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  “Wait. Wha—?”

  He threw a palm up. “I know you heard me when I told you I’d take you off this case. Everything is up to me. My call. Not yours.”

  Taylor growled, “No.”

  “Yes,” he growled back.

  “I thought Holman was—”

  “You not working alone is the only reason you’ve survived the last two weeks with this case still in your custody.”

  “So this isn’t about Holman?”

  “No. It’s about you, Carrigan. It’s always been about you.”

  She narrowed her eyes. “I’m not doing this.”

  “There’s nothing to be done. You’re off until Monday. Three and a half days. End of story. Close the book, or you won’t get to open it back up.”

  “Baker—”

  “I’m done. Enjoy your afternoon. Go home. Get some lunch. Take a walk in the park. Go shopping. Get a dog. Anything but work. You’re done for the day.”

  “Matthias, really—”

  “The only thing you may say is, ‘Thank you, Matthias.’ If it’s anything else, you’re off Monday, too.”

  Rage and defeat wrestled in her gut, then burned her throat on the way up. Her tongue weighed fifty pounds and her mouth was a desert.

  Taylor stood. Opened and closed her fists at her sides. There were so many things she wanted to say, but Baker’s gaze dared her.

  She didn’t want to lose another day of working the case, and he was dead serious. She didn’t need a suspension in her work file, either. If she opened her mouth, she wouldn’t be allowed to work next week. More than just the five hours left of her Thursday, and tomorrow.

  Squaring her shoulders, and swearing she’d kill her boss if he showed one more ounce of satisfaction from her humiliation, Taylor forced a curt nod and turned on her heel.

  No amounts of Screw this was going to fix her problem. She was under Baker’s thumb, and hated every second of it.

  She left his office, trying not to stomp as if she was the spoiled child she felt like. Her cell phone dinged, and she dug it out of her pocket on automatic pilot, then froze in her tracks when she glanced at the message and noticed who it was from.

  Been thinking about you.

  Taylor’s heart fluttered and she cursed it. She’d treated him like ass, kicked him out of her apartment, and he was texting her?

  After days of no contact?

  It didn’t matter, because she’d been thinking about him, too. Constantly.

  Was the sergeant a glutton for punishment, or was she just the biggest idiot in Dallas?

  She swallowed and clutched her phone so hard her hand ached. Closed her eyes for a second and considered not answering Shannon.

  But then her thumbs flew over the letters.

  What’re you doing this weekend?

  Taylor didn’t proofread her message, just hit send before she lost her nerve.

  Chapter Twenty

  “You can put whatever gear you need to in the back. Just make sure your clipboard is accessible.” Shannon hefted his duty duffel into the back of the supervisor SUV he was driving for his last shift this week. Then he was off for a long weekend, starting Friday, the next day. After a few long weeks of twelve-hour shifts, he was more than ready for a break. The week of the trial had hurt, not helped, and had just thrown his sleep schedule even more out-of-whack.

  He waited for the rookie he was training to get her stuff and come around to the back of the vehicle. It was their first day together, but the new officer was in her second phase of training, and had come off the eight-hour rotation’s midnight shift, which ran from eleven p.m. to seven a.m.

  She’d go with him when Shannon went to second shift. Officer Russo was to be his charge for the next six weeks.

  He wasn’t supposed to work this morning, but the day sergeant had needed a favor, so Shannon had switched—and gained the long weekend as a perk. His trainee had joined him, like she would’ve if they’d reported at seven that evening instead.

  “Sure, thanks.” She put her gear next to his and smiled.

  Shannon took one look at the excitement in her dark brown eyes and had to suck back a chuckle. He remembered those days well. She was nearly bouncing in her shitkickers.

  Isabella Russo was tall, about five-foot-seven if he had to guess, and gorgeous. Her dark hair was in a tight, clean ponytail, and her uniform crisp, not a thing out of place on her duty belt. The leather smelled new, untried—because it was. Raring to get in the SUV and hit the road.

  New cops were always eager. Chomping at the bit to go, off to the next call—or adventure. That was how he’d seen calls when he was a baby cop, too.

  Being edgy wasn’t a problem, but caution was taught, not ingrained. Hopefully he could show her a thing or two. Small city or not, shit still happened in Antioch.

  “Hey, Crowley!”

  He looked up to see Detective Cole Lucas striding across the sally port from the back of the PD, a travel mug in his hand. He was dressed in jeans and a navy blue APD embroidered polo, his badge on his belt and his gun in a paddle holster. His dark hair was wind-mussed as his long legs ate the distance.

  Shannon arched an eyebrow when Russo, still standing next to him, groaned and shook her head.

  “Something wrong, Lucas?” He glanced at his watch. It wasn’t even half past seven, and the detectives didn’t usually roll in until after eight. The guy hadn’t been at briefing he and his trainee had come from moments before.

  Russo was gnawing on her bottom lip now, her discomfort palpable. She fidgeted at his side.

  The detective threw out his hand. “Nah, nothing’s wrong. Morning.”

  Shannon shook the guy’s hand. “Good deal. Morning. What’s up?”

  Lucas looked at Russo. “Morning, Bella.” He grinned, flashing dimples.

  “Officer Russo,” the recruit muttered.

  The detective looked at Shannon, obviously unrepentant for the use of the young officer’s nickname. “So, Crowley, just wanted to make sure Bella got settled in with you okay.”

  Where’s the guy going with this?

  Shannon arched an eyebrow and regarded Lucas. “Yeah. We’re about to take off. No calls yet, but maybe we’ll go run some traffic.”

  “Detective, may I have a word with you?” Officer Russo’s words were clipped and her jaw tight.

  “Ah…sure.”

  “If you’ll excuse us, Sergeant,” his recruit said.

  Shannon nodded, and thumbed the SUV. “I’ll just wait in the car. Take your time.”

  “Oh, it won’t take time.” Russo threw him a smile, then glared at the detective.

  Shannon climbed in the driver’s seat and turned the engine over, but hit the down button for the window. To eavesdrop.

  He pulled out his notebook so it would appear he was reviewing notes.

  Russo kept her voice low, but it carried. They hadn’t moved far from the unit. “Cole, you can’t keep doing this. You’re gonna make me a laughingstock.”

  “Just wanna make sure you’re good.”

  Shannon watched from his peripheral vision.

  Russo’s body was pitched forward, and her hands were fists at her sides. “I’m a big girl now. I can handle myself.”

  The detective shifted from foot to foot. “I know. Just do me a favor and listen to Crowley. He’s a good cop.”

  “Are you going to do this with all my training officers?” Frustration was evident in her voice, and she shook her head.

  “Probably.”

  Shannon bit back a chuckle. Well, at least the guy’s honest.

  “Have a good day, Detective. I’m on patrol,” Russo growled. She whirled on her heels and marched to the passenger side of the SUV. Got in and slammed the door for good measure. Then she glanced at Shannon, and her cheeks reddened.

  He didn’t want to offend the young officer, so he held back his laugh and cleared his throat. “Ready?”

  She nodded and reached for her seatbelt.

  Shan
non backed the SUV out of the spot, and returned Lucas’ wave. The detective hadn’t moved.

  Officer Russo didn’t offer a gesture.

  He snorted and they drove out of the back gate.

  “Sorry.” Her voice was low.

  “No biggie. Sounds like he’s just lookin’ out for you.”

  “Oh, God. You heard.” The recruit covered her face with both hands.

  He could feel her mortification. Wanted to reassure her. “No worries, it won’t go anywhere. Promise.”

  “Thanks.” Russo sighed and leaned her head back into the headrest. Her cell phone chimed from her duty belt. “If that’s Cole Lucas, I’m gonna kill him.”

  Shannon laughed, he couldn’t help it. “Let’s not, at least until you’re off probation.”

  She smirked and glanced at the screen of her smartphone. “Well, that’s a relief.”

  “Good news?”

  “Andi, apologizing for Cole. Said she told him not to bug me, but he doesn’t listen.”

  Andi was a detective, too. The only female on their detective squad, and Lucas’ wife.

  “So you know them both?”

  Again, his recruit’s cheeks pinkened. She was young, and the blush made her seem even younger. “Yeah. I’ve known Andi for years. Since I was about seven. I used to babysit her son, Ethan. Well, then both boys, after she married Cole and they had Micah.”

  “Oh, okay. That’s why he’s a pain in the ass, then.”

  “Why?” She scrunched up her nose, still looking like the kid she’d been not long ago.

  “You’re family, kid. Get used to it. APD is one big family, too.”

  “I wanna make my own way,” she admitted.

  “You will. I’m not worried about that.”

  “Unit three-oh-eight,” the radio squawked, and Russo shot him an eager look.

  Shannon threw his recruit a nod. “Go for it.”

  Russo grabbed the mic off its hook and pressed the button. “Three-oh-eight, go ahead.”

  “Disturbance downtown at the movie theater. Two hurt, medics asking for police assist.”

  “This early in the morning?” Shannon said, more to himself than Russo. He looked at her. “Tell her we’re on our way.”

  * * * *

  The day took an arduous turn, but it wasn’t because of his recruit. She was sharp and didn’t need a lot of direction. She’d been with Sergeant Williams on the eight-hour rotation midnight shift for her first month and a half, and the guy was fantastic with cops fresh out of the academy.

  It showed with Russo. She only asked questions when she needed to, and since she’d grown up in Antioch, she knew the geography.

  All checkmarks in the positive column on her daily training log. The kid had the makings of a great cop. Shannon was proud to be a part of that. It was one of the reasons he never minded being an FTO.

  Not all cops were effective field training officers, and the department was lucky to have a few go-to guys and gals on every shift.

  Shannon had been trained by Lieutenant Chloe Stein, and they remained close, even years later. It was nice to have a positive impact on someone’s career. He only hoped Russo saw him like that one day.

  “Where do you wanna grab lunch?” he asked her. They were behind schedule because of a bad car wreck they’d had to work most of the morning. Two little ones had been hurt—one badly—and that always got him right in the gut.

  The stupid disturbance at the movie theater had happened when the owner of the place had come in to restock the concessions and ended up finding a lover’s tryst.

  One of the managers, who had a key to the building, had spent the night there with her boyfriend. The men had fought, and both had minor injuries, but the boyfriend had attacked one of the paramedics, too.

  No doubt the manager was now out of a job, to boot.

  Russo had handled herself impressively, yelling orders even before Shannon had said a word. When he’d complimented her afterward, she’d shrugged, grinned and said, “I’m Italian. Great at having a big mouth.”

  “Um, are you tired of Dixie’s?” Russo asked, tugging him to the present.

  “Nah, it works for me. I think Benton and Walton are there right now, too.”

  They met with their fellow officers for lunch at the Antioch mom and pop that’d been there forever, probably since Shannon’s mom was a kid. It was run by the same family, including the matriarch, Marge herself, who was hollering orders and working the counter.

  Conversation consisted of the other two officers razzing Russo, since she was the rookie. Shannon took up for her once, reminding the younger cop, Joe Benton, he’d been in her shoes not too long ago, but the girl held her own after that.

  They laughed and talked, and had the odd peace of no calls on the radio for the next forty-five minutes.

  A flash of blondish hair caught Shannon’s attention, and he zoned in on the cash register. A woman was picking up a takeout order, and even though her hair wasn’t an exact match, his mind went straight to Taylor.

  Damn, he’d been trying not to think about her. Was quite a feat, since he’d been dreaming of her every damn day since he’d been home. Erotic dreams, built on their last night together. Dreams that went a hell of a lot further than they had. He’d only tasted her mouth then, but he’d seen and held her perfect breasts. His imagination had taken it from there, leaving her naked and writhing beneath him, screaming his name when she came.

  “You all right, Sarge?” Russo asked.

  Shannon fidgeted, forcing a nod. He suppressed a curse and sat straighter. Last thing he needed was a hard-on at work. Especially sitting next to a female recruit.

  Three sets of eyes regarded him.

  “Unit three-fifteen,” one of the dispatchers called over the radio.

  Walton answered, and Benton paid close attention. Russo, too, was drawn to the dispatcher’s voice, and the spotlight was off Shannon.

  Thank God. Saved by the call.

  The partners departed to a theft report at the local pharmacy, and Shannon told them if they needed backup to give him and Russo a holler.

  Too bad work didn’t take his mind off Taylor Carrigan.

  “Sarge, I need to run to the restroom before we head out,” Russo said.

  “Go ahead. I’ll take care of the check.”

  As soon as his trainee disappeared down the hallway toward the ladies’ room, Shannon grabbed his cell out of the holder on his duty belt. He probably shouldn’t, but he formed the message anyway.

  Been thinking about you.

  He kept it simple, but it didn’t matter. Taylor probably wouldn’t answer him. Shannon clipped his phone back in its holster and headed to the register.

  “You know your money’s no good here, Sarge,” Marge chided.

  “Ah, c’mon, I have a new one, let’s show her the right way.” He smiled and glanced over his shoulder to see Russo making her way toward the counter.

  Marge chuckled. “It’s the right way around here.”

  “Consider it a tip then.”

  The older woman smiled. “All right, hon, whatever you say.”

  Shannon slid money on the counter and turned to join his recruit. His phone vibrated and he jumped.

  Taylor had answered him?

  No way, has to be someone else.

  He tried to ignore the message until they got out to the patrol SUV, but he couldn’t. His heart tripped and his fingers scrambled to his belt of their own accord.

  Shannon read the message three times before it computed. Why would she want to know what he was doing over the weekend?

  “You comin’, Sarge?” Russo’s voice made him jump. She had one hand on the car door.

  “Gimme two seconds. Here, you drive.” He tossed her the keys.

  Her dark eyes widened and she squealed, making him laugh. “Sorry,” Russo muttered, but she grinned and hopped in the driver’s seat.

  Shannon needed to get it together before he answered Taylor, then chided hims
elf. He couldn’t process that she’d actually answered him, let alone what she’d asked.

  Off this weekend. Did you have something in mind?

  He counted heartbeats until he had her answer.

  Can I come see you?

  Shannon blew out a breath as his heart took off. He stared at the phone screen, as if the words were in Chinese instead of English. He wanted to ask if she was playing a sick joke on him. Instead, he answered her.

  Yes. I’m off at seven tonight, then have a long weekend, starting tomorrow.

  Good. Me too. I can come into town tonight, if that’s okay with you.

  A small part of him wanted to fist pump, but he remembered where he was, and who just might be watching as Russo waited for him to come back to the SUV.

  He looked back at his phone. Didn’t want to seem too eager to see a certain FBI agent. Questions zoomed through his head. Why was Taylor, a self-proclaimed workaholic, taking a whole three days off? Was her case over? Could that be the reason she hadn’t contacted him? Nah, not after the way she’d kicked him out.

  Doesn’t matter at the moment. Answer her.

  He could ask all the questions he wanted when she was here, in Antioch. Shannon was going to do his damnedest to get her into his arms, too. Maybe his bed, if she was ready.

  Fine with me. See you tonight, he texted.

  He added his address so she could come straight to him, and left off what he’d really wanted to say, something like, Can’t wait to see you. I miss you.

  Taylor Carrigan had told him they were done.

  Guess we’re seeing about that, after all, Special Agent.

  Shannon smiled. He couldn’t wait to show her I-told-you-so.

  Chapter Twenty-One

  Okay, so he was definitely in school-boy mode. Or, his anticipation was. Shannon was antsy, pacing. His gaze darted back and forth from his watch to the clock on his living room wall.