“No one else.”
“You mean like we’re monogamous?”
“Yes,” I firmly replied.
When he acted like he was thinking hard on that last request, I shoved at him. “Get off me! I’m not fucking sharing your dick with any random skanks. I’ll be damned. Move!” I said with one last shove before I realized he was laughing.
“You sure are sexy when you’re pissed off,” he murmured with a wicked smirk that I was torn between wanting to smack off and kiss off. “I won’t need anyone else.”
Bracing on his arms, he dropped down and softly brushed his lips across mine. That ended with a teasing nip before he sucked my lip in his mouth. Then he trailed kisses along my jaw, my neck, and over the swell of my breasts before tugging one nipple into his hot mouth.
Nails digging into his shoulders, I shoved my head back into my pillow, arched my back, and groaned. His mouth continued to work magic all over my body until I was a puddle of need.
“Please,” I begged, though I had no idea what I was asking for. I simply knew I was wound tight and ready to explode. Everything he did—every touch, swipe of his tongue, and nip of his teeth drove me closer to madness.
The incredible skill with which he controlled my body should’ve been frightening. Instead, it was intoxicating. Each movement tore down my defenses—made me crave him.
That time he was slow, teasing, sensuous. He worshipped me. Maybe it was still fucking, but he sure as hell made it seem like making love.
Each day for the next two weeks, I was anxious for the clock to hit the witching hour. Okay, so it was the end of my day, but it was definitely when the magic happened. The earliest second I could, I’d call it a day, grab my things, and meet Luke. He had become a habit that I wasn’t ready to kick.
Not yet.
My phone rang. Seeing it was Alba, I answered as I shut down my computer.
“Hey, Alba, I was just leaving.” Hand in my drawer, I lifted my tote to leave.
“Hailey?” Her voice trembled.
“What’s wrong?” The bag dropped with a thud back into my drawer.
“Lynn is on the phone. Line two. It’s urgent.”
Immediately, I hit the flashing light. I looked up to see Alba in the doorway. Her expression told me it wasn’t good.
“Ms. Monroe, Danielle is gone!” Lynn shouted through the phone.
“What?” I exclaimed, sure I had heard her wrong.
“I went to get everyone for our outing to Mel’s Pizza. She wasn’t in the common area. Her bed is empty, and her bag is gone.”
“Lock everything down. Let’s do a search of the grounds. I’ll call all units and notify them we have a code silver.” I hit the button I never wanted to have to touch. Code silver meant an elopement—and not the romantic kind. The kind where one of our kids ran away. Our security guard called me immediately.
“I’m on it, ma’am.” I could hear he was already on the move.
Everyone on staff checked every square inch of the facility and grounds. Danielle was in the least restrictive unit due to the phase she was in of her program. That meant it wasn’t a gated and locked unit.
We searched the grounds, but I knew we weren’t going to find her. My heart sinking, I returned to my office and called the police.
Goddamn, that was the last thing I wanted to do. Not only was I worried out of my mind for Danielle, I was still in my probationary period of my employment—and I lost a kid. It was so bad. So fucking bad.
“Ms. Monroe, you cannot blame yourself. These are troubled kids. This wasn’t the first and likely won’t be the last,” Chet said as his partner stepped away to call back to dispatch. They had found footprints heading into the thickly wooded area that bordered the property and to the highway on the other side. That’s where they ended.
“I understand that, but they are my responsibility. They are here for help.” A shaking hand pressed to my mouth, I scanned the area again, hoping that Danielle would come walking through the trees saying she wandered off and lost track of time or something.
Of course she didn’t, and she wouldn’t have packed a bag to walk in the woods. Something she also knew wasn’t authorized, despite the stage she was in of treatment. We had rules, and every kid knew what was expected prior to moving up in the program.
“There will be a BOLO, uh, sorry, a ‘be on the lookout’ for your patient. If we hear anything, we’ll let you know as soon as possible.” He paused and shot a glance over his shoulder to where the other officer was still occupied and Deputy Baker was quietly observing.
“Are you sure you’re okay?” he asked.
Not trusting myself with words, I nodded.
“If—” He stopped when the other cop approached. He reached into his chest pocket. Then he handed me his card. “If there’s anything else you find or think of, please give me a call.”
I shot him a confused glance but nodded. I already had his number from our date. Did he not want his cop friend to know we’d gone out? Too tired to worry about it, I simply stood there.
Then they left. The sheriff’s deputy finished with his questions, and he left as well. They had come in because the property for the facility was right on the edge of the city limits. The wood line was county, and since there was evidence she went into the trees, it was their investigation as well.
The night wasn’t close to over for me. I had a shit ton of paperwork to do. I’d already notified all the appropriate parties, including Danielle’s parents, who barely seemed concerned. That really rubbed me the wrong way.
Shoulders slumped in defeat, I returned to my office. After dropping to my chair, I began the tedious process of
