《UP IN FLAMES》


 1

    Vanessa Spencer angrily mmed the front door of her apartment shut, threw her handbag onto a nearby chair and headed into her bedroom. Her fingers tightened around her phone which was held up to her ear, ¡°I¡¯m tired of waiting, Christopher!¡± she yelled, ¡°It¡¯s been four fucking weeks already. When are you going to sign those damn papers?¡±


    She heard Christopherugh softly, and got even angrier. Sometimes, she wondered how she¡¯d managed to stay married to him all those years. He was the most infuriating man she¡¯d ever met in her life.


    Vanessa had married Christopher at the young age of twenty one, and now at the age of twenty eight, she often wondered what the hell she¡¯d been thinking when she had made such a horrible decision. She¡¯d been young and stupid and she¡¯d honestly thought that she loved him¡­ Or the man she thought he was, but six months after their wedding she¡¯d painfully realized that Christopher wasn¡¯t the man she thought he was. He was a liar and a cheat, and Vanessa med herself for putting her emotions beforemon sense. It was a mistake she¡¯d never make again.


    A year ago, she¡¯d finally given up and walked away from Christopher. She moved out of their matrimonial home and rented an apartment. Their separation had done her a lot of good. She was starting to feel like herself again, and had even gone back to her job as a writer, but now she wanted to be free of Christopher once and for all. She¡¯d gotten a divorcewyer and sent Christopher the divorce papers, but Christopher was taking his sweet time signing them. It was almost as if he was trying to punish her¡­ Trying to make things unnecessarily hard for her, and it was very obvious that he was enjoying the stress he was putting her through.


    She mmed her bedroom door shut and paced the room in an agitated manner. ¡°Stopughing. I¡¯m not in the mood Christopher,¡± She heard him chuckle again.


    ¡°I¡¯ve been meaning to sign them, Vanessa,¡± he said, in that voice of his that she¡¯d grown to hate so damn much. ¡°It just slipped my mind,¡±


    ¡°Slipped your mind?¡± Vanessa repeated, ¡°It¡¯s been four damn weeks!¡±


    ¡°And I¡¯ve been busy,¡± he interrupted, ¡°Look, baby. Why don¡¯t youe over this evening and we can have dinner together. I still believe that we can fix our marriage. Divorce won¡¯t do anything for us,¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t want to be married to you anymore, Christopher, and having dinner will do nothing to change that. We have been separated for a year already and I think it¡¯s time to put an end to this whole thing. Sign those papers, or you will not like my next move. You have no idea how far I¡¯m willing to go to get this done as soon as possible. Goodbye!¡±


    ¡°What exactly are you going to do Vanessa? Force me? Kill me?¡± he chuckled, ¡°Oh, I¡¯m so scared¡± he added sarcastically.


    ¡°Just sign the papers Christopher,¡± Vanessa sighed and ended the call before Christopher had a chance to reply. She was tired. Why did everything have to be so hard with him? She knew why; he was a misogynistic, narcissistic, brute who always wanted everything to go his way. Marrying him was the biggest mistake she¡¯d ever made and the earlier she got rid of him, the better for her.


    Unable to think straight, she decided to take a nap and when she finally woke up four hourster, she felt a bit more rxed. She found her way to the kitchen and began to make herself dinner. She¡¯d eat, have some wine and do some writing before retiring for the day. She was cutting up some vegetables when the doorbell rang. She sighed, wondering who the hell it was as she wasn¡¯t expecting any visitors. She wiped her hands on a towel, then went to answer the door.


    Two policemen stood outside, and by the looks on their faces, Vanessa could tell that something horrible had happened. She tried to stay calm as she opened the door wider, ¡°Good evening, officers,¡± she greeted, ¡°Can I help you?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m Detective ric, and this Detective Paul,¡± one of them as they both held up their ID cards for her to see,  ¡°We¡¯d like you toe with us to the station immediately,¡±


    Vanessa¡¯s heart began to beat faster, ¡°I don¡¯t understand,¡± she said, ¡°What for?¡±


    ¡°Mrs Spencer, you¡¯re wanted as a prime suspect in the murder of your husband, Mr Christopher Wesley. You need toe with us to the station for questioning. You have the right to remain silent. Anything you do or say can and will be used against you in a court ofw. You have the right to an attorney. If you cannot afford an attorney, one will be provided for you. I  suggest you don¡¯t try to resist. Do you understand the rights I have just read to you?¡±


    Vanessa¡¯s jaw dropped. Christopher was dead! It was impossible to believe. She¡¯d just spoken to him that afternoon. It had to be a mistake.


    She nodded, ¡°I¡­. I¡­. I need to call mywyer,¡± she said, when she finally found her tongue,¡±


    ¡°Ma¡¯am, you can do that at the station. Turn around, please,¡±


    Vanessa did as she was told, and she flinched when she felt the cold metal of the handcuff around her wrist. She was dreaming, she told herself over and over again. This couldn¡¯t be happening. She had never been arrested before, and she couldn¡¯t believe that it was happening now, over something as gruesome as murder¡­ Of her own husband.


    Slowly, she followed the officers to the car, and resisted the urge to do something crazy like resist or try to run. That wouldn¡¯t do her any good. In fact, it would only give them more reasons to believe that she¡¯d killed Christopher, and she didn¡¯t want that. She¡¯d just wait till she could call herwyer, and then he¡¯d fix this. He had to.


    She¡¯d have to find a way to prove that she was innocent, but how the hell was she going to do that? When she remembered the conversation she¡¯d had with Christopher that evening, her blood ran cold. It would be harder now to prove to the police that she¡¯d not murdered her husband, but she had to. No way was she going to go to jail for a crime she didn¡¯tmit.


    She was innocent, but the question right now was, who the hell had murdered Christopher Wesley and why?ConTEent bel0ngs to N?v(e)lD/rama(.)Org .

 2

    Detective ric Harper was a thirty four year old who had been in the force for eight years, and he was very good at his job. He was a tall man. Larger than life as some people would describe, handsome as sin, he looked every bit the stereotypical biker, except for the fact that he¡¯d cut shorter his dark hair.


    When he and his partner arrived at the crime scene, Christopher Wesley was already dead; shot right in the head. His personal security had also been taken out. There was blood all over his home office where the murder had urred, and the murder weapon had been missing. But they did recover something which pointed at his wife, Vanessa Spencer as the prime suspect-At least the only suspect they had at the moment.


    His phone.


    A quick search through his phone records, and they¡¯d discovered that she was thest person he¡¯d spoken to before he died. After listening to the recording of the call, Detective ric knew he¡¯d have to bring her in for questioning.


    Vanessa Spencer was a beautiful woman, ric had to admit that. She was of average height; 5¡¯8¡å if he had to make a quick guess. She¡¯d had a perfect body, long dark hair, beautiful face and big dark, innocent looking eyes behind her sses, but ric had been in the game long enough to know that you couldn¡¯t judge anyone or proim anyone innocent or guilty just by their looks.


    As she sat in the interrogation room, he stood on the other side, watching her intently. She couldn¡¯t see him through the ss, but he was sure she knew she was being watched. She looked worried, but not anxious and shaky, and ric had to admit to himself that she had nerves.


    He wondered what a woman like her saw in a politician like Christopher Wesley, but acting like he didn¡¯t know why she was married to him would just be stupid. Christopher Wesley was a wealthy man, and most women loved men who could spend on them. They didn¡¯t care what kind of person he was, as long as he could pay their bills and spend heavily on them. Vanessa Spencer no doubt could be one of those women no matter how innocent she looked. The question now was, if she did kill him or if she was involved in his death in one way or another, then why did she do it? There had to be a motive.


    His partner, Paul Forbes, walked into the room and ric turned his attention away from Vanessa to stare at him.


    ¡°So, do you think she did it?¡± Paul asked him as he walked in.


    ¡°Maybe. I don¡¯t know,¡± ric replied, ¡°But we won¡¯t know anything for sure right now until we talk to her. If she did it, there had to be a motive and we have to find out what it was. So let¡¯s get to it.¡±


    Vanessa¡¯s head whipped up immediately when the door opened. She frowned at the two men. ¡°What is the meaning of this?¡± she demanded angrily. ¡°You have no right to treat me this way,¡±


    ¡°Rx, Mrs Spencer,¡± Paul told her, ¡°We just brought you here for questioning,¡±


    His reply seemed to make her angrier. ¡°Is that so?¡± she asked, lifting her hands so they could see her still cuffed hands. ¡°Is this how you treat the people you bring in for questioning?¡±


    She yanked off her sses and red at ric, since he was the one who had put the cuffs on her. He returned her gaze but still he said nothing¡­Just stared at her. Her eyes were dark, nearly ck, but they were less cold without the ss barrier between them and the world. The skin around her eyes was free from wrinkles, and hershes were thick, incredibly long. He leaned back, his gaze searching her face. She scrunched her nose and still, her skin barely crinkled. With the slight pink flush staining her cheeks, she looked youthful-younger than he imagined her to be before they picked her up. His eyes narrowed.


    ¡°I¡¯m very sorry about that, Mrs Spencer,¡± he said finally, but he didn¡¯t look sorry at all. ¡°We are just trying to get answers,¡±


    ¡°And you had to treat me like a criminal to get those answers? My husband is dead, Detective¨C¡± she paused.


    ¡°Harper¨C¡± ricpleted for her.


    ¡°Detective Harper¡± she continued, ¡°My husband just died, and I didn¡¯t even know about it until you showed up on my doorstep. Now, not only did you tell me about this in the worst way possible, you use me of being his murderer and bring me to the station like some sort of criminal. You are both going to pay for this!¡±


    Paul Forbes took a seat in front of her, but ric didn¡¯t. He stood, towering above her while looking as formidable and intimidating as ever.


    ¡°You do what you need to do, Mrs Spencer¡± he replied nonchntly, ¡°But we¡¯re going to get to the bottom of this case whether you like it or not. With or without your help,¡±


    He walked briskly towards her, then leaned forwards to uncuff her hands without staring at her. Vanessa on the other hand paid attention to him. He walked purposely and gracefully, she had to give him that, but he had terrible people skills. He also didn¡¯t look like he smiled a lot. She rubbed her ankles as soon as she felt the cuffse off.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry about that. Do you wrists hurt?¡± Paul Forbes asked her,


    ¡°What do you think?¡± she replied.Content from N?velDr(a)ma.Org.


    Detective ric Harper returned to his ce, standing beside his partner¡¯s chair, ¡°You talk about how upset you are about your husband¡¯s death, but ording to what we know, you two have been separated for about a year now,¡± he began, going straight to the point, not caring one bit about her wrists. She hated him.


    ¡°Yes, we were separated, but that doesn¡¯t mean I wanted him dead!¡± she replied.


    He nodded, ¡°We also know that you filed for divorce weeks ago. Care to tell us the reason for the dy?¡±


    ¡°I did file for divorce, but Christopher wouldn¡¯t sign the divorce papers,¡±


    ¡°And why did he refuse to?¡±

 3

    ¡°I have no idea,¡± Vanessa replied, ¡°He didn¡¯t say. Look, if you think that I killed him because he wouldn¡¯t sign the papers, then you¡¯re very wrong indeed. I was pissed that he was dying things, but I knew he¡¯d have signed it eventually. I wasn¡¯t going to kill him for it or kill anyone for that matter,¡±


    ¡°You could hire someone to do the job for you¡­.¡± ric cut in, ¡°I¡¯ve seen people hire other people to do the job for them,¡±


    It took a lot of self control for Vanessa¡¯s not to give in and scream like she actually wanted to. An emotional reaction in this situation wasn¡¯t going to do her any good, so she kept her cool and remained in her chair.


    ¡°Are you insane?¡± she asked, ¡°I would never do such a thing,¡±


    He continued like she hadn¡¯t spoken, ¡°I see that you had different surnames too. You never changed yours after you got married. You guys have been married for years and you don¡¯t have any kids. You¡¯ve been separated for a year. You even moved out and rented an apartment. From what I know, the marriage wasn¡¯t a rosy one. Weeks ago, you handed him divorce papers which he refused to sign, and just this afternoon, he made a call to you and hourster, he¡¯s dead. That doesn¡¯t sound like a happy marriage to me. You can¡¯t tell me you don¡¯t see why you¡¯d be questioned,¡±


    Vanessa shook her head. ¡°None of those things you mentioned has anything to do with him getting murdered. I didn¡¯t kill Christopher. We were seperated and I asked for a divorce, but we were not enemies. You¡¯ve got the wrong person, and when you¡¯re here ying ¡®macho, hero, cop¡¯, the real killer is out there, probably escaping as we speak,¡±


    ric¡¯s eyes remained on her, but Vanessa refused to look away. She held his gaze stubbornly, until he blinked, then withdrew something from his pocket, ¡°Well then, why don¡¯t you exin this,¡±


    It was a recording of her call that afternoon with Christopher:


    ¡®¡­.. ¡°I don¡¯t want to be married to you anymore, Christopher, and having dinner will do nothing to change that. We have been separated for a year already and I think it¡¯s time to put an end to this whole thing. Sign those papers, or you will not like my next move. You have no idea how far I¡¯m willing to go to get this done as soon as possible. Goodbye!¡±


    ¡°What exactly are you going to do Vanessa? Force me? Kill me?¡±¡­.. ¡®


    He stopped ying the recording at that moment and said, ¡°Thatst part¡­. Care to exin why he¡¯d say that, Mrs Spencer?¡±


    Vanessa¡¯s gaze moved back to ric¡¯s and found him still watching her. She took a deep breath. The bastard! She knew how that statement soundeding from Christopher, and it would be even more difficult to convince them that it meant nothing. Christopher had a way of throwing words around carelessly especially when they argued, but now he wasn¡¯t here to speak for himself, so there was no one to confirm that she was telling the truth.¡±


    ¡°Look,¡± Paul Forbes cut in, ¡°We just want to get to the bottom of this, Mrs Spencer. You say you had nothing to do with his death, but can you think of anyone who would want your husband dead?¡±


    Vanessa had had enough, ¡°I don¡¯t know!¡± she replied, ¡°Look, I know what you guys are doing. This good cop¡­. bad cop shit won¡¯t work with me. I already told you. I didn¡¯t kill Christopher and I don¡¯t know who did. Like you said, we were separated and we¡¯re not even living together. Now, I¡¯m tired and I¡¯d like to go home. I¡¯m done answering your questions. I know my rights and I know you have no concrete evidence to keep me here. I want to leave now and I will not be answering further questions without mywyer present. I¡¯ve even said too much!¡±


    The two men stared at each other. They knew she was right. Apart from the recording, they had no concrete evidence to keep her at the station.


    ric stared at her, and like before, she returned his gaze. She looked very angry, but he didn¡¯t care. He shouldn¡¯t care. He was simply doing his job and he had no time for emotions. They could mess with a person¡¯s judgment and so he avoided it at all cost.


    ¡°You¡¯re free to go now, Mrs Spencer,¡± he said finally, ¡°But you should know that we¡¯ll be keeping in touch. Please don¡¯t make any travels because we might need to bring you in for more questioning as the case progresses.¡±ConTEent bel0ngs to N?v(e)lD/rama(.)Org .


    ¡°Yeah, whatever,¡± Vanessa retorted.


    ¡ª¡ª¡ª¨C


    Vanessa woke up with a terrible headache. The moment she opened her eyes, she remembered that today she had to make arrangements for Christopher¡¯s funeral. His parents had been calling and she knew if she let them, they¡¯d take over all the grim nning, but she felt strongly that, at the very least, she owed Christopher this. She¡¯d realized shortly after they¡¯d married that she hadn¡¯t loved him, probably at the same time that he¡¯d told her he¡¯d married her for political reasons. A man needed a wife and a family if he wanted to have a prayer of bing governor. They¡¯d slept together exactly once before they were married, and then after the wedding the intimacy had reduced drastically until there was nothing left between them and neither of them tried anymore.


    She also had missed calls from her best friend, Anita, but she didn¡¯t want to call back. At least not at the moment, she felt like she still needed more time to process what was going on.


    What a mess. She felt horribly guilty. Even though she knew what had happened to Christopher wasn¡¯t her fault, she¡¯d certainly fantasized enough about what her life would be like without him in it. Even though he¡¯d tly refused her request for a divorce and tried to make things unnecessarily hard for her, she still felt horrible about his death, because at a point in her life, she¡¯d lived with him and cared about him to some extent.

 4

    Her phone rang again. It was Christopher¡¯s parents. She¡¯d felt horrible that they¡¯d learned about their son¡¯s murder on the news, but she didn¡¯t have time to tell them first since she¡¯d been at that damn station. She¡¯d been in shock, so much so that it hadn¡¯t urred to her to call anyone. When she returned home from the police station, it was then that she had reluctantly dialed their number. The overwhelming relief she¡¯d felt when she¡¯d gone straight to voicemail had made her feel guilty, on top of everything else.


    Despite that, too exhausted to deal with anything else, she let their call go to voicemail. They¡¯d left three messages already. What was one more? She¡¯d phone them back once she¡¯d made all the funeral arrangements. That way, they couldn¡¯t take over. She knew if they did, the ceremony would be the antithesis of Christopher.


    While his parents were super religious, Christopher had often imed he had no use for such ¡°nonsense.¡± And while they¡¯d never actually discussed his wishes regarding a funeral, Vanessa suspected he¡¯d prefer something elegant and tasteful, as befitted his status as a gubernatorial hopeful. She nned to do her best to give him that. It seemed the least she could do.


    She brewed a quick cup of coffee, hoping the caffeine would give her enough energy to make it through the rest of this day. After gulping down a bowl of cereal, and a steaming hot shower, she carefully styled her hair. Then she sat at her vanity and expertly applied her makeup, keeping it basic. That done, she chose a simple navy shirtdress and navy ts. After she¡¯d married Christopher, he¡¯d overhauled her entire wardrobe, culling everything vivid or bright, telling her those colors made her look cheap. She¡¯d hated it and when she left him she¡¯d gone back to wearing those colors he hated, but today, navy would be perfect.


    Onest quick look in the mirror and she was ready.  She¡¯d already made a call to ckenstock Funeral Home, and Jeremy ckenstock himself would be meeting with her. He¡¯d been very solicitous on the phone. Of course, he understood the media attention Christopher¡¯s funeral would draw. Not to mention all of Christopher¡¯s business colleagues and politicians who would be in attendance.


    There would even be a few rtives. In addition to his parents, he had an aunt and an uncle, plus three cousins. As far as she knew, that would be it. Christopher didn¡¯t have any friends who weren¡¯t tied to him due to business, at least that she knew of. The entire scenario made her exhausted before it even began.


    She headed out, unlocked her car and slid behind the wheel. A few deep breaths and she had her armor back in ce. When she pulled up at the funeral home and parked, Jeremy himself opened the ornate double front doors and ushered them inside. His entire demeanor managed to be both subdued and sympathetic. He took them to a small room paneled in oak and asked them to take a seat at the conference table.


    The next two hours passed with excruciating slowness. She signed papers, chose the date the funeral would be held and helped Jeremy write the obituary. For this, she¡¯d done some online searching, using a lot of the background her husband¡¯s people had provided on his website. Finally, the time hade to choose the casket.


    From what she knew of her husband, Christopher  would prefer something expensive and elegant. When she told Jeremy this, he nodded and took her elbow. Then he walked her past the main showroom, into a smaller and more exclusive one in the back. Here there were only three coffins. They were ced on velvet-covered tforms with strategic lighting designed to showcase their expensive specialness.


    They were all different. One very elegant and subdued. Another modern and high-tech, apparently made of stainless steel or some other kind of polished metal. And the third, sitting above all the others, made of polished mahogany that gleamed.


    Wearily, Vanessa pointed to the third one. With its dark wood and pewter finishes, she knew it most closely matched Christopher¡¯s personality. It would look the best on disy for the service.


    ¡°Will you have a minister or preacher?¡± Jeremy asked next. She had to think about that one for a moment. Christopher¡¯s parents had raised him in a super strict church. As an adult, he¡¯d rebelled and refused to attend any church. Only when he¡¯d begun the process of looking into running for governor had he reluctantly selected a church on the advice of his sponsors. He¡¯d chosen something the pr opposite of the kind of church where he¡¯d been raised. A staid and refined Methodist church on the north side of town. She supposed she¡¯d need to contact that church and see about arranging something.Exclusive ? content by N(?)ve/l/Drama.Org.


    Once she¡¯d told Jeremy her ns, he nodded. Clearing his throat, he slid an invoice across the table toward her and asked her how she wanted to pay.


    The amount seemed staggering, but then she had no idea what a funeral was supposed to cost. Removing her checkbook from her purse, she checked the bnce in the ledger and then wrote a check for the entire amount.


    ¡°Here you go,¡± she said, handing him the check.


    Briefly, she closed her eyes, trying to regain her bearings. The numbness had grown stronger since Christopher¡¯s murder. She felt as if she¡¯d retreated into a thick fog. Blinking back a threat of sudden tears, she shook her head. Safer, much safer, to retreat back into the soft gray distance where nothing could touch her. Standing, she realized Jeremy had left the room. He¡¯d left the door open. Smoothing down her skirt, she swallowed and headed toward the exit.


    ¡°Mrs. Spencer?¡± Jeremy appeared, his forehead creased in concern. ¡°There seems to be a problem with the check.¡±


    ¡°A problem?¡± She rubbed the back of her neck. ¡°I don¡¯t understand.¡±


    ¡°When we went to electronically run the check, your bank declined it.¡±


    Stunned, she stared at him. ¡°Why?¡±


    He swallowed. ¡°It appears there are insufficient funds.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s not possible.¡± Fumbling in her purse, she pulled out the checkbook and opened it to the ledger. ¡°See?¡± She pointed. ¡°Here¡¯s the bnce. There¡¯s more than enough to cover that check.¡±

 5

    Though Jeremy kept his tone respectful, his firm reply told her he meant business. ¡°Perhaps you¡¯d like to contact your bank and verify?¡±


    ¡°Of course.¡± Hands shaking, she fumbled with her phone, looking up the bank¡¯s number and calling it. Once she had an ount representative on the line, she identified herself.


    ¡°Mrs. Spencer, we¡¯re so sorry for your loss,¡± the woman eximed. ¡°What can I do to assist you?¡±


    After taking a deep breath, she asked to check the bnce in the checking ount, since she was also listed as an ount holder in addition to Christopher for that ount.


    ¡°Certainly. Just one moment.¡±


    Vanessa gripped the phone, listening while the bank representative typed in the information. ¡°Let me see here,¡± the woman said. ¡°I show a bnce of one thousand, six hundred and forty-seven dors and seventy-eight cents.¡±


    ¡°What?¡± Vanessa swallowed, again trying toprehend. ¡°The checkbook ledger shows seventy-two thousand dors and change.¡±


    ¡°That would have been before Mr. Wesley made that withdrawalst Tuesday. Were you not aware of that?¡±


    ¡°Obviously not.¡± Vanessa didn¡¯t bother to keep the bitterness from her voice. ¡°Do you happen to know if he transferred it to another ount? Like maybe another savings ount?¡±


    ¡°No, ma¡¯am. He asked for it in a cashier¡¯s check, which is how it was given to him. Beyond that, I don¡¯t know.¡±


    Reeling, Vanessa managed to thank the woman and end the call. She looked up to find Jeremy eyeing her.


    ¡°Is everything all right?¡± he asked.


    She wanted to scream her answer, to shout the word no. Instead, she looked down at the floor before holding her hand out for the check. Once Jeremy handed it back to her, she got out one of her credit cards. She still had money in her other private ounts, but she and Christopher had shared the other one. She passed the card to Jeremy.


    ¡°There¡¯s a mix-up at the bank,¡± she said. ¡°Since I¡¯ll need time to get it straightened out, go ahead and put everything on this.¡±


    While she waited for Jeremy to run the charges, she couldn¡¯t help but wonder what other surprises she¡¯d find as the days passed.


    ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª-


    Vanessa started her car and backed it out of the parking spot, aching all over. She tried so hard to be strong, even though she was beginning to wonder if fate was conspiring against her at every turn.


    Once she reached her gate, she was surprised to find a cars waiting outside the house. She frowned, and when she realized it was those detectives again, she groaned. ¡°Now what?¡± She whispered.


    As she pulled into the driveway, the vehicle door  opened and ric and his partner emerged. Vanessa got out of hers with a frown on her face.


    ¡°Mrs. Spencer?¡± said ric as he stepped forward, ¡°We wonder if you might have a moment to talk with us. It will not take long¡±


    ¡°What are you doing here?¡± Vanessa demanded, ¡°Have youe to make another usation? I already told you everything I can and I said if I talk to you again, I¡¯m going to need mywyer around and as you can see, he¡¯s not here,¡±ConTEent bel0ngs to N?v(e)lD/rama(.)Org .


    ¡°We¡¯re not here to use you, Mrs Spencer,¡± Paul cut in, his genial expression matching his soft-spoken tone. ¡°We¡¯re really sorry about that, but you have to understand why we have to be thorough since this is a high-profile murder. ¡°We¡¯ve got a murder investigation to work after all, and I believe that no matter the kind of rtionship you had with Christopher, you¡¯d want his killer found, won¡¯t you?¡±


    Vanessa blinked. Paul was right. She did want Christopher¡¯s killer found, but she didn¡¯t appreciate being falsely used. Her eyes moved to the other Detective; the one called ric. For an incredibly good looking guy, he had such a shitty attitude. As usual, he returned her gaze with equal interest.


    Though exhaustion made her wobble, Vanessa nodded. ¡°Fine. Come on inside.¡±


    She led the way through the house, taking them to a formal sitting room  ¡°Have a seat,¡± she said. ¡°I¡¯ll just be a moment. In the meantime, would you like any refreshments?¡±


    ¡°Water would be fine. Thank you¡± ric replied.


    Vanessa nodded and left the room. Two minutester, she returned to the sitting room with their water, then took a seat in front of them.


    ¡°Any idea why Mr. Wesley found it necessary to hire a bodyguard, Mrs. Spencer?¡± ric asked as soon as he dropped his bottle back on the table. ¡°He hired a personal bodyguard a few months ago. The said bodyguard was killed during the attack. Do you have any idea why he did that?¡±


    Vanessa shook her head. ¡°No, I don¡¯t


    know why he did that. As you know already, we haven¡¯t really been together for a while. I wasn¡¯t even living with him anymore. I do think it might have something to do with his political career,¡±


    ric nodded. ¡°During our investigation, we also found out that there were rumors that Christopher had  be an integral part of the Brothers of Sin operation. Although there was no concrete proof that he was involved in moneyundering. Do you know about this?¡±


    ¡°Yes, I did, but we were already separated when I heard this. It was also one of the reasons why I wanted a divorce¡­ I didn¡¯t want to be involved,¡±


    ¡°Why didn¡¯t you mention this to us at the station after we picked you up?¡±


    Vanessa red at him, ¡°Well I didn¡¯t think about it or even suspect that it had anything to do with his murder. Like you said, there was no concrete proof. You¡¯re just asking me about it now and I¡¯m giving you your answers. Am I not?¡±


    ¡°So the rumor was enough to fuel your desire for a divorce, but you didn¡¯t think it was worth mentioning to us?¡± ric probed further, ignoring the growing anger on her face.


    ¡°Suit yourself, Detective,¡± she said carelessly, ¡°You can believe whatever you want. All I know is that I¡¯m innocent and whatever you think doesn¡¯t matter to me,¡±


    ¡°Look, there¡¯s no need for us to argue. We¡¯re all trying to get to the bottom of this,¡± Paul Forbes said, ¡°Is there anything else you¡¯ve remembered or think we should know about, Mrs Spencer?¡±

 6

    ¡°There is something,¡± said Vanessa and she eyed ric one more time. Then she told them about Christopher emptying the bank ount. This got their attention. They got the bank information and then asked her if she knew of any other bank ounts.ConTEent bel0ngs to N?v(e)lD/rama(.)Org .


    ¡°I don¡¯t. But if I find out there are any, I¡¯ll be sure to give you a call.¡±


    ¡°Would you mind if we did a quick search of his office?¡± ric asked.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, but this isn¡¯t a good time,¡± she replied, smiling to soften the blow. ¡°I really need to be allowed to go through my husband¡¯s personal belongings myself first.¡±


    Judging by the muscle working in the detective¡¯s jaw, her declination didn¡¯t sit well with him. But he, like every otherw enforcement person, knew there was absolutely nothing they could do about it. They¡¯d have to get a search warrant first. A few more follow-up questions and the officers stood to take their leave.


    As they filed past  the doorway, ric turned to Vanessa. He looked her up and down, then handed something to her. She hesitated before she took it from him.


    ¡°My number,¡± he said, ¡°Call me¡­. In case something happens¡­ Or if you need to tell me something that could help with the case,¡±


    Vanessa nodded, ¡°Sure¡± she replied. ¡°Thank you,¡±


    By the time the policemen left, Vanessa had a bad headache. She closed the door and locked it. Then she went to her bedroom and rummaged in her medicine cab until she found a bottle. Though the ibuprofen had expired a month ago, she figured they¡¯d still work well enough. She swallowed them dry and grabbed a bottle of water to drink. Wiping her lips on a towel, she eyed herself in the mirror. Other than looking a bit pale, she seemed exactly like the same woman she¡¯d been the day before.


    She tried not to cry. A widow who couldn¡¯t grieve. What did that make her? Some kind of monster? While she¡¯d known she hadn¡¯t loved Christopher, she¡¯d known he hadn¡¯t loved her either. He¡¯d needed a wife and had courted her. Even though they¡¯d made love, at least in the beginning, the passion had been missing. Christopher had been a bad husband. Growing up in the club, she¡¯d seen plenty of examples of that. He¡¯d  been an absent, unloving one, showing up only when they both had a public role to y. When he¡¯d stopped making love to her, she¡¯d been too exhausted and relieved to care. Later, she¡¯d been too proud to try to seduce him. She pretty much figured he¡¯d reject her anyway¡­ And honestly, she didn¡¯t even want to.


    After opening the bathroom door, she¡¯d just stepped out into the hall when the doorbell rang. Wondering if the police had forgotten something, she hurried down the stairs. Once she saw who stood on her front porch, she groaned. ¡°Christopher¡¯s parents.¡±


    Guilt suffused her. She was supposed to be expecting them. Their son just died. Taking a deep breath, she opened the door.


    ¡°Finally,¡± Lois Wesley dered, her sharp voice matching the ice in her gaze. She swept past Vanessa, her disparaging gaze lighting the entire house as she marched into the kitchen.


    Her husband, Steven Wesley, shook his head, his red-rimmed eyes full of emotion as well as censure. He dragged his hand through his perfectly coiffed head of silver hair, barely dislodging a single strand. He stepped into the foyer, stopping abruptly and eyeing Vanessa. ¡°So my son is really dead?¡± he said. ¡°The police said he hired a bodyguard. Apparently, he¡¯d been receiving threats. After what happened, it¡¯s clear Christopher knew whoever was after him. He knew he needed the protection. What I don¡¯t understand is why he didn¡¯t hire a professional,¡± the elder Mr. Wesley pointed out. ¡°Someone who could really protect him.¡±


    The amount of disdain he interjected into his words would have bothered Vanessa, But she had heard it before and was used to it. She tried not to dwell on the fact that he also thought that she knew anything about Christopher¡¯s death.


    ¡°I¡¯m very sorry, Steven. The police tell me they are doing everything they can to get his killer,¡±


    Steven Wesley grimaced. He didn¡¯t even have the grace to apologize or even look embarrassed. ¡°You know what I mean,¡± he said. ¡°Maybe my son would be alive today if he¡¯d hired professional bodyguards instead of amateurs.¡±


    With that stated, he stamped down the hallway, following his wife to the kitchen. Vanessa sighed and shook her head. She squared her shoulders, lifted her chin and followed. Her mother-inw had her back to the rest of them, rummaging in the refrigerator with a kind of furious intensity.


    ¡°Is there something I can get you?¡± Vanessa asked, as politely as she could manage.


    Lois barely nced her way. ¡°I wish the police would let us go to Christopher¡¯s, but I guess it¡¯s okay because I don¡¯t think I can bring myself to sit in the house where my son was murdered. Oh, he always made sure to keep some of my favorite yogurts in the fridge. But I don¡¯t see any here.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s because he only bought them when he knew you wereing to visit,¡± Vanessa gently pointed out. ¡°I¡¯m sorry I don¡¯t have any for you here.¡±


    With an audible gasp, Lois began sobbing. Her husband hurried over to her and gathered her into his arms.


    They stood that way for a few moments while Lois cried out her sorrow.


    Vanessa¡¯s eyes filled too. Christopher had been Lois¡¯s son, at one time her baby boy. She couldn¡¯t even begin to imagine the grief ripping through the other woman.


    After a moment, Lois stirred and moved out of her husband¡¯s arms. She grabbed a paper towel off the roll on the counter and blotted at her eyes with it. Steven made his way back to the table, pulled out a chair and dropped heavily into it.


    Vanessa stood there, not sure of what to do. Finally, Lois turned around, her face pale butposed. She looked at Vanessa, her lips pressed tightly together. ¡°Tomorrow, we¡¯ll take care of the funeral arrangements,¡± Lois announced, drumming her perfectly manicured scarlet nails on the kitchen counter. ¡°I want to make sure Christopher has the best.¡±

 7

    ¡°That¡¯s not necessary,¡± Vanessa said, steeling herself. ¡°I¡¯ve already done all that. The funeral will be at ckenstock Funeral Home. The arrangements are made. I¡¯ll get you the details once they¡¯re printed up.¡±


    The older woman¡¯s perfectly made-up eyes narrowed. ¡°I wish you had waited for me. I really wanted to approve the casket.¡±


    Battling the urge to offer to take her to the funeral home in the morning so she could approve of her choice, Vanessa  managed to keep her mouth closed.


    When Vanessa didn¡¯t respond, Lois red at her. Vanessa hated that she was alone with them. She felt like she desperately needed an ally. Someone whose presence would give her strength because she knew if she wasn¡¯t strong, her inws would roll over her like a steamroller on freshlyid concrete. Even Christopher had been unable to hold his own around his parents.


    Abruptly, Lois pushed herself up and walked over to the sink, where she stood staring out the window. Her shoulders began shaking as she silently cried.


    In empathy, Vanessa¡¯s own eyes filled again. No matter how overbearing the older woman might be, she¡¯d adored her only son. When Steven made no move tofort his wife, Vanessa went to her and wrapped her arms around her. She wasn¡¯t sure what to say, so she said nothing.


    After a moment, the older woman angrily shoved Vanessa away. ¡°Tell me, did he suffer?¡±


    ¡°No. They said he was killed instantly.¡± Vanessa swiped at her streaming eyes, relieved to be crying. She understood the need tosh out when in pain.


    ¡°I want to know who you spoke to with the police,¡± Steven said. ¡°I need to talk to him. I want my son¡¯s killer caught as quickly as possible.¡±


    ¡°So do I. I won¡¯t even feel safe until he¡¯s caught.¡± Vanessa replied.


    ¡°Indeed,¡± said Lois sarcastically as she rolled her eyes.


    Vanessa ignored that too. As it was, all she wanted to do was crawl into her bed and try to sleep. The doorbell rang and Vanessa went to see who it was. When she opened the door and saw Anita, she threw her arms around her and began to cry again. The tears were of both joy and sadness. She was happy that she had someone with her, especially now as Christopher¡¯s parents were around, but she was also upset about Christopher¡¯s death. She¡¯d never wished for him to die.


    ¡°I¡¯m so d you¡¯re here,¡± Vanessa told Anita once she put herself together again, ¡°Christopher¡¯s parents are here and I feel so ganged up on. You know they don¡¯t really like me,¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s alright. I¡¯m here for you now,¡± Anita replied softly as they headed towards the kitchen. Vanessa introduced Anita to them, but they seemed not to care and barely showed any interest.


    ¡°Do you have anything to feed us?¡± Lois demanded, using the paper towel to blot the ck mascara stains under her eyes. ¡°We¡¯ve driven a long way. I would have thought your church friends would have brought casseroles and such.¡±ConTEent bel0ngs to N?v(e)lD/rama(.)Org .


    Church friends. Vanessa wasn¡¯t a religious person. She knew now wasn¡¯t the time to point out that Christopher had rarely attended church unless it had been for a photo op.


    ¡°I can make you a sandwich or something,¡± she offered instead.


    The older woman stared at her as if she¡¯d suggested eating raw meat. ¡°Never mind. I¡¯ll just send Steven for something.¡±


    Vanessa nodded, the movement sending shards of pain through her head. ¡°I¡¯ll make up the guest bedroom for you.¡± Part of her hoped Lois would decline and state that she and Steven would stay in a hotel. No such luck.


    ¡°Don¡¯t you have a housekeeper to do that?¡± Steven asked, looking around curiously.


    Vanessa replied that she didn¡¯t. She guessed until she stopped being an eternal optimist, she¡¯d be doomed to disappointment where these people were concerned. Forcing herself to move, she headed back upstairs, first to the linen closet and then to thergest guest bedroom, the one on the opposite side of the house from her room. Anita would upy the smaller one next to the master bedroom. The big room she nned on giving her inws.


    Anita stayed right behind her. When she pulled back theforter on the queen-size bed, she grabbed the other part of the fitted sheet. ¡°Let me help,¡± she said quietly. ¡°It¡¯ll get done faster and maybe you can go lie down.¡±


    Hurting too badly to argue, she shot her a thankful look. They made quick work of making up the bed.


    ¡°Thank you,¡± she told her. ¡°How rude would it be if I left them on their own and went to bed?¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re in mourning too,¡± Anita said, her voice gruff. ¡°No one in their right mind would expect a grieving widow to y hostess. If you¡¯d like, I¡¯d be happy to tell them that you¡¯ve gone to bed and are done for the night.¡±


    To her shock, she actually considered taking her up on her offer. ¡°I kinda have a few things to sort out,¡±


    ¡°Would you like me to entertain them while you do that?¡± asked Anita. ¡°Just let me know what I can do to help.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯d like that,¡± she said softly. ¡°Take care of them for me. I don¡¯t have the energy to deal with them any more tonight.¡±


    ¡ª¡ª¡ª¨C


    Though she had no earthly idea what she could talk to them about, Anita dutifully trudged back downstairs.


    Christopher¡¯s parents were discussing Vanessa, making no effort to lower their voices.


    ¡°I¡¯m telling you, she¡¯s d he¡¯s dead,¡± Lois Wesley dered. ¡°I knew she never loved our son.¡± With that, she began loudly weeping, repeating over and over that she couldn¡¯t believe he was gone.


    When Anita walked into the room, instead of finding Stevenforting his wife, he realized the older man had walked over to the front window and stood staring outside, his back to the room. Still crying, Lois didn¡¯t look up when Anita entered the room.


    ¡°Excuse me.¡± Anita cleared her throat. ¡°Vanessa is busy with some things at the moment. Is there anything I can help you with before you retire for the night?¡±


    Wiping at her streaming eyes, Lois red at her. Her husband remained at the window, not even bothering to turn around.


    ¡°We¡¯ll pass,¡± Steven replied. ¡°We don¡¯t need anything from her.¡±

 8

    For the first time ever, Anita felt pity for what Christopher must have endured growing up. She never liked him when he was alive because of the way he¡¯d treated her friend, Vanessa. Now, as she stared at his parents, she could understand how he turned out to be the kind of man he was.


    ¡°You know, she¡¯s grieving too,¡± Anita continued. ¡°They might not have been together when he died, but she¡¯s grieving too and she could use all the family love and support right now¡­ Just the way you need it too,¡±


    At her words, Lois¡¯s tears dried up and her expression went from devastated to furious. ¡°Who do you think you are, attempting to lecture us on personal family matters? It¡¯s none of your business what we do or don¡¯t do.¡±


    Since she was right, Anita shut her mouth and turned to go. Just as she reached the exit, Steven spoke, shocking her.Content from N?velDr(a)ma.Org.


    ¡°She never loved our son, and I¡¯m sure she¡¯s d he¡¯s out of her way now. She can go on to be with her numerous lovers. She might even have a hand in his death¡­ I can¡¯t wait for the police to be done with their investigation and If she has something to hide, I hope they find out soon enough.¡±


    ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª


    Vanessa fell asleep with the lights still on. She woke up several hourster, feeling gritty and groggy and confused.


    The clock on the nightstand read 3:18 a. m. The deep of the night, the precursor to dawn.


    She felt restless. Tormented. Confused. Christopher was dead and she honestly couldn¡¯t mourn his loss, though she felt sorrow because he¡¯d lost his life in a senseless act of violence.


    Swinging her legs over the side of the bed, she tugged down her long T-shirt and then, just in case, grabbed a pair of running shorts and stepped into them.


    Slipping on some flip-flops, she padded down the hall. She went downstairs. The absolute silence of the house, broken only by the muted sound of the refrigerator running, soothed her. She got a ss of water from the door in the fridge and carried it outside onto the back patio.


    The motion sensor lights flicked on. She walked in and closed the door behind her. She sat down, staring straight ahead and sipping her water. She¡¯de out here hoping to gather her mind, but it was still a mess.


    Christopher was gone. Though she had absolutely nothing to do with his murder, she couldn¡¯t suppress a sliver of guilt. Their marriage had long been over, a union in name only, and she¡¯d spent a fair amount of time daydreaming about what her life would be like without him in it. Blinking, she pulled herself out of her thoughts and forced herself to focus on right here and right now.


    Stifling a yawn with her hand, she realized thating out of her room had been a mistake. She still couldn¡¯t think about anything other than Christopher¡¯s murder. She nced toward the back door. She decided to go back to bed. As she pushed to her feet, she heard a sharp crack, like a car backfiring. Before she could breathe, she heard another, and then realized to her horror, that it was a gunshot. Immediately, she mmed herself onto the ground.


    Before she could think straight, she heard several more shots in rapid session. Behind her, the wall of windows in the breakfast room imploded. Panic wed at her. She needed to get inside but she knew that whoever was shooting was still out there. If she got up, she¡¯d only make too easy of a target, so she remained where she was.


    In the distance, she heard a siren. Someone must have called the police. She prayed Anita would stay inside and the Wesley¡¯s too. As the siren drew closer, tires squealed on pavement and a vehicle raced away.


    It was safe now, she thought, but she was so scared to move. The  back door opened and Steven Wesley stuck his head out. ¡°What¡¯s going on out here?¡± he demanded. His eyes widened when he caught sight of Vanessa on the pavement.


    ¡°Get inside,¡± Vanessa ordered. ¡°Now. And turn off the lights. Those were gunshots.¡±


    The older man stepped back inside and closed the door. Crouched over double, she rushed toward the door and yanked it open. ss crunched underfoot as she hurried through the kitchen area, heading for the stairs.


    On the way there, she encountered Lois Wesley, rubbing her eyes and yawning. She wore a fuzzy white bathrobe that must have been overly warm, though she didn¡¯t appear ufortable.


    ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡± Lois asked, her voice heavy with sleep.


    ¡°Someone shot up the back of the house,¡± Vanessa told her as she ran for the stairs. ¡°I¡¯m going to check on Anita.¡±


    She took the stairs two at a time. At the top, she forced herself to slow down and try to breathe. If the noise hadn¡¯t woken Anita, she didn¡¯t want to rm her with her own panic. Unbelievably, she hadn¡¯t been awakened. Which was sort of a relief. The fewer people she had to deal with right now, the better.


    Back downstairs, she found her inws huddled together in the kitchen in the dark, still taking care to stay away from any windows.


    ¡°Did you call 911?¡± Steven demanded, his voice shaky.


    ¡°No I didn¡¯t, but- they are here. I think we can turn on the lights now. Be careful around the broken ss.¡±


    Vanessa went to meet the police. Until now, adrenaline had kept her moving. With that gone, terror had set in and she¡¯d started shaking so hard her teeth chattered. Even worse, she wasn¡¯t sure how to stop.


    ¡°Deep breaths,¡± she told herself, trying to stay steady. ¡°You¡¯ll get through this. Just make the report and then start cleaning things up.¡±


    She didn¡¯t speak out loud as she was afraid of what she might sound like if she spoke. As she headed toward the front, one of the officers rang the bell.


    Once she¡¯d opened the door, she invited them in. She led them through the house, realizing for the first time she wore only a T-shirt and shorts, with no bra or underwear. She showed them the broken windows and then she reported on what had happened while she was outside on the back patio.

 9

    The deputies began snapping photographs, one of them taking notes. They stepped through the room, broken ss cracking underfoot, talking quietly among themselves. When they moved outside, Lois spoke up.


    ¡°What were you doing outside at three in the morning?¡± Lois managed to sound outraged rather than concerned.


    ¡°I couldn¡¯t sleep,¡± Vanessa exined, hearing thepleteck of emotion in her own voice and realizing she was beyond caring what anyone thought of her. ¡°I went outside to get some air.¡±


    And, of course, both Lois and Steven gazes drifted from each other to Vanessa and back again, hers narrow and his appraising.


    ¡°You had difficulty sleeping?¡± Lois finally asked, her suspicion clear in her snide tone.


    ¡°Yes.¡± Vanessa stared at the older woman, practically daring her to speak her thoughts out loud. Right now she felt as if she was walking on the edge of a narrow precipice. Christopher was dead, and all the bickering or usations in the world were not going to change that.


    Momentarily, she covered her face with her hands. She still couldn¡¯t shake the out-of-body feeling, like none of what was happening could possibly be real. In the space of a few days, her husband had been murdered, she¡¯d learned that the police saw her as a suspect, and now his parents were here, judging and using her silently.


    Now it seemed someone truly wanted to kill her. This was a nightmare. She just wanted to figure out a way to disappear. Of course, she couldn¡¯t, she wouldn¡¯t. She¡¯d dig deep and find the strength to deal with all of this and whatever else the universe decided to throw her way.


    ¡°You¡¯re lucky the police came in time. You might have been shot,¡± Steven finally said, his voice gruff. ¡°Seems like Christopher knew what he was doing, hiring a bodyguard. He knew how serious it was.¡±Exclusive ? content by N(?)ve/l/Drama.Org.


    ¡°Excuse me.¡± The deputies returned from checking out the patio area. ¡°We need to take your statement.¡±


    Vanessa went, keeping her exnation concise and to the point. She exined the way the shot had seemed toe from high up, like the shooter might have been in a tree or on the roof of another house.


    The two officers exchanged nces. ¡°Judging from the angle of some of the bullets, you might just be right. Is there anything else you¡¯d like to add?¡±


    Vanessa shook her head, then escorted the policemen out. When she returned, she saw that Anita had woken up and joined the Wesley¡¯s in the kitchen. There was a confused expression on her face and an awkward silence had fallen in the kitchen. As she was about to say goodnight and flee to her room, Lois¡¯s hand shot out and grabbed her arm.


    ¡°I think we deserve the truth,¡± the other woman said, her tone hard. ¡°Do you know anything about my son¡¯s death?


    Vanessa, Are you the reason why I¡¯ll never get to see my son again?¡±


    Though Lois Wesley¡¯s question appeared to shock Anita, Vanessa wasn¡¯t surprised to hear her ask it. Ever since their arrival, Christopher¡¯s parents had been desperate in their grief to assign me for the loss of their son.


    Straightening her shoulders and lifting her chin, Vanessa looked from one to the other, her eyes gleaming with what looked like unshed tears. ¡°No, ma¡¯am, I did not have anything to do with your son¡¯s death. I¡¯ve never wished him death, throughout our marriage, after we separated and when I filed for divorce. I never once thought of taking his life.¡±


    She took a deep breath, her tone measured and calm. ¡°To be honest, it¡¯s upsetting that you¡¯d even consider something like that. I know you lost your son, but I lost my husband too.¡±


    No one spoke to break the silence. Finally, Lois nodded, tears beginning to silently stream down her cheeks. Her husband put his arm around her and pulled her close. ¡°I know,¡± she finally said, sniffling. ¡°But since we¡¯re being honest¡­ Vanessa, you really don¡¯t seem all that upset that Christopher is dead.¡±


    Vanessa gasped. Before she could speak, Steven held up his hand, his lips pressed together so tight they appeared bloodless.


    ¡°Lois, that¡¯s uncalled for. We all grieve differently. I think Vanessa is a strong woman. Vanessa, I apologize for my wife¡¯s rudeness.¡±


    ¡°Thank you.¡± Tone icy, Vanessa dipped her head in a gesture of gratitude before turning her gaze to her mother-inw. ¡°I¡¯m going to overlook the appalling cruelty of yourment,¡± she said. ¡°And I¡¯m not going to dignify it with a response. While I understand how much you miss your son, I don¡¯t owe you or anyone else an exnation for anything.¡±


    With that, she turned on her heel and exited the room, her back straight and her head held high. Anita let her go and didn¡¯t follow her. Instead, she eyed Christopher¡¯s parents and considered whether she should say anything in Vanessa¡¯s defense. Because these people, for whatever reason, had insulted her friend for no reason when their son had in fact, been the shitty person. She couldn¡¯t stand the fact that they had disparaged Vanessa.


    In the end, she decided to make a short-and-sweet statement that couldn¡¯t be misconstrued in any way. ¡°I think Vanessa might be in shock,¡± she said. ¡°A lot has happened to her in a short amount of time. Please give her a break.¡±


    Steven nodded his agreement but his wife simply looked down at her feet silently, her mouth tight. Oh well. At least she¡¯d tried.


    ¡°Good night,¡± Anita said. She suspected they had no idea of their son¡¯s true character but if they did, she wouldn¡¯t be surprised to learn that they¡¯d turned a blind eye.


    Anita walked up to Vanessa¡¯s room. When she knocked twice and got no reply, she opened the door and peeped in. Vanessa was perched on the edge of the bed, crying her eyes out. Anita went to her and put her arm around her.


    ¡°They are just being silly and ungrateful,¡± she said, ¡°Just ignore them. Soon they¡¯ll be gone and out of you life for good,¡±


    ¡°This is the second time someone is using me of wanting Christopher dead. Do people really think that I¡¯m so vile that I would do such a thing?¡±


    Anita shook her head. ¡°No, you¡¯re not vile. They are. You¡¯ll get over this eventually, and soon it¡¯ll all be in the past,¡±

 10

    Vanessa woke up the next morning feeling numb. She knew that it would be hard enough to simply make it through the day. She had inws to deal with and a funeral to finalize. The media would need a statement, as well.


    She got a cup of coffee and sat down at the table, intent on losing herself in scrolling through her phone.


    When Steven and Lois Wesley strolled in a few minutester, already dressed and looking ready to go, that was exactly what she was doing. With everyone gathered in the kitchen drinking coffee, she knew she should offer to make something for them to eat, but she couldn¡¯t bring herself to do that.


    Eyeing her, Anita must have understood. ¡°I¡¯m going to make a doughnut run,¡± she announced. ¡°I¡¯ll be right back.¡±


    ¡°Get some sausage rolls too,¡± Steven told her.


    Anita nodded as she went out the door. Fifteen minutester, she returned with arge box of doughnuts. Everyone grabbed one or two and fell to eating them as if they hadn¡¯t eaten for days. Vanessa stayed back and watched, unable to stomach so much sugar right now. The doorbell rang at 9:00 a. m. sharp. Everyone fell silent.


    ¡°I¡¯ll get it,¡± Vanessa said, sidling away.


    Anita detached herself from where she¡¯d been leaning against the counter and went after her. ¡°Wait.¡± she grabbed her arm. ¡°What if it¡¯s the media?¡±


    ¡°Then I¡¯ll tell them noment. I haven¡¯t had time to work on a statement to give them.¡±


    ¡°Let me handle it,¡± she urged.


    ¡°Not this time.¡± Pulling herself free, she marched over to the front door.


    When she opened it, Christopher¡¯s assistant and campaign manager, Chloe Davis, let out a loud cry and fell into Vanessa¡¯s arms.


    ¡°I can¡¯t believe he¡¯s gone,¡± she wailed. Her red-rimmed eyes and disheveled tinum hair testified to her sorrow. ¡°Oh, Vanessa, honey. I just don¡¯t understand how anyone could do something like this.¡±


    Leading her inside, Vanessa closed the door. ¡°Christopher¡¯s parents are here,¡± she said quietly, taking both the younger woman¡¯s hands and willing strength into her. ¡°They¡¯re already understandably upset, so please don¡¯t make things worse.¡±


    Her message appeared to get through. Chloe straightened, pulling a tissue from her designer handbag and blotting at her eyes. ¡°Right, right. I¡¯m sorry.¡± She peered at Vanessa. ¡°How are you holding up?¡±


    ¡°I made most of the funeral arrangements yesterday,¡± Vanessa replied, circumventing a direct answer. ¡°Andst night someone shot out one of my back windows. The police were here at three in the morning. It¡¯s been rough.¡±


    Chloe¡¯s eyes went wide, her false eyshes giving her an owlish look. ¡°Do you think it might have been Christopher¡¯s murderer? That¡¯s pretty terrifying.¡±


    ¡°You don¡¯t know the half of it.¡± Vanessa tilted her head, considering the younger woman. ¡°What can I do for you, Chloe?¡±


    ¡°Do for me?¡± Echoing Vanessa¡¯s words, Chloe¡¯s brow wrinkled in confusion. ¡°I came here to see what I might do for you. I know you said you¡¯d already made most of the funeral arrangements, but if you need my help coordinating anything, I¡¯m here for you.¡±


    ¡°Thank you.¡± Thinking back to all the decisions Jeremy ckenstock had said she¡¯d need to make, Vanessa nodded. ¡°I¡¯m probably going to take you up on that.¡±


    ¡°Sounds perfect.¡± Sniffing, Chloe wiped at her still-streaming eyes. When she caught sight of Anita, she looked her up and down slowly. ¡°Well, hello there.¡± she said.


    With a bored expression, Anita nodded. ¡°Hello.¡±


    ¡°This is Anita,¡± Vanessa said. ¡°Anita , this is Chloe, Christopher¡¯s assistant and campaign manager.¡±


    She dipped his chin in acknowledgment. Chloe turned back to Vanessa. ¡°Vanessa, honey? Do you mind if I say hello to Steven and Lois? It¡¯s been a little bit since I¡¯ve seen them, though I talk to them several times a week.¡±


    She did? Keeping that thought to herself, Vanessa gestured at Chloe to follow her as she led the way to the kitchen. Chloe patted down her hair, smoothed her pencil skirt and pasted a sympathetic smile on her face.


    The instant Lois caught sight of her son¡¯s assistant, she leaped to her feet and held out her arms. ¡°Chloe.¡±


    Hugging, the two women wept, exchanging mostly incoherent phrases about their mutual loss. Vanessa looked on, a bit shocked. She¡¯d had no idea Chloe and Christopher¡¯s mom had been so close. Judging from Anita¡¯s expression, she felt the same way.


    Even Steven¡¯s gaze lit up when he spied Chloe, though he waited patiently for Lois to finish hugging her before he held out his arms. Chloe embraced him too. They clung to each other and Steven cried for the first time since arriving, wiping his streaming eyes almost angrily.


    Heaven help her. Vanessa tried to ignore the twinge of jealous difort, but she was only human. Chloe had worked for Christopher long before he¡¯d met Vanessa, and of course she¡¯d gotten to know his parents. Clearly, they¡¯d be close. Which might be exactly what they needed, even if it seemed odd that they were closer to Christopher¡¯s assistant than his wife. She couldn¡¯t begrudge them whateverfort they could get, no matter where they found it.


    But Lois¡¯s next question made any sympathy Vanessa might have felt vanish.


    ¡°Chloe, do you know where Christopher kept his will? I¡¯d like to take a look at it.¡±Exclusive ? content by N(?)ve/l/Drama.Org.


    Even Chloe appeared taken aback by the question. ¡°I¡¯m just now starting to go through his papers,¡± she replied. ¡°Once I find the will, I¡¯ll be contacting the executor to meet with the attorney and get the probate process started.¡±


    Lois nodded, but she wasn¡¯t finished. ¡°But you¡¯ll let me see it first, right?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry.¡± Chloe seemed to choose her words carefully. ¡°But I have strict instructions and I¡¯m afraid I can¡¯t do that.¡±


    Though Lois grimaced in disappointment, she didn¡¯t challenge the statement. ¡°Can you at least tell me who is the executor?¡± she asked.


    ¡°I¡¯m not sure.¡± A hint of firmness had crept into Chloe¡¯s voice now. ¡°I haven¡¯t actually seen the will yet. I know he revised it after his marriage.¡± She nodded toward Vanessa . ¡°I¡¯m not privy to the details beyond that.¡±


    Neither Steven nor Lois bothered to hide their obvious disappointment. Vanessa wondered if they somehow honestly thought Christopher had left her out of his will..

 11

    Since she and Christopher hadn¡¯t gotten around to drawing up a prenup, thew was clear on the rights of inheritance. A will could only confirm that and perhaps designate heirship of smaller, sentimental items. Was there something specific Lois wanted? If so, all she needed to do was ask.


    Pushing down the bewildered hurt, Vanessa reminded herself she¡¯d never truly understood Christopher¡¯s parents. Christopher had oftenmented that they cared more about their church family than their real one.


    After getting Chloe a cup of coffee and a doughnut, Vanessa asked her if she¡¯d minding with her to the study. ¡°I hope y¡¯all will excuse us for a few moments,¡± she said to the rest of the room. ¡°I¡¯ve got some things I¡¯d like to discuss with Chloe.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯d prefer to be there,¡± Lois announced.


    Vanessa stared at her. She¡¯d thought Christopher¡¯s mother couldn¡¯t shock her any more than she already had. Turned out she¡¯d been wrong.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry,¡± Vanessa told her firmly. ¡°But this is private. I¡¯m sure you and Steven can enjoy the rest of your breakfast while I take care of this.¡±


    With that, she swept from the room, Chloe trailing behind her.


    ¡ª¡ª¡ª-


    In the study, As Vanessa outlined tasks to the other woman, Chloe pulled out an iPad and took notes.


    ¡°Chloe, I¡¯m going to need your help getting everything set up with the funeral home. I already did some of the initial work, but there are still a lot of decisions that need to be made.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m ready to help in any way I can,¡± Chloe said, nodding.


    Once Vanessa had outlined everything she needed, Chloe shut down her iPad and stowed it in her purse. ¡°Thank you for such detailed instructions,¡± she said, smiling. ¡°That makes it a lot easier. I¡¯ll get right on this. In fact, I¡¯ll stop by the funeral home after I leave here.¡±


    ¡°Perfect.¡± Vanessa stood, smiling. ¡°Oh, and one more favor. Please don¡¯t mention any of this to Lois or Steven.


    I¡¯d prefer just to let them know everything once all the arrangements have been finalized.¡±


    Though Chloe eyed her curiously, she nodded. ¡°Consider it done.¡±


    Though she felt like a cynic, Vanessa couldn¡¯t help but think she¡¯d realized who¡¯d be signing her paychecks from now on. It certainly wouldn¡¯t be Christopher¡¯s parents.


    ¡°I¡¯ll touch base with youter today,¡± Chloe promised, striding confidently toward the exit. ¡°Let me tell the Wesleys goodbye.¡±


    Once she¡¯d gone, Vanessa let out a huge sigh and began massaging both her temples. ¡°This is a nightmare.¡± She mumbled to herself. Finally, she pushed herself up from behind the desk. Her head was starting to ache so she decided to try and bypass the Wesleys for a while. She headed out to the living room, where Lois and Steven were seated waiting for her. They informed her that would be leaving to stay with a close friend of theirs who lived in the city.


    Although Vanessa knew that it would make more sense for them to stay with her, she knew that it was best so they¡¯d avoid getting on each other¡¯s nerves as they didn¡¯t really get along.


    ¡°That¡¯s alright,¡± Vanessa told them. ¡°Just let me know if you need anything and I¡¯ll keep in touch too,¡±


    After they left, Anita followed an hourter as she had some work to attend to while Vanessa took the opportunity to get some sleep. She woke upter that evening and decided to go for a small walk. When she opened her front door, there was a tiny package waiting for her.


    That was weird, she thought. She¡¯d not ordered anything and wasn¡¯t expecting anything either. At first she was afraid to pick it up, but after giving it a kick with her foot and realizing that it was very light, she picked it up. Besides, if it really was a bomb as she feared, it¡¯d have exploded already. She took it inside and sat in the living room to open it up.


    Smoothing the stray hairs at her temples, she cursed. Her hands were shaking as she opened it to find a letter¡­ Well not really a letter because it just had one sentence. ¡°Obviously someone is a dumbass,¡± she muttered, willing her hand to stop trembling.


    ¡®I¡¯ll be seeing you soon¡¯ it said.


    Her breath caught and pressure seized her chest. It didn¡¯t matter how many times she¡¯d read the line. Each time her eyes crawled across those five words, she felt the burn in her throat, the building in the back of her mouth. She wanted to scream, and she never screamed.


    cing the letter beside the flower vase on the table, she then stood on weak legs. Her fingers icy and numb, she walked across the living room to the window. Could he be out there right this second, watching her?


    No.


    She stopped herself from backing away from the window, from caving into fear, and squeezed her eyes shut. No way could she allow herself to think that. She had done nothing wrong to anyone and she wouldn¡¯t let this¡­this fucker do this to her. Only she had control of her life and her choices.


    ¡°Focus,¡± she said, rubbing tiny circles along her temples.


    She twisted away from the window and opened her eyes. The room was minimalistic in design, muted colors of ck and gray. Her shoes clicked off the hardwood floor as she went back to the table. She dropped her hands to her hips, her eyes narrowing behind her sses. She had to fix this, gain control of the situation. It was the only option. But doing so required that she take the threats seriously.Exclusive ? content by N(?)ve/l/Drama.Org.


    First it was the shooting and now threats. Trying to ignore this was like ignoring an ache that wouldn¡¯t go away. No good shites from that.


    She needed to figure out who was behind this letter, and that wasn¡¯t going to be easy. She needed protection. And she knew who to go to.


    Detective ric Harper.


    He¡¯d given her his number and told her to call if she needed him. Well, now she did need him. The man had such terrible people skills, but she didn¡¯t have anyone else to go to. He was also very handsome, she thought as she searched her room, trying to remember where she¡¯d kept his number.

 12

    She wasn¡¯t sure if it was those startling dark eyes of his. Or it could¡¯ve been those incredibly wide shoulders that would make any woman feel petite, or that broad chest and those¡­


    ¡°What am I doing?¡± She smacked her forehead with her palm, pushing those thoughts aside.


    Going to him for help had nothing to do with envisioning him in boxers or showing off hard, naked abs. And thest thing she needed to be doing right now was mentally molesting the man. It was highly unlikely that he¡¯d be happy to hear from her, but it was his job. Unable to find the number, she scooped up the letter she¡¯d received, ced it back into the package it¡¯de in and shoved it into her bag.


    Fuck finding his number, she thought. She¡¯d go straight to the station and find him there. She left her house, in search of a very different type of asshole.


    ¡ª¡ª¡ªExclusive ? content by N(?)ve/l/Drama.Org.


    Detective ric Harper¡¯s phone vibrated in the pocket of his jeans for the second time in thest hour. He needed to continue ignoring it. He should ignore it. What was going on in front of him should have his undivided attention. Any other time, it would.


    On her knees between his widespread legs, Racheal was in a position he doubted she was normally in when it came to her day job, being a district attorney and all. She ran her hands up and down his thighs, each pass bringing the tips of her red-painted fingernails to the center of his legs. Her movements were well practiced. She knew what he liked.


    The red corset she wore wasced up tight, practically shoving her caramel-colored breasts up to her chin. Some men were into breasts, others more about the ass. ric was into the female body in general. All of it. But when he was with Racheal, he turned into a breast man. Those things were the stuff that wet dreams were made of.


    But tonight? Thest couple of months? The head on his shoulders was doing more thinking than any other ce on his body, which was kind of a damn shame.


    Racheal slipped a hand up the inside of his thigh. ¡°I¡¯ve missed you.¡± She said,


    Heughed, sliding farther down in the oversize cushioned chair, spreading his legs farther. ¡°No you didn¡¯t.¡± he replied,


    Her pretty lips pouted. ¡°You haven¡¯te to see me since February. Or anyone, from what I¡¯ve heard.¡±


    A brow rose. He didn¡¯t like the idea of anyone keeping tabs on him.


    ¡°You haven¡¯t even been to the club,¡± she said.


    ¡°So?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s not like you.¡± She ced her hands on the chair between his legs, drawing his eyes down to her impressive chest. For some reason, he imagined much smaller breasts plumped up over thecy trim and little bows. Irritated, he scrubbed the palm of his hand along his jaw. The faint stubble pricked his skin. What the hell was wrong with him? He¡¯d been at Leather and Lace for almost an hour now and by this time he would¡¯ve already been behind a woman, his hands on her hips, sliding in and out.


    ¡°Want to talk?¡± she asked, pushing back from the chair and sping her hands demurely.


    Heughed dryly. ¡°No, honey, but thanks.¡±


    One delicate, satiny shoulder rose. ¡°You sure? You¡¯re moody and quiet by nature, babe, but disappearing for months? I was worried.¡±


    ric bit back anotherugh. That wasn¡¯t likely. Racheal was good, great even. And their sexual¡­tastes matched, but when he wasn¡¯t around, there was always someone else. Like him, she enjoyed sex. Lots, really, excepttely, he¡¯d been only getting it on with his hand.


    ¡°I don¡¯t want to talk,¡± he said again.


    Thickshes lowered as she toyed with the knot between her breasts. ¡°No talking? I can do that.¡±


    He watched her rise fluidly. Racheal was a tall woman, and in her e fuck me¡± heels, she nearly reached his six feet and four inches. She pivoted gracefully, and he got an eyeful of her ass. The scrap ofce between her cheeks revealed more than it hid as she swayed her way over to the chaise longue across from him.


    It was a nice view-a beautiful view. Racheal¡¯s skin was like smooth coffee, and he knew from personal experience that an hour with that woman could make you forget a year of life, but¡­


    Any other time he¡¯d be as hard as a brick wall and ready to go¡­and to go again, but the lust stirring in his veins wasn¡¯t anything to write home about. He definitely wasn¡¯t feeling what little Miss Racheal was.


    She cast a look over her shoulder as she bit down on her lip. Still nothing at all. She ced a shapely knee on the lounge and bent over, nting her hands near the top of the chair, and then brought her other leg up. Nice-very nice. And yet there was really nothing happening in his jeans.


    Bending down, she stuck her ass in the air. ¡°I think I¡¯ve been naughty, ric.¡±


    He cocked a brow. ¡°You have?¡±


    She blinked innocently. ¡°I think I need to be punished.¡±


    Fine, barely there tendrils of lust stirred in his gut. Okay. It was official. His cock had taken a vacay into celibacynd. Fuck. Him.


    Tipping his head back, he stifled a groan. What in the fuck was he even doing here? It was either this or hang out with his partner, and who in the hell in their right mind wanted to do that shit? All Paul Forbes talked about nowadays was his woman. Not that he begrudged him his happiness, but shit, it was like hanging out with an old woman. Especially since Paul was knee-deep in wedding ns. And if he had to hear about the difference between ivory and white one more time, he was going to shoot someone.


    Hell, ask him a year ago if he thought the yboy of the century would be the one to marry first, and he would¡¯veughed straight in your face. But Paul was in love.


    The thing was, and contrary to everyone¡¯s assumption of him-including his partner- ric didn¡¯t have any problems with the idea of settling down.

 13

    While those who were unaware of his upbringing thought he was affected by it due to his¡­habits and the fact he rarely stayed with one woman, the truth was, he had enoughmon sense to know that not all rtionships were like his parents¡¯.


    In reality, he had always been the least affected by his bastard of a father and train wreck of a mother. He just hadn¡¯t met the woman he wanted to be with for more than a few hours here and there or involved in any aspect of his life.


    He really should get the fuck out of here. Theck of interest was one of the reasons why he hadn¡¯t frequented Leather and Lacetely. And this was the only ce he¡¯d do this in. He never brought women back to his home. His cell started vibrating again.


    Fuck.


    Leaning back in his chair, he reached into his pocket and pulled out his cell. Curiosity perked when he saw that it was his partner¡¯s number. ¡°Paul?¡±


    ¡°Thanks for answering the phone in a timely manner,¡± a deep, gravelly voice said.


    ric¡¯s lips tipped up at the corners. ¡°I¡¯ve been busy.¡± Which was utter bullshit, since all he¡¯d been doing was sitting here, staring at a half-naked woman, with the limpest dick in town. ¡°What¡¯s up?¡±


    ¡°Mrs Spencer was here looking for you.¡±


    He arched a brow as Racheal nced over her bare shoulder again and licked her plump red lips. ¡°Did she say what she needed?¡± he asked.


    ¡°She said she wanted to talk to you,¡± he replied, and the sound of fingers tapping along a keyboard echoed in the background. ¡°She asked for you directly.¡±


    ¡°And you didn¡¯t ask her why?¡± His brows lowered.


    Paul snorted. ¡°Of course I did, but she didn¡¯t tell me. And before you ask, she was out the door and down the street before I could get my gimpy ass out of the chair and follow her to get her tags.¡±


    About six weeks ago, Paul had taken a nasty gunshot to the leg during a security detail and was now on desk duty for at least another three weeks, but he still went around with ric once in a while. Shit happened. ric had a matching bullet wound on his arm and his thigh from an incident a few years back.


    Shaking herce-covered ass at him, Racheal purred softly. All right. That managed to get his attention. His jeans tightened by the slightest measure, but still. He got this hard when he saw a 1969 Dodge Charger in mint condition. Shit. Maybe he needed to see his doctor about low testosterone or something.


    ¡°Did she leave a number or anything?¡± he interrupted, a strange sensation now crawling over his skull. Muscles clenched in his stomach.


    ¡°Nope. She bounced like a ball when I said you weren¡¯t here.¡±


    ¡°Call me immediately if shees back,¡± he said.Content provided by N?velDrama.Org.


    Paulughed. ¡°That¡¯s what I¡¯ve been doing. Try answering the phone next time. And oh, I did mention where you were.¡±


    ¡°You did?¡± ric asked.


    ¡°Yep. I¡¯m sure she understands you just wanted some me time,¡± Paul said and chuckled.


    There wasn¡¯t much ric could say to that. He hung up, sliding the phone back into his pocket. His mind was still on the conversation. If Vanessa hade to see him, then it had to be about the case. Something must havee up¡­. Or happened again. He knew about the shooting, but he had been on another case when the police arrived so he¡¯d just gone through her statement.


    ¡°Are you okay?¡± Racheal asked, startling him.


    He blinked and nodded.


    ¡°Thene join me. I¡¯m getting lonely over here.¡±


    Without thinking about it, he stood and slowly made his way over to the chaise longue. When he looked down at Racheal, it wasn¡¯t her he saw. The picture that formed in his mind?


    Kneeling on the longue was Mrs Vanessa Spencer. Except her hair was down, falling around her face in dark waves. The sses were on. He liked the sses. And now ric was hard as a fucking brick wall. Good news? His dick worked. Bad news? Shit. There was a lot of bad in this.


    Racheal¡¯s gaze dipped below his belt, and her eyes lit up. ¡°That for me?¡±


    Uh. No. He opened his mouth, but the door swung open unexpectedly and his chin jerked up, eyes narrowing. No one in this club would barge into any of these rooms unless they were invited. There were rules, for chrissakes, and¡­


    Holy shit.


    In the dim red glow of the small overhead light, a slight form appeared like an apparition, straight out of the shadows and out of his fantasies.


    Mrs Spencer stood just inside the room, clenching a folder to her chest like some kind of shield. Behind her sses, her eyes moved from him to Racheal and back again. A pink blush bled into her cheeks, and screw him, he got harder.


    Her expression remained cool, though, as she cleared her throat. ¡°We need to talk.¡±


    ¡ª¡ª¡ª-


    Anyone who had ever met Vanessa Spencer and was around her for ten minutes would agree that she was determined and impatient. Those two things made for a nastybination.


    And could lead to really awkward situations.


    When she¡¯d gone to the station and was told that ric wasn¡¯t there, she¡¯d been disappointed and while Leather and Lace had been a shot in the dark, it had been one she¡¯d been willing to take. She was worried and scared, and there was no time to waste when there was someone somewhere trying to kill her or do God knows what.


    Leather and Lace was nothing more than a sex club fronting as a regr nightclub, and as much as Vanessa wanted to be disgusted by the whole thing, she couldn¡¯t help the slight wiggle of curiosity whenever she thought about the ce and what went on inside the rooms on the second floor. Were there really people hooking up and engaging in all kinds of sexual y inside? Well, now she knew for sure.


    Her gaze crawled between ric and the barely dressed woman on her hands and knees. Vanessa doubted she was searching for a missing contact lens dressed in a corset and little else. Unless her clothing had fallen off in the process.

 14

    Vanessa¡¯s stare lingered on the woman¡¯s chest, and she suddenly felt like she was rocking a training bra. Christ on a crutch, were those things real? Her gaze finally drifted up to the woman¡¯s face and something about the pretty features was familiar¡­ Holy fuck balls, wasn¡¯t she a district attorney? Oh my.


    ric cleared his throat, drawing her attention back to him. ¡°We need to talk? Right now?¡± he asked.


    For a moment, she couldn¡¯t speak. Good God, this man¡­His dark brown hair was messy, and his broad shoulders seemed bigger now. His cheekbones were well defined and high, setting off a strong jawline and wide, expressive lips. The man was built like a heavyweight boxer.


    Her gaze traveled down his throat, over the gap in his shirt at his neck, and then down his arms. The sleeves of his shirt were rolled up, exposing powerful forearms andrge hands.


    ¡°Mrs Spencer?¡± Amusement colored ric¡¯s voice.


    Heat flooded her cheeks. Dear God, was she flustered? She was never flustered. An obnoxious giggle was building in her throat. Shit. Giggling? That ticked her off. Latching onto the irritation, she regained the use of her brain. ¡°I know I¡¯m interrupting¡­important business, but this can¡¯t wait.¡±Exclusive ? content by N(?)ve/l/Drama.Org.


    ¡°Is that so?¡± ric shifted his weight, and it was only then that she realized he was standing behind the woman. Was he about to¡­? Oh Lord in heaven, she couldn¡¯t finish that thought. ¡°Yes. I need to talk to you in private.¡±


    ric said nothing.


    She looked at the woman who had at least sat up, demurely crossing her legs, and then back at ric. Did she have to point out they weren¡¯t alone? By the expectant look on his face, she was going to go with a yes. ¡°We¡¯re not alone.¡± She said,


    ¡°And you weren¡¯t in here first.¡± he retorted. A small grin appeared on those lips. Just one side tipping up. ¡°It would be rude of me to ask my friend to leave, and I wouldn¡¯t want to be rude.¡±


    Vanessa¡¯s spine stiffened. Something about his tone told her that he was messing with her for his amusement. ¡°I seriously doubt she¡¯s your friend.¡± She shot back.


    ¡°And what do you think she is to me, Mrs Spencer?¡± When she opened her mouth, his dark eyes sharpened. ¡°And think carefully before you make a statement.¡±


    She bristled. ¡°I¡¯m not crude, Mr. Harper.¡±


    ¡°Really? That¡¯s not what I¡¯ve heard¡­ and observed,¡±


    A different kind of heat invaded her veins, and her fingers bit into the folder. The soft crinkle of paper reminded her why she was here, which was not to get into a verbal pissing match with ric. Taking a deep breath, she leveled her voice. ¡°I need your help.¡±


    ric¡¯s chin tipped down, but his expression remained the same: remote and impassive. Not an ounce of emotion. Something about him, the intensity that he bled into the air around him, told her that this man would be a violent storm if he ever lost control.


    Silence stretched out between them, broken by the soft, impatient sigh of the  woman sitting on the chaise longue. It struck Vanessa then, in a way it hadn¡¯t before, what she was doing. Coming to ric for help had seemed logical while she¡¯d been in her apartment,  but busting up in a sex club looking for him?


    Ah, probably not the wisest of decisions. Not to mention supremely awkward, but there wasn¡¯t anything she could do about that now. The note had rattled her. ¡®I¡¯ll be seeing you soon.¡¯ Finding ric couldn¡¯t wait, but now?


    Holding her head high, she stepped back. ¡°Perhaps another time will be better. When you¡¯re not about to engage in hopefully protected sex.¡± She smiled tightly. ¡°Good evening, Mr. Harper and¡­uh, Miss¡­ That¡¯s a really nice corset.¡±


    The woman smiled. ¡°Thank you.¡± She replied.


    Vanessa made it to the door, feeling an odd burn in her skin. Humiliation? It had been a long, long time since she¡¯d felt that way, and she didn¡¯t much care for it now, either.


    ¡°Mrs Spencer.¡± ric¡¯s deep voice stopped her.


    She turned halfway. ¡°What?¡±


    He nced at the woman. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, honey, but maybe we can pick this up againter?¡±


    ¡°I understand.¡± The woman stood, and at once, Vanessa felt like she belonged in the Lollipop Guild.


    The woman strode past her, smiling. ¡°Work is work.¡± She said.


    Was that a dig? Vanessa couldn¡¯t be sure, but then the door shut quietly behind her, and she was alone in the room with ric. In a room that he had most likely been about to have wild, lustful, animal-like, noise-making sex in. At that thought, an image of her on that chaise longue with ric behind her, his hands gripping her hips, filled her head. Warmth sparked in her belly and much, much lower. She really needed to get control of herself. She¡¯d just lost her husband for goodness sake. They might not have been together for a while, but still.


    Clearing her throat, she met his stare and flushed at the almost knowing gleam in his blue eyes. ¡°You didn¡¯t have to make her leave. We could¡¯ve-¡±


    ¡°I think it was obvious that she needed to leave,¡± he cut in, crossing his arms across his broad chest. ¡°So what is it that you need help with, Mrs Spencer?¡±


    ¡°But I was interrupting.¡±


    He arched an eyebrow. ¡°And I¡¯m sure you knew that before you burst through that door, right?¡±


    ¡°Well, yes, but-¡± Actually, no. She hadn¡¯t thought of anything except getting to ric. She refused to examine why the thought of reaching him had been the only thing that had calmed her pulse since receiving the note.


    ¡°But you now have my full, undivided attention.¡± ric took one step forward, and then he was right in front of her. It had to be those long legs that seemed to eat up the distance in one stride. ¡°And that is a very, very rare urrence.¡±


    Swallowing again, she felt her gaze nervously flit over his shoulder. What the¡­? Were those handcuffs hanging against the wall? She was totally out of her element and off her game. Who could me her? She was in a room used for all kinds of kinky sexual acts.


    ¡°I need your help,¡± she said, relieved to hear her voice was somewhat steady.


    He unfolded his arms, and as he did, the rolled-up sleeves of his shirt brushed her hands, causing her body to jerk. That one-sided smile spread. ¡°I think we¡¯ve already established that, Mrs Spencer,¡± he replied.

 15

    Irritation pricked at her skin, mostly at herself for bing so frazzled. ¡°I have a problem.¡±


    When his brows shot up, she wanted to smack herself in the face with the file folder. Had she lost brain cells somewhere between entering this room and right now? Fuck. ¡°I received a threatening letter¡­ Or note I guess,¡±


    ric didn¡¯t respond, so she shoved the file folder toward him, which wasn¡¯t very far, since he was in her personal space. He didn¡¯t take it, and her irritation grew into frustration.


    ¡°It¡¯s in here,¡±


    ¡°Okay.¡± He drew out the word as his gaze dipped. But not to her hands. To her chest.


    Vanessa didn¡¯t know what to think or say at that point. She was a logical woman. A minute ago, he had had a woman in here who had two baby butts for boobs and she was barely a B cup. Not to mention there was no way in holy hell he could see her goods. She was wearing a white blouse buttoned straight up to her chin and a suit jacket. Unless he had x-ray vision, he was just being an ass.


    Struggling to get a grip on her quickly rising anger, she snapped the file folder against his chest. ¡°Do you want to look at it? Or do you want to continue staring at my breasts like a pig?¡±


    That ghost of a smile spread into a full smirk. ¡°I think I¡¯ll keep staring at your breasts like a pig.¡±


    ¡°Well, that¡¯s lovely.¡±


    ¡°They sure are,¡± he replied.


    Vanessa took one deep, even breath. ¡°Mr. Harper, I¡¯m here-¡±


    ¡°Because you need my help,¡± he interrupted. ¡°I got that.¡±


    ¡°And I¡¯m trying to show you what I received.¡± She smacked the folder off his chest once again. ¡°So can we- ¡±


    His hand shot out, as fast as a cobra striking, startling her. He wrapped his fingers around her wrist, gently but firmly. Lowering his head, he brought his lips to within an inch of hers. So close she could taste the minty scent of his breath. ¡°While I like to be smacked in the chest with random objects from time to time, you keep it up, I¡¯m going to think that¡¯s an invitation for me to return the favor.¡±


    Her mouth dropped open.


    ¡°On a different part of the body,¡± he added, winking. ¡°And with my hand.¡±


    She gasped and her skin burned, but not from embarrassment. Oh no. The mere thought of his hand on her ass almost had her forgetting why she came here. Almost. She jerked her arm free, knowing he simply allowed her to do so. ¡°That was extremely unprofessional.¡± She scolded.


    ricughed deeply, sending a shiver down her spine, and spread his arms wide. ¡°What about any of this would be considered professional?¡±


    He had a good point, but still. She took a step back, which grated on her nerves. ¡°Mr. Harper, I am trying to-¡±


    ¡°Say it.¡±


    Having no idea where he was going with that statement, she shook her head. ¡°Say what?¡±


    ¡°My name.¡±


    Her brows knitted as she stared up at him. ¡°I do believe I¡¯ve been saying your name. Perhaps all that muscle and hair are impairing your hearing.¡±


    He chuckled again as he stalked forward, reiming the distance between them. ¡°That wasn¡¯t very nice, Vanessa.¡±


    At the sound of her name rolling off his tongue, the muscles in her stomach tightened. ¡°What? Do you want me to say your first name?¡±


    ¡°Yes, actually, I do.¡±


    She rolled her eyes. ¡°Well, no thank you. I prefer to keep this businesslike.¡±


    ¡°Again, what about this is business appropriate?¡± He moved his arms out to his sides once more, gesturing around him. ¡°The handcuffs? Or the lovers¡¯ swing folded in the corner? Or the lounge, whichesplete with stirrups?¡±


    Oh dear Lord¡­


    ¡°Or the fact you hunted me down?¡±


    Her lips mashed together. ¡°I didn¡¯t hunt you down. It wasn¡¯t that hard to find you. Paul Forbes¡­ Your partner¡­ Told me where you were. And of course where else would you be but at a club with such a ster reputation? I¡¯m not surprised one bit.¡±


    He cocked his head to the side. ¡°Have you been stalking me, Vanessa?¡±


    ¡°It is Mrs Spencer to you, and no, I¡¯m not stalking you. What reason could I possibly have to do that?¡± She took another deep breath. ¡°Now, are you going to listen to me or continue to derail the conversation?¡±


    ¡°I wasn¡¯t aware that¡¯s what I was doing,¡± he said. ¡°I¡¯ve been following along easily. You¡¯ve received a threatening letter¡­ Or note¡­ as you put it, which I assume is in the folder you keep using as a weapon, but I¡¯m not sure how I can be of any help with that.¡±


    She stared at him a moment, absolutely baffled. ¡°Doesn¡¯t it seem obvious? You are a detective. You are in charge of my husband¡¯s case and you gave me your number. You told me to call you if something came up. Well, I came here because obviously something hase up,¡±


    Another deepugh erupted from him, but this time, it didn¡¯t make her warm on the inside. ¡°I know exactly what I told you. I¡¯m just having some fun teasing you. You ruined my fun, remember? I¡¯mpensating.¡±Content from N?velDr(a)ma.Org.


    Bristling, she tipped up her chin. ¡°I¡¯m not here for fun, Mr Harper. I got shot at, and now I¡¯m receiving threats?¡± she said, clinging to her temper with a fine thread. ¡°You said you could help me, and now it¡¯s time to help, you¡¯ve been too busy ogling me and making sexual innuendoes.¡±


    ¡°Back to your breasts?¡±


    The base of her neck was starting to tingle. ¡°Oh my God.¡±


    ¡°You brought them up. Both times. Not me.¡± A quick grin shed across his face.


    Vanessa opened and closed her mouth a couple of times, drawing his attention to that interesting part of her face. Her lips were devoid of any makeup, not even a faint trace of faded lipstick, but they were fuller than he remembered, and he bet they¡¯d be soft if they weren¡¯t always in such a tense, tight line.


    ¡°I¡¯m going to pretend you didn¡¯t say that,¡± she said, her voice unsurprisingly level.


    He wondered if anything truly got to the woman. He remembered how unaffected she¡¯d looked about her husband¡¯s death. ¡°I¡¯m not going to pretend.¡± he replied.

 16

    ¡°This¡­ That was¡­ That is so inappropriate that I don¡¯t even know where to begin.¡± She reached up, taking off her sses. For the briefest second, he saw her face for the first time without them before she ced them back on. His eyes narrowed. Just what did she see in Christopher Wesley that made her marry him, he wondered.


    She stared at him for a good half a minute and then exploded like a bottle rocket. ¡°For fuck¡¯s sake, talking to you is impossible! Fucking forget I even came here, because this was the most pointless trip I¡¯ve ever made in the history of fucking forever! And just so you know, you¡¯re the worst Detective I¡¯ve ever met in my life. It¡¯s a wonder how you manage to keep your job since the only thing you¡¯re good at is making false usations, and being a shitty person.¡±


    He blinked, surprised by her outburst. And turned onpletely, 100 percent rocking a raging hard-on. There was definitely something wrong with that, but he wasn¡¯t surprised. He liked his women mouthy. And this one was a volcano.


    The volcano was also leaving. Vanessa yanked at the door and nearly threw herself off bnce. Racheal must¡¯ve locked it on her way out, something they should¡¯ve thought about earlier, but then again, ric couldn¡¯t find it in himself to regret Vanessa¡¯s interruption.


    Cursing up a storm under her breath, she unlocked the door and tore it open. Within seconds, she¡¯d disappeared into the shadowy hall outside the private room.


    ric started after her but stopped.


    ¡°Shit,¡± he muttered, thrusting his fingers through his hair.


    He needed to let her go for now. She was damn right. He¡¯d been so unprofessional. He¡¯d never been that way before. He didn¡¯t even know much about her apart from police business, but one thing he was sure of was that the woman would be nothing but trouble. That was thest thing he needed in his life right now. It didn¡¯t matter that her appearance had his cock waking from its majorly inconvenient slumber. And the most messed-up thing was that he was still hard.


    Damn, she had smelled good. The scent of a flower that reminded him of spring, but he couldn¡¯t ce what it was. And now he was thinking about how she smelled. Fuuuk.


    The woman was in trouble, and he¡¯d just insinuated that he¡¯d rather fuck her than do his job and protect her? He didn¡¯t feel bad about saying the things he¡¯d said, but damn, he hadn¡¯t even looked at the note.


    ¡°Shit,¡± he said again.


    ¡ª¡ª¡ª¨C


    The back of Vanessa¡¯s throat burned as she made her way across the crowded club floor. Even if she wasn¡¯t speed walking, she¡¯d stand out among the patrons of Leather and Lace. Her prim ck suit was an eyesore among the shimmery tops, skintight jeans, and pretty dresses. So in. So boring.


    Normally, that wouldn¡¯t bother her, but tonight, she felt like all her emotions were on the outside, coating her skin instead of being neatly tucked away.


    A hand grabbed for her as she rounded a cluster of small tables. She shot a warning look at the offender, a young male with kohl-lined eyes. He simplyughed and threw an arm over the shoulders of a petite redhead.


    To Vanessa, the air in the club was suffocating-hot and heavy with the scent of perfume, cologne, and liquor. She barreled out the front door, gasping in the cool night air as it washed over her flushed skin.


    Stupid-she had been so incredibly stupiding here. His crude statements were most likely nothing more than an attempt to get a rise out of her, and he¡¯d seeded. She hurried down the sidewalk, passing the graffiti-sprayed exteriors of the old warehouses. What was she going to do now?


    ¡®I¡¯ll be seeing you soon.¡¯


    Her practical mind clicked over, taking control. She was on her own, something she¡¯d grown ustomed to in her twenty-eight years. You could really only count on yourself-trite but true. So she¡¯d need to find out who was responsible for stalking her, and she also needed a gun. Then she needed to know how to use one, because she honestly had no idea how to even take off the safety and-


    Rounding the street corner, she winced as she realized that two of the overhead streetmps were now out and the packed parking lot was nothing more than hulking, looming shadows and a cesspool of potential assault and battery. Great. Getting stabbed and robbed would be the icing on the fucked-up cake and make her night.


    Digging the car keys out of her pocket, she threaded them between her fingers and kept her eyes peeled for any suspicious movement. She picked up her pace, focusing on the third line of cars where she¡¯d left hers.


    The parking lot nearest to Leather and Lace was like a used luxury-car lot. She passed Audis, Volvos, BMWs, and a whole fleet of foreign vehicles. Vanessa was willing to bet her ass that half the city¡¯s power yers were members of the club. She wanted to be all kinds of judging, but she was the type of person to call a spade a spade. How could she judge them when she had been inside that room with ric, picturing herself on the longue?


    Unwanted heat unfurled low in her belly, and she swore softly as she cut between a Mercedes and an Infiniti SUV. She would not think about ric. She would not give that son of a bitch one more ounce of her-


    Vanessa stopped a few feet before her car, her breath expelling harshly. It was so dark here she couldn¡¯t be sure what she was seeing. Bending at the waist, she blinked once, thinking that her eyes were ying tricks on her, but when her vision centered on the front of her car, she cried out in disbelief. The windshield had been smashed in.


    Jagged edges of ss remained, but the whole center was gonepletely gone. Wicked sharp pieces of ssy on the dashboard.


    Her breaths came out in short pants as she reached down and opened the driver¡¯s door. ss was everywhere-on the seats, the floorboards. She started to reach in but stopped herself. Lying on the passenger seat was a brick. There appeared to be a paper wrapped around it, secured with a rubber band.


    For a moment, Vanessa was absolutely frozen. She didn¡¯t move. Her breath stilled in her throat. All she could do was stare at that brick, and the only thing that moved was her heart. It thumped heavily in her chest, sending adrenaline coursing through her veins.Exclusive ? content by N(?)ve/l/Drama.Org.


    Her gaze crawled over the interior and then widened when she saw the ignition.

 17

    The whole lower part of the steering wheel had been torn open, wires exposed and dangling like little red and blue snakes.


    ¡°Oh my God,¡± she whispered, slowly shaking her head. She couldn¡¯t believe what she was seeing. Anger poured into her chest, causing her hand to tighten around the keys until the metal dug into flesh. Someone had done this to her car-her property. No way in hell did she believe this was coincidental. It had to be the asshole behind the note, and¡­


    Icy fear snapped at the heels of her fury. Her breath came out in a ragged exhale. The person who had done this could still be here, ting and watching. Oh my God. Her heart jumped in her chest painfully. Backing away from her car door, she scanned the darkness ahead of her.


    She swallowed, but the knot of fear made it difficult. She was out here, alone, and if someone wanted-A heavy handnded on her shoulder.


    Shrieking, she spun around, dropping the folder and throwing out her hand that held the key-shank she¡¯d created.


    ¡°Damn it, woman!¡± a deep voice exploded as a hand mped down on her wrist.


    Part of her brain recognized the voice, but the adrenaline and fear had kicked in her fight response and once that had been unleashed, it was taking her brain precious seconds to catch up to how her body was reacting.


    She tried to pull her arm free as she raised her knee, aiming for any body part she could do damage on. Hopefully the gonads. Except she never connected with any flesh. A secondter, her back was against the SUV parked beside her car and a broad, firm body was pressed against hers. Thick, muscled legs made it impossible for her to kick. Both her wrists were captured in a secure hold, pinned near her shoulders in record time. The keys hit the ground somewhere down by her feet. Good God, she had been incapacitated that quickly. It would¡¯ve been rather impressive if she wasn¡¯t seconds away from having a full-blown heart attack.


    ¡°Are you done?¡± he asked, his voice carrying a hard edge. ¡°You could¡¯ve taken my eye out.¡±


    As her heart rate slowed down, her brain finally started to work again. Lifting her head, she found herself face-to-face with ric Harper once more. Not just face-to-face, but mostly body-to-body.


    ¡°Sorry,¡± she croaked out hoarsely and then wondered why in the hell she was apologizing. ¡°You scared me! You snuck up on me.¡±


    ¡°Snuck up on you?¡± A muscle ticked in his jaw, visible even in the poor lighting. ¡°I wasn¡¯t sneaking. I¡¯m not part ninja.¡±


    Considering she hadn¡¯t heard him, she begged to differ on that statement. And the man had the reflexes of a jungle cat. ¡°Part ninja or not, it¡¯s nighttime and you put your hand on me in the middle of a dark parking lot without warning. Excuse me for-¡±


    ¡°Overreacting?¡± he suggested, dark brows lowered. ¡°Is this how you normally respond?¡±


    Were they actually going to argue about this? From the look of it, the answer would be yes. Her fingers curled helplessly and she drew in a deep breath. The action brought her breasts flush with his chest, and she couldn¡¯t stop the electrical jolt that zinged through her, nor the way her nipples hardened at the sensation.


    Oh goodness, her reaction was wholly wrong, all things considered. She was going to me residual trauma from seeing her car obliterated. ¡°Let go of me,¡± she said, taking another breath and immediately wishing she hadn¡¯t. The jolt hit her again, stronger. ¡°Now.¡±Content from N?velDr(a)ma.Org.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know about that.¡± And just like that, ric¡¯s demeanor shifted. Everything about him changed. His body rxed in a way that said he was ready to snap into action but was solely focused on her. The lines of his face softened, and his eyes took on a hooded,zy quality. ¡°You might try to shank me again.¡±


    A whole different set of warnings went off in the back of her head as the air became rife with the kind of tension that had nothing to do with the car or the fact that she¡¯d almost blinded him in the eye moments before. Nearly every part of their bodies that mattered was lined up. His breath was warm against her forehead, and around her wrists, his thumbs began to move in slow, idle circles. A fine shiver skated over her skin as her pulse fluttered under his fingers. Everything he did, from the way he held her against the car to how his intense stare reached in, captured, and then seared her, oozed raw, almost primitive sexuality. Never had shee across anyone who affected her on such a level.


    ric shifted his hips, and she sucked in a sharp breath. She felt him against her belly, long and hard. Heat simmered low in her stomach and then dropped lower, like it had inside the room. Except they hadn¡¯t been touching then, and while he really wasn¡¯t doing anything now, her body was reacting to his in a way that shocked her.


    This was so not the appropriate time for this. Even though she doubted anyone woulde after her now that ric was here-and if anyone did, he most definitely had a death wish-but still. There were more important things to be focusing on.


    But instinct was telling her that if she tipped her head back farther, ric would dly ept the unspoken invitation. It wouldn¡¯t matter that they barely knew each other. He¡¯d already insinuated what he wanted from her, much to her disbelief. He would kiss her, and she already knew that she¡¯d be kissed in a way she¡¯d never experienced before. Her heart tripped up over the thought of his lips moving against hers. One kiss and she¡¯d be putty in his no-doubt-skilled hands. Vanessa wasn¡¯t easy, but with this man, she¡¯d probably throw herself onto her own back. His hands dropped from her wrists,nding on her hips, and as he leaned in, his nose grazed her cheek, snapping her out of her stupor. What in God¡¯s name was she doing?


    cing her hands against his chest-an incredibly hard chest-she pushed. ¡°Back off, buddy.¡± Vanessa said,

 18

    He stepped away and opened his mouth, but then seemed to rethink what he was about to say. He finally checked out her car, frowning when he saw her open door. As he moved forward, she gulped in air and ignored the smidgen of disappointment.


    ¡°What in the hell?¡± he said, facing her car fully. Gripping the door, he bent at the waist. ¡°Looks like you lost a windshield.¡±


    She rolled her eyes. ¡°No shit.¡±


    He cast a look over his shoulders that would¡¯ve sent men running in the opposite direction. Vanessa made a face. ¡°The sarcasm isn¡¯t necessary,¡± he said before turning back to her car. ¡°Man, they did a number on this baby. Looks like someone was trying to get himself a free ride.¡±


    She snorted. ¡°You must be the muscle and not the brains. I guess Paul is the brains in the team then.¡±


    Again, he shot her another dark look, which she ignored.


    ¡°Ten minutes ago I told you that I received a threatening note. Do you really think those two things aren¡¯t connected? Wait. Don¡¯t bother answering, because you could give two shits about that. You think I killed my husband and you probably think I hired someone to shoot at my house and then wreck my car. You suck at your job.¡±


    He stared at her, his eyes nearly ck in the darkness. ¡°Mrs Spencer¡± His voice was a low warning.


    ¡°Because the only thing you were concerned with back in that-that club, was gettingid.¡±


    He made a noise in the back of his throat that sounded like a growl. ¡°That wasn¡¯t the only thing I was concerned about.¡±


    ¡°Whatever.¡± She coughed out what probably sounded like a half-crazedugh. Kneeling down, she swooped up her keys and started picking up the note that had slipped out of the file. ¡°Why are you out here anyway? Did you want to check out my ass this time around?¡±


    He sighed. ¡°Actually, I was following you.¡±


    Her brows rose as she stood. Then she saw that he was holding the brick in hisrge hands. She forced her gaze to his face. ¡°Why were you following me?¡±


    ¡°To check out your ass.¡±


    Vanessa entertained a brief fantasy of kicking him between the legs. ¡°Okay. You know what, I obviously have a few phone calls to make, and I¡¯m probably going to need that brick, since it¡¯s evidence and- Hey! What are you doing?¡±


    ¡°You seem to forget that there is no need for any call because I am ¡®the cops¡¯, and even if I wasn¡¯t and you did call them, all they¡¯re going to do is file a vandalism report. Nothing more. And that¡¯s not going to do very much for you.¡±


    Ignoring her as she reached for the brick again, he pulled off the rubber band, snapping the stic, and a piece flung somewhere into the great beyond. Tossing the brick aside, he unfolded the piece of paper. Under the flickering streetmp, she could see the stationary, and knots of unease blossomed in her stomach. No way-absolutely no way.


    ¡°Bitch,¡± ric read out loud, ncing up. His lips formed a thin, tight line. ¡°Lovely.¡±


    Vanessa took a step back and then slumped against the SUV.


    ¡°Shit.¡± He was suddenly beside her, his hand on her shoulder. ¡°Vanessa?¡±


    She couldn¡¯t tear her eyes away from the piece of paper he held in his other hand. There had been a tiny part of her that had hoped it was a random coincidence, but now she knew it wasn¡¯t. She hadn¡¯t noticed when it had been wrapped around the brick, but in the faint light and unfolded, she recognized the one-sided design-the ck and white lines that crawled up the sides of the ivory sheet and the tiny flowers in each corner.


    Fingers appeared under her chin, guiding her head up with surprising gentleness. ¡°Are you okay?¡±


    Not really. Her heart was beating way too fast again. Dizziness swept through her as her eyes locked with ric¡¯s. A fine sheen of sweat dotted her forehead. There was a good chance she was going to be sick.


    ¡°Vanessa?¡± Real concern colored his tone as he slid his hand to the side of her neck, as if he was about to check her pulse. ¡°Come on, say something. Are you alright?¡±


    ¡°The paper the note is written on-that paper is mine,¡± she said. ¡°It¡¯s from my home.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t understand?¡± he asked, his thumb doing its magic again, but this time on her neck.


    ¡°My-my apartment. Here in the city.¡±


    ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª-


    Vanessa hadn¡¯t spoken a word since he¡¯d gotten her to get into his car. Considering how mouthy and absolutely frustrating she usually was, silence from her had to be a bad thing.


    He nced at her as he came to a stoplight, the red from the light ring across her profile. She was staring out the window, worrying her bottom lip. Her arms were folded, keeping the file tight against her chest like a shield.


    She hadn¡¯t even protested when he called Paul to get a tow truck out there.


    God, he felt like a giant ass for outright dismissing her when she¡¯de to talk to him at the club. In a normal case, letters and a vandalized car didn¡¯t equal deadly intent-but coupled with the shooting, something was definitely going on. What exactly and how far this was going to go, he wasn¡¯t sure yet. The note was folded in his pocket, practically burning a hole in it. He wanted to look at it again, see if there was anything else except the one word.Content from N?velDr(a)ma.Org.


    There was a part of ric, he recognized, that just wanted this all to be a bunch of nothing. The thought of someone seriously wanting to hurt the woman sitting quietly next to him twisted his gut in ways he didn¡¯t want to consider. He shook the thought away and pulled his car into the parking garage attached to the high-rise apartments. His immediate observation of the building noted several security hazards. It was a good district, not known for a lot of serious crime, but there was no doorman that he saw, which meant anyone coulde and go as they pleased.

 19

    There didn¡¯t appear to be any security cameras at the garage entrance or inside, at least none that was obvious and would deter potential perpetrators. The lighting sucked in the garage, making it easy for anyone to be hiding. He didn¡¯t like any of it.


    As he parked the truck and killed the engine, he looked over at her. ¡°Are you doing okay?¡± The question made him strangely ufortable because he shouldn¡¯t care.


    She finally met his gaze and nodded curtly. ¡°I¡¯m fine.¡±


    That was debatable.


    Clearing her throat, she reached for the door handle. ¡°Thank you for taking me home.¡± She said,


    ¡°I came all this way, so I¡¯m going to check out your apartment.¡±


    She was out of his truck with surprising quickness, mming the door. He cursed under his breath and climbed out, finding her standing near his side, hand extended.


    ¡°I¡¯m going to need the note, please.¡± Her voice was clipped, professional, and cool.


    His eyes narrowed. Instead of handing it over, he walked around her and headed toward the entrance. ¡°I¡¯m checking out your apartment and then we¡¯re going to talk. And I¡¯m serious. I¡¯m not arguing with you.¡± There was a moment when he thought she was going to stand there and he was going to have to go back and drag her to her apartment.


    ¡°Damn it, you¡¯re annoying.¡± She huffed, catching up to him. ¡°It¡¯s funny how you suddenly care when at first, you thought I was responsible for all of this. You¡¯re such a pain in my ass.¡±


    His lips twitched as he fought the smile. ¡°I would love to be in your-¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t even finish that statement,¡± she snapped.


    He chuckled, happy to see a little color returning to her cheeks. She was quiet as they started to enter the building, then she spoke again. ¡°Are you taking me seriously now? Do you believe I¡¯m innocent now?¡±


    ric didn¡¯t immediately respond, and she made a sound that reminded him of a disgruntled animal-a small, helpless animal. He suddenly stopped and turned to her, ¡°I think you should stay outside and wait until I give you the okay toe in,¡± he said.


    Her eyes narrowed. ¡°Why?¡±


    ¡°Because I say so.¡± He started toward her door but stopped. ¡°I mean it, Vanessa. Stay here.¡±


    She inhaled deeply. ¡°Fine. Staying.¡±


    He held her stare for a moment and then headed toward her door. Trying the handle, he found that it was locked. That was a good sign. ¡°Throw me your keys.¡±


    Reaching into her pocket, she pulled out the keys, smiled, and then threw them. Right at his face. He caught them a second before impact. She smirked when his eyes narrowed. He had a feeling that if he were in her presence for another fifteen minutes, she was going to end up over his knee. Grappling for patience he typically didn¡¯t afford people, he unlocked her door and then slipped the keys into his pocket. He needed his hand free for something else. Reaching around to his back, he withdrew his Glock.


    ¡°You had a gun with you this whole time?¡± she hissed, eyes wide. ¡°Even at the club?¡±


    He shot her a droll look. ¡°My job sort of requires that, remember? I¡¯m a fucking Detective, and I said, stay out.¡±


    She opened her mouth, but then clicked it shut as she backed away, holding that damn file to her chest. He sent her onest look of warning and then edged into her apartment. It was doubtful that anyone was still here, but he wanted to make sure before she stepped one annoying foot into the apartment.Exclusive ? content by N(?)ve/l/Drama.Org.


    Moving silently down the short entryway, he checked out the kitchen. A sliding ss door led out to a balcony, which was attached to a fire escape. Not good. The door wastched from the inside, but he knew from experience that anyone could strong-arm one of these motherfuckers right open. He then shifted his attention to the living room.


    A smallmp was on next to a couch, casting a soft glow. He wasn¡¯t surprised by the simple, minimalistic design and how there didn¡¯t seem to be a pillow out of ce on the couch or a single piece of anything on the floor. Ms. Stick-up-her-ass probably never had a shoe out of ce.


    Ruling the living room and kitchen empty, he proceeded down a hallway, checking out a bathroom and an office before entering the master bedroom. The room smelled of Vanessa. Lc and vani, he realized, spying the small bottles of lotion on her dresser. And then his gaze fell to her bed.


    ¡°Fuck,¡± he muttered.


    Lying across the neatly tuckedforter was a ck nightie. A barely there slip of material that he imagined wouldn¡¯t cover much. He forced himself toward the adjoining bathroom and then the walk-in closet. Both were clear. He¡¯d just faced that damn bed when a voice came from the recesses of the hallway.


    ¡°Did you find anything?¡±


    ¡°Jesus!¡± ric whirled around, shoving the gun in the holster along his back. ¡°Didn¡¯t I tell you to wait outside?¡±


    She ignored that question as she peeked her head into the bedroom. ¡°Did you?¡±


    Walking past her, he caught her by the arm and ushered her back into the living room. ¡°Did you leave the lights on?¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡± She wrenched her arm free in a move so dramatic, he wondered how she didn¡¯t yank her own arm out of its socket. ¡°So, there¡¯s nothing out of ce?¡±


    ¡°You tell me.¡± He watched her look around, totally picturing her in that nightie. Yep. His cock was hard again.


    ¡°Everything looks fine to me,¡± she said.


    Her lips pursed, and then she stalked off down the hallway. He lingered for a moment and then followed her, finding her standing before a medium-size oak desk. The file was still clenched in one hand, and she was holding a pad of stationary in the other as she faced him.


    ¡°See,¡± she said, and gestured as though she were holding the shredded files from Watergate. Her sses were slightly askew on her nose. The urge to fix them came out of nowhere, and what the fuck was up with that? ¡°This is my stationary. I had it specially made,¡± she added.

 20

    Wondering who actually took the time to get personalized stationery made, he pulled out the note and unfolded it. It was definitely a match. The word was written in childish, blockish handwriting.


    His eyes met hers. Part of him wanted to tell her that it could be coincidental.


    But he was a logical man. Unless Vanessa wrote the note and threw the rock through her own windshield, someone had slipped into her apartment at some point and retrieved the stationery from her desk. That had to be taken seriously.


    Vanessa fixed her sses, her bottom lip trembling as she spoke. ¡°Someone¡¯s been in my apartment.¡±


    His chest tightened as real fear snaked up his spine. ¡°I think it¡¯s time that I look at those notes.¡±


    ¡ª¡ª¨C


    So many different emotions swirled through Vanessa as she sat in her living room, watching ric pore over the notes in her kitchen. Anger. Frustration. Fear. They mingled together, causing her to go from furious to terrified in seconds and giving her one fierce headache. Someone had been in her apartment.


    Her heart dropped at the thought. When? While she had left to go find ric or before then? How many days could¡¯ve passed and she¡¯d never known? Better yet, how had someone gotten into her apartment? She took off her sses, cing them onto the bar. The clock on the stove said it was after midnight and her eyes felt full of grit.


    ¡°Any idea who it could be? An ex-boyfriend?¡±


    A dryugh escaped. ¡°No.¡± She replied.


    ¡°You¡¯ve never had an ex-boyfriend? I mean¡­ Before you married Christopher?¡±


    ¡°I did have boyfriends, but not anyone who hates my guts.¡± The look of disbelief on his striking face irked her. ¡°All my breakups have been amicable. Okay?¡±


    ¡°Husbands?¡±


    ¡°What? No. I¡¯ve only been married once¡­ To Christopher,¡± she said.


    ¡°Girlfriends?¡±


    She rolled her eyes. A brief grin appeared, and she was surprised to see it. Something about it told her that a lot of people probably lived their whole lives without seeing that grin.


    ¡°What about clients? I mean.. Anyone you worked with in the past.¡±


    Rubbing her temples, she shook her head. ¡°I don¡¯t think I¡¯ve ever hurt anyone to the extent that they¡¯d do this.¡±


    ric snorted. Lifting hershes, she felt a nasty retort forming on the tip of her tongue, mostly out of habit, but it died off before she could open her mouth. ¡°I¡¯m not a terrible person,¡± she said, her voice low. ¡°I know that might be hard for you to believe.¡±


    He blinked. ¡°I didn¡¯t say you were.¡± Something flickered across his face, and then he looked away, a muscle working along his jaw. ¡°Obviously someone doesn¡¯t feel the way you do. Look, the best thing you can do is write down a list of people you think have a reason to go this far.¡± He gathered up the notes, cing them in the file. ¡°I can run some background checks once you get the list. Mind if I keep these?¡±


    ¡°So does this mean you don¡¯t think I¡¯m a suspect anymore?¡±


    He stared at her. ¡°I¡¯m not going to answer that question.¡±


    She needed a strong drink to deal with him, Vanessa thought. She lifted her gaze and found him watching her intently. So much so that she wondered if she had done something wrong. Holding eye contact with those clear eyes wasn¡¯t easy. ric¡¯s intensity could be intimidating, and he stared at her as if he could see right into her.Belongs to ? n0velDrama.Org.


    Then his gaze dropped to her mouth, and she felt her lips part on a soft inhale. She was easily reminded of how he¡¯d felt pressed against her in the parking lot. A heaviness filled her breasts, an almost sweet aching.


    Wishing she didn¡¯t feel this way around him, when her cell phone rang, she weed the distraction. Caller ID showed Unknown Number, but ignoring her usual policy of letting such calls go directly to voicemail, she answered.


    ¡°Hello?¡±


    ¡°I know what you did,¡± an unfamiliar voice rasped.


    ¡°Even better, I have real evidence that you killed your husband.¡±


    ¡°Who is this?¡± she demanded. ¡°And I had nothing to do with my husband¡¯s murder.¡±


    She sucked in air, fury rising in her. ¡°Are you the one who shot out my window? And trashed my car?¡±


    The callerughed. ¡°No, but I know who did. I¡¯m thinking I¡¯ll take him out next. I need you alive, at least for now. If you¡¯re dead, you can¡¯t give me the information I need.¡±


    ¡°What information?¡± Gripping her phone, she could barely keep up. None of this made any sense.


    ¡°Unless you tell me where Christopher stashed my money, I¡¯m going to the police.¡±


    ¡°Money?¡± A headache had begun to pulse behind her temples. ¡°I don¡¯t have any money. And if you know who¡¯s trying to kill me, you need to tell the police.¡±


    ¡°Liar.¡± His t tone told her that he truly believed it. ¡°You have forty-eight hours. I¡¯ll call again. If you don¡¯t locate my money, you¡¯ll be arrested for murder.


    Oh, and by the way¡­cute boyfriend you have there. The guy¡¯s pretty hot for  a detective, don¡¯t you think?¡±


    Then, while she was still trying to process that, he ended the call.


    ¡°What was that?¡± ric asked.


    She didn¡¯t reply. She gasped out loud, swiveling around the room, as if she thought she¡¯d suddenly spy a camera.


    Of course she saw nothing like that. ric stood up. He watched her as she looked around frantically, frowning.


    ¡°Who was that on the phone?¡± he asked, worriedly as he grabbed her arm. ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡±


    Keeping her voice low, she told him everything the caller had said. ¡°He¡¯s watching us. He knows that I¡¯m not alone. He knows you¡¯re here.¡± Her voice rose. ¡°I¡¯m so scared, ric.¡±


    ¡°I understand.¡± He pulled her close. ¡°Listen to me. I will search the house. If there¡¯s a camera, I¡¯ll find it.¡± He sounded 100 percent certain.


    She needed to hear that confidence. Taking a deep breath, she nodded, and watched as he went into action. He searched the room like he¡¯d done it before, like a professional. She watched as he methodically went through everything, from the tables, to chairs, walls and cabs.


    ¡°Nothing,¡± he muttered. ¡°It¡¯s got to be here somewhere.¡±

 21

    Finally, he pulled a chair over and eyed the air- conditioning vent in the ceiling. Digging in his pocket, he pulled out a pocket knife and used it to remove the screws. ¡°Got it,¡± he dered. He took out a small camera, examining it with interest. ¡°Pretty damn sophisticated. We need to look for these in the rest of the house.¡±


    That said, he got down from the chair, dropped the camera on the floor and crunched it to pieces under his boot.


    It turned out there were six more cameras ced in vents all through the house. The one in her bedroom bothered her the worst, though she supposed she should count her blessings that ric didn¡¯t find one in her bathroom.


    He destroyed every single camera. ¡°I wonder how long this SOB has been watching you.¡± His voice simmered with anger.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know.¡± She caught herself about to chew on her fingernail, a habit she¡¯d broken herself of years ago. ¡°But right now, I need to figure out a ce to go. I want out of here.¡±


    ¡°Shh.¡± He put his finger against her lips. ¡°We¡¯lle up with something, but don¡¯t discuss it here. Just in case I missed one.¡±


    Heart skipping a beat, she fought the urge to lean into his touch. Instead, she collected herself and managed to nod. Part of her-the fierce fighter she¡¯d buried deep inside-refused to let herself be scared away. She¡¯d done nothing wrong. This was her home.


    ¡°From what the caller said, it sounds as if I have two enemies- or Christopher did. The caller who wants some mysterious money, and the other person who is, for whatever reason, apparently trying to kill me.¡±


    He nodded. ¡°Vanessa, Christopher had more enemies than you could ever guess at.¡±


    Stepping back from him, she cocked her head. ¡°How do you know? As far as I could tell, people seemed to like and respect him.¡±


    ¡°Come on. When you get to a certain level of power, there are always people waiting in the wings to try and take you down.¡±


    She knew this. And in addition to his own ventures, Christopher did have numerous other business dealings. In addition to those concerns, he¡¯d gone and added politics to the mix. Maybe all of itbined had be a tinderbox waiting to ignite. Still, she couldn¡¯t help but wonder if whatever he¡¯d been involved in had been worth the ultimate price-Christopher¡¯s life.Content provided by N?velDrama.Org.


    And, since she knew none of the details about any of these dealings, why had Christopher¡¯s enemies suddenly be hers?


    ¡°I get that, but I don¡¯t understand why they¡¯re taking it out on me. I don¡¯t know anything and I already left Christopher.¡± Even as she protested, she realized she probably knew the answer already. Men like the caller and person who¡¯d shot at her house considered a wife coteral damage, nothing more.


    ¡ª¡ª¨C


    ¡°Do you have anyone you can stay with?¡± he asked, pushing off the counter and slipping the notes into his pocket.


    Vanessa almostughed, except it wasn¡¯t funny. ¡°I thought there was a good chance this person wouldn¡¯t be too much of a threat.¡± Her shoulders briefly sagged, her defiant posture gone. ¡°I managed to keep a few friends, though Christopher drove most of them away. He preferred that I didn¡¯t associate with any of my old friends.¡±


    ric bit back a curse. Had the guy really thought of Vanessa, this beautiful, vivacious Vanessa, as his possession? He¡¯d known men like that, men so insecure in their masculinity that a need to control their wives or girlfriends drove them. What bothered ric even more was apparently Vanessa had allowed this. The Vanessa standing before him now didn¡¯t look like the kind of woman who would ever sit still for that kind of nonsense. Not his problem, not now, not ever, he reminded himself.


    ¡°So I¡¯m guessing you don¡¯t have anyone you can stay with,¡± he replied instead, horrifically astute.


    She felt her cheeks burn and immediately went on the defensive, which ended in her lying. ¡°I have someone I can stay with.¡±


    His eyes narrowed. ¡°Then you should probably do that. Just in case. You shouldn¡¯t be staying here.¡±


    ¡°I can¡¯t ask anyone to take on the kind of danger I¡¯m apparently in. I won¡¯t do that to my friends.¡± She said,¡± But I do have a safe ce that I can go to. No one knows about it and I¡¯m sure I¡¯ll be safe there,¡±


    ¡°Fine. I can respect that.¡± He took a deep breath. ¡°Do you need a ride or anything?¡±


    Surprised by the fact that he was being so helpful, it took her a second to respond. ¡°No. I¡¯ll call him in a few. It¡¯ste, and I don¡¯t want to be any more inconvenient than I¡¯ve been.¡±


    His jaw clenched. ¡°You haven¡¯t been inconvenient.¡±


    Sheughed as she slid off the barstool. ¡°You¡¯re a terrible liar. I interrupted what was probably going to be a very interesting night for you.¡± The moment those words came out of her mouth, an irrational prick of jealousy burned in her stomach. ¡°Wait here. I¡¯ll get you my card.¡±


    When she returned from the office, she saw he¡¯d ced a card of his own on the counter. She handed hers over.


    ¡°I figured the reason why you had to go to station was because you misced the card¡± he exined, ¡°Don¡¯t do it again,¡±


    ¡°I won¡¯t,¡±


    He stopped at the door, head cocked to the side. ¡°Who is the ¡®he¡¯ you¡¯re staying with?¡±


    At first, she didn¡¯t get what he meant. ¡°A friend.¡±


    ¡°A friend like Racheal?¡± he asked.


    Instead of answering the question, she smiled. ¡°Thank you, ric¡­ For everything,¡±


    Stepping out in the quiet hallway, ric faced her. ¡°Let me drop you off at your friend¡¯s house.¡±


    Uh, no. That was not going to happen. ¡°That¡¯s not necessary, but thank you.¡± She said,


    ¡°It¡¯s no trouble.¡±


    Her spine stiffened. ¡°I didn¡¯t say it was any trouble to you, but it¡¯s not necessary.¡±


    He stared at her for a long moment. ¡°I mean it, Vanessa. Don¡¯t stay in this apartment.¡±


    Vanessa shifted her weight from one foot to the other. Staying here would be stupid. Frankly, the idea of being in the apartment alone right now, knowing that someone had been here, creeped her out. She was going to have to check into a hotel. ¡°I¡¯m not.¡±

 22

    His head tilted slightly. Through theyers of her starched and stiff clothing, she felt his stare move from the tips of her shoes to the top of her head. His lips curved up as his gaze locked with hers. ¡°I¡¯ll get back to you on that, Mrs Spencer.¡±


    After ric left, Vanessa quickly gathered up a day or two¡¯s worth of clothing and some personal stuff. She packed it up neatly and exited the apartment after calling for a cab. Paranoia kept causing her to look over her shoulder as she waited for the cab to arrive. She ended up checking into a hotel.  She closed the door behind her, locked it, and rolled her suitcase to the bed. Looking around the room, the queen-size bed with square pillows, the desk and the TV, she let out a deep sigh. She plopped down on the bed, wishing she¡¯d had the foresight to grab a carton of ice cream from her freezer. It felt like it was going to be one of those ¡°look at your life, look at your choices¡± kinds of night, and she needed chocte to deal with that shit.


    Feeling more alone than she had in many years, and too tired to even call room service, she scooted back across the ufortable bed and tucked her knees against her chest. She sighed, dropping her chin on her knees. It was going to be a long night.


    ¡ª¡ª¡ª-


    At his office two dayster, ric scrolled through the results on the names Vanessa had sent him for a third time. He wasn¡¯t sure what, if anything, he would find. He sighed. These things were like puzzles and it never helped when the person in need of his assistance lied.


    Staying with a friend. Bullshit.


    After leaving her apartment, he¡¯d driven around the block and then parked down the street from her apartment. Thirty minutester and just when he was about to go right back up to that apartment and drag her ass out of it, a cab showed up and out came Vanessa, tugging along a small suitcase.


    What kind of male would let her take a cab to his house at this time of night? he¡¯d wondered, but then he had his answer shortly thereafter. He hadn¡¯t believed it at first. Vanessa hadn¡¯t gone to a friend¡¯s house. Nope. She¡¯d checked into a hotel.


    Jesus. The nerve of this woman!


    She was all alone, and something about that didn¡¯t sit well. Still didn¡¯t sit well with him two dayster. He¡¯d almost gone into the hotel room that night, but what would he have done? Taken her back to his house? Frankly, the woman had too much pride for that, so he let it go and tailed her ass the following morning, early enough to catch her before she left for work. She¡¯d actually walked to work. And then she¡¯d walked back to the hotelter that evening. Alone. With a potential stalker watching her. Nice. Real fucking nice.


    The bad thing was, he¡¯d actually been relieved that she wasn¡¯t staying with some guy. He rolled his eyes. There was a lot wrong with that. It was wrong that not only did he care so damn much about her safety, but he was d that she wasn¡¯t living with some guy. He told himself that he only cared so much because of the case, but deep down, he knew that wasn¡¯t true.Content from N?velDr(a)ma.Org.


    It was going to take a little more digging, given that most of the suspects were public figures. What he got wasn¡¯t much. Only one woman had any contact information, and he¡¯d fielded a return call from her this morning.


    He briefly entertained the idea of calling Vanessa and checking in, but she hadn¡¯t called him. And he really didn¡¯t have a reason to be calling her other than¡­Well, other than hearing her voice, and if he called her for that reason, then he¡¯d grown a vagina at some point.


    He picked up his phone and called his boss instead. ¡°Sorry to disturb you,¡± he began.


    ¡°No problem. It¡¯s not like I¡¯m doing much right now anyway. I was beginning to wonder when on earth you were going to check in,¡± Bobby Brown eximed. ¡°Everything¡¯s going to hell in a handbasket. Do you have a report?


    Please tell me it will make me feel better.¡±


    Since Christopher Wesley had been one of the main focuses of their undercover operation, ric wasn¡¯t sure he could do that. Nheless, he filled his boss in on everything that had happened after Christopher had been gunned down.


    ¡°What about the wife?¡± Bobby asked. ¡°Do you think she¡¯s involved in her husband¡¯s business operations?¡±


    ¡°She¡¯s not.¡± ric didn¡¯t even have to think about it, and honestly his response shocked him too. When Christopher died and he¡¯d been put in charge of solving his murder case, he¡¯d been convinced that Vanessa had something to do with it, but now he knew she didn¡¯t, and it was weird because he hadn¡¯t even known the woman for too long. Thest thing he wanted was to make decisions because he was attracted to her. ¡°They didn¡¯t appear to have a close marriage, and they have been separated for a while,¡± he added.


    ¡°Keep watching her,¡± Bobby advised. ¡°She might surprise you.¡±


    ¡°I will. Zack is sending up a few more guys from the club to help. I¡¯m not sure what exactly he knows. He hasn¡¯t told me.¡±


    ¡°Which makes me believe he might know the identity of the killer.¡±


    ¡°Exactly.¡± ric actually liked Zack. In his undercover role as club member, he¡¯d actually found himself looking up to the older man. Unlike the stereotypical gang leader, Zack handled himself with intelligence and patience. He considered every angle before he acted and while he might be ruthless in his defense of those he loved-he thought of every Brother of Sin as his family- ric had seen him act with kindness andpassion too. While ric knew the others acted on his direction, to all appearances Zack kept his hands clean.


    Initially, Zack had started the Brothers of Sin forty years ago as a simple motorcycle club. He¡¯d been young and wild with only a used Harley to his name. He and three or four like-minded friends would meet up and go for long rides. Then BOS had grown, often in ways Zack hadn¡¯t expected.

 23

    From what Zack had told ric, as the club had expanded, he¡¯d chosen four men to act as his lieutenants under him. Without telling Zack, one of these men had begun selling guns. When Zack learned of this, he¡¯d been okay with it, but he¡¯d drawn the line at getting involved in drugs.


    Now, BOS was one of thergest drug dealers in the country. Some of the weapons had been sold to known terrorist groups, which is why ric had been sent undercover. The investigation so far would be hard-pressed to directly tie Zack to anything. He had four lieutenants under him who carried out the day-to-day operations. ric had tons of stuff on these men, more than enough to arrest and indict them. But the police wanted the big guns, the people who provided the weapons and drugs to BOS. Since they were a huge and violent cartel, ric doubted they would be able to do much about them. Twice he¡¯d refused an offer to extend his undercover work into the cartel. He had no intention of going there or dealing with those people. That was on an entirely different level. He might be prejudiced, but on the whole he¡¯d found the guys in the BOS to be good people, despite the fact that they wore their one-percenter patches proudly. For the first time in his years with the force, he found himself on the verge of losing himself in the role he was ying. Luckily, he¡¯d managed to pull himself up in time.


    ¡°You need to find the info on where Christopher stashed the money,¡± Bobby said. ¡°We¡¯re not too far from moving in and shutting this thing down.¡±


    Though this exact thing was what ric had spent years working toward, he felt sick. He wasn¡¯t ready to close this chapter of his life¡­ At least not yet.


    ¡°Earth to ric,¡± Bobby said. ¡°Are you still there?¡±


    With difficulty, ric forced his thoughts back on track. ¡°Sorry, I¡¯m here,¡± he said.


    ¡°Be careful,¡± Bobby said. ¡°If you lose your concentration, you could make mistakes. We¡¯re too close to have anyone do anything that might jeopardize the investigation.¡±


    Too close. While he knew he wasn¡¯t the only undercover operative, he wondered what else the police had.


    He¡¯d been able to provide proof that Christopher Wesleyundered money for the club. Lots of money. Which would exin the explosive growth of Christopher¡¯s real estate investments as they were a useful way to clean dirty money. Lawyering could only take him so far. And ric suspected a lot of the funds pushing Christopher¡¯s gubernatorial campaign came from dirty money. He needed proof. That had been one of the tasks he¡¯d been quietly working on before someone took Christopher out.


    ¡°Does anyone have any idea why Christopher was killed?¡± he asked. ¡°From what I could tell, the guy didn¡¯t have a whole lot of enemies.¡±


    Bobby Brown scoffed at that. ¡°Those guys always have enemies. Lots of backstabbing in politics, not to mention when you¡¯re also dealing with criminals.¡±


    ¡°True,¡± ric allowed, even though the code of honor he¡¯d witnessed among the BOS had been steadfast and strong. They truly had each other¡¯s backs.


    ¡°Anyway, I want you to keep an eye on the wife,¡± Bobby ordered. ¡°Watch her closely. Use whatever you can and whatever you have to your advantage. We need to know the scope of her involvement.¡±


    Though ric could have told his boss that would be a waste of time, he knew better. ¡°Will do,¡± he promised. ¡°That won¡¯t be difficult at all.¡±


    Difficult didn¡¯t even begin to describe it.


    ¡ª¡ª¡ª


    ¡°Busy?¡±


    ric shifted at the sound of Paul¡¯s voice. The man was leaning against the doorframe, arms folded. Paul was ric¡¯s age but had the attitude of a crotchety old man half the time. Paul walked into the office and plopped down in the chair across from ric¡¯s desk. ¡°So when did you get a Lexus? Thought you were a live-and-die Ford redneck?¡±


    ric took a sip of his coffee. ¡°It¡¯s not mine and you know it.¡± he replied,


    ¡°Then who has someone so pissed off at them that thousands of dors of damage was done to their car?¡± He ran a hand over his close-shaven skull, the fingers brushing tattoos running up and down his neck and throat. Paul could be one scary motherfucker if you met him in a dark alley. ¡°I thought only you pissed off people that badly.¡±


    Grinning, ric sat his cup down. ¡°Nope. Apparently there are people out there who have a more charming personality than I do.¡±


    Paul snorted. Seeing no way of getting Paul out of his office without giving him the lowdown, ric told him about the case, quick and to the point.


    ¡°Shit.¡± Paul sat back, scrubbing at the stubble on his face. ¡°You¡¯re talking about Mrs Spencer. Christopher Wesley¡¯s wife?¡±Belongs to ? n0velDrama.Org.


    ¡°Ex wife¡­¡± ric nodded as he corrected him.


    A slow grin appeared as Paul dropped his hand onto the arm of the chair. ¡°Is that the list of suspects?¡±


    ¡°Yep.¡±


    ¡°Awesome.¡± Paulughed. ¡°You think the douche behind this is serious?¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t know.¡± He flicked his gaze to the screen. ¡°I¡¯ve only been able to get a hold of one person and rule her out. Vanessa is a ball breaker-no doubt about it-but is this person serious? Hard to believe at first, but I¡¯m starting to.¡±


    ¡°Vanessa? You guys are on a first-name basis already?¡±


    ¡°Shut up,¡± he said, kicking his booted feet up on the desk. ¡°And you know, even though she might be annoying. I don¡¯t see any reason why anyone would want to hurt her,¡±


    ¡°So you¡¯ve concluded that she¡¯s innocent then?¡± Paul asked, his dark eyes sparking with the interest of a new case and all its wonderful, fucked-up possibilities.


    ric decided not to answer that. ¡°It could be an ex. I know she said she doesn¡¯t have any, but you know just as well as I do, sometimes it takes the question to be asked a time or two to get a straight answer.¡± But he didn¡¯t think Vanessa had lied about that. The woman had been rattled when she¡¯d seen the note. He doubted she¡¯d hide important info, like a psychotic ex-boyfriend, from him.


    ¡°So you¡¯ve been tailing her?¡±


    He nodded. ¡°She¡¯s at work right now.¡±

 24

    ¡°Want me to see if I can track down some of the numbers? I got a friend who¡¯s a friend of a yer on the Falcons. And obviously I can¡¯t do nothing else but sit behind a desk.¡±


    ricughed as he pushed the list over. ¡°Who do you know?¡±


    ¡°Remember the Redskins cheerleader two years ago? The one who was being stalked by that parolee? Well, we¡¯ve stayed in contact. I¡¯m sure she can make a few calls and point us in the right direction.¡±


    ric shook his head. ¡°Yeah, I bet the contact you¡¯ve been staying in has been totally professional and doesn¡¯t involve your cock.¡±


    ¡°I am not talking to you about my cock.¡±


    ric¡¯s eyes narrowed. ¡°Do I need to remind you of the number-one rule?¡±


    ¡°Whatever.¡± Paul pushed himself up. ¡°You don¡¯t have to. I¡¯m engaged to a beautiful woman now. I should be the one asking you¡­. Do I need to remind you about the rule?¡±


    ¡°Shut the fuck up.¡±


    Paulughed as he ambled out of the office, closing the door behind him. Looking back at the screen, ric let about five seconds go by before his gaze fell to the small card propped along his keyboard. He thought about the nightie that had been lying on Vanessa¡¯s bed, and his jeans tightened.


    ric knew the rules. He just didn¡¯t always follow them. Besides, it¡¯s not like thedy was still married or involved with anyone. She wasn¡¯t even with Christopher before he died, so what the fuck. Picking up the card, a slow smile spread across his face. He wanted to say that it would¡¯ve made a difference if he wasn¡¯t working on her case, but ric hadn¡¯t made a habit of lying to himself before. Why start now? And besides, didn¡¯t Bobby tell him to do whatever he had to do and use whatever he could to his advantage?


    There was something about Little Mrs Vanessa Spencer that got to him, crawled under his skin, and had him acting worse than Paul before he got engaged. He didn¡¯t know what it was or what it would mean, but he would find out. Because unlike Paul, when he wanted something, he didn¡¯t fuck around and neither did he spend time bullshitting himself. When ric wanted something, he went right for it.


    And he wanted Vanessa.


    ¡ª¡ª¨C


    The door to her office flew open and Anita walked in with a smile stered on her face. Vanessa smacked her hands down on the edge of her desk.


    ¡°You don¡¯t know how to knock?¡± she asked, but she was smiling too.


    Anita wasn¡¯t listening. Instead, she popped herself onto Vanessa¡¯s desk, ¡°I was driving by and I decided toe over and say hello,¡± she said, ¡°How are you doing?¡±


    Vanessa rolled her eyes. ¡°Horrible,¡± she said. She told Anita about everything that had happened after the shooting. The notes, the car wrecking, the break-in and the cameras. By the time she was done talking, Anita¡¯s mouth was wide open.


    ¡°I can¡¯t believe this,¡± she said, ¡°I¡¯m so sorry you¡¯re going through all this but I¡¯m d you left¡­ At least for now. Why didn¡¯t youe stay with me?¡± she added with a hurt and concerned look on her face.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, but it¡¯s dangerous¡± Vanessa replied, ¡°And thest thing I want to do right now is to put you in any kind of danger. Besides, the hotel I¡¯m staying in has security and I¡¯m sure I¡¯ll be safe there for a while,¡±


    Her phone rang, causing her to jump. There was no number on the caller ID, so it had to be an outside number. Picking up the phone, she watched Anita slide off the table and onto a chair.


    ¡°Good afternoon. This is Vanessa Spencer.¡± She said, using her professional voice.


    ¡°I prefer Mrs Spencer. Sounds like you want to punish someone when you say it.¡±Exclusive ? content by N(?)ve/l/Drama.Org.


    Holy shit. It was ric. She didn¡¯t know about her punishing him, but she could totally picture him punishing her. Her cheeks felt hot, and across from her, curiosity marked Anita¡¯s face.


    The gap of silence stretched out obnoxiously. ¡°Vanessa, are you there?¡±


    ¡°Yes. I¡¯m here. Sorry,¡± she blurted out, blinking several times. ¡°You, uh, caught me off guard.¡± She wished she were alone, because he had to have discovered something. ¡°What can I help you with?¡±


    ¡°You.¡±


    ¡°Me?¡±


    ¡°Yes,¡± he replied, voice low and smooth. ¡°I want you.¡±


    Her mouth rounded. He wanted her?


    A deep chuckle sent a shiver down her spine.


    ¡°You haven¡¯t had lunch yet.¡±


    For a moment, his words didn¡¯t process, and then they did. How did he know she hadn¡¯t had lunch? Her eyes darted to the clock on her monitor. ¡°It¡¯s three in the afternoon.¡±


    ¡°Some people have ate lunch.¡±


    Painfully aware Anita was listening, she tightened her fingers around the phone. ¡°Already had lunch.¡± She lied.


    ¡°Liar,¡± came the quick reply. ¡°So, what about dinner?¡±


    Why in the hell was he asking her about dinner now? ¡°Did you find anything out about what you¡¯re looking into?¡±


    ¡°You didn¡¯t answer my question.¡±


    Smothering a ripe curse, she smiled tightly at Anita and then twisted sideways in her chair. ¡°I will probably be workingte tonight. And as you know, I¡¯m at work right now, so I really shouldn¡¯t be on the phone.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m at work and I¡¯m on the phone.¡±


    She squeezed her eyes shut as she bent over and reached for her purse again. ¡°Well, that¡¯s your business. Not mine,¡±


    ¡°True,¡± he replied, and then she heard him make a sound that had her stomach tightening. Was he stretching? Touching himself? ¡°I spoke with Michelle Ward. She¡¯s not the culprit. Still looking into it.¡±


    She was totally picturing him touching himself now. Hand in his unbuttoned jeans, no shirt-he couldn¡¯t be wearing a shirt in her fantasy-and his hand around his thickness, slowly stroking himself. A sharp pulse pounded between her thighs. Like a match thrown to gasoline, her body sparked alive. Her response startled her.


    It also sort of thrilled her.


    ¡°Vanessa?¡± The way he said her name was as though he was tasting it on his tongue. ¡°Did you hang up on me?¡±


    ¡°No. I¡¯m just busy.¡± Busy picturing him masturbating. Her brain really needed to work itself out. She sat up, and once Anita saw her face, her friend frowned. ¡°Thanks for the update. I¡¯ll have to call youter.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll call you.¡± he said,

 25

    With that, there was a distinctive click and ric was gone. She slowly ced the phone back on her desk.


    ¡°Who was that?¡± Anita asked.


    She debated lying, but decided not to. Might as well get it out there now. ¡°ric Harper.¡± She replied,


    Anita nearly came out of her seat. ¡°As in, the Detective¡­. Detective ric Harper, right?¡±


    She nodded as she stood. ¡°You know he¡¯s the one in charge of Christopher¡¯s case,¡±


    ¡°I see.¡± Anita stood, her green eyes twinkling. ¡°So what were you doing talking about lunch ns with him?¡±


    The way Anita said ¡°him¡± made her uneasy. She headed for the door. ¡°He¡¯s been helping me out¡­You know, with the car trouble, the notes and the cameras in my apartment.¡±


    ¡°But that doesn¡¯t exin lunch or dinner or why your face was red through the whole call.¡± Anita ducked her, blocking the exit. ¡°Are you seeing ric?¡±


    Vanessaughed. ¡°No. We¡¯re friends.¡± The word soundedme even to her ears.


    ¡°Are you telling me the truth?¡±


    Her brows pinched. ¡°Yes. I¡¯m telling you the truth.¡±


    ¡°ric Harper is hot shit. I¡¯ve heard about him a lot you know¡­ The things they say about him and what he likes to do?¡± She fanned herself as she tugged on her cor. ¡°I wouldn¡¯t kick him out of my bed for eating crackers, and I¡¯m happily married.¡±


    Vanessa¡¯s body quivered. Hell, she¡¯d seen some of those things about to happen at Leather and Lace.


    ¡°So how well do you know him?¡± Anita asked.


    Vanessa searched for patience. ¡°Not really well. Like I said, he¡¯s just in charge of the case.¡±


    ¡°And he helped you when you were having car problems? Tell me, have you gotten the details on ric. Is it true? The stuff they say? That he goes to Leather and Lace and is into dominance and some really crazy sex?¡±


    Vanessa¡¯s mouth opened, but she snapped it shut. From all she had  seen with her own two eyes, everything pointed toward an affirmative. Part of her was seconds away from divulging what she knew, but something inside wouldn¡¯t let her. His sex life was definitely not her or Anita¡¯s business. ¡°I think all of that is just rumors,¡± she said finally, smiling. ¡°There was nothing I found that suggested it¡¯s true.¡±


    Anita¡¯s face fell. ¡°Well, that sucks. I was hoping you were going to hook up with him and I could live vicariously through you and experience some freaky sex.¡±


    Her lips pursed. ¡°Sorry to disappoint?¡±


    ¡°Oh well. Just be safe and let me know if you need me, dear.¡±


    Saying goodbye, Anita left and an hourter, Vanessa headed out of the office too and to the rental car she¡¯d picked up yesterday. An interesting realization poked at her as she threw her purse onto the passenger¡¯s seat. She should be focused on other things, but all she was really thinking about was how she was going to indulge in her earlier fantasyter tonight.


    She needed to grab a few things from her apartment before going back to the hotel. ric hadn¡¯t called her back. She could¡¯ve called him, and she almost did on the way to her apartment. The idea of going there alone gave her the creeps, but she couldn¡¯t bring herself to do it. He¡¯d said he would call her. Calling him seemed¡­ It seemed what? Like she was interested in something other than the case.


    She parked her car and got out, chewing on the inside of her cheek. Although she¡¯d been expecting a call from him, it hadpletely caught her off guard. Well, her reaction to his call was what truly surprised her. The rest of the afternoon and well into the evening, she¡¯d experienced alternating shes of edgy excitement and then queasy nervousness. It had felt like forever since she¡¯d been attracted to someone or felt like a giddy girl with a secret crush.


    And she was far from being a giddy girl.


    Walking to her door, she dug her keys out of her bag as her thoughts spun around the possibility that she was actually harboring a godforsaken crush on ric Harper. Of all the eligible men she came into contact with on a daily basis, her body would have to decide it was him it was interested in. He was the worst possible choice, considering his wild reputation. Normally Vanessa gravitated toward the quiet and safe men, the kind whose good time consisted of movies and takeout. Not whips, handcuffs, and God knows what else ric brought to the table, but there was something about him that made her want to let loose and¡­and get a little wild.


    Vanessa had never been wild. Not once in her entire life. None of her rtionships had ever evoked the nervous rush of excitement or the kind of attraction that had her catching her breath. But it was better like that.


    So caught up in her thoughts, she almost didn¡¯t notice that her door was ajar as she reached forward to slide in the key. Her breath caught and the tiny hairs on the back of her neck rose.


    Time slowed down as her instincts fired off warnings, telling her to get the hell out of there, to call the police, but she saw her hand, incredibly pale and trembling, push open the door.


    What she saw wrenched a horrified cry from deep inside her chest and almost brought her to her knees.


    ¡ª¡ªContent provided by N?velDrama.Org.


    Sitting next to Paul on therge sofa in his house, ric snorted as he nursed a beer. He and Paul were watching TV, but he noticed that Paul kept texting on his phone.


    ric took a swig of his beer. ¡°I think you broke the record for how many texts you can send a girlfriend in a hour.¡± he said,


    Paul shot him a look. ¡°Whatever. Emily isn¡¯t feeling well, so I¡¯m checking in on her.¡±


    Real concern pinched his features as he looked at his partner. Emily was like a little sister to ric and he cared for her deeply. ¡°What¡¯s wrong with her?¡±


    ¡°I think she¡¯s got the flu,¡± Paul said, his gaze moving from the screen to his phone. ¡°Woke up this morning throwing up like she was on an all-night bender. I told her I¡¯d stay home with her tonight, but she told me to leave or she¡¯d kick my ass.¡±


    ric¡¯s lips twitched into a smile. ¡°You¡¯re not going to the clubs tonight, then?¡±

 26

    ¡°Hell no. I¡¯m already itching to get back to her, so I¡¯m sure as hell not going to spend half the night away just in case she gets sicker.¡±


    ¡°Then you should be home.¡±


    Paul nced at him. ¡°Like I said, she threatened to kick my ass. You know how she gets.¡±


    ricughed. Emily was a tiny thing, but he wouldn¡¯t put it past her to make good on her threat. ¡°You should pick her up some ginger ale and crackers.¡±


    ¡°Yes, Mom.¡±


    ric flipped him off as he kicked his leg off the coffee table and leaned back. His thoughts wandered to the phone call he¡¯d made to Vanessa earlier and a small grin pulled at his lips. He¡¯d flustered the unflusterable and didn¡¯t that fill him with a ridiculous amount of smugness? He really shouldn¡¯t be messing with her, considering the situation she was in, but he just couldn¡¯t help himself.


    His own phone sat like a stone on the arm of the sofa. He hadn¡¯t expected Vanessa to call him, even if she¡¯d said that she would. It wasn¡¯t like her, but damn if he wasn¡¯t seconds away from turning into Paul. He wanted her, and he knew she wasn¡¯t going to make it easy, but he needed to proceed with caution. He had a feeling that the more he pushed, the more she¡¯d push back. And while her snappy mouth and fierce personality were a huge part of her allure, he didn¡¯t want her to close him out before he even got in. But maybe¡­maybe he¡¯d swing by her hotelter, identally, of course.


    A knock on his front door interrupted his thoughts. He started to move, but Paul got up, sliding his phone into his pocket. ¡°I¡¯ll see who it is.¡±


    ¡°Have at it.¡± ric leaned back as Paul disappeared from the room. He wasn¡¯t expecting anyone, but it could be one of the other guys who worked for him. But when Paul returned, rocking one hell of a ¡°what the fuck¡± expression, he knew it couldn¡¯t be one of them.


    ¡°You have a guest.¡± said Paul.


    ¡°No shit,¡± ric replied drily. ¡°Where is said guest?¡±


    Paul eyed him strangely. ¡°Where I left her-inside the foyer.¡±


    Her? ric dropped his feet to the floor in surprise. Before Paul even continued, he already had a suspicion of who it could be.


    ¡°Do I even want to know why Christopher Wesley¡¯s wife is here?¡± Paul demanded in a low voice.


    ¡°Ex,¡± ric muttered, putting his beer down on the coffee table.


    Paul made a face. ¡°Like that matters. What the hell¡­?¡±


    Whatever else his partner was saying was lost to him. ric left him standing in the living room as he made his way through the dining room. Curiosity was riding him hard. Vanessa had sought him out? Not even calling him, buting to his house? Fuck yeah. Maybe this wouldn¡¯t be as hard as he thought. His curiosity turned to apprehension the moment heid eyes on her.Belongs to ? n0velDrama.Org.


    Vanessa stood with her back stered to his front door, holding a ck purse to her chest in the same manner she¡¯d held the file folder. Tiny strands of  hair wisped around a face that was way too pale. She was in another boxy,ckluster suit that seemed to swallow her whole. Her eyes were impossibly wide, the look about them wounded and scared.


    ¡°Are you okay?¡± he demanded, his voice harsher than he intended.


    She flinched and croaked out, ¡°I¡¯m sorry. I didn¡¯t know where else to go.¡±


    ¡°Sorry for what?¡± He made sure his voice was softer this time as he approached her. ¡°What happened?¡±


    Her lower lip trembled as she swallowed hard. ¡°I went home after work to get a few things and discovered that someone had broken into my apartment.¡±


    ¡°Shit,¡± he muttered, thrusting a hand through his hair. He should have tailed her ass this evening. The muscles in the back of his neck tensed. ¡°But you¡¯re okay?¡±


    She gave a quick jerk of her chin, but her face was still too pale. ¡°I should¡¯ve called, but-¡±


    ¡°No. It¡¯s okay. Did you call the police?¡±


    When she nodded, he cursed again. ¡°Did they just take a report?¡±


    ¡°Yes. I told them about the notes and my car, but there¡¯s really nothing they could do at the moment and I couldn¡¯t-¡±


    ¡°Go back to the hotel?¡±


    She blinked. ¡°How¡­how did you¡­? Of course,¡± she said numbly. ¡°You¡¯ve been watching me.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ve been keeping an eye on you. There¡¯s a difference.¡±


    Several moments passed as she seemed to let that sink in. ¡°I didn¡¯t know what to do.¡± She drew in a deep breath that shuddered through her frame. ¡°I don¡¯t have anyone else¡­¡± She trailed off, mping her lips tightly together and shaking her head.


    ¡°Fuck, Vanessa. I told you not to stay in your apartment. You could¡¯ve been home when-¡±


    ¡°I know. I¡¯m sorry, but I didn¡¯t want to¡­¡±


    Admit that there wasn¡¯t anyone she could go to. Shaking his head, he looked away for a second. Truth was, she could¡¯ve just been honest, but she was too damn stubborn for that. ¡°Are you sure you¡¯re okay? No one was there when you showed up?¡±


    She shook her head. Apprehension flipped to anger in less than a second. Partly due to the fact that someone had been in her apartment again and also partly toward himself. He should¡¯ve fucking tailed her tonight.


    Vanessa drew in a shallow breath, drawing his stare. ¡°Everything was destroyed, ric-my couch, curtains, furniture, and clothes. Food was pulled out of the fridge, emptied all over the floors and my bed.¡± She broke off suddenly, her eyes blinking furiously. ¡°Everything. Looked like someone took a knife to it. I have rental insurance, but to do all that?¡±


    At the sight of her valiantly holding back tears, something unhinged in his chest. Vanessa was strong and stubborn, but through the course of his career, he¡¯d seen people break over less things. Having her  husband killed, her home broken into repeatedly and having her personal items destroyed was enough to put anyone in shock, especially someone like Vanessa, who would try to control the path of a tornado.


    Something like this sent a clear message: the perpetrator was the only one in control. It also said that the person had moved beyond harmless threats.

 27

    Someone wanted to scare Vanessa badly enough to send her running, something he doubted she did often, and he¡¯d seeded. The woman looked like her legs would give out on her at any moment. The urge to take her into his arms hit him hard. He wanted to hold her. More than that, he wanted to protect her. That sudden need went beyond his job, but he resisted. Something told him that she would most likely react like a wild animal cornered if he did pull her into an embrace.


    ¡°Come on,¡± he said quietly. Taking her arm in a gentle grasp, he led her into the living room so she could sit.


    His partner¡¯s brows nearly reached his hair as he watched ric guide a quiet Vanessa to the edge of the couch. She tucked her hands between her knees, but he could still see them trembling.


    A feeling of helplessness assaulted him, a sensation he wasn¡¯t used to at all. ric knew how to protect people. He made a living doing it, but so far, he¡¯d done a piss-poor job of doing so.


    Turning to Paul, he curled his hands into fists. ¡°Can you go get us a ss of whiskey?¡±


    Paul opened his mouth but closed it and then left to do his bidding. Very wise decision, because if any bullshitment came out of his mouth about Vanessa, he wouldy him out on his fucking back. Partner or not.


    Vanessa¡¯s eyes followed Paul¡¯s retreating form. ¡°He doesn¡¯t understand why I¡¯m here.¡± She said,


    ¡°Fuck him.¡±


    Her gaze bounced back to his, ¡°Really?¡±


    ¡°Yep.¡± He sat in front of her on the coffee table. ¡°This is my house, so fuck him.¡±


    A dryugh came from her. ¡°I really am sorry. I just didn¡¯t know what to do. Seeing all my stuff destroyed like that?¡± She bit down on her lip and closed her eyes briefly. When they reopened, her stare fixed over his shoulder.


    Paul returned with a ss of amber liquid. ric didn¡¯t give him the chance to hand it to her. Intercepting the ss, he waited until Vanessa lifted her hands.


    ¡°Drink this,¡± he ordered, somewhat surprised when she obeyed.


    Vanessa took a huge gulp and immediately sputtered.


    ¡°Slowly.¡± ric chuckled. ¡°It¡¯s a bit strong.¡±


    ¡°Yeah,¡± she muttered, taking another tiny sip.


    Paul lingered by them, his brows pinched. ¡°Is everything okay?¡±


    ric opened his mouth, but Vanessa lifted her gaze. ¡°Yes. Everything is fine. I¡¯m just¡­¡± She took another sip, her stare once more fixing over ric¡¯s shoulder. ¡°Shaken up I guess¡±


    Ten levels of awkward silence descended on the room, and anyone with an ounce ofmon sense would¡¯ve bounced by now, but Paul looked like he was glued to his spot. Turning to his partner, ric pinned him with a look until Paul rolled his eyes.


    ¡°Okay. Well, I¡¯m going to go get some ginger ale and crackers.¡± Paul headed toward the dining room, stopping long enough to look back at ric. ¡°I¡¯ll be calling.¡±


    ric ignored him, taking the ss from her hands. ¡°How are you feeling? You were looking a little wobbly out there.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m fine.¡± She smiled, but it was painfully forced. ¡°Ginger ale and crackers?¡±


    ¡°Emily is sick.¡± He caught himself, probably realizing she didn¡¯t know who he was talking about. ¡°Emily. She¡¯s his fiance¡±


    Vanessa nodded slowly, and ric leaned forward until his knees pressed into hers. She lifted a hand to her hair, smoothing the tiny strands. He caught it on the way down, capturing her much smaller hand between his. She jerked back but couldn¡¯t pull free. ¡°What are you doing?¡± She asked.


    ¡°Your hand is ice cold, Vanessa.¡±


    She wet her lips, and his eyes zeroed right in on that. Despite how obviously stressed she was, his cock swelled in response. He wanted to taste those lips with his tongue. He wanted to taste a lot of her. But that, unfortunately, was going to have to wait. Lifting his gaze to hers, he held her stare as he picked up her other hand. Capturing them both, he slowly rubbed them between his, warming them up.


    Vanessa¡¯s dark eyes were unfocused behind the sses.  ¡°I should never have married Christopher,¡± she said softly.


    One side of his lips tipped up. ¡°Then why did you?¡± he asked.Content from N?velDr(a)ma.Org.


    Color invaded her cheeks and a bit of sharpness returned to her gaze. ¡°That¡¯s a personal question.¡±


    ¡°You brought it up.¡± He slid his hands up, his fingers reaching under the cuffs of her suit jacket. ¡°Don¡¯t me me.¡±


    She held his stare and several seconds passed. ¡°I guess I was just young and stupid and thought I knew everything,¡±


    ¡°And what did your family think of him?¡±


    ¡°I really didn¡¯t have any by then. I just had my mom growing up, but she¡¯ste now. She had a drinking problem. And a drug problem. And a boyfriend problem.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s a lot of problems,¡± he murmured, admittedly surprised. For some reason, he¡¯d pictured Vanessaing from a two-parent household. Stiff. Logical. A bit boring, but a fully functional family nheless. ¡°My mother had a drinking and prescription pill problem. Father also had a girlfriend problem.¡± he told her.


    ¡°That had to be tough. The girlfriend problem, considering he was married.¡±


    ric smirked. ¡°It was.¡±


    Her gaze flickered away, and hershes lowered. For a moment, she sat there, letting him rub her hands. They were warm by now, but he couldn¡¯t make himself stop. Her skin was soft, her hands delicately formed. Didn¡¯t take any stretch of imagination to picture the rest of her body as beautifully formed.


    ¡°And that doesn¡¯t bother you?¡± she asked quietly.


    Shrugging a shoulder, he spread his thighs a little, giving himself room. How he could still be hard talking about this shit was beyond him. ¡°Did it suck for my mom and us as kids? Fuck yes, it did, but that¡¯s the way life is sometimes. It messed with my brothers a little.¡±


    ¡°But not you?¡±


    ¡°People get married when they shouldn¡¯t. They settle because they think they need to or it¡¯s what¡¯s expected from them. It happens every day, several times a day. Two peoplee together who shouldn¡¯t stay together. I¡¯m smart enough to realize that there are cases where people meet and they should be together and just because my parents fucked up their lives, it doesn¡¯t mean I will or should.¡± He paused but kept his hands moving over hers. ¡°It is what it is.¡±

 28

    A wry grin appeared, barely reaching her eyes. ¡°That¡¯s what they say.¡±


    He slid closer, using his knee to slide between hers. The position was intimate, noted by her when her eyes flew back to his. She pulled her hands again and this time he let her go, but he didn¡¯t move away. He knew he was crowding her.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry.¡± She started to rise. ¡°I shouldn¡¯t be bothering you with this-any of this. You only agreed to look into the names I¡¯d given you. You¡¯re just doing your job. I can go to a hotel until, well, this blows over. I should-¡±


    ¡°No,¡± he said, his muscles tensing, prepared to tackle her if necessary.


    She froze and her eyes widened behind her sses. The haunted look was still there. ¡°No?¡±


    ¡°Right now, it¡¯s not safe for you to go back to that hotel.¡± He almost smiled when her eyes widened. ¡°And this stalker also knows where you¡¯re staying and took it out on your apartment.¡±


    Folding her arms over her chest, she lifted her chin a fraction of an inch. ¡°Then what am I supposed to do if I don¡¯t go to a hotel? I don¡¯t have anyone to go to. Okay?  I don¡¯t feelfortable unloading this crap on my friend. So what the hell exactly should I do? Sleep in my office or my rental car?¡±


    ¡°You won¡¯t do that,¡± he said.


    ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°I know you understood what I said. You¡¯re not staying in a hotel any longer.¡± As soon as the idea popped in his head, it felt right. It was what he wanted for various reasons. Some of them having nothing to do with the psycho out there, making her life a living hell, and while it may make him a grade-A bastard, he simply wanted her here.


    Vanessa stared at him, her lips slightly parted.


    ¡°As entertaining as arguing with you is, this I¡¯m not going to argue with you over. No to the hotel,¡± he said again, tone firm. ¡°You¡¯ll stay here¡­. With me


    ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª


    What am I doing here?


    Vanessa hadn¡¯t really remembered the drive to ric¡¯s house and she honestly didn¡¯t know why she¡¯d searched him out. Well, that was a lie. For obvious reasons, she felt safe with him, and right now she needed to feel that.


    Seeing her apartment and her belongings destroyed like that did more than rattle her. Fear, confusion, and anger over theck of control swirled inside her, making her feel out of it, as if all of this was a horrible dream. But she shouldn¡¯t havee here, forcing her issues upon ric. He¡¯d assumed the role of her bodyguard, but that wasn¡¯t really his job, was it? This just seemed so inappropriate. In the recesses of her mind, she had to have known that when she got in the car and drove to his house.


    What am I doing here?Content from N?velDr(a)ma.Org.


    That question kept ying over and over in her head, but it didn¡¯t change the fact that she was here, in a room that was as big as her master¡¯s at home. Walls were painted in a deep olive, and the wood floors and dark headboard gave the room an earthy feel that was rxing.


    But she couldn¡¯t rx. God knew she was high-strung on any given day, but this was like a million times worse.


    She¡¯d been hiding upstairs for damn near close to an hour while ric was downstairs, most likely waiting for her, and she knew she needed to get her ass down there.


    But she needed a few more minutes.


    Sitting on the edge of the queen-size bed, she smoothed her fingers down her cheeks. Her hair slid forward, slipping over her shoulders and shielding her face. Her sses sat forgotten on the nightstand.


    ric had loaned her a pair of his old nnel pajama bottoms and a shirt that couldn¡¯t have fit his broad build since high school. It nearly swallowed her whole and it smelled of him-a mix of cleanundry and the faint trace of cologne she couldn¡¯t ce. With trembling hands, she lifted the hem of the borrowed shirt and inhaled the scent.


    She was sniffing his shirt.


    Good God, what was wrong with her? That was just so¡­so creepy and totally inexcusable. Dropping the shirt, she wrapped her arms around her waist. Her skin was chilled to the bone and her insides felt ripped open, like what had been done to all her personal items. To do something so violent and pointless was beyond her. Who could seriously hate her this much? Tears welled up in her eyes, but she refused to let them fall. Even though she was alone, she didn¡¯t want to break like this. It was weak, a sign of no control.


    Oh, but it stung like an angry wasp, to know someone hated her so. That someone would attempt to terrorize her, vandalize her car, stalk her, and then break into her apartment. A single tear snuck out, coursing down her cheek, reaching her fingertips.


    What would¡¯ve happened if she had been home? A shudder rocked her. She had no idea at what time the crime had beenmitted, the police didn¡¯t either, and she waste getting home from work tonight. There was a very real possibility that someone could¡¯ve been waiting for her and when she hadn¡¯t shown, he¡¯d taken his aggression out on her apartment. Another quake worked its way through her. Where were her brass balls? She surely could use them now.


    A throat clearing intruded on her thoughts, startling her. She jumped from the bed and spun around. Hastily, she wiped at any trace of tears.


    ric stood in the doorway, his mouth open as if he were about to say something, but then either forgot or decided against it. His gaze, a startling, intense azure, traveled across her face as if it was the first time he¡¯did eyes on her. His stare dropped to her lips, and she felt a flush crawl down her throat, following his gaze all the way to the tips of her toes. When his eyes made it back to hers, she sucked in a sharp breath.


    She felt branded by his stare. The tips of her breasts tingled and then hardened, pebbling against the satin and his borrowed shirt.

 29

    A sensual thrill sent chill bumps across her skin. He looked at her like he wanted to devour her. She tried not to like the feeling that brought forth in her-the crazy rush of excitement and anticipation-but it pooled low in her belly nheless.


    ¡°You should wear your hair down more often,¡± he said.


    Vanessa blinked slowly. ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°Your hair,¡± he repeated as he leaned against the doorframe, crossing his arms as he spread his legs. With his eyes all hot and the small grin full ofzy arrogance, he really was quite stunning. The picture of masculine beauty. ¡°You¡¯re an attractive woman, but with your hair down and those sses off, you really are quite beautiful.¡±


    As his words sank in, she snorted. She knew she didn¡¯t look like she face-nted an ugly branch, but beautiful? Yeah, that was not the case. If anything, Vanessa was exceptionally in with her dark hair and eyes. ¡°Beautiful? Removing my sses and letting my hair down isn¡¯t a drastic makeover.¡±


    ¡°If I say you¡¯re beautiful, then you¡¯re beautiful.¡±


    She arched a brow. ¡°Oh, you¡¯re the decidingw on this?¡±


    Thezy grin spread. ¡°I am. So I don¡¯t want you wearing your hair in that bun anymore. Makes you look like you¡¯re ten times older than you obviously are.¡±


    ¡°Are you fucking serious?¡±


    ¡°I am fucking serious.¡± He cocked his head to the side. ¡°I like the sses, though. Reminds me of this teacher I had in high school. Every time they slipped down her nose, it made my-¡±


    ¡°Enough!¡± She held up her hands. ¡°I totally get the picture, but you don¡¯t get to tell me how to wear my hair.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m practically your bodyguard now.¡±


    Staring at him, she gave a quick shake of her head. The man was insufferable-sexy, but incredibly insufferable. But within the matter of minutes, he¡¯d yanked her out of her self-pity and the tight grasp of fear, and for that she was thankful.


    Didn¡¯t mean she had to ept any of what wasing out of his mouth or follow through with the crazy idea of her staying in his home. ¡°You being my ¡®bodyguard¡¯, as you put it, doesn¡¯t mean you¡¯re my personal stylist, ric, and I can¡¯t-¡±


    ¡°Speaking of personal stylist, you look better in my old clothes than you do in those God-awful suits you like to wear. And trust me, you look fucking hot in my clothes.¡±


    Her cheeks tightened with a blush she wished would go away and die.


    ¡°Thanks,¡± she gritted out.


    ¡°Thank God the clothes in your closet were destroyed. See? There¡¯s a silver lining in every dark cloud or whatever bullshit they say. We can go shopping sometime and find you something that actually makes you look good.¡±Content provided by N?velDrama.Org.


    Too pissed to be hurt by hisments, she curled her hands into fists at her sides. There was a good chance she was going to punch him in the face. ¡°First off, fuck you.¡±


    His eyes gleamed with mischief. ¡°I like where this is heading.¡± He said,


    Correction: she was going to kick him in the balls. ¡°Secondly, I¡¯m so d that my entire wardrobe being destroyed is such good news to you. Thirdly, I¡¯d rather run in front of a speeding city bus than go clothes shopping with you.¡±


    ¡°Well, that sounds drastic.¡± He retorted.


    Her jaw ached from how hard she was clenching her teeth. ¡°And finally, I can¡¯t stay here.¡±


    Theziness in his posture vanished in an instant and he straightened. ¡°You¡¯re staying here, Vanessa.¡±


    ¡°I can go back to the hotel-¡±


    ¡°Absolutely not,¡± he interrupted, eyes shing cobalt. ¡°It is not safe for you to stay in a hotel.¡±


    A dull shard of dread hit her in the chest, but she ignored it. ¡°I¡¯m fine at the hotel.¡±


    ¡°If you really believe that, then why did youe here?¡±


    Ah, he had a good point. ¡°That was a mistake, but there are tons of people around and-¡±


    He unfolded his muscr arms. ¡°Exactly. There are tons of people who go in and out all day and all night long. It¡¯s a major security threat, and I should¡¯ve pulled your ass out of there the first night.¡±


    It still struck her speechless for a moment to know that he¡¯d been watching her when she¡¯d thought he¡¯d forgotten about her. ¡°I¡¯m not staying here. It¡¯s absurd. It¡¯s your home, ric. It¡¯s so inappropriate.¡±


    One dark brow arched. ¡°Who gives a fuck about appropriate?¡±


    ¡°I do!¡± she replied.


    A look of impatience crossed his face. ¡°You worry about what other people think too much.¡±


    ¡°And I should,¡± she replied crossly.


    ¡°No.¡± He shook his head. ¡°You shouldn¡¯t.¡±


    ¡°And you don¡¯t think you should care either?¡±


    Heughed. ¡°Hell no.¡±


    Her mouth opened, but she found she had no idea what to say. Better yet, how did they get so far off topic?


    ¡°Besides, your inappropriate argument is moot. Like I said, I¡¯m your bodyguard now. So if you stayed in that hotel, I¡¯d be staying with you. But staying here is sure as hell a lot morefortable.¡±


    Once again, he had a point, but she couldn¡¯t do this. There had to be someone else she could go to, because she¡­she didn¡¯t trust herself around him. The way he made her feel, even now when she wanted nothing more than to karate chop him into next week, was the same feeling she saw in her mother¡¯s eyes every time she¡¯d talked about a new guy.


    ¡°I¡¯m fine with someone staying with me in a hotel room,¡± she decided, lifting her chin stubbornly. ¡°But it has to be someone else. Anyone but you, because-¡±


    One second he was standing by the bedroom door and the next he was in front of her, one hand on her hip and the other delving deep into her hair, cradling the nape of her neck. The words formed on her tongue, but he silenced them with his lips.


    ric kissed her.


    Shock radiated down her spine. That had to be the only reason she didn¡¯t knee him between the thighs right off the bat. At first, it was barely a touch, but her lips tingled hotly, as if she¡¯d dared to kiss the sun.

 30

    His lips swept over hers once more as she ced her hands on his chest, prepared to push him away, but then he nipped at her lower lip. A tiny bite that brought forth a wave of tight lust that seemed toe out of nowhere.  He nibbled at the corner of her lip as he pulled her against him, trapping her hands between them.


    Good Lord, he kissed like a man starving for a taste. Working at the tight seam of her lips, he pressed forward, demanding that she open up to him.


    She couldn¡¯t help her reaction to the kiss, no matter how badly she wished she wasn¡¯t affected by it. She wanted to remain aloof to the sensual assault, to remain inplete control of herself, but a longing rose deep inside her, spreading like wildfire.


    Her lips parted on a sigh, and ric delved inside, slowly probing the recesses of her mouth. He tasted of whiskey and something richer, deeper. The kiss deepened, and instead of pushing him away, her hands fisted in the shirt he wore, holding him in ce. He kissed her like he could im her with his tongue, and damn if he wasn¡¯t close to doing it.


    As his mouth melted against hers, her hands spasmed around his shirt, and then it happened. She tentatively flicked her tongue against his, kissing him back. His answering growl rumbled through his chest and his grip on her tightened.


    When he finally lifted his head, she was panting and her stare was unfocused. ¡°You taste just as I imagined,¡± he said huskily, loosening his hold on her and putting some space between them. ¡°And I have a vivid imagination. You taste sweet.¡±


    ¡°Why?¡± she demanded, cing her hand over her lips. She felt unsteady, as if she¡¯d topple right over if he hadn¡¯t still been holding her by the nape of her neck.


    One side of his lips tipped up. ¡°I figured it was the only way to get you to stop arguing.¡±


    Vanessa stared up at him, stunned that he¡¯d used that tactic. ¡°You kissed me to shut me up?¡±


    ¡°Basically.¡± The smug grin appeared as he tipped his chin down. ¡°It worked, didn¡¯t it?¡±


    She jerked away, breaking his hold and stumbling back a step. Anger infused her cheeks, chasing at the pleasant pleasure his lips had given her. Now she was offended. ¡°You kissed me just to shut me up? You overbearing, inappropriate son of a-¡±


    ric caught her once more and kissed her again. This time there was no sweet brush of his lips or barely there touch. He delved right in, soaking her up and kissing her until she couldn¡¯t breathe. A bone-deep wanting exploded, making her swollen and hot, but she cocked back her arm, punching him in the stomach.


    Augh burst from him as he caught her wrist and then her other, intercepting before she could get another indignant hit in. ¡°Ouch, that could¡¯ve hurt.¡± He said.


    ¡°I hope it did!¡± she seethed, torn between being turned on and ticked off. ¡°You just can¡¯t go around kissing people to get them to stop talking.¡±


    ¡°And why not?¡± He hauled her toward him as he took a step back. The next thing she knew, he was sitting on the edge of the bed and she was very much perched in hisp. ¡°I thought it was actually really fun.¡±


    There had been times in Vanessa¡¯s life when she¡¯d wondered how she got where she was. Her work? Determination. Gumption. Balls-to-the-walls type of approach. But this? She had no clue how she¡¯d ended up sitting in ric¡¯sp, her lips swollen from his kisses and her body burning for more while she seriously wanted to choke the ever-loving crap out of him.


    ric looped his arms around her waist, the hold not tight but firm. She wasn¡¯t going anywhere, but she sure as hell wasn¡¯t going to sit here. She raised her hands, ready to do bodily harm.


    ¡°It wasn¡¯t the only reason I kissed you,¡± he said.


    Her eyes narrowed as her hands froze on his shoulders. ¡°It¡¯s not?¡±


    He dipped his chin, pressing his forehead to hers. His warm breath danced over her lips and her hands dropped to his shoulders, fingers digging into the tough muscle. ¡°No, it¡¯s not. I¡¯ve wanted to kiss you since you showed up at that club.¡±


    Surprise sted through her like a bomb. He¡¯d wanted to kiss her then? Vanessa knew she wasn¡¯t the kind of woman men typically lusted over for any length of time, but she believed him. She¡¯d felt it in his kiss.


    ¡°And I¡¯m serious,¡± he continued, his lips grazing her cheek, eliciting a shiver from her. ¡°You¡¯re not staying at a hotel. You¡¯re staying here.¡± He drew back, so that his gaze locked with hers. ¡°And you¡¯re not going to be with someone else. It¡¯ll be no one else but me.¡±Content from N?velDr(a)ma.Org.


    ¡ª¡ª¡ª


    ¡°Are you okay?¡± ric asked Vanessa the next morning during breakfast. ¡°You look a little lost.¡±


    She shrugged, ¡°I¡¯m fine¡­. I Just¡­. I need  to straighten out my finances,¡± she said. ¡°Finding out Christopher cleaned out the joint savings ount was a shock. And then there¡¯s that man who threatened ckmail unless I pay him what he feels Christopher owed him.¡±


    Judging from thepassion in ric¡¯s eyes, he understood, ¡°You know, we need to find out why that caller thinks Christopher owes him money,¡± he said.


    ¡°I agree. But how?¡±


    ¡°Ask him next time he calls. I mean,e on. Does he really expect you to take him at his word? Tell him you need details, proof. Anyone could call and im a dead man owes them money. You have a right to expect facts.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re right. I do.¡± She took a deep breath, before deciding to go ahead and state an ugly possibility. ¡°But what if Christopher and he were involved in something illegal?¡±


    For a second, ric froze. He blinked and dragged his hand through his hair, making her wonder what he knew. ¡°Do you think that¡¯s a possibility?¡± he asked, his expression seeming to be carefully nk.


    ¡°Do you?¡± she asked, hoping to catch him by surprise.


    He recoiled slightly. ¡°Vanessa, I barely knew Christopher. I have no idea what he might have been involved in.¡±


    For a second, Vanessa thought ric was lying, but what he said made sense.


    ¡°You knew him the best,¡± ric pressed. ¡°Is there any chance your husband might have been involved in something illegal?¡±

 31

    ¡°Though I hate to admit it, you never know. Christopher must have kept a lot of secrets. That¡¯s probably the reason he had his own bank ounts and why I was surprised that he emptied our joint one. Clearly, he needed money for something. But what specifically, I have no idea.¡±


    ¡°Even more reason to find out.¡±


    Since ric might be the only person she could trust right now, she decided to ask for his help. ¡°I¡¯d like to go through his papers in his home office. Once we¡¯re finished doing that here, I¡¯d like to check out his office downtown.¡±


    ¡°I think that¡¯s a great idea,¡± ric replied. ¡°I wouldn¡¯t mention this to Chloe Davis just yet. It might be better if you surprised her.¡±


    Since she hadn¡¯t yet reached a decision about whether or not to trust Christopher¡¯s campaign manager and assistant, she nodded. ¡°Agreed. Do you minding with me and helping me look? You might see something I miss.¡±


    ¡°Of course not. When do you want to start?¡±


    ¡°We can go now. I need something to keep me busy and distract me from all of this. Besides, the thought of going back to that house after all this time and everything that has happened just stresses me out.¡±


    A shadow crossed his handsome face, making her wonder. But when he smiled a secondter, the kind of smile that made his eyes sparkle and sent a jolt of awareness right through her, she had to wonder if she¡¯d imagined it. Probably so, projecting her own worries onto him. At this point, she¡¯d do anything to avoid thinking about that kiss the previous night. She¡¯d spent most of the night lying awake thinking about the way his lips felt against hers.


    ¡°Great. Let¡¯s get started.¡±


    After fetching them both a bottled water, they got into ric¡¯s car and drove to the house she¡¯d once shared with Christopher. Vanessa still had her keys and she led the way back to Christopher¡¯s office. ric stayed behind her, not too close, but not allowing any great distance either.


    At the end of the hall, she opened the heavy oak door that led to Christopher¡¯s space. It felt weird to enter the room, since it was the same room where Christopher had died.


    ric whistled as they stepped inside. ¡°This is a hell of a man cave.¡±


    Turning slowly, she swept her gaze over the room. ¡°It is,¡± she agreed. ¡°He used it to entertain clients or backers a lot. Only when it was just the men. When their wives apanied them, we tended to stick to the rest of the house.¡±


    He cocked his head, considering. ¡°I¡¯m sensing you didn¡¯te in here often.¡±


    She shrugged. ¡°I didn¡¯t. Early on in our marriage, Christopher let me know of his need for a private space. This was it.¡±


    Expression inscrutable, he watched her. ¡°Did you have one too?¡±


    ¡°I didn¡¯t need one,¡± she admitted. ¡°When Christopher was home, he pretty much kept to himself in here. The rest of the house was mine.¡±


    ¡°Sounds lonely.¡±


    Despite the sympathy she saw in his gaze, she didn¡¯t want to talk about her marriage. Not with him. Especially mnot with him. ¡°Let¡¯s get started with the file cabs,¡± she said instead of answering. One tall five-drawer cab sat on each side of the long mahogany credenza behind the desk. ¡°I¡¯ll take the right, you take the left. If you find anything that even remotely seems questionable, please put it on the desk for us to look atter.¡±


    ¡°Sounds like a n,¡± he replied, trying the handle. ¡°Except it¡¯s locked.¡±


    ¡°He kept them locked, though I¡¯m not sure why. Maybe he thought the cleaning people might get nosy.¡±


    ric met her gaze. ¡°Or he was worried about you looking at documents he didn¡¯t want you to see.¡±


    ¡°No, he told me where he kept the key, and eventually gave me one for myself.¡± She swallowed, suddenly feeling worried. ¡°He actually said in case something happened to him. It makes me wonder if he knew something.¡±Content from N?velDr(a)ma.Org.


    ¡°You mean like a premonition?¡±


    ¡°Maybe. Or there might have been earlier threats and he didn¡¯t tell me.¡±


    She could tell this possibility intrigued ric.


    ¡°Well, hopefully if that¡¯s the case, he kept some sort of record of them. That might help narrow down a list of potential suspects.¡±


    ¡°He probably did. Christopher kept records of everything.¡± She shook her head, remembering. ¡°He even kept a notebook logging what suits and ties he wore to events. He didn¡¯t like to repeat himself too often.¡±


    ricughed. The rich warmth of the sound felt out of ce here, inside the solemnness of Christopher¡¯s sanctuary. She forced herself to look away, focusing on the oversize desk.


    ¡°I actually believe his will is in here, in one of the file cabs, not at his office like Chloe thinks. I could be wrong. I guess we¡¯ll find out.¡±


    She opened the desk drawer, thankful that Christopher had given her the key. She suspected he¡¯d done that because he knew she¡¯d respected his wish for a private space. Once she¡¯d unlocked the left side, she moved over to the right. They were identical and shared the same key, though it took her several tries to unlock the second one. Once she had, she pulled out the bottom drawer and sat on the floor in front of it. ¡°Let¡¯s get to work.¡±


    A momentter, ric pulled out a drawer and did the same thing. She¡¯d chosen to work on the right-hand side because Christopher had told her that was where he kept his personal files. The side she¡¯d given to ric was for business and political files, at least ording to Christopher. They spent an hour sifting through paper inpanionable silence. She¡¯d finished with the bottom two drawers and decided to take a break before moving on to the next one.


    Standing, she stretched and eyed ric . He was so engrossed in reading something that he didn¡¯t even notice.


    ¡°Did you find something interesting?¡± she asked, moving closer.


    ¡°Maybe.¡± He nced up at her, frowning. ¡°Did you and Christopher sign a prenup?¡±


    ¡°No. We talked about doing one, but never got around to drafting it.¡± Christopher had just put out his political feelers for running for governor and had been informed he needed a wife and family pronto so he¡¯d gotten married to her in a hurry. Odd how what had seemed perfectly logical at the time now seemed kind of pathetic.


    ¡°That¡¯s weird,¡± ric said. ¡°Because this file contains a prenup, but it¡¯s for Christopher and someone else.¡±

 32

    ric  handed Vanessa the document, watching as she read it. She didn¡¯t react, at least not in any outward fashion. She simply flipped to the second page and then the third, before starting over and reading the entire thing again.


    ¡°It¡¯s dated before I married him,¡± she finally said, as if the date exined everything. ¡°Though I have no idea who Chris might be.¡±


    ¡°You don¡¯t know a Christine or maybe a Crystal?¡± he asked, figuring he might as well probe a bit deeper. ¡°Did you know Christopher was seriously involved with someone right before your marriage?¡±


    Meeting his gaze, she slowly shook her head. ¡°No. Christopher never mentioned anything about a Chris. At all. But then again, he and I never really discussed our previous rtionships.¡±


    ¡°Is it possible Christopher and Chris might have been married previously?¡±


    Vanessa appeared shell-shocked. ¡°It¡¯s possible, I guess. Anything is possible at this point.¡± She shook her head.


    ¡°I¡¯ll need to ask Chloe,¡± Vanessa continued. ¡°She¡¯s been with Christopher a long time and I¡¯ll bet she knew.¡±


    ric nodded. He thought back to theplete dossier he¡¯d read on Christopher Wesley. There had been nothing in there about a previous rtionship. Which seemed like a huge oversight. Especially since it had been serious enough to warrant drawing up a prenup.


    Vanessa put the documents aside. ¡°We¡¯ll stack anything else unusual here. Let¡¯s keep going. We might find more about my husband¡¯s past that I didn¡¯t know.¡±


    Eyeing her, he wondered at theck of bitterness or rancor in her voice. What the hell had happened between her and Christopher? The Vanessa he saw standing before him looked like a person who was passionate about what she loved. She didn¡¯t look like a person who would shrug off learning her spouse clearly had a past of which she knew nothing. She turned away, immediately diving back into the files. He watched her for another heartbeat or two, before doing the same himself.


    The pile of questionable documents grew only slightly. There were some papers that seemed to indicate hidden bank ounts that he wished like hell he could figure out a way to photograph without Vanessa noticing. Since he couldn¡¯t, he settled for hoping he could get back to themter. Finally, after over three hours of sifting and sorting, Vanessa stretched and announced she¡¯d had enough. He looked up and nodded, saying he wanted to finish going through this one file. He held his breath, hoping she¡¯d leave him alone long enough to snap a few pics of the bank information, but she only dropped back into the desk chair and asked him to please hurry up.


    ¡°You don¡¯t have to wait,¡± he said, pushing. ¡°You can go rest in one of the rooms and I can join you once I¡¯m finished.¡±


    Looking down at her hands, which she¡¯d begun twisting in herp, she didn¡¯t move. Finally, she raised her head. The naked emotion in her gaze hit him like a punch to the gut. ¡°I¡¯ll wait,¡± she said softly. ¡°Right now, I don¡¯t want to be alone.¡±


    Swallowing past the ache in his throat, he nodded. ¡°I¡¯ll hurry, then.¡±


    When he finished, he carefully closed the file cab and headed toward the door, waiting while she closed it after him, using a key she pulled from her jeans pocket to lock it. ¡°I don¡¯t want anyone else to have ess to that room after we leave,¡± she said, correctly interpreting his surprise. ¡°I¡¯m still hoping to find the original copy of his will, even though Chloe seems to think it¡¯s at the office.¡±


    ¡°Why?¡± he asked, deciding to be blunt. ¡°What¡¯s everyone¡¯s interest in the will? There¡¯s really not a whole lot he can do to cut you out.¡±


    ¡°True. But you saw that other prenup. There could be other women in his past. Who knows if he had other assets or possessions he wants them to have?¡±


    ¡°What aren¡¯t you telling me?¡± he pushed. ¡°Something isn¡¯t adding up. I caught that his parents seemed awfully intent on finding the will. What is everyone expecting to find out?¡±


    She sighed. ¡°If you really want to know, I think Christopher was involved in a long-term rtionship with someone else. For all I know, it might have been with this Chris woman. Clearly, for whatever reason, he couldn¡¯t or wouldn¡¯t marry her. But that doesn¡¯t mean he didn¡¯t want her to have something after he was gone.¡±


    ¡°If he loved her, why on earth would he have married you?¡±


    His sharpment made her wince. ¡°You should know that sometimes love isn¡¯t enough.¡± With a sigh, she brushed her hair away from her face. ¡°All Christopher ever wanted was a career in politics. Everything he did-including his job and his friends-was a means toward that end. Christopher married me for that reason alone¡­. He needed to have a family for his political career. Maybe this Chris, whoever she is, wouldn¡¯t have helped his political aspirations. She might even have hindered it.. Somehow¡­ I don¡¯t know¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s cold-blooded,¡± he said, before he thought. ¡°Did he actually tell you he married you for that reason?¡±


    And if he had, how had Vanessa, passionate, vtile Vanessa, been able to ept that? The Vanessa he hade to know didn¡¯t look like she would  have settled for being second best. But maybe the Vanessa he thought he knew didn¡¯t exist.


    ¡°He did,¡± Vanessa answered, though she wouldn¡¯t meet his gaze. ¡°Let¡¯s just go please,¡±Belongs to ? n0velDrama.Org.


    ¡ª¡ª¡ª-


    Back at his house, Vanessa went to the kitchen and began reorganizing the pantry. One thing she liked doing was to keep busy to help distract her when she was worried.


    ric didn¡¯t even try to stop her. He¡¯d been worried she¡¯d wander around the empty house like a lost ghost. He left her alone for about twenty minutes before he returned to check on her. ¡°Are you alright?¡± he asked.


    Instead of answering, she turned her back to him, and left the kitchen for the den, shoulders silently shaking while she cried. He stared for one long moment, then muttered a curse and followed her. He couldn¡¯t stand to see her hurting so badly.


    ¡°Come here,¡± he muttered, walking up behind her and gently turning her to face him. ¡°It¡¯s going to be alright.¡± He said softly,

 33

    She made a sound, a low moan like an animal in pain. Her gaze locked with his and held. Her lips parted and then she reached up and cupped both hands along-side his face. She pulled him to her, crushing her mouth to his. Instead of tenderness, she kissed him with raw need, her hunger for him electrifying.


    Fire ignited, zinging in his veins, short-circuiting everything but the seductive feel of this woman in his arms.


    Her mouth warm, her tongue mating with his. She pushed herself into him, moving them backward, until he stumbled and fell back into the overstuffed chair, pulling her down, almost on top of him. This didn¡¯t faze her at all. Instead, her eyes gleaming, she straddled him. She gave a soft, sexyugh, and his body responded instantly. She kissed him again, her mouth continuing to move over his in deep, drugging kisses full of passion, full of soul. He slipped his hands up her arms, her skin so silky soft, not sure if he meant to hold her in ce or bring her closer. She decided for him, pushing her lush body into his, rubbing up against him, her sensual movements both an unbearable temptation and a demand for more.


    He tried to think, to remember that he should be doing this with her, but she moved again, this time in a circle, the heat of her right on top of him, and he lost the capacity for rational thought. Another jolt of arousal had his pulse pounding, his body responding by surging even more in immediate readiness. He wanted her, oh, how he wanted her, needed her, craved her. He liked the way their bodies fit together, and he imagined how she¡¯d cry out in pleasure when he was finally inside her, and the way they somehow instinctively knew how to move to bring each other to the brink of insanity.


    He had no doubt he¡¯d go to his grave remembering this feeling. He knew he¡¯d never stop wanting her, and the way she could bring him to his knees.


    And still, still, even as his body throbbed and he arched into her, he tried his best to resist. ¡°We shouldn¡¯t-¡± he began.


    She touched him then, stroking him through his jeans in that way she knew would set him on fire. He swallowed hard, his fingers moving over her skin of his own ord, sliding down one hip, cupping one full breast. He ached to taste her and more. ¡°Vanessa¡± He tried again, his voice raspy with desire.


    ¡°Maybe we should slow down. Think about if you really want to do this. You¡¯ve been through a lot and-¡±


    ¡°Shh.¡± She kissed him again, still moving against him as if she couldn¡¯t control her own body. ¡°Make love with me, ric. I need you. I need you to make me feel alive again,¡± she whispered, her breath hot against his ear. She moved herself in another circle, her heat caressing his arousal, and he could barely think straight¡­.


    With every ounce of control he could muster, he grabbed her waist and gently but firmly pulled her off him. He¡¯d knew he¡¯d regret it, but he couldn¡¯t do it¡­ At least not now after what they¡¯d just found out. She was probably reacting to what they¡¯d just found out about Christopher. She was upset at the moment, and would probably regret itter.


    ¡°We can¡¯t,¡± he said, standing up and moving away from her. ¡°Not right now¡­ Not like this,¡±


    For a moment, she stared at him, then without saying a word, she rushed out of the den.


    ¡ª¡ª¡ª¨C


    It was in the evening when Paul swung by, and ric¡¯s temper had been stretched thin. The whiskey he was nursing wasn¡¯t doing much to help. He was angry -at himself.


    ¡°About damn time,¡± he muttered.


    Paul huffed. ¡°That¡¯s not how you should answer the door.¡±


    Not in the mood to bullshit, he cut the crap. ¡°Find anything?¡±


    Edging past him, Paul carried in tworge tote bags. ¡°I brought whatever personal girlie stuff I could find. It took a while. The ce was aplete mess.¡±


    ¡°So it¡¯s as bad as we thought it was?¡± He led Paul into the kitchen, the farthest away from the stairs. He hoped Vanessa didn¡¯te down, because rehashing the condition of her apartment surely wouldn¡¯t put her in a better mood.


    Paul deposited the totes on the counter. ¡°Absolutely fucking destroyed. Took a knife to anything that could be torn apart, even the walls. The fucker even emptied out her fridge. That¡¯s some major kind of rage.¡±


    ric rubbed an ache along his shoulder. The old wound gave him trouble from time to time. ¡°Did he get inside the way I thought?¡±


    He nodded. ¡°Right through the sliding ss door. The woman needs an rm system and needs to rece that door. Those are the worst possible pieces of shit ever.¡±Content from N?velDr(a)ma.Org.


    That did little to soothe his rising anger


    ¡°Find out anything else?¡± ric asked as picked up his ss of whiskey.


    Helping himself, Paul grabbed a beer out of the fridge and propped a hip against the counter. ¡°Did she mention anything about a message?¡±


    ric¡¯s brows lowered. ¡°No. What message?¡±


    Popping the lid off the bottle, he took a quick swig before he answered. ¡°In her home office, the words ¡®You whore¡¯ were carved into the wall.¡±


    ric¡¯s hand tightened around the ss. ¡°No. She did not mention that.¡±


    ¡°Maybe she didn¡¯t see it.¡±


    Anger whipped through his insides with acid-tipped barbs. ¡°Seems like a hard thing to overlook.¡±


    Paul eyed him closely. ¡°All depends on if she went into her home office and how shocked she was by seeing her apartment. I¡¯m telling you, man. That ced was fucked up. She might not have noticed it.¡± He took another gulp of beer and then tossed the bottle into the garbage. ¡°Are you sure she¡¯s being honest with you?¡±


    ¡°About what exactly?¡± He finished off his ss of whiskey, reached for the bottle, and then thought better. Getting drunk off his ass wasn¡¯t the brightest idea.


    ¡°Are you sure there isn¡¯t an ex involved in this? I know she told you there isn¡¯t, but the amount of damage was substantial. And calling her a whore? It all seems very personal.¡±


    He wished Paul would stop saying ¡°whore,¡± because it made him want to punch someone in the throat. And since Paul was the only person in front of him, he was the only target, and that sucked. He liked the guy.

 34

    Paul opened his mouth and then his eyes narrowed. Several seconds passed. ¡°Where¡¯s she staying?¡±


    ¡°Here.¡±


    Silence. It stretched so long that ric wondered if the man had lost the ability to speak, but finally Paul spoke. ¡°Are you fucking serious?¡±


    The burn on the back of his neck increased. ¡°Are you?¡±


    ¡°She¡¯s staying here?¡± Paul¡¯s voice dropped low. ¡°In your home?¡±


    ¡°Unless there¡¯s a different meaning for ¡®here¡¯ that I¡¯m unaware of, then yes.¡± ric replied.


    Paul stared at him like he¡¯d whipped out his cock and started swinging it around. ¡°Why not a hotel or somewhere less personal? Like we¡¯d normally do in this situation? Or, I don¡¯t know, have her go to family and we run detail outside?¡±


    ¡°She doesn¡¯t have anyone else,¡± he said, acting on the urge to defend what he was doing and her. But the moment those words left his mouth, he regretted them.


    ¡°Does she have you?¡± Paul shot back.Owned by N?velDrama.Org.


    ric¡¯s eyes narrowed dangerously, but his voice remained level. ¡°That¡¯s really none of your business.¡±


    Paul opened his mouth.


    ¡°I mean it, bud. Don¡¯t fucking push me on this. She¡¯s staying here with me and that¡¯s as far as I¡¯m discussing it.¡±


    Holding up his hands, Paul shook his head. ¡°Whatever. If you think this is a bright idea, then go with it. Not going to judge.¡±


    ric didn¡¯t respond and he didn¡¯t rx at those words.


    ¡°Where is she anyway? Hiding from you?¡±


    His lips twitched at that. ¡°Maybe.¡± ric responded.


    ¡°Wouldn¡¯t me her for that.¡± Paul headed for the door. ¡°I¡¯ll let you know if I find out anything else.¡±


    ¡°Okay.¡± ric started to close the door but stopped. ¡°Oh, and can you-¡±


    ¡°Call and get someone out there to clean up her ce?¡± Paul smiled broadly, and for some reason, it made the guy look scarier. ¡°Already did it. Also got a security system ordered for her.¡±


    Muscles in his back eased a little. ¡°You¡¯re awesome,¡± said ric.


    ¡°I know.¡±


    After Paul left, ric made sure his ce was locked down, rm set, and then grabbed the totes before heading upstairs. He headed straight to Vanessa¡¯s room, but halfway, he hesitated. She was mad at him¡­ He was sure of that, and he couldn¡¯t me her. He shouldn¡¯t have stopped kissing her back then. He was only trying to do the right thing at the moment, but now that he thought about it, the right thing should have been taking her straight to his bed and pleasuring her till she forgot all her troubles.


    He sighed deeply, then continued moving to her room. He started to knock on her bedroom door but found it slightly cracked. Easing it open, he slipped into her room. Maybe he should¡¯ve knocked, but what the hell? It was his house.


    His gaze fell to the bed first, and it was empty. The room smelled of her-lc and vani. His eyes moved to the door to the bathroom. It was also ajar and soft light edged around the bottom. Sitting the totes on the dresser, he was about to force himself out of the bedroom when a startled cry edged with terror erupted from the bathroom.


    What the hell? What kind of trouble could she get herself into alone in a bathroom? More than a little concerned, he moved toward the bathroom door. In the back of his head, he knew he should announce himself, but he pushed open the door.


    And came to aplete stop, something tugging at his chest and causing the muscles to tighten in his stomach. Pulsing adrenaline coursed through him, and he couldn¡¯t remember why he even came up the stairs to find her before he¡¯d heard her cry out.


    Never in his life had he met a more contrary woman, but right then, she was the embodiment of wet dreams. Go figure it was when she might be asleep. She must¡¯ve had a nightmare that had passed over her. Now she rested peacefully, but a storm was raging inside his body.


    Vanessa was in the tub, her head resting on a rolled-up towel, facing the door. A practically serene look marked her expression. He¡¯d never really seen her as such. The tug in his chest was stronger this time, drawing him closer.


    Her hair was piled up around her head, but without anything to hold it there, several tendrils hung down, drifting over her shoulders and into the water.


    The scent of shower gel filled the bathroom, which exined the frothy white bubbles that obscured her body except for the sweet swell of her chest and a gracefully bent knee. Seeing her like this was a punch to the gut and caused his already hard cock to pulse against the zipper of his jeans.


    Goddamn, it was the sexiest thing he¡¯d ever seen. And he¡¯d seen a lot of sexy in his life, but this-fuck yeah-this was stunning. Maybe it was the white-capped bubbles drifting over her skin or the way her plump lips were slightly parted. It could be the innocence of it all. How she slumbered without knowing he was there, watching her. Or maybe it was just because it was her.


    Vanessa shifted slightly. She let out a soft, contented sigh that boiled his blood. Her knee slipped under the water, stirring the bubbles. The peaks of her breasts broke the surface. Nipples dusty pink and tightened into little nubs, they were absolutely perfect.


    Holy hell, he was¡­he was absolutely undone by the mere sight of them.


    He must¡¯ve made a sound or she finally sensed his presence, because her eyes suddenly flew open. She sucked in a startled breath. Their eyes locked.


    Vanessa jerked up, tucking her legs under her. Bubbles sloshed over the sides of the tub as she rose. Water sluiced down her body in thick rivulets, drawing his heated gaze. For the best seconds of his life, she froze before him,pletely and splendidly naked. Her arms to her sides, tiny bubbles gliding down her skin, and all that beautiful flesh on disy for him to devour. And boy, did he ever eat her up with his stare.


    His mouth went dry as his balls tightened. As he suspected, she had been hiding a lush body under the shapeless suits.


    Her breasts were medium sized, and they were perfect for her narrow waist. Her hips red out, sweetly rounded, and her thighs were shapely. In a second, he could picture them wrapping around his hips.

 35

    She was bare between the thighs, with the exception of a neatly trim thatch of dark curls.


    His once dry mouth watered. He wanted-no, needed-to touch her, to taste her. Every glorious inch of her. He needed to be on her, inside her. Especially between her thighs. He wanted to dive in with his tongue and then his cock.


    Surprisingly, there was a small tattoo beside her hip to the right of her navel. It was a red rose, slight bent at the top. Three petalsy at the base of the green stem. He dragged his eyes up, and there was no mistaking the lust in her gaze. The flush racing across her cheeks and down her throat told him that she saw his hunger. Her nipples tightened even more, and he groaned.


    ¡°You¡¯re the most fucking magnificent thing I¡¯ve ever seen,¡± he ground out.


    Then those wonderful seconds came to an end. She reached over, snatched up a towel, and hastily wrapped it around her body. Her mouth opened and he knew she was about to give him an ass-chewing for the ages, but he wasn¡¯t going to let that happen. Not yet.


    ric was on her before she took her next breath.


    ¡ª¡ª¡ª-


    Anger and embarrassment had flooded Vanessa¡¯s system, but so had something a hell of a lot more intense. Rife, intoxicating lust seized her-the same wild, out-of-control feelings that had taken her over in the den¡­ The one that made her literally beg him to fuck her, and he¡¯d turned her down.  Knowing how quickly she¡¯d lost herself in a simple kiss had dumped her in a bad mood, and his rejection only made it worse. There was no reason for her to have such a strong reaction to a damn kiss and she shouldn¡¯t be that attracted to him.


    But she was.


    Now those feelings were back, stronger than before. Her breasts ached, her legs felt like jelly, and she was incredibly damp between her legs.Belongs to ? n0velDrama.Org.


    Vanessa knew she should have been pissed at ric and she was, but the hunger she felt inside her had been reflected in his brilliant dark gaze. And that yearning was more powerful than anything else she was experiencing.


    Her fingers had tightened around the hasty knot she¡¯d made in the towel above her breasts. She couldn¡¯t breathe. He¡¯d been staring at her like she was the only woman in the world and he¡¯d shuddered.


    When he¡¯d moved toward her, fast and graceful as any predator stalking its prey, there was no ce for her to go. She wasn¡¯t even sure she wanted to run. No man had ever looked at her like he had. It made her feel brazen and wanton and she liked it.


    There was a brief moment when she¡¯d wondered if this was how her mom had felt, if this was the first symptom to the slippery slope that was obsession. Then ric¡¯srge handsnded on her bare, damp shoulders at the same moment his lips met hers.


    The kiss wasn¡¯t about a slow seduction or exploration. His mouth fused to hers and when she drew in a breath, he delved in. She felt his body tremble against her and she was amazed that he was the one who was shaking with need-need for her. That awed her, and as a hand swept to the back of her neck, she was carried away in the exquisite sensations he was opening in her.


    Vanessa needed to tell him to stop. He had been right to stop earlier. This wasn¡¯t appropriate. A rtionship of any sort between them would never work. She ced her hands on his chest, but instead of pushing him away, she gripped the soft material, holding him to her.


    She kissed him back, just as fiercely and with the same need that he imed her mouth with. Her breasts tightened and swelled, aching with the want of his touch.


    He groaned against her lips, causing a chill to skate over her flushed skin. ¡°You have no idea what you do to me.¡±


    She had a feeling she could say the same about him, but then he kissed her again, and she wasn¡¯t thinking anymore. All she was focused on were the sensations he was dragging out in her, and there was something beautifully freeing in that. She fell headfirst into it, praying that when he was done with her, she would be able to resurface.


    His hand slid down her bare arm and then dropped to her cloth-covered hip. He guided her head back and his lips left hers. A disappointed whimper escaped her lips, and ric chuckled deeply.


    ¡°I¡¯m not done with you. Nowhere near it,¡± he said, nipping at her chin. ¡°I¡¯ve only just gotten started.¡±


    Her stomach fluttered like a thousand butterflies had taken flight. ¡°Really?¡±


    ¡°Oh yeah.¡± He grinned and tilted her head to the side. He nibbled a path along her jaw to her ear, catching the lobe between his teeth. She gasped. ¡°You like that, don¡¯t you?¡±


    She couldn¡¯t answer. Her senses were spinning. ric chuckled again as he dipped his head lower, zing a line of hot, wet kisses down her neck. When he reached her pulse, his tongue flicked over her skin. She shifted restlessly, wanting more, knowing there was more.


    His lips moved along the edge of the towel as his one hand moved up, resting at her rib cage, so close to her breasts. He didn¡¯t touch her there. No, he teased her with the lines of kisses, with the way his thumb moved in a circle over the towel,ing close to the swell but never quite touching her.


    ¡°Tell me you want this,¡± he all but growled. Lifting her head, he kissed the corner of her parted lips. ¡°Tell me you need this as badly as I do and you will not regret a second of this.¡±


    But wouldn¡¯t she? When it was all over and the heat of lust faded, how would she feel? There was already a part of her that was drawn to him, beyond the physical attraction. Would things be like they were before? Could she separate an act of lust from meaning anything else? Her mother had never been able to do that, so how could she be any different?

 36

    ric kissed her again, and panic wed at her chest. From everything she knew about him, he wasn¡¯t the type of man to settle down, and from what she knew about his needs, she wasn¡¯t sure she could ever fulfill them. And she was also sure that every moment she allowed this to continue, the further she slipped under ric¡¯s sensual control. But she was no coward.


    She wanted to feel this-whatever this was. As long as she kept her head on straight and above water, she could handle him and her own conflicting feelings. Couldn¡¯t she? The flutter moved from her stomach to her chest. Maybe she wasn¡¯t even thinking straight, but who could me her? This man was walking, breathing sin.


    ¡°Vanessa,¡± he murmured, brushing his lips over hers. His breath was enticingly hot. ¡°Tell me.¡±


    Blinking her eyes open, she barely contained a sigh when her eyes met his. ¡°You are really impatient.¡±


    He grinned, and her chest spasmed at the almost boyish quality to it. ¡°You have no idea.¡±


    Her hands smoothed out against his chest and trembled. He didn¡¯t look away, holding her stare with a level of passion that stirred tendrils of yearning deep inside her. ¡°Should we be doing this?¡± she whispered.


    ¡°This is the only thing we should ever be doing.¡± He pressed his forehead against hers and slid his hand through her damp hair, twisting his fingers into the mass. He captured her in his hold. ¡°I can promise you that there won¡¯t be a second of this you won¡¯t enjoy.¡±


    She wet her lips nervously and his gaze heated. ¡°What about afterward?¡±


    ¡°What about it?¡±


    Good question, but a dull ache pierced her chest. She pushed it away. ¡°I don¡¯t just sleep around.¡±


    ¡°I wasn¡¯t nning on doing any sleeping.¡±


    Her fingers curled as his words sent a spasm through her. ¡°I don¡¯t have sex with just anyone.¡±


    ric made a deep sound in his chest. ¡°I¡¯m happy to hear that.¡± He shifted slightly, drawing her closer to the edge of the tub. ¡°You want this just as badly as I do.¡±


    God¡¯s honest truth, she did. Her body trembled with the thought of it, but it had been so long since she¡¯d been with anyone that she doubted her vagina would even know what to do. ¡°I do, but¡­¡±


    His tongue flicked over her lips with a dark promise as the hand under her breasts slid around the small of her back. ¡°How about this. No sex.¡±


    ¡°No sex?¡±


    Heughed. ¡°Let me rify. No pration. We¡¯ll take this slow.¡±


    ric understood what he was saying, but her brain was slow to process it. He didn¡¯t want to have sex with her? At least not full-out sex? There was a tiny part of her that was stupidly disappointed, but she refused to give much thought to that.


    The hand on her back slipped lower, and she bit down on her lip to stop the moan building in her throat from escaping. What did she have to lose by taking what he was offering? They weren¡¯t going to actually have sex and she was a grown adult, more than capable of having a little fun.


    As their eyes met, Vanessa was struck again by the hunger in his gaze. He wanted this-wanted her-and there was something unequivocally powerful in that. Before she could change her mind or letmon sense intrude and leave her aching all night without fulfillment and in an even worse mood tomorrow, she nodded.


    ric froze, his mouth inches from hers. ¡°Is that a yes?¡±


    She nodded again.


    ¡°Say it,¡± he said in a low, almost dangerous voice. ¡°Say you want me to please you.¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡± Her voice was barely above a whisper and she was unable to look away from those darkshed eyes of his. ¡°I want you to please me.¡±


    ric didn¡¯t hesitate. Those words seemed to unlock something primal in him. He snaked an arm around her waist and lifted her from the tub. His strength shocked her, though she shouldn¡¯t have been surprised. While she¡¯d hid-i. e. sulked-upstairs after she¡¯d kissed him, she¡¯d seen him disappear into a room downstairs full of weights and exercise equipment. The man was all muscle.


    Her feet didn¡¯t touch the floor until they were beside the bed. With a barely contained urgency, he stripped away the towel, and cool air rushed over her flushed skin. She moved to cover herself, but he caught her arms.


    ¡°Don¡¯t hide from me.¡± His gaze traveled over the length of her body, lingering in some areas longer than other. ¡°You¡¯re beautiful.¡±


    She let out a nervousugh. ¡°I¡¯m already naked. You don¡¯t have to ply me withpliments.¡±


    ¡°I mean it.¡± He took her hand as he sat on the bed. Lifting his head, he stared up at her. Staying before himpletely naked while he was clothed had her at a disadvantage. He tugged her between his thighs and then settled his hands on her hips. ¡°I want to look my fill, so when it¡¯ster and I¡¯m alone, all I have to do is close my eyes to see your body while I make myselfe.¡±


    Holy God, her ears were scorched.


    ¡°Do you do that a lot?¡± she asked, breathless.


    ¡°Jerk off?¡± His lips tipped up as he moved hisrge hands along the curve of her waist, stopping below her aching breasts. His searching gaze seared her body. ¡°Or jerk off thinking about you? The answer is yes to both.¡±Belongs to ? n0velDrama.Org.


    Her breath stilled in her chest as he felt the light weight of her breasts, his fingersing tantalizingly close to their peaks. ¡°You¡¯re lying.¡±


    ¡°I never lie.¡± The conviction in his voice was undeniable. ¡°Every single fucking night since you showed up at that club. I¡¯d send you running if I told you what some of my fantasies involved.¡±


    She wanted to know. Details-lots of details, but then his fingers moved over her breasts and the ability to speak went out the window. Catching her nipples between his fingers, he watched her closely as he rolled them with his thumb and then plucked at them. They hardened and ached for him.


    ¡°You were having a nightmare,¡± he said quietly, teasing her.


    ¡°W-what?¡±


    ¡°When you were bathing. I heard you cry out,¡± he exined. ¡°That¡¯s why I came in there.¡±

 37

    ¡°Oh.¡± Her thoughts were muddled in a sensual haze. ¡°It was just a dream.¡±


    He pulled her closer and then his mouth was on her breast, licking over the peak and then tugging on it with his teeth. The sharp burst of pleasured pain was instantly soothed with ap of his tongue. He alternated between the quick nips and licks until her head fell back. She cried out, her body shuddering even as it tightened deliciously.


    ric suddenly pulled back, and her eyes flew open. She stared at him in disbelief. ¡°You stopped!¡±


    ¡°For now.¡± He sent her a fleeting grin and then pulled his shirt off over his head.


    His body¡­she hadn¡¯t forgotten how perfect it was. The broad, muscled shoulders, hard pecs, and a stomach that was rippled and chiseled like rock. He was 100 percent male, not an inch of b on his body. Her gaze found a puckered, circr scar on his shoulder, the skin a darker shade than the rest of his body. She wanted to ask how he got it, because to her, it really looked like a bullet wound.


    ¡°Turn around.¡±


    Her brows shot up. ¡°What?¡±


    Holding his shirt between his hands, he spun it until it was stretched long and thin. His eyes met hers and a dark, dangerous allure filled the dark of his eyes. ¡°Turn around, Vanessa.¡±


    Her heart jumped in her chest as a sharp, almost painful lick of pleasure pulsed through her. Her eyes fixed on his shirt, and she couldn¡¯t help but think about what he wanted to do with it and all the things she¡¯d heard about how


    ric liked to give pleasure. Part of her wanted to be turned off by it, to be disgusted, but she wasn¡¯t.


    Every cell in her body swelled. A tiny spark of fear blossomed in her chest, but it wasn¡¯t that she was afraid of him. More like afraid of how she¡¯d respond. But she took a deep breath and did as he asked.


    A hand grazed over the curve of her bottom, causing her to jerk. She felt him behind her, standing. The heat from his body warmed hers.


    ¡°ric?¡±


    ¡°Do you trust me?¡± he asked, skimming a hand over her hip and then to her arm. He pulled it back behind her. ¡°You have to trust me for this. Do you?¡±


    Her heart pounded in her chest as she swallowed. ¡°Yes.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s my girl.¡± He pressed a kiss to her shoulder and then guided her other arm back behind her.


    She knew what he was going to do, but it still came as a shock when she felt the cloth draping over her wrists. A dark thrill that should¡¯ve surprised her lit up her blood and scattered her senses. Was he¡­?


    ric tightened the makeshift bond, securing her wrists behind her back. So the rumors and the whispered talk about ric were dead-on. He turned her around, but she kept her gaze trained on the line between his pecs.


    ¡°Hey,¡± he said, cing the tips of his fingers under her chin and guiding her gaze up. ¡°You have to be okay with this. If not-¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m okay.¡± She wiggled her fingers and tested the bonds. She could move her hands, but not far. Heat coursed over her cheeks. ¡°I¡¯m just¡­¡±


    ¡°Fucking stunning?¡± he supplied, and her lips cracked into a grin. He sped her cheeks and lowered his mouth to hers.


    The kiss was different. Slower. Deeper. He tasted her, drawing her deep within him, and she melted into the touch. With a deep, animalistic groan, he shifted, and the next second she was on her back and he hovered above her. The look in his eyes caused the air to catch in her throat.


    ¡°Look at you.¡± He slid a palm between her breasts, stopping below her navel. ¡°I could stare at you forever.¡±


    ¡°I hope not.¡±


    ¡°Patience,¡± he murmured, lowering his head.


    Patience was not a virtue she appreciated, but ric wasn¡¯t going to be sped up. He took his time kissing her lips, and then he ran his mouth along her jaw, down her throat, and between her breasts. He tongued the soft swell of her breast, traveling up and then around the aching point. He came so close, but always skated away at thest second. Her nipples were pouty, hard, and aching by the time his hot mouth covered one.


    Her back arched clear off the bed as he suckled deep and nipped, going back and forth between her breasts until her head was spinning. Just when she was about to beg him to stop, for more, he kissed a path down to her navel. His tongue flicked inside and she felt an answering jolt between her thighs.


    ¡°Why this?¡± he asked, tracing the tattoo with his wicked tongue.


    Her hands curled helplessly behind her as she closed her eyes. ¡°Because¡­¡±


    ¡°Because why?¡±


    She didn¡¯t want to answer, because it was rather embarrassing.


    ric chuckled. ¡°You¡¯ll tell me eventually.¡±


    ¡°No, I won¡¯t.¡±Belongs to ? n0velDrama.Org.


    ¡°Is that a challenge?¡± He kissed each of the three withered petals.


    A smile tugged at her lips as the gesture also pulled at her heart. The kisses¡­ They were tender. ¡°Isn¡¯t there something else you could be doing with your mouth besides talking?¡±


    ¡°Oh, listen to you.¡± ric¡¯s lips left her stomach and she opened her eyes in time to see him crawl up her. His eyes were like blue pools. ¡°I have a thing for that mouth.¡± He dipped his head, kissing her deeply. ¡°That I n to put to use very soon.¡±


    She drew in a bated breath and the tips of her breasts brushed his chest. The sparse, wiry hairs teased her. ¡°Are you sure? I might fall asleep before then.¡±


    ricughed, dropping his head to nuzzle her neck. He made his way back down her body, nipping and licking until his head was poised between her thighs. Her breathing wasing fast and ragged by then. Men had gone down on her before, and she¡¯d never been a big fan of it, but she knew with ric it was going to be different. Sex before had never been like this.


    He peered up at her as he rested on his side, one arm hooked under a thigh and his shoulders splitting her legs. He ran a finger around the patch of hair.


    ¡°Tell me about the tattoo.¡±


    ¡°No.¡±

 38

    His finger moved lower and she tensed. ¡°When did you get it done?¡±


    She closed her eyes and mped her lips together, wishing she could just grab his head and put his mouth to better use. ¡°ric.¡±


    ¡°Tell me when.¡± His finger traveled up the inside of her thigh, stopping just below her heat. ¡°How old were you?¡±


    The bastard was relentless. Her skin burned and her body pulsed with yearning. ¡°I was eighteen,¡± she bit out. ¡°Happy?¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡± He cupped her between the thighs, covering her throbbing center. ¡°Happy?¡±


    Her back bowed as her hips immediately pushed against his hand. ¡°Getting there¡­¡±


    ¡°Hmm.¡± He pressed a kiss to the crease of her thigh as he rotated his palm, eliciting a throaty moan from her. ¡°Drunk or sober?¡±


    ¡°What?¡± she gasped.


    He pressed his palm against her. ¡°Were you drunk or sober when you got the tattoo?¡±


    She wanted to refuse him, but then he lifted his hand. Cool air brushed her and she muttered a curse. ricughed. ¡°I was a little drunk,¡± she admitted, and was rewarded with a long finger trailing down her swollen folds. ¡°Oh God¡­¡±


    ¡°A little drunk? Like you¡¯re a little wet right now?¡±


    Her cheeks flushed. ¡°Something like that.¡±


    ¡°The rose looks familiar to me,¡± he said casually, just as he slipped his finger inside her tightness. ¡°What is it from?¡±


    Vanessa arched, sucking in a deep breath. He slowly moved his finger in and out as he pressed against the bundle of nerves. Her whole body trembled and her breasts strained upward. He added another finger, stretching her. ¡°Damn, you¡¯re so tight.¡±


    Every part of her felt incredibly taut, as if she were seconds from bursting. Her stomach quivered and fine darts of pleasure zinged through her. Her release coiled deep inside her, drawing her body into one fine point.


    Then he stopped, withdrawing those wonderful fingers. ¡°Vanessa?¡±


    Her eyes opened into slits. He stared back at her, mischief in his smile but a dark hunger in his eyes. He would drag this on until she went crazy and he¡¯d love every second of it. But she couldn¡¯t take the sublime aching any longer.


    ¡°It¡¯s the rose from Beauty and the Beast,¡± she admitted.


    ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°You know? The rose that wilts and is enchanted?¡± She let her head fall back and closed her eyes. ¡°It was my favorite movie as a kid and I was drunk one night. Ended up with the tattoo.¡±


    Silence stretched out to the point that she feared he¡¯d grown bored with this game, but the next second she felt his warm breath moving over her and her entire body tensed.


    Then he kissed her where she ached so badly. A strangled cry left her lips, heightened with one sinfully deep swipe of his tongue. Intense pleasure bloomed as he continued to lick her, slipping deep inside and thening out, circling the sensitive nub above. Then he slid a finger into her and he sped down on her clit, matching the thrusts of his fingers to his mouth.


    Never had Vanessa felt something so intense as this. Pressure mped down on her, dragging her under. She desperately fought her response, but her hips twitched and then she was thrusting against his skilled hand and mouth shamelessly, her head moving to and fro as her breath quickened in her chest.


    ¡°Let go,¡± he urged hotly. ¡°Just let go and let me please you. Let go.¡±


    Each pull of his mouth caused her to cry out. With her hands bound, she couldn¡¯t grasp onto anything, couldn¡¯t center herself in the midst of the sharp waves of pleasure. She was absolutely helpless to him and to the desires ravaging her body. He inserted another finger and his teeth scraped her sensitive flesh and then she did let go.


    Vanessa exploded. The tension unraveled so quickly inside her that she screamed out his name as spasms racked her body. She shattered and flew apart, shaken to the core as her release showered sparks through her. He rode her out through it all, wringing every rolling crest of pleasure from her.


    Only when she¡¯d sunk back into the mattress, boneless and breathless, did he stop. Pressing a kiss to her inner thigh and then below her navel, he rose up, taking her mouth. The taste of him and her was like being intoxicated.


    God, she hoped she didn¡¯t end up with a tattoo of a singing teacup by the end of the night.


    ric smoothed his palm up her side, cupping her breast. ¡°Beautiful,¡± he said, rubbing the tip of his nose over hers. ¡°You¡¯re absolutely beautiful when you lose control, V.¡±Content from N?velDr(a)ma.Org.


    ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª


    After an orgasm, Vanessa was like a contented kitten instead of the tigress ready to rip into him with her sharp ws. She rxed against him for a few moments while he regained control of himself. He was about to lose it without taking his jeans off.


    Never had he been so fucking turned on while giving a woman pleasure. He was so aroused that it was actually painful, but he forced himself toy beside her, idly brushing his thumb over the rosy pink peak of her breast. He liked her nipples and her breasts and the way she tasted like honey on his lips and how she plumped her lips and¡­


    Hell, he just liked her.


    But ¡°like¡± was a weak word


    to describe the way his heart was pounding in his chest like a jackhammer. Leaning over her, he kissed the tip of her breast. He smiled when she shuddered and then sighed. Lifting his stare, he let his gaze travel over her face. It had to be one of the rarest moments when she looked absolutely rxed, lips parted and eyes closed. Thick, darkshes fanned her cheeks. He wasn¡¯t waxing poetic bullshit, earlier. To him, she was absolutely beautiful.


    Hershes fluttered open. ¡°That was¡­¡±


    ¡°Amazing?¡± He arched a brow. ¡°I know.¡±


    A soft, tinklingugh came from her, and there was a spasm somewhere near his chest. ¡°Your modesty is amazing.¡±


    He smiled.


    She struggled to rise as her arms were still tied behind her back. He started to set her free, but her words stopped him. ¡°What about you?¡±


    Both brows rose. ¡°What about me?¡±


    Her gaze dropped to where a bulge strained against his pants and she wet her lips. His cock jerked in response.

 39

    ¡°You said earlier that you nned on putting my mouth to good use.¡±


    He had said that, and fuck if he didn¡¯t want that more than anything he¡¯d ever wanted in his life, but he¡­


    ric shook his head. Her tongue moved against her lips and whatever tiny level of hesitation that had been brewing in his chest evaporated like smoke. Her eyes were wide and dark with passion, hair a tumbled mess over her shoulders and curling around her breasts. It was the first time he¡¯d seen her look so¡­so free. And fuck, she was perfect.


    ¡°Well then¡­¡± He rose, unbuttoning his pants. He had them off in less than a second.


    Her gaze dropped, and she made a sound that his cock really liked. He was hard, jutting up in the air, and so close to losing it that if she kept staring at him like that, he¡¯de right then. Gripping her shoulders, he positioned her on her knees before him and then bent down, capturing her lips in a searing kiss that ended too soon. Then he straightened before her.


    With her wrists secured behind her back, her chest thrust up and her eyes wide, he could absolutely eat her up, one lick at a time. And he was sorely tempted to do that again, but she tipped up her chin, meeting his gaze.


    ¡°What is it that you wanted me to do?¡± Her voice was breathy.


    Like he thought before, she was fucking perfect. He wrapped his hand around the base of his cock, moisture already beaded on the head. ¡°Suck me.¡±


    Something downright wicked red in her eyes, and then she ducked her chin. Her hair slid forward, obscuring her face. He felt her breath first and his balls tightened, and then her hot, wet mouth slipped over the head of his cock.


    His back bowed as he groaned. She took him, sliding her tongue along the head as she shifted on the bed, bncing herself on her knees. He gathered her hair with his free hand and tilted her head so she could take him deeper, and she did. Vanessa nearly swallowed his length and that was no easy feat.


    She moved her head up and down, swirling her tongue as she sucked long and hard. Every muscle in his body tightened. He tried to hold still, but when her teeth grazed his sensitive head, he couldn¡¯t hold back.


    His hips thrust forward as he watched her cheeks sink in as she tugged on his cock. Hershes swept up and their gazes collided for an instant. Something in her stare broke him wide open. Release powered down his spine. He tried not to pull back, but she followed him and if he hadn¡¯t stopped, she would¡¯ve fallen right off the bed. The fucking sight of her obliterated his senses. The way her body curved toward his, how she was so willing with her hands tied behind her back. It was too much.


    He came, his hips jerking wildly, and she kept on him, humming soft sounds of pleasure. He emptied into her hot mouth, shouting hoarsely as he spasmed endlessly. The orgasm¡­Goddamn¡­it felt like it would never end. His hand tightened against the back of her head, holding her until thest achingly perfect pulse.Owned by N?velDrama.Org.


    Slowly, he eased away from her, his legs strangely weak as he dragged in a deep breath. He dropped his gaze to hers, his chest rising and falling raggedly. ¡°Are you okay?¡±


    Vanessa nodded as she bit down on her lip. ¡°Are you?¡±


    He coughed out augh. ¡°Fucking perfect.¡±


    Pink stained her cheeks as she averted her gaze. She sat back on her legs, letting out a little yawn. She was exhausted and he should let her be. Both of them had sought and found their pleasure, but he wasn¡¯t ready.


    After experiencing her mouth on him and the taste of her, there was no way this was going to be thest time. Quickly untying her wrists, he all but toppled onto his back, pulling her naked body to his, and draped a possessive arm over her waist, fitting her close. She was stiff against him, her back too straight and her arms awkwardly stuck between their damp bodies. So cuddling wasn¡¯t her thing?


    He wasn¡¯t a big fan of it, either, but strangely, he wanted her beside him, and she was going to have to deal with it.


    When he had her where he wanted, he gathered her wrists in his hands and began to massage the skin.


    Slowly, as the seconds turned into minutes, Vanessa rxed against him. Her breath evened out, and her body melted into his.


    There was no way in hell ric was letting her go anytime soon.


    ¡ª¡ª¡ª-


    ric ended up falling asleep that night in her room, sprawled gloriously naked across her bed and with his arm possessively thrown over her waist. Admittedly, she had never been morefortable in her life pressed up against him, with no barrier separating their flesh, but she couldn¡¯t allow herself to sleep while he snored softly.


    Lovers slept together after sex, not two people who were getting off.


    In her past, albeit brief, rtionships, she¡¯d had trouble sleeping in the same bed. Even with Christopher, who had been the longest rtionship she¡¯d been in, she¡¯d never been able to rx enough tofortably sleep. And that had to mean something, right?


    Butst night¡­ Oh God, after about an hour, her lids had grown too heavy to keep open and she had rxed into him. The realization had jerked her awake and in a near panic, she had slipped free from his grasp, gathered up her clothes, and slept on the couch downstairs.


    She¡¯d spent the vast majority of the morning and after avoiding ric, who seemed okay with it. The few times they¡¯d crossed paths in the house hadn¡¯t been pleasant for either of them. He seemed mad at her, but for what, she wasn¡¯t sure. Part of her didn¡¯t regret what had transpired between them that night. Good Lord, no. What he¡¯d done to her would fuel her fantasies for a long time toe, but how was she ever to look at him again without feeling his hot mouth on her? How was she ever to forget?


    Maybe she was overthinking things.

 40

    She was folding and refolding her newly acquired stash of clothing for the hundredth time when ric appeared in the doorway. The moment her gaze connected with his, heat zinged across her cheeks and she felt silly for blushing so easily.


    ¡°Hungry?¡± he asked, expression impassive.


    Her stomach rumbled in response. All she had eaten earlier was a bagel with cream cheese. ¡°What do you have in mind?¡±


    ¡°Thought we could go out and grab something to eat.¡±


    For some reason, her heart flopped over in her chest. ¡°Go out and eat?¡±


    Obviously mistaking her high-pitched response for fear, he softened his features. ¡°I know this ce. My partner and I go there all the time. It¡¯ll be safe.¡±


    It was better if he thought she was afraid instead of knowing the truth. Which was what? The sudden increase in her heart rate was due to excitement? But that was silly. This wasn¡¯t a date. Calmly, she ced the folded shirt on the dresser. ¡°I don¡¯t have anything nice to wear.¡±


    ¡°What you¡¯re wearing is fine,¡± he replied, pushing out of the doorway. ¡°It¡¯s not that kind of ce. You game?¡±


    Could she really say no? Smoothing her suddenly damp hands along her jeans, she forced a tight smile. ¡°Yes.¡±


    He studied her a moment and then stepped aside, motioning her forward. As she walked past him, she felt his gaze drop. ¡°I really like you in jeans.¡±


    She arched a brow as her lips twitched. ¡°Do I even dare ask why?¡±


    Heated cobalt eyes drifted slowly back to hers. A half grin appeared. ¡°It has to do with how well those pockets cup your ass.¡±


    Augh burst out of Vanessa, surprising her and apparently ric by the sudden sharpening of his gaze. She didn¡¯t know what it was. The teasing was beyond inappropriate, but something about him eased the frostiness of her exterior.


    ¡°You should do that more often,¡± he said, following her down the hall.


    ¡°What?¡±


    ric stepped around so he went down the stairs first. ¡°Laugh.¡±


    She didn¡¯t respond to that. Waiting in the entryway while he grabbed the keys, she then followed him out to his car. Once again, she noted the detailed and near-perfectndscaping surrounding the driveway and porch. One day she would like to buy a home with a yard.


    ¡°You¡¯re going to have to let me know who you hired to do your yard,¡± she said once she was inside his truck. ¡°It¡¯s beautiful.¡±


    He snorted. ¡°Hired? I didn¡¯t hire anyone. I did it myself.¡±Owned by N?velDrama.Org.


    Her eyes widened. ¡°You did?¡± She nced out the window, eyeing the trimmed bushes, the roses that were months away from blooming, the colorful early spring daisies that were straining toward the fading sun. ¡°You¡¯re good with your hands.¡±


    ¡°I am.¡± His lips curled sensually.


    Muscles low in her stomach tightened. He was damn good with his hands and his mouth and his tongue¡­ She shifted in her seat, closing her eyes, but it was already toote. Heat unfurled in her veins. Daring a quick peek at ric, she knew he was fully aware of where her body had taken the conversation.


    As he backed out of the driveway, he cast her an appreciative look that started at her lips and ended at her chest. His overt sexuality was far from oppressing; it turned her on and made her want more. It¡¯s just two people getting off, she reminded herself, and she would be okay with that, but strangely, it made her feel empty.


    She needed a distraction. ¡°So you like to garden?¡±


    He shrugged as his gaze flicked to the rearview mirror. ¡°I like being outside and I guess I like making things. You know? Taking a barren patch ofnd and creating something out of it. And I¡¯m good with nts somehow.¡± A quick grin shed across his face. ¡°Paul says I have a green thumb.¡±


    ¡°I envy that,¡± she admitted. ¡°I can kill a cactus in less than two hours.¡±


    Heughed deeply, and she found her lips responding to the sound. ¡°It¡¯s pretty hard to kill a cactus that quickly.¡±


    ¡°Not if you¡¯re me.¡± She nced out the window, watching the houses slowly bleed away, fading into businesses. ¡°But I do want something like that one day.¡±


    ¡°You n on buying a house soon?¡±


    ¡°I would once I got settled¡­ at least that was the n before¡­Everything happened,¡±


    He looked at her, and then his gaze went to the rearview mirror once more. ¡°Then you¡¯re going to stay here¡­When everything is over?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯d like to.¡± Her thoughts turned wistful, something that wasn¡¯tmon. ¡°I¡¯d like to have a¡­a home.¡±


    ric was quiet for a moment. ¡°Didn¡¯t have much of that growing up, did you?¡±


    She almost forgot what she¡¯d admitted the first night at his house. Shifting in the seat, she dutifully studied her nails. A manicure would be nice. Not having a conversation like this would be great, but her mouth opened and she started bbing.


    ¡°Mom was never home and if she was, she wasn¡¯t really there. She kind of ghosted through the house,¡± she said, sighing. ¡°We didn¡¯t stay in one apartment too long. She couldn¡¯t keep a job to save her life.¡± Or mine. ¡°Eventually I was sent to my grandmother¡¯s.¡±


    ¡°And her house wasn¡¯t much of a home?¡±


    Her gaze flicked to the red light they were stopped at. ¡°Her house was¡­ It was cold. I mean, she loved me and I think she was happy to have me around, but I also think she was done raising kids, you know? I was unexpected.¡±


    His jaw locked. ¡°Unwanted?¡±


    She sucked in a breath at the blunt question, but it was true. Her gram loved her, but she probably would¡¯ve loved not having to raise her more.


    ric ced his hand on her knee and squeezed. At first, Vanessa wanted to knock it away, but all she could do was stare at therge male hand. Something warmed in her chest and now¡­now she wanted to put her hand over his.


    ¡°Totally understand where you¡¯reing from,¡± he said, squeezing again. ¡°My childhood was pretty much the same.¡±


    She nced at him, biting her lower lip. They did have that inmon. Not the greatest thing to share. At another red light, his eyes met hers and it took a great effort to look away. His hand was still on her knee. She kind of liked it.

 41

    Time for another subject change. ¡°Did you always want to be a Detective?¡±


    ric gave a little half smile. ¡°I used to work as a bodyguard for a while, but I don¡¯t do a lot of personal protection anymore. I guess this is a special case.¡± He winked at her, and damn if it wasn¡¯t sexy as hell.


    ¡°That didn¡¯t answer my question,¡± she said, feeling her lips curve into a grin.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know.¡± His hand slid an inch up her leg. ¡°I always kind of did the whole¡­watching out for others thing-like with my brothers. Just something that came naturally to me. I was the only one who could really pick what I wanted to do. My brother always yed ball, since he was old enough to pick one up. The other was primed to take on our father¡¯s business, but me? Yeah, I could do whatever.¡±


    Interested, she looked at him. ¡°Did you go to college?¡±


    ¡°I did. Are you surprised?¡±


    ¡°No.¡± She knew he wasn¡¯t just all brawn, even though she liked to say that. ¡°What did you study? Kicking ass?¡±


    Heughed deeply, causing her grin to spread. ¡°Honey, I didn¡¯t need to study that. I could teach those sses.¡±


    ¡°Of course.¡±


    Grinning as he checked out the rearview mirror, he switchednes. ¡°I actually majored inputer science.¡±Content provided by N?velDrama.Org.


    ¡°Nerd,¡± she teased.


    ¡°I¡¯m a badass nerd,¡± he corrected, sliding his thumb along the side of her thigh. ¡°What about you? Always wanted to be a writer?¡±


    Her gaze drifted to his hand. ¡°I majored inmunications, minored in sociology. I actually wanted to be a psychologist but realized I wouldn¡¯t have the patience for that.¡± Sheughed softly. ¡°No big surprise there, right?¡±


    ¡°Never,¡± he murmured.


    ¡°But I liked the idea of¡­of I don¡¯t know


    ¡­ writing my story,  She snuck another quick look at him. ¡°.. And the ones in my head.¡±


    He was quiet for a moment. ¡°Maybe one day I will get to read one of your books.¡±


    She found herself blushing. ¡°Sure¡­I guess.¡± She wet her lips, ¡°You¡¯re¡­you¡¯re not like I thought you would be.¡±


    ¡°What did you think I was?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know.¡± It was hard to put into words. ¡°It¡¯s just that you¡¯ve surprised me. That¡¯s all.¡±


    ric eased the car out of traffic, pulling into a parking lot. ¡°Well, we¡¯re here.¡±


    The restaurant definitely wasn¡¯t high-end, more like the chain type, but she was okay with that,fortable with the chill atmosphere. She started to reach for the door handle.


    ¡°Wait,¡± he said, and she twisted toward him.


    When she opened her mouth, ric leaned in, closing the distance between them. She started to pull back, but his hand snaked around the nape of her neck, holding her in ce. The kiss was soft¡­and it was sweet-sweeter than she¡¯d ever thought he¡¯d kiss, like she was a fragile slice of a treasure he was only starting to explore. ric pulled back just enough that when he spoke, his lips brushed hers.


    ¡°I¡¯m d you¡¯re here with me right now, Vanessa,¡±


    ¡ª¡ª-


    ¡°Thirsty?¡± ric asked, when they returned back to his ce that evening. Vanessa shrugged and led the way into the kitchen. Opening the fridge, she handed him a cold bottle of water before deciding she¡¯d rather have a ss of wine. She pulled out a bottle, grabbed the electric corkscrew and opened a bottle. After pouring herself a ss, she took a seat across from him at the kitchen table, hoping he didn¡¯t try to discuss what had happened between them the previous night.


    When her phone rang, she jumped, almost weing the distraction. ¡°No one uses that number. It¡¯s got to be the ckmailer.¡± She said,


    ¡°Wait.¡± ric jumped up and grabbed some kind of electronic apparatus from the kitchen counter. ¡°Just keep him on the line long enough for me to get a location.¡±


    Taking a fortifying gulp of wine, she nodded. ¡°I¡¯ll try.¡± And then she took a deep breath and answered the phone.


    ¡°Your time is up,¡± the caller said, his voice both gleeful and threatening. Thebination sent a shiver down her spine. ¡°Do you have my money?¡±


    ¡°About that,¡± she replied, ncing at ric and wondering how she could still find him magnificently sexy in the middle of this. He¡¯d put on headphones and pushed a button on the small machine. Seeing her watching, he gave her a thumbs-up.


    ¡°We need to talk about your request for money,¡± she continued, her voice firm enough that she felt it didn¡¯t betray her nervousness.


    Interrupting her, the man snarled, ¡°You don¡¯t have it, do you?¡±


    Instead of shrinking away from the malice in his tone, she kept her voice strong. ¡°First off, how do I even know  Christopher really owed you anything?¡±


    Pushing back felt pretty liberating, actually. ¡°I mean, anyone could call me up and insist my husband owed them money. How do I even know if that¡¯s true? If I took everyone at their word, I¡¯d be handing out money left and right. I¡¯m afraid you¡¯re going to need proof.¡±


    ¡°Proof?¡± he repeated, incredulous. ¡°You want proof?¡±


    ¡°Yes. You need to back up your im. Otherwise, I¡¯m afraid I¡¯ll have to consider you just another crackpot trying to benefit from a widow and her horrible loss.¡±


    Silence. When he spoke again, his voice had gone low and simmered with fury. ¡°I warned you what would happen if you didn¡¯t pay. Don¡¯t try to stall me.


    Do you really want me to go to the media and the police with evidence that you¡¯re a murderer?¡±


    ¡°Go ahead,¡± she shot back. ¡°Since I had nothing to do with Christopher¡¯s death, I¡¯m really interested to see this so-called evidence. Either put up or shut up.¡±


    Again, it appeared she¡¯d stunned him into silence.


    She looked over at ric, grinning.


    ¡°Keep him on the line,¡± he mouthed.


    ¡°Cat got your tongue?¡± she taunted when the caller still didn¡¯t speak. ¡°Come on, it¡¯s not that hard. If Christopher legitimately owes you money, you should be able toe up with something to document your im.


    Otherwise, you need to go away and leave me alone.¡±


    One second passed, and then another. ¡°I¡¯ll get your proof,¡± he said. ¡°But you won¡¯t like it. Goodbye.¡± And he ended the call.

 42

    Disappointed, she hung up the phone. ¡°Was that long enough?¡± she asked.


    ¡°No.¡± ric made a face. ¡°I just needed a few more seconds. However, I¡¯m going to let Paul know he called you again. See if he can do more digging from his end.¡±


    She nodded. ¡°Can¡¯t he get in touch with my carrier and find out the caller¡¯s number?¡±


    ¡°They could. But most likely he either used a burner phone-one that¡¯s untraceable-or blocked his number. What showed up on your caller ID?¡±


    ¡°Unknown Caller.¡± She tried not to be too glum. ¡°Which means he blocked his number, right?¡±


    ¡°Probably.¡± ric didn¡¯t appear too concerned. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, we¡¯ll figure it out. He¡¯s actually not the one I¡¯m concerned with.¡±


    ¡°What do you mean?¡±


    ¡°He even admitted he¡¯s not the one trying to hurt you, though he ims to know who is. I¡¯m more worried about the guy who took out your window and tried messed up your things.¡±Owned by N?velDrama.Org.


    Put that way¡­ ¡°I agree.¡±


    She sounded worried now and all ric wanted to do was cheer her up. ¡°You don¡¯t have to worry. All I care about right now is catching the murderer and the man who keeps calling you wanting money. I¡¯m beginning to suspect those two might be the same person.¡±


    Narrowing her eyes, she took another sip of wine, ¡°What about the third person who shot out the window?¡±


    ¡°I really think there aren¡¯t a bunch of people out there trying to hurt you,¡± he said, surprising her. ¡°It¡¯s likely one and the same guy. He¡¯s just trying to mess with your head and make you think you have legions of enemies.¡±


    She reyed those words as shey in her bed alone, hourster, trying to sleep. Oddly enough, they helped.


    She managed to drift off and didn¡¯t wake again until seven. Her mood was vastly improved-maybe due to the amazing sex days ago, or the idea that she might be dealing only with one psychotic killer. She went through her morning routine humming, a smile on her face. Freshly showered and dressed, makeup and jewelry on, she felt prepared to face whatever the day threw at her.


    When she headed for the kitchen, she realized ric was already there. Her smile faltered-should she keep acting like nothing had happened between them? Deciding to take her cue from him, she bid him a cheery good-morning and headed for the coffee maker.


    He barely looked up from his phone. While she waited for her cup to brew, she willed her heartbeat to slow. At least he didn¡¯t want to have a deep discussion about their rtionship before she had her first jolt of caffeine. She didn¡¯t either. Actually, she hoped he wouldn¡¯t mention it at all¡­ At least that¡¯s what she told herself. She dreaded telling him nothing had changed. His silence was a good thing.


    Despite that, her good mood vanished.


    At eight, the doorbell chimed. Vanessa had just taken a sip of her first cup of coffee as ric finished his.


    ¡°Now what?¡± she groaned. It could only be either Paul Forbes or Chloe. She needed at least another hour before she would even begin to feel ready to face dealing with reality.


    ¡°I¡¯ll get it,¡± ric told her, setting down his mug on the counter.


    Grateful, she nodded and closed her eyes, breathing in the wonderful scent of fresh-brewed coffee. ric knew she wasn¡¯t much of a morning person and needed time to get going.


    A few secondster ric returned with Paul at his side. Chloe walked a few steps behind the men, her high heels clicking on the tile floor.


    ¡°It¡¯s nice to see you again, Mrs Spencer,¡± Paul said after they all exchanged greetings.


    ¡°It¡¯s nice to see you too,¡± Vanessa replied,


    ¡°And he brought doughnuts,¡± ric interjected, grinning as he ced the box in the middle of the table. ¡°Which is perfect. Carbs always help you wake up faster.¡±


    Heaven help her, she blushed, which earned both Paul and Chloe¡¯s interested stares.


    ¡°Would you like coffee?¡± she asked, including Chloe in her question. Christopher¡¯s assistant dragged her gaze away from Paul long enough to nod. d she had something to do, Vanessa made two cups of coffee. ck for Paul, and one cream, one sugar for Chloe. As she handed Paul his, she couldn¡¯t help but notice the way Christopher¡¯s assistant watched Paul. Hero worship? Or something else? She told herself it was none of her business and gestured at the table. ¡°Sit. Let¡¯s drink some coffee and have a doughnut or two. I didn¡¯t sleep wellst night, so I need some time to wake up.¡±


    ¡°Hmmph.¡± Pulling out a chair, Paul dropped into it. Like everything he did, the gesture seemedrge and dramatic.


    Helping herself to a doughnut-maple frosting, her favorite, Vanessa sat down. She waited until everyone was seated before biting into it, barely suppressing a small moan of pleasure. Chewing and swallowing, she looked up to find ric watching her intently, his gaze hot.


    Everyone had a doughnut except Chloe, who sipped her coffee and vacited between shooting worshipful nces at Paul and appraising ones at ric. She had a man folder in front of her and she kept one perfectly manicured hand resting on top of it.


    When she realized Vanessa watched her, Chloe pasted on a confident smile. ¡°I got everything handled that you asked me to. Since you chose to have the funeral on Friday afternoon, all the localworks have been notified so they can cover it.¡± She shuffled through some papers. ¡°Oh, and I let the Wesleys know so they can make ns with any other family members.¡±


    ¡°What about Chris?¡± ric asked, his casual expression not fooling Vanessa .


    Chloe blinked, a fleeting look of panic crossing her face before she vanquished it. ¡°Chris?¡±


    ¡°Yes. Christopher¡¯s friend Chris.¡±


    Chloe dropped her eyes, again riffling through papers. When she raised her face again, her expression seemed resolute. ¡°I¡¯m not sure who you mean. If you can give me ast name, I¡¯ll see what I can do.¡±


    ¡°Never mind.¡± ric reached for another doughnut. ¡°I¡¯ll take care of it myself.¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s going on here?¡± Paul looked from ric to Chloe before his gaze settled on Vanessa. ¡°Who¡¯s Chris?¡±


    Vanessa opened her mouth to answer but ric fore-stalled her. ¡°It¡¯s not important,¡± he said. ¡°Chloe, is there anything else you need? If not, I think you should go. We have important things to discuss.¡±

 43

    Her lips tightened. ¡°Since when do you give orders around here? I know it¡¯s your house, but I was Christopher¡¯s campaign manager and personal assistant and one of the few people he trusted implicitly.¡±


    ¡°Good for you,¡± ric drawled. ¡°I¡¯m sure that¡¯s why you won¡¯t tell us about Chris.¡±


    Chloe met his stare with one of her own. ¡°Tell me what you know. I can confirm or deny any misinformation.¡±


    Suppressing a sh of anger, Vanessa set her cup down with a loud thunk. ¡°I¡¯ve had enough,¡± she said, noting the surprise sh in Chloe¡¯s eyes. ¡°What¡¯s with the secrecy? Christopher is dead. Why protect his secrets now?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know what you¡¯re talking about.¡± Chloe drew herself up. ¡°And I¡¯m offended that you would treat me as if I am hiding something.¡±


    Both ric and Paul watched the two women with interest. Vanessa would have said more if Paul hadn¡¯t been present. For now, she decided to let it go. ¡°Thank you for all your help,¡± she told Chloe. ¡°I really appreciate it. This has been a stressful time, and it¡¯s possible I¡¯ve received some misinformation. I¡¯m sorry if I¡¯ve offended you.¡±


    Chloe epted the apology with a dip of her chin. ¡°Here,¡± she said, sliding the folder across the table to Vanessa . ¡°All the details of both the funeral and burial are in here. If there¡¯s not anything else¡­¡± She pushed to her feet, stalking toward the exit without waiting for Vanessa to reply.


    About to say she¡¯d be needing ess to Christopher¡¯s business office, Vanessa decided to wait. If she gave the other woman fair warning, Chloe would have time to do a purge of any incriminating documents.


    At the kitchen doorway, Chloe spun around. ¡°Nice to see you again, Mr. Forbes. If you guys need my assistance with any of Christopher¡¯s final business dealings, you know how to find me.¡±


    Paul nodded, his mouth full. He didn¡¯t bother to even nce her way.


    ric got up. ¡°Let me show you out.¡±


    ¡°No, thank you. I know the way out.¡± Lifting her brightly painted lip in a sneer, she strode toward the front door. A momentter, she mmed it behind her.


    ¡°Lock it,¡± Paul said. ¡°I¡¯m d we got rid of her. For some reason, I don¡¯t like that woman. And we¡¯ve got some important things to discuss.¡±


    ric admired the way Vanessa to the asion with Christopher¡¯s snippety assistant. For the first time since he¡¯d been here, he swore he caught a glimpse of the Vanessa he liked¡­ The one he thought wouldn¡¯t have married a man like Christopher.


    Paul turned towards Vanessa, his expression serious. ¡°Vanessa, I have a pretty good idea of the name of the man who¡¯s been calling you asking for his money. Were you aware of Christopher¡¯s business dealings with drug cartels?¡±


    Vanessa recoiled, her expression horrified. ¡°Drug cartels? Christopher would never do anything like that. He was running for public office.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m guessing he believed he could keep it secret. Christopher was heavily involved with them.¡±


    ¡°Doing what?¡± Vanessa demanded, her gaze furious. ¡°So help me, if you tell me that my husband was dealing drugs, I¡¯m going to break something.¡±


    Paul held up a hand, a diamond pinkie ring shing. ¡°No need for that. Heundered their money.¡±


    Vanessa nced at ric. ¡°Did you know about this?¡±


    How to answer, he wasn¡¯t sure, so he decided to stick to the truth. ¡°Yes. I knew.¡±


    After stewing on this for a moment, Vanessa shook her head. ¡°Let me guess. While Christopher wasundering their money, some of it went missing.¡±


    ¡°Bingo,¡± Paul replied. ¡°How did you know?¡±


    ¡°Lucky guess. Especially since the caller kept insisting Christopher had stolen his money.¡± She took a deep breath. ¡°Do you know how much money is missing?¡±


    ric had heard rumors, but he wanted to hear Paul confirm them.


    ¡°Three million dors,¡± Paul said. ¡°And word on the street is that Christopher had an aplice. That person is the one who probably has the money.¡±


    ¡°One thing doesn¡¯t make sense,¡± Vanessa said. ¡°Christopher cleaned out all his bank ounts. Why would he do that if he¡¯d stolen that much money?¡±


    ¡°He probably intended to flee. Leave town.¡±Content provided by N?velDrama.Org.


    Vanessa responded exactly as ric knew she would. ¡°No. Bing the governor was really important to Christopher. He¡¯d never run away from that.¡±


    Paul shrugged. ¡°He might if someone put a hit out on him. These cartels are dangerous. Christopher should have known better than to try and cheat them.¡±


    ¡°What about Chloe?¡± ric asked, deciding to go with his gut instinct. ¡°Is there any possibility she might be Christopher¡¯s aplice? Maybe she wanted all the money for herself, so she arranged to have him killed.¡±


    Both Vanessa and Paul stared at him, Paul with his eyes narrowed in spection and Vanessa with open shock and dismay.


    ¡°It¡¯s possible,¡± Paul allowed.


    ¡°No, it¡¯s not,¡± Vanessa countered. ¡°Christopher had zero interest in Chloe. Believe me, I could tell.¡±


    ric decided it would be best not to argue that point. Apparently, so did Paul.


    ¡°Anyway, what about Chris?¡± Vanessa asked, filling Paul in on the old prenup agreement they¡¯d found. ¡°Do you have any idea who Chris might be?¡±


    Paul shook his head. ¡°Have you looked through the names of Christopher¡¯s office and campaign staff? Maybe he had a Chris working for him.¡±


    ¡°I checked,¡± she admitted wryly. ¡°No Chris. I¡¯m less worried about that than I am about this person who keeps calling me and demanding a lot of money. Since I don¡¯t have it, I just wish he¡¯d go away.¡±


    ¡°Do you want to pay him off?¡± Paul asked.


    ¡°No.¡± Her response came out a bit too harsh, so she softened her tone. ¡°I do not. To begin with, I have no idea what he¡¯s talking about. It could all be some sort of get-rich-off-the-poor-widow scheme.¡±


    Paul grunted. ¡°Maybe, but I think it¡¯s more likely that Christopher decided to keep some of the dough he wasundering. Stuff like that don¡¯t fly with the cartel boys.¡±


    She thought for a moment. ¡°If that was the case, then why is this person calling me? Wouldn¡¯t it be the cartel instead? Or do you think he works for the cartel?¡±


    Herment had Paul grimacing. ¡°Honey, you don¡¯t want the cartel after you, believe me. I¡¯ll tell you what. Don¡¯t worry, we¡¯ll find out who has been calling you and we¡¯ll pay him a visit soon,¡± he promised. ¡°He will never bother you again after he¡¯s caught.¡±

 44

    Vanessa looked down. When she raised her head, her expression was stubborn. ¡°I¡¯m not letting anyone keep chasing me out of my own home,¡± she said. ¡°I¡¯m tired of it. I¡¯ve done nothing wrong or illegal, and if my husband stole money, I didn¡¯t know anything about it.¡±


    Paul sighed. ¡°I know. But even if you are totally innocent in all this, do you really think that makes a difference to the bad guys?¡±


    Vanessa¡¯s proud expression fell. For a moment, she appeared shattered, devastated by the horrible possibility Paul outlined. ric had to suppress a surge of anger at Paul. While he understood-and even respected-the man¡¯s reasoning, he hated seeing Vanessa hurt. Even for her own good.


    ¡°Nothing will happen to me,¡± she dered, her voice steady and strong. ¡°ric will make sure of that.¡±


    ric felt like he¡¯d been punched in the gut. Paul¡¯s gaze swung to him beforending back on Vanessa. ¡°What if they kill ric?¡± Paul asked, the coldness in his voice giving the words extra impact. ¡°Do you really want to have his blood on your hands?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s enough,¡± Paul barked. ¡°I¡¯m pretty sure she gets your point. No need to hammer in any gorier details.¡±Owned by N?velDrama.Org.


    Paul chuckled. ¡°What¡¯s the matter, ric? Don¡¯t like me talking about the possibility of you biting the bullet?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t,¡± Vanessa interjected. ¡°Believe me, I understand the risks well. If at any time I feel at risk, I¡¯ll leave.¡±


    ¡°And go where?¡± Paul pressed.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know. I might just go somece warm and tropical, with a beach and umbre drinks.¡± Her grin fooled no one. Both men knew Vanessa well enough to understand she¡¯d never be able to enjoy herself on a vacation with things so unsettled.


    ¡°I think I¡¯ll be leaving now?¡±Paul said as he rose, ¡°Everything will be fine, Vanessa. Take care, ric. I¡¯ll see youter,¡±


    ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª-


    The night they had sex, when ric had woken up in the middle of the night to find Vanessa gone from her bed and then asleep on the couch downstairs, huddled into a tiny ball, he¡¯d been more than pissed. Not only had it been freaking offensive, as if a couch were better suited than sleeping beside him, he¡¯d been confused.


    He knew for a fact that Vanessa had enjoyed every second of what had transpired between them, and he also knew that most women would give their ovaries to have a guy who wanted to actually sleep with them after any type of sexual activity.


    But oh no, not Vanessa.


    She was not a typical woman. It wasn¡¯t untilte the following night that he realized why she had done that and why she¡¯d spent the better part of the day avoiding him. The woman was more skittish than a man when it came tomitment. Not like sharing the same bed was professing undying love, but Vanessa had run, and like any predator, he was provoked to give chase, to win her over.


    But how?


    He had to win her over, and to be honest, he did enjoy the chase. It had been a while since he¡¯d chased a woman, and it was nice to have that feeling back again. Now how was he supposed to go about it?


    ¡ª¡ª¡ª-


    Vanessa sat in her office, staring at the schedule on herputer screen but not really seeing anything beyond what her mind was focused on. Every so many minutes, the image of ric formed in her thoughts,pletely naked. The man¡¯s body was made for daydreams. The way he stood before her, legs spread and arms to his sides, wholly aware of his effect on her. He was a masculine study in beauty. Even the rough-looking scar on his shoulder and the numerous nicks across his rippled stomach added to his appeal. And what hung between his thighs?


    Vanessa was no inexperienced virgin, but she could count on one hand how many men she¡¯d been with. None of them lived up to the length and girth of ric. She doubted many men did. And no man had ever tied her wrists together.


    Her cheeks flushed as her pulse pounded between her thighs. There was no escaping the fact that she had been turned on by the act or that the dangerous thrill of beingpletely under someone else¡¯s control had goaded her along. It hadn¡¯t been the sole reason for wanting to return the pleasure, but¡­ It didn¡¯t matter. It couldn¡¯t matter.


    After the situation with her psycho stalker was resolved, ric would slip out of her life like a ghost and if she fell any deeper into his seductive web, she would end up like her mother, fixated the rest of her life on unrequited love.


    Unfortunately for her, there was more to ric than just his overwhelming sexual allure. He was incredibly charming when he wanted to be, always willing, if not eager, to engage in a verbal sparring match, and he seemed to get her in a way that most people never did.


    After dinner the next evening, he¡¯d stopped on the way back to his house to pick up ice cream. They¡¯d eaten it once they¡¯d gotten to the house, and he¡¯d talked to her, about everything and anything. It had been so long since she¡¯d just talked with anyone.


    Biting down on her lip, she scrolled through her schedule. She smoothed a hand over her head and flipped her ponytail back over her shoulder. She had a stash of rubber bands and pins in her desk but hadn¡¯t pinned her hair uppletely. It was strange feeling the weight of her hair.


    A knock on her door drew her attention. ¡°Come in.¡± She said.


    The door opened and the first thing Vanessa saw was a bushel of roses. Not half a dozen or a dozen, it was a freaking bushel of velvety red petals and damp green stems, carefully arranged among baby¡¯s breath and ced in thergest ss vase she¡¯d ever seen.


    Her heart leaped into her throat as she started to rise. ¡°Uh, I think you have the wrong office.¡±


    ¡°Mrs Spencer?¡± the delivery man asked, his young eyes peeking out from behind the enormous arrangement. ¡°That¡¯s you, right? They told me it was this office.¡±


    She gaped. ¡°That¡¯s me, but¡­¡±

 45

    ¡°But these are for you.¡± He headed toward her, cing them on the desk. ¡°Careful. They¡¯re heavy.¡±


    Her eyes scanned the roses and tiny white flowers as she stood there in a stupor. She didn¡¯t see a card, but she hadn¡¯t realized that in time. The deliveryman was already gone.


    Sitting down slowly, she stared at the magnificent, beautiful disy of roses. This¡­this had to cost a pretty penny and she couldn¡¯t even fathom who¡¯d sent them to her. Surely it could not be¡­


    She was still staring at the roses when she heard Anita¡¯s gasp from her open office door. ¡°Holy crap, that¡¯s a lot of roses,¡± she said, hurrying closer to the desk to inspect them.


    ¡°How are you always around when things like this happen?¡± Vanessa grumbled.


    Anita ignored herment. She was still inspecting the flowers. Her wide eyes met Vanessa¡¯s. ¡°Does this have anything to do with who¡¯s on his way up the elevator?¡±


    Vanessa stiffened, half afraid. ¡°Who¡¯sing up the elevator?¡±


    ¡°One incredibly sexy Detective ric Harper.¡±


    Her eyes darted back to the roses. It was him-he¡¯d sent the roses. Oh my God, she didn¡¯t know what to think, but her Godforsaken stupid heart started flipping in her chest even as sweat broke out across her palms and forehead. An urge to get up and race toward the stairwell was hard to ovee. The only reason she didn¡¯t was because that reaction would be hard to exin to Anita.


    ¡°I thought you two were just friends,¡± demanded Anita, and then in a much lower voice, ¡°hussy.¡±


    Vanessa shot Anita a look a second before a broad, tall form filled her doorway. Her poor heart did a cartwheel as she gripped the edge of her desk. If her heart continued this way, she was going to have a heart attack.


    ric looked amazing. No big surprise there. His dark hair was neatly cut. He was wearing an old AC/DC band shirt and the dark, worn material stretched against his shoulders and chest. There was a bulge under his shirt, along the lip. He was packing.


    Packing? Listen to her. Since when did she turn gangsta? Her brain was fried, and the way the jeans he wore appeared to be cut to fit his body alone hadn¡¯t helped.


    ¡°What are you doing here?¡± She immediately winced at how rude it came across and not just to her. And it was a stupid question. Though he couldn¡¯t hang out in the office, he¡¯d escorted her to work and she knew he¡¯d been nearby all morning.


    Anita¡¯s gaze sharpened as she silently exited the room. On the other hand, ric look unfazed.


    ¡°I thought you¡¯d like to do lunch today,¡± he said, strolling up to her desk and the enormous set of roses.


    It took her several seconds to respond. ¡°Well, I haven¡¯t eaten yet, but you don¡¯t have toe-¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m your bodyguard¡­ Protector¡­. Or whatever the hell you want to call it,¡± he said, his voice low enough that it wouldn¡¯t be overheard. ¡°Therefore, if you are going out in public, I need to be with you.¡±


    Her thoughts swam. After what had happened between them and now the roses, she seemed to have lost some brain cells. ¡°I was just going to order in.¡±


    ¡°No need now.¡±


    She curled her hands around the edge of her desk. ¡°You don¡¯t have toe here¡­..¡±


    He¡¯d been staring at the roses, but his sharp gaze swung back to her. ¡°You don¡¯t want me here?¡±


    She shook her head, ¡°No¡­. that¡¯s not what I meant. I just don¡¯t want you to stress yourself anymore than you already have,¡±


    ric shrugged, as if he didn¡¯t care. He nced at the roses again, frowning slightly. ¡°Nice flowers.¡±


    ¡°They are.¡± She flushed, realizing she hadn¡¯t thanked him for them, and that made her feel like something that rhymed with ¨¹ber-witch. ¡°You didn¡¯t, um, have to send them, but thank you.¡±


    ric¡¯s dark gaze moved to hers.


    She swallowed. ¡°They¡¯re very beautiful, but I¡¯m not sure why you¡¯d send them. I mean, what happened between us? Well, you¡¯re just doing your job, and that¡¯s all it is.¡±


    As Vanessa continued to ramble on, ric¡¯s brows inched up his forehead. She squirmed in her seat, hating how idiotic she sounded. ¡°Anyway, thank you, but you shouldn¡¯t have.¡±


    A moment passed and then ric leaned over, putting his hands on her desk. She couldn¡¯t help but stare at those long fingers and remember how they¡¯d felt inside her. Heat burned low in her belly. Oh God, that was so not the direction her thoughts needed to go.


    ¡°First off,¡± he began, his voice still calmly level. ¡°What happened between us Saturday night didn¡¯t have anything to do with my job. And guess what, it won¡¯t be thest time, either.¡±


    Her eyes narrowed as she opened her mouth. How dare he think he could just say that and it be true?


    ¡°And you damn well know it wasn¡¯t,¡± he continued before she could say anything. ¡°Secondly, do those flowers have a name on them?¡±


    At the change of subject to somewhat safer topics, she nced at the roses. ¡°Well, no, but-¡±


    ¡°It would¡¯ve had a note if they were from me.¡± Lifting one hand, he cupped his fingers under her chin. Her skin tingled at his touch, but his next words were like setting a fire to her blood. ¡°Probably something along the lines of how I couldn¡¯t wait to taste you again and I¡¯m not talking about your mouth.¡±


    Her breath left her in a rush. No man ever spoke to her like that. And no person had ever been able to render her speechless.


    ¡°So the flowers weren¡¯t from me.¡± He dropped his hand, but his mouth reced his fingers a secondter. ¡°But I¡¯m dying to know who sent them.¡±Belongs to ? n0velDrama.Org.


    It happened so fast she didn¡¯t have a chance to pull away. At least that was what she was telling herself. His lips brushed her chin, as soft as one of the rose petals inches from them, and then his mouth was on hers, kissing her, working at the seam of her mouth until her lips parted, allowing him entry. He tasted of rich coffee and something else sinful and all him. A moan caught in her throat as he flicked the roof of her mouth.


    ¡°Fuck,¡± he ground out, breaking the kiss and tearing himself away.

 46

    Left panting and scattered, she watched him stalk toward her door. Was he leaving? Nope. He shut the door and locked it, then faced her. The hunger in the tight line of his full, expressive lips and the heavily hooded look to his eyes stole her breath.


    She stood, her legs weak. ¡°ric, what are you doing?¡±


    ¡°No talking,¡± he growled, prowling around the corner of her desk.


    Her eyes widened as he pulled her chair back. ¡°Excuse me? No talking? Who in the fuck-?¡± she began.


    His mouth was on hers once more, but this kiss¡­ Good God, she¡¯d never been kissed like this before. Thoughts of random roses vanished in an instant. It was like he was staking a im, marking her as his with his mouth and tongue. She had no idea how that was possible, but she felt imed. Knew that she was. There was no fighting it, not when his tongue rolled over hers as he pulled her against him. She could feel his erection burning hot against her belly, pushing throughyers of clothing.


    ric broke off the intense, fiery kiss and framed her face. He ced feather-light kisses across her cheeks and over her forehead, fogging up her sses. His hands slid down her sides and for a moment, she forgot where she was and her earlier concern about this happening again and what it would mean for her. Her pulse was racing as his lips found hers once more.


    As if he was trying to drive her absolutely senseless, he upped his tactics, slipping his hands down the outside of her thighs, sending currents of heat through her.


    ¡°I am so fucking d I convinced you to buy these skirts,¡± he whispered against her swollen lips. ¡°And you wore one today. Perfect.¡±


    Before she could question why it was perfect for today, his hands slipped over the bare skin of her thighs. Pantyhose were the work of the devil, so she¡¯d always sworn them off. Feeling his hands roaming up to her hips, under her skirt, left her feeling warm and sultry. His fingers hooked around the fragile material of her panties.


    A burst ofughter from somewhere outside her office startled her back into reality. ¡°ric,¡± she hissed, grabbing his wrists. ¡°What are you doing?¡±


    ¡°What does it look like?¡± A wicked glint filled his eyes.


    Her grip tightened. ¡°We can¡¯t do this.¡±


    ¡°We can.¡± Easily breaking her hold, he tugged down her panties. A wide grin broke out across his face as she gasped. ¡°And we will.¡±


    ¡°ric!¡± she whispered, her heart pounding. How in the world had she ended up in this position?


    He gripped her hips and lifted her up on her desk, her bare cheeks right on her desk calendar. She¡¯d never be able to look at Monday through Sunday the same way again. Or her desk. Or her office. But then he had her panties off, slipping them into the pocket of his jeans with a wink.


    Heat flooded her face. ¡°ric please, we really-¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m hungry.¡± He kissed her deeply, stealing away her protests.


    ¡°Then let¡¯s¡­¡± She cried out softly as his finger brushed through her wetness. ¡°Then let¡¯s go get something¡­ Oh God,¡± she moaned as his finger slipped inside her. ¡°We should go get something to eat.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m about to.¡± He sat in her chair and rolled himself right between her spread thighs, working her with his finger the entire time. ¡°Except I want dessert first.¡±


    Dessert? Couldn¡¯t he just be into chocte or ice cream like most people? ¡°This is so inappropriate,¡± she murmured, but she made no attempt at stopping him.


    He paused, his head level with the juncture above her thighs. ¡°Oh, this is totally appropriate.¡±


    Before she could question his reasoning, he dipped his head. The very next second, his greedy mouth was on her, his fingers spreading her so his tongue slipped in deep. The first lick nearly had her crying out as she clutched the edges of the desk.


    Everything was quickly spiraling out of control. She was at work for fuck¡¯s sake, in her office and there was a man¡¯s face between her thighs and his tongue-


    ¡°Oh,¡± she gasped as he sucked on the sensitive nub. ¡°ric.¡±


    He growled against her, and her body coiled impossibly tight. Who was she kidding? Things weren¡¯t spiraling out of control. She waspletely under his control. The realization was as frightening as it was thrilling and it nearly toppled her right over the edge.Owned by N?velDrama.Org.


    Passion consumed her. It was too much, and in the same sense, not enough. She threw her head back as he delved deep with his tongue. Violent jolts of sheer pleasure coursed through her and she bit her lip, to the point that she tasted blood, to keep from crying out. Release shattered her as she surrendered to the pleasure, to his power and control.


    When the tremors subsided, Vanessa was a weak heap on her desk. A huge part of her didn¡¯t even care that they had done that in her office. Right now, she didn¡¯t care about anything.


    ric rose, carefully tugging down her skirt. He lifted her off the desk, cing her on her feet. He held her to his chest, as if he knew there was a good chance her legs wouldn¡¯t hold her.


    Pressing his lips to the corner of her mouth, he smiled devilishly. ¡°That was the best damn dessert I¡¯ve ever had.¡±


    ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª


    ric knew the only reason Vanessa went along with him and let him pick the restaurant without arguing was because she was still rocking some major post-orgasmic bliss. Which was good, because he wanted to eat somewhere he knew the exact cement of all the exits, the staff, and the easiest route to get in and out of. One could never be too safe.


    And he could admit the smug grin he wore had everything to do with him being the reason she was in the rtively easy going mood. But as they waited for their food to arrive and after Vanessa had told him a story about something that happened at her office, he wondered about the flowers and who¡¯d sent them.


    He drove her hometer that evening, and Vanessa copsed into the living room couch while ric went to freshen up. Her phone rang minutester, effectively destroying her moment of peaceful enjoyment. Only one person routinely called with an unknown number.

 47

    For a moment, she considered not answering, but then, she was done hiding from reality. She¡¯d face this head-on.


    ¡°I hope you liked those flowers I sent,¡± the caller said. ¡°See how easy it is for me to get you there? It doesn¡¯t matter if you have that boy toy following you around. Now, I want my money.¡±


    ¡°I want my proof,¡± Vanessa replied, hoping that she sounded brave enough. ¡°It seems like you might be having troubleing up with that.¡±


    ¡°Ask Christopher¡¯s assistant for the ledger. The other ledger, the one he keeps locked in the safe behind his desk. That¡¯s where you¡¯ll find your proof.¡±


    She took a deep breath. ¡°Was Chloe in on this with him?¡±


    ¡°She knew. Whether or not she received a cut, I have no idea. But it¡¯s probably likely she did, as money to keep her mouth shut. If she knows where the three million is, I would be surprised if she doesn¡¯t take it and try to run.¡±


    Wincing, Vanessa shook her head. It was bad enough to learn that the man she¡¯d thought was an upstanding- if remote and cold-citizen had been involved in so many illegal activities. But then to find out Chloe, the woman she¡¯d trusted implicitly, had participated too?


    ¡°Did you kill Christopher?¡± she asked, her heart skipping a beat or two. ¡°Or have him shot?¡±


    ¡°No.¡± The answer came swiftly and certain.


    ¡°Did Chloe?¡±


    This time, the question made the caller chuckle.  ¡°No. Actually, I¡¯m ny-nine percent sure that the cartel had him killed for trying to cheat them. Now, since I was Christopher¡¯s partner, they¡¯re going toe after me next. I need that money to pay them, to show them good faith, understand? This isn¡¯t about me being greedy. This is about me not wanting to die.¡±


    Stunned, she wasn¡¯t sure what to say. In the end, she settled for the truth. ¡°I don¡¯t know where the money is. Christopher emptied out our joint savings ount before he was killed.¡±


    ¡°Then find out,¡± he demanded, effectively destroying what little sympathy she¡¯d begun to feel for him.


    ¡°Or I¡¯ll make sure you suffer right along with me. I¡¯ll give you until after Christopher¡¯s funeral.¡±


    Which meant he knew when the service had been scheduled. ¡°Who are you?¡± she pressed, refusing to allow him to intimidate her. But he¡¯d apparently already ended the call, as she heard only silence.


    About to go tell ric, she decided to wait. She wanted to call Chloe tomorrow morning and arrange to ask the other woman to her face. When she called the next morning after breakfast, Chloe answered on the second ring.


    ¡°Do you have time to grab lunch with me?¡± Vanessa asked, her tone friendly. ¡°There are a couple of things I¡¯d like to discuss.¡± She named a popr caf¨¦ in the heart of the city.


    ¡°Fine,¡± Chloe agreed, but her tone sounded a bit disdainful.


    Squelching her annoyance, Vanessa said she¡¯d be driving her car over, and Chloe agreed to meet her in the afternoon.


    When it was time, Vanessa wondered whether to ask ric to apany her, she looked out the kitchen window and saw ric and Paul sitting on the patio and talking. Because she didn¡¯t want anyone to worry, she dashed off a quick note saying she was meeting Chloe for lunch and left it propped up on the kitchen counter, facing the hallway.


    Since her car sat parked in front of the house, she slipped out the front door, hurried to her vehicle, started the engine and backed out of the driveway. No one came after her. Driving always calmed her nerves. She waited until she was out of the subdivision gate before cranking up her radio on the ssic rock station. Singing along to Bob Seger, she pulled into the parking lot of the Cafe and found a spot close to the door.


    Chloe had already arrived and waited just inside. She was wearing a business suit and pumps, making Vanessa wonder if she con-sidered this a business meeting.


    ¡°There you are,¡± Chloe eximed, hugging Vanessa and doing the air-kiss thing on both cheeks. ¡°I¡¯m so happy to see you came without your bodyguard.¡±


    Her words sent a shiver up Vanessa¡¯s spine. Had she made a bad decision, sneaking out of the house without ric? But then she looked around at the crowded restaurant and rxed.


    ¡°I¡¯ve got a few things I¡¯d like to discuss with you,¡± Vanessa replied. ¡°In fact, I need to request one of the back booths. I¡¯d prefer to have privacy.¡±Owned by N?velDrama.Org.


    ¡°Already done.¡± Had Chloe always been so smug? She lifted up her tote bag. ¡°I¡¯ve got several documents I wanted to go over with you too.¡±


    The hostess led them to the back room of the restaurant, to the more secluded area where people went to discuss business. She showed them into a corner booth tucked into an out-of-the-way area. ¡°Will this work?¡±


    ¡°Perfect.¡± Chloe smiled. ¡°Thank you so much.¡±


    As they took their seats, Vanessa eyed Christopher¡¯s assistant, wondering why the other woman acted as if she were the one who¡¯d called this meeting.


    Chloe kept up a steady stream of chatter until the waitress arrived to take their drink orders. They both asked for sweet tea, and went ahead and requested the catfish tter.


    Once the teas arrived, Chloe pulled several man file folders from her tote and ced them on the table.


    ¡°I¡¯m not sure if you¡¯re aware, but Christopher owns several other properties, most of them in the country. Thergest one is a cattle ranch.¡± She slid one folder across the table. ¡°I¡¯vepiled aprehensive list of them and what they might be worth on the real estate market should you decide to sell.¡±


    ¡°Thank you.¡± Vanessa looked the other woman directly in the eye. ¡°Do you think any of them are worth three million dors?¡±


    Chloe blinked. ¡°That¡¯s a mighty specific amount. I¡¯m not sure. But if you consult a Realtor, I¡¯m certain they could tell you.¡±


    ¡°Chloe, I¡¯m done ying games. What do you know about the missing three million?¡±


    Chloe swallowed, the only sign that revealed her unease. ¡°What are you talking about?¡±


    Pitching her voice low, Vanessa ryed everything the caller had said. When she finished, Chloe had recoiled and was staring at her as if she thought Vanessa had lost her mind.

 48

    ¡°Drug cartels? Moneyundering?¡± Chloe shook her head, her voice full of simmering anger. ¡°How could you possibly believe Christopher was capable of such awful, illegal things? He was an upstanding business leader with political aspirations. He would never have done anything that might jeopardize his chance of bing governor! He believed in what he was doing and wanted to make a difference.¡±


    Vanessa couldn¡¯t tell if the other woman truly believed her words or had be a damn fine actress. ¡°Whether you like it or not, it would appear Christopher was involved in all this,¡± Vanessa began. Their catfish arrived just then, and she had to wait until the waitress left before continuing. ¡°I have someone making threats and demanding this missing money. Christopher cleaned out our joint bank ount before he was killed. Someone shot out my back window and ruined my car and apartment. So don¡¯t sit there and try to make me believe you¡¯repletely in the dark. You were Christopher¡¯s assistant and campaign manager.¡± She took a deep breath, noting Chloe¡¯s shocked expression. ¡°Why don¡¯t you think about it while you eat,¡± she said, stabbing the perfectly cooked catfish filet with her fork. ¡°But know this. I¡¯m going to find out the truth whether you tell me or not.¡±


    Chloe pushed her te away. ¡°I just lost my appetite.¡±


    ¡°Suit yourself.¡± Vanessa shrugged, putting her first delectable catfish bite into her mouth and chewing slowly.


    ¡°But you¡¯ll be missing a dang good meal.¡±


    Eyeing her, Chloe finally reimed her te and started slowly eating, though she continued to watch Vanessa the way a trapped mouse might a hungry cat. Finally, after eating about half her filet, Chloe put down her fork. ¡°I didn¡¯t know what to do,¡± she whispered.


    Vanessa leaned forward. ¡°Has it ever urred to you that you might be in danger from the cartel too? Especially if you knew about the missing money?¡±


    Chloe¡¯s eyes widened. ¡°But I wasn¡¯t involved in any of that. Yes, I overheard bits and pieces of conversation- enough to put two and two together-but Christopher never asked me to do any of the legwork for that part of his business.¡±


    ¡°Knowing makes youplicit. I wonder what the FBI would think about that.¡±


    Face flushing, Chloe stood. ¡°Are you threatening me?¡± Her strident tone caused several other diners to nce their way.


    ¡°Of course not,¡± Vanessa said. ¡°Sit down. Please. I have a lot more I¡¯d like to discuss with you.¡±


    Though Chloe sat, she didn¡¯t look happy about it. ¡°Discuss or question?¡± she asked, her voice as tight as her mouth.


    ¡°Both.¡± Vanessa sighed. ¡°I¡¯m not your enemy, you know. And if Christopher was having an affair with a woman named Chris, what difference does it make if I find out now? Christopher¡¯s gone. We weren¡¯t even together when he died.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know anything about that,¡± Chloe replied quickly. Too quickly. ¡°I tried to stay out of Christopher¡¯s personal life as much as possible.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m sure you did,¡± Vanessa said, even though she was anything but. ¡°Except you worked for Christopher for a long time. You know stuff.¡±


    Chloe started, jumping slightly when the waitress appeared, asking if they wanted dessert. Both women declined and asked for separate checks. Vanessa tried to think of something to say, anything that might get Chloe to open up. ¡°I¡¯d like to stop by Christopher¡¯s office after this,¡± she said, slightly gratified by Chloe¡¯s horrified expression.


    ¡°Why?¡±


    ¡°Because I can.¡± Vanessa sighed. ¡°And judging by your reaction, you do have something you want to hide.¡±


    ¡°I promised Christopher¡­¡±


    ¡°Promised him what?¡±


    Chloe bit her lip. Instead of responding, she shook her head.


    ¡°Okay, then.¡± Vanessa stood and grabbed her check. ¡°I can follow you to Christopher¡¯s office, if you¡¯re going that way. If not, I¡¯ll just let myself in and poke around a little.¡±


    ¡°You can follow me.¡± Chloe jumped up so quickly she knocked her fork onto the floor. She hurried toward the cashier, paid and waited for Vanessa, tapping one high heel impatiently.


    ¡°What are you driving?¡± Vanessa asked her once they got outside.


    ¡°That white Volvo.¡± Chloe pointed. ¡°I¡¯ll meet you there.¡±


    Which Vanessa took to mean Chloe hoped to have enough time to hide a few things. Once again, Vanessa didn¡¯t understand why.


    ¡°Sounds good.¡± Hopping into her vehicle, Vanessa waved as she backed out of her spot, pulling out into the road before Chloe even reached her car.


    Christopher¡¯s office wasn¡¯t but a few blocks away, so Vanessa had already made it to the lobby before she spotted the white Volvo pull up. Briefly, she debated rushing upstairs. Instead she waited at the elevator for Chloe to appear.Owned by N?velDrama.Org.


    The other woman hurried inside, slightly out of breath. ¡°There you are!¡± she said brightly. ¡°Is there anything in particr you¡¯re looking for that I could help you find?¡±


    Vanessa gave her a sharp look. ¡°Stop. I¡¯m just trying to get some answers. Apparently, there is a lot about my husband that I didn¡¯t know. A lot. I intend to get answers whether you help me or not.¡±


    Chloe opened her mouth and then closed it. They rode the elevator up in silence, standing side by side. Once they reached the third floor, they exited.


    Vanessa waited while Chloe unlocked the door to Christopher¡¯s suite of offices.


    Stepping inside, Vanessa stood, taking it all in. She¡¯d been here only a few times over the course of her marriage and not recently. Christopher had hired the same interior designer here that he¡¯d used to decorate the house, so the reception area as well as his and Chloe¡¯s offices reminded her of his office at home. Elegant and masculine. It struck her as she stood there that Christopher would never againe striding through that door. She felt it like a punch in the gut. She might not have loved the man, but he¡¯d been part of her life for thest few years.


    Chloe must have seen something on her face. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Vanessa,¡± she said quietly. ¡°I know it must be difficult.¡±


    ¡°It definitely would be a lot easier if he hadn¡¯t been involved in illegal moneyundering and who knows what else,¡± Vanessa replied, her voice brisk. ¡°And if as a result of him stealing money from criminals, I didn¡¯t have someone calling me demanding I repay them. Or shooting up my house and threatening me.¡±

 49

    ¡°Yikes.¡± Chloe raised her hands up in the ssic gesture of defeat. ¡°You win. I¡¯ll show you where he kept all his private, top-secret files. I know where he kept the key.¡±


    Finally, they were getting somewhere. Chloe led the way into Christopher¡¯s office, opening his middle desk drawer and retrieving a full key ring. ¡°It¡¯s one of these,¡± she said, turning to the back wall and removing arge, framed picture that concealed a safe. Instead of a keypad, it had an inset lock.


    Chloe began trying keys. Her fourth attempt turned out to be the right one.


    ¡°Here we are,¡± she said, opening it. Once she had, she stepped back, allowing Vanessa to see the inside.


    Instead of stacks of cash, there were severalrge envelopes and folders, stuffed with papers. Vanessa moved forward, half-afraid of what she¡¯d find.


    ¡°I¡¯ll leave you to it,¡± Chloe told her, backing out and closing the door behind her.


    Vanessa transferred everything from the safe to the desktop, then she pulled up a chair. As she¡¯d suspected, the first folder was full of financial records. Clearly, Christopher maintained several bank ounts. The recorded bnce of them made her stomach churn. No way he could have amassed this much money so quickly. There was more than enough to pay back the missing three million dors-assuming she could gain ess to the ounts. From what she vaguely remembered reading about such things, doing so would be difficult, if not impossible if Christopher hadn¡¯t put her name on them.


    Judging by these records, he had not. She would have to go through the long, tedious court process before she could touch any of that money. There wasn¡¯t enough time for that. Recing the bank records in the envelope, she moved on to the next folder. When she slid it toward her, she realized an old-fashioned photo album was underneath.


    Intrigued, she decided to check that out first. It had to be old, since people rarely printed out photos these days, preferring to store them in the cloud or on CDs. As far as she knew, Christopher hadn¡¯t been any different.


    With the exception of their wedding pictures, which they kept in a glossy white album simr to this one.


    Maybe Christopher had printed extras, though why he¡¯d keep them in a safe, she couldn¡¯t fathom.


    Slowly, she opened the album. An erged photograph of Christopher decorated the first page. But instead of her, Christopher had his arm around some man¡¯s shoulders.


    Both of them beamed at the camera, eternally young and clearly, blissfully happy. Christopher appeared to be in histe twenties or early thirties at the time it was taken, which made it around ten years old. Studying the picture, she wondered. She thought she knew most of Christopher¡¯s friends, even the ones he¡¯d known since childhood. And she was familiar with his business associates. This man in the photo was none of these. She didn¡¯t recognize him. That didn¡¯t mean much-he could have been an old friend who¡¯d dropped out of Christopher¡¯s life long before she entered it.


    Carefully, she removed the photo, hoping she might see names and a date written on the back. But the back waspletely nk. Once she¡¯d reced the picture under the clear stic, she turned the page. More photos of Christopher and his friend, arm in arm, gazing into each other¡¯s eyes, and finally, embracing. Love and adoration showed in both men¡¯s expressions. Some of the pics were reminiscent of staged wedding photographs. It dawned on her that maybe, just maybe, this man wasn¡¯t merely Christopher¡¯s tonic friend. Clearly, they were much, much more to each other.


    She got up, carrying the photo album, and walked to the door and out into the hall, making a beeline for Chloe¡¯s office, where Chloe sat working on something at her desk. Vanessa slid the photo album across the desk.


    ¡°Who is this?¡± she asked


    Chloe paled. ¡°I¡¯m not sure,¡± she hedged, swallowing hard. ¡°Come on, Chloe. Tell me.¡±


    Looking away, Chloe appeared to be considering. When she finally met Vanessa¡¯s gaze, resignation mingled with pity in her expression.


    ¡°That¡¯s Chris,¡± Chloe said. ¡°The man Christopher truly loved.¡±


    ¡ª¡ª-


    ric and Paul had been talking for a while before ric left him and went inside to grab them more beers. The house felt strangely silent and empty. He called for Vanessa, looking around the entire downstairs before deciding to check out the rest of the house. He noted no signs of forced entry and nothing to indicate a disturbance.


    Taking the stairs two at a time, he pushed back the awful sense of foreboding prickling at the back of his neck. ¡°Vanessa?¡± he called. ¡°Where are you?¡±


    Nothing but silence answered him.


    Damn it. Not finding her in any of the rooms, he ran downstairs and started to rush outside to get Paul. A folded slip of paper on the kitchen counter caught his eye. He snatched it up and read it, cursing under his breath.


    She¡¯d gone to meet Chloe for lunch. Alone.


    He stood still for a moment, trying to gather his thoughts and calm his racing heart. As far as he could tell, while Chloe might be annoying, she wasn¡¯t dangerous. But the fact that Vanessa had blithely gone into town, unprotected and exposed, worried the hell out of him. He knew if anything happened to her while she was out there, it would be on him.


    He nearly jumped when his phone rang. Seeing Vanessa¡¯s name on the caller ID brought an interestingbination of relief and rage.


    ¡°Where are you?¡± he demanded when he answered, not even bothering to say hello.


    ¡°I¡¯m at Christopher¡¯s office downtown, with Chloe ,¡± she replied, her voice vibrating with barely suppressed excitement. ¡°I found out who Chris is.¡±


    ¡°Chris?¡± For a moment, he didn¡¯t make the connection. ¡°You mean the Chris that was on the prenup we found?¡±


    ¡°Exactly!¡±


    Intrigued, he waited for her to exin. When she didn¡¯t, he prodded her. ¡°Well? Are you going to tell me who she is?¡±Belongs to ? n0velDrama.Org.


    ¡°That¡¯s just it. Chris isn¡¯t a ¡®she.¡¯ Chris is a man.  And judging by the photo album I found, he and Christopher were deeply in love.¡±


    It took a moment for her words to sink in. ¡°Christopher was gay?¡± he asked,

 50

    ¡°Apparently. Which exins a lot.¡± She didn¡¯t borate, but he got the idea. ¡°His parents are super religious, so I¡¯m guessing that¡¯s why he felt he had to keep it a secret.¡±


    ¡°I get that,¡± he mused. ¡°Plus, with his political aspirations¡­¡±


    They both fell silent. When Vanessa spoke again, a tinge of sadness colored her voice. ¡°I had no idea he wasn¡¯t living an authentic life. He always seemed so confident, so self-assured, as if he knew exactly what he wanted, where he was going, and how to get there. I wish he had told me the truth.¡±


    ¡°Would knowing have made any difference in how you felt about him?¡± he asked, not sure he really wanted to know.


    ¡°Yes, it would.¡± She took a deep breath. ¡°I¡¯m not sure if you realized this, but Christopher and I were never close. I would have understood hisplete and utter rejection of me much better if I¡¯d known he was in love with someone else.¡±


    His heart squeezed. He hated to think of Vanessa being rejected, especially by the man she¡¯d married.


    ¡°Anyway,¡± she continued, her voice brisk, ¡°I¡¯ve got tons of paperwork to look through. I¡¯m thinking I¡¯ll just bring it home.¡±


    ¡°When are you leaving?¡± The thought of her driving alone made him extremely nervous. ¡°I¡¯ll head up there and apany you back.¡±


    ¡°No need,¡± she answered quickly. ¡°I¡¯m about to bag all this stuff up and head home.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t like it. For all we know, that crazy guy could have you under surveince.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll be fine,¡± she responded. ¡°I¡¯ll text you when I leave. Seriously, no need for you toe downtown.¡±


    Reluctantly, he agreed. Paul wandered in just as ric ended the call.


    ¡°What¡¯s up?¡± he asked. ¡°You look like somebody died.¡±


    Rubbing his temple, ric grimaced. ¡°I just got off the phone with Vanessa.¡±


    Paul red. ¡°She isn¡¯t here? You¡¯re her ¡®bodyguard¡¯ now, right? Why aren¡¯t you with her?¡±


    ¡°Because she left when we were all out on the patio talking. I had no idea until I found this note.¡± ric held out the slip of paper, waiting while Paul read it.


    ¡°You should have gone after her.¡±


    ¡°I thought about it,¡± ric conceded. ¡°But she doesn¡¯t want me to. Says she will be fine.¡±


    Paul stared at him. ¡°You are supposed to be protecting her.¡±


    Something inside ric snapped. ¡°Do you think I don¡¯t know that? Especially now that I-¡± He stopped, choking on what he¡¯d almost said.


    ¡°Especially now that you what?¡± Paul demanded. ¡°Finish what you were about to say.¡±


    Closing his eyes for a moment, ric bowed his head. ¡°Especially now that I think I¡¯m falling in love with her.¡±


    ¡°Think?¡± Paul¡¯s tone softened. ¡°Are you still thinking that you are in love with her? Or do you know that you are?¡±


    Undercover agent ric warred with real-life ric. In the end, he went with the truth. ¡°I love Vanessa, and it¡¯s fucking weird since I haven¡¯t even known her for long and the circumstances in which we met.¡±


    ¡°Does she feel the same way?¡±


    Again, ric replied honestly. ¡°I don¡¯t know. Honestly I don¡¯t think she does¡­. Or at least.. Maybe she¡¯s not in the same ce,¡±


    ¡°Then what are you waiting for to tell her? Where is she now? Is she still at lunch?¡±


    ¡°No. She called me from Christopher¡¯s office downtown. Chloe is there with her. Vanessa is going through Christopher¡¯s things.¡± ric waited, expecting Paul to tell him to hop in his car and head down there.


    Instead, Paul nodded. ¡°Did she find anything interesting?¡±Content rights by N?velDr//ama.Org.


    Though ric knew Paul meant the missing money, he nodded. ¡°She did. She found evidence that leads her to believe Christopher might have been in love with someone else.¡±


    Paul crossed his arms, his multiple tattoos moving as his muscles did. ¡°In love with who? That Chris person you two mentioned earlier?¡±


    ¡°Exactly. Vanessa found a photo album of Christopher and Chris. It meant so much to Christopher that he kept it locked in his personal safe.¡±


    Paul frowned, ¡°If he was in love with someone else, then why did he marry Vanessa? Was this other woman married or something?¡±


    ric took a deep breath. ¡°That¡¯s the thing. Chris isn¡¯t a woman. Chris is a guy.¡±


    For the space of several heartbeats, Paul stared at him as if he thought ric might be joking.


    ¡°I¡¯m serious,¡± ric finally said.


    ¡°Damn it.¡± He dragged his hands through his hair. ¡°But why? Why would he hide that? Why pretend to be something you¡¯re not?¡±


    Hearing that, ric felt a pang. Though Paul didn¡¯t know, ric was also doing exactly that, he had been working undercover on Christopher¡¯s moneyundering case before Christopher died. He shrugged. ¡°I don¡¯t know.¡±


    ¡°Hmmph.¡± Paul scratched his chin. ¡°Are you going to fix things up between you and Vanessa?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m damn sure going to try,¡± ric replied.


    Pinning him with his gaze, Paul narrowed his eyes. ¡°I want you to be happy, you know that, right?¡±


    ¡°I do¡­. And I want Vanessa to be happy too¡± ric meant it, with every fiber of his soul. ¡°She belongs with me.¡±


    For the space of a heartbeat, Paul simply watched him. Finally, he nodded. ¡°Then make it happen, man.¡±


    Paul¡¯s phone rang. ¡°I need to go,¡± he said, frowning. ¡°I¡¯ll see you soon.¡± And he wandered out of the house.


    ric¡¯s phone pinged, indicating a text. Vanessa, letting him know she was on her way home. His stomach clenched, aware he should be with her, keeping her safe. He¡¯d have to make sure she understood the extent of the danger she¡¯d opened herself up to by taking off alone like that.


    More than a little antsy, he decided to keep busy until Vanessa got back. He¡¯d always found cooking to be a great way to relieve stress, so he headed toward the kitchen to see what he could maybe rustle up for dinner.


    In the refrigerator he found Vanessa had thawed arge package of pork chops. Perfect. Whistling, he got busy prepping everything he¡¯d need to make a delicious meal. He¡¯d just finished getting everything ready when he heard the front door opening. Relieved, he let out a breath he hadn¡¯t even realized he¡¯d been holding. Safe. She was safe.


    ¡°Hey there,¡± Vanessa said, walking into the kitchen and eyeing him and the food. ¡°That looks amazing.¡±

 51

    He let his gaze roam over her, unable to keep from wanting her as much as he wanted to breathe. He thought back to earlier, when he¡¯d realized she wasn¡¯t in the house and the awful, paralyzing fear he¡¯d felt.


    ¡°We need to talk,¡± he said, jamming his hands down into his pockets to keep from touching her.


    Raising her head, she eyed him. Absent-mindedly, she tucked a silky strand of her hair behind one ear.


    ¡°About what?¡±


    ¡°You taking off like that. It¡¯s not safe. I know you¡¯re aware.¡±


    Slowly, she nodded. ¡°I just needed some space.¡±


    Though she likely hadn¡¯t intended them to, her words wounded him. ¡°Don¡¯t do that again.¡± He kept his tone curt. ¡°If you don¡¯t want to be with me, then just say it.¡±


    Eyes wide, she stared. ¡°What¡¯s wrong with you?¡±


    He almost abandoned the idea then and there. After all, with the undercover assignment still hanging over him, he couldn¡¯te out and dere his undying love right now. There were so many intricateyers and he knew it could alle crashing down around him at any moment.


    ¡°Nothing is wrong with me,¡± he replied.


    She continued to stare at him for a while, then she shrugged, ¡°Fine.¡± She went back to shuffling through paperwork. When he didn¡¯t move or leave, she nced up at him, brow raised. ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°I want to talk about us,¡± he said, refusing to feel awkward. ¡°We made love¡­. I mean¡­. I know we didn¡¯t really make love, but we¡­.. ¡±


    ¡°I know.¡± She replied. There was a fleeting ghost of a smile on her face. ¡°I was there.¡±


    ¡°That changes things.¡±


    Her eyes shed. ¡°Does it? I¡¯m sorry, but I don¡¯t see how.¡±


    Again, the pain, like a knife to his heart.


    About to respond, he made himself consider. Because, in a way, she was right. His presence in her life hadn¡¯t beenpletely truthful. And he was utterly andpletely tired of living that lie. He wanted her. He needed her as badly as he needed air to breathe. But he¡¯d taken an oath as an officer and he had to see this thing through. Hopefully by the time that had been aplished, there¡¯d still be something left to save. There had to be. Because he didn¡¯t know how he could go on without her.


    ¡°You¡¯re right,¡± he finally conceded. ¡°I¡¯m guessing we just need to make sure it doesn¡¯t happen again.¡±


    Part of him hoped she¡¯d deny that, say something along the lines of why couldn¡¯t they continue to have a physical rtionship at least. Though he knew that would be wrong, he¡¯d take whatever part of her that she was willing to give.


    ¡°I guess so,¡± she replied, squelching that hope. ¡°Now if you¡¯ll excuse me, I need to go get cleaned up. Would you mind letting me know when that amazing-looking dinner is ready?¡±


    He could only nod. There seemed to be nothing else he could say.


    ¡ª¡ª¡ª-


    Vanessa couldn¡¯t sleep.


    Staring at the ceiling, she wondered how her life had gone from painfully orderly to this. What she¡¯d found out about Christopher had been shocking, but something nice hade out of all of these and that something was ric. She was alone in her room, but her thoughts kept drifting to ric.  He was in his room, probably shirtless, and sexy. Smelling like soap, spice, and man. Exactly when had her life veered in this direction? And why had she allowed him to infiltrate her heart this way.


    She sat up, then got out of bed and headed out of her room. Maybe she needed some water, she told herself, but she was obviously lying to herself because she couldn¡¯t seem to walk past ric¡¯s room.


    His bedroom door was half open, and Vanessa walked towards it, as if drawn to it by some force she couldn¡¯t exin.


    She pushed the door open further and peeped in. ric was asleep, or at least she believed he was. His breathing was deep and even his arm which was lying on a pillow wasn¡¯t moving.  He was shirtless, of course, because why should he cover all those beautiful ropey muscles? She squeezed her eyes shut, mentally cursing her addled thoughts.


    ncing at the man on the bed, she sighed. No matter how damn sexy and sinful that trap was, it was still a trap. Because when his job wasplete and he grew bored with her, he¡¯d leave and all she¡¯d have was her job. Blowing out a breath, she squeezed her eyes shut and willed her brain to shut down and for her heart to stop racing.


    A few secondster, the arm on the pillow lifted and he shifted. ¡°Come here, Vanessa.¡± He said.


    She froze. Had he been awake the entire time she¡¯d been standing there staring at him like a creepy stalker? When she didn¡¯t move, he grumbled something under his breath. ¡°I promise I won¡¯t tell anyone.¡± He said.


    Her lips curved up at the corners, but she still didn¡¯t move. Doing so may not seem like such a big deal to others, but to her it was a monumental step. Especially after what she¡¯d said to him when she returned from Christopher¡¯s office. Also another nail in the coffin.


    ric sighed. ¡°Waiting.¡± He murmured.Content rights by N?velDr//ama.Org.


    And he was waiting for her. Arm in the air, face turned to her. In the darkness, she felt his gaze searching hers out. Her body and the sometimes-treacherous muscle in her chest yearned to do so. Was there really any harm in it? Probably. And if she was being honest with herself, she wanted nothing more.


    Drawing in a deep breath, she decided she¡¯d face the consequencester. Right now, this was what she needed and wanted. She walked into the room and climbed into the bed. Easing onto her shoulder, she ced her head on the crook of ric¡¯s arm and sighed. The sound cracked as loud as thunder in the silence and she waited for him to make some smartassment, but he didn¡¯t. Hisrge handnded on her hip and urged her closer. After a bit of wiggling, she was fitted to his side in a way that had her wondering if their two bodies were designed for this.


    Moving her arm carefully, she ced her hand on his bare chest and closed her eyes. Several moments passed and then she felt his hand tten along her hip. The weight was intimate and cozy and¡­suffocating.

 52

    No. She forced herself to take a breath. It wasn¡¯t suffocating at all. Truthfully, it was rxing and nothing like the other times she¡¯d attempted to do a little cuddling.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry¡­. I¡­. I couldn¡¯t sleep,¡± she said softly,


    ¡°It¡¯s okay,¡± ric replied, ¡°I couldn¡¯t sleep either,¡±


    There was silence for a while before Vanessa spoke again. ¡°Can I ask you a question?¡± she asked, staring at the moonlight.


    ¡°Anything.¡±


    Her heart sped up at his quick response. ric was¡­well, he was nothing she had expected.


    ¡°The scar on your shoulder? Were you shot?¡±


    His thumb smoothed over her hip, and she liked the constant, idle motion.


    ¡°Yes. About four years ago.¡±


    ¡°How?¡± She winced, feeling awkward. ¡°Sorry. That¡¯s none of my business.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s okay. I was doing a job. A white-cor was about to turn state evidence and wanted security before he met with the police. Thought the guy was paranoid, but turned out, he wasn¡¯t.¡± His chest moved in deep, slow breaths, the effect lulling. ¡°When I was taking him to pick up his daughter at school, some bastard lit up the vehicle with gunfire. I took two bullets, but the client didn¡¯t get scratched.¡±


    ¡°Christ.¡± She lifted her head, staring down at him. The way he said it was like it was no big deal. ¡°You could¡¯ve died!¡±


    ¡°But I didn¡¯t.¡± His lips tipped up at the corners.


    ¡°You¡­you do this every day.¡±


    ¡°What I do is my job.¡± He moved his other hand, gently cupping her cheek. ¡°It¡¯s not every day, and what I do doesn¡¯te cheap.¡±


    They hadn¡¯t even talked about what would happen when all this was over yet, but lying in bed together didn¡¯t seem like the right moment to bring it up. She let him guide her cheek back to his chest and his hand stayed on her cheek.


    ¡°Can I ask you a question?¡± he asked.


    She tensed. ¡°Yeah.¡±


    ¡°You grew up with your grandmother, right? You¡¯ve said some stuff about your mom, but what happened to her?¡±


    Unease formed little knots in her stomach. Talking about her family was hard, but she¡¯d already gone there with him, opened the door so to speak. ¡°I moved in with my grandma when I was seven. It became apparent that Mom couldn¡¯t take care of me. She still visited, off and on, until I was thirteen, but then she¡­¡±


    The hand on her hip started to move again. ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°She died-overdosed.¡± She closed her eyes. ¡°Mom¡­well, she was in love with being in love, you know? Went from one guy to the next and each one was ¡®the one¡¯ and none of them ever worked out. But each time she met someone, she gave away a piece of herself until there was nothing left.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry.¡±


    She sighed. ¡°Thank you. It¡¯s just¡­ The thing is, I loved my mom. Even though she didn¡¯t raise me, whenever she came around, she was happy to see me. I kept thinking that maybe I could¡¯ve done something to, I don¡¯t know, facilitate her need to love. That if I-¡±


    ¡°There was nothing you could¡¯ve done differently,¡± he said passionately. ¡°Trust me, I know. There wasn¡¯t a damn thing my brothers or I could¡¯ve done that changed where our parents ended up. They set their own futures. We were just along for the ride. Same with you. You had nothing to do with how your mom decided to live her life.¡±


    They had more inmon than Vanessa really ever realized. Both of them had parents who were too wrapped up in their own lives to pay attention to them. If anyone would understand where Vanessa wasing from, it would be ric.


    ¡°Thank you,¡± she whispered.


    The hand on her hip stilled. ¡°For what?¡±


    She didn¡¯t answer, unsure if she could put it into words. After a few minutes, ric started peppering her with questions and she found herself answering them with little reservation. How her grandmother always believed that Vanessa should¡¯ve been born a man and because of her mother¡¯s chaotic life, she was obsessed with keeping things orderly. She told him about the night she got the tattoo.


    ¡°Does the rose mean anything to you?¡± he asked, and she could hear the grin in his words.


    ¡°No.¡± Sheughed softly. ¡°It was just on TV that night and it reminded me of my mom. Like she had already started to wither, but if I could keep her in this protective vase, she would be okay.¡±


    ¡°Sounds like the rose does mean something to you.¡±


    Her nose wrinkled. ¡°Ah, good point.¡±Content provided by N?velDrama.Org.


    ric switched topics, telling her how his family spent the holidays and how everyone knew that little Racheal had been in love with his brother from the moment they crossed paths. She smiled at the childhood stories. It was obvious that ric had been the parental influence out of the three boys, getting the younger two out of trouble and basically taking care of them. It saddened her, because she feared that he hadn¡¯t had much of a childhood and probably wouldn¡¯t have had any if it hadn¡¯t been for Racheal¡¯s parents. Their home had been cold and sterile, but the boys had made the best of it and they supported one another above all else. One brother took over the family business, growing it in ways their father never could. The other had used all those afternoons ying ball and turned it into a ster career. And ric ended up doing what he had always done: taking care of others.


    Mere minutes passed after thest word was spoken and she¡¯d already begun to drift off. Unsure of whether she was dreaming or not, she felt ric¡¯s velvety soft lips brush her forehead, and she sank a little deeper into sleep and a little further into ric.


    ¡ª¡ª-


    ric jerked awake, slow to process what exactly had woken him up. Wasn¡¯t his rm or phone. The room was silent. Thin rays of early morning sunlight streamed through the blinds. Brushing the hair out of his face, he squinted and then reached out to find the warm body of-


    The space beside him was empty. He jackknifed off the bed, dropping his hands to where the pajama bottoms rested low on his hips. Son of a mother¡¯s tit, where in the hell was she? If she was sleeping on that goddamn couch downstairs, he might strangle her.

 53

    Spinning around, he stalked out of the bedroom and started toward the stairs, when he stopped. It was barely audible, the soft sound, but he heard iting from the extra bedroom he¡¯d put Vanessa in. A huge knot formed in his stomach as he stepped forward, pushing the bedroom door open.


    Vanessa was unaware of him. That much was certain. She was wearing pinkcy panties, and her hair fell forward in soft, dark waves as she got one arm through her white blouse. Did she think she was really going to work?


    ¡°What are you doing?¡±


    Her chin rose as she turned to the door. A faint flush stained her cheeks, her eyes wide without the sses. ¡°Don¡¯t you know how to knock on a door?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s my house.¡±


    Her lips turned down at the corners. ¡°You still should knock!¡±


    Walking into the room, he stopped a few feet from her and folded his arms. ¡°Vanessa, you cannot be getting ready for work.¡±


    ¡°Whatever,¡± she muttered, turning around and giving him an eyeful of that perfect ass. His sex responded, swelling painfully. He tried to ignore it, because seriously, the hardness was fucking inappropriate at the moment.


    He took a deep breath and inconspicuously adjusted his erection. ¡°Don¡¯t you think you should rest¡­Especially after everything you found out yesterday about Chris-¡±


    ¡°I feel okay,¡± she answered, turning slightly. Her brow pinched, and there was a wrenching sensation in his chest as he watched her struggle to get her arm into her blouse.


    She might feel alright, but this was ridiculous. She couldn¡¯t just push everything out of her mind and go on with everything bottled up inside. She needed some time. He stepped toward her, but she backpedaled.


    ¡°There¡¯s nothing wrong with taking a few days off and rxing,¡± he reasoned in a patient tone that even surprised him. ¡°We can chill at the house, watch some bad movies, and-¡±


    ¡°No!¡± Her voice cracked on the word. ¡°I need to go to work. I need to be there and I have important things to do.¡±Owned by N?velDrama.Org.


    ¡°You do not need to be there.¡± As she started to button her blouse, covering the sweet swells lifted by the pink bra, he inched closer to her. ¡°You need to be here.¡±


    Her fingers stopped and she lifted her gaze. ¡°Here?¡±


    The way she said that one word, like it was the most horrifying idea, was confusing and fucking irritating. Opening his mouth to point that out, he stopped when he watched her gaze dart from him to the door and back again, as if she were judging the distance. But to do what?


    It hit him then with the force of a Mack truck. Vanessa was running.


    Running from him, and the reason why seemed ridiculous, but this woman had moremitment issues than his two brothersbined. She had slept beside him all night and he knew without a shadow of a doubt that it was a big deal. Something like that shouldn¡¯t be such a big deal, but it was to her.


    He wasn¡¯t going to let her run. That shit stopped now. ¡°You¡¯re staying here.¡±


    Anger shed in her eyes, turning them nearly ck. ¡°Are you telling me what to do?¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡± He shed a quick grin. ¡°Someone has to.¡±


    ¡°No one needs to.¡± Her hands dropped to her sides, balling into fists.


    ¡°I disagree. See, that¡¯s your problem. You¡¯ve spent your whole life bossing people around and taking care of other people¡¯s lives.¡± Pointing out that she also spent her life running from intimacy was so not a good idea right now. ¡°That changes today. I¡¯m telling you what to do and I¡¯m going to take care of you.¡±


    Her mouth dropped open as she stared at him. Then she swallowed. ¡°I don¡¯t know if I should be pissed off or ttered by that statement.¡±


    ¡°I say we go with ttered.¡±


    Turning away, she lifted her arm and pressed her palm to her forehead. ¡°I¡­I appreciate what you¡¯re trying to do, but I need to go to work.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s thest thing you need to do.¡± He took another step, catching the scent of lcs and vani. ¡°Come on, don¡¯t fight me on this. Anything but this. For crying out loud, just let me take care of you.¡±


    Her chest rose swiftly. ¡°Why¡­why would you want to?¡±


    Had she really just asked that? ¡°Why wouldn¡¯t I want to?¡±


    As she watched him wryly, her lower lip trembled. It was the only real emotion she showed and for a moment, he thought she was going to cave, that the woman would finally listen to him, but then she shook her head and started reworking the buttons.


    Reaching deep inside for a patience he didn¡¯t really have but seemed to grasp whenever he was around Vanessa, he crossed the distance between them, then stopped short when he saw the tiny drop glistening on her face.


    Like someone had reached in and squeezed his heart, he closed his hands around empty air. ¡°Vanessa, baby¡­¡±


    She blinked rapidly as she backed away, hitting the edge of the bed. ¡°No. I¡¯m fine. I can go to work.¡±


    He was at a loss as to what to do, so all he could do was try to understand. ¡°Why? Why do you have to do this?¡±


    Her fingers shook as she lowered her hands. ¡°Because it¡¯s my job.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s not a good enough reason.¡±


    Her throat worked and when she blinked again, hershes were damp. ¡°It¡¯s the only thing I have. Is that a good enough reason for you, ric? My job is it. There¡¯s nothing else and focusing on my job, well, that allows me not to really dwell on the fact that I have no one. I¡¯m not like you. I don¡¯t have brothers and I don¡¯t have a surrogate family. I¡­¡± She broke off, the tears welling and spilling over her cheeks. Frustration pulled at her lips as she squeezed her eyes shut. ¡°I don¡¯t know what else to say, and I don¡¯t want to think about this. I don¡¯t want to think about anything.¡±


    ric did the only thing he could think of in that moment, because all he wanted was for her to stop crying. Cupping her cheeks, he smoothed away the tears. Their eyes locked, and the flicker of arousal in her stare was greater than the distrust he also saw.


    ¡°You have me,¡± he said, meaning it.

 54

    The moment he said those words, he knew how true they were. She had him.


    Her mouth opened, but he snaked an arm around her waist and carefully hauled her up against him and kissed her.


    He kissed her in a way he¡¯d never really kissed a woman before.Owned by N?velDrama.Org.


    It was a sweet brush of lips and tender pressure, a kiss of reverence, and it shook him to the core. His hand shook as he smoothed his palm over her cheek, slowly deepening to the kiss. He expected her to fight him, but her lips parted and her tongue flicked over his first. His arousal surged hard and heavy, but he slowed it down, not wanting to hurt her or to send her running again.


    But she wasn¡¯t running now.


    Vanessa looped her uninjured arm around his neck, her hand delving deep in his hair, holding her to him. The kiss turned fiercer, harder, and it was all her.


    ¡°Stay here,¡± he coaxed, letting his hand slip down, over the curve of her breast, to her hip. ¡°Stay here and I¡¯ll make sure you don¡¯t think about anything.¡±


    Vanessa shuddered against him and her dampshes lowered.


    He kissed the corner of her lips. ¡°Let me take care of you, Vanessa.¡±


    Her fingers tightened in his hair, causing sharp, delicious sparks of pain in his scalp. Yep, that turned him on.


    ¡°Why?¡± she whispered against his mouth. ¡°Why?¡±


    ¡°Because I want to.¡± He pressed his lips to her temple. ¡°It¡¯s as simple as that. I want to. And if you let me, you won¡¯t regret it. You won¡¯t think about a thing. I promise you.¡±


    She was silent and still and then she removed her hand from his hair. His stomach tightened and he prepared for another bout of fighting.


    But she ced her cheek against his bare chest and let out a deep, troubled sigh. ¡°Okay,¡± she whispered. ¡°Okay.¡±


    Not one to waste time, especially with this woman, he slid his arm under her knees and picked her up. She didn¡¯t say anything, just turned her cheek farther into his chest. His heart thumped heavily when he felt her lips pressed against his skin. Oh yeah, she wasn¡¯t going to be doing any thinking any time soon.


    Carrying her back to his bedroom , heid her down gently on the bed. He hovered over her, his fingers lingering above the buttons on her blouse. ¡°How do you feel?¡±


    She stared up at him, her cheeks flushed. ¡°Much better. I admit.¡±


    ¡°Good.¡± He made quick work of the tiny buttons, parting the soft material.


    Sliding an arm under her back, he sat her up, and it did strange things to his heart when she rested against him. ¡°Gosh¡­ The things I want to do to you¡­¡±


    He carefully removed the shirt from her shoulder, sliding it over her skin. Dropping the material aside, he reached around her, unhooked her bra, and ced a kiss to the side of her neck.


    ¡°Is this how you¡¯re going to take care of me?¡± she asked.


    ¡°One of the ways.¡± Guiding her down, he leaned over her, soaking in the way she looked in his bed, only in her panties. She started to cover her chest, but he caught her arms, easing them back to her sides. ¡°You¡¯re absolutely beautiful. No reason to hide yourself.¡±


    A flush traveled down her throat and over her chest. Her nipples tightened under the intensity of his gaze. He smiled and then dipped his head, flicking his tongue over each nipple before sucking one into his mouth. Her moan reverberated through his skull, an erotic cocktail that made his arousal almost painful.


    Her hips shifted restlessly, drawing his attention. Grinning, he kissed his way down her belly,pping and nipping as he went. By the time he pulled off her panties, she was ready for him. He licked into her sweet hotness, groaning at the taste of what he¡¯d been craving since yesterday. Some men thought this was a chore, but with Vanessa, it was a fucking blessing. Delving in with his tongue, he watched her.


    Her lips parted and her breasts rose and fell seductively. When his tongue circled her clit, her head fell back against the pillow and a soft, mewling moan escaped her rosy lips.


    ¡°Goddamn,¡± he groaned, his eyes riveted to her face. His body ached to be inside her. There was a good chance he was going to lose it without even getting his pajama bottoms off. Release was burning through him, already on the brink of an orgasm. He¡¯d never been this hot for a woman before. He¡¯d never fucking cared this much.


    The L word was forming in his thoughts, and what did ya know, it didn¡¯t freak him out. It didn¡¯t make him want to run for the hills screaming. On the other hand, it made him want to mark her, to im her. It made him want to please her and to hear her say those words.


    When had it started? He didn¡¯t know. Was it the moment she¡¯d burst through the door at Leather and Lace or further back when he showed up at her doorstep, when she¡¯de to the house the very first time? Or was it the first time she¡¯d cried out,ing in his arms? It could¡¯ve been on the ride to dinner afterward or in her office, her sweet ass up on her desk.  Last night, when she¡¯d finally curled up against him? Or just now, when he¡¯d walked in on her, finally seeing her vulnerable.


    All of his brothers had fallen hard and fallen fast for their women, so why would he be any different? Honestly, he didn¡¯t care what moment had made it happen.


    ric slipped a finger in her wetness and was rewarded with a breathy moan. Taking deep breaths and putting the brakes on the way his hips unconsciously followed the movements of his fingers, he worked slowly. He was captivated by the flicker of emotions whirling across her face and drawn in by the way she rolled her hips, coaxing him deeper and faster.


    ¡°Please,¡± she said. ¡°ric, please.¡±


    Dropping between her thighs, he blew a hot breath over her clit, and she cried out. ¡°I¡¯m here, right here,¡± he said.

 55

    Her breaths came out in pants. ¡°No.¡±


    ric froze between her thighs. ¡°No?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t want that,¡± she said, eyes open and fixed on his face. ¡°I want you.¡±


    ¡°You have me.¡±


    A smile raced across her lips, full and absolutely dazzling. Luckiest man alive to be on the receiving end of something so fucking marvelous. ¡°I want you in me.¡±Content provided by N?velDrama.Org.


    Holy shit, had he heard her right? Like being handed a winning lottery ticket and not believing it. ¡°Are you sure?¡±


    Fuck. Listen to him. Are you sure?


    She wet her lips, and he groaned. ¡°Positive.¡±


    For a few seconds, he didn¡¯t move, and then he was up and off that bed faster than any man had ever moved, shucking off his bottoms even quicker. He reached into the nightstand and grabbed a foil wrapper, tossing it on the bed beside her.


    A breathyugh came from Vanessa. ¡°Excited?¡± she asked,


    ¡°You have no idea.¡±


    ¡ª¡ª¨C


    Vanessa was beginning to get a good idea of how excited ric was as she eyed his thick, rigid erection as he rolled a condom on. Good God, he was huge and unbelievably hard, and she was also pretty sure that he was going to fuck every troublesome thought out of her head in a matter of seconds.


    When she¡¯d woken this morning, she had panicked. All the things she¡¯d told himst night had felt like bitter ash on her tongue this morning. Never had she talked about her mother or anything with any man, but she had with ric.


    Walls she had built around her had cracked wide open, and as she¡¯din there, gazing at ric as he slept, she¡¯d let herself feel what was building inside her.


    The rush of emotions was nothing short of disastrous. God, she wanted him, and not just on a physical level. She wanted a tomorrow and a weekend. She wanted a next week and a next month. She wanted a future, and she had never wanted that before.


    The swelling that had taken ce in her chest had been too much. She¡¯d panicked and raced from the bed, needing the familiar-her job-but ric, he¡¯d done another thing that no one had ever been able to do.


    He¡¯d chased her down, caught her, and brought her back. And now she was here, and she wasn¡¯t running.


    ric swooped in, kissing her deeply, and bringing her back to the present. The taste of him lingered on her lips as he got his hands under her hips. As he sat back, he pulled her onto her knees, straddling him.


    ¡°Tell me anything, and I¡¯ll do whatever you want.¡± He  said, cradling her hips.


    Her heart pounded at the words, at the feel of him prodding at her entrance. Air moved in and out of her throat too quickly for her to speak. He kissed her again, tasting her lips and her mouth.


    ¡°I¡¯ve wanted this for so long,¡± he said, running his hands down her front, cupping her breasts. ¡°The first time you came here, I wanted to kick Paul¡¯s ass out of the house and fuck you right there in the foyer.¡±


    At those words, her body went wet and ready. ¡°In the foyer?¡±


    ¡°Fuck yeah,¡± he groaned against her parted lips. ¡°I would¡¯ve stripped those damn pants off you, flipped you onto your knees, and taken you from behind, my hands holding your breasts as I fucked you long and hard. Soon, I¡¯m going to have to live out my fantasy.¡±


    Oh God¡­ ¡°Promise?¡±


    ¡°Cross my heart.¡±


    Need mmed into her core at the images of him taking her roughly on the floor. She reached down between them, gripping him and stroking the hard, hot length, and his hips punched forward.


    ¡°God,¡± he moaned, pressing a fiery trail of kisses down her neck. ¡°You keep that up and I¡¯m going to be inside you in two seconds.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m notining.¡± She moved her thumb over his head, delighted in the bead of moisture already forming there.


    He chuckled deeply but gripped her hand, pulling her away. ¡°I want to savor this.¡± His gaze crawled over her face. ¡°I want to give you a taste of what it will be like with me.¡±


    She shuddered as she ran her hands up his taut abs. ¡°Is this not going to be like it normally will be?¡±


    A wicked, downright sinful look appeared on his striking face, and she pulsed between her legs. ¡°Oh, it will be like this, but there¡¯ll be other times when I¡¯ll want to tie you up again. You liked thatst time, didn¡¯t you?¡±


    ¡°Yes,¡± she whispered, closing her eyes.


    He sucked her lower lip into his mouth, and her hips pressed down on his erection. ¡°Say it again.¡±


    Breathless, she rotated her pelvis, wanting and needing him. ¡°Yes.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s my girl.¡± He skated a hand down between her breasts, over her quivering stomach to her bottom. A secondter, his handnded solidly on her ass, causing her body to jerk and for every part in her to clench up with need. ¡°Yeah, you like that, too.¡±


    He smacked her ass again, and Vanessa cried out, her body and mind spinning. ¡°Oh God¡­¡±


    His hand came down once more, and she kissed him without any inhibition, unashamed at how wet and lush her body became in response to his teasing strikes.


    ¡°So we¡¯ll definitely be doing some of that.¡± His hand trailed over her bottom, soothing away the burn. ¡°And then I¡¯ll take you against the wall. The floor. The kitchen counter. Every damn ce in this house¡±


    Vanessa¡¯s eyes flew open as the pressure turned to a pleasure with a bite of pain. ¡°ric!¡±


    His eyes held a wealth of sensual promise. ¡°Yeah, I can tell you¡¯re going to like that.¡± His hand drifted away, curving over her hip. He tugged her up, over where his arousal stood out, proud andmanding. He gripped himself in his other hand, stroking himself slowly. ¡°Tell me what you want.¡±


    ¡°You.¡± She ced her hands on his shoulders as she watched his hand move. In response, her body tightened.


    ¡°I think you can say it better.¡±


    Her gaze swung up and her eyes narrowed. ¡°You.¡±


    Stroke up. Stroke down. ¡°Better than that.¡±


    ¡°I want¡­¡±


    Hisrge hand pumped. ric groaned as his back arched. ¡°Come on, baby.¡±

 56

    Her mouth watered as she rocked her body closer, feeling him slide through her wetness and then retreat.


    ¡°Naughty,¡± he murmured, his grip tightening on her hip, adjusting her right above him. Just a thrust away. ¡°Tell me.¡±


    She wanted to continue to push, but she was burning up on the inside. Then he shifted and his head pushed in. A spasmshed through her and she tried to bear down, to take him fully, but he stilled her.


    Vanessa wanted to punch the guy, but she wanted him inside her more. ¡°I want you.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s all you ever have to say.¡±


    He thrust up, and Vanessa cried out as he entered her in one deep and long thrust of his hips. The pressure of him filling her was nearly overwhelming, and he held still as her body adjusted to his size.


    ¡°I¡¯ve never felt something so¡­¡± He shook his head, eyes opening and fixing on hers. One hand curled around the back of her head, urging her down to his mouth. He kissed her, drawing her in as he moved his hips again. ¡°You¡¯re fucking perfect.¡±


    Vanessa let those words wrap around her as she braced herself on her knees and started to slowly ride him, matching his thrusts. Pleasure coiled tightly as he withdrew and then eased his way back in. She¡¯d never felt so full before. The slow pace picked up and his hips were pounding up into hers as she held onto his shoulders, matching him. Shards of pleasure hit her. She shouted out as the orgasm tore through her, deep and fast, and wholly shattering.


    Her release was still rolling through her as ric unexpectedly lifted her. She whimpered at the loss of the fullness, but then he turned her around.  All she was focused on was the man now behind her, whispering things that scorched her cheeks and ears. The man was raw and primitive. He oozed sex and pleasure like most men breathed.


    ric guided her so that her back was against his chest. He spread her thighs wide and seated himself deep inside her. She moaned at the fullness of the new position and then tensed when he cupped her breast, rolling her nipple and plucking until it ached deliciously. His other hand trailed down her stomach, his fingers easily finding the bundle of nerves at the juncture of her thighs, and then he started to move again.


    ¡°Oh God,¡± she gasped, eyes wide, mouth parted.


    The friction of him moving in and out, along with both his hands working her, was too much on her sensitive skin. She wanted him to stop, to speed up, and it was too much and yet never enough. The second time she came, he joined her. As he dropped his head against her shoulder, his thrusts became irregr, soul searing and deep. She pulsed and squeezed around him as he came, his hard muscles flexing against her back.


    When the storm passed, she could feel his heart pounding just as quickly as hers. His lips brushed against her neck, so tender and sweet. ¡°You okay?¡± he asked, voice husky.


    ¡°Yes.¡± She was shaking, and as he eased out of her, she would¡¯ve fallen t on her face if he hadn¡¯t held onto her.


    ric eased them down onto the bed, nestling her front to his chest, his hand on her bare hip. ¡°Are you sure?¡±


    Other than feeling absolutely boneless and like a useless pile of goo, she felt great. A sleepy smile tugged at her lips. ¡°I¡¯m sure.¡±


    He leaned over, kissing her softly, and as he pulled back, he pulled her closer so that their legs tangled together. ¡°I could use a nap.¡±


    She giggled, not even embarrassed by the light sound. ¡°We just got up.¡±


    ¡°Yep. I still could use a nap.¡±


    Closing her eyes, she listened to his heart rate slow down. ¡°Okay. Me, too.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re not going to make a mad dash for the other bedroom and lock yourself in?¡±


    Her smile spread. ¡°No.¡±


    One eye pried open. ¡°You promise?¡±


    ¡°Promise.¡±


    ¡ª¡ª¡ªContent provided by N?velDrama.Org.


    The day of the funeral dawned appropriately overcast with a threat of raining in from the south. Almost if even now, Christopher Wesley made sure to direct the weather to what he found appropriate.


    Shaking off a particrly strong bit of mncholy, Vanessa continued getting dressed. In a way, this funeral wasn¡¯t only to memorialize the death of her husband, but also the end of her marriage and all the hopes and dreams she¡¯d once had. Though they¡¯d died a slow, painful death over thest few years, today would be the day they were finallyid to rest along with Christopher.


    Smoothing down her ck dress, Vanessa chose a pair of low-heeled pumps. She eyed herself in the mirror.


    With her diamond studs and subdued ne, she almost couldn¡¯t recognize herself and didn¡¯t know if it was a good or bad thing. Hearing a knock on her bedroom door, she opened it to ric and tried not to stare.


    ric in faded jeans and a tight T-shirt was one thing. ric in a dark blue suit that looked as if it had been tailor-made for him was something else entirely.


    ¡°You look nice,¡± she managed, her mouth dry. How this man could, even now on the day of her husband¡¯s funeral, affect her so strongly, she¡¯d never understand.


    Herment made him smile that slow, sexy smile that sent heat straight to her belly. ¡°So do you. We clean up well, don¡¯t we?¡±


    Before she could answer, Paul appeared. He was alsoing to the funeral and like ric, he also wore a dark suit, though his was charcoal with pinstripes. He¡¯d even made an attempt to slick back his hair.


    ¡°Ready to go?¡± he boomed, pping ric on the back. ¡°I felt like I had toe remind you guys that we have to be there early,¡±


    ¡°I am,¡± Vanessa answered, summoning up a weary sort of smile. ¡°But before we do, I just want to say thank you. Coming here and supporting me means the world.¡±


    Paul kissed her cheek, clearly pleased. ric simply dipped his chin in acknowledgment of her words. She forced herself not to let her gaze linger on him.

 57

    They rode in silence. When they reached the funeral home, the sight of the ck hearse and limos made her breath catch in her chest.


    ¡°It¡¯s going to be okay, sweetheart.¡± ric patted her hand. ¡°I¡¯m right here.¡±


    She nodded. There were already a few other cars in the parking lot, even though the memorial service wasn¡¯t for another hour. She and Christopher¡¯s parents had been asked toe early.


    Once ric parked, the three of them walked into the somber but elegant lobby of the funeral home. A tall, gaunt man wearing a suit that clung to his bones greeted them and directed them to the proper area.


    Vanessa¡¯s heart sank when she saw that Steven and Lois Wesley had already arrived. They were deep in conversation with Jeremy ckenstock, who hurried over the instant he caught sight of her. She could have sworn he appeared relieved to see her.


    ¡°There you are,¡± he said, his dulcet tones conveying the right mix of sympathy andfort. ¡°How are you holding up?¡±


    Dragging her gaze away from her inws, who were both shooting hostile res toward her, she focused on Jeremy. ¡°I¡¯m doing okay.¡±


    ¡°d to hear it.¡± He cleared his throat, clearly ufortable. ¡°Christopher¡¯s parents are requesting changes to the service. Even though I¡¯ve told them we couldn¡¯t amodate their requests at thiste hour, I¡¯m afraid they are very insistent.¡±


    Her jaw had begun to ache from clenching it so tightly. ¡°I¡¯m sorry. Please ignore them. They have no business trying to change things. I¡¯ve already informed them that everything has been handled.¡±


    If anything, Jeremy¡¯s difort seemed to increase. He shifted his weight from one foot to the other and tugged on his cor. ¡°They brought a preacher,¡± he said. ¡°He apparently believes he¡¯s going to-¡±


    ¡°No.¡± Tamping down irritation mixed with anger, Vanessa shook her head. ¡°Where is he? I¡¯ll have a word with him.¡±


    ¡°He¡¯s in the other room, going over his notes.¡± Jeremy nced back at the Wesleys , who continued to re. ¡°I¡¯ve never had this happen before.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m so sorry.¡± Drama of any kind was thest thing she needed or wanted. Especially now, on today of all days. She knew the press would be covering the service, and she doubted Steven and Lois would wee any unfavorable coverage. ¡°I¡¯ll speak to them, as well.¡±


    Relief shed across Jeremy¡¯s normallyposed face. ¡°Thank you.¡± He moved away, heading toward the front entrance where his staff member greeted arrivals.


    ric leaned close, a big, handsome man wearing a well-fitting suit. ¡°If having a preacher gives his parents some peace, what does it matter? Christopher is gone, but I¡¯m thinking he was close to his mother and father. Surely he¡¯d want you to do whatever brought themfort.¡±


    Stunned, she stared at him. Because he was right. She¡¯d just have to figure out a way to mesh what she¡¯d nned with their vision.


    ¡°Thank you,¡± she told ric softly, wishing she had the right to kiss him, right then and right there. ¡°I¡¯ll speak to the preacher and have him coordinate his talk with the ones I have nned.¡±


    Once she¡¯d gotten Preacher Miller with Chloe-who, armed with her clipboard, was in charge of coordinating everything-and brought Jeremy up to speed, she made her way over to talk to Lois and Steven. Lois eyed her, appearing slightly apprehensive, while Steven seemed only weary. Griefy heavily on both their shoulders.


    ¡°I¡¯ve asked Preacher Miller to coordinate with the other speakers,¡± Vanessa said. ¡°I¡¯m so d you were able to have your own preachere to help with the service.¡±


    Steven nodded. ¡°He¡¯s a good man.¡±Owned by N?velDrama.Org.


    Vanessa nodded, searching for something else she could say. When Lois reached out and touched her arm, she started.


    ¡°Thank you,¡± Lois said, her eyes filling with tears. ¡°Having Preacher Miller speak words offort means a lot to us.¡±


    Vanessa pulled the older woman in for a quick hug. ¡°Let¡¯s go get set up. People will begin arriving soon and we¡¯ll need to be ready to greet them.¡±


    She turned and walked back into the other room, sure Christopher¡¯s parents were right behind her.


    The service went off beautifully. The news reporters were respectful and quiet and stayed near the back of the room. The packed room contained not only politicians, but other attorneys and judges who¡¯d worked with Christopher over the years, as well as many people who¡¯d made the long drive from Christopher¡¯s hometown.


    Vanessa kept her head down, the closed casket making it easier. She might not have loved him, but she still couldn¡¯t believe his life had been taken so violently and so soon.


    After, she and Paul and ric rode with Steven and Lois in the first two limos to the cemetery. All the other mourners followed behind. Once they were all gathered under the green tent, the preacher said a few more words and they each ced a white rose on the casket before it was lowered into the earth.


    Drained and numb, Vanessa sat in a folding chair and watched. d of her dark sunsses, she watched Lois sob in Steven¡¯s arms and hoped the other woman didn¡¯t wonder why she hadn¡¯t cried.


    The ride back to the funeral home felt endless. Sitting next to ric, hip to hip, knee to knee, she would have given much to have had the right to turn to him forfort. Of course, she couldn¡¯t, so she sat staring straight ahead.


    Finally, with ric driving and Paul in the back seat, she returned to ric¡¯s ce. Paul left the room immediately, saying he needed to call his fiance. ric, clearly sensing her mood, stayed out of her way, though he remained with her. She took to prowling from room to room, not sure what she hoped to find or do. The sharp stato sound of her heels matched the emptiness inside her. Engaged in a silent struggle, she ached to turn to ric forfort but knew that wouldn¡¯t be fair to him.


    The gray cloud of doom had settled around her, leaching all the brightness and light from the world. If she knew a magic spell that would help disperse it, she¡¯d say it. Now, she felt as if she stepped in quicksand and was sinking. It would be only a matter of time before she disappearedpletely. If the men searching for the missing three million dors didn¡¯t kill her first.

 58

    Shaking her head, she tried telling herself to snap out of it. While that hadn¡¯t helped in the past and most likely wouldn¡¯t now, she hated this perceived weakness inside herself.


    A n of action. That¡¯s what she needed. Except she had no idea what Christopher might have done with the money. If she couldn¡¯t find it, she would be screwed.


    She decided to act as if the police or the FBI would catch the caller or find the money or whatever. Once they¡¯d taken care of the threat, she could go on with figuring out a way to regain her life.


    When all this was behind her, the first thing she would do would be to sell the house she¡¯d shared with Christopher. The ce was too big and pretentious and had never truly felt like home. She¡¯d move somewhere smaller. That way she¡¯d be able to start over in her new life and finally figure out who she was meant to be. If ric crept into her thoughts here, she firmly pushed him away. As far as she knew, she and he had no future together.


    ¡°Are you okay?¡± ric¡¯s deep voice startled her out of her reverie.


    Too tired to lie, she shook her head. ¡°No. I¡¯m not.¡±


    ¡°Is there anything I can do to help?¡±


    Make love to me. The desire sprang up, irrational and strong, zing like a fire through her sluggish blood. She almost said the words out loud. Almost. Instead, she swallowed them back, stuffing them down into the deepest part of herself, hoping they would stay there.


    ¡°Thank you for asking.¡± She summoned up a polite, impersonal smile that she knew matched the emptiness in her eyes.


    ric had removed his jacket. He studied her quietly, his broad shoulders filling out his crisp white shirt.


    ¡°Come here,¡± he said, his voice gruff as he held out his arms.


    Heaven help her, but she walked right into them as if there¡¯d been an invisible rope between them and he¡¯d given it a tug. As he held her, she felt the warmth begin to flow back into her limbs. She could smell the faint, familiar scent of his cologne, the same mint and musk that he¡¯d always worn. He didn¡¯t speak, didn¡¯t try to ask her questions or attempt to fix whatever her problem might turn out to be. Instead, he simply offered thefort of his touch.


    Blinking back tears, she wondered how his embrace could still mean so much to her, especially since she no longer had the faintest idea who she really was.


    ¡ª¡ª¡ª-


    When Vanessa stepped back from his embrace, letting her go felt a hundred times more difficult than it should have been. ric turned away, hoping he could manage to tamp down his arousal before she noticed. Hell of a thing, wanting to make love to the widow the day of her husband¡¯s funeral. Only the fact that it had never been a real marriage kept him from feeling like a total tool.


    ¡°Hey, you two.¡± Paul sauntered into the kitchen. ¡°How about we go for a walk or some drinks or something? Might help clear some of the mncholy.¡±


    ¡°Great idea,¡± ric replied. ¡°I need a minute to change.¡±


    Vanessa didn¡¯t move. ¡°You two go on without me. I think I¡¯ll stay.¡±


    Though disappointment clouded his face, ric shrugged. ¡°Alright. We¡¯ll be back soon,¡±


    Vanessa simply nodded and ric hurried upstairs to change. He didn¡¯t dare look at her. He knew if he did, he¡¯d feelpelled to try to talk her into going. He knew as well as she did how much a walk could improve one¡¯s mood. After he changed and headed out to the garage, Vanessa was nowhere in sight. He and Paul drove instead of taking a walk. They had a few drinks and although ric had a fewughs with Paul, he didn¡¯t feelfortable without his eyes on Vanessa.


    Finally, Paul dropped his ss. ¡°What do you think? Should we head back now?¡±Owned by N?velDrama.Org.


    ¡°Yeah, I think we should go on back to the house,¡± ric said. ¡°If  you want to continue to enjoy the day out here, I¡¯ll leave you to it.¡±


    Paul frowned. He checked his watch. ¡°It is gettingte. You¡¯re probably right, and you shouldn¡¯t leave Vanessa alone for so long, especially on the day of Christopher¡¯s burial.¡±


    They got into the car and headed back the way they¡¯de. It seemed to take forever to get back to the house. When they finally made it through the gate and pulled up in her driveway, ric  fought the urge to hop off and run for the house to make sure she was okay.


    Instead, he made himself go slowly. Once inside, he headed to Vanessa¡¯s room. Her door was closed, so he tapped lightly on it. ¡°Vanessa? Are you okay?¡±


    When she didn¡¯t immediately answer, he tried again.


    ¡°I¡¯m fine,¡± she finally said, her voice shaky. ¡°I need some space. I¡¯ll be down soon.¡±


    ric backed away. More than anything, he wanted to bust through that door and gather her in his arms.


    Since she clearly didn¡¯t need that, he¡¯d do as she requested and leave her alone. Back downstairs, he walked outside where Paul stood. Now that he knew that Vanessa was safe, he wasn¡¯t sure what to do with himself.


    ¡°Is she okay?¡± Paul asked him,


    ric managed a nonchnt shrug. ¡°I think so. She¡¯s holed up in her room. Says she wants to be left alone.¡±


    ¡°That makes sense.¡± Paul sighed. ¡°Has Vanessa had any luck finding the missing money?¡±


    ¡°No.¡±


    ¡°Well, that sucks,¡±


    ¡°Tell me about it,¡±


    Paul was silent for a while then he said, ¡°Have you told her?¡±


    ric stared nkly at him, ¡°About what?¡± he asked


    ¡°About how you feel about her,¡±


    ric shook his head, ¡°No, I haven¡¯t. How can I? I don¡¯t deserve her. She deserves someone better¡­. NotNot someone like me. Besides, with all the drama going on the funeral, I¡¯m sure thest thing she wants to hear about are my feelings,¡±


    Paul stared at him like he was crazy, ¡°So, you really going to let her go? Look ric, I¡¯ve never seen you act this way about any woman since I¡¯ve known you, and you¡¯re really going to let her go? You know, for a smart guy, you are making a very stupid decision, but hey, it¡¯s none of my business,¡±


    Paul walked toward the door that led into the house. ¡°Let¡¯s go find Vanessa and see how she¡¯s doing.¡± He said.

 59

    The instant they stepped into the kitchen, ric could tell something was wrong. Vanessa stood at the kitchen counter, an open bottle of wine in front of her, a half-full winess in her hand. Her dark eyes seemed huge in her pale face.


    ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡± Paul asked. ¡°You look like you¡¯ve seen a ghost.¡±


    ¡°The early news just ended,¡± Vanessa said, her voice wavering. ¡°They said the FBI is investigating Christopher for campaign vitions. Chloe is, ording to the news story, cooperating fully. I tried to call her and she wouldn¡¯t take my call.¡±


    ric cursed. This was the first he¡¯d heard of that. Usually, his boss made sure he stayed on top of things and kept him fully briefed regarding Christopher¡¯s case.


    Though Paul didn¡¯t speak, but judging from his steely re, he didn¡¯t like the news either. ¡°I knew thatdy was bad news,¡± he said,


    ¡°You know she was fully involved.¡± ric said, ¡°She¡¯s selling out her dead boss to try and save her own skin. Though I can¡¯t really me her, I¡¯m guessing she doesn¡¯t care what an investigation like that will do to you.¡±


    ¡°Obviously not.¡± Vanessa took a long drink of wine. ¡°I¡¯m dreading when his parents find out.¡± Looking from ric to her Paul, she sighed. ¡°Well, the press is having a field day.¡± She took another sip of wine. The vulnerability in her eyes tugged at ric¡¯s heart.


    ¡°Just don¡¯t answer your phone,¡± ric advised. ¡°It¡¯s bad enough you¡¯ve got some guy demanding money and making threats against you, but now this. I¡¯m imagining you¡¯ll be getting calls from all sorts of news outlets.¡±


    ¡°I already have.¡± She pointed toward her phone. ¡°I had to turn it off. They were blowing up my phone. Someone published the number.¡±


    Muttering under his breath, Paul excused himself and took off for the stairs. ric and Vanessa silently watched him go.


    ¡°He¡¯s probably going to make some calls and try for damage control,¡± Vanessa said wearily. ¡°Though I think it¡¯s toote for that.¡±


    The doorbell chimed, interrupting whatever else she¡¯d been about to say. Vanessa stiffened. ¡°Surely those reporters aren¡¯t going to start pounding on the door.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll go see who it is,¡± ric offered. ¡°Wait right here.¡±


    He checked the peephole first. When he saw Steven and Lois Wesley standing on the doorstep, he winced.


    For a few seconds, he debated not answering and pretending no one was home, but he decided not to. He¡¯d no sooner opened the door when Lois Wesley pushed past him, demanding to see Vanessa. Steven reached for her, no doubt intending to try to calm her, but she shoved him away hard.Content provided by N?velDrama.Org.


    ¡°Where is she?¡± Lois strode past him on her way toward the kitchen.


    Before ric could answer, Vanessa stepped out into the hall. ¡°Lois?¡±


    Lois stopped short, as quickly as if she¡¯d been jerked on a chain. She red daggers at Vanessa, herplexion mottled with fury. ¡°How could you?¡± she demanded. ¡°Why on earth are you so intent on ruining my son¡¯s reputation? What did he ever do to you to make you so hateful?¡±


    ¡°Are you talking about the news story?¡± Vanessa stared right back, clearly undaunted. ¡°Because I don¡¯t honestly know how you could possibly think I had anything to do with that. It was all Chloe.¡±


    ¡°Right,¡± Steven scoffed. ¡°We know Chloe. She waspletely loyal to Christopher. She¡¯d never turn on him like this.¡±


    Looking from one to the other, ric had to wonder how much Christopher¡¯s parents knew. Had they possibly been aware that their son had been misusing campaign funds? If so, it seemed likely Chloe would implicate them too.


    ¡°Perhaps you should rewatch the news coverage,¡± Vanessa pointed out gently. ¡°They said Chloe was cooperating with authorities. Of course, I didn¡¯t believe that for one second. But when I called her, she wouldn¡¯t take my call.¡±


    Steven and Lois exchanged nces. ric could tell by the shell-shocked expressions on their faces that the possibility had never urred to them until they¡¯d seen it on the news. Had they just now realized Chloe might have betrayed them?


    He saw the moment Vanessa came to the same realiza-tion. ¡°You knew,¡± she said, the disbelief in her voice matching the shock in her face. ¡°All along, you knew full well what Christopher was doing. Were you in on it with him and Chloe?¡±


    Lois pped her. Hard enough to send Vanessa reeling. ¡°How dare you,¡± Lois began,


    ¡°Lady, you¡¯d better get a hold of yourself right now,¡± ric ordered, trying to tamp back the fury. ¡°That was uncalled for. Don¡¯t even think about moving one inch closer to her, or touching her again.¡± He warned, his furious expression and clenched fists a warning.


    Even Paul looked very angry. ¡°Touch her again and I won¡¯t be responsible for what happens to you.¡± He said.


    ¡°Threats,¡± Steven muttered. ¡°Just great. Now we¡¯ve these guys threatening us. Maybe my hunch was right. Did you have something you were holding over my son¡¯s head? Something you used to get him involved in illegal activities?¡±


    ric could hardly believe his ears.  One hand to her cheek, Vanessa finally spoke up. ¡°You need to leave,¡± she said, her voice t. ¡°I want both of you out of this house right this instant.¡±


    No one moved. ric wondered if Christopher¡¯s parents would attempt to ignore Vanessa¡¯s order. Not on his watch.


    ¡°I¡¯ll escort you to the door,¡± he said, taking Lois¡¯s arm and turning her forcibly around. ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡±


    ¡°Get your filthy hands off me!¡± she screamed, slinging herself backward toward her husband. She iled about, still trying to get to Vanessa. ¡°You cheated on my son and got him killed. I¡¯ll never forgive you for that.¡±


    Steven caught her and held her with one arm, both keeping her close and stopping her from any further hysteria. ¡°Let¡¯s go,¡± he said, edging them both backward toward the front door. Both Paul and ric advanced toward them, which served to hurry them along.


    ¡°You¡¯re not wee here again,¡± ric snarled. ¡°And if you every a hand on Vanessa again, you¡¯ll have me to answer to.¡±


    Steven hustled his wife out the door without another word. ric mmed it behind them, turning the lock on the dead bolt. When he and Paul returned to the kitchen, they found Vanessa holding up a bag of frozen peas to her cheek.

 60

    It took every ounce of self-control ric possessed not to go to her. ¡°Are you okay?¡± he asked, managing to keep his distance.


    She nodded but didn¡¯t speak. He could tell by the wobbly set of her mouth that she was trying not to cry.


    ¡°They¡¯re awful people,¡± Paul said. ¡°Don¡¯t let them get to you.¡±


    ¡°All of this is getting to me,¡± she said. ¡°I miss how my life used to be. There¡¯s three million dors missing and I have no idea where it might be. Oh, and someone not only calls and threatens me, but they shoot out my window and mess up my properties. Now this¡­. I honestly don¡¯t know how much more I can take. All I want to do after this is over is move away from everyone and everything and start over. It seems to be the only way my life is going to ever get normal again.¡±


    ric edged out of the room. He didn¡¯t want to hear any more.


    ¡ª¡ª¡ª


    Vanessa watched ric withdraw into himself and fought back tears. She could take the Wesleys enmity and rancor, she could take the whole world knowing that her former husband had been a cheat and a con man, but she didn¡¯t know if she could ept ric distancing himself from her.


    She¡¯d been wrong. Making love with him had changed things. She just hadn¡¯t wanted to face it. Yet while she had to acknowledge that, she also knew some things remained unchanged. ric wasmitted to his job and the fact was that he would always choose that over her. That stung. Hell, more than stung. It freaking hurt. And even then, even knowing the painful truth, somehow her foolish heart still wanted him.


    Long after darkness had fallen, Vanessa tossed and turned in her bed. Tired of trying to rationalize her physical desire with her shattered heart, she got up and went to her window. Outside, the full moon illuminated her yard and the brick wall surrounding it.


    Movement outside caught her eye, making her tense up. A pinpoint of light swept the ground below, the low buzzing sound unlike anything she¡¯d ever heard. Her eyes widened as she recognized what it was. It was a drone, and she had to get down immediately. She¡¯d seen enough movies to know what drones could do. Jumping aside, she dropped to the floor and crawled toward the door, d of her dark room. If the thing was armed, she wanted to make herself the small-est6 target possible. Luckily, her window was closed. She figured if it crashed into the ss, the drone woulde apart.


    By the time she reached her closed bedroom door, the thing hovered right outside her window, its bright light illuminating most of her room. She dived for the door just as the drone tapped against the ss, lightly and precisely enough to tell her whoever controlled it was very good at the job.


    She¡¯d just turned the knob when the drone exploded, blowing out her window and sending shards of ss like deadly weapons into her room.


    ¡°Vanessa!¡± ric¡¯s voice, yelling out her name. She focused on that, despite the stabbing pain in her leg.


    Somehow, she managed to pull the door open and half fell into the hallway, one hand against her leg. Heart pounding, she scrambled away from her doorway, dimly registering the trail of blood she left in her wake.


    ¡°Are you all right?¡± Reaching her, ric scooped her up in his muscr arms and hauled her farther down the hall. ¡°Are you okay?¡± she asked him, concerned.


    ¡°Yes¡­ But you¡­. ¡± ric answered. ¡°What happened?¡±


    ¡°It was a drone rigged with explosives.¡± Briefly she closed her eyes. When she reopened them, she found his face mere inches from hers. ¡°Someone aimed it right at my window.¡±


    Fury warred with concern in his dark eyes. He focused intently on her. ¡°There¡¯s a lot of blood. Where are you hurt?¡±


    Hurt. Odd how being with him made everything else fade into insignificance. In his arms, she finally felt safe. ncing down at her bare leg, she saw arge piece of ss sticking out of her thigh. ¡°There.¡± She pointed. ¡°It went in kind of deep, but I¡¯m going to pull it out. Can you grab a towel or find something I can use to stop the bleeding?¡±


    Instead, he took a look himself. ¡°Luckily, that thing lodged in the fleshy part of your leg, rather than near an artery or something. Do you have any more wounds that you know of?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t think so.¡± She took a deep breath, assessing. ¡°Nothing else hurts.¡±


    ¡°Good.¡± Though his tone seemed light, the grim set of his rugged jaw told a different story. Releasing her, he got up and disappeared into the bathroom, returning with arge bath towel. ¡°This ought to work,¡± he said, handing it to her. ¡°How about I yank it out and you apply the towel? Then, I can find bandages and antiseptic so we can get you fixed up.¡±


    Instantly, she nodded. ¡°Thank you,¡± she managed. ¡°I can be all brave in theory, but if I really think about it¡­¡±


    ¡°I got you,¡± he said, his voice gentle. ¡°Are you ready?¡±


    ¡°I think so.¡± Just in case, she looked away. ¡°Go for it.¡±


    ¡°One, two, three¡­ It¡¯s out.¡± He took the towel from her and pressed it against her leg.


    Surprised, she shook her head. ¡°Seriously? I didn¡¯t even feel that.¡±


    ¡°Good. You lucked out. It could have gone in a lot deeper.¡±


    ¡°Has any of the neighbors called the police?¡± she asked.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know. If not, I¡¯ll make sure it gets done. We might need the help. Hold still, sweetheart. Let me look.¡±


    Though she knew better, that sweetheart got her. He had called her that, right in the middle of lovemaking, the sexy rasp in his voice sending her over the edge every single time. She blinked, her face heating as she realized where her thoughts had gone.


    Luckily, ric did not appear to notice.


    ¡°So far so good,¡± ric announced. ¡°Once we get that cut cleaned and bandaged, you should be good to go.¡±


    After letting ric do exactly that, she swallowed a couple of ibuprofen and gingerly stretched. For the first time she realized she wore only pajamas, nothing underneath. Luckily, the baggy, oversize T-shirt wasn¡¯t revealing.Owned by N?velDrama.Org.

 61

    ¡°You got blood on your pj¡¯s,¡± ric pointed out. ¡°You have to change.¡± He nced at his watch.  ¡°It¡¯ste, but if there¡¯s any plywood around, I can get it nailed up over that window¡±


    Though privately she knew there was no way she could make herself go back into that room tonight, she nodded. ric seemed to read her mind because he said, ¡°I can get them for you. Just tell me what you want and where to find them.¡±


    Hispassion ignited a spark to warm her inner chill. ¡°The third drawer down in my main dresser has my pajama bottoms. Any pair will do.¡±


    He nodded. ¡°Wait right here.¡±


    As if she intended on going anywhere. Wrapping her arms around her middle, she watched as he disappeared into her room. Though the idea of his hands on her personal things made her feel slightly unsettled, she appreciated his offer of help.


    ¡°Here you go.¡± Returning, he handed her a pair of ck-and-red-id nnel bottoms. Since she didn¡¯t have the heart to tell him those were for winter, she thanked him and took them into the bathroom to change. Once she had, she wadded up the bloody pair and ced them in the trash. After washing her hands, she stepped back into the hall. The sound of hammering told her ric was already hard at work boarding up her window. The knowledge should have made her feel safe, but didn¡¯t. If she let herself, she knew she¡¯d keep seeing the bright light of the drone approaching her window, crawling away and almost making it just before the thing exploded. No thank you. Her bedroom would be off-limits for tonight.


    ¡°The police are on their way,¡± ric said, as soon as he returned. ¡°Do you want me to get you a bathrobe or something?¡±


    She needed a bra. Swallowing back her pride, she asked ric to get one for her. Instead of asking any questions, he hurried back into her room and brought her one back. Though she felt her face heat when she took it from him, she avoided his gaze, murmured thank you and once again went into the bathroom and put it on.


    When she emerged, she thanked him.


    He was still holding the hammer. ¡°My work is not pretty, but it will work until I can get a window guy out here to rece it.¡± He exined. ¡°The police are also on the way now,¡±


    Vanessa shook her head and ric gestured toward the stairs. ¡°Are you ready to go down?¡± he asked.


    With him right behind her, she went down and took a seat in the den to wait. The police arrived, asked their usual questions and took a look around both the backyard and her bedroom.


    When they¡¯d gone, Vanessa sighed. ¡°Why do I feel like that was just a huge waste of time?¡±


    ric shrugged. ¡°I¡¯m sure they¡¯re working on it.¡±


    ¡°Are you? I don¡¯t get the feeling.¡±


    ¡°They¡¯ve got a lot on their te. Since no one has been harmed, they¡¯re probably focusing more on Christopher¡¯s murder than these attacks.¡±


    ¡°Seriously? Are you saying someone else needs to get killed before they take notice?¡± Without waiting for him to answer, she grimaced. ¡°I¡¯m so tired of all these.¡±


    Shaking it off, as he had ever since bing involved with her, ric gestured toward the stairs. ¡°How about you try and get some sleep?¡±


    She didn¡¯t move. ¡°My room is full of ss.¡±


    Good point, he thought, although he wasn¡¯t really asking her to go up to her room. ¡°We can clean that up in the morning. You can have my bed. I¡¯ll make a pallet on the floor or take the couch.¡±


    Eyeing him, she considered. ¡°I don¡¯t want to¡­..¡± She began,


    ¡°I don¡¯t mind.¡± He covered his mouth to mask a yawn.Content rights by N?velDr//ama.Org.


    Instead of arguing, she nodded. ¡°Okay.¡±


    Without saying another word, she turned and made her way up the staircase. He followed her, intending to see her safely to bed before trying to grab some shut-eye himself.


    Once they¡¯d reached his room, she stood on the balls of her feet between the doorway and the bed, almost as if she were poised to run. He thought he understood her uncertainty. ¡°I¡¯ll sleep downstairs. You won¡¯t need to worry about anything, I promise.¡±


    ¡°Thanks, but I might have to be the one on the couch.¡± She gestured toward the window. ¡°Every time I look at a window, all I can see is that drone flying close, its bright light trained on me, right before it exploded.¡±


    He thought about pointing out that there were windows in the downstairs den too, but decided against it. She¡¯d realize that soon enough. ¡°Wherever you feel mostfortable,¡± he said instead, expecting her to push past him and make her way back to the first floor. Instead, she cocked her head and considered him.


    ¡°Come here.¡± The low thrum of desire in her voice ignited an answering spark deep within him.


    Battling himself, he didn¡¯t move. ¡°Why?¡± he asked,


    ¡°I need you to distract me.¡±


    His mouth went dry. ¡°Distract you how?¡± he managed, even though he knew. Instead of answering, she crossed the distance between them. Reaching up, she cupped his face with her hands and pulled him down to her lips and kissed him. As always, every single resolve he¡¯d struggled to hold on to went up in a ze of lust.


    ¡°I don¡¯t think¡­¡± He made onest valiant effort.


    ¡°Then don¡¯t,¡± she said, right before she removed her sleep shirt, bra and nnel pajama bottoms. Gloriously, breathtakingly naked, she took his hand and ced it on her bare breast. And he was lost.


    Shedding his clothes so quickly they tangled at his feet, he pulled her close and kissed her. Of course they ended up in bed. How could they not, when he¡¯d always been unable to resist her? Vanessa was both his Waterloo and his nirvana, and hisst thought before he gave in to the inferno raging between them was that-no matter what happened-she would forever be his love.


    ¡ª¡ª¡ª


    After, Vanessay dozing in his arms, sated and happier than she should have been. Whatever else he might be, ric had the power to make her bodye alive.

 62

    Smiling, she refused to allow herself to think about her problems or the future, choosing instead to revel in this moment, in the pleasant way her body ached yet her inner turmoil felt calm and at peace. Her thoughts brought too much pain, and she wanted to allow herself to bask in her happiness, however temporary.


    Her phone buzzed, the insistent sound reminding her she¡¯d left the ringer on vibrate like she always did when she went to bed. ¡°Who could that be?¡± she asked, loathe to leave his arms.


    ¡°It¡¯s three in the morning,¡± ricmented. ¡°Only bad newses at this hour of the night. You¡¯d better answer it.¡±


    Though she¡¯d much rather just let the call go to voicemail, she reluctantly pushed up from the bed and crossed to the dresser. ric¡¯s room somehow felt cozier and more weing. Of course, a lot of that probably had to do with the fact that he upied it.


    When she snatched up her phone, the Unknown Caller on the disy made her groan. ¡°If this is a wrong number¡­¡± she muttered, before answering with a muted hello.


    ¡°Did you like my drone?¡± a familiar voice taunted. ¡°I wanted to attach a note, but couldn¡¯t figure out how to do that since the entire thing was going to explode. Everything-the gunshots, the break in¡¯s, the drone-they¡¯ve only been warnings. I¡¯m done ying around. Do you have my money or not? If not, I¡¯m afraid I¡¯m going to actually have to kill you.¡±


    ¡°But you said-¡±


    He cut her off. ¡°It will be awful to leave that boyfriend of yours so soon, wouldn¡¯t it?¡±


    Though that sentence felt like a punch to the gut, something he¡¯d no doubt intended, she refused to reveal her reaction. ¡°Why are you doing this?¡± she asked, letting at least the internal weariness she felt creep into her voice.


    ric sat up in the bed, instantly alert. She nodded, pointing to her phone and shaking her head.


    ¡°I need my money. Now. I¡¯m done ying around. If you don¡¯t pay up, your life is over, along with that pretty-boy bodyguard of yours. Do you follow?¡±


    ¡°I do.¡± She took a deep breath and then decided what the hell. ¡°Once again, I don¡¯t have the money. I have no possible way of even getting a tenth of that sum. You weren¡¯t the only one Christopher stole from. He emptied all my bank ounts.¡±


    After a few seconds of silence, the caller cursed. ¡°I don¡¯t believe you.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t care. And for your information, killing me still won¡¯t get you your money. I¡¯ll be dead and you¡¯ll be out of luck. I¡¯m sorry, I don¡¯t know what to tell you.¡±


    More curses, some of them virulent enough that they were new to her ears.


    As he wound down, she decided to go ahead and give voice to a suspicion that had been growing steadily in her thoughts. ¡°Maybe you should let it go. By the way, Chris-if this is you-I know all about your rtionship with my husband.¡±


    ¡°He told you?¡± the caller gasped out, apparently before he thought better of it. ¡°I find that impossible to believe.¡±


    Though she¡¯d known the truth deep inside, learning her gut instinct had been right shook her. ¡°No. I found a photo album of the two of you that he kept in a safe in his office. Also some documents. At one point, he must have contemted marriage. He had a prenup drawn up.¡±


    Silence. ¡°Hello?¡± she pressed. ¡°Are you still there?¡± Again, no answer. Pressing the end call button, she faced ric, grimacing. ¡°He hung up.¡±


    ¡°Did he admit to being Chris?¡±


    ¡°Pretty much, though he didn¡¯te out and confess it in so many words. He¡¯s now threatening to kill me if I don¡¯te up with three million.¡±


    ¡°He¡¯s an amateur,¡± ric said.


    ¡°How can you tell?¡±


    ¡°First off, his attempts have been pretty ineffective so far. And they¡¯ve all been the kind of thing someone who has no idea what they¡¯re doing would try.¡±


    Intrigued, she eyed him. She loved the way he caressed her naked body with his gaze, making her wonder if he wanted to go another round. Focus, she reminded herself. ¡°If shooting my window out, destroying my stuff and then sending an explosive drone at me makes him an amateur, what would a professional do?¡±


    ric grimaced. ¡°Are you sure you really want to know?¡±


    Maybe she didn¡¯t, but there was no way she¡¯d be admitting that now. ¡°Yes.¡±


    ¡°He would have sent a small group of men to grab you. You¡¯d have been blindfolded, maybe drugged, and taken to some remote and secure location where they would hold you prisoner and torture you. They¡¯d make a demand for ransom, and maybe they might let you go free. Most likely not though. Guys like that prefer to tie up any loose ends.¡±


    Hisments, delivered in a dry tone, made her shudder. ¡°Then I guess I ought to be d he¡¯s not a professional.¡±


    ¡°Yes, definitely. But that¡¯s what the cartel will do to him, if they suspect him of having something to do with the money disappearing. And there¡¯s a strong possibility he knows it.¡±


    ¡°But why does he think I would have any idea where Christopher might have stashed the money?¡± She swallowed hard as a horrible thought suddenly urred to her. ¡°What if the cartel thinks that too?¡±


    ¡°To answer your first question, inw enforcement, when a husband stealsrge amounts of money, the wife usually is in on it.¡±


    ¡°Which is why you had me arrested when we met?¡± she asked, genuinely interested.Owned by N?velDrama.Org.


    ¡°I hate to say it, but yes,¡± he countered, shrugging.


    Dragging her hands through her hair, she prowled the confines of the small room. ¡°I just want this to stop. All of it. Christopher¡¯s been buried, I¡¯ve contacted an attorney and made an appointment to start the probate process, and I want my life back. I don¡¯t understand why we are not getting anywhere on locating this guy. Seriously.¡±


    ric nodded. ¡°I agree. Like I said, I¡¯ll make some phone calls in the morning. Come back to bed.¡±


    The sexy rasp in his voice made her go weak inside. Still, she hesitated. They¡¯d enjoyed each other in a physical way. Continuing to cuddle or curling up beside each other to sleep would not only be foolish, but painful.

 63

    The fact that she¡¯d allowed herself to do it before should have galled her to no end. Despite that, she wanted to march herself right back over there and crawl back into his arms.


    ¡°I¡¯ll pass.¡± She smiled to show him she meant no harm.


    Something in his gaze told her he knew her thoughts. ¡°It¡¯s three in the morning,¡± he pointed out. ¡°We¡¯ve already discussed this, so where will you go?¡±


    Relief flooded her, though she refused to acknowledge it. She hated that she felt she needed some sort of justification for wanting to be with him.


    ¡°You¡¯re right,¡± she said, shutting her mind down to all rational thoughts as she crossed the room and slid under the covers and next to the warmth of his very sexy, muscr body.


    He wrapped his arms around her, and she was still there the next morning when she woke. Savoring the moment, she allowed herself the luxury of studying his sleeping face. His rugged and chiseled features were softer in slumber. Moving slowly, she eased out from under his arm and slipped from the bed. Though she tried her best to be quiet, he opened his eyes and sat up. ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ve got an appointment with a probate attorney this morning,¡± she told him, pulling on her pajamas.


    He dragged his hand through his already tousled hair. ¡± I¡¯ll definitely be going with you to thewyer.¡±


    Of course. Because he was her bodyguard, after all. The meeting with the attorney went exactly as she¡¯d expected. She¡¯d filled out forms and brought a copy of the will, the bank statements and papers from the brokerage detailing all their investment holdings. During the meeting, whichsted a little more than an hour, ric remained in the waiting room, cooling his heels. When she finally emerged, the sight of his rugged, familiar face made her want to smile.Belongs to ? n0velDrama.Org.


    ¡°All finished?¡± he asked.


    ¡°For now.¡±


    The attorney, a tall thin man with a goatee and wire-rimmed sses, studied ric curiously.


    ¡°And you are?¡±


    ¡°ric is a detective,¡± Vanessa replied, before ric could answer. ¡°He¡¯s in charge of Christopher¡¯s case and due to certain circumstances, he had toe with me.¡±


    Thewyer appeared suitably satisfied with her response. ¡°I¡¯ll give you a call once all of this is logged in at the courthouse. Once the judge sets a hearing date, you¡¯ll have to make an appearance.¡±


    ¡°Thank you.¡± Gripping her purse, she straightened her shoulders and tried to appear confident.


    ric stayed a few steps behind as she exited the office. They waited for the elevator in silence. Once the doors opened, they stepped inside. With any other man, she might have felt awkward. Instead, she found herself entertaining fantasies of stopping the elevator between floors and seducing him. The thought made her entire body heat. She nced at him sideways, wondering if he might be thinking the same thing. When the elevator arrived at the lobby, she impulsively took ric¡¯s arm, earning a surprised look. She simply smiled as they headed toward the entrance.


    Pushing through the front doors, they stepped outside. shbulbs exploded. A small crowd had gathered, all talking at once. Shouting out her name, asking questions, each trying to be heard over the others.


    ¡°What the¡­¡± Vanessa dug in her heels, turning to face ric, not bothering to hide her panic. They were surrounded on three sides by cameras and video recorders and reporters. No less than five news vans-two of them national-were parked in the street directly across from the building. She¡¯d have to get past them to reach the parking lot and her car.


    ¡°ric.¡± She gripped his arm. ¡°What do we do?¡±


    ¡°Keep your head down and stay close,¡± ric ordered. He immediately began hustling her past the crowd of reporters, all shouting out questions.


    Grateful for him, she held on tight. A few of the reporters were brazen enough to follow, still shouting out questions.


    ric took her around to the passenger side and helped her in before he took the driver¡¯s seat. The silence once the car doors were closed was wee.


    She waited until ric started the engine, backed out of the spot and turned onto the street before exhaling.


    ¡°What was that all about?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know.¡± The grim set of his jaw told her how he felt about what had just happened. ¡°I¡¯m going to venture a guess that there¡¯s been another revtion of some sort about Christopher.¡±


    Immediately, she began scanning the radio stations. ¡°Maybe we¡¯ll hear something.¡± But though she continually searched, she found nothing mentioning Christopher Wesley. ¡°This is crazy,¡± she said. ¡°Have you had a chance to contact the authorities for a progress report?¡±


    ric shook his head. ¡°Not yet. I¡¯ll check in with them in a little bit.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯d think the police would have notified me if they¡¯d learned something important.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m sure we¡¯ll find out soon enough,¡± he said. ¡°And someone would have called you if there was a major breakthrough in the case.¡±


    Though she nodded, she wasn¡¯t entirely convinced. She didn¡¯t like the way the investigation was going. It was almost like there were multiple other things going on at the same time. She couldn¡¯t help but wonder what. When they reached the house, as soon as he parked in front of the garage, Vanessa bolted. Shaking his head, he followed, but she was moving so fast he barely caught sight of her as she barreled up the stairs.


    When he got upstairs, she was on the phone. He mouthed to her that he had to go out and would be returning soon. She simply nodded and turned away to continue her call. He didn¡¯t really want to leave her alone, but this was important and he was sure she didn¡¯t really want him around at the moment.


    He got into his car and drove straight to the station. In the office, he found Paul, sitting at the table drinking ck coffee. ¡°What¡¯s up?¡± he asked, eyeing ric. ¡°You look kind of frazzled.¡±


    ¡°Maybe,¡± ric conceded, dropping into a chair. ¡°Vanessa and I just left her attorney¡¯s office. When we walked outside, we were mobbed by reporters.¡±


    Paul drank his coffee and swallowed. ¡°Why? What¡¯s happened now?¡±


    ¡°No idea. We tried every station on the radio, but couldn¡¯t find anything.¡±


    Finishing his coffee, Paul pushed to his feet and carried his cup to the sink. ¡°Let me know when you find out,¡± he said, before ambling off.

 64

    As ric walked out of the office, his phone rang. ncing at the caller ID, he nearly groaned out loud. It was his boss, and ric had a pretty good idea why he was calling.


    ¡°I knew you¡¯d call soon. I rushed up here to see you.¡±


    ¡°I saw your pretty mug on TV this afternoon,¡± Bobby Brown drawled. ¡°What the hell were you thinking?¡±


    ¡°I had no idea those reporters would be there,¡± ric protested. ¡°And I still have no idea why.¡±


    Bobby snorted. ¡°Christopher Wesley again. Man, that guy had more secrets than even we knew about.¡±


    ¡°What now?¡±


    ¡°Someone leaked to the media a story that Wesley had a secret lover. A male lover. ¡± Bobby paused, apparently to let that sink in.


    ¡°It had to be Chris,¡± ric mused out loud. ¡°That was Christopher¡¯s boyfriend, and we¡¯re ny-nine percent sure he¡¯s the one who¡¯s been threatening Vanessa. You heard about the exploding drone?¡±


    ¡°I did.¡± Bobby went silent for a moment. ¡°You mean you knew about Christopher being gay?¡±


    ric exined about the photo album and the prenup they had found. ¡°She even challenged the caller thest time he phoned her. Told him she knew about him and Christopher. He hung up.¡±


    ¡°Interesting. Any idea on the status of locating him and bringing him in?¡±


    Frustrated,  ric dragged his hand through his hair. ¡°I was about to ask you the same question. I promised Vanessa that I¡¯d look into that. I assumed the big guns had been brought in on this.¡±


    ¡°Sorry, no. We¡¯ve got bigger things to focus on, you know that. We left that up to the local uniforms. I think they might be working with the FBI. Check with them.¡±


    As usual, the various agencies apparently weren¡¯tmunicating. Or, if they were, it was to coordinate making sure no one screwed up taking down all the major yers in the uing drug bust. ¡°I¡¯ll do that,¡± ric said. ¡°Sorry about the unwanted exposure. But it wasn¡¯t like I had a choice.¡±


    ¡°Just be more careful,¡± Bobby cautioned. ¡°We can¡¯t have anything jeopardize the takedown. We¡¯ve been working too hard on this.¡±Belongs to ? n0velDrama.Org.


    ¡°I¡¯m well aware.¡± ric hoped his dry tone wasn¡¯t lost on his boss. ¡°I¡¯ve been right here in the thick of it for a while now.¡±


    ¡°Well, keep after it. Once we¡¯re done, you can take a long, well-deserved vacation.¡± With that, the man hung up.


    Stomach churning, ric shoved his phone into his pocket and went towards Paul¡¯s office. On his way, he passed by another officer. The other man grinned when ric greeted him. ¡°Hey, Ric. How¡¯s that beauty you¡¯re keeping an eye on? That littledy is one hot tamale.¡± he whistled. ¡°I wouldn¡¯t mind getting some of that, let me tell you.¡±


    ric wasn¡¯t sure when or how he moved, but he had the other man by the shirt cor and shoved him back against the wall before he realized what he was doing.


    ¡°Hey, man,¡± the guy protested. ¡°What gives?¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t you even think about talking about her like that ever again, you hear me? She¡¯s mine.¡± With that, he let the man go, shoving him away.


    ¡°Got it.¡± the other man stumbled backward, his expression conciliatory. Only the quick sh of fury in his eyes revealed how he really felt. ric didn¡¯t care if he made an enemy of the man.  He stalked off without giving him a chance to say anything else.


    Paul met him on the stairs. Apparently he¡¯d seen the whole thing. ¡°What the hell just happened?¡± he demanded. ¡°I thought you were going to deck him. What is wrong with you?¡±


    Refusing to allow himself to feel foolish, ric told Paul what the officer had said. Paul¡¯s expression darkened. ¡°I¡¯ll have a word with him.¡±


    ¡°Good.¡± Still trying to tamp back his fury, ric swallowed hard. ¡°I¡¯ll be back soon. I need to get some air.¡±


    ¡°No problem.¡± Paul waved him away. ¡°Go. Get it out of your system. I¡¯ll see you when you get back.¡±


    Relieved, ric turned around and headed out. As soon as he got into his car, he finally allowed himself to rx. The engine purred, the quiet rumble soothing. He drove the streets, wishing he could leave his worries behind. He drove until the frustration coiled up inside him had loosened its ws. But no matter how far he went, he couldn¡¯t shake the image of Vanessa¡¯s eyes, gazing at him with desire and love, her lush mouth open to receive his kiss.


    Damned, that was what he was. He saw no way this could end well for anyone, especially for him. For the first time in his long and distinguished career, he¡¯d begun to actually consider getting out. He wanted a life with Vanessa, even though that might be an impossible dream once she learned the truth about him. Fool that he was, he couldn¡¯t help but hope. He¡¯d always heard love could find a way. Maybe the time hade to find out if that was actually true.


    Turning around, he made his way back toward town and Vanessa . He wasn¡¯t entirely certain what he intended to do, but for the first time in years, he actually felt a glimmer of hope.


    Twenty minutes away from the house, Paul called him and he answered, ¡°What¡¯s up?¡± he asked.


    ¡°We got him,¡± Paul said,


    ¡°Got who?¡±


    ¡°Chris¡±


    ¡°Really?¡±


    ¡°Yes, we are interrogating him right now¡±


    ¡°I want to be there¡±


    ¡°No. You have to cool off. Go to Vanessa. I have things handled¡± said Paul.


    ¡ª¡ª¡ª-


    Vanessa stood one hip cocked against the kitchen counter, clearly just finishing up a call when ric walked into the kitchen. Judging from her shell-shocked expression, it hadn¡¯t been a good one. He figured it had either been Steven or Lois Wesley or Chloe, though possibly the anonymous caller might have decided to make another futile attempt¡­ Or maybe she already knew about Chris¡¯s arrest.


    When she dropped her phone on the counter, she momentarily covered her face with both hands. For one heart-stopping moment, he thought she might burst into tears, a prospect that terrified him. Swallowing hard, he waited, resisting the urge to go to her and wrap her up tight in his arms.


    Finally, she raised her head, her expression resolute, and met his gaze.


    ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡± he asked.

 65

    ¡°That was the FBI,¡± she replied. ¡°They¡¯ve located Chris-Christopher¡¯s Chris-and brought him in for questioning. It¡¯s quite funny how they even have the same name. They said he won¡¯t answer anything. Now he has an attorney and is trying to make some sort of deal.¡± She took a deep breath. ¡°He also is demanding to meet with me face-to-face.¡±


    Instantly alert, ric resisted the urge to swear. ¡°Damn Paul. He told me he¡¯d handle it. Are they going to allow you to do that? The guy has been trying to kill you, after all. I¡¯ll be honest, I¡¯m not sure how I feel about that idea.¡±


    ¡°You knew,¡±


    ¡°Yes, Paul called me on my way back. I just wanted to check up on you first. I¡¯m just not okay with you talking to someone who has been threatening you,¡±


    ¡°They assured me I¡¯ll be safe.¡± She looked down at her phone as if she expected it to have the answer.  When she lifted her chin again, he saw determination in her gaze. ¡°I want to talk to him. He must be pretty desperate to have been threatening me like that.¡±


    ¡°And attempting to kill you,¡± he growled. ¡°If this Chris guy is involved with the cartel and they¡¯re looking to him for that three million dors, then yeah, he¡¯s right to be scared. But he¡¯s not right to take his fear out on an innocent woman.¡±


    ¡°I agree.¡± The faraway look in her eyes had him concerned.


    ¡°Then leave it to me. Why are you even considering meeting him?¡±


    ¡°Because I¡¯ve got questions that only he has the answers to.¡± The determined lift of her chin told him she¡¯d already made her decision.


    ¡°Then I¡¯m going with you,¡± he stated.


    ¡°Why?¡± she shot back.


    He stared at her, ¡°Because it¡¯s my job, and I¡¯m not going anywhere until this entire thing is wrapped up.¡±


    ¡ª¡ª¡ª


    The next morning, Vanessa rose early, full of a curiousbination of anticipation and dread. Today she would finally meet Christopher¡¯s Chris, the person her husband had apparently loved. Also, possibly the person who¡¯d invested a great deal of effort in threatening and trying to kill her, all in a quest for three million missing dors.


    After breakfast, ric drove her to the station. Vanessa hadn¡¯t been sure how to dress-after all, what did one wear to meet one¡¯s husband¡¯s lover? In the end, she settled for a pair of fashionably torn jeans tucked into boots, a cute tunic top and chunky gold jewelry. Torn between wearing her hair up or not, she¡¯d settled on down, wanting a more casual look.


    ¡°You look beautiful,¡± ric told her, almost as if he somehow knew she needed reassurance.


    ¡°Thanks,¡± she replied, fidgeting with her bracelets.


    ¡°I¡¯m not sure how this is going to go.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯ll be fine. They¡¯ll have him in restraints. There¡¯s no way he¡¯s going to be able to hurt you.¡±


    ¡°Except with words,¡± she reminded him with a wry smile. ¡°That¡¯s always a distinct possibility.¡±


    When they arrived at the police department and parked, she found herself sitting frozen in her seat, wondering if she could make herself get out of the car. Instead of rushing her, ric simply sat with her, waiting until she felt ready. Finally, she felt foolish doing nothing. ¡°Let¡¯s go,¡± she said. ¡°I might as well get this over with.¡±


    Inside, a uniformed officer appeared. ¡°The suspect is being held in a cell in our holding area in the back,¡± he announced.


    Vanessa nodded. Her heart had begun pounding and her mouth went dry. Briefly, she felt dizzy and wondered if she might faint. But then, as she caught ric¡¯s worried gaze, she remembered her resolve to reim her innate strength. Straightening her shoulders, she lifted her chin and marched after the police officer with purpose in her step.


    They were shown to a nondescript room-gray walls and floor, ck stic chairs and a long metallic table that looked as if it might have been intended originally for the autopsy department.


    ric pulled out a chair for her and Vanessa sat. For a moment, she thought ric intended to stand right behind her, but he took the chair next to her instead.


    The door opened and the Sheriff  entered, hisrge stomach preceding him. Two armed officers brought in a tall, slender man with his wrists and ankles shackled. When his bright blue gaze met hers, Vanessa almost gasped out loud. Because Christian Wuncler, with his patrician, chiseled features and thick blond hair, was as breathtakingly, stunningly beautiful as any man could be.


    While they studied each other, the sheriff ruffled paperwork. Finally, he cleared his throat and motioned to the two guards that Chris should be seated. He chose a chair directly across from Vanessa.


    ¡°Hello.¡± The sh of his warm smile was another surprise. ¡°It¡¯s about time we finally met.¡±Content provided by N?velDrama.Org.


    Beside her, she felt ric tense up.


    ¡°I guess so,¡± she responded. ¡°Since clearly you didn¡¯t seed in killing me.¡±


    ¡°I told you that wasn¡¯t me. You clearly have another enemy.¡±


    She snorted, unable to help herself. ¡°I know you imed that early on, butter you forgot you¡¯d said that. I don¡¯t think that¡¯s going to help you now.¡±


    Chris¡¯s amazing eyes narrowed, but he didn¡¯t dispute her statement. ¡°Are you nning to press charges?¡± he asked, his tone as banal as if they were merely discussing the weather.


    ¡°Of course. I¡¯ll have nightmares for years about that drone.¡±


    He nodded. ¡°I loved him, you know. Christopher and I had something special. Did you ever care for him?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s none of your business,¡± she replied, keeping her tone as even as his. ¡°Why did you think he stole your money?¡±


    ¡°It wasn¡¯t mine,¡± he replied. ¡°It was ours. We were nning to use it to start a new life together.¡±


    ¡°Only it didn¡¯t belong to you,¡± the Sheriff interjected, checking his notes. ¡°ording to this, that money belonged to a drug cartel. Christopher wasundering it for them and stole it.¡±


    ¡°So say you.¡± Chris gave an elegant shrug. ¡°Christopher felt that he had earned it for going over and beyond his duties.¡±


    Looking from one man to the other, Vanessa wasn¡¯t sure what to say. She believedundering money might be a federal crime though, so she figured the FBI would be arriving soon.


    The sheriff confirmed her thoughts a secondter.

 66

    ¡°We¡¯re only holding him for the Feds,¡± he said, his expression pained. ¡°He¡¯s facing a multitude of charges, from racketeering and moneyundering to attempted murder.¡±


    ric spoke up for the first time. ¡°If that¡¯s the case, then why is Vanessa here?¡±


    ¡°Good question.¡± The sheriff nodded his approval.


    ¡°I asked Mrs. Spencer here for two reasons. One, because Mr. Wuncler here assured me that he wanted to apologize.¡± He shot Chris a hard look of reproach. ¡°And second, I¡¯m guessing the FBI will need to ask you a few questions.¡±


    ¡°Not without her attorney present,¡± ric quickly responded.


    ¡°He¡¯s right,¡± Vanessa added, ¡°While Christopher never involved me in his business dealings, now that I¡¯ve been made aware hemitted several crimes, it¡¯s probably best that I obtain legal counsel.¡±


    Chris burst intoughter, surprising them. He began an insulting slow p, eyeing her with what appeared to be begrudging approval. ¡°Look at you,¡± he chortled. ¡°Pretending to be a saint. Why did you get married to Christopher, if not for his money?¡±Content provided by N?velDrama.Org.


    She stared at him as if he¡¯d spoken anothernguage. ¡°Believe what you want, but I didn¡¯t marry Christopher for his money.¡±


    ¡°Right. I¡¯m sure you were madly in love with him. Is that why you married him, huh?¡±


    ric pushed to his feet so quickly, he knocked his chair to the floor with a tter. ¡°You¡¯re a fool. You haven¡¯t got the faintest idea what you¡¯re talking about. You better shut the fvck up. When was thest time you saw Christopher?¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re not FBI, are you?¡± Chris sneered. ¡°I think I¡¯ll wait for their questions, thank you very much.¡±


    Shaking his head, ric turned to the sheriff. ¡°In addition to all the other charges, he needs to be investigated in Christopher¡¯s murder.¡±


    Chris gasped out loud. ¡°I would never!¡± he eximed, his tone indignant. ¡°I adored Christopher. I would never harm a hair on that man¡¯s head. Why would you even think I would kill him?¡±


    ¡°I can think of three million reasons,¡± ric drawled.


    ¡°It wasn¡¯t me, I can assure you.¡± Chris cocked his head and thought for a moment, his expression darkening. ¡°I¡¯ll bet it was that bitch. Christopher was going to cut her out and she didn¡¯t like it.¡±


    Vanessa nced at ric, who shrugged.


    ¡°I¡¯m talking about Chloe Davis, you fools.¡± Chris pointed at the sheriff. ¡°I wouldn¡¯t be surprised if she¡¯s halfway to Mexico right now. When was thest time anyone checked on her?¡±


    ¡°Why should we believe anything you have to say?¡± the sheriff drawled.


    But as a chill raced up Vanessa¡¯s spine, she knew. What Chris said made sense. Another look at ric and she realized he¡¯d reached a simr conclusion.


    ¡°Sheriff, would you mind sending a couple of guys to round up Chloe? There¡¯s definitely merit to what Chris here has to say.¡±


    Arms folded, the Sheriff stared. ¡°On what merit? I haven¡¯t seen a single reason why we would suspect Ms. Davis of anything.¡±


    ¡°Can¡¯t you just bring her in for questioning?¡± Vanessa asked. ¡°I definitely think it¡¯s worth checking out.¡±


    ¡°We¡¯ve already talked to her once.¡± Clearly hesitant, the Sheriff frowned. ¡°But I guess it wouldn¡¯t hurt to try again.¡±


    ¡°If you can find her,¡± Chris interjected. ¡°I¡¯m pretty sure she¡¯s in the wind by now.¡±


    Stomach churning, Vanessa wondered if he was right. She remembered Chloe¡¯s weirdly fluctuating attitude, her reluctance to let Vanessa in Christopher¡¯s office and her strangements regarding Christopher¡¯s will. Add to that the scious details that had been anonymously leaked to the press¡­


    ¡ª¡ª¨C


    As soon as they got back to the house, ric excused himself and started making phone calls. He left a voicemail for Bobby Brown, seriously annoyed that his boss wasn¡¯t immediately reachable. Next, he called the  FBI office, asking for the special agent in charge. When the receptionist tried to put him off and take a message, he dug up a name from memory, which got him put through to Mary Pena. Luckily, she remembered him.


    Once they got the obligatory chitchat out of the way, he got down to business with his questions. While she wasn¡¯t actively involved in this particr operation, she was able to point him in the right direction. However,  he ended up getting the runaround. Frustrated, he called Bobby once more. Again, his call went to voicemail. He left yet another message and debated making the trip to the office himself. Since it was still early afternoon, if he was lucky, he might make it to the FBI offices shortly before closing time.


    In the end, he decided to exercise some patience.


    Sure enough, the sheriff called Vanessa a couple of hourster with bad news. Chloe had disappeared. When the sheriff¡¯s deputies had gone by to round her up, they¡¯d found an empty apartment and no trace she¡¯d ever worked in Christopher¡¯s downtown office.


    After rying the news to ric, Vanessa withdrew, saying she needed time to think. He nodded, keeping his distance, but staying close just in case. She seemed beside herself. Pacing the hallway from the front door to the kitchen, she kept shaking her head and muttering that she should have seen thising.


    Finally, ric stopped her. ¡°Even if you¡¯d known, what could you have done?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know.¡± But she finally stopped moving.


    ¡°It¡¯s just that she was in my house and I shared meals with her. To think she might have done something like this¡­¡±


    He risked touching her shoulder, a quick, gentle squeeze. ¡°They¡¯ll find her. My understanding is that there are multiple agencies involved now. Not just us now, but the FBI too.¡±


    ¡°I sure hope so.¡±


    ¡°Come on.¡± Taking her arm, he steered her toward the kitchen. ¡°Let me get you something to drink and we can sit down and brainstorm.¡±


    She slowly nodded. ¡°I¡¯d like that.¡±


    Once she¡¯d taken a seat at the table, he poured them both a cup of coffee and fixed hers the way she liked it-one cream and two sugars. ¡°I just can¡¯t believe Christopher trusted her. I did too. Heck, even his parents did.


    If what Chris said is true and she actually did this, it will be a betrayal of the worst kind.¡±


    ¡°Agreed.¡± Pulling out the chair across from her, he took a sip of his coffee. He allowed himself to feel a moment of contentment before focusing back on the reality of his situation. ¡°However, we don¡¯t have any proof. Only his word. To be honest, I don¡¯t really trust him.¡±

 67

    ¡°True.¡± She made a face. ¡°After his numerous attempts to kill me, he¡¯s now trying the equivalent of saying just kidding.¡±


    ¡°Maybe we need to take another look in Christopher¡¯s office. Though she¡¯s probably scrubbed it clean of anything that would even remotely implicate her, there¡¯s always the possibility that she might have missed something.¡±


    Vanessa brightened. ¡°Good idea. Though I¡¯m thinking the Sheriff or the FBI would have gotten a search warrant by now.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll double-check.¡± Privately, he thought if they hadn¡¯t, then no one was doing their job. He noticed the worry written on her face and tried to cheer her up, ¡°It¡¯s going to be over soon,¡± he assured her, ¡°Things are like this now because we¡¯re closing up on them and we¡¯reing to the end of all this. You¡¯ve been strong and brave the entire time. You can¡¯t stop now,¡±


    ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª-


    ric returned from the station and Vanessa could tell from the look on his face that something was up. ric looked as if he had been run over by a truck. Immediately rmed, she went to him and touched his arm. ¡°What happened? Are you all right?¡±


    Slowly he nodded, his expression tortured. ¡°Yeah, I¡¯m fine.¡±


    ¡°Then why-¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not.¡± Interrupting her, he took her hand and gripped it tightly. ¡°I have something I need to tell you.¡±


    For whatever reason, she hesitated. ¡°I¡¯m not sure I want to hear it. I can tell from your voice that it¡¯s bad news. I¡¯ve had enough of that tost a lifetime.¡±


    ¡°Please just listen. This is important.¡±


    ¡°Do you mind if we sit down,¡±


    Still worried, Vanessa nodded, ¡°Sure,¡±


    Vanessa perched on the edge of one of the leather chairs. ¡°What¡¯s up?¡±


    Instead of immediately answering, ric dragged his hand through his hair. Whatever he wanted to say must be bad, because he looked as if pain was eating him up from the inside out. Watching him, her heart ached.  ¡°I¡¯ve been lying to you,¡± he began, his voice catching. She saw him visibly gather himself, his handsome face a study in torment. ¡°I¡¯m not at all what you think I am.¡±


    Studying him, she tried to make sense of what he meant. ¡°I know you, ric Harper,¡± she said slowly. ¡°You¡¯re loyal and dedicated and strong. I¡¯ve not known you for a long time, but I¡¯ve always known I can count on you.¡±


    ¡°No.¡± Expression grim, he swallowed hard, apparently struggling to find the right words to convey whatever he was trying to say. Finally, he shook his head. ¡°Damn. I didn¡¯t expect it to be this difficult. Before I begin, know that I will always be there for you, no matter what you think of me.¡±


    A shiver ran up her spine. ¡°You¡¯re beginning to scare me. I don¡¯t understand.¡±


    His phone rang, cutting him off. Swallowing hard, he checked it. ¡°Sorry, I¡¯ve got to take this.¡± He shed a clearly forced smile. ¡°Looks like I¡¯ve been granted a brief reprieve.¡±


    Then, to her disbelief, he stepped away and answered his phone, opening the door and walking out of the room, talking in such a low voice that she couldn¡¯t make out the words.


    She sat frozen in the chair. What had he meant? He¡¯d been lying how? She¡¯d told him the truth-she considered ric  one of the best men she¡¯d ever known. Right then and there, she decided she¡¯d rather not know. Lies were lies and it didn¡¯t really matter what they were. Christopher had lied, so had Chloe. No one was perfect. She could forgive a falsehood or two, as long as no one got hurt. Decision made, she turned and eyed him outside on the patio, still deep in conversation on his phone. Perfect. She turned to leave the room.


    And came face-to-face with Chloe Davis, holding a gun pointed directly at her. Vanessa froze, her heart beginning to pound. ¡°Chloe? What¡¯s going on?¡± she asked, trying not to reveal her fear.


    ¡°You¡¯reing with me,¡± Chloe said, her expression hard. ¡°And don¡¯t try to alert that bodyguard of yours. I¡¯d hate to have to shoot you like I did Christopher.¡±


    Shaking, Vanessa swallowed. ¡°You killed Christopher? But why? I thought you and he were partners, both in his campaign and his legal practice.¡±


    ¡°Partners.¡± Chloe spoke the word as if it was unfamiliar. ¡°Maybe we started out that way, but partners don¡¯t screw over one another. Christopher stole money and nned to leave me to take the fall. Those cartels don¡¯t mess around. They want what belongs to them and they have zero tolerance for waiting. I had to go into hiding so they didn¡¯t kill me. All because your husband ripped them off.¡±


    Vanessa took a deep breath, striving for the appearance of calm, though inside she was a mess. Did Chloe truly intend to kill her? Why not, since she¡¯d already killed once? She had to figure out a way to outwit Chloe. Staying calm and keeping Chloe talking was all she could think of. That, and not revealing her terror. ¡°That¡¯s what Chris said. Was he involved with the two of you in this moneyundering scheme?¡±


    Chloe grimaced. ¡°Of course not, you idiot. He¡¯s the entire reason that Christopher decided to grab the cash and make a run for it.¡±


    Aware she had to keep Chloe distracted, Vanessa nodded. ¡°But why did you kill him? Wouldn¡¯t that mean the money would be lost forever?¡±


    Vanessa¡¯s head was spinning. She¡¯d never in a million years suspected the other woman would go this far.


    Murder?


    ¡°I had to prove my loyalty to the cartel.¡± Eyes gleaming, Chloe spoke the words as matter-of-factly as if they were discussing the weather. ¡°That got them off my back for a bit. Plus, I was super hopeful that I¡¯d be able to dig up a clue as to where Christopher stashed the money.¡±Content provided by N?velDrama.Org.


    The money. All Chloe really cared about was the money. Maybe Vanessa could somehow convince the other woman she knew where it was hidden, if only to buy herself time.


    ¡°Were you?¡± Vanessa tried hard not to sneak a look out the window at ric. Her one real chance at salvation.


    She hoped if she could keep Chloe talking long enough, ric might be able to get in here and help her. If not, she¡¯d have to figure out a way to help herself. Despite the way her knees were shaking, she couldn¡¯t think of a better time to reim her strength.

 68

    Chloe snorted. ¡°I looked, believe me. Despite that, I still haven¡¯t a clue what Christopher did with it, but I¡¯m guessing it¡¯s sitting in some private offshore ount right now. I would venture a wild guess that Chris knows exactly where it is, but I haven¡¯t had any luck in locating him.¡± With her gun still trained on Vanessa, Chloe squinted her eyes. ¡°I don¡¯t suppose you know where he is, do you?¡±


    For a second, Vanessa considered shaking her head. Instead, she decided to go with the truth. ¡°He¡¯s in police custody in downtown Anniversary.¡±


    ¡°What? Why?¡±


    ¡°He¡¯s been threatening me. He¡¯s the one who shot out my back window and sent a package bomb.¡±


    ¡°No.¡± Though the hand holding the pistol never wavered, Chloe appeared on the verge of hystericalughter.


    ¡°Are you serious?¡±


    ¡°I am.¡± Eyeing the gun, Vanessa decided she might as well ask point-nk. ¡°What are you doing? Why are you holding a gun on me?¡±


    ¡°Tying up loose ends. You truly didn¡¯t have any idea about anything, did you?¡±


    ¡°You mean about Christopher being in love with someone else? No. Or about you and him engaging in illegal activities like moneyundering? I¡¯m going to venture a wild guess that there¡¯s a lot more that I didn¡¯t know.¡±


    ¡°Definitely.¡±


    Catching a glimpse of ric from the corner of her eye, Vanessa prayed he¡¯d finish up his call. ¡°Chloe, are you going to shoot me?¡±Owned by N?velDrama.Org.


    ¡°Not yet.¡± Chloe¡¯s ambiguous answer didn¡¯t make Vanessa feel any better. ¡°But I will shoot him, if I have to.¡± She gestured toward ric with her pistol. No one will even hear me shoot. Just the way no one noticed mee in. Silencers.¡± Chloe pointed toward some sort of attachment she¡¯d put on her weapon. ¡°They¡¯re very effective at keeping things quiet.¡±


    Plural. Which most likely meant Chloe hadn¡¯te here alone.


    ¡°What if I know where the money is?¡± Vanessa asked.


    Chloe snorted. ¡°You don¡¯t though. Or you would have told me already.¡±


    Could Vanessa manage to convince the other woman? Or should she abandon this line of defense and try something else? Carefully, heart still pounding, Vanessa began to look for something she could use as a weapon. ¡°Please don¡¯t hurt ric.¡±


    ¡°Aw, you care about him, don¡¯t you?¡± Chloe sighed. ¡°He¡¯s easy on the eyes, I¡¯ll give him that. But you know what? He¡¯s been working undercover on Christopher¡¯s case before you two even met. He knows a lot more than he¡¯s been telling you.¡±


    ¡°What? No, that¡¯s not true.¡±


    ¡°You really are gullible, aren¡¯t you? I just found out from one of my contacts that he¡¯s been on the case for months. He was investigating Christopher and the cartel before Christopher¡¯s death. He¡¯s been using you to get to the bottom of the case and get the evidence he needs, honey.¡±


    ¡°He¡¯s not.¡± At least Vanessa could speak with authority.


    Though she remembered what ric had said earlier, when he¡¯d tried to tell her about lying to her and how he wasn¡¯t who she thought he was. What if it was true? Devastated, she pushed the sense of betrayal away. ¡°I don¡¯t know why your contact, whoever he is, would say such a thing, but ric is on my side.¡±


    ¡°Right. At least until he¡¯s finished his job. I¡¯m not sure what that is, but I can take an educated guess that it has a lot to do with the cartel, BOS and arge shipment of drugs.¡±


    ¡°How do you know all this?¡± Vanessa asked, stunned and not sure what to think. ¡°How reliable is your source?¡±


    Now Chloe grinned. ¡°Pretty damn reliable. I can promise you, the cartel is going to pay a lot of money when we deliver you and your precious ric to them. Now move.¡±


    Aware she had to stall to at least give ric time to realize what was happening, Vanessa stood frozen. ¡°Move where?¡±


    ¡°Here. In front of me. You¡¯re going to be my shield in case your bodyguard gets any foolish ideas.¡±


    Outside, ric appeared to be finishing up his call. Though he continued to talk, he turned and made his way toward the door.


    ¡°Now,¡± Chloe barked. ¡°He¡¯s worth ten times more than you are, so don¡¯t make me shoot you.¡±


    Reluctantly, Vanessa moved closer to Christopher¡¯s former campaign manager. As ric reached for the door toe inside, he looked up, nced through the window and locked eyes with Vanessa. His expression hardened as he caught sight of Chloe and her pistol.


    ¡°He saw,¡± Vanessa said, warning Chloe. ¡°He¡¯s not going to let you get away with this.¡±


    ¡°Really? I¡¯m willing to bet you¡¯ll be his first priority, Vanessa.¡± Chloe grabbed her arm, yanking her up closer and putting the barrel of the gun against Vanessa¡¯s temple.


    ¡°I guess you¡¯ll find out quickly how much you actually matter to him. Will he rush in and try to save you or run off and alert hisw enforcement coworkers?¡± Chloe¡¯s savage grin made Vanessa feel ill. ¡°We¡¯ll know any second, won¡¯t we?¡±


    Vanessa swallowed hard. ¡°Yes, we will,¡± she replied. In her heart, she had to believe ric would choose her. In her head, she wasn¡¯t entirely certain.


    As soon as he turned enough to see in the window, ric took in the situation in an instant. Chloe Davis, armed with what appeared to be a . 38 with a silencer, had her weapon trained on Vanessa.  He still had Bobby Brown on the phone. Instead of hanging up, he murmured a request for help and dropped the phone, still connected, into his pocket. Hopefully, Bobby would be able to hear well enough to understand exactly what was going on and would send agents, as well as medical personnel in case someone got shot. Either way, he couldn¡¯t afford to worry right now. Not with Vanessa¡¯s life in danger.


    Moving slowly, keeping his hands in in view, he opened the door and entered the room. ¡°Chloe. What the hell are you doing?¡±


    ¡°Exactly what I need to do,¡± she replied.


    Her confident demeanor and tone should have warned him. Instead, he didn¡¯t turn until Vanessa squeaked out a warning, which came a millisecond toote. Three men, cartel from the looks of them, stepped inside. They were all armed, with their weapons pointed at Vanessa and ric.


    ¡°Three cartel members,¡± he said loudly, needing to make double sure his handler heard. ¡°Why so many of you?¡±

 69

    The tall man in front sneered. ¡°Because we couldn¡¯t afford to take any chances. We know what you are, Lawman. And you¡¯re going to be our insurance to make sure no one interferes in our business. Got it?¡±Content rights by N?velDr//ama.Org.


    Outed. ric didn¡¯t dare nce at Vanessa to see her reaction. He¡¯d wanted to tell her himself, but now that choice had been taken away from him. But he couldn¡¯t allow himself to focus on that. Right now he needed to worry about keeping them alive. Four armed against two unarmed. If Vanessa hadn¡¯t been there, ric might have taken a wild chance and tried to fight. As it was, he had to do whatever it took to protect her.


    His BOS brothers were now his and Vanessa¡¯s best chance. If only he could figure out a way to alert them. Even if Bobby could hear well enough to decipher what was going on, any assistance he could send would arrive far toote.


    ¡°Now what?¡± he asked, looking from Chloe to the three armed men. ¡°What¡¯s your n?¡±


    ¡°You¡¯reing with us,¡± the man who¡¯d spoken earlier dered. ¡°You¡¯ll be our hostage until we¡¯vepleted our transaction without interference by the police.¡±


    He noted they didn¡¯t mention the FBI. Minor detail, which could mean something or nothing at all. ¡°What about her?¡± he asked, jerking his head toward Vanessa.


    The tall manughed. ¡°Chloe here will take care of her. She¡¯s not our problem.¡±


    ¡°No.¡±


    All four of them looked at him, clearly surprised.


    ¡°I¡¯m not going anywhere until I know she¡¯s safe,¡± he continued. ¡°I mean it.¡±


    The three cartel guys shifted their weight, appearing uneasy. Finally, their spokesman replied, ¡°Again, this isn¡¯t up to you. Now move.¡±


    ¡°No. Go ahead and shoot me. I have a sneaking suspicion you need me alive, as hostages generally are. I won¡¯t be of much use to you dead.¡±


    He had them there. And relished the moment they realized it. Movement behind them caught his attention. Chloe opened her mouth to shout a warning, but by the time she got the words out, Paul had alreadye in, and he was fast, shooting one of the men in the hand so he dropped his weapon, screaming in pain.


    Though ric couldn¡¯t be sure how and why Paul hade over, he couldn¡¯t focus on that now. Instead, he went into action. His bullet caught the second guy in the chest, and he leaped, intent on taking out the third cartel guy and hoping Vanessa could deal with Chloe. Left hook to the jaw, and his opponent went down like a rock, dropping his pistol. ric jumped on top of him, and a few more well-aimed punches knocked the guy unconscious.


    Someone squeezed off a shot. Then another, a rapid volley that coulde only from a semiautomatic or fully automatic weapon. Praying no one had been hit, he turned to look for Vanessa.


    She was gone. Along with Chloe. Damn.


    ¡°Help, please,¡± Paul called. He¡¯d grabbed the guy who he¡¯d shot from behind in a restraining hold and seemed to be struggling to hang on. The guy who got hit in the chest was dead. ric  saw a spreading red stain on Paul¡¯s side and realized he¡¯d been hit.


    First, he helped Paul, then used amp cord to tie the guy up, then they tag-teamed the final cartel member.


    ¡°I¡¯m so sorry,¡± ric told Paul, who grinned like it was nothing.


    ¡°It¡¯s okay. I sure came around at the right time,¡± Paul replied, ¡°Emily is going to kill me for getting shot again though. She warned me,¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m going to call 911, and then I¡¯m going to find Vanessa.¡± ric told him. Chloe couldn¡¯t have taken her far. Praying they hadn¡¯t left the premises, he heard a feminine voice scream for help from what sounded like the backyard, near the pool.


    He sprinted outside, skidding to a halt just as Vanessa broke free of Chloe and shoved her in the pool, gun and all.


    ¡°Are you okay?¡±


    Looking up, Vanessa exhaled, dusting her hands off on her jeans. ¡°Yep. In fact, I¡¯m better than okay. I¡¯ve been wanting to push that witch in the pool for a good while now.¡±


    Damn, he loved her, ric thought as he stared at her. No more unable to help himself than breathe, he crossed the distance between them and pulled her into his arms. She hugged him back for just a moment, beforeughing up at him. ¡°You¡¯d best let me go or I might let you go swimming too.¡±


    He nced at the pool, stunned to realize Chloe hadn¡¯t surfaced.


    ¡°Apparently she doesn¡¯t know how to swim,¡± hemented, right before he jumped in to save her.


    Later, after the sheriff and his men had arrived and taken the prisoners into custody, even though they¡¯d only be holding them for the FBI, he checked on Paul. The other man sat perched on the back bumper of the ambnce, arguing with his fianc¨¦ and two paramedics.


    ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡± ric asked.


    ¡°They fixed me up,¡± Paul answered. ¡°Right as rain. I¡¯m fine now, but these fellers want me to go to the hospital to get checked out.¡±


    ¡°Maybe you should,¡± ric pointed out.


    ¡°He definitely should,¡± Emily concurred. ¡°They say he lost a lot of blood.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m fine.¡± Paul stuck out his jaw. ¡°I know my rights. They can¡¯t force me to go without my consent.¡±


    ¡°He¡¯s right,¡± one of the paramedics said, his tone glum. ¡°So if you¡¯re not going to let us take you to the hospital, can you please get off the bumper so we can be on our way?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll move when I feel ready to move,¡± Paul shot back. ¡°And I¡¯m not ready yet.¡±


    ¡°He¡¯s dizzy from loss of blood,¡± the other paramedic said with a sigh. ¡°Sir, I really think you should let us take you to the hospital.¡±


    ¡°I already told you¡­¡± Paul began.


    ¡°Enough.¡± ric shook his head. ¡°Paul, go with these men to the hospital. Emily can bring you home once you¡¯re done getting checked out.¡±


    ¡°Fine,¡± Paul mumbled. A bit of relief crept into his voice. ¡°I¡¯ll go to the hospital.¡±


    ric watched until the ambnce had driven away and got into the car with Vanessa. Vanessa had taken a seat on the curb and put her head between her hands. Even as he debated whether or not he should, he approached her. ¡°Are you all right?¡±

 70

    ¡°I¡¯m fine.¡± Her dismissive look told him she was anything but.


    ¡°Do you want to talk?¡± he asked, still clinging to the stubborn hope that a future between them might be possible.


    ¡°Not now,¡± she responded. ¡°Not today. Maybe not ever. I¡¯m not sure we have anything to discuss.¡±


    Though his heart sank, he managed to smile and nod. ¡°I understand.¡± And the sad part was that he did. Clearly, he needed to resign himself to a life bereft of her. Despite trying not to watch him, Vanessa saw the myriad raw emotions cross ric¡¯s handsome face. For the first time since she¡¯d met him, he appeared vulnerable. She shouldn¡¯t care-she didn¡¯t care-or so she told herself.


    ¡°Paul said the reason why he¡¯de was to tell me that they found something in Christopher¡¯s office when they searched it. It was a thumb drive, and it indeed proves that Chloe was in on the whole thing with him. He gave it to me and I checked it out when you were with the paramedics. I have to go to the station.¡±


    She waited for him to say more. Instead, he turned, got out of the car and started to walk away.


    ¡°Wait.¡± Without thinking, she got out too. She went after him, reached out and grabbed his arm.¡± Don¡¯t you think I shoulde with you? I mean¡­ Shouldn¡¯t I?¡±


    For a moment he only stared at her, his expressionless face matching the t look in his eyes. As their gazes locked and held, she swore his softened.


    ¡°Yeah. You should.¡± His lopsided grin tugged at her heart, a reaction she ignored.


    On the road, she felt like herself again. With each mile the car ate up, she felt bits of her sorely gging confidence return. Though just about everyone she¡¯d known, loved and trusted had betrayed her with lies and avarice, she still had this. The strong part of herself that no one, not even Christopher, had ever been able topletely destroy, though she¡¯d allowed it to be banished temporarily.


    ric gave her the thumb drive which she connected to herptop. In it there were video files. Several of them, as well as data files. ric told her it was a good idea to copy everything to theputer so she could make a second thumb drive and keep it safe¡­. Just in case. After she¡¯d done that, she took a deep breath and clicked on the first video.


    Though ck-and-white, the quality seemed surprisingly good. When she heard the discussion between Christopher and Chloe, she actually gasped out loud.


    Clearly in charge, Chloe berated Christopher, who looked frustrated and agitated. She demanded he tell her why there¡¯d been a dy and asked if he didn¡¯t understand the cartel had been breathing down her neck. The video ended abruptly and Vanessa clicked on the next one. This time, Christopher outlined to Chloe the ways campaign funds could and couldn¡¯t be used. Listening to Chloe¡¯s replies, Vanessa quickly ascertained the two were figuring out ways to use that money without being caught. But for what? Though she¡¯d hoped for answers, this video provided none. So she checked out the next one.


    Apparently, they got worse as they went on. There was one of Christopher and Chloe talking to Chris on speaker-phone, as they all made ns to leave the country once they¡¯d wired enough money to their individual offshore ounts. Judging by the amount of money they were discussing, the missing three million dors seemed to be a mere drop in the bucket. In fact, the more she heard, the less the amount made sense. Either way, just the first few videos were enough to convict Chloe of several crimes. And Vanessa hadn¡¯t even watched half of them.


    She clicked on the next one. This time, it wasn¡¯t just Christopher and Chloe. Her husband and his campaign manager were meeting with three well-dressed politicians as well as two men who probably were part of the cartel. She couldn¡¯t watch anymore and shut theptop.


    By the time they got to the station, she felt centered and once again in control. Normally, the congested traffic would have agitated her, but she hung on to her patience. Having ric with her helped. Finally, they arrived at the office and ric rapped on the closed door.


    ¡°Come in,¡± a brusque, male voice ordered.Content provided by N?velDrama.Org.


    Inside, the stern-looking man with a lined, weary face stood. He smiled at ric and they shook hands. Finally, ric introduced her.


    ¡°This is Vanessa Spencer. Vanessa, this is my boss, Bobby Brown,¡±


    Bobby held out his hand and Vanessa took it. She liked that he kept his grip firm. She¡¯d always hated men with limp handshakes.


    ¡°Why don¡¯t you both have a seat?¡± Returning to his chair, Bobby waited. ¡°Are you here to turn yourself in, Mrs. Spencer?¡±


    Startled, Vanessa recoiled. ¡°Not hardly.¡± She said,


    ric chipped in,¡±We are here because we have hard evidence that implicates Chloe Davis and a few other local business leaders. But I was told she¡¯d like a written guarantee of immunity from prosecution,¡±


    Vanessa hid her surprise and nodded. Until this very moment, she¡¯d never even considered the possibility of being arrested for any crime. Christopher¡¯s dealings had been his and his alone. She¡¯d had no part of any of them.


    Bobby looked from Vanessa to ric and back again. ¡°This evidence you have. Will it exonerate youpletely?¡±


    Once more she had to consider. ¡°I believe so.¡±


    ¡°But why should I trust you?¡± Bobby asked.


    ¡°I can vouch for her,¡± ric interjected. ¡°She truly had no part in any of Christopher¡¯s business or political deals, I promise you.¡±


    Bobby narrowed his eyes. ¡°I trust you, ric, but still, Christopher was her husband. At some point, she had to wonder where all the extra cash wasing from, right?¡±


    This time, Vanessa spoke up for herself. ¡°I left Christopher a long time ago. I was going to divorce him before he died, and there was no extra cash, at least that I was aware of. None of what Christopher did ever made its way to me.¡±


    Nodding, Bobby pushed up from his chair. ¡°You two wait here. Let me see what I can do.¡±

 71

    The instant he left the room, closing the door behind him, Vanessa turned to ric. ¡°Why didn¡¯t you tell me there was a possibility I could face charges?¡±


    He shrugged. ¡°If I had, would you havee?¡±


    She didn¡¯t even have to think. ¡°Of course not.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s why. I figured you¡¯d have a much better chance if you came to them, with me vouching for you, than if they¡¯de out and arrested you.¡±


    ¡°You have a point,¡± she said slowly. ¡°And while I understand their reasoning, don¡¯t they have to have some sort of proof that I did something wrong?¡±


    ric lifted one shoulder. ¡°Don¡¯t panic, okay? Let¡¯s just wait and see what Bobbyes back with.¡±


    A momentter, the door swung open and Bobby Brown returned. Vanessa¡¯s  heart sank at the serious expression on the other man¡¯s face. This couldn¡¯t be good.


    ¡°We¡¯re willing to consider your request,¡± Bobby said carefully.


    ric snorted. ¡°Come on. You know you don¡¯t have enough to charge her. From what I understand, we¡¯ve got a ton of valuable information. Starting with a list of every buyer and distributor Christopher setup within thest couple of years. And where heundered the money, as well.¡±


    Bobby studied her. ¡°If she knew all of this, that would make her an essory.¡±


    ¡°Not hardly,¡± ric interjected. ¡°She knew absolutely nothing about any of this prior to the time we got the thumb drive.¡±


    ¡°And I brought it to you at the earliest opportunity,¡± Vanessa added. ¡°Do I get my immunity agreement or not?¡±


    For a moment she thought ric¡¯s boss would continue to try to stall, but instead he finally nodded.


    ¡°Agreed. I¡¯m having someone draw it up as we speak. Now show me what you¡¯ve got.¡±


    Not sure they should until she had the signed agreement in hand, she looked to ric . He slowly nodded. ¡°Bobby


    gave you his word,¡± he said. ¡°He¡¯ll keep his promise.¡±


    While she wasn¡¯t sure she trusted Bobby, she did trust ric. ¡°Okay,¡± she said.


    She watched as ric dug the thumb drive out of his pocket, and passed it over to Bobby, ¡°Here you go.¡±


    Bobby watched the two of them with a bemused look on his weathered face. Finally, he took the thumb drive and plugged it into hisputer. A few clickster and he sat staring at his monitor. ¡°You weren¡¯t kidding,¡± he said, clicking through file after file. ¡°There¡¯s more than enough evidence here to not only put Chloe Davis away for years, but topletely shut down the cartel¡¯s operations. I believe we will get numerous arrests out of this.¡±


    Since she figured that was the closest ric¡¯s boss woulde to thanking her, she grinned at him. ¡°I¡¯m d it was worth it.¡±


    A soft knock on the door and a woman wearing a tailored navy suit entered. ¡°Here you are, sir.¡± She handed a stack of paperwork to Bobby. ¡°Everything you requested.¡±


    He thanked her. Once she¡¯d exited, he passed the papers over to Vanessa. ¡°Take a look at these. I think you¡¯ll find everything is in order. Once you¡¯ve signed, I¡¯ll have copies made for your records.¡±


    She signed all the highlighted areas and passed the paperwork back to him. Bobby called his assistant and asked for photocopies. The woman nodded and carried everything away.


    ¡°Now that that¡¯s taken care of,¡± Bobby began, steepling his fingers on the desk in front of him, ¡°you should know Christopher¡¯s assets will be frozen. Savings ount, checking, credit cards-all of it. You won¡¯t be able to ess anything.¡±


    ¡°That won¡¯t affect me at all.¡± She couldn¡¯t keep the bitterness from her voice. ¡°Christopher cleaned out everything a few days before he was shot. I haven¡¯t been able to figure out what he did with the money. On top of that, he apparently stole three million dors from one of the cartels.¡±


    Bobby exchanged a look with ric. ¡°So we¡¯ve heard,¡± he said carefully. ¡°The FBI has been looking into that, as well as the attempts made on your life. I believe they have a suspect in custody.¡±


    Chris. ¡°The Anniversary police picked up Christopher¡¯s campaign manager earlier today. She came to the house with three cartel members and tried to take ric hostage.¡±


    Bobby gave her one of those benevolent, masculine smiles that she¡¯d always found irritating. ¡°I¡¯m aware.¡±Owned by N?velDrama.Org.


    It was finally over. Bobby took ric with him to congratte the team, leaving her alone in the conference room. She wondered what would happen if she simply walked out now to head home. She actually pushed to her feet, half intending to do exactly that, when ric returned. He looked both jubnt and weary, angry and sad and something else that she couldn¡¯t identify. As if he¡¯d just lost something or someone important to him.


    ¡°Are you ready?¡± he asked.


    Unountably tongue-tied, she nodded.


    Side by side they left the building and walked to the garage. When they reached the spot where they¡¯d parked the car, he stopped and turned to face her. ¡°It¡¯s finally over,¡± he said. ¡°Chris and Chloe are in custody, as well as the BOS members who were instrumental in the drug trade. I heard they even arrested several key cartel guys.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s good. I wonder what¡¯s going to happen to BOS now.¡±


    ¡°The club will survive. There are enough good guys. They¡¯ll band together and keep things going. I¡¯m sorry you got dragged in the middle of it all.¡±


    ¡°Me too.¡± Tears stung the back of her eyes and she blinked them away. ¡°Thank you for everything ric. You literally saved my life. If you hadn¡¯t let mee stay with you and trusted me, I don¡¯t know if I¡¯d even be alive right now. For that I¡¯m really grateful.¡±


    He looked down, then away, anywhere in fact, other than directly at her.¡± It was nothing, and honestly I was happy to do it.¡±


    ¡°I guess this is goodbye,¡± Vanessa continued. ¡°I won¡¯t be going back home with you.¡±


    He felt like she¡¯d kicked her in the stomach. ¡°You won¡¯t?¡±


    She shook her head, ¡°Like I said, it¡¯s over now. We don¡¯t have to keep this up anymore,¡±


    He had to say something to keep her from leaving. They couldn¡¯t end this way. He couldn¡¯t let it happen, ¡°What about your apartment?¡± he blurted out, ¡°You still have to get it cleaned up and fixed. Where are you going to go?¡±


    She shrugged, ¡°I don¡¯t know. A hotel maybe. I¡¯m sure the cleaning up wouldn¡¯t take more than two weeks,¡±

 72

    He stared at her, and Vanessa averted her eyes. She couldn¡¯t look at him. He looked so hurt and she almost flung herself at him, but they didn¡¯t belong together and there was no point letting  things go on longer than it should. They¡¯d just be postponing the inevitable.


    ¡°You don¡¯t have to stay in a hotel, Vanessa. You can stay with me¡­. And¡­. And then maybe we can get the chance to say goodbye to each other¡­ Properly. Not standing here like strangers. We don¡¯t have to end it this way,¡±


    That made sense, Vanessa told herself, or maybe it did because she wanted it to. She turned to look at his handsome face,  ¡°Alright,¡± she said, ¡°Let¡¯s go,¡±


    ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª


    It didn¡¯t matter how many times ric tasted her or slid deep inside her, it was never enough. He was addicted to her-to the way she moved against him, how her mouth brought him pleasure and then riled him up secondster when she mouthed off, or the way she cried out his name as she came. He couldn¡¯t keep his hands off her, not when he was awake or asleep.


    The days blurred together in a way that didn¡¯t concern ric. In the mornings, he woke up beside her, amazed by how right that felt. It was nothing short of amazing for him to roll over, run his palm down the soft curves of the warm body beside him, and feel her push that tantalizing ass of hers back against his groin.


    Every morning, he took her before he said his first word, and she was always, deliciously ready. He¡¯d slide into her from behind, hooking her leg over his. He took her in the mornings in a slow,nguid pace that always quickly spiraled out of control, leaving both of them panting for breath and their hearts racing.


    Then they would shower. Each time, Vanessa would argue that it would probably be more beneficial if they¡¯d shower separately, but after one kiss, she¡¯d relent. Water conservation aside, sex in the shower was never an easy feat, especially not with her shoulder, although it was healing nicely. He¡¯d take her from behind or get down on his knees, bringing her to release with his mouth and fingers. Or they both would end up on the floor of the wide shower, her seated firmly in hisp, riding him and taking him in a way only Vanessa was capable of.


    At some point, they¡¯d eat breakfast. Sometimes in bed. Sometimes in the kitchen. Each time, it ended with him getting his favorite kind of dessert. And every night they went to bed, he couldn¡¯t stay out of her. Normally his sexual appetite ran on the kinky side of things, but with her and for the first time in many years, he didn¡¯t have a problem with vani sex. As long as he was wrapped in her slick hotness, he was in heaven, and the sex was more than enough to satisfy him. Until it was over and then he wanted her again. He always wanted her.


    But it was more than the sex. For the first time, ric found himself wanting her to talk to him, to tell him her thoughts, to share her memories, and to involve him in her life. Typically this would be the point in a rtionship where he¡¯d shut down or hightail his ass out of there, but like with the sex, he just couldn¡¯t get enough of her. It was the same with him. He shared things with her over the course of the week that only his brothers and Paul knew. What was between them had rapidly grown beyond a physical attraction and into something a hell of a lot stronger than ¡°like¡± or casual.


    ric fully epted that he¡¯d fallen-and fallen like a fucking tree-for Vanessa. What he was feeling in his chest and what he wanted from her? It was love. The most dangerous four-letter word. Crazy thing was, his balls didn¡¯t shrivel up with the realization that he was in love with the stubborn,mitment-phobic woman. He was pretty confident that she felt the same way, but getting her to admit it wasn¡¯t something he was going to be able to force. All he could do was show her how he felt and prove to her that she felt the same thing without causing her to run. So he kept how he felt, verbally, to himself.


    During the time with him, the woman had finally begun to rx. Hell, her apartment was getting fixed and she didn¡¯t bring up the topic of leaving more often, except when she spoke of the progress. She seemed more rxed and happy and he didn¡¯t want to take that away from her.


    Two weekster, her ce was finally ready. He took it upon himself to get an rm ordered, and it had been installed, but he still didn¡¯t want her to go because she belonged here¡­With him. His home had be her home too. How the hell could she not see that? In two days, she would be leaving and that realization made him more desperate for her.Content provided by N?velDrama.Org.


    He found Vanessa in his kitchen, cleaning up after a dinner of Chinese takeout. He really didn¡¯t remember going to his room and grabbing one of the ties he never wore and putting it in his pocket, but as he walked up behind her as she stood at the sink, he was damn d his perverted side liked to n ahead.


    cing his hands on her hips, he tugged her bottom back against him as he bent his head, nuzzling the side of her neck. He smiled when she shivered and tipped her throat back, giving him more ess. ¡°Guess what?¡±


    Her handsnded on his arm and her little nails dug into his flesh. ¡°You want dessert now?¡±


    ric chuckled. ¡°Kind of.¡±


    Tilting her head to the side, she pouted. ¡°I think I¡¯m disappointed.¡±


    He caught that sulent bottom lip between his teeth and nipped. ¡°I don¡¯t think you will be in a few moments.¡±


    Vanessa shuddered as his fingers slipped to the button on her jeans. Unhooking them, he nearly groaned at the tinny sound of the zipper and then tugged them down her shapely legs, along with her panties. Next, her shirt came off. No bra. Fucking A.

 73

    Cupping her breasts, he rolled her nipples between his fingers as he dipped his head, pressing a kiss to the small puckered skin on her shoulder. ¡°You like that?¡±


    ¡°Yes,¡± she said, voice husky. ¡°It feels so good.¡±


    ¡°Hmm¡­¡± He kissed her shoulder once more and then ced another kiss over her wildly beating pulse. ¡°I like you like this.¡±


    ¡°What?¡± She arched her back, thrusting her breasts into his hand.


    He plucked her nipples, grinning when she gasped. ¡°Standing naked in front of my sink.¡±


    A softugh lit up the kitchen. ¡°Are your blinds closed?¡±


    ¡°Of course.¡± He moved his hips against her rear, groaning in her ear. ¡°If I saw you like this every fucking day, my life would be perfect.¡±


    ¡°Every day?¡± Muscles tensed against him, and he cursed under his breath.


    Not wanting to give her time to dwell and obsess over thatment, he curved his hand around her throat, guiding her head back, and kissed her. As he licked his way into her mouth, he pulled out the tie.Belongs to ? n0velDrama.Org.


    ¡°Close your eyes.¡±


    She pulled back a little, brows lowering as she looked over her shoulder at him. ¡°Why?¡±


    He grinned. ¡°Trust me. You¡¯re going to enjoy it.¡±


    A moment passed and then she exhaled roughly. Closing her eyes, she folded her arms under her breasts. ¡°What are you up to?¡±


    ¡°You¡¯ll see. Keep them closed.¡± Tying the blindfold around her head, he felt his cock jump at her soft inhale that followed. He likie. He likie a lot.


    ¡°ric?¡± Nervous excitement filled her voice as she lifted her hands, her fingers hovering at the edges of the blindfold.


    He turned her around and his gaze moved over her body, smiling as the dusky rose tips of her breasts tightened. ¡°You¡¯re beautiful.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯mpletely naked and blindfolded, and you¡¯re dressed.¡±


    ¡°True.¡± He captured her next words with his mouth. He wouldn¡¯t be dressed for long. ¡°You ready for me?¡±


    She bit down on her lip, nodding slowly. Gripping her hips, he lifted her up. Girl was damn smart. Wrapped her legs around his waist and blindly found his mouth. Taking her to the kitchen table, he sat her down. She squealed as her bottom hit the cool wood. Stepping back, he soaked in the sight of her. She gripped the edges of the table, her thighs spread, and he could see her glistening between her legs. Something about the way she sat there in blind trust, mixed with the realization of how deeply his feelings ran for her, drove him wild. He wanted to drag this out, to slowly seduce her, but waiting would surely kill him.


    ¡°ric?¡± Her chest rose swiftly, and he groaned.


    Tearing off his clothes, he went for her. iming her mouth in deep, wet kisses, moving down her throat, zing a path to her breasts and lower still, where he got all up in her with his mouth and tongue. The taste of her drove him crazy, to the very brink. She came, her hips rocking against him, his name a throaty cry on her swollen lips.


    ric¡¯s hands were shaking as he tugged her off the table, guiding her down to her knees. The beauty in what happened next was that he didn¡¯t need to say what he wanted. Threading his fingers through her hair, he moaned as her hot mouth closed around his cock.


    She sucked-she sucked hard, taking him as deep as she could, running her tongue along the underside of his length as she cupped his balls, massaging them the way he¡¯d showed her he liked.


    ¡°Oh fuck!¡± he groaned, hips pumping as she gave his balls a good squeeze. He didn¡¯t want toe like this. No, he wanted to be deep inside her. He needed to be there. Pulling himself away, he caught her by the arm and pulled her up. His body was shaking, his cock throbbing, as he flipped her around, bending her over the table. He spread her legs as he wrapped an arm under her, lifting her up onto her toes. Running a hand down her spine, he stopped just above the firm globes of her ass.


    ¡°I can¡¯t wait,¡± he said, pressing against her until just the head of his cock parted her folds. ¡°This is going to be rough.¡±


    She lifted her head. ¡°I can take it.¡±


    A bolt of pure lust shot through him, and fuck if hearing that was like a beautiful chorus in his head. A guttural sound came from deep in his chest as he thrust forward, seating himself in her. She cried out at the deep pration, arching her back. Sliding out a few inches, he repeated once and then again, in and out, until he couldn¡¯t take it anymore and lost all sense of rhythm. He mmed into her as he bent over, sealing his chest to her back. The table scratched across the floor and he dropped his hand from her back to her hips, his fingers digging in.


    ¡°Oh God,¡± she moaned, moving back against him frantically. ¡°ric!¡±


    Her tight walls convulsed around him and that was it. All she wrote. He dropped his head to the nape of her neck, his hips pounding forward as his release exploded through him. Fuck, it wrecked him. She wrecked him. An eternity passed before his legs felt strong enough to stand on their own. He pulled out of her and turned her around. After untying the tie, he held her close, wrapping his arms around her and pressing his forehead to hers.


    She was trembling, eyes closed and hands balled into little fists against his chest.


    Concern radiated from him. ¡°Are you okay?¡± Vanessa nodded but didn¡¯t speak. His heart thundered in his chest. He had been rough. Fuck, they¡¯d moved the heavy oak table a good foot. ¡°Did I hurt you, Vanessa?¡±


    ¡°No!¡± Her eyes flew open. A faint flush stained her cheeks. ¡°Quite the opposite. It¡¯s just that it was¡­wow. I think you screwed a few of my brain cells out of me.¡±


    Tipping his head back, heughed. ¡°Screwed a few brain cells out of you?¡±


    ¡°Yeah.¡± She smiled as she peeked up at him through thickshes. ¡°I like it when you¡­¡±


    He was already getting hard again. ¡°When I what?¡±


    She ducked her chin, adorably shy. ¡°When you kind of lose control. I like it.¡±

 74

    Oh fuck, he needed to be in her again. ¡°I like it, too.¡± cing the tips of his fingers under her chin, he lifted her gaze to his. ¡°And I love it when you lose control.¡±


    Her mouth opened, as if she was about to deny that, but he kissed her before she could deny what was so obvious. He wanted her upstairs and in his bed, but they got sidetracked on the stairs, and he ended up between her thighs, his arm along her back, taking the burn of the rocking motions. Later, muchter, they made it to his bedroom. Both of them were exhausted, and he felt like he¡¯d run a marathon. Hezily trailed a hand up and down her spine. Each time he reached the slight curve of her lower back, his fingers brushed the swell of her ass and she¡¯d shiver. Of course, he kept doing it.


    She nuzzled her cheek against his chest, letting out a content sigh. ¡°What you did downstairs, on the table people eat at, wasn¡¯t very appropriate.¡±


    ric chuckled deeply. ¡°What is it about you and appropriateness?¡±


    Her lips curved up. ¡°I don¡¯t know. I guess I¡¯ve always felt like I should behave that way.¡±


    ¡°Felt?¡± As in past tense. His brows rose.


    Sheughed. ¡°Yeah, I don¡¯t think I could ever be appropriate with you.¡±


    His heart jolted like he¡¯d mmed a shot of moonshine and he murmured, ¡°Damn straight.¡± And then he gathered her as close as he possibly could, dreading the day she¡¯d have to leave him.


    ¡ª¡ª¡ª¨C


    Vanessa woke Sunday, muscles sore in a pleasant way, and for the first time in many years, she wasn¡¯t looking forward to Monday morning. She wanted another week of ric and his fingers, his tongue, his mouth, and everything about him.


    Smiling like a total goober, she rolled onto her side and into the spot ric had upied minutes before. Stretching out, she smoothed her hand over the sheet. His phone had gone off, waking both of them. He hadn¡¯t answered. Instead, he¡­he¡¯d made love to her, sweetly and slowly, bringing them both to a shattering climax.


    The phone still rested on the nightstand, untouched.


    Hopefully it wasn¡¯t an emergency, because ric was downstairs, making breakfast again. She should really get herzy ass out of bed and take a shower, but her bones felt like jelly.


    Mmm. Shower. She would never think of bathing the same way again.


    A sudden knot of unease formed under her breast as she flopped onto her back. Her eyes were suddenly wide, fixed on the ceiling. She mentally tallied up the week-the sex, the conversations, the food. Damn, ric could cook. Nothing about what they had been doing was casual. Smacking her hands over her face, she groaned. She¡¯d barely spent any time thinking about what would happen when she finally left. And that had to be pretty stupid. She was just busy getting screwed every which way from Sunday and ying house. Instead of feeling regret, she felt a smidgen of satisfaction, and that alone made her feel a shit ton of dread.


    She sat up, holding the sheet to her breasts as her gaze flickered around the room. The past weeks¡­well, it had been wonderful, but it had toe to an end. Her heart lurched painfully in her chest and the dread turned the blood in her veins to ice. When everything was said and done, where did it leave her and ric? Her heart wanted to say there¡¯d be a future but her brain was telling her heart to shut the fuck up, because it wasn¡¯t as hopeful.Belongs to ? n0velDrama.Org.


    Climbing out of bed, she searched for her clothes before realizing she hadn¡¯t worn any into his bedroom in quite some time. Sighing, she picked up his shirt and slipped it over her head. Now, after all these years and doing everything to avoid it, she finally knew how her mom felt when she-


    ¡°Stop,¡± she said out loud, scrubbing her hands down her face. Panic tasted like a bitter pill in the back of her throat. ¡°You¡¯re not falling¡­¡±


    Refusing to even finish that statement, she took several deep breaths and headed into the bathroom. Knots formed in her stomach when she picked up her toothbrush among his things. This¡­this was all so serious, but was it to him? To her?


    Quickly brushing her teeth, she sshed water over her face and pulled it together. Her neurotic and ¨¹ber-idiotic tendencies were not going to insert themselves and make this happy, fun, and sexy twosome into a nightmarish foursome. Nobody had professed undying feelings for the other and no one was hurting. Everything was fine. It wasn¡¯t like her mom. She wasn¡¯t obsessed.


    Picking up her brush, she quickly ran it through her hair, told herself to shut the fuck up, and ced it back on his sink.


    She was downstairs and almost into the kitchen before she heard the voices.


    ¡°You haven¡¯t answered a single phone call of mine in, like, a week. What the fuck is up with that?¡±


    Oh, shit.


    Recognizing Paul¡¯s voice, she froze in the dining room. The door was right there, and a secondter, she saw ric stride across the kitchen, shirtless, pajama bottoms hanging low, carrying a skillet. Dear Lord, he looked hot carrying a skillet. Okay. Focus. Prioritize. ric¡¯s hotness was not the concern right now. How to get back upstairs without being seen was.


    ¡°I¡¯ve been busy,¡± ric replied drily. ¡°And I listened to your messages. There wasn¡¯t anything important. Not like it had to do with your wedding or anything. No one was dying.¡±


    ¡°No shit, jackass.¡± Paul came into view, leaning against the kitchen-oh God, the kitchen table.


    Images of what they¡¯d done on that table assaulted Vanessa¡¯s brain. She needed to get out of here, but she was rooted to the spot. One wrong noise and Paul would see her in his partner¡¯s clothes and well, that shit would be awkward.


    ¡°You haven¡¯t even been answering anyone¡¯s calls.¡± usation rang in Paul¡¯s tone, and Vanessa frowned. ¡°And you really should¡¯ve.¡±


    ¡°Why?¡± ric appeared, stopping in front of Paul, folding his thick arms. ¡°Don¡¯t you think you should mind your own business?¡±


    Paul cocked his head to the side. ¡°You¡¯re my partner, and therefore it is my business.¡±

 75

    ¡°That¡¯s bullshit and you know it.¡± Paul said,


    ¡°Fuck you,¡± ric replied, but there was no real heat in his words. ¡°Look, I had to take a break, okay? After everything that happened, I felt like I needed some time for myself. Besides Bobby was fine with it,¡±


    Paul didn¡¯t look convinced, ¡°Does this have anything to do with a certain Mrs Spencer?¡± When ric didn¡¯t reply, Paul added, ¡°Damn man, Did you let her go?¡±


    Vanessa felt like an interloper. Well, duh, she was, and she really needed to get her ass out of there. Paul looked like he was about to say something else when what sounded like a chair in the dining room deciding to mate with the table drew their attention. They turned at the same time.


    Vanessa stood a few feet back from the table, her face as red as a fire truck and her eyes wide. ric¡¯s gaze dropped, and he swallowed a groan. Damn if he didn¡¯t love seeing her in his clothes. However, he did not like the idea of Paul seeing her practically naked. And he really wasn¡¯t ready to talk to his partner about Vanessa, which was why he¡¯d been spending the week pretending no one was home when he called.


    Paul¡¯s eyes grew as big as a kid¡¯s on Christmas morning. He stared at Vanessa like he¡¯d never seen her before. ¡°What the hell is going on here?¡±


    ¡°What the fuck do you think is going on?¡± ric shot back.


    ¡°Oh, I have a damn good visual.¡±


    Anger pricked at ric¡¯s skin, and he had to tell himself that this was his partner, so it wouldn¡¯t be appropriate to thump his ass. ¡°Be careful what you say next,¡± he warned in a low voice. ¡°I¡¯m not fucking with you.¡±


    An incredulous look crossed Paul¡¯s expression as he pushed away from the table, ncing into the dining room. ¡°That¡¯s fucking Miss Spencer. Good for you, man.¡±


    ric¡¯s hands closed into fists. ¡°Paul¡­¡± He was a half a second away from saying something else when Vanessa¡¯s voice stopped him.


    ¡°Hi, Paul. Good morning,¡± she said, her voice tight as she leveled a cool stare at Paul, then her gaze moved to ric. ¡°I¡¯m sorry to intrude. Didn¡¯t mean to.¡±


    ric watched her turn and walk out of the room before he faced Paul again,¡±Thanks for checking on me but I¡¯m fine. Can we talk some other time, please?¡±


    ¡°Fine ¡°Paul nodded,¡±I¡¯ll tell Emily you said hello.¡±


    ¡ª¡ª¡ª-


    For some reason, seeing Paul brought Vanessa back to reality. The reality she¡¯d been too scared to face. She didn¡¯t belong here with ric. She was close to sitting down on her bed and indulging in some really ugly crying, but she forced her legs to remain straight.


    The scent of ric clung to her skin, even as she pulled the shirt off over her head and dropped it on the floor. Heading into the bathroom, she turned on the shower and cranked up the heat.


    Her heart felt heavy as she stepped under the showerhead and the steady stream pelted her. For some reason, her skin felt raw and bruised, too sensitive. She shifted slowly, letting the spray hit her back.


    She was in love.


    She had gone and done it after swearing she¡¯d never be her mother. Because wasn¡¯t this how it had started for her? Vanessa really didn¡¯t know, but what was between her and ric had gone beyond sex and a good time. It had morphed into a burning passion that knotted in her chest.


    The truth was, no matter how she felt about ric, she didn¡¯t belong with him. For some reason, Paul¡¯s appearance served as a brutal, much-needed wakeup call. She needed to get out before she got even more invested, which seemed stupid, because how much more invested could she get?


    Closing her eyes, she tipped her head back and let the water and steam do its thing, wishing it could wash away ric¡¯s presence as well as it did his scent, but that was foolish, wasn¡¯t it?


    This was a good thing, though, she told herself. Tomorrow she would be going back home, back to reality. She still had her job. She still had that.


    Vanessa wasn¡¯t sure exactly how she knew she wasn¡¯t alone. The door to the bathroom hadn¡¯t creaked when it opened and she hadn¡¯t been aware of the ss doors sliding, but she knew ric was there before she even opened her eyes.Content rights by N?velDr//ama.Org.


    He stood there, still shirtless, and his pants were hanging indecently low on his hips. His gaze traveled hungrily over her body, staying in some areas longer than others. The way her body responded ticked her off. Her nipples hardened under his greedy stare and liquid fire flooded her veins. Air sawed in and out of her lips slowly as his gaze finally settled back on hers.


    Feeling incredibly vulnerable, which seemed kind of pointless at this moment, she folded her arms over her breasts. She had no idea what to say. Being naked in the shower did not make it easy for casual conversation.


    ¡°You shouldn¡¯t hide yourself. You¡¯re absolutely beautiful.¡±


    His words created a nest of butterflies in her belly, but she kept her arms crossed. ¡°Thanks,¡± she blurted out. ¡°Did you want to tell me something?¡±


    He leaned against the shower wall, seemingly oblivious to the spray. She wasn¡¯t. Her eyes followed the trail of water down his chest, over his tight abs. ¡°I didn¡¯te up here to talk.¡±


    Her chest spasmed. ¡°You didn¡¯t?¡±


    He shook his head.


    Having no idea how to respond to that, she turned around slowly, letting the hot spray of water wash over her face. Her skin pricked with awareness. ¡°I don¡¯t want to talk either.¡±


    ¡°Is that an invitation?¡±


    It shouldn¡¯t be. God knew continuing to cross that line with him wasn¡¯t smart. Her body and heart were at war with her head. She should tell him to leave, pack up herself, and get the hell out of here, but¡­But what was one more time? One more night? It wouldn¡¯t change the oue, staying wouldn¡¯t harshen the blow that was sure toe. It just wasn¡¯t smart. Then again, she hadn¡¯t been smart about any of this and look where she was? There was already an ache deep in her chest.


    ¡°Vanessa¡­¡±


    The sound of her name on his lips sealed the deal. It was truly that seductive. He rolled her name around his tongue like he was tasting it.

 76

    Looking over her shoulder at him, she drew in a shallow breath. ¡°It is.¡±


    ric stared at her for what felt like forever and then he had his pants off in record time. His arousal jutted out proudly, hard and thick, and moltenva filled in her belly. He stepped into the shower, closing the door behind him. His handsnded on her hips and when he spoke, his voice whispered in her ear. ¡°I know what you¡¯re thinking.¡±


    Vanessa shuddered. ¡°You do?¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡± He kissed her shoulder, causing her heart to squeeze at the tender action. ¡°You¡¯re going to run.¡±


    She stiffened, her arms mped close to her chest. ¡°I don¡¯t¡­don¡¯t know what you¡¯re talking about.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re a shitty liar.¡± He turned her around and reached between them, wrapping his hands around her wrists. He backed her up until she was flush with the cold tile. ¡°You have that look in your eyes. Never really seen it before-the whole deer-in-the-headlights look. But you have it. You¡¯re going to run.¡±


    ¡°You need to get your eyes checked, then.¡±


    ¡°Smartass,¡± he murmured. ¡°Still a shitty liar. And you know what? That¡¯s okay.¡± He transferred her wrists to one hand and ced his free hand on her hip. Tipping their foreheads together, he breathed in deeply. ¡°Run if it makes you feel better and helps you sleep at night. It¡¯s not the worst possible thing you could do.¡±


    Vanessa wanted to deny it, because the usation, no matter how spot-on it was, made her feel weak.


    ¡°So run. I don¡¯t mind.¡± His lips zed a path over her cheek and his teeth sank into her earlobe, causing her to moan. ¡°I like to chase, Vanessa.¡±


    A bolt of red-hot lust mmed from her pulse and straight to her belly. ¡°I don¡¯t like to be chased.¡± She said,


    ¡°You will when it¡¯s me.¡± He slowly lifted her joined hands above her head as he slid his free hand over the curve of her rear, lifting her up until she was on the tips of her toes. ¡°I will chase you. And I will catch you.¡±


    ric pressed forward, his erection firmly against her stomach. It felt like he was crushing her, or at least that was how it seemed for a panicked second. Raw emotions poured into her chest. She should push him away, stop this, but she tipped her head against the wall and her hips moved in slow circles.


    ¡°What¡¯s between us isn¡¯t casual.¡± His hot breath caressed her cheeks, sending shivers down her, and then moved down her throat again. ¡°And you know that just as well as I do. You just don¡¯t want to admit it.¡±


    ¡°No,¡± she whispered.


    ¡°Yes.¡± His voice was raw, sexy, and pure sin. ¡°Look at you. You can¡¯t wait for me to get inside of you.¡±


    It was true. She was wet, ready, and her hips kept moving against him. Already she could feel him inside her and it was a desire that was like a drug-an obsession. Her eyes flew open as icy panic balled in her chest. ¡°It¡¯s not-¡± she began¡­


    His mouth was on her, the kiss rugged and rough. Sparks flew from deep inside her and his tongue swept in, silencing the breathy moan building. Everything was spiraling out of control. Hell, it was already out of control.


    ric rocked against her as he lifted his head, lips brushing hers as he spoke. ¡°Don¡¯t you feel it?¡± He pressed his lips to the side of her neck,pping with his tongue. ¡°I know you do.¡±


    Vanessa shuddered. Her entire body was one giant pulse point. She ached for him, but the ache ran deep, blooming in her chest. He shifted his hips again as his lips roamed over her heated skin and she arched against him. Her body made her as transparent as a window and there was absolutely nothing she could do about it.


    Thebination of her fear and desire held a frightening level of power. Heat pooled between her thighs and her very being burned for him. Her head swam as he captured her lips again. His fingers tightened on her bottom, squeezing her as his tongue flicked over the rough of her mouth. ric was¡­God, he was something beyond words.


    Lifting her off her feet, he pushed her thighs apart. She gasped as she felt him against her thigh, so hot and hard. She was close to begging him, but he didn¡¯t make her wait long. Oh no, he hooked her legs around his hips, lining her up with his erection.


    ¡°Look at me,¡± he ordered in a gruff voice.


    Vanessa wanted to deny him, but her eyes opened of their own ord. His raw gaze stole her breath. In his stare¡­ No, she couldn¡¯t be seeing what she thought she was. She suddenly wanted to cry. Not breaking contact, he thrust inside her, deep and hard, and he remained there, seated to the hilt. There was no escaping him, and in that moment, it was thest thing she ever wanted to do.Content provided by N?velDrama.Org.


    ¡°Feel me?¡± he breathed, nipping at her lower lip.


    Vanessa felt him in every part of her. Then he started to move and her world fell apart. Her body arched into him and she kicked her head back. The piercing moan sent ric into a frenzy of action.


    Each thrust slid her up the wall and then back down on his length. She couldn¡¯t move in this position. He hadplete control. Her arms were still stretched above her head, his body filling hers and then retreating, only to pump back into her deeply. Within seconds, she was matching his tempo. Both of their movements were wild and a bit desperate. He dropped her wrists and she looped her arms around his neck. He cradled the back of her head as he drove into her, incited by the way she dug her fingers into his skin, scouring his flesh.


    ¡°Oh fuck,¡± he said, his mouth pressed against her throat. ¡°Vanessa, I can¡¯t¡­¡±


    She tensed around him, every nerve pulsing and ring as he pounded into her. No doubt her backside would be a bit bruisede tomorrow, but her hoarse cry of release said it all. She wasn¡¯t going to be upset by having to carefully sit down. He quickly followed, fusing their bodies together. Shetched onto him, panting and experiencing the aftershocks as his chest rose against her swiftly.

 77

    ¡°Vanessa,¡± he breathed, voice ragged. ¡°Vanessa, please¡­. Please don¡¯t¡­¡± He stopped talking and she dropped her head to his warm shoulder, squeezing her eyes against the rush of hot tears. Her arms trembled, but it seemed to have very little to do with what they¡¯d just done, and more with the fact that after today, it would be thest time. It had to be before it was toote.


    But an evil little voice whispered that it was already toote.


    ¡ª¡ª-


    Vanessa was running.


    ric was a lot of things, but he wasn¡¯t fucking stupid. And he¡¯d meant what he¡¯d said. Kind of. He¡¯d let her have the facade of running, because she wasn¡¯t going to get far. He knew that the woman felt the same way he did. She may not be able to say the words, but it was everything else she did. Right now, she was like a cornered animal. There were only two options for her: fight it out or run.


    She was going to run.


    He¡¯d kept her busy the rest of the day Sunday, not giving her much time to put whatever cockamamie n in ce, but he woke when she crept out of his bed at dawn, too early for her just to be getting ready for work. Too bad he didn¡¯t have another excuse to keep her home.


    Home.


    Somewhere over the past weeks, while this drama had been going on, his house had be their home. A smile pulled at his lips in spite of the fact that he knew she was packing up her clothing and personal items in the room next door. Was she going to tell him? Try to sneak the bags past him? Curiosity filled him, making it hard for him to remain in bed and see this through.


    If he tried to stop her, it would only make her resist harder. He wanted to me Paul but he knew that even if Paul hadn¡¯t shown up and made an ass out of himself, this was inevitable. Something would¡¯ve triggered her if it hadn¡¯t been her deepening feelings. He wasn¡¯t a psychologist, but it didn¡¯t take one to see that hermitment issues were obviously attached to her mom and he wasn¡¯t sure exactly how he would ovee something like that.


    But he would. ric didn¡¯t ever give up.


    Her soft footfalls hurried down the hall and he stilled, his eyes drifting toward the closed bedroom door. He needed to be tied down, because lying there was probably the hardest thing he¡¯d ever done.


    Just when he thought she was going to leave, he heard her outside his door again. Closing his eyes, he forced his breathing to move slowly. The door cracked open and he felt Vanessa creeping in, moving quietly to the side of the bed he was ¡°sleeping¡± on. The lovely scent of vani and lc teased his senses and his cock immediately swelled, more than ready to get a little physical. Her soft lips brushed his cheek and she whispered, ¡°Good-bye.¡±


    And then she was gone.


    ric forced himself to stay in the bed until he heard his front door close and the silent beep of the rm resetting. Throwing off the sheet, he looked over at the nightstand. Beside his cell was a folded piece of paper. His eyes narrowed as he picked it up, already knowing what it was before he scanned the handwritten note.


    It even started off with Dear ric. He snorted.


    Things have been fun. h. h. Time for this to end. h. h. She wanted him to move on and let her go. h. h. She was thankful for his help and protection. h. h. Email her the cost of his services? What the fuck? Did she really think he was going to charge her for any of this? She even left her email address.


    Her fucking email address.


    That was the only thing that pissed him off.


    ¡°Fuck it,¡± ric said, crumpling up the Dear John letter. If she really thought he wasn¡¯t going to go after her, then she was wrong. So fucking wrong.


    ¡ª¡ª-Belongs to ? n0velDrama.Org.


    Vanessa felt like a different person sitting behind her desk at work. Unable to think straight after she went home, she¡¯d gone to her office instead. Her apartment suddenly felt ufortable and she had an idea why, but she refused to think about it.


    She had no idea how much ric would charge for his services so far, and God knew he would after her bitchtastic exit this morning. He had to take something for all the stress and even money he¡¯d spent while protecting her.


    She missed him already, but  it was time that she moved on. In reality, she wasn¡¯t the same woman she was months ago. More so than the physical changes-hair down, wearing a white blouse and linen pants and no suit. Admittedly, she was a hell of a lot morefortable dressed as she was, but there was an ache in her breast that had started the moment she walked out of ric¡¯s house and had only grown over thest couple of hours.


    Had she done the right thing by leaving ric this morning? It had to be. What he said in the shower the day before had to be the lust talking and nothing more. Besides, leaving him now was like ripping a Band-Aid off a wound-rather it be quick and a bit painful than drawn-out and destructive.


    No matter what, she wouldn¡¯t end up like her mom.


    But no matter how hard she tried, she felt like she was faking it all. It was the best way she could describe how she felt. As if she were doing nothing but lying to herself and others, telling them and herself that she was okay. That everything was fine. But it wasn¡¯t. Not really. Her skin was stretched too tight, as if she were wearing jeans that no longer fit after gorging on a meal.


    Sipping her lukewarm coffee, she pushed thoughts of ric and her own question out of her mind and concentrated on work. For a while, it worked like it always had. She turned off her  phone, because she really didn¡¯t think she could deal with it if ric contacted her, and threw herself into the phone calls and work she¡¯d left unattended.


    It worked till afternoon, and she was starting to feel better. As she started to stand, she nced over at the window. With the sun pushing through the thin ts in the blinds, she watched the tiny specks of dust floating in the streams of light. That was how she felt, simply floating.

 78

    Pressure mped down on her chest and she quickly shook her head. She had been doing so well. Now wasn¡¯t the time to break down. She ced her purse on the desk when someone knocked and the door to her office opened. It was her assistant, Ruby.


    ¡°There¡¯s a Mr Harper here to see you, Mrs Spencer. Should I send him in?¡±


    Vanessa¡¯s heart skipped a beat, and she almost ran out the door to see him, but she stopped herself. What use would it be? She¡¯d already left. There was no going back now, so she shook her head,  ¡°No,¡± she replied, ¡°Please tell him I¡¯m not avable,¡±


    Ruby left, and Vanessa stood, staring at the door. She knew ric well enough to know that if he insisted oning into her office, no one would be able to stop him. Fifteen minutester, no one came in and she knew that he¡¯d gone. She should be relieved, but she felt more miserable than ever.


    ¡ª¡ª


    Everything should be okay.


    Her apartment had been virtually restored. The rental insurance had kicked in and the new furniture had arrived. The fridge was stocked with fresh food, and several shopping bags were in her bedroom, ready to be emptied of her recently purchased items, but Vanessa still felt miserable.


    The days blurred together, and Vanessa roamed from one room to the next, vaguely aware of what she was doing. It was going to take a long time for her to forget about ric. At the thought of his name, knots formed in her belly. She hadn¡¯t seen him since she left his house, but he would be here any second. He¡¯d called for days after she¡¯d refused to see him at her office, wanting to speak to her, and she¡¯d finally agreed. She wasn¡¯t sure why. She wasn¡¯t ready to talk to him, to have the conversation they needed to. She was convinced that getting into any rtionship was a bad idea. Her mother was crazy and Vanessa must bring out the crazy in other people, which probably exined ric¡¯s attraction to her.


    Sheughed at that, but the sound was harsh. Smoothing her hands down her jeans, she went into the living room and sat on the edge of the couch, her spine rigid, and she waited. Thirty minutester, there was a knock on her door, and her heart jumped out of her chest,nding on the carpet and doing a little jig.


    ¡°You can do this,¡± she whispered, standing. It urred to her as she went to the door that if she were about to do the right thing, why did she need to convince herself of that?


    ric caused her breath to hitch in her throat as he stepped inside her apartment. ¡°How are you?¡± he asked.


    She forced a weak smile. ¡°I¡¯m feeling okay. You?¡±


    ¡°Better now.¡± He reached out, his fingers going for her jaw, but she stepped aside, avoiding his touch. He frowned. ¡°Are you sure you are okay?¡±


    She nodded, then headed into the living room, needing to move from the close space of her entryway. ¡°Um, would you like something to drink?¡±


    The frown on ric¡¯s face deepened as he sat on the couch. ¡°No. Come sit with me.¡±


    She hesitated, but the look that appeared on his face told her that if she didn¡¯t, he would be likely to pick her up and drop her ass on it. So she sat¡­on the farthest cushion. ¡°It was nice of you to stop by,¡± she said after a stretch of silence. ¡°But as you can see, I¡¯m doing okay.¡±


    His brows rose. ¡°Nice of me to stop by?¡±


    Nodding, she ran her palms over her bent knees and focused on the window. ¡°Can you let me know how much I owe you for your services? I imagine the cost to repair my car was pricey, but like I said, I do have money-¡±


    ¡°Are you fucking serious?¡± ric exploded.


    She jumped, her gaze swinging toward him sharply. ¡°I¡¯m not sure I follow that question.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re not?¡± Fury darkened his eyes. ¡°I didn¡¯te here to give you a bill. It¡¯s not like I¡¯m going to charge you.¡±Content provided by N?velDrama.Org.


    Her lips parted. ¡°I have to pay you. I owe you money for the car, for your services-¡±


    ¡°Services?¡± He spat out the word, a muscle ticking in his jaw. ¡°I helped you because I wanted to, Vanessa. I never once told you that I was going to charge you for any of this.¡±


    She stared at him, her heart thumping heavily. ¡°Why would you do this for free?¡±


    ric shook his head as he stood. ¡°You know, this is kind of insulting. Why would I? Is it that hard for you to imagine?¡±


    Apparently so. He cursed under his breath. ¡°I care about you. That¡¯s the reason I helped you. It doesn¡¯t have to do with anything else. And the reason I¡¯m here now is because I care about you.¡±


    Those words formed on the tip of her tongue-those three words-but she couldn¡¯t speak them. All she could think of was her mother saying those words about every man she crossed paths with and those words leaving a trail of destruction in their path. Part of her knew that was stupid, but she couldn¡¯t get past it.


    ric stared down at her. ¡°You care about me. Hell, I¡¯d wager good money that you¡¯re in love with me.¡±


    She gasped. ¡°That¡¯s not-¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re a shitty liar, Vanessa. You lived with me and even if you never said it, you showed me that you do.¡±


    ¡°I wasn¡¯t¡­. I didn¡¯t-I don¡¯t¡­ ¡°SShe stammered.


    ¡°Bullshit. I¡¯ve told you that before, and I still mean it. After everything that has happened, you can¡¯t admit to what you¡¯re feeling? You¡¯re still willing to hide behind old fears?¡± he demanded, hitting old wounds with an uracy that was startling. ¡°You¡¯re not your mother and I¡¯m not some random guy who¡¯s going to change you or break your Vanessa. You¡¯re a goddamn grown woman, na, who isn¡¯t afraid to stand up to anyone, but you¡¯re terrified of yourself.¡±


    Anger shed through her, warring for first ce with the unease building. His words¡­


    ¡°You¡¯re a lot of things, Vanessa. You¡¯re beautiful and stubborn as hell. You¡¯re smart and determined. You¡¯re damn good at your job,¡± he said, holding her stare. ¡°But you¡¯re a coward. And you¡¯d better wake up before the best damn thing walks out of your life and you do end up just like your mother.¡±

 79

    Stunned by what he said, all she could do was sit there, and when she didn¡¯t say anything, ric cursed under his breath again. ¡°I¡¯ve told you that I don¡¯t mind the chase, and I have no fucking problem chasing after you, but I refuse to run after a ghost. And that¡¯s what you are if you can¡¯t let go of your past with your mom. I won¡¯t chase a ghost.¡±


    Then he spun, his long legs quickly eating up the distance between her and the door. And then¡­then he was gone, the door mming shut behind him.Belongs to ? n0velDrama.Org.


    The moment ric left, she knew, without a doubt, that she had made the biggest mistake of her life. It was right there, smacking her face. Everything he had said was right.


    She was a coward. And the best damn thing to ever happen to her had just walked out the door.


    ¡­¡­¡­


    Her heart was like a hummingbird in her chest by the time she climbed out of her newly returned car and stared up at ric¡¯s house.


    A thousand things could go wrong with this. He might not be home. He could be and he could havepany-his brothers or anyone, really. Maybe even another woman¡­ Oh God. He could also m the door in her face.


    Vanessa¡¯s stomach dipped like she was on a roller coaster of horror, but she would not run. She was done running and that was why she was here. She would¡¯veest night, but she figured he needed the time to calm down and she needed to get her head on straight. After two pints of ice cream and a good old ugly cry, she¡¯d passed out and woke up this morning determined. She had been wrong and she wasn¡¯t going to run from what she felt any longer. Please God, do not let this be a huge mistake.


    She headed up the paved walkway, passing the sweet scented early summer flowers. On the front porch, the furniture was pristine yet inviting. Gathering up her courage, she lifted her hand to knock, but the front door whipped open before she could knock.


    It wasn¡¯t ric who answered the door.


    Paul stood there, eyebrows raised. Their eyes met, and she didn¡¯t know what to say.


    ¡°Miss Spencer,¡± Paul said,¡± How are you?¡±


    Vanessa managed a smile,¡± I¡¯m fine, ¡°she replied,¡±It¡¯s really good to see that you are fully healed. Thank you so much for all you did. I will always remember it,¡±


    Paul grinned at her. ¡°Oh it¡¯s fine. I¡¯m assuming you are here to see ric. Come in,¡±


    Vanessa squeezed her eyes shut and took a deep breath. After a second, she stepped inside the door, ¡°Yes I am,¡± she replied, ¡°Is he here?¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s up,¡± came the voice she wanted to hear before Paul could reply. No¡­she needed to hear.


    ric filled the doorway to the living room, the gray shirt he wore stretching over his broad shoulders. Upon seeing him, she was momentarily stunned into silence and forgot his partner was there. His dark hair was messy, but his face was freshly shaven, and his dark eyes bore into her. His expression was absolutely unreadable as he stared back at her with searing intensity.


    His gaze dropped, drifting over her before returning to her face. ¡°I thought you stopped wearing those horrible suits?¡±


    Her cheeks flushed. ¡°I did, but¡­¡±


    He waited.


    Vanessa couldn¡¯t bring herself to vocalize why she had dressed in the only boxy, unattractive suit she had left. What had seemed like a good idea when she got ready this morning now felt foolish.


    Both of them waited-Paul and ric.  Paul didn¡¯t look like he was nning on moving from the hall. She shifted her weight from one foot to the other. ¡°I was wondering if we could talk? If not, then maybeter, or-¡± Hershes lifted and she met his stare again. The set of his hard jaw told her it was do-or-die time. Either keep running or act like a grown, somewhat sensible adult. ¡°I was wrong about you-about us, and you were right. I am scared. I was scared that I would end up like my mother and that-that was so stupid, because I¡¯m not her and you¡¯re not any number of those guys. And I know I might¡¯ve screwed this up, but I wanted you to know that I¡¯m sorry and that I was wrong.¡±


    ric cocked his head to the side. Paul was staring at her as the silence stretched out between them. ¡°I know,¡± ric finally said.


    Out of everything she¡¯d expected him to say, that wasn¡¯t it, and that was sort of funny, because it came as no surprise that he would be that cocky. But ¡°I know¡± after making such an impassioned admission? What the hell was she supposed to do with ¡°I know¡±?


    She stared at him as a slow, one-sided grin appeared on his lips. Her brows pinched. ¡°Is that all you¡¯re going to say?¡±


    ¡°No.¡±


    Vanessa waited¡­and waited. Paul waited, looking like he needed a big bowl of popcorn.


    ¡°I was angry and frustrated,¡± ric said, unfolding his arms, his eyes holding hers as he walked forward. ¡°I left your cest night, Vanessa, but I didn¡¯t leave you.¡±


    I didn¡¯t leave you.


    Her breath caught as the four words sunk in and when they did, there was a swelling in her chest that she was sure could¡¯ve taken her straight up to the ceiling.


    ¡°So, you see, I¡¯ve been waiting for you.¡± He stepped closer, so close that their legs brushed. ¡°I was going to give you till this evening toe to your senses and then I was going toe after you.¡±


    ¡°You were?¡±


    He nodded. ¡°Remember? I told you that I like to chase.¡±


    She remembered.


    ¡°And you know what I like better than the chase? The capture,¡± he said, cupping her cheek. ¡°I enjoy the capture the most, V.¡±


    Her pulse pounded in several ces throughout her body. ¡°Why doesn¡¯t that surprise me?¡±


    ric smiled as he smoothed his thumb over her cheek. ¡°Is there something you want to say to me?¡±


    Sweet relief eased the taut muscles in her neck and happiness bubbled up inside her. She swallowed against the sudden knot in her throat. ¡°This was easier than I thought it was going to be?¡±

 80

    Heughed, dropping his forehead to hers. ¡°I was thinking you wanted to tell me something else.¡±


    She reached up, spreading her palm against his cheek. The words were surprisingly easier to say than she could¡¯ve ever imagined. ¡°I love you.¡±


    His eyes fell shut as he sucked in a deep breath. ¡°I¡¯m d we don¡¯t need to fight again for you to admit that.¡±Content provided by N?velDrama.Org.


    ¡°Me, too,¡± she whispered, stretching up and kissing him softly. ¡°Don¡¯t you have something you want to say?¡±


    ¡°Remember my fantasy?¡± Hisshes lifted. ¡°The one I told you about?¡±


    Paul cleared his throat behind them, but it wentrgely ignored.


    That wasn¡¯t what she was looking for, but she would go with this. ¡°Yes. I remember.¡±


    ¡°And look at you. Your hair pulled back, wearing one of those god-awful suits. I think you did that on purpose.¡±


    A smile teased her lips. ¡°I might have.¡±


    ¡°Hmm,¡± he murmured as he reached around, gently unwrapping the bun and letting her hair fall down her back. ¡°And why did you do that?¡±


    ¡°I thought it might help my case.¡±


    He took her hand and pressed it to his groin. ¡°It¡¯s helped something.¡±


    Her womb clenched. Hot, tight shudders racked her body. ¡°I can see.¡±


    ric dipped his head, brushing his lips over hers. She opened her mouth, inviting him in as she sped her arms loosely behind his neck. With that, his kiss became urgent, deepening. Nothing could¡¯ve prepared her for the raw intensity of his kiss. Her senses overloaded as his tongue slipped over her tongue.


    ¡°All right, you two have an audience. Seriously,¡± said Paul. ¡°And I think I¡¯m going to be scarred for life. Hell,¡±


    ¡°There¡¯s the door,¡± ric said, never taking his eyes off Vanessa¡¯s. ¡°I suggest you make use of it and close it behind you, or you¡¯re about to get an eyeful.¡±


    ¡°Yeah, that is not something I want to see. Or hear.¡±


    Vanessa¡¯s cheeks were burning, but so was the blood in her veins. The longer ric stared at her, the more she knew how badly he wanted her.


    Paul walked out and Vanessa sucked in a sharp breath as then the door closed behind him. Now she could focus on ric.


    ¡°You don¡¯t n on wearing this suit again, do you?¡± he asked, voice husky.


    Her stomach fluttered. ¡°No. Never again.¡±


    ¡°Good. Because it¡¯s not going to be in one piece in a few seconds.¡±


    She could barely breathe, let alone think as he pulled the suit off her shoulders, tossing it aside. He paused, pressed a kiss to her jaw, a tender move that caused her heart to skip in her chest. Then he fisted his hands in the front of her blouse and yanked it. At the sound of the material ripping, her body flushed hot. Her shoes and pants followed quickly and within seconds, she was standing in his foyer, dressed only in her bra and panties.


    ric stepped back, his gaze soaking her up, and then he hooked his fingers into her panties, pulling them down. Her bra came next. In his haste, he broke the fragile sp. She didn¡¯t care. She wanted him, only him. And she wasn¡¯t just going to stand by.


    She got her hands under the hem of his shirt and tugged it off, then her fingers went to the button on his jeans. With his help, she pulled them and his boxer briefs off. His erection pressed against her belly as he backed her up against the door, fitting his body against hers.


    She¡¯d never look at this door the same again. No way.


    ¡°Tell me again,¡± he murmured against her cheek, slipping his hand between her thighs, cupping her intimately. ¡°Just say those three little words for me again.¡±


    ¡°What words?¡± Her hips surged forward, grinding against his thigh and his hand. Pleasure spiked, making her dizzy and breathless.


    ric growled low in his throat as he grabbed her hip, stilling her movements. ¡°You know exactly what I want to hear you say again.¡±


    Kissing the underside of his jaw, she moved restlessly against him. She wanted to drown in him. ¡°I love you.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s my girl.¡± He wore a wicked grin as his thumb smoothed over her clit.


    She reached down to return the favor, but he started to kiss down her throat, making a slow descent. His hair tickled her breasts as he drifted between them, and a soft sound caught in her throat as his tongueved over the tips of her breasts and then down below, circling her navel.


    ric knelt before her, spreading her legs wide. Lust mmed into her as he grasped her hips. His tongue glided from her navel to just above the bundle of nerves. He kissed her inner thigh, nuzzling the slick crease. The air left her lungs, and then he sliced her open with his tongue. He captured her flesh with his mouth, parting her lips with firm, determined strokes of his tongue. She cried out as he sucked at her.


    Lost in the raw sensations, she grasped his hair and rocked her hips against his mouth. He growled in pleasure, dipping his tongue in and out. Her back arched, heart pounded. His tongue worked her until she was thrusting unabashedly, panting heavily. The intensity built until her body liquefied as he moved on to her clit and added a finger. His sucking and thrusting matched the tempo of her hips. She bucked and climaxed with such force that her knees went weak. He caught her, keeping his mouth on her, soaking up everyst drop while her body spasmed with sweet aftershocks.


    And then he stood up, grasping her hips as he lifted, and entered her deeply. He didn¡¯t move, just remained there as her body dampened his. Then he slowly withdrew, eliciting a whimper from her.


    ¡°You know what I want.¡± His voice was dark and rich with seduction.


    Vanessa didn¡¯t know until he had her on her hands and knees on the foyer floor and he¡¯d knelt behind her. His hand curved over her bottom and she clenched up, expecting a sharp p. Instead, he slipped a finger into her and then pulled out. A wicked thrill trilled through her blood.


    ¡°Yes,¡± she moaned, rocking back, gasping as the pressure increased.


    ¡°Good God, woman, you¡¯re going to kill me.¡±


    Then she felt his erection recing his fingers. Her muscles tensed with anticipation. She knew this would be rough. It would be raw. It would be what she wanted.


    ¡°God,¡± he said, voice guttural. He smoothed a hand down her spine and then grasped her hips. ¡°Tell me how badly you want this.¡± When she didn¡¯t respond, his hand moved back up her spine, his fingers wrapping around the edges of her hair. He tugged hard enough to send a wave of prickles across her skull and another shudder deep inside her. ¡°Tell me, Vanessa.¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    The tug came again, and she cried out, already so close. ¡°Yes, what?¡±


    ¡°Yes,¡± she gasped. ¡°I want this badly. I want it more than anything.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s my girl.¡± One hand moved to the junction of her thighs. His fingers caught the throbbing bundle of nerves and he yed there. Pleasure radiated out from her core, mixing with the sharp bite of pain. The sensation was heady, thoroughly sensual.


    Once he was in, he shuddered as he wrapped his other arm under her breasts, holding her in ce. When he started to move in slow and steady strokes, she thought she¡¯d die from the pleasure, from the downright wickedness of what they were doing in the middle of his foyer, in broad daylight.


    ¡°You¡¯re mine now,¡± he murmured against the flushed skin of her back. ¡°Completely mine.¡±


    It was true. She couldn¡¯t deny it. She was his. And he was hers. A sharp swirl of tingles rushed through her body. Behind her, he moved his powerful body at a faster rhythm. Her hands slid over the tile.


    ¡°I love you, Vanessa,¡± he said, voice thick with emotion. ¡°I love you.¡±


    Lightning flew through her veins. The orgasm came fast and hard, absolutely mind-blowing in its intensity. Her cry mixed with his as he let go. His hips pumped, throwing her head first into another orgasm. He stayed against her for what felt like forever, his body sealed to hers. When he did pull out, she already missed him.


    ric turned her in his arms, kissing her cheeks, the lids of her eyes, and then her lips. Holding her close, he sat back, buck-ass naked, and pulled her into hisp. Their eyes met.


    ¡°You never have to give away a piece of you to me,¡± he said. ¡°But you can have as many pieces of me as you want. You can have all of me, for forever.¡±


    Vanessa felt the emotion swell in her throat as she lifted her head, blindly seeking his kiss. Words didn¡¯t seem like enough, but she forced them out, meaning them. ¡°I trust you with my pieces-all of me. I love you.¡±


    ¡ª¡ª¨C


    THE END


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