A/N: Thank you for the reviews and support! Please let me know what you think and if you have any ideas, I like to hear what you are thinking and if there is anything you want to see. I have a lot of this planned out but always change things :)

Love isn't always a lie – Chapter 2

Previously

"Come join us." She turns to me with a devilish look.

"Oh, I couldn't."

"No, please I insist. You can tell me all about your shitty day." She smiles at me, gathering the drinks.

"Here let me help." I offer reaching forward.

"Besides, you owe me after all. Maybe you can even pull my brother from his funk."

"Well if he's hot, I'll certainly try." I laugh as I follow her across the bar.

"See for yourself. Guys, this is Erin. Erin this is… everyone. But most importantly, this is my brother Jay." I watch her wink at him, a smirk plastered on her face.

"Most importantly? Tara, I'm hurt." I watch the guy speaking place a hand over his chest, wearing a playful smile.

"Sorry Kev, ya know I love you."

"Wait. I know you." I breathe out in faux shock, my finger pointing towards Jay.

"You two know each other?" Tara looks between us in curiosity.

"Not really, he saved me from a mugging today." My eyes are wide as I look to her quickly, trying to assess her.

"Huh. You weren't kidding about that shitty day. Good work bro." Tara pats him on the back before stepping back and pushing me towards the stool next to him.

"Thank you again." I smile sweetly as I sit down, heart beating crazily in my chest.

I try to convince myself it's the nerves of a new con, of embracing a new identity, of fooling a trained detective.

But I know deep down, it's the way his blue eyes invite me in that have my chest thumping excitedly.

"My pleasure. You okay?"

"Yeah, I'm good. Thanks to you." I look at him from beneath my lashes, watching him swallow harshly.

I internally smirk, knowing the affect I have on men.

"So you're a cop?" I take a sip of my beer, eyes not leaving his.

"A Detective yeah."

"Are you all cops?" I turn my attention around the table, watching them all nod.

"Yep." Tara agrees popping the 'p'.

"I work with my mum. Drives me crazy." I roll my eyes to accompany my complaint.

"Family does that. Wanna pull my hair out with this one." Tara jokes, jutting her thumb in Jay's direction.

I throw my head back and laugh at the pout on Jay's face, before my attention is drawn to the other occupants at the table introducing themselves.

We dive into small talk, laughs filling any moments where silence would fall.

"What do you do Erin?" Ruzek finally asks me as he leans on his elbow, watching Tara roll her eyes at him.

"She's not interested Adam." She deadpans.

"How'd you know?"

"Because she's been making sex eyes at my brother, and they've spent the entire night undressing each other with their eyes." My mouth drops open, feigning embarrassment as I avoid Jay's eyes.

I can feel him shift awkwardly on his stool next to me, clearing his throat.

"So he's hot yeah?" Tara asks me as we reapply our lipstick in the bathroom.

"Very. Thanks for embarrassing me." I narrow my eyes at her playfully.

"Dude, what are friends for?" She skips happily out of the bathroom and I follow with a genuine smile.

"Friends. I like it." I hook my arm with hers as I follow her back to the table.

"Alright, I'm gonna head out. As much as I want to hog my new friend, she has other things to be doing tonight. Bro, text me if I need to put headphones on." I giggle at his glare, unable to resist Tara's hug when she pulls me in.

"I better see you again." She whispers before rounding up the other guys and forcing them from their seats so Jay and I are left alone.

"So…" I pick shyly at the label on my beer bottle.

"Wanna get out of here?" I finally ask, looking up at him through my lashes.

He pauses, eyes staring into mine before he finally nods.

"Sorry about my sister." Jay's soft voice breaks the silence as we walk down the streets of Chicago.

"Nah, I liked her." I smile over at him brightly.

"I just moved here so it's nice to make a friend." I shrug softly, feeling our hands brush softly.

"Oh where from?" He asks, our hands drawn together and wishing to wrap the others.

"Wilmington, North Carolina."

"So, this is different then." He chuckles softly, warmth radiating from him.

"Just a little." I joke back, giggling.

"Why the move?"

"Family." I leave my answer vague, knowing it's not the time to over share the cover story.

"So what do you do?"

"Real Estate." I bite my lip softly.

"Ahhh."

"Go ahead, you can say it." I roll my eyes, knocking shoulders with him.

"That real estate agents are morally bankrupt people?" He nudges me back, tone full of humor.

I try and shrug his joke off, knowing deep down this normally wouldn't have knocked me off guard. Something about it coming from him has me turned around, and feeling like nothing more than a con woman with no ethics.

"Heard it all before." I deflect with humor.

"I'm only kidding. You seem too kind to be like that." I almost forget to breathe when he smiles over at me.

"So why real estate?" He turns his body to be slightly, a non-verbal cue of his genuine interest in me.

"Yeah. My mum did it her whole life and somehow now I do."

"You don't sound like you love it." His comment is quiet but I don't miss it.

"I guess I don't." I whisper softly, honestly shining in my words.

"Why do you do it?"

"She's all I have, it's all I know… I guess out of loyalty." His hand finally loses the battle and grabs mine, intertwining our fingers.

"I've never told anyone that." I shake my head, trying to get it back in the game but distracted by the feel of his hand in mine.

"Why?"

"I guess I've never felt close to anyone. Or safe…" I lean my head on his shoulder as we bask in the city life buzzing around us.

"Maybe it's because I saved you today." He nudges me softly, bringing a smile to my face.

"Well you are my hero now." He turns his head to the side, his lips brushing my hair and a gasp is caught in my throat.

"Why don't you like it?" He asks as his thumb draws a soothing pattern on my hand.

"The dishonesty. The greed. The ethics of it all…" I stop walking, feeling him beside me. His fingers lift my chin up and I blink away tears, cursing myself for being vulnerable and showing him glimpses of the real me rather than the cover I put together.

"Maybe it's time for something new." He suggests, not really know it has a double meaning for me.

"I think so. Chicago could be a fresh start…" My reply slips out, my brain not fully comprehending my deepest desires.

"I hope so." I nod up at him, caught in the moment.

"We're here." He finally breaks me from the moment.

"Huh?"

"You're building."

"Oh. I'm still getting use to where it is. We didn't get to talk about you though… there's so much I want to know." I bite my lip, feeling the intensity between us.

"I have a way to fix that."

"Oh really?" My smile is bright, as I swing our joined hands between us.

"How about a date?"

"I'd love to." I lean up to press my lips softly against his cheek, his lips close by and tempting me their way.

Our eyes are locked as I pull back, hands still clasped together.

"Tara has my number, call me." I send him a wink before making my way into the building, sending him one last look over my shoulder.

Jay POV

I walk into Tara's room, juggling two coffee mugs in my left hand as I throw a small box at her head with perfect aim.

She moans, hand coming up to her face before she opens her eyes to a glare.

"Bro. Fuck off." She turns her head away from me; I lean over her and hold the coffee under her nose tempting her awake.

"Damn it." She grumbles before rolling over and sitting up in defeat.

"Oh good, you found them." She giggles as she picks up the box of condoms I threw at her head.

"I did." I roll my eyes sitting on the bed in front of her.

"Didn't need them?" She smirks at me, taking a sip of her coffee.

"Nope." I roll my eyes as she giggles into her mug.

"Couldn't get it up?" She laughs at me before throwing them at me hard.

"Keep them. I don't need them." She continues, eyebrow raised.

"I do have some you know." I hit back taking a sip of coffee.

"They're probably out of date, it's been a while bro." I watch her brown eyes twinkle with mischief.

"Shut up."

"But not for much longer right?" She bits her lip hopefully.

"Hope not, I've got a date with Erin." I boast with a smirk.

"Yes!"

"I just need her phone number." I bat my eyes playfully at her, watching her nod her head slowly.

"I'm gonna make you work for it." I narrow my eyes at her.

"How?"

"I feel like some of your pancakes. Get cooking." She leans her head back slurping coffee loudly.

"What am I gonna do with you?" I roll my eyes before getting up.

"Love me, feed me, never leave me." She calls out laughing, throwing the condoms at my back again.

Erin POV

"How'd it go?" Bunny asks me through the darkness, just the end of her cigarette visible in the dark apartment.

"I don't think I can do this. He's a good man." My voice is quiet and unsure, my usual confidence missing.

"What? Erin, of course you can. You will." Bunny grabs my arms harshly, turning me towards her.

"I don't know. It's so wrong." I whisper, genuinely struggling after meeting him and his sister tonight.

Deep down I know I can't bring myself to stop, because then I wouldn't have him anymore.

As selfish as it makes me, I'm not ready to let him go yet.

Erin POV

Sorry, buried in paperwork. Can we reschedule? I'll make it up to you – Jay.

Disappointment and relief fill me as I read Jay's message, relief I don't have to lie to him tonight but my heart yearning to be close to him again.

Of course, can't wait. Erin x

"Hey." I look up to find a beautiful blonde in front of me, with her hair flowing in loose curls down her back.

"Hi." I raise an eyebrow.

"I could start with some dumb pick up line, engage in some word foreplay, buy you a drink and work my way into your pants. Or we could skip all of that and go back to my place." She raises her eyebrows, teeth biting down on her straw as she takes a long sip of her drink.

"Wow. I can honestly say I've never been hit on twice in one week by chicks before. What do they put in the drinks here?" I laugh playfully.

"Damn. Not gay?" She pouts before smiling.

"Sorry, no."

"I could probably convince you." She smirks, eyebrow raised in challenge.

"If I wasn't interested in this really great guy… I might just have taken you up on that offer." I fire back laughing, her sassy remarks reminding me of sarcastic comments from someone else I met in this same bar.

"Damn. Who is my competition?" She jokes taking a seat opposite me.

"His names Jay, he's a cop." I shrug, not expecting her to know who he is.

"Oh Jay Halstead? He's awesome, so I'll stop hitting on his girl." She raises her hands in surrender.

"Oh I'm not his girl… but maybe one day. How do you know him?"

"I'm a paramedic at a firehouse in the city, we met through work. He's a great guy." She smiles over at me before extending her hand.

"I'm Shay."

"Erin, nice to meet you." I take her hand gently.

"You know, I actually have the perfect person to set you up with." I smirk over at her, reaching for my phone.

"Do tell." She leans forward as if ready to receive the gossip.

"I'll do one better and text her." I reach for my phone to text Tara.

"How'd you know her?" She asks impatiently.

"She's Jay's sister."

"Yeah, no, I'm good." She waves her hands around, pulling a face.

"Huh?" I tilt my head confused.

"Let me play this out for you. I meet Jay's sister, use her for a little fun and then she goes crying to her brother who has a gun and then I'm…" She makes a cut throating motion and I can't help but laugh.

"You big baby. She's a cop too, so she has her own gun to take you out with." I smirk at her, eyebrow raised.

"I've never been so turned on. Alright, get her ass here." I roll my eyes as I send her a quick text, an even quicker response lighting up my phone letting me know she's on her way.

A/N: I hope it was okay! I don't know why, but I'm nervous about this fic... :)

Please leave a review with your thoughts and I'll update ASAP.