Till I Found You: The Broken Hero Series—Book One

by Fernandez, Michelle

  “Ew, gross!” Chloe gasped at Phoebe’s failed attempt at a ridiculous French kiss with her straw.

  “No, she kissed Julian like this.” Ryland licked the side of her own straw, starting at the bottom and up to the tip. Ryland and Phoebe’s laughter filled the room.

  Chloe shook her head. No boundaries, no filter. It never ceased to amaze Chloe her friends could be so crude. “You two are pathetic, you know that?” She shifted in her chair, away from her friends. An older woman sat to the other side of her, mouth agape. “My apologies,” Chloe said, feeling her cheeks warm again. “My girlfriends don’t get out much.”

  “No need to apologize. How I miss those days.” The woman giggled.

  “They’re a bit boy-crazy when we go on our girls’ trips.”

  The woman placed her soft hand on Chloe’s arm. “I met my Henry on a trip similar to yours. And with the same kind of girlfriends.” The woman jutted her chin toward Ryland and Phoebe, both giggling like schoolgirls. “My Henry and I had passionate sex the entire time,” she whispered. “Oh girl, he still has moves that make my toes curl.”

  “Oh, yeah?” Chloe asked, taken aback by the older woman’s candid confession.

  “I have no shame in talking about my Henry like this among women. He’s the reason we’ve been together ever since. He’s made me the happiest woman. Now we are celebrating our forty-fifth anniversary.”

  “How beautiful.” Chloe smiled. “Happy anniversary.”

  “Oh my, here I am, spilling my secrets.” The woman extended her hand. “My name is Rose.”

  “Nice to meet you, Rose.” They shook hands, fingers barely touching, careful not to ruin their wet nails. “I’m Chloe.”

  “What a pretty name.”

  “Thank you.”

  There was something heartening about Rose, as if Chloe could ask her anything. She turned the question over again, looked down at Rose’s hands, soft and delicate, just like her nana’s. Chloe lifted her eyes to meet the woman’s blue-grays, warm and enduring. Then the question flew from her mouth.

  “Rose, how did you know? How did you know Henry was…the one?”

  “Well, it was a no-brainer…you feel it in here.” Rose placed her hand over her chest. “There’s an unexplainable chemistry, like fireworks exploded in my heart. When Henry kissed me for the first time, god I still remember it like it was yesterday.” She paused, smiling at the memory. “I’m sorry dear, as I was saying…when you kissed, did you feel the fireworks?”

  Chloe nodded. “Mm-hm.”

  “And when you first saw him, how did you feel?”

  Chloe thought of the day she met him at the airport. Then there was a tickling inside her brain. Was it the first time she’d met Julian? Why were her feelings deepening so quickly, and all the while it was comforting? “He drowns me, Rose…and I don’t want to come up for air. Is that what you mean?”

  “Yes, that is exactly when you know he’s the one.” Rose paused again, giving Chloe the sincerest smile. “I can see you like him very much. Your eyes say it.”

  “They do?” Chloe twisted her lips, searching for a plausible answer.

  “Yes. Eyes are never quiet. As much as you may want to hide your feelings, or deny them, you forget our eyes will speak. They say you want to let your heart do what it does best, to love someone. And…” Rose’s voice lowered conspiratorially. “You will most likely have that passionate sex your body is yearning for.”

  “Rose!”

  The woman laughed as Chloe grinned from her shocking comment. “I don’t mean to be so forward. But, am I wrong?”

  Chloe bit her bottom lip, then shyly shook her head. No, Rose wasn’t wrong. Not in the least.

  “I know the heart and mind fight battles. But sometimes we need to shut off our mind and just go with our heart.”

  “I’m afraid he’ll hurt me.”

  “Who isn’t afraid? I’m sure your girlfriends over there are afraid as well. Might explain why they’re still single, hmm?” Rose looked over at Chloe’s friends. “Of course, the heart is afraid, but it is also very brave. It knows when to take a chance. You just need to be brave enough to listen to your heart. Can you picture this man out of your life now that he’s part of it?” Rose peered down at her toes. “I think my piglets are dry.” She pushed herself off the salon chair. “If the answer is no, then I suggest you don’t let him go.”

  Rose hit the nail on the head. Chloe’s heart cracked at the thought of dismissing Julian out of her life now that he was part of it.

  How does this man consume all of my thoughts?

  He made Chloe feel whole again when she didn’t know she was incomplete. Chloe ached for him and although she was supposed to be spending this time with her friends, she wanted to be with him.

  “Our time is limited.” Chloe sighed. “He lives here, and I don’t.”

  “The best kind of love is unexpected—”

  “Oh, Rose, I don’t love him. We just met.”

  “That’s exactly what I said about my Henry. If there is an instant connection, I call it fate. Fate is love. You were meant to meet him. And I truly believe it’ll work out.” Rose paused, tender eyes pitching to hers. “Well, I best be going now. My Henry is picking me up soon.”

  “It was nice talking to you…and thank you for the advice.”

  “My pleasure, dear.” Rose turned and disappeared through the dressing-room door.

  The wisdom Chloe longed for and needed to hear came from a complete stranger. Chloe pressed her hand to her heart. Looking at Rose’s unoccupied chair, an angelic vision of her nana swept Chloe’s mind.

  Thanks, Nana. I know you’re watching me.

  “I’m so glad Thomas and I have an understanding that it’s purely physical. We are each other’s booty call,” Phoebe told Ryland.

  How does Phoebe do that—sex without love?

  Chloe thought back to Julian’s heart-throbbing kiss at the club, then on top of the hill. Butterflies swarmed in her belly and a warm glow flowed through her.

  Was Julian the one she’d been waiting for? Did he feel the same connection? It certainly appeared so. She could still feel his hands against her body sending goosebumps up her back. His eyes, wild with lust. His raspy voice telling her she belonged to him.

  Are my emotions getting the best of me?

  It didn’t matter. She was going to see where it would go regardless of their limited time and toss her plan out the window. Phoebe, Ryland and now Rose, seemed to chant in her ear.

  Take a chance.

  “Don’t think I’ve forgotten about you and Julian.” Ryland shifted toward Chloe, squaring her shoulders. “Spill it. And don’t leave anything out.”

  Chloe took a steadying breath. “Okay, yes, he’s an amazing kisser. Like toe-curling, panty-dropping, wrap-my-legs-around-him, tasted-so-good kisser. I don’t know what it is, but I can’t control myself around him.”

  “Are you saying you’re finally going to let your hair down, take a chance on him?”

  “Toss the Chloe Plan, sweetie,” Phoebe added. “Do you really want to look back twenty years from now and wonder why you didn’t go for it with Julian?”

  The infamous Chloe Plan—fall in love with Prince Charming, have 2.5 kids, a house with a white picket fence, and live happily ever after.

  “I like my plan,” Chloe said, sipping her lemonade. “Feebs, how do you do it? Have no-strings-attached sex?”

  “Seriously? Well, he inserts his hard di—”

  “Don’t be a dumbass,” Chloe yelped. “It was just a question.”

  “Well you asked, dumbass.” Phoebe twisted her lips. “I know you two think I’m a nympho, but I swear I’m not.”

  Chloe and Ryland laughed hysterically. Women from every corner of the salon scowled at them for interrupting their solace.

  “Okay”—Phoebe displayed her forefinger and thumb in the air, barely touching—“maybe a tiny bit nympho. There used to be a time having sex with the one you love was the wa
y it was supposed to be. But after Bryan, I don’t believe in love anymore. He messed it up for me.”

  “Feebs, I hope someday you fall in love again.” Chloe titled her head. There was a sadness that swept Chloe’s heart. Phoebe once had a heart of gold and unfortunately it turned to a heart of stone, rejecting any man who tried to give her attention.

  “It will take a miracle for Feebs to fall in love again,” Ryland said. “What about you, Chlo? Planning on having no-strings-attached sex with Julian?”

  “He’s pretty fuckin’ hot,” Phoebe confessed, and Ryland made a sizzling noise that had all three women grinning.

  “Exactly. I can’t wait to see him naked.” Chloe slapped her mouth with her hands. The words were out before she could take them back.

  “Thatta girl.” Phoebe raised her hand to Ryland for a high-five. “Time to embrace your inner slut.”

  Soft warm hands caressed Booker’s torso, fingers dragging down his abs. Their bodies tangled in endless waves of bedsheets. She was in control, straddling him, moving rhythmically against his hips, fueling his desire.

  Booker palmed her breasts, teasing her nipples with his thumb and forefinger.

  He needed to taste her mouth.

  With both hands, he scooped the sides of her face and brought her closer to him. Their tongues danced in a frenzy pace.

  Fucking delicious.

  She broke their kiss, and Booker immediately missed the contact. Her perfect wet lips trailed kisses from Booker’s mouth, languidly down to his jaw. Her warm breath and tongue against the crook of his neck ignited sparks to his awakened dick. Booker let out a groan, and she returned a sexy sigh.

  Tasting.

  Feeling.

  Claiming.

  Her firm tits pressed to his perspiring pecks. He’d waited too long for this.

  Skin on skin.

  Sweating.

  Pulsing.

  Throbbing.

  Holy fuck, sweetheart, you feel so damn good.

  A faint vibration disconnected their kiss. “Your phone…is buzzing…someone’s calling,” she panted between kisses, nipping his jaw. “It might be important.”

  “Later…they’ll call back…you’re more important.” Booker’s fingers raked through her ruffled hair. “No more talking. C’mere, I want to taste you, baby.” Something was different about her kiss, yet familiar. He raised his mouth from hers and gazed into her eyes.

  “I love you, Jules.” Her voice echoed, sending chills down his spine.

  Amber?

  Amber’s fingernail traced his jawline. Her beautiful smile—she was biting her bottom lip. Wayward hair tumbled down her shoulders.

  His eyes squeezed shut.

  He shook his head to steady the image.

  This can’t be…

  Booker opened his eyes again, rubbed at them to clear the vision.

  “Chloe?”

  “I remember now,” Chloe hissed. “It was you all along.” Her turquoise eyes taunted him. Brown curls tickled his chest. The pad of her thumb grazed his lip. Chloe leaned in and whispered, “You lied to me, Booker…you lied to me.”

  The vibration grew louder. Buzz-buzz-buzz.

  “I didn’t lie!” Booker yelled, springing himself out of bed. Anxiety pulsed through his veins and sweat dripped from his body.

  Am I going crazy?

  He had to get his bearings. His bare feet touched the floor. A gray half-moon shone through his bedroom window. A woman was here, yes?

  No. Booker exhaled a shaky breath to calm the thunder roaring in his chest. He was alone.

  A fucking dream.

  His cell illuminated the nightstand. Tyco.

  Booker rubbed his eyes again, squinted at the time. Three twenty-two.

  He sat at the edge of the bed, swiped to answer the call. “It’s too early for thi—”

  “Took you long enough.” Tyco’s voice sounded through the line. “I’ve been calling you for the last thirty minutes. I was about to send the hounds after you.”

  “This better be good,” Booker grunted.

  “Sorry, Book. I couldn’t sleep…after my night with…what was her name again? Chelsea? Chastity? Fuck. Anyhow, I still had all this pent-up energy after I left her place, thought I’d put it to good use. You know me, once I get going, I can’t stop—”

  “Jesus, Ty. How many cups of coffee have you had?” Booker heard Tyco slurp, most likely his special black coffee with two extra shots of espresso.

  “Only four.”

  “Easy on the liquid crack. Not good for you.”

  Tyco chuckled. “Yeah, yeah. So, what I was saying…I got to working on the Channing case when an alert came across my monitor. I didn’t wanna wait till morning to call you after I saw it.”

  “Spit. It. Out.”

  “Luke Jensen—the guy you wanted me to keep an eye on? He took a redeye out of San Francisco last night.”

  “And? Do I need to guess where he went?”

  “Miami.” Tyco slurped his coffee again.

  Booker’s jaw tightened. “Fuck.”

  “Too close for comfort, if you ask me. He’s staying at the Intercontinental for the next several days. Knox sent Lincoln to keep an eye on him,” Tyco added. Booker could hear the clicking of a keyboard.

  “I wasn’t aware Lincoln got put on this case.” And now he needed to contact Lincoln. Why is he on Jensen?

  What was Booker missing?

  “Well, you know Knox…he’s covering all bases. He’s a good guy and always pays back any favors that are due especially for District Judge Frank Channing.”

  “Yup, that’s Knox…never forgets and would take the shirt off his back.”

  “Anyway, two nights ago Lincoln trailed Jensen and get this…he met up with Tellis O’Hare, Ryland’s brother. They had dinner and drinks at the Press Club. At one point, Jensen slid an envelope to O’Hare.”

  “What else?”

  “Nothing. That’s it.”

  “What do you mean nothing? Is Jensen linked to the photo that was mailed to Chloe, the letters to Frank or Chloe?”

  “I checked on Jensen’s whereabouts the morning Chloe was attacked. He was at a medical conference in Rhode Island. I even went further to check his whereabouts during Doctor Channing’s hit-and-run. Jensen was in surgery. He’s not the unsub.”

  “Let me get this shit straight…you woke me up at the ass-crack of dawn to tell me Chloe’s ex-boyfriend had dinner with Ryland’s brother and is on his way to Miami…and this asswipe is not the unsub? I need you to look into Tellis O’Hare…god I hope Ryland’s brother is not involved or it’s going to be a shitstorm.”

  “I’ve got more, donkey-boy.” Another pause from Tyco, slurping his coffee. “I looked into the accounts, that slush fund—”

  “What’d you find out?”

  “Doctor Channing opened the CAF accounts with a Mr. Russell Kollsson.”

  “Sounds familiar.” Familiar indeed. The name gnawed at the corner of Booker’s brain until it suddenly dawned on him. Doctor Channing needed Chloe to meet this man at the gala that night.

  “Kollsson was her financial advisor,” Tyco said.

  “Was?”

  “He’s dead. Multiple stabs to the chest. Apparently, he’d left early from work. His secretary told the detectives he was feeling woozy.”

  “Woozy?”

  “Yup. Her words. She offered to call him a cab, but he refused.”

  “Fuck.” Booker rubbed his face. “How long ago?”

  “Two months. Toxicology report found benzodiazepine in his system. Explains the woozy part and the reason why Kollsson couldn’t fight the assailant. Unfortunately, there were no cameras in the parking structure for detectives to review.”

  “Another dead end.” Booker’s muscles tensed as rage bottled up inside him.

  “Nah…just more breadcrumbs for me to follow.” Tyco’s confident voice radiated through the line because he loved the challenge. If there was a trail, leave it to Tyco to follow it
and get the answers needed.

  “Doctor Channing, Kollsson…”

  “Wait there’s more folks…behind door number three…half a mill was wired to a Swiss account the week prior to Doctor Channing’s murder. Not to mention hundreds of thousands withdrawn since then. I’m working on the Swiss account as we speak.”

  “Let me guess: Kollsson.”

  “Actually, no.” Tyco’s fingers click-clacked on the keyboard. “Doctor Channing made the wire transfer.”

  “Doctor Channing? This is becoming one big clusterfuck. Okay. Keep digging.”

  “Funny, that’s what she said to me last night.” Tyco chuckled.

  “Asshole. I don’t need to hear about your sex life.”

  “At least one of us is getting some.”

  “Fucker.”

  Tyco laughed again. “Yup, that’s what she said, too.”

  “Ty, focus. Did you get any prints from the photograph or the postcards that Rocky retrieved from Chloe’s apartment?”

  “Working on it. They’re backed up at the lab.”

  “Backed up? Are you shitting me?”

  The KSIG firm added their own in-house lab six months ago, after growing tired of waiting on the city for results. Unfortunately, Sabrina Kent was running the lab solo, and with the surmounting cases, she was overworked and understaffed.

  “Sabrina needs some help over there.” Booker pushed back his hair. “I’ll talk to Knox about hiring an assistant to help her out.”

  “I could always work my charm to get bumped up to the front of the line.”

  “Keep your dick in your pants, playboy. You know how Knox feels about office fuckery.”

  “Knox gave me an earful and my shit is in check. Don’t need his son doing the same.”

  “Dick. Just send what you have to my tablet.”

  “Ten-four. Tyco out.” He hung up.

  Booker returned his cell to the nightstand with a clap and rubbed a hand down his face, yielding to his bed, where his mind wandered back to the dream. Too-clear images splintered his thoughts, flickering like a slideshow. Visions of Amber fueled his guilt, his betrayal toward her. Another vision followed, whispering his desire for Chloe.

  I’m going straight to hell.