Strip Tease (Protect and Defend 1.50)

“I understand.” She was quiet again, her breathing slowly evening out and he thought she was falling asleep.

What harm would there be in telling her what Billy Diaz did to his partner? How much Diaz’s rash decisions had affected his life on a permanent basis?

“He killed my partner a couple of years ago,” he finally admitted, his voice low. “Shot A.J. in the back. Then ran like a coward and denied doing it.”

“Who did? You mean Billy?” She lifted her head and rested her hands on his chest so she could peer up at him. “He murdered your partner?”

Nate nodded, fighting off the sadness that wanted to wash over him. “It was late, past two in the morning and the bars had closed. We’d been keeping watch on Diaz’s old club for a while, knowing it was a front for drug running. A snitch worked on the inside who would give us information and A.J. had been anxious that night, ready to bust him. I told him to wait, but that went against his personality. A.J. had always been about the here and now.”

“So what happened next?”

“A.J. went inside to confront Billy. I was supposed to follow him in a few minutes later but I got stopped by one of Billy’s creeps who gave me a bunch of shit. I heard the shot just as I walked through the front door. Billy pulled the gun on A.J. when he turned around, shooting him in the back. He couldn’t even face him like a man.” Nate shook his head, all of the old memories tumbling back into his mind. “Billy got off on a technicality.”

“So he was tried and not convicted?”

“No, there wasn’t enough evidence. He’d hired a real slime ball for a lawyer, the guy was a snake. He found some sort of loophole in the system and got Diaz off. Besides the fact that Diaz had a witness who said he was with him the entire night.” Nate paused, remembering the smug look Billy shot the TV cameras when the case was dismissed. He’d been at home, watching the news and the rage that had filled him had been overwhelming. Even though he’d already known what happened, had been there to witness the travesty to justice. “I promised then I would get him someday. For A.J.’s sake.”

“Oh, Nate, that’s awful. I’m so sorry.”

“It’s all right. It was a long time ago.” He still had nightmares. Waking up in the middle of the night, screaming A.J.’s name. He’d relived that moment over and over again. How he found his partner and close friend lying in a pool of his own blood. How he had to go to the house and tell A.J.’s pregnant wife her husband was dead.

One of the hardest moments in his entire life.

He still went and visited Leslie as often as he could, which wasn’t often enough. He enjoyed playing with his now three year old godson. Little A.J. was the light of his mama’s life.

“No wonder you want to get him so bad. He’s affected your life in one of the worst ways possible.”

He lay there silently, trailing his fingers up and down her arm. He’d been pursuing Diaz with a burning anger ever since. The anger had consumed him and turned him into a not so pleasant person to be around sometimes.

Hell, most of the time.

Funny how his attitude had changed, softened a little bit since he met Janelle. He was still intent on capturing Billy and bringing A.J. the justice he deserved, but he didn’t feel as consumed with it. He thought about other things.

Like how soft and sweet Janelle was in his arms. How good she tasted. How unbelievable it felt to be buried deep inside her.

He squeezed her tight, settling her firmly against him. She snaked her leg out, wrapped it around his thighs and his cock went on high alert, hardening immediately.

“You’re insatiable,” she murmured, humor lacing her voice.

“Only because you’re a tease.”

“I am not.” She tugged on his chest hair, making him yelp.

“Ouch.” He rubbed his chest.

“You deserved it.”

He liked the way they could lighten the moment after such a heavy discussion. He liked everything about this woman—except for the fact that she was connected to Ginger.

And that was a huge obstacle to overcome.

“I guess I did. I’m bad.” Forgetting his troubles, Nate rolled over, hovering above her with a grin on his face. “I should be punished.”

Janelle smiled, arching her lower body against his. “I have a feeling my idea of punishment and your idea of punishment is two different things.”

“They might be closer than you think.”

He kissed her, losing himself in her arms, in her mouth.