Green stood with Ruxs while Syn gave them more instructions after the meeting. They had the next couple days out of the office. They were to watch the warehouse tomorrow night and scope out the neighborhoods like usual. They didn’t want Chainz to notice anything different from their normal policing habits. The bust was scheduled at the end of the week, and they were ready.

“Stay out of trouble you two. I mean it. I’m real glad you guys got something going with each other. But under no circumstances do I want to see it effecting your work,” Syn said firmly. “Like it did today.”

Ruxs gave a lazy salute and turned to walk with Green out of the office. “Hey. You want to go get Curtis and watch the game?”

Green threw his keys at him. “Go on and text him. He’s probably at the hospital visiting his mom. I’ll meet you guys at home.”

Ruxs stopped walking, looking at him curiously. Green saw the minute Ruxs understood what he was about to do. Ruxs grabbed his arm and pulled him into one of the empty conference rooms. He closed the door behind him, before he was pulled into a tight hug. Green hugged him back hard. When he pulled back, he saw that Ruxs’ eyes glistened with moisture.

“Can you tell her —”

“Shhh.” Green put his hand over Ruxs’ lips cutting off what he was going to ask. There was only one message he was going to give that woman. “Go home, baby. I won’t be long.” Green kissed his lips gently and left the room. 

Green was satisfied with his meeting at the DA’s office. Now he was waiting in one of the lawyer/client rooms at the Georgia Correctional Facility.

The lock turned in the door and a female officer lead Ms. Ruxsberg into the room. When she saw him, her eyes quickly scanned the room for her son. The officer pushed down on Ms. Ruxsberg’s shoulder, sitting her firmly in the metal chair. Green gave the officer a nod and she turned and left them alone. Green sat down, staring at her. His heart beat wildly in his chest as he thought of her holding a blunt object over his partner’s head. He steepled his fingers together, counting backwards from twenty. She looked behind her.

“He’s not here, and he’s not coming here. So stop looking for him. If it were completely up to me, you’d never see him again.” Green smiled evilly. “I’m working on that.”

Ruxs’ mom tugged at the collar of her orange jumpsuit, scratching her neck roughly. The skin looked like it was rubbed raw. She was detoxing. Her mouth looked dry, and her eyes couldn’t settle on one thing for longer than two seconds. “Who do you think you are?”

“Shut the fuck up and listen,” Green barked at her, making her jump a foot in the air. Her mouth dropped open in surprise, her eyes as wide as saucers. “I’m here to make a deal with you. You’re going to take it and you’re going to like it.”

She gasped, tugged at her collar again as if she was grasping a set of pearls. “You can’t talk to me like that. Armin wouldn’t let you do this to me. Tell him I want to see —”

“Mark! His name is Mark! Say it!” Green stood over her, yelling in her face. The guard burst back through the door, looking angrily at him.

“Everything is fine,” Green said through clenched teeth, sitting back in his chair.

Once the guard left he took a deep breath and began again. “Ms. Ruxsberg. I’ve talked with the DA, he’s willing to drop the assault on an officer charge – which is a felony – and just charge you with one count of possession. But all that can go away at my word.” He watched her fidget in her seat, scratching at the marred skin again.

“What’s the catch?” She smirked. “There’s always a catch.”

“Of course there’s a goddamn catch. First thing is you pleading guilty to the possession charge. Instead of prison you go to a rehab facility in Albany for eighteen months. It’s not a voluntary rehab, you will do the entire year and a half. Second, you do not contact Mark until you’ve served your full eighteen months and you are completely sober. I will put a restraining order in place. If you contact him by phone, in person, by email, by text, by fuckin’ carrier pigeon, your ass goes back to jail to serve your remaining time, plus additional time for violating the order.”

She opened her mouth like she was going to speak but he cut her off fast. “Don’t you dare open your damn mouth, I’m not done. Not only will you do your rehab and drug counseling, but you must also do parenting education as well. If you refuse to cooperate or participate in either of these, you’ll come back to serve your sentence in jail. If it were up to me, I’d let you rot in this place for all the hurt you’ve put Mark through, and I wouldn’t lose a wink of sleep. So don’t fuckin’ test me. Last thing.” Green stood towering over her, his face a contorted, angry mask. “If you ever think of hurting Mark again, if you ever utter one word to him that hurts his feelings. I will come after you with everything I’ve got, and believe me lady; I’ve got one helluva goddamn army. I’ll make sure the DA charges you with any and everything we can think of. And I won’t stop until you’ve been severely fucked by the long dick of the law.”

“Who do you think you are?” she snarled back at him.

“I’m the man that loves your son. So you have to ask yourself. How dangerous does that really make me?”

She eyed him warily. Her shoulders slumped and her face twitched whether from the lack of drugs or from anger he couldn’t tell; either way, he didn’t care. “Do we have a deal or not? Say yes, and you’ll be on your way to getting better, like Mark wants. You say no, and you take your chances with the DA and a jury. So what will it be? You’ve got five seconds to decide.”

She looked up at him, her eyes narrowing like she wanted to rip his head off. Good. He wanted her to be angry, to be upset, to hurt. He needed her to feel just a fraction of what she gave Ruxs last night.

“Fine. Okay, I’ll do the rehab.”

Green got up and went to the door. “The DA will be by tomorrow. Sign the plea agreement papers and the restraining order. I don’t want to hear from you until you’re squeaky clean and ready to be mom of the year to your son. I’m talkin’ June fuckin’ Cleaver. He’s too good for anything less.” Green walked out the door, proud of what he’d done and prouder of what he hadn’t done, which was choke the life out of her like he’d longed too.

“Your shot bud,” Ruxs said leaning against his pool cue. He and Curtis were playing pool and waiting on Green. He was anxious to know what had happened with his mom. After all she’d done, he couldn’t turn his love for her off as easily as she cut hers for him. He heard the balls click together, bringing his attention back to the table. “Good shot.”

“I’m getting better, huh.” Curtis grinned, leaning over to shoot again.

“Yeah. You are. I’ve taught you well grasshopper.” Ruxs laughed. He went to the kitchen to grab another beer. He popped off the top and froze when he heard Green come through the door. He set his beer down and raced over to him.

“Hey, how’d it go? Did you talk to the DA? Is Henderson gonna do a deal? Did you see her too? How is she?” Ruxs slowed when Green took his hand and led him upstairs.

“Uh, guys. Are we still gonna’ watch the game?” Curtis called after them.

“Yeah Curtis. Turn it on and pop some corn,” Green yelled back.

“But, I’m starving,” Curtis yelled back.

“Stop whining and order a pizza,” Ruxs barked.

Green looked back at him with an irritated expression. “Don’t take out your frustrations on him.”

“I’m sorry,” Ruxs said quietly.

“I wasn’t the one you snapped at.”

“I’ll apologize, okay. Can you just talk to me, Chris?”

Green kept walking down the hall, both of them going into his bedroom. He began to peel off his clothes to change into something more comfortable, while Ruxs sat in the recliner by the window. He watched his partner take his time getting changed. He threw his dirty clothes in his hamper and removed his watch. He checked the safety on his Glock and placed it in his nightstand. Green put on a pair of soft, cotton lounging pants and a white wife beater. Damn he was gorgeous.

“Chris, please.” Ruxs looked impatiently at him.

Green came over to the chair and squatted in front of him, resting both hands on his thighs. “The DA will let her plead guilty to possession only if she agrees to spend her eighteen month sentence in a rehab facility in Albany. She has to attend parenting classes as well. And—” Green stood up. “There will be a restraining order in place.”

“For who?” Ruxs stood with him.

“For you. She’s not to have any contact with you until she’s clean. That was my condition.” Green crossed his arms over his chest as if daring him to disagree.

“You did all this for me,” Ruxs said quietly, standing close to Green, close enough to breathe in his scent.

Green walked them backwards until the back of his legs hit the mattress. He didn’t push him down, instead he put his hand on Ruxs shoulder and guided him to sit on the edge of the bed. He tipped his chin up with his thumb and pointer finger. “I’ll do anything for you. Don’t you know that by now? Just like I know there’s nothing you wouldn’t do for me.”

Ruxs looked up at this magnificent man. “You know I would.”

Green smiled. “Are you satisfied with my decision? You wanted your mom clean, right?”

Ruxs held on to Green’s narrow waist. “Yes. I’m very satisfied. I think this is what she needs. Thank you so much for doing that. I know you’re not her biggest fan but honestly, she was good once. I’m glad you believed me.”

“Mmm hmm. I love to see you smiling like that. And I love it even more that I’m the one that helped put that smile there.” Green straddled Ruxs legs and sat down on his lap.

“I don’t know how I can thank you for doing all this,” Ruxs murmured, kissing Green gently on his chin. He nuzzled in the crook of Green’s neck, loosing himself in the smooth, citrusy scent that lingered there.

Green began to wind his hips slowly, and Ruxs leaned back on his elbows, tilting and rocking his pelvis in rhythm with Green’s.

“I know a way for you to show your appreciation.” Green winked.

“Oh yeah. What’s that?” Ruxs panted. His cock already fully erect.

Green shook his head no. “No, babe. I’m going to wait to collect my thank you.” He leaned down and kissed Ruxs with passion and excitement. Ruxs wrapped his arms around Green’s back, pressing their firm chests together.

“Damn. I can’t wait to get you back up here alone,” Green said with a teasing smile.

Ruxs chased after his mouth, wanting more kisses, more tongue, more tasting.

“Always so eager, baby. I’m going to give you all you can handle tonight,” Green promised, kissing him again. They slowed the intensity of the kiss, now lapping languidly at each other’s mouths. Ruxs moaned, gripping the back of Green’s neck to keep him from pulling away. He thrust up again, wanting Green to touch, stroke him, anything to extinguish the fire he felt below his belt.

“Are you going to fuck me?” Ruxs asked, his voice betraying him; revealing his nervousness.

Green licked his jaw. “Is that what you want? Do you think you’re ready for that?”

Ruxs took a deep breath. Trying to calm himself. “I don’t know. I just know I want more. I want to satisfy you as much as you satisfy me.”

“You do satisfy me. You have no idea. The things you let me do to you make me feel so fuckin’ good. And trust me. I have no problem voicing what I want. I do want you, Ruxs. I have for a long time. But there’s no rush. I have some plans for us tonight, but we’re going to take things slow. I want you completely comfortable with whatever we do. And I promise. It’s going to be satisfying for both of us.”

Ruxs reached up, tangling his hands in Green’s messy hair and pulled him back down to his mouth. The small grunt he made was swallowed hungrily. “You’re so gorgeous,” Ruxs said in between kisses. “Driving me fuckin’ crazy.”

Green rutted against him, squeezing his shoulders, his biceps, while sucking up more passion marks on his neck. His tongue flicked at his stubble on his jaw as Green worked his way back up to his mouth. “Sexy fucker.” Green groaned, devouring his mouth.

Ruxs tried to still Green’s powerful hips. “You keep doing that and I’m gonna come.”

“Hey, you guys still gonna watch the game? The first inning is almost over,” Curtis yelled from just outside the door. “Pizza should be here soon, too.”

“Damn. Talk about timing,” Ruxs muttered.

“Alright. We’re coming out,” Green yelled back, already up and straitening his clothes.

Green placed a chaste kiss on Ruxs’ lips, chuckling at the look of misery on his face. “It’ll be that much sweeter, baby.”

“I want you now.” Ruxs pulled at the hem of Green’s

“You’ll have me… be patient.”