StellaAs I turn onto the road in front of The Café, my heart does a little jump when I see the Laurel Springs Police SUV that belongs to my boyfriend. It's parked near the front, Nick's patrol car sits next to it, and I see my Mom's SUV parked there too, as well as Holden's truck. I'm super excited to see my Ransom because I haven't seen him, except in passing, the last couple of days. Our schedules aren't jiving, now that I've started school and he's working more than ever. But tonight, tonight is special. Our families are getting together for dinner.Parking my car in the first available spot, I shut it off and then flip the visor up, checking my hair and makeup. It's been a long day at work, but I managed to freshen up my hair before I left, and now I'm doing the same with my makeup. Satisfied that I'm looking as good as I'm going to, I grab my purse and exit the car. I wish I'd had time to go home and change, but scrubs are going to have to do today.When I enter, I see t
StellaOne Year LaterBlue lights are flashing in my rearview and I have no idea what I've done wrong. Even though it's only six at night, I've just pulled a twelve-hour shift at the hospital, and I'm tired after staying up late last night studying. Only one more semester to go, thanks to doing summer school and testing out of some classes thanks to my medical assisting degree. But this semester is kicking my ass. I'm more tired than normal, and I'm taking things a bit too seriously. Which is why I feel tears well up in my eyes as I see the flashing lights of the Laurel Springs Police Department Charger.I have tears because I know that this isn't Ransom and I miss him so much. We've been ships passing in the night for the last two weeks, and all I want is a hug. His arms wrapped tightly around me, and him promising me that all this hard work will be worth it."Do you know how fast you were going back there?"Menace is leaning into the window I rolled down, but I don't rememb
VOLUME TWO: SUPPRESSIONKelseaThe last thing anyone wants on their wedding day is to puke in the bridal suite. I have it on great authority no one likes to puke, especially right before they put on their wedding dress. Checking out my best friend, Stella? Looks like she didn't get the memo."Do we need to get you back to the bathroom?" I whisper as I watch a hand go to her stomach and her other over her mouth. It's almost as if I can literally see her getting greener as the seconds tick by."Stella." Whitney's voice carries a tone of disapproval as she turns to face both me and her daughter. "Did you really think it was a good idea to have a wine night with Kels the actual night before your wedding?"If only Whitney Kepler knew what was actually happening at our wine night. We'd watched Steel Magnolias, Top Gun and Sweet Home Alabama while polishing off a container of cake frosting and giggling about the something blue surprise Stella has up her skirt for her groom. Ending u
NickLove is a promise delivered, already broken. That's what I learned from the first half of my life. Love hurts, it breaks up families, it brings unhappiness and pain, disappointment and sorrow. Love doesn't save, it steals. Anything and everything worth having. But watching Ransom and Stella as they dance around their reception, seeing how happy they are. Watching the smile covering both of their faces, the way my best friend holds my sister in his arms? It makes me wonder if I'm the broken one, and everyone else knows the answer to the secret. There's a part of me that thinks I'm wrong, because I see successful couples all around me. The difference in those couples and what I've been a part of? Me. I'm always the common denominator, and after a while – you come to realize how bad you are loving anyone else, including yourself.Sighing, I bring my bottle of beer up to my lips, taking a drink. It's nasty, because I've been nursing the same one all night. I'm not much of a dri
NickThe devil on my right shoulder is completely at odds with the angel on the left. He's telling me to take what I want, she's telling me to do what I know is right. Me? I'm at odds. For once to not be the guy who doesn't think he deserves shit. I've been denying myself for so long, but at the same time, I've also been denying Kelsea what she wants and what she deserves."Take it, Nick," she whispers, holding her palm against mine. Her eyes are closed as she continues whispering the words almost like a prayer. "Please, just take it."In the end, it's not because of my needs and wants, it's the desperation in her voice, the way it catches on the last word that rocks me out of my stupor. It's the fact she still wants me, no matter how many times I've hurt her, no matter how much I've pushed her away. It's the fact she's never given up on me. Even when I've given up on myself. A groan is ripped from the back of my throat, coming out on just this side of a growl as my fingers cu
KelseaI'm fighting to open my eyes as I hear rustling the next morning. To be honest, I'm surprised he's still here. Given what I know about him, I figured he'd take the chance to slip away in the dead of the night. Tiredness washes over my body, along with a relaxation I haven't felt in months. There's even a soreness, courtesy of what I spent the night doing. The stress of helping Stella get married and my worry over Nick has finally caught up with me as I sink further against my mattress."Kels." I hear a deep voice whispering in my ear. I feel the scratch of a beard on my shoulder."Hmmm?" I stretch, before burrowing deeply into the arms wrapped around me.Moist lips land on my bare shoulder before the heat of his breath pulses against me. "I have to be at work in an hour, but I don't want to go.""I don't want you to go either," I whisper as he tightens his arms around me. Pressing myself against him, I feel his hard length at my back. "So that's how it's going to b
Nick"Running late today?"Immediately I'm on the defensive as I hear Kelsea's dad, and my boss, Menace speak to me, even though I can hear the teasing lilt in his voice. I'm almost an hour late, I haven't showered since the wedding, and I have a three-day-old beard which isn't like me at all. But I can't tell him where I've been, what I've been doing. The only person I respect more than him is my dad, so I attempt to take his teasing in stride."Just a little." I hurry to see if there's any info in my mailbox, doing my best to not meet his eyes."I think we're all a little slower than normal after the wedding last night. Did you get Kels home alright? Caleb said you were taking her when I asked."It's an innocent question. Something any dad would ask about his daughter, but I immediately feel guilty. He's my superior who's always treated me with respect and supported anything I've set out to do in my job. But I'm also not prepared to tell him how I spent last night and this
Kelsea"Hey!" I wave to Ruby as I throw my purse down on her couch. "Where are the kids?""Kari took them to karate." She grins. "So that means we get to have adult food and adult conversation tonight. I have that wine you and Stella introduced me to. Want a glass?""Don't mind if I do. It's been a long day, even if I didn't have to work." I grin back at her. I love my niece and nephew, but sometimes they completely overtake every situation they're in. Tonight I'm just wanting to have a relaxing time. Before I can say anything, Caleb comes through the door."Ladies," he greets us both.I'm almost jealous when he snakes his arms around her waist, kissing at her neck, grabbing her ear between his teeth. The two of them have such an intoxicating passion and such an all-encompassing chemistry, it forces those around them to pay attention. Deep in my gut I know the way they look at each other is what I want, what I deserve. Right next to the feeling is the fear I may never get to
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