Page 26 of Ruthless Love

For a few minutes, it's quiet and peaceful, but then I can feel someone else in the room with me. Squinting one eye open, I see Cain sitting on the counter, staring at me. "Why are you sitting there like a stalker?"

He chuckles, letting his hands dangle between his knees. "Because I want to make sure you're having a good time. That's the most important thing for me."

"You know I have a good time in the tub."

A deep noise in the back of his throat answers. "That's true. You've never been one to turn down a hot bath in here."

"Never." I settle back against the edge. "How is work going?"

He raises his eyebrows, sliding off the counter to sit on the plush rug. "Do you really wanna know? I think you know what the climate is for cops."

"I always want to know. We live in a small town, but we're not immune. It would help me to know what you're dealing with. I got kicked out of the wife group chat for Willow County after I left." Admitting that is hard. It was the one thing that made me question what I'd decided to do. To be cut off from that support system I'd always had. Not only did I lose him, but I lost them, too. It was a harsh truth that I had to face head on.

"They kicked you out?"

I thought he'd known. That he'd ask them to alienate me. It had hurt more than I had anticipated. "Yeah, but I kinda understood."

"I don't." He grinds the back of his teeth together, his jaw ticking with annoyance. "You should never be taken from the group you've grown so close to because of something that happened between us. It didn't even concern them. I'm going to have a talk with Penelope," he mentions the unofficial leader of the Willow County WAGS.

"So I haven't been privy to any of the information that's been passed between all of them in the past six months. Please, catch me up."

He sighs heavily, but crosses his legs in front of him, and starts telling me everything I've missed.

TWENTY

CAIN

I jerkawake when the annoying sound of my alarm permeates the peaceful sleep I've been lulled into for the past eight hours. Beside me, Marissa makes a noise of protest.

"It can't be time to wake up, right?" She groans.

"Unfortunately, it is." I stretch and yawn loudly. "And I can't be late today. There's some shit going down." Fuck, I didn't mean to say that. Since she left, I've volunteered for the more dangerous SWAT team, and while I love it, I'm not sure how she'll feel.

"What do you mean?"

This was the part that was nice about me not having to answer to anyone. I was able to do anything I wanted to, and didn't feel as if someone else's feelings mattered as much as the need for the community. In losing Marissa, I found I loved community policing, and doing it for myself has been the best gift. It's not fair to her though, if I don't come completely clean with what I've signed up for. "I want you to let me explain before you say anything."

She raises her eyebrows and turns so that she can give me her full attention. "I'm going to listen, but please don't lie to me. Imight not like what you have to say, but we have to be open with one another."

Those words hit me right in the chest. There was so much we didn't share before, and it killed us. That's why we're living in two different homes right now. "After you left, I was lonely. I didn't want to admit that to you. There wasn't any way I was going to try to date someone else. You're the only one for me, Ris, no matter what we've gone through. You're still the only one for me. To keep myself from being bored as fuck, I joined the SWAT team."

She closes her eyes and speaks slowly. "You know, that scares me. I've always been supportive of anything you wanted, but that?"

"I know." I nod, holding up my hand. "It was one of those situations where they came into the squad room, said they needed some new members. I took the test and passed."

Watching Marissa, I'm worried. The old her would hide her feelings if she thinks it's something that will upset me. More than anything, I hope we've moved past who we used to be.

"How dangerous is it?" She finally asks, her voice small and soft. "Is there a chance you could be injured?"

"I could get hurt every single day that I put that badge on, Ris. Being a part of the SWAT team doesn't make that much of a difference."

"You've got a point, but it doesn't mean I'm going to worry any less."

Wrapping my arms around her waist, I pull her close. "Worry is what keeps me alive. It's not as if I go out there assuming things are going to be great. I expect the worst, but hope for the best. Knowing that you're at home waiting on me is why I take such care."

She sighs heavily, blowing out her breath. "But if you're promising me that you're going to take care, you're going tomake sure you come home to me, then I'll trust you, and hold you to it."

Dipping my mouth into the hollow of her neck, I take a kiss. "Get your cute ass up. I have to get ready to go."

---