Love, Art, and Murder: Mystery Romance

by Kenya Wright

  Not anymore.

  “Hmmm. Did Michael do things like that a lot?”

  “At times.”

  “You were together?”

  I leaned back on the wall next to my closed bedroom door. One of the guards opened my room and went inside to make sure everything was safe. At least that was what I assumed. Alvarez made me aware of that before we left his office. They would be with me from now on, and before I entered a room, they would go in to check it out. Additionally, one would be near my window, two flanking my half opened door, and the fourth checking on me upon the hour until I woke up.

  “Yes. While Michael and I were in a relationship, he tended to manage my life.”

  “And now you’re not in a relationship with him?”

  “Exactly.”

  “And you’re not interested in anything else right now, due to Michael.”

  “Yes. I need time to figure out who I am and what I want. I can’t get into anything too deep right now.”

  “Hmmm.” He placed his hands on the space above my head. “That may be difficult for me to deal with, if you’re certain you’re going to stay. Besides, I plan on buffing up on movies in the next couple of days. We’ll be going on many dates very soon.”

  I grinned. “There’s no way you’ll stump me. Plus, friends don’t date so I’m sure you’ll be able to just be friends with me.”

  “Friends?” He quirked his eyebrows.

  “Yes. We’re amigos,” I proudly stated. “That does mean friends in Spanish. Right?”

  “Kind of. Remember. Cuban men are romantic. When we say friend it means friends that dance together and go to nice little restaurants with candles on the center of the table.”

  “I didn’t hear that in my Spanish class during high school. Besides, that sounds like it’s verging toward a date.”

  “And you don’t date your friends?”

  “No.”

  “I’m not sure if I’m enjoying your concept of friends.” His phone rang. He dug his hand into his pocket and turned it off.

  “Am I keeping you from something?”

  “Everything,” he whispered.

  “I’m sorry.”

  “Don’t be. That’s half the reason I’m certain I want to be more than friends. You, mi amiga, end up keeping my mind only on you whenever you’re around. I’m starting to like that very much.”

  My heart beat faster.

  He checked his watch. “For example, even though it’s now close to five in the morning and I have at least five difficult things to do right now due to this new death, all I can think of doing right at the moment is finishing that kiss we had on the dance floor. Is that weird?”

  I forced myself to not lick my lips. “No. That’s not weird.”

  “Did you enjoy our friendly kiss, mi amiga?”

  “Ha,” I snorted. “That was not a friendly kiss.”

  “No?” He leaned close to me, so near my nipples stiffened at the thought of him touching me. “Then what type of kiss was it, amiga?”

  “Something more than I can put words or labels to.”

  “Then how did it make you feel?” He brushed his lips against mine, but didn’t press them in for a kiss.

  You’re such a tease.

  I arched a little his way, knowing I shouldn’t. If I was going to demand that we be only friends, I would have to actually mean it with my body as well as my words. Yet there was that magnetic pull of pleasure, tugging me forward and energizing my flesh with need.

  “What’s wrong? You don’t want to answer my question?” In a bold move, he dipped down to my neck and nibbled the sensitive area. I moaned softly, but knew he heard it when a groan escaped his mouth. “How did my kiss make you feel, Elle?”

  I turned to see if the guards were watching, but he captured my chin and brought my view back to him. “Answer me, please.”

  “It made me feel. . . good.”

  “Just good?” He nipped at my bottom lip. “I doubt that.”

  “Why?”

  “Because that kiss tonight made me hungry, and when you leaned away that same greedy little hunger showed all over your face.”

  “You’re lying.”

  “I want to kiss you again, mi amiga.”

  I giggled. “I don’t think amigos should convince each

  other to do things they shouldn’t. You’re such a bad influence.”

  “And you’re a little tease.” He seized my lips and took his time, gently nudging them open with his tongue, until I couldn’t help but part them and suck on that wet length myself. He was a master at kissing. My knees buckled under his pressure. Desire mounted within my chest.

  God. How silly I must look, telling him I only want to be friends while relishing in his mouth on mine.

  It was clear he could kiss better than anyone I’d ever experienced. What else could he do with so much swift, panty-wetting perfection? How would it feel for him to touch me even more in those intimate places where only Michael had caressed? Michael’s face hit my brain, and just like that I stopped the kiss. It was the best way to gain control of the situation. Michael had done enough damage. I didn’t need another man, so passionate, coming into my life and stealing my heart, not until I was ready to be stronger in situations like this.

  Alvarez leaned away. “What’s going through your mind?”

  “I’m thinking I’m not that good at pushing your advances away.”

  “That’s a great thing.”

  “Actually, it’s not. I want to be more assertive and—”

  “Trust me. You’re definitely assertive. You practically forced me to do everything you wanted outside tonight, and you threatened me, too. I can still feel the stab wounds in my back from you saying you would have a team of lawyers fighting me.”

  “Oh, stop it.”

  “It’s the truth.”

  “Well.” I bit my lip. “I can’t jump into another situation with another man.”

  “Then let’s not jump. Let’s take tiny little steps and see where that takes us. I for one don’t have the time for a relationship. I never even considered dating anyone until I met you yesterday.”

  “I don’t believe that.”

  “It’s true.” He tried to kiss me again, but I avoided those skilled lips.

  “How long has it been since you’ve dated someone?”

  “Over ten years.”

  Hadn’t he said that he’d known Reece for the same amount of time?

  “So you stopped dating when you hired your assistant?”

  “No. I stopped dating when Hex became a huge artist and my time became so absorbed in dealing with his fame and keeping him out of jail. My grandma presents her own special problems, plus there’s. . .”

  “There’s what?”

  “Nothing. All I’m trying to say is that with all that I had around me, I pretty much kept my. . . dating to one night stands or other things that were close to that.”

  “Other things? You’re being very vague.”

  “What I do in my off time isn’t the most endearing or gentlemanly thing about me. I would rather not look bad in your eyes. My point is that I never even considered anything more with a woman until I spent time around you today.”

  “That can’t be true. With all the models that Hex invites, there had to be someone who caught your eye.”

  “I usually stay away from Hex’s models and artsy friends. As you’ve seen tonight, I had no idea what the poor woman’s name was that died. With such tight security on the property, I pretty much spend my time absorbing myself in business and then leaving Hex to his friends. Most of the time I avoid them.”

  The guard who’d gone in my room earlier now stood in the hallway with an awkward look on his face.

  “Is everything okay in there?” Alvarez asked.

  “Yes, sir. I checked the whole area. No one is in her room and there was no sign that a person came in there when she left.” He pointed to the small camera hanging from the ceiling. “This one ha
s been pointed on her room all night. I’ve been told that no person, not even a maid, entered her room.”

  “Thank you. That’ll be all.”

  The guard nodded and didn’t leave the hallway, but gave us a wide berth of space.

  Alvarez looked at me. A sly smile crossed his face. “Can I walk you into your room?”

  I tried not to laugh, but it came out just the same. “No, sir. As my guard informed us both, my room is secure. I won’t need your protection.”

  I would need someone to help me stop his lips or my need to have them on me.

  He leaned his head to the side. “Are you sure about that?”

  “Definitely.” I ducked under his arms and walked into my bedroom. “Goodnight, Alvarez.”

  “Will we be hanging out tomorrow, as friends of course, just amigos?”

  “You have a lot on your plate. Do you even have the time?”

  “I’ll make it.”

  “I guess so then. I do want to know any new details about these deaths—”

  “No. I have the police dealing with that. When I see you tomorrow for our date, I want it to have nothing to do with that.”

  “Date?”

  “Sorry. A gathering among two amigos.”

  I sighed. “Alvarez, I’m serious. I know I don’t seem that way when I’m allowing you to put your tongue down my throat—”

  “Which I appreciate, by the way.”

  “Stop it.” I blushed. “I just think we shouldn’t plan on anything coming out of this. We should just decide to have fun with no weird strings attached or any plans for anything more than hanging out.”

  “And a few kisses?”

  I looked away. “Maybe.”

  “So spending time together and the possibility of a kiss?”

  “Yes.” He’s ridiculous. “Just two friends hanging out who may or may not kiss. Nothing else.”

  “I’m okay with that.”

  “Good.”

  “This will be an interesting summer.” He inhaled and closed his eyes for a few seconds before opening them. “That perfume is amazing. I’m still going to have a box of it sent to your room.”

  “You don’t need to.”

  “But I will.”

  Instead of spending time with him, if I definitely stay, I’ll spend the rest of the time avoiding him. This property is so huge; I’ll bet I could do it.

  As if he could read my thoughts, he tried to stump me for the last time that night. “Okay. I’ve got it. ‘Take a chance on me, baby. Give me the opportunity to show you that I’m your future, and he’s your past. Run off with me, Lacy.’”

  “You know I recognize that. It’s probably the most famous line in the world. Even if I wasn’t from America and had just learned English in the past five years, I would know that line. It’s from New York to New York. The top-grossing movie in the history of the film industry.”

  He revealed a wicked smile. “Maybe I’m just really that bad at this.”

  “Or maybe you’re trying to tell me something.”

  “Maybe.”

  “Goodnight, Alvarez.” I closed the door behind me.

  “Goodnight, my new friend,” he said from the outside.

  Chapter 16

  Alvarez

  One more thing and I’ll go to sleep, just one more thing. I checked my watch. Two in the afternoon. Finishing that goddamn list had taken all this time?

  I hadn’t slept after saying goodnight to Elle. I went to my office with the goal of getting a few things done before finishing the evening.

  “Needa will be here in two minutes.” Reece rushed through my door with two coffees in her hand. “Hex refused to come. He said that he was hit with inspiration this morning and must paint immediately. He’s invited models over.”

  “More models.” That was all we needed. More people coming here to die.

  “They’re only temporary and here for an hour. Hex assured me he would only photograph them with Elle and then have them leave. How are you holding up?”

  “I’m fine. I don’t need the coffee.” I waved away the cup she tried to give me. “I’m going to sleep after this. Anything else from Detective White?”

  “Nothing yet. He’s going to be here during the meeting with Needa. He sounded like he had something serious to discuss.”

  “That’s fine.”

  He knew all about Dayanara, had fingerprinted her just in case he found a weapon or something that would have connected her to the murdered girls. I couldn’t even consider what I would do if Dayanara was the person killing them. It wasn’t impossible, however. She’d killed before. What if things I’d seen in movies were true, that when a person took a life, they became addicted to that power of controlling another’s humanity?

  What the hell am I thinking? Dayanara couldn’t do anything like that. This is why I should’ve gone to sleep hours ago.

  Reece grabbed the papers I’d signed and stacked them in her briefcase to take wherever they needed to go. Every few steps she glanced at the many lit candles throughout the space and frowned. After leaving Elle, I’d lit them all. That orange blossom fragrance drenched my office and served as the only thing keeping me awake. Elle’s scent gave me an adrenaline rush with just one inhale. I had no problem getting things done with her smell to push me forward—because the more crap I got off my to-do list, the more time we would spend on our date.

  And there would be a date. Fifty books filled with various movie quotes leaned on the wall behind my chair. Reece had grabbed them from bookstores all over Miami. Apparently, nonfiction books for movie lovers were big business. They crowded the bookstores. Whenever I got a few moments to myself, I browsed lines, searching for the most unwatched and unpopular movie in there.

  “Ay Dios mio! It smells like someone is cooking honey fruit soup in here.” Grandma waved her book in front of her as if fanning away the scent from my office. “What type of candles are these?”

  “Orange blossoms.”

  “Since when do you like orange blossoms?”

  “Since a few days ago. How’s Dayanara?”

  “She’s fine.” Grandma sat down and averted her eyes, signaling to me that she knew she was in trouble.

  “Why in the hell did you take her out of her room, sneak her outside of the damn castle to the moat, and cover the both of you in blood?”

  “Don’t you curse at me!” She pointed her wrinkled finger my way.

  “I’m sorry, but let’s return to you breaking all of our rules and then after we finish that conversation, let’s go to the source of your blood.”

  “Those were your rules, not mine. I just decided to listen to them for a while.”

  I rubbed my forehead. “Grandma—”

  “I let you handle this, but now you need to step aside and let my gods handle it. Two women have died.”

  “I’m aware of that.”

  “And they’re cut up!”

  “I’m aware of that also. Wait a minute. How do you know they’re cut up?”

  Her expression faltered for a minute and then she quickly looked away. “How would I not? It’s all over the news, I think, and everybody has been whispering about it. The cook is scared. The maids are jumping around every time someone walks by them. We won’t have anybody here to clean this ridiculous castle by the end of the week.”

  “Where did you get the blood, Grandma?”

  “Why? Do you think I killed those girls and took their blood?” She wagged her book at the candles. “Did these smelly candles mess with your brain?”

  “You’re done with taking blood from anybody else. You do it again and I send you back to Cuba.”

  “Send me back to Cuba? I go back when I decide.” She jumped up and slammed the book on my desk. My coffee tipped over. Reece, who’d been standing in the corner, rushed over and cleaned the mess up.

  And then a continuous line of fast Spanish fled out of Grandma’s mouth. I spoke Spanish decently, but couldn’t write or read it well, to Grandma’s
dismay. My step-dad had hated when we used it in the house, so it didn’t occur. By the time Hex was born, we never spoke it unless my relatives came to visit and my step-dad wasn’t in the house. Hex didn’t know much, but I was pretty good at understanding Spanish when people spoke it around me, except when Grandma was truly pissed. Her thick accent glazed each word and made it almost incomprehensible. However, I understood that; one, she would curse me with something pretty nasty if I ever talked to her like that again; and two, she would never hurt poor little girls who didn’t do anything to anybody.

  When she finally finished and calmed down, I knitted my fingers together. “I’ll still need to know where you got the blood from and for you to stop getting it from there.”

  “I have a new contact and I won’t stop.”

  “Who is your new contact?” I asked through clenched teeth.

  “None of your business.”

  “Grandma, we agreed that if you’re going to stay with us you’ll let me get you your items. I don’t know who this supplier is or where they are getting the blood. If something came up with this being black market or illegal in any way—”

  “I’m a good judge of character.”

  “Doesn’t matter.”

  Detective White stepped in, holding a large manila envelope in his hands. His presence quieted our arguing. It was one thing to have it out in front of Reece, who’d been with me for long enough to be privy to these disputes, but our family didn’t air our business in front of strangers.

  “Detective White, this is my grandma, Needa Castillo,” I said. “Come on in, please.”

  “I’m leaving.” Grandma inched away from the detective and headed for the door. “You come talk to me when you have more sense and these candles aren’t messing with your head.”

  “Grandma, I’m not done talking to you!” I called after her, but her only response was to slam the door after she walked out. Detective White’s attention rested on the closed door as if some clue was in that heated gesture, some final piece left to the puzzle. Reece finished getting up all the coffee, tossed the wet rag in a bag, and left. I sighed and looked up at Detective White. “Please tell me you have some good news.”

  “I have news, but I’m not sure if it’s good.” He glanced at the door again. “In fact, you may want to discuss this without your assistant in the room.”