Flesh 01 (23 page)

“We need to talk,” she announced. Her voice sounded way more confident than her quivering rabbit was making her feel. Two sets of eyes rose from their canned dinners and focused on her. The desire to scurry off into a corner reigned supreme.

“About?” asked Daniel.

“This place.”

“You don’t like it?” Dan gave the room the once over and shrugged. “Babe, I know it’s not much, but—”

“No, not this room. This town. About being here.” She turned her attention to Finn. His blonde hair fell into his eyes, brushed the tops of his shoulders. Maybe he would cut it now they were back amongst society. Maybe he would put on his uniform, become someone else entirely. “Finn, I know Sam said they weren’t keen on single guys coming in, but I’m sure they wouldn’t evict you if that was what you wanted.”

Finn gave her cop eyes. “What exactly does that mean, Al?”

“You really hit it off with Erin.”

“I’m with you.”

“You don’t have to be. You’re free to choose, I won’t …” She paused, flustered. “It’s up to you.”

Finn set aside his food, moving like his shoulder pained him. “What won’t you do?”

“There are going to be other women here too, not only her,” Ali said. “You’re free to make your own choices. I won’t get in your way. That’s all I wanted to say.”

Finn blinked furiously. He sucked in his cheeks and his lips pressed tight together like it was taking a lot out of him not to lose it.

“Fuck!”

“Easy,” Dan cautioned.

“Easy? She’s trying to set me up with someone else. How the fuck do I take that, Dan? Tel me.”

“Finn—” she started.

“Don’t.” Finn stood, brushed off his hands against his jeans legs. “Thank you for your permission, Al. Can’t say what it means to me.

I’m gonna go check out their cop shop.”

She heard the thump, thump, thump of him jogging down the stairs, followed by the God almighty slam of the door at the back of the shop.

“Finn has left the building,” Dan said mildly, watching her over the top of his can of Irish stew. “Wanna tell me what that was about, babe?”

She shook her head. The rabbit was well riled up. Even meeting his eyes again was right out of the question.

“Why doesn’t that surprise me?”

She had no answer.

“Come here.” Daniel set aside his dinner and she all but scurried into his lap, taking refuge. His big hands cupped the back of her head as he fed her a steady stream of kisses, long and deep and lovely. They almost took away the pain. “Talk to me.”

Ali slipped her hands beneath his shirt, held her palm over his heart and huddled in against him. The scent of him was so warm and familiar, a balm to her jagged edges. “I need you.”

“I’m yours. But I don’t think sex is going to solve this one. God help me. Why don’t you talk to me for a minute instead?”

“Dan …”

He made a sharp, exasperated noise and pushed his nose into hers.

“Please, Daniel.” Her hands slid up to his shoulders, over his hard, hot skin. Ali climbed up and straddled his lap, covered his mouth in kisses. “I need to know you still want me.”

“Of course I want you.”

“Show me. Please.”

“Babe,” he groaned. His hands shredded her clothing while she worked at his. She needed him now, had to have that connection.

The heat and strength of him could comfort her no end. They’d be okay. Nobody’s heart was broken.

Daniel got her naked faster than she’d imagined humanly possible. Her fingers clawed at him as she rubbed herself against him. Close enough wasn’t good enough. She needed him inside of her. Desperation rode her hard and he seemed to understand. Arms wrapped around her, squeezing her bones breakingly tight. He held her together and kept her in one piece. Then took her down to the mattress.

His hands and mouth were all over her. They lay skin to skin with his cock nudging at her opening.

“Yes. In me. Hurry,” she moaned. He swore as the hard length of his cock surged into her, healing every ill.

He drove her hard and fast toward climax. Her legs clenched tight around his hips. Her arms locked around his neck. She moaned and mumbled words of love as she came. Ali didn’t even realize she was crying until he kissed her face, brushed away her tears.

“I love you,” he said, his panting breaths hot against her ear. “I’m not going anywhere. Ever.”

She bal ed her hands and held onto him tighter, ignoring the stupid tears. The muscles in her legs and arms burned from gripping him so tight. But no way was she letting go.

“Everything will be okay,” he said, smoothing back her hair. “Just wait and see.”

Daniel had seen some pathetic sights in his life. At two o’clock in the morning, Finn was right up there. He lay sprawled out on the bunk in the Blackstone police station’s sole holding cell, wide awake and humming sad old songs by the Man in Black.

“I brought supplies.” Dan held up the bottle of scotch Santa had handed over earlier in lieu of a welcome mat and dumped the kid’s pack by the cell door.

Finn arched a brow at the luggage. “Throwing me out?”

“No. You idiot.” He twisted the cap on the scotch and took a mouthful of the fifteen-year-old malt, letting it sit on his tongue before swallowing it down. “Man, that’s good. We should have cut crystal for this but we’re gonna make do with the bottle. I figured you’d want some of your things seeing as you’re obviously not planning on returning tonight. I have every faith you two morons wil sort this out, eventually.”

“Then you have more faith than me.” The kid swung his legs over the side of the bed and sat up, holding a hand out for the liquor.

“What happened with Erin?”

Finn’s brows shot up high while he downed a healthy amount of the superb single malt, thus proving it was wasted on his immature twenty-six year old taste buds. Both the scotch and quite possibly Al, but what exactly could Dan do? He’d kickstarted the situation between them. It was his own damn fault if his girl had feelings for the fool. Finn hadn’t gone to find Erin, however, and he sure as hell wasn’t happy. Which answered the most pressing questions regarding whether the situation was salvageable.

“Nothing happened with Erin,” said Finn.

Daniel settled himself down the other end of the bunk with his back to the wal . Happily, his first time inside a jail cell. “Try again.”

“It was harmless.”

“So harmless that you’re crashing here and Ali’s asleep curled up in a ball like she’s waiting for someone to come along and kick her,” Dan scowled. “Harmless enough that she was crying. Not over something I did. Over something you did.”

The kid scowled back at him, sampled further from the bottle before shoving it back in his face. “It was harmless. She overreacted.”

“You kids, I swear.”

“Don’t expect me to call you daddy.”

Daniel choked down the scotch, laughing and drinking at the same time. “You real y are an idiot.”

The kid just grunted.

“You know, I don’t have to be here trying to smooth things over between you two. This would be the perfect time for me to phase you out.”

“That so.” Finn tensed his shoulders, ready for a fight.

“This is my chance to have her al to myself again. I think we’l be safe enough here, even if she isn’t thrilled with the idea of rejoining society just yet. You’ll find someone else. Maybe you already have …” Dan passed the bottle back, feeling the warmth of the alcohol spreading through his veins, despite the kid’s icy stare. “So, that’s about where I’m at.”

“Sounds like you’ve got it al worked out. Why are you here, then?”

“Because I love her, and I want her to be happy. But her idea of happy now includes you too. Therefore …”

Finn winced, rubbed at his chin with the palm of his hand. “And why are you okay with sharing her, anyway?”

“Because, she comes first with me. And … because I’m partly responsible for getting you two together.” Daniel took his turn at the bottle, unable to raise any remorse for the way they were burning up the liquor between them. “A long time ago, I had one messy-ass marriage and made some mistakes I won’t ever be repeating. Hopefully. You want it to work then you have to work at it. Whoever said this sort of thing is easy?”

“Nice bumper sticker. Pity no one’s buying.” Finn snatched back the bottle, downing it fast and hard enough to make even Dan wince. “Maybe it should be easy if it’s meant to be.”

“Give me strength. What are you, twelve? You fucking show pony. She’s not a present your Mummy left for you under the Christmas tree. Not everything in life is given to you, Finn. Sometimes you’re actually required to put in a little effort.” Feeling more than a touch pissy, he grabbed the bottle before the kid could throw some more down his undeserving gullet. “Dickhead.”

“This thing with Erin … Al could have talked to me about it like a rational adult. Did you lecture her like this, you prick?”

Dan shook his head and the world spun some. “No, I don’t need to. She knows she messed up. But you intimidate her so it’s going to take a little time for her to work out how to deal with it. Then maybe a little more time to work up the courage to actual y do it. Who knows, she’s awful fond of you. I’d be surprised if you’re left to rot here too long.”

“I intimidate her?” Finn scoffed, held his hand out and clicked his fingers for the bottle. “Stop hogging it. Why would I intimidate her?

I’m not the oversized old man always on her ass trying to push her into things.”

Dan shrugged. “She has a very nice ass.”

“Trust me, I’m aware of that. Gimme the bottle.”

“I don’t push her into things. I make helpful suggestions regarding her future wel being is all.” Daniel gave up the liquor, feeling the effects of their speed drinking hitting him hard. “Shit. She’s gonna be so pissed we’re pissed.”

The kid shrugged and drank. “It’s all on you. I’m not going home.”

“Rebel, suit yourself. I’l have her al to myself, half-asleep and cuddly as a kitten. My very own pretty pussy, I can’t wait. We had sex after you stormed out. She felt needy after that scene. I feel so … used. Dirty, almost.” He grinned wide and the kid gave him a face made of lemons, al puckered lips and squinty eyes. What a situation, mediating between his girlfriend and her other boyfriend.

Ridiculous.

“Go fuck yourself.”

“Finn, she didn’t want you to leave. She was giving you the choice. Come back with me.” Dan held up the last quarter of scotch and swirled it around in the bottle. “Come on, we’re running out anyway and that bed does not appear comfortable.”

The kid shrugged.

“Come on.”

“What did you learn from this messy-ass marriage?”

Dan sighed again, loud and proud, and rested his head back against the cool of the concrete wall. It felt nice. “Well, it’s important to say you’re sorry, even if you don’t mean it. Sometimes, especially if you don’t mean it.”

Finn choked on a laugh. “That’s terrible.”

“Terrible but true. Sometimes you need to make the peace and work it al out later. Being together is what’s important.”

“This is your version of wisdom? I think I’ll pass.” The kid leant back on his elbows, laughed again and shook his head.

“I better head back. Certain you’re not coming?”

“No.”

Finn woke up alone just before dawn with a brain-splintering headache. A shave and wash in the police station bathroom did nothing to alleviate it.

People started dropping in shortly thereafter, small-town gossip having made the rounds. He greeted all comers, sunglasses firmly in place. The dark lenses were small protection against the glare of daylight bursting through the front windows, threatening to boil his eyeballs in their sockets.

It seemed like everyone in town had come calling. Everyone except for the person he wanted to see.

He ignored the pounding in his head, smiled and nodded and said nothing. Committee members stopped by, Sam included. He waddled in with his big belly leading the way. Plenty of people dropped by, smiling and making the right noises about his promotion to town cop.

Time would tell. Finn had wanted to wear the badge since about the age of five, but what it meant now, he didn’t know.

Two bored teen girls were practicing their wiles on him when Al wandered in midmorning. The sight of her did things to him that made life less simple. She was a punch to the chest. He could feel his heart flop over and offer up its bel y.

The girls stopped and stared at him and Al. And then stared some more. Then they scurried out with much excited whispering.

“Hi,” she said.

“Hey,” he said back.

She wore a denim skirt and a t-shirt with her hair down. Morning light did beautiful things to her, while it had tried to annihilate him.

How fucking unfair he’d only had her the one time. His fingers itched to touch her, to grab her and run.

Not being able to touch her would kill him. He would leave. Al would be safe here with Dan. Finn was unnecessary now. He couldn’t spend the next however many years watching her and wanting. Being kept at a polite distance would kill him, because this need he had for her wasn’t going anywhere.

“How’s your head?” Her fingers twitched at her side, her arms knife straight.

“It’s been better. Mind locking the door behind you? I’m done with visitors for a while.” Pain flashed across her face. He backpedaled fast. “No. Al, I meant with you on this side. Please.”

“Oh.” She turned her back and fiddled with the lock for a moment. Finn opened the internal door beside the counter, ushered her through to the back of the station. Out of sight of any spectators while they tied up loose ends seemed a good idea. Probably best not to have witnesses just in case he actually gave in to the temptation to beg and plead on his knees. Shit.

“Dan’s stil sleeping it off,” she said. “I don’t know what time he got back.”

“He didn’t wake you?”

“No.”

Finn shook his head, surprised over being surprised. “Manipulative son of a bitch.”

Al smiled, the love she felt for the big man obvious in her face. His overly familiar answering pang of jealousy made him silently snarl.