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SLADE

Annoying-as-hell alternating chimes filtered through my dead-to-the-world sleep, their sound rising the longer I ignored the damn alarm as I lay sprawled on the bed, struggling to get my stiff body to move. I slapped the mattress, searching for the phone lost somewhere on my king bed. A frustrated grunt escaped me, deflecting off the silk pillowcase and sending my own hot morning breath wafting over my face. Every single one of my muscles protested as I rolled to my back, the ever-constant reminder of the beating I’d put my body through playing football for half my life.

Peeling one eye open, I held the phone an inch from my face, then tapped Snooze before letting it tumble onto the pillow beside my head, narrowly missing my cheek. But like every morning, there was no point hitting Snooze. I was up whether or not I liked it.

Eyes closed, I stretched my neck one way, then the other, slowly warming the muscles for the long day ahead. A few years ago, I’d learned if I gave myself time to wake up slowly, ease my banged-up body into motion instead of popping out of bed, I could prevent hours of painful, stiff muscles and joints.

Playing tackle football from the age of eleven to when I was forced to retire fifteen years ago left me dealing with a body that felt older than my actual age of forty-five. Hell, the career I chose after football had aged my mind and soul too. All the violence I saw on the field and now in Santa Coasta wore me down to this.

An irritable, old-ass motherfucker who needed the max dose of over-the-counter pain relievers and the hope of seeing the most interesting woman I’d ever encountered to edge me out of my too-comfortable bed every damn day.

I peeled my lids back and blinked up at the ceiling as I started my morning muscle warm-up routine, rolling both shoulders forward and back.

Dr. Rain Evans was the only reason I’d stuck around Santa Coasta as a homicide detective. I was so close to resigning when she arrived fresh from completing her forensic pathology fellowship, ready to start her career as our medical examiner.

She was young, innocent, and way too good a woman for someone like me, but I was drawn to her the moment she’d walked through the station introducing herself to the officers and other detectives. The wide smile on her face, her bright shining light that was so at odds with her career choice, I immediately felt the urge to protect her any way I could. Shield her infectious joy from the violent shit we dealt with on a daily basis. Which was dumb as fuck considering she chose her career, not the other way around, but it didn’t stop me from wanting to keep this job from corrupting her.

At first, I told myself the protective urge came from a fatherly type instinct since she was almost thirteen years younger than me. But the way my heart pounded and cock twitched every time we were in the same room was constant proof that there was nothing fatherly about my feelings for Rain.

Though I didn’t want the job to corrupt her, I wanted to debase her slowly, make her crave me like I did her. Not that she knew. That professional line was firmly in place, something I had to remind myself of daily. I wouldn’t bring her down by giving in to everything I wanted, not when she had her whole young life ahead of her.

The muscle that never failed to come alive first thing in the morning slowly hardened as her beautiful petite face floated through my mind. Though it was her wide, guileless smile that got me every time I was on the receiving end of one, which was often since she thought my grumpy attitude was hilarious. No fucking clue why.

Then, of course, there was her brilliant mind that usually rendered me speechless. She said the strangest shit, which oddly enough was a breath of fresh air compared to the dull, shallow women who flocked my way expecting the man I was years ago instead of this washed-up version.

Rain didn’t care what she said or what she wore. Rain was Rain. And she was fucking perfect that way. Too good for an old bastard like me.

She deserved someone as amazing as her, not an old asshole who couldn’t walk first thing in the morning, had been married and divorced three times, and was dumb as hell compared to her clever brain. Not only did I not deserve a chance with someone like her, but neither did the assholes who I worked with every day.

Which was why I told them all to stay the fuck away from her the day after she arrived in Santa Coasta. It was either my large intimidating size or the look of promised death when I clearly explained that she was off-limits, or possibly both, because no one had risked asking her out or making a pass at her since that day.

Did it make me an asshole for shutting down all her dating options? Probably. Didn’t change the fact that I still shook down every new officer or detective twenty-four monthslater, letting them know the “stay the hell away from Rain” rule and the consequences if it was broken.

“Fuck.” My groan vibrated around the empty room. The insistent throb had me moving a hand beneath the sheets to wrap a calloused palm around my rock-hard cock, tightening my fingers until a sharp pinch of pain sent a hiss whistling through my clenched teeth.

Imagining her tall frame, those long, lean legs encircling my waist while I sucked on her perfect tits, thick fingers stuffed in her soaked cunt, had my hand jerking along my shaft. There was nothing fake about Rain Evans. No hard implants, no too-full lips with filler that were fucking disgusting to kiss. No, her naturally thick lips were perfect, too easy to picture wrapped around my cock as those hazel eyes gazed up at me with an eagerness to learn exactly what I wanted from her. That wild mane of dark brown hair clenched in my fist as I held her at the perfect angle. Or my hand collaring her neck as I slammed into her tight pussy, squeezing ever so slightly as she detonated around me.

The sharp, ear-piercing ringtone I’d programmed for when dispatch called shrieked near my ear, shattering the fantasy. Cursing a string of grumbled words, I swiped the phone off the bed and answered the call.

“Taylor,” I bit out while shoving against the mattress until my spine hit the headboard. Eyes closed, I dropped my head back, resting it against the smooth leather.

“Good morning to you, too, Detective.” The corner of my lip curled in an annoyed snarl. I was not in the mood at seven in the damn morning for petty chitchat. Not that I ever really was. “A wellness check was called in by a neighbor. Responding officers found a bloody mess inside. Time to get to work. Sending you the address now, and Dr. Evans is on her way as well.”

Tapping the red circle on the screen, I flicked over to the messaging app to update the FBI agent of the change in plans for the morning.

A pitiful cry from somewhere down the hall reminded me my only friend was hungry. Damn spoiled cat.

With everything squared away, I tossed the phone to the other side of the bed and slowly untangled my legs from the black sheet. Pops and cracks reverberated around the room as I stood, stretching my arms high above my head.

I frowned down at my bobbing cock, still standing at full attention. There wasn’t time to finish what the fantasies of a naked and begging Rain started.

Nothing like beginning the day with murder and a case of blue balls.

* * *

Close to forty minutes later,I waited outside a cheap-ass motel, thumb impatiently tapping against the shitty sedan’s steering wheel. I shouldn’t complain since the car wasn’t mine and got me from point A to point B, but I really hated the ugly-as-hell city-issued shit they forced me to drive while working. Tan four-door basic sedan with brown cloth seats that reeked of stale coffee. It was as embarrassing as a fucking minivan with a little stick figure family on the back windshield.

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