Post by Admin on Dec 28, 2020 3:13:38 GMT
LACEY:
"Hurry Up!"
"The fuck is taking so long, Cartwick?"
"Would you morons please shut the fuck up? I'm trying to focus!" Lacey Cartwick's sharp whisper cut through the hushed atmosphere of the jewelry store, interrupting the whining of her companions. They'd been antsy since the moment she unlocked the back door to let them in and got louder and more annoying with each passing second. She'd been told that these two were top notch thieves, and that the job they were pulling was worth her talent, but she'd been lied to. She'd known the minute she saw the others in their heavy boots and their eyes blacked like they'd walked straight out of a detective story. They didn't know the first thing about actually getting away with crimes, and it was making her sick to her stomach.
The young woman sighed slowly through her nose, trying to loosen the tension rising in her jaw and shoulder muscles. This was no time to lose her cool--she was only half way finished cracking the safe. With a roll of her neck, she turned her attention back to the metal tumblers inside the locking mechanism, letting her magic infuse them as she slowly turned the dial. She could feel when things clicked into place, like a little bubble of champagne along her senses. There! That was the second one. Only one to go... She turned the dial back the opposite direction, ever so slowly. The metal pieces ticked along each other in a gentle rhythm as she 'listened' for the right fit, matching the beating of her heart. Almost...done.
The final click was audible even to her companions as she swung the safe open with a grin. Inside, cases of cut diamonds glittered in the light of the single candle they had dared to light. They were beautiful...but the food and firewood they would buy was even better. She started to reach for the nearest tray, but a rough hand grabbed her shoulder and yanked her backward. She was flung to the floor where her head met the tile with a crack that sent stars bursting across her vision. Her senses swam, but she could make out some of what the others were saying: "Dumb bitch," "Weak," and "fuck, Police!" were the few words she could make out. She groaned as she pushed herself up, and swore when she saw the others take off down the hall. The only reason they would run like that was--
"Stop, police!"
Shit, they were close, and getting closer. She couldn't believe she'd missed the telltale creak of ugly police uniform shoes on the floor, or the click of the locks in the front of the shop. It must have been drowned out by the grousing of her so called teammates--the ones who were running off with her cut while she could hardly stand. She tried to take a step and nearly fell headlong onto the floor as the world tilted crazily before her eyes. That crack to the head must have done more damage than I thought... Desperately she kept going until she collapsed against the nearest wall, clinging to it for dear life.
"Fucking bastards, no good snakes..." she grumbled, leaning her shoulder against the wall as she started toward the exit as fast as her legs could carry her.
CEDRIC:
While police officers were trying to get into the front of the store, Cedric Morris was running towards the back. Cigarette hanging from his mouth, jacket flapping in the wind, and his gun out and at the ready as he came barreling around the corner of the alley. Cedric was getting smarter the longer he was on the force. It was on of the reasons why he was promoted so quickly. He thought like the criminals did. And if it was one thing he loathed more than himself, it was burglars. Jewelry burglars.
He was already pissed and he hadn't even seen the shits yet. He ran up to the back door. His feet pouding against the cobble stones as his teeth bit down on the butt of his cigarette. He pressed his back to the wall beside the door. Willing his heart beat to slow down as heard the thundering of loud, heavy feet coming from inside. The moment the door was slammed open. The butt of his pistol came down on the first man that yelped in pain. He fell to the ground tripping the second man, that Cedric also hit in the back of the head once he was at the right level. "Hiya boys." Cedric said. Blowing smoke out. He kicked the one on top of the pile over by his shoulder. Both groaning and holding their heads. Cedric saw the canvas bag they had and reached for it. Yanking it out of their reach. "You know the drill boys, up. Hands on top of your head." He motioned with his gun while He heard shouts from the front of the alley, and his calvery coming in. He held the canvas bag out to one of the winded officers while two of the others went to starry eyed burglars. "Nice work Smiley!" The officer with the canvas bag said. Cedric just grunted in annoyance as he scowled at the two men.
"Witness says there were three of them." One of the other officers said. "A woman." Cedric shot his glare to his colleague, who paled under his stare. He took a few more angry puffs from his cigarette. "Guard the back door." He growled before he entered the building from the back in a plume of smoke. There was only one woman thief he could think of that could break into a safe as quickly as these burglars had. "You said the next time we met you were taking me to dinner!" He called into the darkness as he entered the building more. His annoyance growing with each step. "If you bend my gun again woman...." He muttered under his breath. His hand tightening on his pistol.
LACEY:
"Aw shit," Lacey muttered as she recognized the voice of her favorite and least favorite policeman. Cedric Morris, a man of many talents, gorgeous eyes, and a stubborn streak that would put a donkey to shame. Something about that perpetually messy hair and aura of cigarette smoke was endearing, and the air of danger really got her adrenaline going. She could never decide whether she wanted to kiss him or shoot him. Maybe both. It made it hard to tell when he was whispering in her ear while tying her hands behind her back with his tie.
There was no time to get out of his way--this hallway was a straight shot to the back door, and hiding in the manager's office would just be sealing herself in. The only way out was in the hands of the police, and really, it would be a hell of a lot easier to break out of a jail full of metal. Not to mention that maybe if she waited a while the room would stop heaving like a ship in a storm. She took a deep breath to steel herself and pushed up off the wall, doing her damndest to stand up straight and look confident. If she couldn't make herself vanish, she would simply have to dazzle and distract him to the best of her ability.
She gave Cedric her best smile as she came around the corner, then leaned against the wall with her arms crossed like she was just being casual. Really, she was trying to make sure she didn't end up in a disgusting heap on the floor. Normally she loved the smell of the cigarettes he was always smoking, but with that on top of the pounding behind her eyes, she thought she might be sick. Her smile was barely held in place as she spoke up.
"Well hello, Handsome! You know I'd love to take you to dinner! But those good for nothing worms you just met took all my pocket money with them. I'm afraid I just can't afford it. Maybe I can find some other way to make it up to you?"
Something warm trickled down the back of her neck, but she didn't dare put her hand up to check what it was.
CEDRIC:
Cedric stood with his arms by his sides, his eys adjusting to the dark light, when he saw movement and watched his miss disappear appear around the corner. He watched her with narrowed eyes as she crossed her arms. He staid put, staring at her. His scowl growing with each word out of her mouth.
The term "The woman that got away" was usually meant for ex-lovers, or someone of a romantic sort. Lacey Cartwick was his woman that got away every time he crossed paths with her. He'd been so close. So close on many different occasions of brining her in finally, but each time the little bitch found a way to elude him. She was a never-ending thorn in his side, and the person, aside from the man he was still hunting, that he wanted locked up the most. Her "cute" little game she liked to play with him just made him scowl more. She was a beautiful woman, that was clearly smart. But also stupid enough to get into a career path that could see her hurt or worse...dead.
"You can meet at the station for a date. I got just the room picked out Honey Bunch." He said. He reached up and pulled the cigarette from his mouth, tilting his head up slightly to blow the smoke up while not taking his eyes off of her. "You gonna make this easy, or do I have to chase after you again?" He asked her. "Gotta be honest sweetheart, I won't be as gentle as last time. You like to bring out my rough side." He spoke. He began to walk towards her slowly. Prepared to chase after her if she decided to bolt. Given their environment, she wasn't going to get far, but Cedric didn't want to take any chances.
LACEY:
She couldn't help laughing, damn him--laughing made the pounding behind her eyes turn into a stab. She winced but tried to hide it behind another smile. A date at the station? She might even like it if he really gave her his full attention. She'd been a little miffed last time when he spent half his time being distracted by his fan club of rookies. She was much more attractive than any of those knobby-kneed babies. She didn't move a muscle as he approached, save for holding her breath when he blew that cigarette smoke in her direction. If she breathed too deeply, she wasn't sure what would happen. The pressure behind her eyes was getting worse, and she was starting to see little lights at the edges of her vision. This was definitely bad.
Ooh, that remark about being rough was enough to pull her back into the conversation for now, though. The thought had her feeling a little tingly...or maybe that was the blood running down her spine?
"Baby, I like it rough. You can do whatever you like, as long as I get to be the center of your attention," she teased with a half-hearted wink, "But you know how I hate to be tied down. I'm a girl who needs her freedom, or I'd lose my spark."
He was getting a little too close for comfort, and if she had been any less dizzy she would have made a run for it out of sheer anxiety. She swallowed the urge as best she could, and tried to ignore the trembling of her knees. She was going to have to let him take her. Let him think that she liked it this way, or that he won, whatever made him happiest, so long as she didn't have to move.
Worry started to creep in at the back of her mind, that maybe she should have just stayed on the floor where they left her. Those lights at the edge of her vision were getting worse by the second. She didn't want to show weakness, but if this kept up, she wouldn't have a choice...
CEDRIC:
Cedric's eyes narrowed at the laugh she gave him. Something was up. He could sense it. The closer he got to her the more suspicious he became at the fact she hadn't made a run for it yet. He rolled his eyes, and groaned at the comments she made. Not this again... he thought. If she wasn't so damn annoying, and a thief, he might have considered it had they met on better terms. Maybe.
"Can't have that now can we." He remarked. He was nearly in front of her then, and his eyes roamed her up and down, looking for a weapon of some sort. He didn't see any, but what he did see was she was pale, and her legs were shaking. Something was wrong. He tensed for a moment. Becoming hyper aware of his surroundings. He tucked his gun away in its rightful place, and then reached up to untie his tie. Knowing that metal wouldn't work on her given her magic specialty. "Come on now, baby. Turn around for me." He told her. Motioning with his finger in a spinning motion for her to do their usual dance. "It wouldn't be the same if we didn't have our dance." He told her. He waited, and if she turned around for him, he would reach for her hands, put them behind her back and tie them up with his tie. If she didn't move, he'd narrow his eyes at her, and move behind her. His hands going to her hips, and he'd turn and push her into the wall, before sticking his knee between her legs and begin patting her down for any weapons.
LACEY:
Oh, fuck him and fuck him. Why did this asshole have to be so damn cute? She knew he was looking to see if she was holding her usual knife, but she didn't mind the way his eyes roamed. Any other day she would have struck a pose, really given him an eyeful. She really wanted to kiss him then bolt out the back door, but she knew better. She was fading fast. She could already see him loosening his tie, ready to bind her wrists so she couldn't break out of cuffs. Now that had been a fun parlor trick the first time, turning them into a butterfly and leaving them on the chair for him... Too bad she'd never get the chance again. He knew what she could really do, and he wasn't going to let her toy with him too easily.
Just thinking about turning around made her feel sick, and she didn't bother to hide the face she made this time around. She'd hoped he'd be a little more patient, but he was already moving to push her up against the wall. The world heaved again as he pushed her and she groaned, leaning her forehead against the cold wall. The drumbeat had returned behind her eyes and she didn't even bother to struggle as he patted her down for weapons and pulled her hand behind her. Not even his knee between her legs was enough to get her going, although she didn't mind the extra contact. It had been lonely, these last few years.
"Look, Ceddy, you know I love our games, but I'm not feeling so hot..." She tried to ignore the way her voice faltered as she spoke, and swallowed heavily. "Who knows, you might even get to carry me out. But do me a favor, if this really kills me, I'm going to need you to make those two idiots as dickless as they are brainless." She tried to laugh but it came out wrong, strangled, and she gave up fast. "Oh, and, try not to get any blood on your coat. Bloodstains are a bitch to get out."
CEDRIC:
Cedric did the pat-down, and his eyes narrowed, even more, do the fact Lacey wasn't playing her usual game with him. He was suspicious to say the least and wasn't about to give his guard up. He had his hands on her hips when she began to tell him she wasn't feeling good. Her voice faltered and he had to admit, she was pretty good. But he wasn't going to fall for some stunt. Not like the first time they met.
But when she laughed he knew she wasn't playing. He was a sharp cookie, and something was certainly wrong. "What's wrong?" He asked quickly. His lips were near her ear when he asked, but it only took him a moment to smell the blood coming from her hair. It was a sickly sweet smell that didn't blend well with her normal shampoo, that he actually enjoyed. It was one thing he liked about her. Maybe the only thing. The smell was getting stronger. He quickly lifted the hair up off of neck to see blood going down the back of her neck.
His hands were wet and moist from her hair, and could see the dampened area at the back of her skull. "What the fuck happened?!" He said angrily. Annoyed she would let herself get into this type of situation. This was why he believed she shouldn't be a thief. She would get her, and a woman of her talents should be a metal work artist. Not a thief. Not possibly dead.
He turned his head and spat out his cigarette angrily. It hit the floor and put itself out. Cedric placed his hands on her arms then, and with a surprising gentleness, turned her towards him, and then lowered her slowly to the floor. "Don't move." He growled. He then went into the shop, and began his search for a lantern. When he found what he wanted, he came back with it lit and sat it down next to Lacey. "Put your head on your knees." He told her. If she did so, his fingers would be gentle as he began to probe the back of her head. His scowl only deepening with his search. "Guess its a good thing I clobbered those shit heads in the head on their way out huh?" He mused. "Fuck, Lace what did you hit your head on?!' He swore, when he found the knot that had formed in the back of her head. He could feel the blood spilling from the wound. He stood and then jogged down the hallway again. "Don't be stupid Lacey. I can't play nurse if you leave me again." He warned her. He yanked open the back door and barked out orders to get a doctor on site, and quickly. Several of the men stared at him in shock, causing Cedric to yell at them to get their asses moving. He growled as he watched them scramble over themselves before someone finally jumped to action, and he hurried back inside.
LACEY:
Lacey clenched her jaw tightly and forced herself to breathe slowly through her nose as she waited for Cedric to figure out she wasn't yanking his chain. Fainting now would be more humiliating than anything, but she refused to be a damsel in distress and prove to him she couldn't handle herself.
She didn't bother explaining what had happened when he yelled--she only winced at the clanging that echoed in her head in reply. She almost prayed with gratitude when his manner changed and he gently helped her to the floor. Tough as she was, she was still grateful for one less thing to keep up. Her legs felt like gelatin that was starting to melt, and it was bliss to take her weight off of them.
"Don't move!"
She 'laughed' a burst of air out her nose at that one. Don't move? There was no way she could, even if she wanted to. Honestly, this was probably the most obedient she'd ever been in her life. She waited with growing despondency as he ventured off into the dark. The throbbing in her head was dancing on her emotional control, and it was all she could do to keep tears of pain and frustration from welling in her eyes. Still, she let herself close them as she eased her chin down into her chest. She never should have taken this job. She should have quit the minute she saw those good for nothing traitors with their dumbass faces painted. But here she was, bleeding on the floor.
The sound of his feet returning was music to her ears, and she kept up her obedience. As ordered, she slowly drew her knees up and leaned her forehead onto them. Her breath hissed out through her teeth as his fingers probed her scalp where they brushed the wound. Fuck that hurt. She knew he was trying to help, but if she'd had the strength in her, she probably would have punched him.
She smiled in grim satisfaction when she heard that he had hit the others in the head on the way out. Ah, poetic justice. She still planned to remove their manhoods if she ever got the chance, but it was a start. As for what hit her, he may have already dashed off before she could answer right away, but she wasn't about to let him get away with saying that she hit her head. She gritted her teeth as she waited for him to come back, and as soon as she knew he was within earshot, she spoke up.
"Don't you go blaming this on me," she protested weakly, "That creep slammed me into the floor as hard as he could and left me for dead." She lifted her head just enough to peek up at him over her knees and give him something resembling a smile. "On the bright side, I'm a real good girl when I feel like death. Do you like me better this way?"
CEDRIC:
Cedric rolled his eyes as Lacey came back into view. She was pitiful, with her head on her knees, and her hair around her face. She looked like shit. "Oh but I am. You could have made the choice not to be here. What if it had been worse? What if we hadn't of come? You could of been found dead in there. It was stupid." He told her. Not sugar coating things. He came and crouched down next to her. Tucking her hair behind her ear as he glared at her in disapproval, despite her weak little smile. "I like it when your not heaped over bleeding from the head, and not getting into trouble." He told her. He stood and reached down. He undid the tie around her hands that were held behind her back, and brought them to her front before retying them in front of her. He pulled her up slowly then, and ducked his head under her arms so they were looped around his neck.
In one quick moment, he would have her in his arms bridal style and turning towards the back door. "I'd like you a lot more Lacey if you had a better profession and weren't jewelry thief." He growled. His chest rumbled with the effort. He kicked the back door open and then carried her out into the alley. "You should be a metal work artist, what with all the little sculptures you like to make out of my handcuffs and guns." The corner of his mouth twitched up and the smallest semblance of a smile.
LACEY:
Ugh, it was so much worse when she agreed with him. She wanted to roll her eyes, but they weren't cooperating at the moment, so she settled for sticking out her tongue at him. She didn't think he noticed. What he said about liking her better when she wasn't bleeding was nice, at least. It was kinda cute, the way he seemed to think she needed to be protected. She'd learned the hard way that she couldn't be helpless--being helpless meant other people got hurt instead. No, she'd much prefer to get in and out of her own messes, thank you very much.
She sighed in relief as he brought her arms back around to the front, putting her shoulders in a much more comfortable position. She didn't understand why he was doing it, but that was the least of her worries at the moment. She wished she were feeling better as he ducked his head under her arms and hoisted her to her feet--for a moment, they were entwined like lovers about to kiss. She would have done it, too, if her brain had reacted fast enough, but he was already scooping her into his arms before she had even finished the thought. She let her head fall limp onto his shoulder, and her eyes fell closed again as she decided the effort of keeping them open was too much. The smell of cigarettes was stronger than ever now, but while it still made her eyes water, she found it oddly comforting. Actually, all of this was comforting: the strong arms carrying her, the gentle sway of his steps, the feeling of having someone worry for her... Her whole body relaxed; she'd been clenching every muscle to try and hold herself together without even realizing she was doing it, but it was such a relief to let it go. Why did things always end with her dragging other people into it? And why did it have to feel so good?
"Alas, my love, being a starving artist isn't the most practical line of work for a girl with people to take care of. Mouths to feed and all that." She mumbled into his chest, suddenly desperate to have him understand why she did what she did. She didn't feel comfortable spilling all her secrets, but she couldn't help trying to win his approval. "I do put some art out in the shop, though...sometimes. I've only sold one piece so far. A butterfly..." She trailed off as her train of thought started to wander. Now that she wasn't fighting it so hard, things were getting pretty hazy. What had she been saying? Something about being an artist? "It would be nice, though... I'd make you all kinds of pretty things."
CEDRIC:
Cedric's eyes flicked down to look at Lacey's face pressed into his shoulder. Was she a mother then too? Having to go to extremes to put food on the table for her little ones? That thought had his blood boiling even more. He held her tighter purely as a reflex as his jaw clenched. She definitely needed a new profession. One where her kids wouldn't worry about if mama was coming home that night. Of course, you could lose your mother without her having a dangerous profession. Just like his mother. His mother had been a simple jeweler, gaining fame for her craft. And then one night, someone had taken her from him.
His teeth ground together in a horrible sound that might have made him wince, but his face was one of wrath. They reached the end of the alley, and Cedric saw multiple carriages, and police officers running around, trying to gain control of the situation. There were a small group of detectives talking to the owners that were still in their bed clothes, A another group that was putting the shit heads into the caged carriage. There was a few bystanders, looking down from windows and standing off to the side, whispering about what was going. "Where's that doctor?!" Cedric barked out angrily. His voice booming over the noise.
He glanced down at her again, seeing she looking even worse. "Stay awake Lacey." He urged. "Tell me about those pretty things you'd make me." Told her. His eyes looking out in the crowd for the doc. He took her to the back of one of the carriages and set her down gently, and then turned her so he stood between her legs to give her support while her arms were still around his neck. "Tell me about those mouths you gotta feed. What are they like?" He asked her. Hoping talking about her kids would give her enough will to stay awake. "I need you stay awake sweetheart." He said gently. Squeezing her hips lightly.
LACEY:
Lacey didn't think much of his tightening arms and jaw; things were a bit too dreamy now for her to focus very hard on that. There was a group of people running around outside like someone had kicked an anthill. She watched them with her brow furrowed in confusion. What were they so flustered about? They'd already caught everyone involved, so there was no need to be so worked up. They hadn't even managed to get anything good out of the building, by the looks of it. How pathetic. If she'd been able-bodied, she could have made it out of there and been halfway home by now. Oh, Junior would be worried if he woke up and she wasn't there...she should find someone to get a message to him...
"Where's that doctor?!"
Cedric's shout about a doctor startled her back to alertness. Was her bleeding really that bad? She'd almost forgotten she was supposed to be worried, now that he had taken over for her. It was nice, having someone take the load off her shoulders for a little while. She winced as he set her down, and the concern on his face kept her from fading back into the dizzy haze that had been so close to lulling her to sleep. How funny that her nemesis could be both the one man she had any interest in and the one person who cared about her that wasn't related by blood. It was sweet, really, how much he wanted her to pursue a normal life. It just wasn't that simple. And besides, she was good at what she did now.
"I'm awake..." she frowned and blinked forcefully against the drowsiness that threatened to overwhelm her. She stared down at the buttons of his coat with an intense focus, trying to keep herself clear-minded enough to answer his question. "Mostly. I think. Um...oh, family. Mmm. That's me, and junior, and my Mama. My husband..." Pain flashed across her face, unsuccessfully muted thanks to the concussion. "Mark passed a few years ago. So it's just us three now. We do okay." She brightened a little and looked up at his eyes as she remembered something he'd like.
"You'll never guess what Junior wants to be when he grows up--either the king or a police officer. He likes to arrest me for 'stealing' his toys." She laughed, then winced immediately after, bringing her forehead down to rest on Cedric's chest. "Mmm, I didn't really mean to tell you all this. But...I guess if it's you it's alright. Just don't go spilling to all these guys. I'm supposed to be a femme fatale." She waved her hand as much as she could against the tie to gesture to the crowd of officers.
CEDRIC:
Cedric was getting nervous though he hid it behind his scowling exterior. Wondering where the fuck that doctor was. He kept glancing down at Lacey, while his eyes kept scanning for the doc. His blue eyes fell on her trying to focus on his buttons, as she began to answer his questions. His jaw clenched when she mentioned a husband. Thinking the pain across her face was due to her head injury. But then-oh. She'd lost him. Cedric's eyes softened just a fraction. A desperate mother trying to make ends meet had no choice to be a thief right? There was no way her Husband would have allowed her to do such a profession. Surely...
He met her eyes, and then couldn't help the chuckle that came out of his lips at the idea of her son wanting to be a man of the law. "He's a smart kid." He remarked. At least one of them had brains, and new what was wrong and what was right. Lacey rested her head on his chest, and Cedric's hand came up to pat her head gently. Minding where the wound was. "I'm good at keeping secrets. I won't tell anyone you spilled your beans." He told her. "I'll just tell them you tried to butter me up to let you in my pants again." He said in an almost bored tone as his eyes scanned the crowd.
He swept over the now thinning crowd to see a slightly overweight man hurrying after one of the men he'd sent off. Bag in hand, his clothes were rumbled as if he'd thrown them on in a hurry and his jacket flapped in the air behind him. Cedric raised his hand and called over to them. Spotting him, the doc and rookie hurried over. "W-what's t-the," The doc sucked in air trying to breathe. "Problem." He wheezed out. "She had her head slammed into the ground that's what's wrong. She's bleeding pretty badly." Cedric growled out. The Doc nodded and then set his bag down, and began to ask Lacey questions. What day it was, what did she have for breakfast that morning, how she was feeling, questions that would make her have to recall things as he began to stick his pudgy fingers into the back of her head.
Cedric stood right there, keeping her up. Silently watching the doc as he asked his questions as he began to do his examination.
LACEY:
"Mmm, I do still want into them. I just can't think straight enough to make a pass at you right now."
Actually, that was a good point. She was certainly still attracted to Cedric, and this was the closest he'd let her in quite a while. His hands resting on her hips were gentle, and the clean soap smell of him mixed with the cigarettes he was always smoking to create his familiar scent. She'd stolen one of his coats before for exactly that reason--she just liked the way it smelled. Of course, if anyone asked, it was because she wanted to drive him crazy, but that was just a bonus.
Lacey didn't bother looking up at the doctor when he finally wobbled his way over to them--she could already tell he was a fat, incompetent fool. After all, only an idiot would have run to an emergency on foot, and only an incompetent doctor would fail to notice the mass of bloody, clumped hair on the back of her head. It was pretty damn obvious what the hell was wrong with her. She answered his questions without lifting her head from Cedric's chest, too, only answering because she knew Cedric would be upset if she didn't. They seemed pointless, anyway. Unfortunately, with her head down, she also didn't have any preparation for the so-called doctor shoving his greasy fingers into the cut on the back of her head.
It felt as if someone had stabbed a hot iron through the cut into her brain. She shrieked, yanked her head away, and turned to look at the doctor with wide eyes and bared teeth. "The fuck kind of doctor are you? It's obvious there's a cut, you don't have to stick your fingers in it!" With her fierce expression it seemed clear she was angry, but the tears welling in her eyes hinted at the pain she was in. She recoiled bodily away from the man, sliding over to the point where she threatened to fall off the carriage seat just to get away from him. She didn't seem to realize she'd automatically moved closer to Cedric as well, looking for the feeling of security he offered.
"I don't want you fucking touching me. I don't. I won't fucking let you." She swore as her shoulders began to tremble and one of the tears ran down her cheek.
CEDRIC:
Cedric jumped slightly at Lacey's shriek. He rested his hands on her shoulders to steady her as she yanked away from the doctor. He took a deep breath as she began swearing at the poor startled Doc, who probably hadn't been awake for more then twenty minutes and was being asked to deal with a head injury. The other man guffawed, and Cedric could see he was getting annoyed with her, as he adjusted his glasses.
Lacey was moving, and Cedric had to lunge to the side slightly to keep her from falling off the carriage as she scooted away from the doc. "Calm the fuck down Lacey!" Cedric snapped at her. She was practically clinging to him, and he could tell she was in a lot of pain. He didn't have to be too harsh with her, but her bad decisions were having consequences. He pinched the bridge of his nose and took a slow even breath. "Calm down. Please. I know it hurts baby, If you don't want him touching you, he's not going to touch you." He lowered his head and whispered in her ear far more gently than he had ever spoken to her before. He rubbed one of her shoulders trying to be comforting, while the other hand reached up to wipe away one of her tears."He's just doing his job Lace, I didn't want you bleeding out on me. Would really put a damper on my night." He pressed his lips into her forehead then, and stuck out his hand towards the doc. "Let me do it. If she's going to bite somebody's head off let it be mine." He said looking at the doc.
The older man rolled his eyes, and let a large sigh out. Beginning to grumbled under his breath about being pulled from his bed in the middle of the night to deal with ungrateful children as he dug in the bag he brought with him. Cedric ignored him, and shot a look at Lacey that told her to keep her own mouth shut. "Pour this on the cut to disinfect it." The doc handed him a bottle, and Cedric quickly set to work uncapping it and took the clean cloth from him. He held them both in one hand and then gave a large grin down to Lacey for the first time since she'd met him. "This is your one and only time I'll let you bite me, sweetheart. It's gonna hurt like a son of a bitch." He told her. The doctor explained how to do it, and Cedric nodded, getting ready to pour it on the back of Lacey's head. The hand with the cloth was resting just under the bloodied mat she had in her hair. Cedric would then look into Lacey's eyes and count slowly to three. On three he would then pour the foul-smelling liquid onto the wound.
LACEY:
Lacey winced and wilted as Cedric snapped at her to calm down. She hadn't meant to react so strongly, but the way the doctor had been so careless on top of everything going wrong that night had made her see red. Her chest heaved with near-hyperventilation as she tried to regain her self control. Thankfully, Cedric was agreeing to her terms now. The doctor wouldn't touch her. As soon as she heard him say it, her shoulders relaxed some, and she eased herself back onto the chair as he spoke. And then, when he whispered in her ear...Ooh, that made her feel some type of way. She was almost willing to accept head injuries if it meant he would call her baby and whisper in her ear more often.
"I won't bite your head off. I trust you." she protested.
She stuck out her tongue at the doctor while he grumbled and looked in his bag, then switched to looking as innocent as possible when Cedric gave her a stern look. She wasn't going to attack the doc for no reason, obviously, but he was being an ass. When the doctor held out the bottle of disinfectant she eyed it warily, reluctant to let anyone--even Cedric--near her with it. It stank, and she knew for sure it was going to hurt like hell. She was about ready to say so when Cedric gave her the biggest grin she'd ever seen from him, and her heart fluttered a little. Boy, he really knew how to distract her, didn't he?
"Never say never, babe. Love bites are more fun than you might think." She answered with a smirk of her own. "But alright...I'm ready." She leaned her head down to give him better access and pre-emptively grabbed a fistful of his jacket to squeeze instead of leaving fingernail gouges in her hand. She had no intention of biting him, honestly, until the liquid hit her head. At that point, biting someone seemed like a pretty reasonable reaction.
"Mmmmmfuck..." she squeaked, every muscle in her body tensing as she tried not to react. After a second, though, she couldn't help it: she had to turn her face into his shoulder to muffle the scream that rose in her throat. Thankfully, the thick wool of his coat and the muscle of his shoulder dampened the sound to a dull squeak. She hadn't wanted to yell in pain since Junior was born, but this was right up there. She'd done well enough keeping her complaining to a minimum until then, she thought, but that had crossed the line. Once the onslaught passed, she lifted her head again to look at Cedric with damp cheeks.
"You...definitely weren't wrong..." she managed to say through gritted teeth. "Please tell me that's all we needed to do..."
CEDRIC:
The whole process probably took maybe thirty seconds if that, but he had a feeling for Lacey it felt like ages. He ignored her cries into his shoulder. Grinding his teeth along with her at the sounds she was making. Cedric hated causing bodily harm to anyone unless it was deserved, and her cries cut right into his soul. He quickly poured the liquid and then used the cloth and pressed it down on onto the wound like the doc told him. He handed the bottle off to the rookie standing there, and patted the wound gently.
When he pulled away from her head with the cloth, Lacey looked up at him with damp cheeks. He grinned at her again, and used his free hand to wipe her cheek. "Not yet sweetheart." The doc pressed some clean gauze and bandages into his hand, and he handed him the now dirtied cloth. "Just a bit more baby-cakes and we can get you someplace real comfortable." He told her. He took the gauze in one hand and gently pressed it to the back of her head. "So Junior wants to be a man of the law huh?" He asked to distract her from what he was doing. Once the gauze was in place, he'd take the bandage and begin to wrap it around her head. Trying to smooth out the mess her hair was in as he did so. Once her head was bandaged and the pins were in place to keep the bandage from falling off, Cedric held his hand out for the painkillers.
"Take some of this and you'll be feeling loads better." He told her. He rubbed her shoulders and held out the little bottle of laudanum. "One sip." He ordered her sternly. His eyes boring into hers about how serious he was that she take only the small sip. If it was one thing Cedric did not want Lacey to become it was addicted to the liquid version of opium. They'd begun to see their fair share of people getting addicted, and he didn't want Lacey being one of them. But he also didn't want her to be in pain if he could help it.
LACEY:
With all the pet names he was using, she could almost forget that the only reason he was taking care of her was because she was under arrest. She did her best to breathe slowly and deeply as he removed the cloth and began to bandage her head. Someplace 'real comfortable' was probably a cot in a cell somewhere, with her hands and feet bound to a wooden bed-frame--and not in a kinky way. It was going to be a bit like hell, to be trapped somewhere without Mark or Daddy to come after her. Her family wouldn't know what happened to her until an officer went to knock on the door... But, at least she was alive. Honestly, she was lucky to be in the custody of someone like Cedric--without his steady voice to guide her, she might have been unconscious or completely hysterical right now. Instead, she was holding herself together enough to answer his questions. Whether or not she meant to be quite so honest was debatable.
Junior really did want to be a police officer. And it was no mystery why.
"Mhm. Mama doesn't want him to turn out like his daddy or his granddad, so she tells plenty of stories where the robbers are the bad guys, or where the police rescue damsels in distress. I love her dearly but it breaks my heart a little to have him think his daddy was a bad man. I wish..." She went silent, realizing she had overshared again. "Nevermind."
She took the sip of medication without hesitation. Getting rid of the pain was all fine and dandy, but mostly she was ready to shut herself up before she spilled anything else. She'd been far too open with him tonight, and with her luck, it would come back to bite her in the ass. Cedric was a good man, but he was still police, and that trumped any silly feelings either of them might have. It was bigger than either of them. The medicine was about as bitter as she was at the moment--enough to make her gag. She managed to keep it down, but the sound she made likely said it all. The medicine had better be damn effective to be worth the absolute horror of having to taste it. What a nightmare.
"Are you sure that's supposed to make me feel better? Because now my stomach is trying to climb out of my body," she quipped, and planned to continue, but was overtaken by a yawn. "This has been quite an adventure, but I think I need to call it a night. I don't suppose you'd be willing to drop me off at home?" She smiled ruefully at Cedric for a moment, then interrupted before he could answer. "Don't worry, I know better. I'm under arrest, anything I say can be used against me in a court of law, I have the right to remain silent but I'm terrible at it... I know you've got to do your job, same as I have to do mine."
CEDRIC:
A strained smile went across Cedric's face, and the rookie next to the doc grimaced as Lacey gagged. Clearly none of them envied her or the medicine she was taking. As soon as she took the sip, Cedric whisked the bottle away. Corking it and handing it off to the doc, who put it in his bag before he adjusted his eyeglasses. "Just wait. You'll be singing a different tune sure enough Deary." The doc said with a small smile.
Cedric arched an eyebrow at Lacey as she asked if he'd be willing to take her home. She quickly beat him before he could make a comment. "I'd say you already did your job Lace." He kept on hand on her arm. Gentle but firm. "Book those two for robbery and find out which one hurt Lacey. Charge him with an extra assault charge." Cedric said to the rookie. He turned to the Doc then and held out his hand. "Thanks, Doc. Sorry for pulling you out of bed so late." The older man took Cedric's hand with a sigh, and gave him a small smile. "One of the downsides to the profession, but I'm glad it wasn't worse." He looked to Lacey then and gave her a smile as well, though it was a bit strained. Probably because of how she had reacted to him earlier. "You're going to experience some headaches for the next couple days. Wound should be fine in the morning for you to wash your hair, but re-bandage it after wards just in case. Feel better young lady." He nodded at her. He then took his bag and moved away from the carriage. Cedric watched him go, taking note of the orders he had given Lacey. In the span of three seconds he had made his mind up about what to do with her.
He looked to Lacey and then looked at her curiously. "Feel that medicine yet?" He asked. He knew it wouldn't take long before her head would feel numb and then she'd feel drowsy.
LACEY:
Lacey sighed heavily at the doctor's instructions. She still didn't like him, but maybe she'd been a little too harsh. She was lucky he was taking care of a criminal like her at all, let alone in the middle of the night. She grimaced just thinking about it, but she knew she couldn't let him leave without saying something.
"Thanks, doc!" she called after him as he shambled away, "Sorry about being an ass!"
No sooner had the words left her mouth than the effects of that medicine hit her. She was struck by a yawn so large it made her eyes water and her jaw ache. She tried to wipe her eyes on her shoulder, but she had barely managed it before she yawned again, drooping like an unwatered flower as she slumped against the carriage seat. She doubted she was going to be able to stay awake this time; whatever they had given her was strong as hell. At least this was more pleasant than the first few minutes had been--a sensation of warmth was moving through her limbs as her mind filled with cotton, and she had a feeling this was going to be the first solid night of sleep she'd had in a while. She was sure to have the world's most obnoxious headache when she woke up, but for now, she was safe. And that was as much as a girl like her could ask for.
"Mmm..." Lacey's reply didn't quite make it past her lips, and her eyes were simply too heavy to open. Too heavy, that is until one last bright thought appeared to her, and she picked her head up to look at Cedric earnestly. She was determined to thank him before she forgot. "Thank you, Cedric. I probably..." Another yawn overtook her, but she finished as soon as she could, "I probably don't deserve it."
With that, her head dropped heavily against the seat, and Lacey Cartwick was out cold.
"Hurry Up!"
"The fuck is taking so long, Cartwick?"
"Would you morons please shut the fuck up? I'm trying to focus!" Lacey Cartwick's sharp whisper cut through the hushed atmosphere of the jewelry store, interrupting the whining of her companions. They'd been antsy since the moment she unlocked the back door to let them in and got louder and more annoying with each passing second. She'd been told that these two were top notch thieves, and that the job they were pulling was worth her talent, but she'd been lied to. She'd known the minute she saw the others in their heavy boots and their eyes blacked like they'd walked straight out of a detective story. They didn't know the first thing about actually getting away with crimes, and it was making her sick to her stomach.
The young woman sighed slowly through her nose, trying to loosen the tension rising in her jaw and shoulder muscles. This was no time to lose her cool--she was only half way finished cracking the safe. With a roll of her neck, she turned her attention back to the metal tumblers inside the locking mechanism, letting her magic infuse them as she slowly turned the dial. She could feel when things clicked into place, like a little bubble of champagne along her senses. There! That was the second one. Only one to go... She turned the dial back the opposite direction, ever so slowly. The metal pieces ticked along each other in a gentle rhythm as she 'listened' for the right fit, matching the beating of her heart. Almost...done.
The final click was audible even to her companions as she swung the safe open with a grin. Inside, cases of cut diamonds glittered in the light of the single candle they had dared to light. They were beautiful...but the food and firewood they would buy was even better. She started to reach for the nearest tray, but a rough hand grabbed her shoulder and yanked her backward. She was flung to the floor where her head met the tile with a crack that sent stars bursting across her vision. Her senses swam, but she could make out some of what the others were saying: "Dumb bitch," "Weak," and "fuck, Police!" were the few words she could make out. She groaned as she pushed herself up, and swore when she saw the others take off down the hall. The only reason they would run like that was--
"Stop, police!"
Shit, they were close, and getting closer. She couldn't believe she'd missed the telltale creak of ugly police uniform shoes on the floor, or the click of the locks in the front of the shop. It must have been drowned out by the grousing of her so called teammates--the ones who were running off with her cut while she could hardly stand. She tried to take a step and nearly fell headlong onto the floor as the world tilted crazily before her eyes. That crack to the head must have done more damage than I thought... Desperately she kept going until she collapsed against the nearest wall, clinging to it for dear life.
"Fucking bastards, no good snakes..." she grumbled, leaning her shoulder against the wall as she started toward the exit as fast as her legs could carry her.
CEDRIC:
While police officers were trying to get into the front of the store, Cedric Morris was running towards the back. Cigarette hanging from his mouth, jacket flapping in the wind, and his gun out and at the ready as he came barreling around the corner of the alley. Cedric was getting smarter the longer he was on the force. It was on of the reasons why he was promoted so quickly. He thought like the criminals did. And if it was one thing he loathed more than himself, it was burglars. Jewelry burglars.
He was already pissed and he hadn't even seen the shits yet. He ran up to the back door. His feet pouding against the cobble stones as his teeth bit down on the butt of his cigarette. He pressed his back to the wall beside the door. Willing his heart beat to slow down as heard the thundering of loud, heavy feet coming from inside. The moment the door was slammed open. The butt of his pistol came down on the first man that yelped in pain. He fell to the ground tripping the second man, that Cedric also hit in the back of the head once he was at the right level. "Hiya boys." Cedric said. Blowing smoke out. He kicked the one on top of the pile over by his shoulder. Both groaning and holding their heads. Cedric saw the canvas bag they had and reached for it. Yanking it out of their reach. "You know the drill boys, up. Hands on top of your head." He motioned with his gun while He heard shouts from the front of the alley, and his calvery coming in. He held the canvas bag out to one of the winded officers while two of the others went to starry eyed burglars. "Nice work Smiley!" The officer with the canvas bag said. Cedric just grunted in annoyance as he scowled at the two men.
"Witness says there were three of them." One of the other officers said. "A woman." Cedric shot his glare to his colleague, who paled under his stare. He took a few more angry puffs from his cigarette. "Guard the back door." He growled before he entered the building from the back in a plume of smoke. There was only one woman thief he could think of that could break into a safe as quickly as these burglars had. "You said the next time we met you were taking me to dinner!" He called into the darkness as he entered the building more. His annoyance growing with each step. "If you bend my gun again woman...." He muttered under his breath. His hand tightening on his pistol.
LACEY:
"Aw shit," Lacey muttered as she recognized the voice of her favorite and least favorite policeman. Cedric Morris, a man of many talents, gorgeous eyes, and a stubborn streak that would put a donkey to shame. Something about that perpetually messy hair and aura of cigarette smoke was endearing, and the air of danger really got her adrenaline going. She could never decide whether she wanted to kiss him or shoot him. Maybe both. It made it hard to tell when he was whispering in her ear while tying her hands behind her back with his tie.
There was no time to get out of his way--this hallway was a straight shot to the back door, and hiding in the manager's office would just be sealing herself in. The only way out was in the hands of the police, and really, it would be a hell of a lot easier to break out of a jail full of metal. Not to mention that maybe if she waited a while the room would stop heaving like a ship in a storm. She took a deep breath to steel herself and pushed up off the wall, doing her damndest to stand up straight and look confident. If she couldn't make herself vanish, she would simply have to dazzle and distract him to the best of her ability.
She gave Cedric her best smile as she came around the corner, then leaned against the wall with her arms crossed like she was just being casual. Really, she was trying to make sure she didn't end up in a disgusting heap on the floor. Normally she loved the smell of the cigarettes he was always smoking, but with that on top of the pounding behind her eyes, she thought she might be sick. Her smile was barely held in place as she spoke up.
"Well hello, Handsome! You know I'd love to take you to dinner! But those good for nothing worms you just met took all my pocket money with them. I'm afraid I just can't afford it. Maybe I can find some other way to make it up to you?"
Something warm trickled down the back of her neck, but she didn't dare put her hand up to check what it was.
CEDRIC:
Cedric stood with his arms by his sides, his eys adjusting to the dark light, when he saw movement and watched his miss disappear appear around the corner. He watched her with narrowed eyes as she crossed her arms. He staid put, staring at her. His scowl growing with each word out of her mouth.
The term "The woman that got away" was usually meant for ex-lovers, or someone of a romantic sort. Lacey Cartwick was his woman that got away every time he crossed paths with her. He'd been so close. So close on many different occasions of brining her in finally, but each time the little bitch found a way to elude him. She was a never-ending thorn in his side, and the person, aside from the man he was still hunting, that he wanted locked up the most. Her "cute" little game she liked to play with him just made him scowl more. She was a beautiful woman, that was clearly smart. But also stupid enough to get into a career path that could see her hurt or worse...dead.
"You can meet at the station for a date. I got just the room picked out Honey Bunch." He said. He reached up and pulled the cigarette from his mouth, tilting his head up slightly to blow the smoke up while not taking his eyes off of her. "You gonna make this easy, or do I have to chase after you again?" He asked her. "Gotta be honest sweetheart, I won't be as gentle as last time. You like to bring out my rough side." He spoke. He began to walk towards her slowly. Prepared to chase after her if she decided to bolt. Given their environment, she wasn't going to get far, but Cedric didn't want to take any chances.
LACEY:
She couldn't help laughing, damn him--laughing made the pounding behind her eyes turn into a stab. She winced but tried to hide it behind another smile. A date at the station? She might even like it if he really gave her his full attention. She'd been a little miffed last time when he spent half his time being distracted by his fan club of rookies. She was much more attractive than any of those knobby-kneed babies. She didn't move a muscle as he approached, save for holding her breath when he blew that cigarette smoke in her direction. If she breathed too deeply, she wasn't sure what would happen. The pressure behind her eyes was getting worse, and she was starting to see little lights at the edges of her vision. This was definitely bad.
Ooh, that remark about being rough was enough to pull her back into the conversation for now, though. The thought had her feeling a little tingly...or maybe that was the blood running down her spine?
"Baby, I like it rough. You can do whatever you like, as long as I get to be the center of your attention," she teased with a half-hearted wink, "But you know how I hate to be tied down. I'm a girl who needs her freedom, or I'd lose my spark."
He was getting a little too close for comfort, and if she had been any less dizzy she would have made a run for it out of sheer anxiety. She swallowed the urge as best she could, and tried to ignore the trembling of her knees. She was going to have to let him take her. Let him think that she liked it this way, or that he won, whatever made him happiest, so long as she didn't have to move.
Worry started to creep in at the back of her mind, that maybe she should have just stayed on the floor where they left her. Those lights at the edge of her vision were getting worse by the second. She didn't want to show weakness, but if this kept up, she wouldn't have a choice...
CEDRIC:
Cedric's eyes narrowed at the laugh she gave him. Something was up. He could sense it. The closer he got to her the more suspicious he became at the fact she hadn't made a run for it yet. He rolled his eyes, and groaned at the comments she made. Not this again... he thought. If she wasn't so damn annoying, and a thief, he might have considered it had they met on better terms. Maybe.
"Can't have that now can we." He remarked. He was nearly in front of her then, and his eyes roamed her up and down, looking for a weapon of some sort. He didn't see any, but what he did see was she was pale, and her legs were shaking. Something was wrong. He tensed for a moment. Becoming hyper aware of his surroundings. He tucked his gun away in its rightful place, and then reached up to untie his tie. Knowing that metal wouldn't work on her given her magic specialty. "Come on now, baby. Turn around for me." He told her. Motioning with his finger in a spinning motion for her to do their usual dance. "It wouldn't be the same if we didn't have our dance." He told her. He waited, and if she turned around for him, he would reach for her hands, put them behind her back and tie them up with his tie. If she didn't move, he'd narrow his eyes at her, and move behind her. His hands going to her hips, and he'd turn and push her into the wall, before sticking his knee between her legs and begin patting her down for any weapons.
LACEY:
Oh, fuck him and fuck him. Why did this asshole have to be so damn cute? She knew he was looking to see if she was holding her usual knife, but she didn't mind the way his eyes roamed. Any other day she would have struck a pose, really given him an eyeful. She really wanted to kiss him then bolt out the back door, but she knew better. She was fading fast. She could already see him loosening his tie, ready to bind her wrists so she couldn't break out of cuffs. Now that had been a fun parlor trick the first time, turning them into a butterfly and leaving them on the chair for him... Too bad she'd never get the chance again. He knew what she could really do, and he wasn't going to let her toy with him too easily.
Just thinking about turning around made her feel sick, and she didn't bother to hide the face she made this time around. She'd hoped he'd be a little more patient, but he was already moving to push her up against the wall. The world heaved again as he pushed her and she groaned, leaning her forehead against the cold wall. The drumbeat had returned behind her eyes and she didn't even bother to struggle as he patted her down for weapons and pulled her hand behind her. Not even his knee between her legs was enough to get her going, although she didn't mind the extra contact. It had been lonely, these last few years.
"Look, Ceddy, you know I love our games, but I'm not feeling so hot..." She tried to ignore the way her voice faltered as she spoke, and swallowed heavily. "Who knows, you might even get to carry me out. But do me a favor, if this really kills me, I'm going to need you to make those two idiots as dickless as they are brainless." She tried to laugh but it came out wrong, strangled, and she gave up fast. "Oh, and, try not to get any blood on your coat. Bloodstains are a bitch to get out."
CEDRIC:
Cedric did the pat-down, and his eyes narrowed, even more, do the fact Lacey wasn't playing her usual game with him. He was suspicious to say the least and wasn't about to give his guard up. He had his hands on her hips when she began to tell him she wasn't feeling good. Her voice faltered and he had to admit, she was pretty good. But he wasn't going to fall for some stunt. Not like the first time they met.
But when she laughed he knew she wasn't playing. He was a sharp cookie, and something was certainly wrong. "What's wrong?" He asked quickly. His lips were near her ear when he asked, but it only took him a moment to smell the blood coming from her hair. It was a sickly sweet smell that didn't blend well with her normal shampoo, that he actually enjoyed. It was one thing he liked about her. Maybe the only thing. The smell was getting stronger. He quickly lifted the hair up off of neck to see blood going down the back of her neck.
His hands were wet and moist from her hair, and could see the dampened area at the back of her skull. "What the fuck happened?!" He said angrily. Annoyed she would let herself get into this type of situation. This was why he believed she shouldn't be a thief. She would get her, and a woman of her talents should be a metal work artist. Not a thief. Not possibly dead.
He turned his head and spat out his cigarette angrily. It hit the floor and put itself out. Cedric placed his hands on her arms then, and with a surprising gentleness, turned her towards him, and then lowered her slowly to the floor. "Don't move." He growled. He then went into the shop, and began his search for a lantern. When he found what he wanted, he came back with it lit and sat it down next to Lacey. "Put your head on your knees." He told her. If she did so, his fingers would be gentle as he began to probe the back of her head. His scowl only deepening with his search. "Guess its a good thing I clobbered those shit heads in the head on their way out huh?" He mused. "Fuck, Lace what did you hit your head on?!' He swore, when he found the knot that had formed in the back of her head. He could feel the blood spilling from the wound. He stood and then jogged down the hallway again. "Don't be stupid Lacey. I can't play nurse if you leave me again." He warned her. He yanked open the back door and barked out orders to get a doctor on site, and quickly. Several of the men stared at him in shock, causing Cedric to yell at them to get their asses moving. He growled as he watched them scramble over themselves before someone finally jumped to action, and he hurried back inside.
LACEY:
Lacey clenched her jaw tightly and forced herself to breathe slowly through her nose as she waited for Cedric to figure out she wasn't yanking his chain. Fainting now would be more humiliating than anything, but she refused to be a damsel in distress and prove to him she couldn't handle herself.
She didn't bother explaining what had happened when he yelled--she only winced at the clanging that echoed in her head in reply. She almost prayed with gratitude when his manner changed and he gently helped her to the floor. Tough as she was, she was still grateful for one less thing to keep up. Her legs felt like gelatin that was starting to melt, and it was bliss to take her weight off of them.
"Don't move!"
She 'laughed' a burst of air out her nose at that one. Don't move? There was no way she could, even if she wanted to. Honestly, this was probably the most obedient she'd ever been in her life. She waited with growing despondency as he ventured off into the dark. The throbbing in her head was dancing on her emotional control, and it was all she could do to keep tears of pain and frustration from welling in her eyes. Still, she let herself close them as she eased her chin down into her chest. She never should have taken this job. She should have quit the minute she saw those good for nothing traitors with their dumbass faces painted. But here she was, bleeding on the floor.
The sound of his feet returning was music to her ears, and she kept up her obedience. As ordered, she slowly drew her knees up and leaned her forehead onto them. Her breath hissed out through her teeth as his fingers probed her scalp where they brushed the wound. Fuck that hurt. She knew he was trying to help, but if she'd had the strength in her, she probably would have punched him.
She smiled in grim satisfaction when she heard that he had hit the others in the head on the way out. Ah, poetic justice. She still planned to remove their manhoods if she ever got the chance, but it was a start. As for what hit her, he may have already dashed off before she could answer right away, but she wasn't about to let him get away with saying that she hit her head. She gritted her teeth as she waited for him to come back, and as soon as she knew he was within earshot, she spoke up.
"Don't you go blaming this on me," she protested weakly, "That creep slammed me into the floor as hard as he could and left me for dead." She lifted her head just enough to peek up at him over her knees and give him something resembling a smile. "On the bright side, I'm a real good girl when I feel like death. Do you like me better this way?"
CEDRIC:
Cedric rolled his eyes as Lacey came back into view. She was pitiful, with her head on her knees, and her hair around her face. She looked like shit. "Oh but I am. You could have made the choice not to be here. What if it had been worse? What if we hadn't of come? You could of been found dead in there. It was stupid." He told her. Not sugar coating things. He came and crouched down next to her. Tucking her hair behind her ear as he glared at her in disapproval, despite her weak little smile. "I like it when your not heaped over bleeding from the head, and not getting into trouble." He told her. He stood and reached down. He undid the tie around her hands that were held behind her back, and brought them to her front before retying them in front of her. He pulled her up slowly then, and ducked his head under her arms so they were looped around his neck.
In one quick moment, he would have her in his arms bridal style and turning towards the back door. "I'd like you a lot more Lacey if you had a better profession and weren't jewelry thief." He growled. His chest rumbled with the effort. He kicked the back door open and then carried her out into the alley. "You should be a metal work artist, what with all the little sculptures you like to make out of my handcuffs and guns." The corner of his mouth twitched up and the smallest semblance of a smile.
LACEY:
Ugh, it was so much worse when she agreed with him. She wanted to roll her eyes, but they weren't cooperating at the moment, so she settled for sticking out her tongue at him. She didn't think he noticed. What he said about liking her better when she wasn't bleeding was nice, at least. It was kinda cute, the way he seemed to think she needed to be protected. She'd learned the hard way that she couldn't be helpless--being helpless meant other people got hurt instead. No, she'd much prefer to get in and out of her own messes, thank you very much.
She sighed in relief as he brought her arms back around to the front, putting her shoulders in a much more comfortable position. She didn't understand why he was doing it, but that was the least of her worries at the moment. She wished she were feeling better as he ducked his head under her arms and hoisted her to her feet--for a moment, they were entwined like lovers about to kiss. She would have done it, too, if her brain had reacted fast enough, but he was already scooping her into his arms before she had even finished the thought. She let her head fall limp onto his shoulder, and her eyes fell closed again as she decided the effort of keeping them open was too much. The smell of cigarettes was stronger than ever now, but while it still made her eyes water, she found it oddly comforting. Actually, all of this was comforting: the strong arms carrying her, the gentle sway of his steps, the feeling of having someone worry for her... Her whole body relaxed; she'd been clenching every muscle to try and hold herself together without even realizing she was doing it, but it was such a relief to let it go. Why did things always end with her dragging other people into it? And why did it have to feel so good?
"Alas, my love, being a starving artist isn't the most practical line of work for a girl with people to take care of. Mouths to feed and all that." She mumbled into his chest, suddenly desperate to have him understand why she did what she did. She didn't feel comfortable spilling all her secrets, but she couldn't help trying to win his approval. "I do put some art out in the shop, though...sometimes. I've only sold one piece so far. A butterfly..." She trailed off as her train of thought started to wander. Now that she wasn't fighting it so hard, things were getting pretty hazy. What had she been saying? Something about being an artist? "It would be nice, though... I'd make you all kinds of pretty things."
CEDRIC:
Cedric's eyes flicked down to look at Lacey's face pressed into his shoulder. Was she a mother then too? Having to go to extremes to put food on the table for her little ones? That thought had his blood boiling even more. He held her tighter purely as a reflex as his jaw clenched. She definitely needed a new profession. One where her kids wouldn't worry about if mama was coming home that night. Of course, you could lose your mother without her having a dangerous profession. Just like his mother. His mother had been a simple jeweler, gaining fame for her craft. And then one night, someone had taken her from him.
His teeth ground together in a horrible sound that might have made him wince, but his face was one of wrath. They reached the end of the alley, and Cedric saw multiple carriages, and police officers running around, trying to gain control of the situation. There were a small group of detectives talking to the owners that were still in their bed clothes, A another group that was putting the shit heads into the caged carriage. There was a few bystanders, looking down from windows and standing off to the side, whispering about what was going. "Where's that doctor?!" Cedric barked out angrily. His voice booming over the noise.
He glanced down at her again, seeing she looking even worse. "Stay awake Lacey." He urged. "Tell me about those pretty things you'd make me." Told her. His eyes looking out in the crowd for the doc. He took her to the back of one of the carriages and set her down gently, and then turned her so he stood between her legs to give her support while her arms were still around his neck. "Tell me about those mouths you gotta feed. What are they like?" He asked her. Hoping talking about her kids would give her enough will to stay awake. "I need you stay awake sweetheart." He said gently. Squeezing her hips lightly.
LACEY:
Lacey didn't think much of his tightening arms and jaw; things were a bit too dreamy now for her to focus very hard on that. There was a group of people running around outside like someone had kicked an anthill. She watched them with her brow furrowed in confusion. What were they so flustered about? They'd already caught everyone involved, so there was no need to be so worked up. They hadn't even managed to get anything good out of the building, by the looks of it. How pathetic. If she'd been able-bodied, she could have made it out of there and been halfway home by now. Oh, Junior would be worried if he woke up and she wasn't there...she should find someone to get a message to him...
"Where's that doctor?!"
Cedric's shout about a doctor startled her back to alertness. Was her bleeding really that bad? She'd almost forgotten she was supposed to be worried, now that he had taken over for her. It was nice, having someone take the load off her shoulders for a little while. She winced as he set her down, and the concern on his face kept her from fading back into the dizzy haze that had been so close to lulling her to sleep. How funny that her nemesis could be both the one man she had any interest in and the one person who cared about her that wasn't related by blood. It was sweet, really, how much he wanted her to pursue a normal life. It just wasn't that simple. And besides, she was good at what she did now.
"I'm awake..." she frowned and blinked forcefully against the drowsiness that threatened to overwhelm her. She stared down at the buttons of his coat with an intense focus, trying to keep herself clear-minded enough to answer his question. "Mostly. I think. Um...oh, family. Mmm. That's me, and junior, and my Mama. My husband..." Pain flashed across her face, unsuccessfully muted thanks to the concussion. "Mark passed a few years ago. So it's just us three now. We do okay." She brightened a little and looked up at his eyes as she remembered something he'd like.
"You'll never guess what Junior wants to be when he grows up--either the king or a police officer. He likes to arrest me for 'stealing' his toys." She laughed, then winced immediately after, bringing her forehead down to rest on Cedric's chest. "Mmm, I didn't really mean to tell you all this. But...I guess if it's you it's alright. Just don't go spilling to all these guys. I'm supposed to be a femme fatale." She waved her hand as much as she could against the tie to gesture to the crowd of officers.
CEDRIC:
Cedric was getting nervous though he hid it behind his scowling exterior. Wondering where the fuck that doctor was. He kept glancing down at Lacey, while his eyes kept scanning for the doc. His blue eyes fell on her trying to focus on his buttons, as she began to answer his questions. His jaw clenched when she mentioned a husband. Thinking the pain across her face was due to her head injury. But then-oh. She'd lost him. Cedric's eyes softened just a fraction. A desperate mother trying to make ends meet had no choice to be a thief right? There was no way her Husband would have allowed her to do such a profession. Surely...
He met her eyes, and then couldn't help the chuckle that came out of his lips at the idea of her son wanting to be a man of the law. "He's a smart kid." He remarked. At least one of them had brains, and new what was wrong and what was right. Lacey rested her head on his chest, and Cedric's hand came up to pat her head gently. Minding where the wound was. "I'm good at keeping secrets. I won't tell anyone you spilled your beans." He told her. "I'll just tell them you tried to butter me up to let you in my pants again." He said in an almost bored tone as his eyes scanned the crowd.
He swept over the now thinning crowd to see a slightly overweight man hurrying after one of the men he'd sent off. Bag in hand, his clothes were rumbled as if he'd thrown them on in a hurry and his jacket flapped in the air behind him. Cedric raised his hand and called over to them. Spotting him, the doc and rookie hurried over. "W-what's t-the," The doc sucked in air trying to breathe. "Problem." He wheezed out. "She had her head slammed into the ground that's what's wrong. She's bleeding pretty badly." Cedric growled out. The Doc nodded and then set his bag down, and began to ask Lacey questions. What day it was, what did she have for breakfast that morning, how she was feeling, questions that would make her have to recall things as he began to stick his pudgy fingers into the back of her head.
Cedric stood right there, keeping her up. Silently watching the doc as he asked his questions as he began to do his examination.
LACEY:
"Mmm, I do still want into them. I just can't think straight enough to make a pass at you right now."
Actually, that was a good point. She was certainly still attracted to Cedric, and this was the closest he'd let her in quite a while. His hands resting on her hips were gentle, and the clean soap smell of him mixed with the cigarettes he was always smoking to create his familiar scent. She'd stolen one of his coats before for exactly that reason--she just liked the way it smelled. Of course, if anyone asked, it was because she wanted to drive him crazy, but that was just a bonus.
Lacey didn't bother looking up at the doctor when he finally wobbled his way over to them--she could already tell he was a fat, incompetent fool. After all, only an idiot would have run to an emergency on foot, and only an incompetent doctor would fail to notice the mass of bloody, clumped hair on the back of her head. It was pretty damn obvious what the hell was wrong with her. She answered his questions without lifting her head from Cedric's chest, too, only answering because she knew Cedric would be upset if she didn't. They seemed pointless, anyway. Unfortunately, with her head down, she also didn't have any preparation for the so-called doctor shoving his greasy fingers into the cut on the back of her head.
It felt as if someone had stabbed a hot iron through the cut into her brain. She shrieked, yanked her head away, and turned to look at the doctor with wide eyes and bared teeth. "The fuck kind of doctor are you? It's obvious there's a cut, you don't have to stick your fingers in it!" With her fierce expression it seemed clear she was angry, but the tears welling in her eyes hinted at the pain she was in. She recoiled bodily away from the man, sliding over to the point where she threatened to fall off the carriage seat just to get away from him. She didn't seem to realize she'd automatically moved closer to Cedric as well, looking for the feeling of security he offered.
"I don't want you fucking touching me. I don't. I won't fucking let you." She swore as her shoulders began to tremble and one of the tears ran down her cheek.
CEDRIC:
Cedric jumped slightly at Lacey's shriek. He rested his hands on her shoulders to steady her as she yanked away from the doctor. He took a deep breath as she began swearing at the poor startled Doc, who probably hadn't been awake for more then twenty minutes and was being asked to deal with a head injury. The other man guffawed, and Cedric could see he was getting annoyed with her, as he adjusted his glasses.
Lacey was moving, and Cedric had to lunge to the side slightly to keep her from falling off the carriage as she scooted away from the doc. "Calm the fuck down Lacey!" Cedric snapped at her. She was practically clinging to him, and he could tell she was in a lot of pain. He didn't have to be too harsh with her, but her bad decisions were having consequences. He pinched the bridge of his nose and took a slow even breath. "Calm down. Please. I know it hurts baby, If you don't want him touching you, he's not going to touch you." He lowered his head and whispered in her ear far more gently than he had ever spoken to her before. He rubbed one of her shoulders trying to be comforting, while the other hand reached up to wipe away one of her tears."He's just doing his job Lace, I didn't want you bleeding out on me. Would really put a damper on my night." He pressed his lips into her forehead then, and stuck out his hand towards the doc. "Let me do it. If she's going to bite somebody's head off let it be mine." He said looking at the doc.
The older man rolled his eyes, and let a large sigh out. Beginning to grumbled under his breath about being pulled from his bed in the middle of the night to deal with ungrateful children as he dug in the bag he brought with him. Cedric ignored him, and shot a look at Lacey that told her to keep her own mouth shut. "Pour this on the cut to disinfect it." The doc handed him a bottle, and Cedric quickly set to work uncapping it and took the clean cloth from him. He held them both in one hand and then gave a large grin down to Lacey for the first time since she'd met him. "This is your one and only time I'll let you bite me, sweetheart. It's gonna hurt like a son of a bitch." He told her. The doctor explained how to do it, and Cedric nodded, getting ready to pour it on the back of Lacey's head. The hand with the cloth was resting just under the bloodied mat she had in her hair. Cedric would then look into Lacey's eyes and count slowly to three. On three he would then pour the foul-smelling liquid onto the wound.
LACEY:
Lacey winced and wilted as Cedric snapped at her to calm down. She hadn't meant to react so strongly, but the way the doctor had been so careless on top of everything going wrong that night had made her see red. Her chest heaved with near-hyperventilation as she tried to regain her self control. Thankfully, Cedric was agreeing to her terms now. The doctor wouldn't touch her. As soon as she heard him say it, her shoulders relaxed some, and she eased herself back onto the chair as he spoke. And then, when he whispered in her ear...Ooh, that made her feel some type of way. She was almost willing to accept head injuries if it meant he would call her baby and whisper in her ear more often.
"I won't bite your head off. I trust you." she protested.
She stuck out her tongue at the doctor while he grumbled and looked in his bag, then switched to looking as innocent as possible when Cedric gave her a stern look. She wasn't going to attack the doc for no reason, obviously, but he was being an ass. When the doctor held out the bottle of disinfectant she eyed it warily, reluctant to let anyone--even Cedric--near her with it. It stank, and she knew for sure it was going to hurt like hell. She was about ready to say so when Cedric gave her the biggest grin she'd ever seen from him, and her heart fluttered a little. Boy, he really knew how to distract her, didn't he?
"Never say never, babe. Love bites are more fun than you might think." She answered with a smirk of her own. "But alright...I'm ready." She leaned her head down to give him better access and pre-emptively grabbed a fistful of his jacket to squeeze instead of leaving fingernail gouges in her hand. She had no intention of biting him, honestly, until the liquid hit her head. At that point, biting someone seemed like a pretty reasonable reaction.
"Mmmmmfuck..." she squeaked, every muscle in her body tensing as she tried not to react. After a second, though, she couldn't help it: she had to turn her face into his shoulder to muffle the scream that rose in her throat. Thankfully, the thick wool of his coat and the muscle of his shoulder dampened the sound to a dull squeak. She hadn't wanted to yell in pain since Junior was born, but this was right up there. She'd done well enough keeping her complaining to a minimum until then, she thought, but that had crossed the line. Once the onslaught passed, she lifted her head again to look at Cedric with damp cheeks.
"You...definitely weren't wrong..." she managed to say through gritted teeth. "Please tell me that's all we needed to do..."
CEDRIC:
The whole process probably took maybe thirty seconds if that, but he had a feeling for Lacey it felt like ages. He ignored her cries into his shoulder. Grinding his teeth along with her at the sounds she was making. Cedric hated causing bodily harm to anyone unless it was deserved, and her cries cut right into his soul. He quickly poured the liquid and then used the cloth and pressed it down on onto the wound like the doc told him. He handed the bottle off to the rookie standing there, and patted the wound gently.
When he pulled away from her head with the cloth, Lacey looked up at him with damp cheeks. He grinned at her again, and used his free hand to wipe her cheek. "Not yet sweetheart." The doc pressed some clean gauze and bandages into his hand, and he handed him the now dirtied cloth. "Just a bit more baby-cakes and we can get you someplace real comfortable." He told her. He took the gauze in one hand and gently pressed it to the back of her head. "So Junior wants to be a man of the law huh?" He asked to distract her from what he was doing. Once the gauze was in place, he'd take the bandage and begin to wrap it around her head. Trying to smooth out the mess her hair was in as he did so. Once her head was bandaged and the pins were in place to keep the bandage from falling off, Cedric held his hand out for the painkillers.
"Take some of this and you'll be feeling loads better." He told her. He rubbed her shoulders and held out the little bottle of laudanum. "One sip." He ordered her sternly. His eyes boring into hers about how serious he was that she take only the small sip. If it was one thing Cedric did not want Lacey to become it was addicted to the liquid version of opium. They'd begun to see their fair share of people getting addicted, and he didn't want Lacey being one of them. But he also didn't want her to be in pain if he could help it.
LACEY:
With all the pet names he was using, she could almost forget that the only reason he was taking care of her was because she was under arrest. She did her best to breathe slowly and deeply as he removed the cloth and began to bandage her head. Someplace 'real comfortable' was probably a cot in a cell somewhere, with her hands and feet bound to a wooden bed-frame--and not in a kinky way. It was going to be a bit like hell, to be trapped somewhere without Mark or Daddy to come after her. Her family wouldn't know what happened to her until an officer went to knock on the door... But, at least she was alive. Honestly, she was lucky to be in the custody of someone like Cedric--without his steady voice to guide her, she might have been unconscious or completely hysterical right now. Instead, she was holding herself together enough to answer his questions. Whether or not she meant to be quite so honest was debatable.
Junior really did want to be a police officer. And it was no mystery why.
"Mhm. Mama doesn't want him to turn out like his daddy or his granddad, so she tells plenty of stories where the robbers are the bad guys, or where the police rescue damsels in distress. I love her dearly but it breaks my heart a little to have him think his daddy was a bad man. I wish..." She went silent, realizing she had overshared again. "Nevermind."
She took the sip of medication without hesitation. Getting rid of the pain was all fine and dandy, but mostly she was ready to shut herself up before she spilled anything else. She'd been far too open with him tonight, and with her luck, it would come back to bite her in the ass. Cedric was a good man, but he was still police, and that trumped any silly feelings either of them might have. It was bigger than either of them. The medicine was about as bitter as she was at the moment--enough to make her gag. She managed to keep it down, but the sound she made likely said it all. The medicine had better be damn effective to be worth the absolute horror of having to taste it. What a nightmare.
"Are you sure that's supposed to make me feel better? Because now my stomach is trying to climb out of my body," she quipped, and planned to continue, but was overtaken by a yawn. "This has been quite an adventure, but I think I need to call it a night. I don't suppose you'd be willing to drop me off at home?" She smiled ruefully at Cedric for a moment, then interrupted before he could answer. "Don't worry, I know better. I'm under arrest, anything I say can be used against me in a court of law, I have the right to remain silent but I'm terrible at it... I know you've got to do your job, same as I have to do mine."
CEDRIC:
A strained smile went across Cedric's face, and the rookie next to the doc grimaced as Lacey gagged. Clearly none of them envied her or the medicine she was taking. As soon as she took the sip, Cedric whisked the bottle away. Corking it and handing it off to the doc, who put it in his bag before he adjusted his eyeglasses. "Just wait. You'll be singing a different tune sure enough Deary." The doc said with a small smile.
Cedric arched an eyebrow at Lacey as she asked if he'd be willing to take her home. She quickly beat him before he could make a comment. "I'd say you already did your job Lace." He kept on hand on her arm. Gentle but firm. "Book those two for robbery and find out which one hurt Lacey. Charge him with an extra assault charge." Cedric said to the rookie. He turned to the Doc then and held out his hand. "Thanks, Doc. Sorry for pulling you out of bed so late." The older man took Cedric's hand with a sigh, and gave him a small smile. "One of the downsides to the profession, but I'm glad it wasn't worse." He looked to Lacey then and gave her a smile as well, though it was a bit strained. Probably because of how she had reacted to him earlier. "You're going to experience some headaches for the next couple days. Wound should be fine in the morning for you to wash your hair, but re-bandage it after wards just in case. Feel better young lady." He nodded at her. He then took his bag and moved away from the carriage. Cedric watched him go, taking note of the orders he had given Lacey. In the span of three seconds he had made his mind up about what to do with her.
He looked to Lacey and then looked at her curiously. "Feel that medicine yet?" He asked. He knew it wouldn't take long before her head would feel numb and then she'd feel drowsy.
LACEY:
Lacey sighed heavily at the doctor's instructions. She still didn't like him, but maybe she'd been a little too harsh. She was lucky he was taking care of a criminal like her at all, let alone in the middle of the night. She grimaced just thinking about it, but she knew she couldn't let him leave without saying something.
"Thanks, doc!" she called after him as he shambled away, "Sorry about being an ass!"
No sooner had the words left her mouth than the effects of that medicine hit her. She was struck by a yawn so large it made her eyes water and her jaw ache. She tried to wipe her eyes on her shoulder, but she had barely managed it before she yawned again, drooping like an unwatered flower as she slumped against the carriage seat. She doubted she was going to be able to stay awake this time; whatever they had given her was strong as hell. At least this was more pleasant than the first few minutes had been--a sensation of warmth was moving through her limbs as her mind filled with cotton, and she had a feeling this was going to be the first solid night of sleep she'd had in a while. She was sure to have the world's most obnoxious headache when she woke up, but for now, she was safe. And that was as much as a girl like her could ask for.
"Mmm..." Lacey's reply didn't quite make it past her lips, and her eyes were simply too heavy to open. Too heavy, that is until one last bright thought appeared to her, and she picked her head up to look at Cedric earnestly. She was determined to thank him before she forgot. "Thank you, Cedric. I probably..." Another yawn overtook her, but she finished as soon as she could, "I probably don't deserve it."
With that, her head dropped heavily against the seat, and Lacey Cartwick was out cold.