Page 67 of Saved By the Officers

Of Shade moving inside me while Trap stood behind, fingers brushing up and down my spine while he nudged my virgin back hole with the slick plug. This time when I shivered, the water popping up beneath my chin with the movement was from arousal instead of terror.

I’d thought having them both touching me,wantingthem both to touch me, would make me feel dirty. But instead it was amazing. Better than amazing. Mind-blowing in the best fucking way possible. I’d never done anything like that, and it was almost as if a puzzle piece I never knew was missing in my life slid into place in that moment.

I needed those two. Not one or the other but both.

Now just having one man watching over me, making me feel loved and special, didn’t seem like enough. Trap and Shade, this perfect duo, had ruined me for any relationship after this.

If there was an after this.

I wanted to keep them both. For this to be more than a fling. But how in the hell could that happen when the house, the money I spent, the damn car, nothing was my own? I was in this odd in-between stage, still fighting to leave my old life while stretching my hand out, desperately grabbing on to the new life that promised more for both me and Gracie.

Lost in thought, I stared at the white tile, startling when a knock sounded at the door and then it immediately swung open before I could utter a word.

A tiny woman with long blonde hair and wide eyes peeked into the bathroom. Instinctively, I covered my naked body, but she just waved her hand and stepped fully into the bathroom.

“I’ve seen it all, honey. Don’t cover up on my account.” After setting a bag on the counter, she turned and leaned against it, facing me. “I’m Caradee, the doctor friend. I know you don’t know much about me, but I’ve heard a lot about you from Trap. All good things, and nothing… personal,” she said slowly with a small grin. Not sure if she was referring to my past that couldn’t be discussed or what he and I had done together. Either way, her words inched my body temperature up even higher, making sweat dot along my forehead and upper lip. “Let’s get a look at your foot and the injuries. Shade has texted me no fewer than twenty times asking for a status update.”

My lips tugged upward as I shook my head. No longer caring about my nudity, I sank back into the water and shifted so she had a better angle to look at the bottom of my foot.

“I hate that he’s worried. I know his trauma makes it worse too. Though if I’m piecing everything together right, his need to know where I am and that I’m safe at all times was why anyone knew Gracie and I were stranded.”

Caradee nodded as she slipped on a pair of latex gloves and scooted the stool closer. Holding my foot higher in the air, she narrowed her eyes as she inspected the damage.

“You’re not queasy around blood, are you?”

“No, why?”

“Just checking. Don’t want you fainting in the tub.” One hand still holding my foot, she stretched back and grabbed large tweezers out of her bag. “I’m going to remove the rock and debris first, and then we’ll clean it. Want to fill me in on what happened? I haven’t gotten any details except for me to get my ass out here ASAP.”

With a sigh, I swept my focus up to the ceiling to not watch her dig shit out of my skin. Before answering, I considered my words.

“We had a blowout. I didn’t know how to fix it, and that asshole saw an opportunity.” I rolled my head along the ceramic tub. “I couldn’t do anything.” Tears filled my lower lids as I remembered how weak I felt beneath his hold, fighting against him but knowing it wasn’t enough. “Here I am surrounded by women who are strong and independent, and I’m just weak. Anne probably would’ve not only had the tire changed but castrated the man with her pocketknife while she did it.”

“She’s a force for sure, but that doesn’t mean you’re weak.”

I huffed. “I could barely get that guy off me.”

“Hold that thought.” Before I could ask why, pain sliced up from where she dug something large out of my sole. She held the pinched tweezers up into the light and twisted it so I could see the shard of glass that was half covered in blood. “I just pulled this out of one of the most sensitive parts on the body, and you didn’t even twitch. How is that weak?”

“It’s different,”I muttered.

Caradee sighed and set everything down on the side of the tub. Carefully, she dunked my foot into the water, rubbing it gently before pulling it back out and blotting it with a towel.

“Here’s what I think. I think women are strong in many ways, whereas we always associate men with the word strength. I find that fucking fascinating. We are so multifaceted that a single word can be a slew of traits.”

“Like what?” I asked, hating the desperation in my voice. I didn’t want to feel weak and embarrassed; it weighed me down, almost drowning me in the tub.

“Sure, Anne is a badass and can hold her own, but I know for a fact that she looks at you like you’re Superwoman because of how amazing of a mom you are.” I blinked at Caradee, who wiped at my skin with a soaked gauze. “I’m going out on a limb here and assuming whatever happened today, you put your daughter first.” I swallowed and nodded. “Made sure she was safe, putting yourself in an even worse situation to keep that creep from being anywhere near her. That’s fucking brave. To shove aside all concerns for yourself, all to keep her protected. So yeah, you might not be physically strong or crazy like Anne, but you’re a good mom who did what she had to do to protect her kid, and that’s strength right there.”

I swallowed down unshed tears, unable to speak.

“I hope I’m as strong of a mother as you are one day,” she whispered, peeking up through her light lashes.

“Yeah?”

“Yes. Not that I have any prospects.” She sighed. “The only two hotties in this town are smitten with another woman.” She winked. “Not that I would date either of them anyway. They’re more like my brothers at this point in our friendship.” Her narrow shoulders shuddered as if the thought of them together made her sick. “I’m happy for them, glad they found you.”

“How can it even work?” I said out loud before I realized I was talking. “I want them both equally, but that’s not normal. Right?”

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