Neutral Zone Trap - Bianca Sommerland Page 0,18

You need to leave. But clearly you won’t let this go until we talk, so we shall. But don’t push me. If I decide you need to be punished, you will not enjoy it.”

“Kinky.”

“Your number, Braxton.”

Taking the hint, Braxton gave Ryan his number, chewing on his bottom lip when Ryan fixed him with a heated stare. He’d expected this to be a lot harder, but even after two weeks, a few minutes with Ryan showed him nothing had changed.

And as much as Ryan wanted to deny it, they weren’t done.

Not even close.

Chapter 5

“Did the kid give you anything useful?”

Sitting in the passage seat of his sister’s unit, Ryan schooled his features and shook his head. Laura knew him too well for him to say much until he had his own thoughts sorted out and he wasn’t even close. What the fuck had he been thinking, tagging along on one of her cases to the damn place where Braxton played and practiced? He’d known there was a chance he’d see the man.

Self-denial wasn’t usually his thing. Maybe he’d wanted to see Braxton.

But it had been a mistake, because now he couldn’t get the guy out of his head. He’d been doing fine, focusing on work and leaving the past in the past where it belonged. His time with Braxton had to be nothing but a memorable night.

He hadn’t counted on how memorable, but he’d compartmentalized any wayward emotions as he always did, refusing to let the ‘what ifs’ sink in.

Trying to focus on the paperwork in his lap, he was grateful when Laura continued speaking, accepting his nod as answer enough. “I’m happy he and Tyler didn’t stick around. I was hoping not to see any of the players. I swear our captain gives me any cases involving the team just to mess with me.”

Ryan frowned and glanced over at his sister. “Why would he do that?”

Laura's expression hardened. “Because he suspects my relationship is more…complicated than I let off. He knows I’m with Chicklet, but Tyler’s always around. Both he and Chicklet are discreet, but there’s this undercurrent… It’s hard to explain. And I have no intention of ever doing so. But while the captain won’t risk the PR mess of making things difficult because I’m a lesbian, he has no problem using how uncomfortable I am around the team against me.”

“Why are you uncomfortable around them?” Ryan liked Laura’s girlfriend, Chicklet, and other than being young and unruly, Chicklet’s boyfriend, Tyler, seemed harmless enough.

But ‘complicated’ was putting it lightly. Laura was a damn fine officer, and had managed to balance her relationship and her job for years. Tyler becoming part of it seemed to be getting to her more and more, but she didn’t open up much about why. The young man had gotten himself arrested, which obviously didn’t help, and yet, she’d mentioned the team.

His jaw hardened. He’d agreed not to give Tyler the big brother third degree because the man and Laura weren’t technically involved, but like hell would Ryan let any of those other assholes mess with his sister. He might be having a chat with the police captain while he was at it.

“Stop it, Ryan.” Laura let out a light laugh and backhanded his shoulder. “I can already see you going into protective mode. I’m fine. I just have no interest in dealing with a bunch of athletes with big salaries and a total disregard for the rules. They have the money to get out of whatever bullshit they pull, to throw around on expensive cars and any random thing they might want. I can’t relate, even while having one of them in my own home.”

Nodding slowly, Ryan thought back on Braxton with his outrageous car and how, in that moment, he’d realized they lived two completely different lifestyles. That didn’t mesh.

He could have fun with Braxton for a little while, but then what? The man might insist he didn’t want anything serious—did he really mean it?

There was only one way to find out. He’d promised to talk to Braxton, and he would.

As soon as he figured out how to lay the ground rules. The last thing he wanted was to be stuck in a situation like Laura was in. As a submissive, maybe she didn’t feel she had as much of a say. Or that she’d waited too long to bring it up with Chicklet now. So far she hadn’t wanted to discuss it, but when she was, he’d gently nudge her toward better