Brutal (44 page)

When Rafe tries to get up, she gives him a solid punt to the kidneys.

He curls up to spare himself further attack.

What’s really funny? Macy was holding back.

I give her a high five, while Rogan is laughing his ass off. Macy puts her heels back on, grabs her keys, blows Rafe a kiss, and walks to the door. Opening the door, she looks back at all of us and announces, “Shadow Squad, that’s our name. Vote on it if you’d like, but I think it fits. See you all tomorrow. Love you, Venessa.”

“Love you too, Macy.” I smile back to her.

“She’s fucking something, I’ll give her that” says Rogan. Leaning down, with me still in his lap, he looks at Rafe, who's defeated and remorseful. “You alright?”

“I fucked up again, didn’t I?” he asks.

“Yep,” we say in unison.

“I think I love her,” he says, coughing.

“It’s fucked up, Rafe,” I say. “But I think she loves you, too.”

“Maybe,” says Rogan. “But she sure as fuck don’t like you very much.”

“Still in the game,” says Rafe. “We really doing this?” he asks, looking at both of us

I look in his eyes, and he looks in mine, knowing it’s not just something we want to do, but something we have to do.

Detroit needs us.

Turning to Rafe, I say, “Yeah, we’re really doing this.”

“Right after I take her on vacation,” says Rogan, hugging me.

Hugging him back, looking up into his eyes, it was that ‘a-ha’ moment that hits you, and smothers you in peace. I’ve been getting those a lot lately.

“I guess I better put on my Kevlar and apologize to Macy, then,” says Rafe, standing up.

“Piece of advice?” I  offer.

“Sure, why not,” he says, flinching.

“Be yourself,” I offer.

“That’s the worst advice I’ve ever heard. You suck at this,” he says, walking out the door.

Rogan leans me back, brushes the hair from my eyes and, as always, keeps things simple.

“Anywhere you want to go, I’ll take you, so name it.”

“There was this one other thing from the trust I didn’t sell,” I say, smiling up at him and tugging at his beard.

“Yeah? What’s that, Angel?”

“My parent’s cabin,” I whisper. “I’d give anything to go there with you.”

“Done,” he says, kissing me. “Do something for me.”

“Anything,” I say, without hesitation.

“Tell me I’m a good man,” he says quietly.

“You’re not a good man,” I say, sinking my hands into his beard. “You’re a great man.” I kiss his nose. “You’re my man.” I kiss his cheek. “You’re mine.” I kiss his mouth.

“Fucking love you, pumpkin,” he whispers.

“Fucking love you too, tree,” I whisper back.

My name is Venessa Cross, but you may remember me as Kharma. I stand up for those who can’t, and I’m making Detroit a safer place. You don’t ever want to find yourself on my radar, because now it’s not just me coming for you. I’ve got my team with me. If you thought I was dangerous before, you should know I’m even more dangerous now. Because now? I’ve got something to lose.

My name is Venessa Cross. I am justice.

A
lot of shit has changed since meeting her. She makes me smile, she makes me laugh and sometimes she even listens. I went from being nobody, never being loved to being bathed in it and its fucking perfection. I’m taking her to her cabin as requested but when we get back; we get serious about building our lives together. She’ll marry me, eventually and yeah I’ve got that figured out too.

Thing is, this love shit is easy. Loving her is easy, second nature. How the fuck she fell for the likes of me I’ll never know. You’ve read some of our story, got an idea of who we are but as much as she says I saved her, that I came for her that’s not the truth. The truth is, this tiny female sleeping in my lap saved me, she came for me and even when the stakes were high she came back to me. There ain’t no me without her.

We fell in love when our hands touched, how many people can fucking say that?

Rafe says our love ain’t typical. He says people don’t fall like that; I call bullshit because I did, and I’ve got the proof; I’m living it. Rafe the stubborn bastard fell too, but he’s too fucking terrified of Macy to do dick about it. But he will, because when love's on the line, anything goes.

Macy though, she’s wounded deep but she’ll come around. I see how she looks at him; she looks at him like Venessa looks at me. They both have some shit to sort out, and truthfully I’m looking forward to seeing that shit play out. I’ve got love around me now, I’ve got something to live for, people who matter and I ain’t no pussy for saying it neither.

 The Captain gave us the freedom to do what needs to be done; that being said what you need to know is he has no authority to do this, none. He’ll provide cover best he can but if what we do ever gets out, the Cap is out of job and so are Rafe and me. Bottom line, he thinks it worth it. He thinks Detroit is worth it and so do the four of us.

Once she’s healed up, we begin. Each of us has a reason for being on this team; we each have a skill to bring to the table. I agree with Rafe that I worry for Macy, but just not for the same reasons. There’s more to Macy then meets the eye, and Rafe ain’t prepared for it.

I needed her to tell me I was a good man and without questioning it, she did. I’m mixed up about some shit right now. One: being that I had to watch her end the life of her childhood best friend in front of his father, while I did nothing. I knew it was her right but fuck, I wanted to do it in her honor. Now I’ve got Tony’s fucking secret to keep and I’m feeling a lot of things about that, none of them include me being a good man.

Since Tony dropped his bomb on me no one, Max included has heard from him. Venessa asks about him often and keeping this from her is going to bite me in the ass, but if it keeps her safe then I’ll accept the teeth marks and the consequences.

I’m not big on talk and this is a onetime deal so listen up. With everything I’ve got, I’ll protect her, love her and treat her right. I took a vow to uphold the law but when her life was on the line I learned real fucking quick it ain’t black and white, right or wrong. It’s about survival. Ain’t no rules in survival, she taught me that and I get it now.

We’re survivors.

We have a job to do, streets to clean and love to protect, and trust me, you do not fuck with that. I love her and she loves me, but every morning I wake up I’ll do whatever I can to make her love me even more. People like me don’t get famous, we don’t make a lot of money, we don’t expect much and we never get the girl.

Still ain’t famous, not much in the way of money, I expected nothing but I got the fucking girl.

Turns out, that’s all I fucking needed.

My name is Detective Rogan Black, not like you didn’t know. I’m the guy who finally got what he always wanted but never knew he needed and she just woke up in my lap.

My name is Detective Rogan Black, and I’m the guy who got it all.

T
he amazing ladies at Black Firefly: Jade, Kyra and Lindsey, Tara Mchenry and Dawn Salas of Sizzling Pages, Chelle Bliss for tips, tricks, dirty talk and keeping me sane, Pepper Winters for guidance and support, Tina Tourikis for her creativity and love, Jason 'Dubz' Williams, Courtney Salter, Cora Nicholas, Nicole Hafendorfer, David Skiver, The Firing Line, The Detroit Flyhouse, Venessa Doss Roach, My husband, the worlds most patient male, My daughter and biggest fan, My siblings Debbie, Michelle and Brian, My parents Doug & Anita, Eminem because shit, he inspires me daily! Five Finger Death Punch for keeping me focused and aggressive.

To every reader, blogger and friend who has or will read me, it means the world.

And to Detroit Rock City!

K.S. Adkins is a full time everything. When I'm not wifing, mothering or being bossy; I'm reading, writing or shooting. A full time Realtor, life long Michigander and all around lover of all things guns and Detroit. I believe in freedom of foul language, gratuitous nudity, tattoos and mosh pits. I've recently taken up drinking wine and feel like I'm really making progress with it.  I think my chances at finding a place within the romance genre is 50/50 but I suck at numbers so what do I know?

My stories are written with heavy dialogue and are Detroit based. If you don't like heavy dialogue or Detroit don't read my stories. My characters are typically dark and fairly fucked up so if you want sappy characters without issues, don't read my stories.

I love violence, guns, blood, naughty words, awkward sex, rap, metal and untraditional people. Every fight scene was tried and tested by me, I have the bruises to prove it too.

I write romance but my characters are not romantic, each is a work in progress. My stories are about strong women and the alphas who try to tame them but never do.

At the end of the day you may not like my stories, you may also think I suck as an author and that's okay, but I have to tell you I had the best fucking time writing them and for me that's what it's all about.

I love new likes so hit me up on Facebook at K.S. Adkins and let me know if you loved it or hated it ♥