Alexa read through the files on Rucker to see where they were with his pending charges. Looked like they were waiting for the trial date to come up and were trying to secure some testimony from an informant. He’d already been arrested, but was out on bail. The case seemed fairly strong. She’d been sitting reading for over an hour while Damian played with a toy. But now he was wiggling around, getting bored.

 

“Okay, kid. Let’s do something.”

 

She picked him and swung him around. She glanced outside where it was nice and bright, the sky full of fluffy clouds.

 

“Maybe a walk?” She waited for his answer and when he hiccupped she took that for a yes.

 

She packed him up in the stroller and went out through the garage. She tucked the garage door opener into her pocket so they could get back in. She hadn’t been out much in this neighborhood since moving in. She walked on the sidewalks, making sure to pay attention to which direction she went so she wouldn’t need her phone to find her way back.

 

As they walked, she pointed out trees and birds to Damian. He looked around with intense interest. He fell asleep after a while and she turned back. As she hit the door opener and pushed the stroller into the garage, she heard a door slam inside the house and was on instant alert.

 

Her training kicked in and she pulled out the pepper spray. Hawk’s car was still there and his bike was still gone.

 

She pushed the stroller closer and stopped. Instead she put the pepper spray back in her pocket and took out her phone and quickly dialed 911. Then she pushed the stroller back out of the house and across the street to wait. At least this way she could watch the house and see if anyone left.

 

“What’s your emergency?”

 

She explained what had happened and waited on the phone until the police cruiser pulled up. As she was waiting, she saw a shadow run down the backyard. Someone had left the house and had probably gotten away.

 

She knew the cop who showed up. “Hey Gary,” she said. “I think he ran out the back. But I can’t be certain.”

 

“You just stay here while I check it out.”

 

He went in and she waited again for several minutes. He finally came back out.

 

“Didn’t find anyone in there. Nothing looks like it was broken or disturbed. There was a…” He pressed his lips together.

 

“A what?”

 

“Well, a message.”

 

She pulled her eyebrows together. “What sort of message?”

 

“I’ll show you. It’s safe to come on in.”

 

She followed Gary inside and to the bathroom. On the mirror, in black marker, crude letters formed the words STAY OUT.

 

She sucked in a breath. “Wow.”

 

“Any idea who might have done this?”

 

“No. It’s not my house, I’m just babysitting. I’ll have to question him when he gets back.”

 

Gary cleared his throat. “We’ll talk to him.”

 

“Right.” Sometimes she forgot she was no longer a cop and couldn’t just question whoever she wanted or get any info she needed.

 

“We miss you, you know. You were one good detective.”

 

“Thanks. But maybe I was a little too good. I wasn’t willing to stop.”

 

“Well, it is what it is, I guess. I’ll call the homeowner and let him know what’s going on, then ask him a few questions.”

 

“Can I call him? Please?”

 

She took out her phone and hit his number but suddenly choked up. Someone had been in the house and had gotten away. She had to remind herself that the reason she hadn’t done anything was Damian. She was keeping him safe.

 

“I’m sorry,” she said, her voice wavering, “He got away. I didn’t stop him. I didn’t get him.”

 

“Damian’s okay, right?”

 

“That’s why I didn’t go after the guy myself.”

 

“Alexa, that’s crazy. You can’t go after someone who broke in. You did exactly the right thing.”

 

“I just feel like I could have done something else,” she said.

 

“I wouldn’t want you to. Let me be the one to put myself in danger and go after the bad guy. I’ll be the one to protect you and Damian, okay?”

 

“Okay,” she whispered.

 

Gary stayed and took fingerprints around the house while Hawk raced home. She sat on the couch with Damian, letting the events of the day soak in.

 

The thought of Damian being in danger panicked her and brought tears to her eyes. She couldn’t let anything happen to him. When Hawk burst in the door, he came right to her. She was on the couch, clutching Damian to her chest, and he scooped them both into a tight hug. Tears spilled down her cheeks. She’d never felt protected like this, and after a near miss, she needed to feel safe and in control in some way. If she couldn’t still be a cop, she had to do everything else she could for those around her. Right now, that meant protecting Damian and finding Hugh’s killer.

 

He sat beside them on the sofa as he talked to Gary, answering his questions. He went to get the marker cleaned up once the photos had all been taken, then he came back to the living room where Damian had fallen asleep in Alexa’s arms.

 

“I’ll take him,” Hawk said.

 

He picked up the baby and walked him to his room. Hawk came back to the living room and sat beside Alexa.

 

“Thank you for protecting Damian. I don’t know what I would do if something happened to him.”

 

“I’m sorry I didn’t do more, I—”

 

“Stop that.” He put his hand at the back of her neck and pulled her close to kiss her. “You did everything just right.”

 

He kissed her again and her heart surged. Maybe all wasn’t lost when it came to him. She felt her longing for him return. She liked feeling protected, knowing that he would do anything to keep her safe. Not that she couldn’t defend herself, but it was nice to know he cared that much about her that he’d put himself in danger. She couldn’t say that about anyone else in her life.

 

She kissed him back hungrily. She wanted a repeat of the night before. He’d been the best lover she’d ever had and she wanted more. Even if things wouldn’t keep going between them, she wanted him now. She moved herself into his lap so she could rub against his hardness.

 

“Alexa.” He rang his hands through her hair and whispered into her ear as he kissed along her neck. “You drive me crazy.”

 

She chuckled softly. “And you drive me crazy right back.”

 

He stood, holding her tight in his arms as he carried her. He walked into his bedroom and kicked the door closed behind him.

 

“I’m going to show you just how crazy you drive me.” He gave her an intense stare, full of desire, and laid her down on the bed.

 

She looked back up at him, her insides warm and full of wanting. Her mind went back to the other times they’d been together and how good it felt, and the longing swelled within her. She pulled her top off over her head and removed her bra. Hawk smiled down at her.

 

“That’s better,” he said. He pulled off his own shirt and tossed it to the floor.

 

He leaned down to kiss her again and trailed his fingers over her skin. Her nipples hardened, and chills broke out over her stomach in waves as he moved over her.

 

“I don’t think I can take it this slow,” he said, growling lightly in her ear.

 

He reached down and nearly tore her pants getting them off in a hurry. He wiggled out of his own pants and slid down between her legs. Only once had a man eaten her out before and, while it’d been a nice enough experience, it was nothing like what Hawk did next. His tongue moved around and in her, flicking as he sucked and pulled. He slipped a finger in and out as he licked around her clit.

 

She felt the orgasm build and gripped his hair in her hands as she came. She cried out loudly, not thinking of Damian asleep in the next room until after her head had stopped spinning.

 

He came back to her, a wide grin on his face. “I guess you liked it.”

 

“Mmm,” she murmured, barely able to form a sentence.

 

He kissed along her neck and down her chest to suck on her nipples while she took a moment to recover.

 

He moved his hand to rub her in slow circles. He pressed the tip of his dick against her, rubbing it around and spreading her wetness. Then he pushed in. She moaned and held a pillow over her face so that she wouldn’t wake the baby. He pounded her fast, bringing one of her legs up and sliding it over his shoulder. He leaned down to bend her knee more and he was able to push even deeper. She kept her face buried as she continued to cry out in pleasure.

 

“You feel so good,” he said.

 

He moved in a few slow circles, letting her calm just enough for the momentum to grow. She felt another orgasm building. She rocked up her hips to meet him. He slammed in harder and faster again, and she was coming in a few thrusts.

 

He cried out a moment later, then held in deep. She could feel his heartbeat in his cock as it rested inside her. She breathed hard, her mind reeling from the sensation. When he finally pulled out, he did so slowly. She felt entirely empty when he slipped all the way out. She wished he’d stayed in longer so she could feel that deep connection to him, that intimate coupling.

 

He curled around her and brought her to him, her back to his hot chest. The heat poured off him. His strong arms around her made her feel safe. She stopped worrying about the man who’d been in the house, or the warning written on the mirror. Hawk would protect her, and for the first time in her life, she thought that if something did happen, she would let him rather than trying to be the hero or feeling the need to protect herself. It was nice to have someone to be there, who she knew wouldn’t let her down.

 

She drifted off to sleep with the thought in her mind that she was falling for him, and that maybe she was okay with that.