Kings of Denver Read online

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  Dani and I are lead through the police station, past the interrogation room and through to the holding cells. The cop unlocks the door before taking our cuffs off and sending us on in.

  Dani takes one look around and notices the butch chick sitting on the bench. “Shit,” she gasps. “I’m too innocent for this. I don’t want to be her bitch.”

  I let out a sigh as I study the woman. I mean, she isn’t that bad. “Don’t stress,” I tell her. “As long as she’s willing to give what she gets then I’ll take one for the team.”

  Dani visibly relaxes as she follows me into the cell and sits down next to me on the bench. I introduce us to the butch woman and we instantly hit it off. Her name is Marge and apparently, she loves cats. On her days off she likes to ride her Harley around the streets of L.A. Just beautiful.

  Twenty minutes later, a cop comes in and tells me I can make a call before unlocking the cell and showing me where the phone is.

  I dial Tanks number and wait as it rings at least three times before he answers. “Babe, is that you?” he asks into the phone and from the sound of his voice, it’s clear he was fast asleep.

  “Um yeah,” I slur. “Who else are you expecting to be calling you at three in the morning? Some skank-whore looking for a threesome?”

  “Shut up. It just came through on a weird number,” he informs me. “I’m taking it you girls are ready to come home?”

  “Yep,” I declare

  “It’s about fucking time,” he murmurs. “You still at that cocktail bar?”

  “Um… no, actually,” I grin into the phone. “We’re at the police station.”

  “What?” he questions. “What the fuck are you doing there?”

  “Well… it’s kind of a long story,” I giggle. “But Dani and I sort of got into a bar fight and now I need you to bail us out.”

  “Fuck, babe,” he groans but I hear the amusement in his voice. “I’ll be there soon.”

  “Love you,” I remind him as I hang up the phone and join Dani in the cell. The cop asks her to make her call but she doesn’t bother. She knows Tank’s got her back and besides she won’t get Miller to drag Mia out at this time of night.

  Forty-five minutes later, I’m faced with a grinning Tank as he watches Dani and I being released from the cell. He hands me my purse and I quickly pull my phone out to make sure I get a good photo of Dani and I in our cell with Marge.

  Marge happily obliges and we quickly make our way out of the station.

  We practically chat Tank’s ears off as we recap our night and tell him exactly how we ended up in there. Though, I must admit, Tank wasn’t too impressed about the whole fighting thing, seeing as though my body is still healing from the last one but honestly, those chicks needed to be put in their place.

  I mean, that woman tried to get both our husbands into bed at the same time. Nu-uh. That shit ain’t going to fly with either of us. Unless, it’s the four of us in bed but apparently that shit ain’t flying either.

  We finally make it back to Dani’s place and Tank helps us both inside before forcing a glass of water down both our throats. He drags me down to our room and helps me get dressed but the second he pulls the zip down on my dress, I’m instantly jumping into action and as usual, my husband is not one to disappoint.

  I wake the next morning with a killer headache and smile at the painkillers and glass of water Tank has left on my bedside table. I down the pills and groggily make my way out of bed and down the hallway.

  The smell of bacon and eggs greets me and I greedily take my seat at the island bench, patiently waiting for Miller to stop burning the bacon.

  “Mmmmmmm,” I moan as my breakfast makes my way down to my stomach.

  I distantly notice conversation around me but we all know I won’t be participating until the pills have kicked in, breakfast is happily situated in my stomach and a coffee has washed it all down.

  Half an hour later, I’m finally starting to feel myself again when I join Dani on the lounge. She is in the middle of recapping the story of our night out while she gives Mia a bottle. I grab my phone and start flicking through our photos of the night, making sure to show Tank and Miller all the good ones when I notice a shit load of photo’s on my phone that I could have sworn I’d lost.

  “Holy shit,” I gasp as I start flicking through them.

  “What is it, babe?” Tank questions as he gets up and comes around the back of the couch to peer over my shoulder.

  “It’s all the photos of the documents I had on Baxter. They must have saved in the cloud thingy and uploaded when I connected it all yesterday.”

  “Fuck. Seriously?” he questions as he takes the phone from my hand and begins zooming in.

  “Yeah, it’s all there.”

  “That’s awesome,” Dani says from beside me.

  “Sure, fucking is,” Tank murmurs with a satisfied grin. “It’s one step closer to nailing the bastard.”

  With that, I make quick work of calling Detective Andrews and emailing all the documents across. I just hope now that I’m in a good place, Baxter doesn’t come after me again for supplying evidence but whatever happens, will happen and I’ll be ready if he comes… well, I have no idea how I’ll be ready but I know for damn sure the fucker won’t be putting me in the hospital again.

  By that afternoon, Tank and I are heading back to our place when I turn to him with a thought. “Maybe I should start working again,” I tell him.

  His whole face drops as he looks at me like I’ve gone crazy. “You’re not seriously thinking of picking up the Baxter investigation again?”

  My eyes widen at his comment. “God no,” I quickly rush out. “As much as I want to see him go down for everything, I want to stay away. Especially now things are good again,” I explain. “What I meant was just going back into the office and taking on little cases, like petty things. Just something to keep my mind busy during the days.”

  “I don’t know, babe,” he says, thinking it over.

  “What if I promised to talk to you about each case before I accept it. That way you know what I’m working on all the time.”

  He is quiet for a while and even sits still in the driver’s seat once we’ve pulled into the driveway. “I’ll make a deal with you,” he starts. I look at him and wait for whatever genius plan he’s come up with. “I’ll be happy for you to go back to work if it’s only minor cases like nailing the dickhead who keeps running the red light on Main Street and if you literally have no contact at all with the suspect. You’ve got to do it all under-cover without the guy knowing you’re writing the story.”

  I think it over for a bit before holding my hand out. He puts his hand in mine and shakes on the deal. “You realise you’ve just made my job a million times harder,” I tell him.

  “Yep,” he declares.

  “And you also know that the extra challenge is going to push me more,” I warn him.

  “I know,” he sighs. “That’s the only part I’m worried about.”

  “Good,” I smile. “Then you’ve got yourself a deal, Big Guy.”

  Chapter 17

  Tank

  I push the boys as hard as they can go. We’re a few games into the season and while we are still undefeated, I know we can do better. After all, those chicks that Sophie decided to beat up think I’m not good enough so I’m going to bust my ass until I prove them wrong. Not just those bitches but every last fucker who doubts me will soon be taught a lesson.

  Tank fucking Meyers is here to lead the L.A Storm to victory and come the end of the season, not one person will doubt my skill again. I’ve got this shit in the bag.

  I push myself to the absolute limit as I put the boys through some sprints. I shoot up the length of the ice, keeping my puck firmly in my sights before my blades cut through the ice and create an avalanche of ice as I come to a sudden stop, only to turn and push myself back up the other end.

  My strides push me ahead of the other guys and I he
ar their desperation as their blades cut through the ice as they try to keep up with my limits.

  “Alright, boys. Bring it in,” Coach finally says.

  We all come into the centre of the ice and instantly drop down to one knee. The rink is silent apart from the boys heavy panting as they try to catch their breaths. I look around the circle of guys and see they are all a mess of sweat and realise I need to be pushing them more in their cardio. They are all ace when it comes to lifting weights in the gym but they all freaking hate cardio.

  Well, that shit is about to change.

  The L.A Storm aren’t just going to be unbeatable, we’re going to be the team that people think about when they think of the best. Coaches all over the world will be showing our plays to their teams because we’re just that damn good. We’ll be the team that kids dream to be a part of and what’s better, those very kids will work their damn asses off to make that dream come true and continue on the great name of the L.A Storm, Just like I know my son would have.

  I quit dreaming of the bright future this team has and concentrate on Coach Larsden as he gets stuck into today's plan. He splits us into two teams, placing myself and Miller as the leaders and instructs that we’ll be playing a mock game.

  I grin over at my best friend and see the challenge written in his eyes. The fucker thinks he’s got this and it’s going to be pretty fucking amazing taking it from him.

  Two newbies go and get the nets and place them in their positions as a few of the guys go around collecting all the pucks that lay scattered over the ice.

  A few minutes later, the timer is set and the whistle is blown.

  After one of the craziest training sessions, I stand with Miller in the locker room, stripping off my training gear. “That last shot was a foul,” Miller says as he sits to untie his skates.

  “Bullshit,” I grin. “In all my years of hockey, I’ve not once been called on a foul. You’re just out of sorts because you can’t beat me anymore.”

  “Whatever,” he scoffs. “It was definitely a foul.”

  I roll my eyes and quickly get myself showered and dressed before heading out to the parking lot with Miller. I’m telling him all about Sophie’s deal for returning to work when he cuts me off.

  “Holy shit, dude,” he says as he gawks into the parking lot.

  I look up and follow his eye line straight to my truck.

  What. The. Fuck?

  The whole thing is completely trashed and I don’t mean in a ‘someone wrote it off’ kind of way, I mean in the ‘some mother-fucker slashed all four tires, took a baseball bat to the windows and bodywork then finished it off with a spray painting’.

  “Who the fuck would have done this?” Miller asks as we rush over to my truck to inspect the damage.

  “I have no fucking idea but whoever it was is going to pay,” I tell him.

  Miller looks over the spray paint, reading the words out loud. “Liar… Cheater…Dickhead,” he says. “Dude, it sounds like a jealous girlfriend or something. Maybe the bitch got the wrong truck.”

  “Maybe,” I grunt, taking in the damage to the grill.

  “Fuck, man,” Cameron says as he comes to look at my truck with a few of the other guys. “You’ve been up to no good, aye?” he questions with a smirk.

  At that, I grab him by his shirt and slam him against the side of my fucked-up truck. “You ever suggest that I’ve been unfaithful to my wife again and I’ll kick your ass so bad that you’ll never walk again.”

  “Shit, dude. I was just messing with you,” he says, holding his hands up in surrender. “I know you wouldn’t mess around on Sophie.”

  I narrow my eyes on the dickhead and see the sincerity in his eyes before letting him go. “Good,” I grunt as he takes two big steps away from me. “Who do you think did it?” he questions.

  “No clue,” I say as I notice nearly half the team have formed a semi-circle around the truck.

  “Go check the surveillance, there’s a camera pointing right at the car park,” Miller says.

  Hmm, why didn’t I think about that? I take off with Miller by my side because, let’s face it, the fucker isn’t going anywhere. He’s now my ride home.

  We make our way to the security section of the building and get them to pull up the footage. It doesn’t take long before I see Crazy Jill appear on the screen carrying a bag and a baseball bat in her hands.

  I cringe as I watch her approach my truck and start rubbing her body all over it and from this angle, I’m pretty sure she just got off on my truck. Then, things change. She grabs the bag and bends down as she searches through it. She pulls out a knife and gets to work slashing the tires as if it is the most casual thing in the world.

  Next comes the baseball bat which honestly makes me look away. She then finishes off the job with the spray paint before simply packing up her things and walking away.

  “That bitch is fucking crazy,” Miller murmurs.

  Damn straight. First, it’s the constant calls and messages to me and Sophie, then she intrudes in our home and practically defiles it and now she trashes my truck. This shit has gone on too long and I’m fucking over it.

  Not to mention, I’ll be putting in a complaint to the head of security for the rink, I mean, what the fuck have they been doing all afternoon while tis shit was going down?

  We step out of the surveillance room and head back out to the parking lot as I call the police and get them to come and document the damage. They arrive in no time and before I know it, I’ve given a statement and my beautiful truck is being towed away.

  I’m told as it’s Crazy Jill’s first offence against the restraining order that she will be given a warning and will obviously be lumped with the charges of the repairs to my truck but come to think of it, I don’t want a repaired truck, I want a brand new one, one that isn’t tainted by Crazy Jill.

  Shortly after, Miller gives me a ride home and I soon find myself spread out on the lounge with Sophie on top of me as I tell her all about my afternoon.

  “I swear, if I ever see that crazy-as-shit woman again, I’m going to give her the beat down of her life,” Sophie vows with that gorgeous little crease between her eyebrows.

  “Calm down, woman. You gave a beat down a few days ago and ended up in jail. I don’t want you getting a reputation.”

  “What?” she shrieks. “I was defending your honour.”

  “I know, babe,” I laugh. “But my honour doesn’t need defending. Trust me, nothing is going to knock me down.”

  A grin starts to creep over my wife’s face and I know exactly what she is thinking. “You know, you’re damn sexy when you talk like that.”

  “You mean when I talk with my ego?” I grin.

  “Mmhmm,” she murmurs as her lips come down to mine. “It’s just that your ego is so damn big.”

  I let out a laugh as I hold my wife close to my body. “Fuck, I love you.”

  “I know,” she smiles. “I’m just so damn loveable.”

  We lay silently on the couch, taking comfort in being in each other's arms. Sophie lets out the softest sigh that I don’t even think she realises she’s done it. “What is it, babe?” I question as I run my hands down her back.

  “Hmmm?” she murmurs as she raises her head to look at me.

  “You’re thinking about something.”

  “Oh,” she says with another sigh. “I don’t know. Dani kind of mentioned something today and I don’t know if it’s a good idea or not.”

  “What’s that?”

  “That we should hold a little memorial for Tyler,” she says.

  “Why wouldn’t it be a good idea?” I question.

  She shrugs her shoulders as she looks to me. “I guess because I was only five months pregnant. I mean… It’s not like he was born yet. I don’t know, maybe it’s silly.”

  I sit up on the couch and bring Sophie up with me so she straddles my lap. “It’s not silly. He was our son and he deserves a memorial just as much as any other person wou
ld.”

  “You think?” she asks. “I thought it would be a nice way to send him off and celebrate him. I wouldn’t want it like a black-tie event where everyone is mourning and sad.”

  “No, we’ll make it special for him.”

  Sophie gives me a sad smile as she lets out a breath of relief. “And no one can wear black. That’s a rule.”

  “Ok, I’ll make sure everyone knows.”

  “No, not everyone,” she says with a sudden shake of her head. “Just the closest people. Like the ones he would have called aunty or uncle.”

  “Ok, babe,” I say, wrapping her up in my arms and pulling her in tight.

  She rests her head on my shoulder. “I almost don’t want to do it. It just… It makes it so final.”

  “Consider this your official goodbye,” I tell her. “But you need to remember he is looking down on us, so it’s never goodbye.”

  I feel her head move against my shoulder as she gives a slight nod.

  Later that night we settle into our usual routine as Sophie gets up to make dinner. I can’t help but watch her as she moves around the kitchen. I silently watch and grin as every last thing she does in there is completely wrong and I know without a doubt that dinner is going to be awful but either way, she wanted to cook so that’s what I’m going to let her do.

  After watching her set the oven way too high, I decide it’s time to intervene. I get up off the lounge and make my way across the kitchen, I reach around her and lower the temperature on the oven as her body folds into mine.

  “I hope you’re not trying to take over the kitchen” she questions in a sultry voice.

  “No, just keeping it from burning down,” I murmur into her ear as my hands travel down her body.

  She lets out a moan as she grips the kitchen bench and presses her body harder into mine. My hands come to the hem of her dress and I slowly slide it up her legs before finding her underwear.

  My hand snakes around the front of her body and slides down into the front of her panties to find her ready for me. “I wanted to wash up some of the dishes while dinner was cooking,” she moans as she rubs herself against my hands.