Payback

When I didn’t react the way she’d hoped, Ivy huffed out a short breath and said, “Whatever. Your opinion means nothing to me. Or my brother. It doesn’t matter what you think of us. All that matters is that I believe my brother when he says he’s trying to change.”

“For a poor misunderstood guy, he sure has a pretty long rap sheet,” I mocked. “He has a real talent for picking the wrong friends. And for selling drugs to kids. And for snowing his sister.”

“You’re incredibly rude,” Ivy said, her blue eyes hot with indignation. “What makes you think you can talk to me like this?”

She was right.

Why was I goading her?

I couldn’t explain it. I was gripped with an intense dislike for her constant defense of that shitbag brother of hers.

But why should I care if she was too stupid to see what was right in front of her?

I gave her a cold smile. “My apologies for speaking the truth. I know how that must sting for someone accustomed to swallowing lies.”

Her cheeks flared with heat and I wanted to run my knuckles down that soft skin.

“A person like you would never understand.”

A person like me? What did that mean? Ha! Oh, that’s right, I was an asshole by most people’s standards.

People could fuck themselves.

“Not that it matters to you but sometimes Frankie finds himself in situations that he doesn’t mean to happen. He’s the king of being at the wrong place at the wrong time.”

“And you’re the queen of denial,” I said, becoming irritated by her dogged refusal to see her brother for who he truly was — a waste of oxygen.

Then I did something I shouldn’t have.

Stopping abruptly, I pushed her against the wall, crowding her space, my face inches from hers.

If I were caught, I’d lose my job. This was insanity. My eyes were swimming, my head was fuzzy from lack of sleep but I was suddenly more alive than I’d ever been.

The empty hall echoed with her fearful question.

“What are you doing?” she asked. “You’re not allowed to treat me like this.”

I grinned, bracketing her on both sides with my arms, effectively trapping her. She smelled like coconuts and warm sunshine. I wanted to bury my nose in her hair.

“You should trust the face that people show you, sweetheart,” I said in a low, seductive tone. “Your brother is a scumbag and a user. He'll use up everything you got and then dump you when you've got nothing else to give."

“Stop it,” Ivy said, her lip trembling. I wanted desperately to taste that pouty mouth. I pulled my gaze with effort. Why the hell was this girl affecting me like this? There was a hurricane of desperate want clouding my judgment and I was teetering on the edge of disaster for a girl that wasn’t even my type.

Talk about epic self-destruction.

I didn’t have the answers but worse, I wasn’t interested in finding them either.

Never in my life had I been so drawn to someone who was my complete opposite.

Shit, good girls weren’t my deal.

I ruined good girls.

I liked my girls bad, horny, and morally ambiguous.

I liked a girl who wouldn’t blink an eye if I wanted her to suck my cock on a crowded street corner, not a girl who would blush like a virgin on prom night.

“Time to cut bait and swim on, baby girl or Frankie's going to take you down with him.”

She held her ground. “He's my family.”

For a second, I almost drowned in those blue eyes, almost lost my footing.

But I found it quickly and drew away slowly. “That's too bad,” I said, shaking my head at the uselessness of the situation. Just like countless others before her, she’d go down for someone who wouldn’t spit on her if she were on fire. I started to walk away but her voice at my back stopped me.

“You know, just because you wear a badge doesn't make you a good guy either.”

I turned slowly and a wicked smile curved my lips as I easily agreed. “No, it doesn't. But then I never pretended to be one either.”

Ivy stared at me, that adorable little tongue darting again and then she hustled past me out the door.

Good thing, too.

I was ready to do something stupid.

Ivy

I needed to escape. There was something about Detective Reed that stole my breath and turned my thoughts upside down.

And the way he’d been looking at me…it was intoxicating and scary at the same time.

He wasn’t dressed like a cop — unless worn jeans, a white tee and stubble were the standard department issue these days — but he still emanated an aura of power that nearly knocked me over.

I was halfway to my car when his voice at my back had me turned around.

“Don't sell your fucking car for that loser.”

I hated that he could see into my private turmoil. I didn’t want to sell my car but what choice did I have? I couldn’t leave Frankie in jail. No car was worth my brother’s life.

“Not that I have to explain anything to you but you don't understand the whole situation; my brother has made a lot of mistakes but he was trying to change.” Who was I trying to convince now? Even to my own ears my defense sounded…well, defensive and pathetic.

“People trying to change don't end up back in jail.”

“He was trying to get a job,” I insisted, hating that he had me on the ropes. “A real job. No one will hire him.”

“Boo-fucking-hoo,” he mocked. “Last time I checked there were plenty of programs out there for felons looking for a fresh start.”

I knew he was right. What could I say? I bit my lip, unable to argue that point but it was my job to stick up for my brother. He was all I had and I loved him. “Frankie has a difficult time with outreach programs.”

“Again, like I said, people trying to change, find a way to make it happen.”

He crossed his arms and muscles bulged. My mouth dried. What would it feel like to have all that muscle wrapped around me?

I suppressed an inappropriate shudder as the errant thought skipped across my thoughts.

“I can tell you right now, he's going to see time.”

No, I couldn’t let that happen. I dared to challenge him. “Maybe not. Maybe he'll get a sympathetic judge. One who believes in second chances.”

Detective Reed shrugged. “I guess that would depend on what I put in my report.”

I narrowed my gaze, unsure of what he was implying. He couldn’t possibly…? I continued to stare but he didn’t back down, nor did he clarify, which only made it worse.

“What do

you mean?” I asked.

“The report weighs heavily on the direction the wind blows.”

“Which means what?”

He shrugged. “Figure it out, princess.”

I gasped, the full import of what he was suggesting truly sinking in. “Are you...? Oh my God!”

He returned to my space, crowding me, his voice like liquid steel over my senses. “Look, you're willing to sell your car for your brother. I say, let the fucker rot. But if you're hell-bent on doing something stupid to save your brother's worthless hide...I've got something else in mind.”

“Which is?” I replied stiffly, unable to believe he was going in the direction he was headed.

A dark smile found his lips that said, figure it out, baby girl and I nearly fainted from disbelief.

“That's blackmail,” I whispered in shock. “I could tell your superior. You could lose your job.”

He wasn’t the least bit deterred.

If I was dumbstruck by his balls, I was incensed by his assumption that I would be open to his bargain.

“You could; but you won't. I'm the only thing standing between time and your brother walking on probation. If you're serious about your brother wanting a new start...everything comes at a cost. Surely, you know that by now.”

When I found my voice again, I spat, “You're despicable.”

“Yeah...so I've been told.” He pulled a card from his wallet and handed it to me. “Think about it. But don't take too long. My report is due tomorrow morning and I have a particular dislike for scum drug dealers like your brother.”

I couldn’t quite catch my breath.

Detective Reed…he’d just propositioned me.

Like I was a whore.

That bastard.

My stomach roiled as I fought the urge to tear the card into a million pieces and leave the tiny shredded evidence of my humiliation right there for him to find.

But I didn’t rip up the card.

I clutched it tightly.

He had me in a bad spot and he was fully exploiting my weakness.

I touched my forehead.

My cheeks were hot.

My heart was beating like a rabbit’s foot at the sign of danger.

Yeah, there was danger all right. And it was dressed like an arrogant detective with a strong stubbled jaw and eyes that could see into my soul.