27: BREAK IN

DELILAH

Another month passed, and I agreed to help Cole three days a week in the office. Something that paid just as well as my other job and had the benefits of after-work sex. Sex that wasn’t just with one brother either after the first week when Seth began to be more present in the office. Something that seemed to have immediately boosted morale.

Arthur was Cole’s right-hand man, and someone that seemed to handle and read Cole’s moods well. So, I took special precautions in spending too much time around him at first until Cole grew comfortable with me around the office. Then I slowly tried to warm up to him in order to learn more about Cole.

The tactic worked well, teaching me more about some of his temperaments. How mischievous he could be, and how until recently he tended to day drink. Arthur thanked me for possibly saving a future liver, something that had made me laugh at the cooler. Making Cole give me a funny look that had my head reeling with ideas. Ideas that had landed me where I was currently and regretting some of my choices.

My legs and pussy ached, even my ass was still warm from the amount of spankings during a very rough and satisfying session of sex with Cole. Though me openly admitting I had taken Arthur to coffee without telling Cole probably hadn’t helped my case, knowing how Cole would react after knowing I occasionally liked that kind of treatment in bed. Making me wonder vaguely in my tired fog if I even had the energy to put pants back on before bed.

After a few moments, I realized Cole hadn’t opened my door in the car, my brow furrowing as I sat up a little straighter from my half-asleep daze. Knowing the car had stopped a while ago despite my closed eyes. Suddenly the vehicle locked around me, putting me on high alert. Everything quiet as I could barely see my doorway in the glare from the shining road lamp near the same Jeep I had ridden in the first day I had met the brothers. The longer I looked at the doorway, the hair on the back of my neck began to stand up.

Something told me to unbuckle and hide behind the seats—so I followed my instincts. Heart pounding as I waited for any sign of Cole. Trying to think of what I could do to help him, wondering what weapons there might be. Deciding to flip back further to try and feel around for any type of weapon. Finding several baseball bats stashed for the company team in a vinyl bag.

With shaking hands, I texted Seth who was supposed to stop by with dinner in an hour. Hoping he had decided to be early. Focusing on breathing out of my nose and staying as quiet as possible while straining my ears. Gripping the bat with a death grip and my heart pounding in my ears.

Seth

Something wrong. Cole locked me in car while half asleep. I’m scared.

Seth’s text was immediate and reassuring, making tears gather in my eyes.

Three minutes—voice text sent from SETH’s FORD FOCUS.

My hands shook as I took a deep calming breath, trying to focus my thoughts. Staying here wouldn’t help Cole, and perhaps he thought I had fallen asleep so I was safer locked in. He could be hurt. He could be up against a knife.

He might be pissed later but I don’t care. I tensed my muscles preparing to sneak forward to hit the unlock button so the jeep’s alarm wouldn’t go off and then bolt inside. Instead, quick footsteps filled with a deadly intent began to pound the pavement. Gripping my bat, I waited to see if they’d pass. Planning to peek out to see if they were armed and then perhaps hit them.

My thoughts running a million miles a minute and my mind far from flight and straight to fight. Especially when it came to Cole. Angry at myself for being left in the car in the first place. The footsteps didn’t continue though. Instead—hands went to open the door only to realize the vehicle was locked.

~Fuck fuck fuck.~

I took one last deep shuddering breath as the footsteps moved around the car, glad the back windows were tinted as I did my best to morph into the back of the jeep’s interior. Staying still as they circled to the back.

When the back of the Jeep began to open, I instinctively raised myself into a kneeling position, ready to strike. I barely stopped mid-swing, half falling into a very surprised-looking Cole as we stumbled to the pavement. “Goddamn. You scare easily, I guess I should be proud though. That would have hurt.”

“What happened!?” I shook my head, still somehow loosely gripping my baseball bat, not wanting to let it go.

Cole ran a soothing hand over my hair, kissing the top of my head. The colors of blue and red suddenly flashing around us. “I took care of it, but you may want to come home with us tonight.”

A deadly chill ran down my spine and as I heard the police pull up—I was brave enough to want to move forward. To look at what had happened. Cole’s arm around my waist as he took the bat from me as an officer came up to us. My body shaking as the adrenaline rush began to wear off and the panic set in.

~What if I had been home?~

***

“Were you the individual that called it in?”

“Yes sir, this is my girlfriend’s home,” He said, pointedly looking at me.

“Your name, ma’am?”

“Delilah Solana.”

“And how long have you been at this residence?”

“A few months.”

“Any enemies you’re—”

“Officer, I’m sorry to interject, but it was clear enough to me inside that this was part of the fentanyl issue around here,” Cole said disapprovingly, giving me a small squeeze.

“Well, I can’t state that there’s truly an issue of that kind. So, I still need to conduct my official duties for a thorough investigation.”

I straightened myself slightly, my eyes checking his badge number. “Is that an official statement on the current affairs of the city? It would be helpful for my work at KGQ8.” Trying to keep my voice small, light—and innocent. Something that wasn’t hard with my big doe eyes and Cole towering over me.

Still—the statement was enough to put the officer on his toes. If there was one thing that the men in blue hated, it was press. Something I didn’t think was true other than the rumors while occasionally also sharing different interview stories or pieces we were working on. Normal day-to-day interactions that also turned into useful tips while in the field and apparently in my day-to-day now.

Something I tried not to think too much about considering it was due to my house being broken into.

Officer Moteg swallowed hard, his double chin wobbling slightly. “When did you arrive on the scene? Do you want to take me through the run of events?” His tactic changing as he squared off with Cole alone. No longer wanting anything to do with me, something that was a huge relief as I saw a gurney exit my house.