Chapter 10
"Lucas this is, amazing!" The room held a heavenly aroma of Bath & Body Works' Winter Candy Apple from the candles he lit that gave off the only light in the room. The bath was filled with bubbles and he was sitting on the edge of the tub.
He looked towards the ground shyly, "I uh, I found the candles and bubble bath when I checked your hall closet earlier. You deserve to relax." She set down her wine and hugged Lucas as he stood up. "I'll umm, i'll be right outside the door if you need me. Okay?"
Riley thought for a moment and caught him before he left, "Wait, umm I could get in and then you could come sit here and talk to me. If you want to, no pressure or anything." The officer swallowed the lump in his throat and shook his head quickly then walked out of the bathroom. As soon as he went outside the door he began punching the air from excitement. "You can come in." He took a deep breath and turned the door knob he kept his eyes to the floor and saw her jeans and t-shirt, his heart began to beat faster. He looked at Riley in the bathtub, she had strategically pulled the shower curtain over to hide herself.
He cleared his throat, "So um, what did you wanna talk about?"
"Are you this great to Missy? I mean honestly, I can understand now why she moved with you." Lucas slid his back down the wall.
"I was, but she never appreciated it. She'd find little things to nitpick. Like, I hate the smell or the water is too cold." The brunette could picture her saying that, and rolled her eyes. "So, eventually I just stopped."
"Well, you're an amazing person." There was a silent pause as they gazed at eachother. "You know you don't have to stay the full night with me. Right?" Lucas looked at her again and the bubbles covering her collarbone.
"I'm not gonna leave you."
Riley shyly looked towards the bubbles, "I don't know what I am going to do. He's not coming back tonight, but he will be sooner or later. I wonder if Maya would let me stay at her place since she stays at Josh's anyways? At least until my lease runs out in like a month or two, I don't remember."
"Where would you live then?" he appeared to be worried.
"I don't know I guess I will have to play it by ear." she started laughing out of nowhere, and Lucas looked at her like she was crazy. "He had to come back didn't he? I mean, as soon as I begin to relax a little he finds a way to bring back the memories."
"I'm going to catch this guy Riles. I am going to keep you safe, I promise."
She looked into his eyes, "I believe you. I hate to pry but, where are you going to start? They have no leads, they didn't catch him the first time, and I don't know this is just running through my mind."
"I'm going to ask to look into this case and I will look at everything from when, 'that' happened to you, and compare some things. Maybe even find a volunteer to keep an eye on you when I can't."
"No, don't do that. Please. Wait, do you think whoever is doing this knows me?"
"Riles, I can't say for sure on anything but whoever it was knew you weren't going to be here. This was to scare you, that note was meant to scare you, nothing was taken. And, this is Officer Friar telling you that I am going to ask for volunteers. No if ands or but's about it."
She knew it wasn't worth the argument, but she'd probably bring it up later. "Hop out of here and I will dry off." The green eyed boy did as instructed and sat on the couch, he heard some feet running on the hardwood and caught a glimpse of her closing the bedroom door.
"LUCAS!" He pulled his gun out of the holster and kicked her bedroom door open.
"Are you okay?!" He looked around the room expecting to see someone else.
"First, gun back in your holster! Second, look at my pictures." He tore his eyes away from Riley who was still covering up with a towel and looked at the pictures on her dresser. "They are all torn in half!"
He placed his gun back in its hiding place and picked up the pictures with Maya, another with Josh and Shawn and one with her parents. "He tore you out of all the pictures? What a freaking creep." Lucas' known temper was surfacing as he took some pictures with his phone. He looked over at Riley sitting on her bed. "Hey, beautiful. Why don't you get dressed and meet me out in the living room. Okay?"
After a few minutes she came out in her oversized sweatshirt and shorts with the glock in her hand. "Well if that isn't sexy I don't know what is!" He started laughing, "Come here, come sit down." He tapped his hand on the leather seat next to him.
"I'll tell you what was very attractive, you clearing my house. Seeing you as Officer Lucas that is sexy." The brunette plopped herself on the couch, draped her legs across his and placed her glock on the coffee table. The green eyed boy caught himself blushing at everything that had transpired. "So, what's up?"
"I just wanted you in here to wind down." He continued to look at her and started smiling.
"What?" She took a sip of her wine and slightly glared.
"I just am lucky to have you in my life."
"Ha, you're kidding! I have caused nothing but problems between you and Missy and now, all of this." She gestured to her apartment, "I know we're friends, but I cause you a lot of issues."
He sat for a moment, "You're worth it."
The pair sat on the couch and talked for the rest of the night, they eventually made the brownies and even turned on a movie that they didn't watch. But, they talked so easily it was hard to stop.
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"Hey, Josh can you pull Riles' report for me?"
He looked at him with frustration in his eyes, "Friar, I told you to talk to Riley about it!"
"No, she already told me. But, wait you didn't already hear about this?"
"What, what happened?"
"He broke into her apartment, trashed the place and left a note for her. I'm re-opening the other case and working with a few guys on this one."
"Are you f-" he cut himself off, "Son of a bitch!" He began running his fingers through his hair.
"I need the file and I am assuming since I couldn't find it you had it." Josh had brought his anger down to a simmer and began unlocking his drawer. He had the file in his clutches and reached out to hand it to him.
"I am gonna go ahead and tell you, that you better check your feelings before you open this file. I know you aren't together, but it isn't hard to see you care about her. One picture in particular, will ruffle your feathers." Lucas nodded his head ensuring that he understood and took the file back to his desk.
"Okay, Friar don't get riled up." He opened the manila hanging folder and began skimming through the file. He found the pictures that Josh had took of her and the ones that the PD took. Every picture seemed to anger him more. He saw the bruises on her wrist, her nose, and the cut on the back of her head. Everything had come to a halt when he saw the picture that he only could assume Josh was referring to. There she was, laying there on the ground with her dog right beside her, just like she said. He cringed when he saw her pants around her ankles, and her unconscious in the dirt.
"Okay, focus. She said she tried to scratch him. Nothing was under her nails. No cameras around. Pretty sure he was tall." He slammed the file shut and hit his desk. "Nothin', of course." He walked back to Josh's office with determination. "Matthews, since you are over me I would like to request your permission to have someone watch over Riley."
"Friar, do you think that's necessary."
"Josh, I have reason to believe that it could be someone she knows personally." Josh sat back in his chair.
"What information do you have that could make you believe that?"
"The note that was left for her said 'you owe me' and there was nothing taken. The only thing he messed with, besides Riley's brain were the pictures on her dresser. He tore Riley out in all of them and took them when he left. Don't worry, I took some pictures and added them to the file. But, I don't think she is in the right mindset to protect herself, and if someone is around they can be on the lookout for any suspicous behavior."
"If I did agree with this, who would you suggest?"
"Well to be honest, me. I could watch her while she's working and she will be staying with Maya in the mean time."
"And, what if I need you here?"
"Then I will come back. If she's in public I am not as worried, but I want to see how people act around her. If nothing else happens in a week I will pull out."
Josh had a million thoughts running through his mind and exhaled several times that were heavy with worry.
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"Throw you right arm back on 1 left on 2. Arms out in a T and slide on 3." Riley was teaching her drill team a hip hop routine that they were going to use for contest season, well re-teaching it she tweaked a few counts. "Posse left foot, bring your right arm up to your chin left arm touching your right elbow on 4 contract your chest on 5 again on 6 body roll on the side while picking up your left foot on 7 8." She heard the door to the dance room open then slam shut and she turned around to find him standing in the corner. Riley was confused, but she didn't mind seeing him.
"Ladies, beginning position please we are going to run it with the fixed eight count and I will be doing it with you because it is faster than you think." Lucas watched her pick up the remote to the radio and press play. He was excited to see her dance, he hadn't yet and he couldn't help but notice she looked good in her dance clothes. " 8! Don't forget your head Mia! Bigger hips Ashton! New eight count! Arm 1 Arm 2 slide 3 posse 4 pop 5 pop 6 roll 7 8. Keep going!" Riley broke away and ran over to Lucas.
"Hey, what are you doing here?"
"Can I just say that was extremely attractive?"
"You may, but that doesn't answer my question." She giggled.
"I told you I would watch over you. Didn't I?"
"I told you not to. Didn't I?"
"You did, and I ignored it. Josh agreed to having me here when he could but I have to be in plain clothes. He already called and talked to whoever is in charge of this place and let them know. So lucky you!"
"Yeah, lucky me!" She rolled her eyes, "Just, keep your presence as low key as possible." And she took off back to her class. Even with everything going on, Riley didn't like a lot of attention on her. "Let's run it again with twice the energy! This is just rehearsal but that's no excuse, and this is a fun dance don't be afraid to throw in a wink and a head roll." She demonstrated and the girls began to giggle along with the new stranger in the back. "If, and only if the dance looks great I will dismiss y'all early. Okay?"
"Yes m'am!" He was shocked the entire team said it in unison.
"Let's do it! Good, ooo I like that Alyssa. Energy!" Lucas loved watching her she had so much energy and life in the studio. "That was great, a few problems on the new 8 count but that is to be expected. Also, your head after you turn to the back follows your knee raises and your focus is on the ground. Get changed and sit in your lines when you are done for announcements, I will be back." She took Lucas' arm and escorted him out of the studio.
"You do know you can't watch me every minute of every day right?"
"Unfortunately that's true." He moved a strand of hair out of her face and they stood in silence for a moment communicating with only their eyes.
"Coach, sorry to interrupt but the girls are ready for announcements."
"Thank you Alex I will be right in." The girl closed the door to join her teammates.
"My captain. Come on. Let's go." Lucas followed Riley back into the studio, her demeanor completely changed. It went from relaxed to determined attitude and he enjoyed it.
"Ladies, great work today. 7 a.m. practice every day the rest of the week to start learning another contest routine, the kick, so please I beg of you to practice this dance at home. Questions?" A few hands shot up.
"Ally? What's up?"
"Can we have free dress on Friday?"
"Sure. I don't see a problem with that! Alex?"
"Who is he?" The young captain gestured towards Lucas.
"Oh, right. This is Officer Friar, but you can call him Lucas. He will be joining us every now and then in the studio. Madi?"
"Why?"
"Reasons that are on a need to know basis, and you pretty girl do not need to know." The girls including Madi started laughing. "If at anytime you become uncomfortable with his presence do not hesitate to come talk to me. Got it?"
In unison, just like last time "Yes m'am!"
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The class bell rang for the students to head to their next class and Riley was heading back up to her office.
"The girls are very polite."
She chuckled, "They have to be. I don't give them a choice. As a representative of the Strutter organization they will conduct themselves as young ladies. Yes and no m'ams along with no PDA, no being late, and no failing classes are required. The list could go on forever." The officer liked her change of attitude even after last night she didn't let it affect her. In fact, it probably pushed her to continue things normally.
"That is a lot for highschool girls." Riley turned around to speak quietly.
"When I started working here about 4 years ago, the team had an awful representation. Bad grades, awful attitudes and a little 'slutty' which is where the nickname 'slutters' came from. I had to completely revamp the entire program, new rules and regulations. If, they don't abide by my rules they get demerits, if they don't kick off those demerits and they get too many then they will be suspended from the team for a week and it could go as high as to getting kicked off the team."
He leaned in a little closer to whisper in her ear, "Has anyone told you how sexy it is when you are strict?" Her heart pounded and with a giggle shoved him away. Lucas so kindly opened the heavy door to her office where Charlie Gardner was waiting in one of her chairs.
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