All I cared about right then was the way his beard felt against the soft skin of my neck, and the way his lips traveled up the cord of my neck as he said, “Tell me.”

“I wanted to see you,” I breathed.

His mouth moved up until his lips were even with mine.

“Good,” he said. “You can come see me anytime. I like it. Just don’t bring those cookies anymore. Oatmeal or chocolate chip from now on.”

I snorted. “You’re annoying.”

He grinned unrepentantly. “You still fucking love me, though.”

I nodded. “Yeah, I still fucking love you.”

Then his mouth finally found mine, and his tongue dueled with my tongue.

I groaned and my legs started to shake.

Heat pooled in my core, and I closed my eyes in anticipation.

Just as suddenly as he was there, though, he was gone.

He growled in frustration and pulled back.

“I have to go back. I need to get three more hours before Monday, and that isn’t going to happen tomorrow since I have to go do family day. Something you will be attending, FYI,” he informed me. “And the chief doesn’t like for us to practice on Sundays if we can help it. So it’s all going to come tonight or it ain’t gonna happen.”

I scrunched up my nose at him.

“What makes you think I want to go to your family day?” I teased.

He grinned. “Nobody wants to go to family day. Hell, I don’t want to go to family day. But if I have to go, you have to go.”

I raised a brow at that backwards logic. “They’re your family. Not mine. It doesn’t work like that.”

He leaned forward, letting me feel the length of his erection that most certainly was not his gun, and asked, “Are you mine?”

My eyes must’ve widened, because he leaned in more, pinning me down more completely. “Yes or no? Simple question, Nox.”

I swallowed, knowing I felt it, but reluctant to say it.

I got it out, though.

“Y-yes,” I answered simply.

He smiled, teeth and all.

“Then my family day is your problem now, too.”

I nodded. “Okay.”

No arguments here.

I kind of liked that he was telling me how it was.

Feminists around the world were probably balking at the fact, but I was happy.

Fucking ecstatic.

“Who’s picking up Reagan?” I asked, looking at my watch.

Hadn’t I heard that today was early release?

“I was going to walk her home like I usually do, why?” He asked, eyes going far away to think about why I’d asked. “Aw fuck. Today was early release for field day. Fuck! Field day!”

I smiled. “You forgot, even after she told you fifteen million times that it was today?”

He pointed an accusing finger at me. “Watch it.”

I held up my hands in surrender. “Yes, sir.”

“Fuck!” He growled. “I’m a horrible parent.”

I laughed at his plight.

“You are not. How about if I go? Then I’ll take her with me to Truman Smith. I’ll be there until eight. That okay?” I asked.

He nodded, looking relieved. “Yeah. Mom had to take my dad to the doctor today for his heart, and I knew Payton was working. Thanks.”

I smiled. “You’ll have to make it up to me…later.”

With that, I turned around and left.

I was going to make a grand exit, too, but the door that led out of the room was locked and I smacked into it face first.

I placed my hand on my forehead where it’d hit, and turned around to see Bennett studying the ceiling.

“You’re such a shit,” I croaked.

He couldn’t contain his laughter anymore. “Oh, God. This is one of those times I wish I had a camera in this room. At least you’re not alone in it.”

He wiped tears from his eyes, and started heading in my direction.

So in turn I threw the box of cookies at him, which he caught easily.

He punched in a code on a panel I’d failed to see, and pushed the door open.

Then followed me until I got to the other door, which he opened for me as well.

Once the outside sun was shining in my face, I turned to him and said, “I fucking love you.”

He smiled so wide I thought his face would split with it.

“I fucking love you, too.”

I stomped across the parking lot, so damn embarrassed I could barely stand it.

“Lennox!” Bennett called once I reached my car.

I turned to see him leaning against the door with his arms up high, keeping it open.

“What?” I asked.

He smirked. “I’ll make it up to you. Don’t worry.”

Chapter 16

P.M.S.

Prepare to meet Satan.

-Word to the wise

Bennett

“What the fuck is all this?” I asked Sam when he handed me a stack of envelopes that was over three inches thick.

He shrugged. “I don’t know. Something from Todd. He told me to give it…”

Both of us froze when the indicator on the computer started beeping.

That computer’s only use was to house the GPS and data for the cameras that were in everyone’s vehicles, as well as around the property.

Sam moved quickly, waking up the sleeping monitor and clicking buttons as fast as his big hands would allow him to do.

“Gladewater. What and who the fuck is in Gladewater?” He muttered.

“Lennox,” I said instantly. “Lennox is in Gladewater.” I swallowed thickly. “And she has Reagan with her.”

“There’s been an accident on eighty that she was involved in. Let’s move. Cheyenne!” Sam yelled. “Call Jack and tell him I need him. We’re gone!”

I wasn’t listening for the rest. Instead, I ran to my truck, hopped in, and accelerated out of the parking lot.

Thankful that I’d backed in like I always did for expedience.

An ingrained instinct that always had me doing it even if it was harder to do initially.

A quick getaway was always the way to go.

Sam followed behind me, but I didn’t spare him another glance as I roared through the streets of Kilgore, and straight to 42 that’d take me to 80 in about ten minutes.

It took me seven, thanks to my emergency lights that I had in my dash.

Something I had because I was always being called out for SWAT situations, and I needed to get there fast.

I was grateful that the traffic was cooperating with me, unlike how it usually did.

My heart, though, wasn’t being very cooperative.

It was trying to hammer its way out of my chest as I thought about my daughter and girlfriend being in an accident without me there to ascertain that it was no big deal.

My phone rang and I answered it immediately. “Lennox?”

“It’s me. I got in an accident with another motorist,” she said shakily.

“I know, honey. I’ll be there in about two minutes. Hang tight,” I told her softly.

She breathed a sigh of relief that I felt all the way through the phone line.

“Thanks. Just…hurry. Everyone’s okay, though,” she assured me hurriedly.

“Okay, baby. I’ll be there soon. I fucking love you,” I whispered fiercely.

She giggled a tad manically. “I fucking love you, too,” she whispered back.

Two long minutes later, I pulled up to the scene of a fucking mess, and none other than the bane of my existence in the middle of it all.

“What the fuck,” I breathed as I unlatched the door and hopped out, slamming the door as I hauled ass across the pavement to my little girl.

Lennox had her wrapped up in her arms, and they were both looking at what was left of Lennox’s car.

“What happened?” I asked in alarm.

Lennox, having not seen me pull up, jumped and turned to me, eyes wide.

Then, once realizing who it was, relaxed.

“Bennett,” she breathed.

“Daddy!” Reagan said, throwing herself at me.

“Sir,” a male said from behind me.

I turned to find a uniformed cop behind me.

He was surveying me, and my uniform that I’d yet to take off, as well as the badge at my hip. He wasn’t close enough to read the badge, though, which was why he asked what he did next.