Page 96 of Brazen Mistakes

I’ve never wished harder that I were a light sleeper.

Futile, but it’s still out there. I’d like to comfort her in the dark of the night, dry her tears and tell her it’ll all be okay.

At least she’s got three other guys who want to do the same thing. Or at least, I assume that’s what they want to do.

Although now that I think about it, I’ve been operating on the “fuck the sad out” method rather than the “wipe the tears away” method. Should I change my technique?

But then Clara curls up on RJ’s pillow, her arm tucked under her head, and I’m curling up behind her, needing the closeness. Considering how she leans into me, she needs it, too. “What are you up to?” she asks, motioning to RJ’s monitors.

He bends down to press a kiss to her lips before turning back to his computers, missing the way she presses her ass against me. I’m not even sure she noticed she did that, but yeah. More has happened between the two of them, and I can’t help my grin.

Fuck yeah, RJ. About time.

“I’m just tracking down a few more bank accounts,” he says, rolling his chair over to the bed before sitting down close enough to touch Clara, but not actually doing it.

“What do you think about what I asked Officer Reed? I know you’d be the one taking the actual risks in sharing what you’ve found, but I just thought,” she says, before RJ cuts in.

“You thought they could do more than we could. It’s a good idea, but I want to see what protections they’re willing to give you. And I’d like to know if they can actually do something for once. It’s not like I’ve ever seen the cops help.”

“What all happened this morning?” I cut in. “I couldn’t get much from Trips and Walker locked himself in his room, his ‘I’m doing art, so fuck off’ playlist blaring.”

The two of them share a look. RJ nods, and Clara twists in my arms, one hand resting on my chest, right over my heart, and I swear the thing stops. “We didn’t tell them about this part. But Officer Reed works on a sex crimes task force now. He got promoted when we handed him Bryce this fall. RJ’s been tracking down all the guys in Bryce’s…” She ducks her head, forcing a deep breath. Before I can tell her I know what RJ’s been doing, she forces herself through her pain. “Well, people he shared videos with. Then RJ’s been taking their money as punishment and protection. Once that’s done, he’s been tracking down any connecting rings.”

She pauses, eyes closed. “And I just thought today that maybe, I don’t know. Maybe Reed could do what we can’t. Maybe he can at least put a few of these sickos behind bars. And the ones he can’t, well, at least it’s fewer guys RJ has to keep track of.”

“That’s a good idea, beautiful,” I say, pressing my nose to her head.

RJ rolls forward behind her, brushing her hair from her shoulder. “It is. We’ll just have to see what Reed offers and go from there. I’m not going to risk your safety, especially if we’re not even sure he can put these guys behind bars.”

She looks over her shoulder, a soft smile on her face just for him. “Got it.”

He wheels even closer, taking her face in his hands. “I’m sorry about today, sugar.”

I feel her whole body deflating, and now I realize I missed even more than I thought I had. “It wasn’t you. It was me.”

RJ gives me a look as Clara turns back to me, and I pick up that I shouldn’t ask about it, whatever it is. “We have some time to kill before dinner. What should we do?” I ask instead.

In response, Clara’s teeth nip at my skin through my t-shirt, and damn. “I’m game for that,” falls out of my mouth a second before I remember I was considering not fucking out the sadness. RJ’s face shifts to a heady grin as he leans back in his chair, watching while her sharp little teeth nip me again, and my piddly stores of resolve empty.

I can’t say no to this. I can’t say no to her.

Her soft chuckle against my chest has goosebumps spreading over my body, and I know this is going to be the best part of my day. Easily.

Her hands slide under my shirt, and I strip it off before she even gets to my waist, needing her hands on my skin as badly as I need to fidget to think. She takes what I offer, kisses trailing across my chest, before she turns to RJ.

I can’t see what her face looks like, but RJ’s gaze turns dark, and he slides from his chair, kneeling next to the bed, pulling Clara into a kiss that has her hips grinding into me.

Slipping my hands under her shirt to dance my fingers over her soft skin makes me perfectly content. But then she lets out a little sigh, and I know I’ll need more.

I know she will too.

Stripping off her shirt first, I'm quick to pull off my sweats as well. I debate the boxers, but with RJ, I think I’ll take his lead for what he’s comfortable with. Not that we didn’t all get naked together, but that was a special situation.

I think.

Maybe.

I guess we’ll see how this all works out in the end. But it’s going to be fucking awesome, once we figure it out. There’s no way it’ll be anything but amazing.

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