Chapter 7

Doug

Shit,I mutter, the radio crackling alive with a burst of static that shreds the silence of my cruiser. McLean here, go ahead. I snatch the receiver from its cradle, thumbing the button as I sit up straighter.

Code 3, robbery in progress at Fifth and Main. Suspect is armed and dangerous. Proceed with caution.

The urgency laces through my voice, crisp and sharp as I respond, all business despite the thrum of adrenaline that starts to kick against my pulse. Copy that, en route. I toss the receiver aside and punch the ignition, lights flashing to life as I pull a U-turn that would make a stunt driver jealous.

Im weaving through traffic like a madman, siren wailing its high-pitched cry. The jobs never routine, not really, but this one? My gut tells me its off the charts, and I cant shake the image of Lori’s face from my mind. I shake my head. Gotta keep it together, McLean—no room for distractions when lives are on the line.

As I screech around the final corner, the chaos unfolds before me. Flashing police lights paint the dusk in blues and reds, a disco from hell. The crowds a living, breathing entity, pressing against the barricades, their faces a mix of fear and that sick thrill people get from being close to danger.

Damn, I whisper to myself, stepping out of the cruiser. The tension hangs thick in the air, almost tangible, like you could cut it with...well, a knife. Cops hunker down behind their cars, weapons drawn, eyes trained on the building—a jewelry store with a cracked window painting a promise of violence.

McLean! Someone barks my name, and I jerk my head towards the sound. Captains got his megaphone, ready to talk some sense into a situation thats spiraled way past words.

Situation? I ask, keeping my voice even, but inside Im a jumbled mess of nerves and instinct.

Standoff. Hes got a hostage, the captain says, gruff and tight-lipped.

Fuck, the curse slips out before I can stop it. This just got personal, because if theres one thing I cant stand, its innocent lives caught in the crossfire.

Stay sharp, he adds, needlessly. Sharps my middle name—even if my hearts currently playing hopscotch in my chest.

Always am, I reply, because hell, if you cant be cocky when youre staring down the barrel of a potential bloodbath, when can you be?

With a deep breath that does shit all to calm me, I step into the fray, my hand resting on the butt of my gun. Its about to go down.

I edge closer, the chaos of the scene buzzing in the background.

And my heart fucking drops.

There she is.

Lori.

MyLori.

Shes pinned against the wall, that fucking scum of the earth Mikeys arm around her neck like a vise, the glint of his blade kissing her throat. I should have shot his ass when I had the chance last summer, but no, I did the right thing and took the notorious gang leader into custody.

So this is all my fault. If I’d have finished him then, we wouldn’t be here now with his blade glinting against my girl’s throat.

Her green eyes are wide pools of terror, screaming silent pleas that hit me harder than a sucker punch.

Please, her voice, barely above a whisper, slices through the tension.

Ah, the cavalry! Mikeys voice cuts across the standoff, dripping with venomous charm. Lets chat, you and I. He presses the knife closer, a lovers caress that promises pain. Loris breath hitches, and I swear I can feel it in my own lungs.

Talk, I say, masking the earthquake in my gut with a coolness Im far from feeling.

Simple trade, officer. Safe passage for the ladys life. His grin is all shark—predatory and cold. I want a car, unmarked, and a clear route outta here.

Nobody needs to get hurt, I reply, every muscle tensed, ready to pounce. Let her go, Mikey.

See, thats where youre wrong. He tugs Lori closer, a grotesque mockery of an embrace. Shes my ticket to freedom. And youre gonna give me what I want. Aint that right, hero?

Loris gaze locks on mine. She’s brave, but I see the fear in them.

Time slows to a crawl, my heart hammering against my ribs like its trying to break free. Mikeys grip on Lori tightens, and I see the slight tremble in his hand. Hes nervous, maybe even scared. That can be either good or bad. Fear makes people sloppy.

Mikey, I bark, but my mind is racing, sketching a blueprint of desperation. You dont wanna do this.

Shut it! he snaps back. You think Im playin?

And I see it. It’s just the barest movement of the knife in his hand.

But it’s enough.

No more words. Its showtime.

I feint left, a split-second diversion, and its just enough. Mikeys eyes flicker, following the movement. Rookie mistake. I take advantage. In one fluid motion, I close the distance between us, my service weapon now a useless hunk of metal in this close-quarters dance.

DOUG! Loris scream slices through the chaos, but Im already committed.

Mikey swings around, knife arcing with lethal intent. I dodge—barely—a cut instead of a stab. Adrenaline surges, fierce and fiery, as I grab his wrist, twisting hard. Bones grind, and he howls, the sound animalistic.

Run, Lori! I command her.

Mikey and I are locked in a twisted tango, strength versus strength, his free hand clawing at my face, my grip ironclad on his knife arm. Every cop muscle Ive trained screams in protest, but theres no backing down. Not when Loris life hangs by a thread.

Fuck you! Mikey spits blood and fury, headbutting me. Stars explode behind my eyes, pain a white-hot lance through my skull. But I dont let go. Cant let go.

Drop it, Mikey! The command rips from my throat, raw and guttural.

He bucks wildly, a cornered animal, but Im the immovable object to his unstoppable force. A knee to the groin, dirty but effective, and Mikeys resistance falters. The knife clatters to the ground.

Gotcha.

With a grunt, I pin him, my body a shield over Lori. My breaths come in ragged gasps, sweat mingling with blood on my brow. Mikey squirms beneath me, but hes done. Outplayed. Outpowered.

Stay down! I press harder, making damn sure hes not going anywhere.

Loris beside me, trembling, tears streaking her dirt-smudged face. Her eyes meet mine, a storm of emotions swirling within those green depths—fear, relief, something deeper and raw.

Are you hurt? My voice is gentle, a stark contrast to the thundering pulse in my ears.

She shakes her head, a small, brave gesture that punches straight through my chest. You came for me.

Always, I rasp, and its more than a promise. Its a vow, etched into the core of who I am, who I want to be for her.

As backup swarms in, securing Mikey and clearing the area, I pull Lori close, her body melding against mine.

Got you, I pant, the relief surging through me like a tidal wave.

Loris body quakes against mine. Her fingers dig into my shoulders, desperate, as if shes afraid Ill vanish into thin air. Doug, she whimpers, and damn if that sound doesnt spear straight through to my soul.

Shh, I got you, Lori. Youre safe now. My words come out gruff, laced with emotion and the adrenaline still coursing wildly through my veins. I wrap her up tighter, feeling her heart hammer against my chest, matching the erratic beat of my own.

Were on our knees on the sidewalk, the world blurring into a mess of blue and red lights, but none of that matters. Its just Lori and me, two survivors clinging to each other in the aftermath of hell.

Hey, look at me, I coax, tilting her chin up so those piercing green eyes lock onto mine. Theyre filled with a thousand words she doesnt say, a mix of fear and gratitude that makes my throat tight. Youre okay, breathe.

Her breath hitches, a jagged inhale followed by a shuddering exhale. I thought...I thought— She cant finish, but she doesnt have to. I understand all the unspoken thoughts racing through her head.

Never gonna happen. Not on my watch. I offer her a shaky grin, trying to bring some lightness back into the moment. Cant get rid of me that easily, can you?

A watery chuckle escapes her, and its music to my ears.

Thank you, she whispers, her voice a fragile thing that I want to protect forever.

Anytime, sweetheart. And I mean it. Every damn word.

Lori, you’ve got to know... I pause, my chest heaving with more than just the exertion from the fight. Its now or never. Lori, Im nuts about you. Ive tried to keep it professional, but screw it.

She blinks up at me, her lips parting slightly, as if my words are the oxygen shes been deprived of. The chaos around us dims, and for a heartbeat, its just Lori and me in our own little universe.

Are you serious, Doug? she asks, a tremor in her voice. Her vulnerability makes me want to wrap her up and shield her from the world.

Dead serious. I lock my eyes on hers, making sure she sees the truth in them. I love you, Lori. I’ve been searching for you ever since you ran from me.

Her lower lip trembles. “But I thought…”

“I know what you thought, but, honey, you’ve got it all wrong. I never for a moment regretted that night with you. I was worried that I was taking advantage of you in a moment of vulnerability. You’d know that if you’d stayed.”

She looks down, accepting my silent reprimand.

Love, she repeats, tasting the word like its a new flavor shes never tried before. The corners of her mouth lift in a tentative smile as she peeks up at me, and hope surges through me.

Love, I confirm, my heart hammering against my ribs like it wants to break free. And I swear on everything I am, Ill protect you with every breath in my body. No one will ever hurt you again, not while Im around.

Promise? Her voice is soft but earnest, seeking a lifeline in the midst of the storm.

Promise. I reach out, brushing a stray lock of jet-black hair behind her ear, my fingers lingering on the warmth of her skin. Ill be your shield, your safe place, your whatever-you-need-me-to-be. Just say the word, and Im there.

A single tear trails down her cheek, and she leans into my touch, her green eyes shining with something that looks a lot like hope. Doug McLean, you are so much more than just a cop, arent you?

Only for you, Lori White. Only for you.

* * *

The sound of my heartbeat drowns out everything else as I push open the door to my apartment. Is it okay that I brought you here? I ask, already knowing the answer in the way she looks at me, all green-eyed desire and breathless anticipation.

More than okay, Lori breathes out, closing the gap between us with a step thats both hesitant and sure.

God, Lori, I murmur, my hands finding her waist, pulling her in close. The feel of her against me sparks a flame thats been smoldering since I first laid eyes on her—since before I had any right to feel this way.

Show me, she whispers, and her words are a match struck against my restraint. I catch her lips with mine, raw and urgent. Her mouth opens under mine, and the taste of her is like the first hit of adrenaline when the siren blares—a shock to the system that says go, move, act.

Her hands tangle in my hair, gripping hard enough to tell me shes not just here for comfort. Shes here because she wants this. Wants me.

Bedroom, she gasps between kisses, but we barely make it past the threshold. Our clothes are a trail of breadcrumbs leading back to the world were desperate to forget, even if only for tonight.

“I’m going to keep you forever,” I pant as our naked skin collides, heat upon heat, need meeting need.

I want to be kept, Lori assures me, and her confidence is the last nudge I need. Her legs wrap around me, and I lift her, pinning her to the wall. Theres power in the way she holds onto me, as if shes saying, I trust you to keep me from falling.

Hold on tight, baby, I warn her, and she does, her body a vise that fits me perfectly.

We move together in a rhythm that feels as old as time and as new as this breathless second. With every thrust, Im claiming her and being claimed in return. Its raw and real, Lori and me, broken edges and all, fitting together where it counts.

More, she moans, and I give it to her, losing myself in the feel of her beneath me, around me, everywhere.

Look at me, I growl, and her eyes snap to mine. In them, I see my own hunger reflected back, and its the most beautiful thing Ive ever seen.

Always, she promises, echoing my vow from earlier, and its like a trigger being pulled.

Fuck, Lori, I curse as I come apart, waves of pleasure tearing through me. I ride them out, watching as she follows, her climax a sight so stunning it sears itself into my memory.

I collapse beside her, both of us panting, spent, and more alive than I thought possible. Were a tangled mess of limbs and sheets, and I dont think Ive ever been happier.

My hero,” she smiles up at me.

My everything, I cup her cheek, knowing that no matter what tomorrow brings, Ill fight to stay right here—with her.