by Aliyah Burke
“You’re family, Wendy. Tonight is a family dinner.”
She wouldn’t hold his gaze but lowered hers to look elsewhere. “Regardless, thank you.”
He kissed her forehead and left, heading down to the car waiting for him. He scrolled through his phone and pulled up Tara’s number then called her.
“I’m just now done,” she said by way of greeting.
“I’ll be there shortly to get you.”
“I don’t need you to drive me all over town. Correction, have your car service do it.”
“Indulge me.”
“I’ve been doing a lot of that lately.”
He smiled. She had for sure. Most of the time that happened when it was just the two of them. His cock swelled and pushed hard against the seam of his slacks.
“Don’t hear me complaining about that, do you?” Her utterance wasn’t flattering so he ignored it. “I’ll see you soon.”
She sat outside on a bench that he had no doubt was a stunning spot to be in any season, aside from the lingering winter upon them. The moment the car halted, he jumped out to meet her.
As he strode over the shoveled walkway, he smiled in her direction. This little sprite of a woman didn’t look at all like the one he’d seen eat people alive in court. Or the saucy vixen who was a devil in his bed as she made him come apart, or as he watched her fall to pieces.
No, this one was cute. Her neon-green knit cap with the pompom on the top and ear flaps with pink stars on them just made him laugh. She didn’t even move—hell, he wasn’t sure she knew he’d arrived. Her nose was in a book.
Not on her phone or an e-reader but an actual book. When he stood over her, she used a mittened hand to slide a piece of play money in as a bookmark. Only then did she look up at him with her black eyes.
“Hi.”
He bent and kissed her, savoring the smoothness of her gloss beneath his own lips.
“I missed you. Ready? And why are you sitting out here in the cold?”
“I’m not cold. Yes I am.”
He offered her his arm and helped her up. She was still a bit off balance but had come along much quicker than they’d expected her to. Tara wanted to quit therapy, but he and Eva had nixed that idea.
Once in the heated vehicle and on their way, he reached over and tucked some wayward hair back from her eyes.
“How do you feel?”
“Well enough for dinner. I told you, I’m fine. I tell you and Eva this all the time, but you expect me to continue going to therapy. How’s Wendy? Is she coming tonight?”
“I won’t stop expecting you to go. Yes, she is. She thinks it’s just family dinner and doesn’t have a clue it’s a birthday party for her. I told her I’d have the car by to pick her up. You sure Shai is up for this?”
“She is. We confirmed earlier today with her. All is ready for tonight. She’ll take care of anything last minute with Mom.”
He stroked her cheek with his thumb. At least now he wasn’t concerned about her and her beliefs on what was going on with him and Wendy. It hadn’t been an easy road. They still had one more hurdle to get over, though, and that was one he knew would be coming soon.
“What’s got that pensive look on your face?”
He put his gaze back to her from where it had drifted outside the car. “Work.”
“Everything okay there?”
He nodded. “Wendy is a gem, she could run it all without me. Thank God she doesn’t want to.” He grinned. “Or at least doesn’t know she could.”
“Trust me, she knows.” Tara leaned against him with a yawn. “That woman definitely knows.”
“I’ve got some people looking to poach her from me.”
“I don’t think you have anything to worry about. You pay her well, although you may want to see about a raise, and from what I see, treat her nice. At least now you do.”
He took the jab without offense, because she had the right of it. He’d taken her for granted all the way up until Tara had gotten back in his life. Now he saw how valuable Wendy was to him on more than one level.
Back at her place, he walked her into the large bathroom and began disrobing her.
She watched him with heavy-lidded eyes, not helping him but not stopping him either. Layer by layer she was exposed to him until she was naked before his hungry gaze.
On his knees before her, he looked up at the woman he loved more than he’d ever be able to put into actual words. Petite everywhere but perfect for him. To him. His heart caught as he stared at the scars left behind from the bullets that had penetrated her olive skin and come so close to taking her from him. Permanently.
She canted her head to the side. “I know that look. You’ve pensive. What’s rattling around up there?”
“Just thankful I still have you here with me.” He reached out and touched the puckered skin in her chest area. Dropping his head so she wouldn’t see the tears burning him, he rested it against her stomach.
She pushed a hand into his hair and threaded it as she comforted him.
“Drew, I have to shower.”
There it was. Her closing the door on that talk that still lingered. That final hurdle for them.
Kissing his way up her skin, he rose as he captured her mouth. As the kiss deepened, he kicked off his shoes, toed off his socks and rid himself of his pants and underwear. Breaking for a moment, he ripped his shirt off over his head then reclaimed her mouth beneath his own.
She purred as she arched into him. Andrew lifted her, smiling against her mouth as she wrapped her legs about him. The kiss continued as he waited for the water to heat. His cock, hard and throbbing, rested against her core and he could feel her wetness, slipping up his shaft.
God, he loved this woman.
When the water was warm enough, he put them both under the spray. She pulled on his hair as the kiss intensified. Palming one breast, he teased it until the nipple was a hard pebble in his hand. He trailed kisses down her neck until he could capture her other breast. Plucking the tip of one and tonguing the other, he had her squirming in his embrace.
“Drew,” she wailed. “Stop this. Please, I need you inside me. We don’t have time for this.”
Grazing his teeth along the point, he mumbled, “There’s always time for this between us, Tara.”
“Inside me,” she demanded.
He didn’t want to wait any longer and lifted her enough so the head of his cock sat poised at her core’s entrance. Then he released his hold on her, allowing gravity and her own weight to take him in.
“Yes,” she hissed as he filled her.
He didn’t have another word for it. Her velvet walls tightened around him and when she flexed, sweat broke out on his skin only to be whisked away by the falling water. Holding on, he gave them both what was needed. Each other.
Chapter Fourteen
“Here’s to the lucky bride-to-be.” Shai raised her martini glass, a smile set in place.
Tara mimicked the action with her glass of Chardonnay. She was out with her sisters and Eva had told her that she and Grant were engaged. “I second that. I’m so happy for you. And let’s look at this honking ring you’ve got there.”
Eva blushed as she looked at the ring and her sisters. “I never thought this would happen. Thank you for being excited with me.”
Tara grinned. “Why wouldn’t we be? This man makes you glow.”
Eva cocked an eyebrow. “Speaking of glowing,” she said, giving Tara a pointed look.
She held up her hands. “Nope, my life is off limits tonight. This is about you and Grant. And you again. We’re here to celebrate what you two have. Shai? Back me on this.”
Her sister waved for another drink. “Absolutely. We’ll talk about her glow later on—right now, this is about you.”
“Excuse me, ladies, I’m sorry to interrupt.”
Tara’s heart jumped at the sight of Detective Savvas.
“You have news on Veronica?”
Her chest hurt and she str
uggled not to rub it in front of this man. It wasn’t his fault her own secretary had been the one to pull the trigger this last time, but seeing him was bringing it all back.
From his expression, he knew he wasn’t helping anything.
“We’ve heard from sources that she is back in town.”
Eva took her hand and Tara breathed a bit easier.
“And have you heard where she is?” Shai snapped.
Savvas flicked his gaze to Shai. “Not yet. We want you to be aware. We do have people on you again.”
“Fat lot of good it did last time.”
“Ms. Monroe, we are doing our best to keep her and the rest of you safe. I’m sure that someone will be by tomorrow to inform you, but as I saw you while I was leaving, I wanted to let you know.”
“If you were paid for your performance, I’d go with you’re being overpaid.”
“Shai,” Tara reprimanded.
Detective Savvas didn’t look at all put out by her sister’s attitude. A small smile turned up his lips.
“I assure you, Ms. Monroe, I earn every penny I make with my performance. I hope you ladies have a good night.” He strode off without a look back.
“What was that about, Shai?” Tara shared a glance with Eva.
“What? They were supposed to be protecting you last time and look what happened. Forgive me if I don’t think that he’s doing the best job he can.”
“To be fair, he wasn’t the one protecting me. I’m sure he’s very capable.”
Shai shrugged and accepted her new drink before downing a good chunk of it at once. “Enough about that. Let’s get back to the celebration. And I want cake, who’s with me?”
Tara nodded. “I spend enough time dying on that goddamn bike in spin class, I can have some too.”
Eva picked up the dessert menu. “Someone try and stop me.”
“Hell no, you’ll probably kill me for even thinking it. I know you love your sweets.”
They celebrated into the night and, with hugs, finally separated and went their own ways home.
Unease settled around her as she drove. Every set of headlights was a potential assailant. Her mind didn’t help matters either.
What if they’ve tampered with my vehicle? What if once I reach a certain speed on the interstate I trigger the bomb and it will go off the moment I decelerate, like it did in the movie? What if someone has hacked my GPS and they have some control over my car, telling it where to go and they wreck me?
Her palpitations were out of control as she made it to her parking place at her building. Shaking, she couldn’t make her fingers work to get out of the vehicle.
Fumbling, she called Drew.
“Hey, sexy, how is your time with your sisters?”
“I’m in my car downstairs and I can’t make my hands work.” Tears burst from her eyes and she began dry heaving. Only, after a few moments it wasn’t just dry heaves.
“I’m on my way. Stay on the line with me, baby.”
In the back of her mind, she could hear his footsteps as he ran through the apartment. There wasn’t a ding from the elevator and when he burst from the stairwell, she realized why. He’d run down.
Drew wore nothing but jeans and shoes. He skidded to a stop by the driver’s door and hung up the phone. She rocked, fingers clutched around the wheel.
“Baby,” he said through the glass. “I need you to unlock the door.”
Nodding, she took a minute to accomplish that. Seconds later, his heat surrounded her, and she inhaled deep, allowing it to sink in as best it could. He undid her belt, and keeping her tight to his chest, he backed away, carrying her with him.
He handed her the purse and shut the door with his hip before walking to the elevator, strong arms anchoring her to him. She closed her eyes and allowed the tears to fall—she didn’t have the energy to stop them.
Silence lingered between them as they rode up to her floor and into the space. He didn’t stop in the living room, just continued on to the bedroom where he placed her on the bed. Drew wedged himself between her thighs and cupped her face.
“Baby, look at me.”
Shame washed over her and she shook her head. “I don’t know what came over me. I shouldn’t have been scared but I freaked out.” Her breaths came sharp and ragged. “All I could think about was that they’d tampered with my car with the GPS or a bomb and I was going to die. Headlights scared the shit out of me and I think I threw up in my car.”
“You’re safe, it’s okay.” He tucked her into him and rubbed her back.
She fell asleep after he made her drink a warm cup of tea and held her on his lap for a while. She woke the same way, curled up against him. Only this time they were naked and in bed.
“Drew?”
“Right here, baby.” His large hand moved in idyllic patterns along her back. “I’m right here. Do you need me to get you something? A drink? Food?”
“No,” she blurted out, fingers tightened on his arm. “Stay with me. Please.”
“I’m not going anywhere.”
She settled into him a bit more, calming her racing heart and willing her breathing to slow down. Her husband didn’t speak—he just remained there, touching her. Offering support all in silence.
She dozed off and on until she could no longer ignore her screaming bladder. With a frustrated groan, she untangled herself from his warm, hard body and padded along the thick carpet to the spacious bathroom.
Once she’d finished, she rested her just-washed hands against the porcelain sink and stared at her reflection. Bags lingered under eyes and her features appeared a bit drawn.
Standing tall, she peered at the scarring on her chest and moved her fingers so she could trace along the edges. She flinched upon first contact. Not because it hurt, but because she was expecting it to. As she worried her lower lip in her teeth, she continued her exploration of the scars.
Nothing else mattered, not that she stood there naked before the mirror, not that she was exhausted, just the reminder that would be with her forever, because of her job.
“Tara?”
She cut her eyes toward the door. “Yes?”
“Everything okay in there?”
“Just staring at my scars.” Canting her head to the side, she poked at the puckered edge once more.
When the door opened, she didn’t jump in shock, didn’t even take her gaze from where her fingers rested. His large body moved up behind her, sharing his warmth with her nakedness.
“I almost died.”
“I know.” He cupped her shoulders and she allowed her gaze to flick to the clean square nails on the ends of each finger.
“I shouldn’t have these panic attacks.”
“Why not?” Drew’s question wasn’t snide but just curious.
“Because I’m an ADA and I should know better.”
Drew shook his head and swept her up in his arms. “We need to have a talk and now is the time.”
Swiping her robe on the way out of the bedroom, he then set it around her shoulders after he put her on the floor in the living room.
“Sit.”
She arched an eyebrow, but he didn’t budge, just pointed down to the large sofa.
When she complied and tucked her legs beneath her, he reached over to drag the quilt off the back and settled it around her, tucking it in.
He didn’t sit beside her—instead, he propped his ass on the coffee table and leaned close to her.
“I wanted to wait for this until you were better, but I’m thinking this is pertinent to talk about now.”
The Tara he knew and had fallen for would’ve watched him with a sparkle and slight challenge in her eyes. Waiting for him to say what he had to say so she could either counter with her own well-planned argument, or one that she thought would hold merit just because she loved to debate. However, this one, this version of his wife, merely sat there, her eyes affixed to his as she waited.
The robe and the quilt surrounding her made her appear ev
en smaller, more petite. Even more fragile. What it did was bring out more of his protective instincts, making him want to sweep her up and carry her all the way back over to Switzerland where he could keep her safe and away from everything that went on in this crazy world of hers.
That wasn’t an option, though. She wasn’t the kind of woman who would run and hide from anything, no matter how scared she got. And he understood she was scared. The call he’d received from her had torn out his heart and dropped it down to the street level.
When he’d gotten out there and seen her drawn face and pale skin he’d damn near panicked. This was not the woman he knew. But now, having watched her stare at her own scarring and talk about the near-death experience that she’d just gone through, he accepted they had to have this discussion now.
He had to know where everything was laid out.
He blinked and focused back on her face. She hadn’t fidgeted or given him any one of her numerous patented ‘I’m bored and still waiting’ looks.
“This thing that you went through, Tara. There’s no timeframe for you to be healed from it. No time that anyone is going to say you should have moved on, shouldn’t let what happened to you worry you any further. I need you to understand that. You heal at your own rate. You work through this at your own speed. If it takes you a day, fine, if it takes you ten years, fine. I don’t care. All I care about is you getting better.”
She began to shake her head and he reached out, capturing her chin, holding it in place.
“No. I know I said discussion, but right now this is going to be a very one-sided one. I want to talk and I want you to listen.”
She nodded. Not much of a movement, but from this woman he would take it.
“I’ve gone back and forth in my head about how I want this to play out between us. I’ve told you how much I love you and I know you told me the same thing.” He pushed a hand through his hair before rubbing his palm on the material of his pant leg. “Seeing you like this is breaking my heart. Hearing you doubt the amazing woman that I know you are. That your family knows you are. All of this kills me a little more each time I’m faced with it.”
Andrew reached over and removed one of her hands from the folds of the quilt that covered her before lacing their fingers together and skimming his thumb along the side of her palm. Such strength resided within this hand, regardless of how tiny it was in his own.