as I fight against their weight to open them. It's almost too much for me to do, but I keep going. If I can pool together all my strength, I can do it, I know I can."Eden?" It's a voice I recognize. But my mouth is so dry I can't seem to make it work. "Eden?" The voice says again. "You okay?"No, no I'm not okay. I'm thirsty, and I'm scared. I can't remember what the hell happened to me, and instinctively I know I'm in a foreign place. Where am I?In my mind I'v
Chapter 225Devante"Hey, I didn't mean to be gone so long.""It's okay." She smiles softly. "Stella didn't leave until you told her you were pulling into the parking lot, so don't get mad at her. She did more than what she had to, trust me."Her skin isn't bunched around her eyes anymore, so I hope the infection is starting to come down. "Are you feeling better?""Slightly. Stella helped me to use the bathroom and got me some clean underthings." Her face pinkens slightly at the mention. "I could've. You know you can ask me, right?" We've been dancing around each other for longer than anyone knows. She adjusts slightly in the bed. "Please, spare me the embarrassment.""No need to be embarrassed with me.""Devante…""Eden…" I roll my eyes. "How many mornings have we spent in your coffee shop talking about life and anything else that comes to mind? I think we can consider each other friends, at the very least."Her tongue swipes across dry, cracked lips. The part of me that
MenacePresent TimeIt's been a hell of a day. One where I got here late in the afternoon because I had meetings. Something I've learned since taking this position a few months ago is that it's mostly meetings. It's keeping people happy and kissing a lot of ass. My legs ache to get back out on the street, to do a couple laps around downtown, or to drive a car fast. To chase a speeder with the lights bright and the siren blaring. I miss it more than I thought I would. It's close to midnight and I know Rina will be wondering where the hell I am, but I wanted to get a look at what went on today by reading the reports of the officers. This is something I do everyday so I can try to gauge how my officers are doing. It's important for me to know if there's an issue in town. If someone is a nuisance, do we need to step up patrols in certain areas? Community policing is the name of my game and I take it seriously. Reading the last report, submitted by Caleb
ArcherA Year And A Half LaterNerves make circles in my stomach as I stand outside of Laurel Springs Medical waiting for Alisa to come out. She doesn't know I'm here and, the truth is, I didn't know I was going to be either. I've been carrying this ring around in my pocket for the last year and a half of the two years we've been together. Waiting. For what, I'm not sure. The right time? The perfect moment? We live together. I could've done it a million times, but there's something different about these stars against the inky blackness of the sky. They aren't crazy bright, but they aren't muted either. They're sparkling. The perfect backdrop to the plan I have. Tonight, as I helped a woman leave a dangerous domestic violence situation, I realized I'm wasting precious and valuable time. Even after dealing with Calvert County, it didn't hit me that seconds are to be treated with the same reverence as the big events in life. Lo
Alisa"Do you swear to tell the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth, so help you God?" "Yes." I nod as I sit before the grand jury to give my testimony about what happened with Officer Fugate. "Please tell us when you first met him," the attorney instructs. Archer is sitting in the back row, all hot in his uniform. I don't know how he managed to be here, but he has and it's one of the sweetest things he's done for me. I'm not sure I could be doing this without his dark eyes staring back at me. "I met him when he brought a suspect into the ER. It was obvious that man had been beaten badly and it didn't happen only once. After that day, it happened on a regular basis…"ArcherUshering Lis into the station is like sending a babe into the belly of the beast. She's never been here before, doesn't know how things work, and could honestly be scared, given everything she's dealt with. I'd like to kill Officer Fugate with my own two hands.
ArcherIt's a gully washer tonight, as my instructor at the Academy always said when it rained hard. Visibility fucking sucks and I've worked more accidents tonight than I have in the previous three months. It's as if when it rains, no one can remember how to drive. It's hard to even see out of my windshield but, as I pass one of the abandoned gas stations on the outskirts of town, I see another cop stopped.They're an eyesore and, at the next city planning meeting, there's going to be a vote on demolishing them. They're a breeding ground for drug use and criminals. We've put up cameras to show what happens at night when there aren't patrols going back and forth. Since it's raining and dark, I figure I'll hit them, just to make sure nothing's going on that shouldn't be.As I round the corner. I'm surprised as fuck to see Alisa's car parked next to a Calvert County patrol SUV. She's kneeling in front of a cop who has a taser pointed at her. My heart gallops in my chest as I wonder
Archer"Chief Harrison wants to see you," Tank tells me as I make my way into the squad room. I have no idea what I've done and am immediately questioning what the hell is going on. I try to do everything by the book and I can't remember anything I might've done that was untoward. My stomach rolls as I head toward his office. I've never been called before him before and, truth be told, I never wanted to be. When I reach the door, I knock with a double tap. "C'mon in." Opening it enough so that I can sneak my head in, I glance at the Chief. "You wanted to see me, Sir?" "Yeah, come in and have a seat. There's a few things we need to discuss." I don't like the sound of this shit at all. Going in, I have a seat in the chair facing his desk and prepare to get my ass handed to me. "Officer Fugate has made a complaint and I'm bound by state laws to investigate those complaints." "I told you what happened," I defend myself. "He'
Alisa"Thank you for coming tonight," he says as we enter my apartment. "You don't have to thank me. You've saved me more times than I can count." I grin, taking my jacket off. "Come sit over here on the couch with me. You look a little stressed." "They do that to me." He waves his hand toward the street where his parents have just left. "They always make me feel like I'm not good enough, as if I should've done something different with my life." "I know how that feels." I beckon him over with a crook of my finger. "Let me take care of this tension for you, Archie. Let me show you what the fuck your parents are missing." Something about the way they don't appreciate their son has me wanting to show him just how much I do. How important he is to my life. One of the ways I can think of showing him is with my body. Fuck if that isn't exciting. Reaching for my shirt, I pull it over my head, motioning for him to do the same. In a lazy game o
ArcherI'm heading into the squad room at the station to pick up some supplies when the phone in my pocket rings loudly. There aren't many people I have set ringtones for, but this one? I hate when it rings. It's my parents. Not wanting to make whichever one this is wait, I hurriedly answer. It's always struck me as odd. They were so quick to get me out of their lives, yet they do everything together, including share a fucking cell phone. That's right, they share this phone, which means I never know who I'm going to talk to when I put it to my ear. Talk about a surprise every time I answer. "Hello?" I wait for the response. It's always delayed as if they're on some far away phone line. "Archer, it's Dad." No fucking shit. "Hey Dad," I answer, wondering if he'll continue on or if I'll have to pull the words from him like teeth. "What's going on?" "Your mom and I will be in Laurel Springs tonight. We'd like to have dinner w
AlisaHis body over mine is equal parts hot and hard in all the right places. Our naked skin slides together as he leans down to take the tight bud of my nipple in his mouth. "Yes." I tilt my head back against the pillows, allowing him full reign over my body. "Please don't stop," I beg as I rake my hands over his strong back before digging my fingers into the hair on his head. "Never gonna stop," he promises as he sucks at the prominent tip, before letting it go and moving further down. I'm still unsure of how we got our clothes off. All I know is they're in a pile next to the bed. He moves down my body, kissing my stomach before he drops onto his knees and pulls me to the edge. Separating my thighs, he props them up on his shoulders, gazing up at me with those dark eyes before he dips down. His warm mouth covers my pussy, going straight for my clit and lapping against the trembling flesh. "Archer," I moan, lifting my hips to meet his mouth. "It's been so fucki
Archer "Look guy." I hope me using that term pisses him off. "This isn't even your jurisdiction. What the fuck right did you have to pull her over?" "It's Officer Fugate," he corrects me, before continuing on. "She failed to signal a turn." I'm real annoyed. "You got that on your dash cam?" I point to where his camera is mounted on the dash. "It wasn't on." He shrugs. "How fucking convenient for you." I smirk, shaking my head. "It's something the garage knows about, but the budget is lean over in Calvert County." He eyes me. My gaze is on Alisa who's sitting in her car with her hands locked around her steering wheel. She's white-knuckling as he and I stand out here, yelling at one another. "I'm not allowing you to ticket her without proof. Did you radio it in?" His cheeks go red, which tells me all I need to know. "You son of a bitch. You think you can intimidate her? Officers like you give the rest of us a bad name." Going in