Blindsided

"So I've been told."

"I don't know Max. I'm so in love with Lesley, but she's not herself."

"I'll talk to her. Let's see if I can help straighten this out."

"You're a gem Max. I don't know what I'd do without you. You got DaVanna off my back, found me a job that I love, and introduced me to the woman I love. I owe you."

"You owe me nothing, Alessandra."

"I owe you everything Max."

I gave her a friendly hug. "You're one of the purest people I know. I'll do anything for you. You know that."

She started to tear up. "Thanks Max."

"You're welcome." I got out of bed and padded to the bathroom.

"It'll be better, I promise," I told her before I closed the bathroom door. It was a promise I intended to keep.

* * *

I usually drove to the station on autopilot, with my phone playing jazz to ease myself into the new day. Not that day. I thought about what I'd say to Lesley and reminded myself not to get angry, as that would only make her more defensive. I've never been good at rehearsing my lines so I gave up, trusting what I said would come out right.

I pulled into the station's lot and noticed that Lesley's car was already there. I went into the service entrance, the one protected by a keypad. I punched in my code and opened the door. The break room was visible on the right as I entered. Lesley was sitting there drinking coffee and reading off her phone. She looked up when she heard the door open.

"Max," she said flatly. She barely maintained eye contact. The look of a guilty person.

I sat down next to her. I made sure no one else was in the room or within earshot.

"Alessandra spent the night with me," I told her. I'm sure she knew anyway.

"I'm sorry Max," she said, at least sounding contrite.

"What's gotten into you partner?" I asked, putting my hand on top of hers.

"I think you know." All the fight had left her. None of the defensiveness of last time. I thought she was close to hitting bottom.

"What is it, Oxy?"

"I knew you'd figure it out."

"Wasn't hard. Losing your temper, shoving, hitting. That's not you."

"I know."

"So what are we going to do about this?"

She was my partner, now and forever. It was always going to be a shared problem, not just hers. She needed to know that.

"First, I'm going to Chief and telling him that the incident at Jumbo's wasn't your fault," she said.

"You'll do no such thing," I said emphatically.

"Why? Right now he thinks it was all you. I started it."

"And we'll leave it that way. I've always been in the doghouse. Why take a ding to your reputation?"

"Because I deserve it."

"No you don't. I'll admit you overreacted but that asshole needed to know he was way out of line."

She took a sip of coffee and blankly stared at the marred fake granite tabletop.

"You owe Alessandra a big apology," I told her.

"On my knees," she admitted.

"And then some," I added.

She squeezed her eyes. A tear trickled down her cheek. "I'm so sorry."

"I was afraid during your recovery that you'd get addicted to the painkillers. You hid it well, I'll tell you that."

She hung her head lower. "I'm ashamed of myself Max."

"Does anyone else know?"

"Just you and Alessandra."

"Do you want to quit?"

"More than ever."

"What about the pain. Do you still have any?"

"A bit. But I should be able to manage without any help. I used to need the pills, but now it's for a different reason."

"I know."

"Why don't we see if you can get some sick days. Tell Odette that your pain is flaring up and that you need to go home. I'll stop by Nicky's and tell her that Alessandra needs to spend some time with you. She understand without asking any questions."

She choked up. "Max, how can I . . ."

"Forget it Lesley. You'd do the same for me."

* * *

I was happy that Lesley was in the right frame of mind. But having vowed to quit drinking more times than I had fingers, I knew it was a promising start but I couldn't count on it. I skipped Happy Donut and went straight to Nicky's without any coffee or food. Normally I'd be irritable, but this day I had to be focused. It was 6:30 a.m., and the diner had just opened its doors. Nicky was sitting at the register tabulating the previous night's receipts.

"Max! Don't usually see you at this time."

She stood up and gave me her usual bear hug. I loved Nicky like a sister.

"I imagine it's about Alessandra," she said to me. "She's pretty broken up about this."

Nicky had an abusive ex-husband. She knew first hand what Alessandra was going through.

"I want to help," I told her.

"Of course you do honey. Let me get her."

I took a seat in my favorite booth. Alessandra came out moments later carrying a pot of coffee and two mugs.

"You read my mind," I said.

"Isn't hard." She poured me a mug first and then hers. Her face looked a bit better but she was developing one hell of a shiner.

"So you saw Lesley?" she asked.

"I did. And she's very sorry. I think you should go home tonight."

Her face looked forlorn.

"I figured as much," she said. "Here's the important question. Will she change? I can't go on like this. I've had enough shit to last two lifetimes."

"She's saying the right things and that's a good first step. But saying and doing are two different things. You know and I know," I said.

I started to enjoy my coffee and let her speak. She seemed pretty calm given the trauma of yesterday.

"I love her Max. I know that. But I love my parents too, and maybe even DaVanna. But I can't stand to be around any of them. Lesley's been the best thing in my life, and I know it wasn't her fault that she got shot. But she's got to be bigger than this. Our relationship is riding on it."

"Go home tonight," I advised her. "I told Lesley to see if she can take some sick time. She told me she's taking Oxy."

"I figured as much. She has a legitimate prescription, but I imagine she's got some supplier on the side."

"You let me know how tonight goes, OK?"

Alessandra warmed up my coffee and then got up. "I'll be in touch. Thank you Max. Thank you for everything."

"We'll get this right."

"We'll have to," she said.

* * *

I got back to the station, noticing that Lesley's car was missing from the parking lot. I went to Lieutenant Odette's office to see what was up. She was chewing out somebody over a missing expense report.

"Just the person I wanted to see," she said, shooing the person she was dressing down out of her office.

I went into her office and took a seat.

"Lesley's taking a few days off on medical. I guess the pain in her arm is flaring up."

"She told me as much when I saw her this morning."

"Look," she said, leaning forward on her desk. "Chief is crawling up my ass over this Adine Williams shit. You've got to fix this. Citizen Review Board is going to take a look at her complaint soon, and when they do there's going to be hell to pay in this department. We know Jumbo's crew is slinging in the West End, but we've never gotten close enough to him to make anything stick. As far as anyone in the West End is concerned, Jumbo's as clean as a whistle and you're the piece of shit that broke his grandmother's china."

"I'll get back on that right now," I promised.

"Yesterday would be better," she said, waving the next victim into her office. "And I'm counting on you Max. I've been covering your ass for too long and now it's time for you to cover mine."

* * *

I had a couple options, neither of them good. I could approach Chili. He was close enough to Jumbo to have useful information, but the likelihood of prying it out of him voluntarily was about zero. I'd have to get close enough to him to have him help me without realizing it. The other option was Lily. She already told me that she had something, and it was mine for the asking, but there was a price, and it was a price I wasn't certain I wanted to pay.

Fate decided for me. It was a hot muggy Wednesday night, like the night I met Leah. I was on my way to Bailey's, geared up in my usual black V-neck tee and jeans. My big boobs and ample booty were on display. Maybe I was expressing my inner slut. I parked a half block away and was walking by myself on the sidewalk. It wasn't quite dark yet, though the shadows were getting long. It was impossible not to notice a shiny new silver Rolls Royce with heavily tinted windows parked next to curb. The window rolled down as I walked past.

"Max!" a voice rang out from the rear passenger window.

I stopped in my tracks. Behind a loose mesh black veil hanging from a broad brimmed hat I saw the outline of Lily's face. I approached her window.

The door opened.

"Get in," she said in her Domme voice.

I imagine I had a choice but I really didn't feel as if I did. Lily slid over in the back seat to make room for me. I used the sideboard as a step to get into the heavily cushioned black leather seat. The air conditioning was on full blast. It felt great. Lily was wearing a very seductive perfume. I felt as if I was getting into her boudoir.

Her legs were crossed and her dress bunched up so I could see to the tops of her old fashioned nylon stockings and the snaps of her garter. Her gams were perfectly proportioned. She took her hat off and shook her head, allowing her long jet black hair to cascade about her shoulders. The red dress she was wearing was low cut and nicely accented her breasts. She was barefoot, her heels kicked over to the side.

Before I could get my bearings she was on me, and her lips pressed tightly against mine. I leaned back against the bench seatback and parted my lips to allow us to swirl our tongues around each other. I was so confused, but my mind told me this was right. Of course I was rarely in my right mind.

I was breathing hard. My hand pressed against her tummy and felt the coolness of her fine silk dress. It moved upward to touch the underside of her breast. She pulled back to talk to me though her ankle continued to rub against my leg like a contented cat.

"I thought about our conversation last time," she said. "I don't want to die without knowing you . . . this way. I told you I love danger. Max, you excite me in ways you can't imagine."

I could imagine a lot, but I thought maybe it wasn't the right time to let my imagination go wild.

"This is wrong and we have to stop," I told her, letting my common sense intercede. I was with a known drug dealer who wanted to get her hooks into my city and I was with Vice.

"Max, I know our roles in this play, but this has to happen. I know we both want this. And I promise you that someday if I must, I'll kill you. I know you that if the circumstances warranted it, you would do the same to me. But tonight we're taking brief leave of our assigned places so that we can satisfy our wants."

She took my hand and looked into my eyes.

"I promise I'll tell you a little tidbit about Jumbo Williams that'll get the police chief off your back and about DaVanna Caruso that'll get that nasty bitch back in jail. You can open your door now and leave, and never know what was in store for you tonight, or you can stay with me. Jasmine will drive us around the city. She's separated from us by a screen that allows us to see her, but doesn't allow her to see us. Her obedience to me is unquestioned, so no one will know of this coupling except the two of us. Your move Max."

As she uttered those last words she gently tugged on her dress, exposing her right breast to me. The sight of it made me shiver. She knew what effect she would have on me and she was right. You know I'm impulsive. Case in point here. I tapped on the plexiglass partition. I saw Jasmine nod her head and start the car.

"I thought you'd choose this," said Lily. I was getting the feeling she knew me better than I knew myself.

I hadn't noticed there was a bottle of chilled champagne and two flutes on a small table extending out from the back of the front seat. She poured me a glass.

"It's Veuve Clicquot La Grande Dame Rosé," she said. "My favorite."

I tasted the pink hued champagne. It was seductively delicious, like she was.

I noticed through the window that we'd left the West End and were driving through downtown Cincinnati.

Then I noticed that she had managed to unzip the back of her dress and let it fall off her shoulders, exposing her nude color demi-bra under her pert breasts.

"I'm showing you mine so now I want to see yours," she said to me in a sweet voice that was dripping with sex.

I felt the car turn a corner. I braced myself and then took my tee shirt off. I had on more of a pedestrian bra, but I'm sure I was at least two cup sizes larger than she was. I unhooked the back and shrugged it off. Her hand went immediately out to touch me.

"I've had many lovers, but none with breasts like yours," she told me. She leaned over and licked one of my nipples. I could swear I heard her purr.

"It's too bad you're police. Such a shame," she said with a tinge of remorse.

Her hand went lower and unbuttoned my pants. I lifted up my butt to help her slide them off. I had bikini underwear on. She had long fingernails, painted red of course. She was able to touch me without poking me. She knew exactly where to go. My gasp confirmed it.

She whispered in my ear, "So pretty, Officer Max. I've dreamed of doing this since I met you at the bar."

God, she was making me forget Courtney. Her voice, and her perfume, gave me chills.

Her lips left my nipples and came up to seek mine. We kissed while she fingered me to an orgasm. I pressed my hips up against her hand and squeezed my eyes shut tight while I came. I wanted to ride that wave forever.

Why was it always the right woman at the wrong time or the wrong woman at the right time? She was everything I ever wanted in a woman. Everything. My heart fluttered when she went down on me. The gentle swaying of the car made the cunnilingus even more thrilling. The car came to a stop. I imagined we were at a light and the driver in the car next to us was watching Lily make love to my sodden cunt. I ran my fingers through her silky smooth hair.

"This is wrong Lily . . . so wrong . . ." I said between panting breaths. I heard only the thrum of the engine and the lapping noises of her tongue as it worked its magic between my legs, concentrating on the sensitive area between my pussy and anus. I forced my eyes open for just a moment. She had an ethereal glow about her. I felt as if I'd just experienced perfection.

I heard myself growl. She had awoken the animal inside me.

"Now me Max," she said, as if she was reading my mind.

I kissed her and reached behind to unclasp her bra. It fell to her waist. I seized one nipple between my teeth and bit down hard enough to elicit a gasp from her lips. Her golden hued skin shone in the muted light of the car's cabin lights.

"You play rough," she said, caressing my face. "I like it rough."

I squeezed her breast, elongating it and pushing it further in my mouth. I sucked on it greedily. She was busy slipping her panties off. She guided my free hand between her legs, to feel the slick straight hairs of her pussy, just as I pictured it in my masturbation fantasies. Her nether lips were plump and ripe. She wanted me.

Two fingers glided effortlessly into her. I pulled them out and sucked on them, savoring the sweetness of the taste and the muskiness of her feral aroma. I jammed them all the way inside her, almost lifting her off the seat. I wanted to own her -- possess her. She drew a deep breath.

"Oh Max . . . Max, Max, Max . . . fuck me . . ." she said.

I did. I fucked her hard. And when I felt the walls of her pussy clamp down hard I took my other hand and wet my fingers, and then rimmed and penetrated her back channel with them.

She screamed loud enough that the car swerved slightly, the sound no doubt penetrating the plexiglass partition between us and Jasmine. I fucked her in her pussy and ass until her hips relaxed. There was nothing left but hard breathing. I closed my eyes and leaned against the seatback, wondering what I had just done. Lily's legs were draped limply over mine.

I finally opened my eyes and saw the entrance to Bailey's out my window. Lily collected herself and sat up. She handed me my tee and the jeans I'd kicked off. She rezipped and straightened her dress.

"It's time for you to go," she said. Then she sighed. "It will be hard to kill you Max, but don't believe I won't do it."

"I thought there'd be more," I told her. I wanted to go again. She gave me an inscrutable smile.

"I wanted you to have something to look forward to . . . if I don't kill you first."

Then she looked into the small mirror on the back of the driver's seat. She stared into it as she reapplied her lipstick.

"Good evening Max."

I started to reach for the door handle.

"Oh Max," she said, still looking at the mirror. "Check your text messages. You might find something interesting."

Jasmine came around to my side and let me out, then closed the door behind me. The diamonds in her choker sparkled in the moonlight.

"Good evening Miss," she said in the Queen's English.

* * *

I checked my phone as the Rolls pulled away from the curb.

One kilo cocaine drop from supplier to Jumbo's house and DaVanna's apartment. Next Monday morning.

I always wondered how DaVanna maintained her opulent lifestyle, especially after she got out of prison. Now I knew. But Lily was a sly fox. I couldn't trust her on her word. I had to confirm it. I'd have to figure out how.

The buzz of good sex made me want a drink. Bailey's was conveniently in front of me. It was still open so I strolled in. I spotted Maddy behind the bar.

"You won't believe what happened to me," I said to her. She was making a Manhattan for a customer. It was looking tempting to me. She used the good cherries and dropped one into the drink. A waitress took it away.

"I'll have one of those," I said.

"Tell me your story," she said as she started to make my drink.

I watched her eyeball the bourbon and vermouth, add a dash of two different types of bitters and then vigorously shake it with ice.

"Lily was waiting for me outside the bar."

"OK," she said, straining the mixture into a coupe glass.

"She invited me into her car."

"I thought you told me she was a drug dealer." She slid the drink in front of me on a white napkin embossed with the "Bailey's" logo.

"She is. But she wanted me anyway."

I told her the rest while I enjoyed the Manhattan. She started making me a second before I finished the story. She tossed her head back and laughed when I told her what Lily said when she dropped me off (I left off the part about how she was going to kill me).

"Sometimes Max I don't think you can top the stuff you've done, but I have to say this one takes the cake."

"That bad, huh?"

"She's a drug dealer Max. For God's sake."

"It seemed like the right thing to do at the time."

"And your instincts on personal matters are flawless," she said sarcastically. We both knew they weren't.

"OK, sometimes I don't think," I conceded, "but it was good sex, though too short."

"You're unbelievable Max."

"Thank you?" I asked.

"You're right. I didn't say it as a compliment."

Maybe I did fuck up, but I did get a good tip on Jumbo and DaVanna and the too brief sex was incredible.

Chapter Five

Circling in on the Prey

OK, sometimes I'm a slut. I still couldn't believe that Lily seduced me, but I guess it wasn't hard for her since I was a pushover. She was a sexy woman, and my regrets did little to tarnish the memory of what she could do to me and with me. Maybe in a different world . . .

My task for the day was to make time for DaVanna, and to confirm the juicy tidbit that Lily gave me. I wanted to nail her, as well as Jumbo. I went into Lieutenant Odette's office to get my marching orders.